Yeah I'm a total money hog, so I try really hard to make it so I never have to buy anything. That means give Olberic an SP scarf, my swap out an hp scarf, have ophilia use the HP/SP theif (She is a theif), and have tressa use rest, that way I can be stingy and never have to buy grapes or stuff (Although I keep a stock just in case)That's a good strategy. Well done!
That's the great thing about this game, so many different strategies can work, so lots of different ways to play the game.
My strategy - just so you know how I do things is as follows (without any of the advanced clases).
The only major change I made for the advanced classes is I swapped out Dacer and put in Sorcerer as the secondary class for Cyrus second class, simply because the Sorcerer hits like a truck. I still use the Dancer secondary passive though.
- Cyrus is my damage dealer. He's secondary class is Dancer, for the plus mana per turn and the ability to hit dark weaknesses. I also use the other ability (I think it's cleric?) on him that turns AOE abilities into single target abilities and thus buff their damage. Helps me to get 2x hits off of over 5k damage each
- Alfyn is Apothecary / Cleric. Though he doesn't use the cleric side much at all. I actually only rarely use the cleric's secondary heal. I find the Grape bunch to be better because any character can sue them. His solo heal, solo revive, affliction heal and BP concoction is what I mainly use him for. He's mostly my healer. Also if he has a spare turn I do use his axe to help break shields. I only use the cleric side for light damage when that's a weakness.
- My third is either Olberic or Therion. But they are Warrior / Thief (or the reverse) so basically the same thing in combat. I only chose him to have the sword as an option, I didn't have anyone else I wanted as a 4th. Also his Brand's Thunder used on an enemy with the armour corrosive debuff on it hits like a truck. Often over 10K, making use of the Warrior secondary passive there.
- My last character is the one I stared with. It's Tressa with her secondary class as Hunter. I use the Merchant for BP transfer and the occassional wind weakness but that's it. The Hunter side is useful also. Rain of Arrows is a great skill and really decimates anything weak to arrows and leghold trap is a must I think for tough bosses so they always attack at the end of each turn. I use that so I get to break them before they have the chance to attack me.
Personally, I wouldn't put an apothecary with the cleric subclass or the other way around, because I think it causes too much overlap. If everyone has healing abilities, it's easier to survive and easier to not have to use grapes, but that's just a weird opinion of mine. I also originally picked subclasses purely on getting everybody to have max weapon versatility, meaning give Olberic Spells as a scholar (GREAT COMBO), give Primrose Warrior weapons, ect, that way I never have wasted turns where the enemies aren't being broken.
Apparently I also do combat different than my friend, because he always singles out one \opponent and just hams on him until they are dead and then just moves on, where I try hard to break everyone as soon as possible, and from there single them out, that way, they can't hit me as much in battle and I can save turns, but i can see why my friend's strat works well too.
I really love the strategies behind this game. As you said, there are so many approaches