Which do you generally find more important on a unit: speed or defense?

I know this will vary from game to game and unit to unit, but I generally find Defense more important than speed (ex. if I could choose one stat to gain on a level up, I would choose DEF)

My rationalization comes from the fact that avoidance is powerful but inconsistant. That is, you will avoid most but not all of the time. However, if you can push your DEF higher than the amount of damage enemies can deal, you will be invincible from physical attacks! I find this the best way to not restart chapters, at least in FE8 and 9 where the enemies are pathetic.

There is the occasional mage or poison weapon, but those can be avoided and with good tactics they become less threatening. I know I probably hold a radical position on this, but I just wanted to present my reasoning for a belief I hold and probably will hold for a while. (Or at least until the enemies can deal a fair amount of damage). DEF is the most consistent way not to lose, and therefore I find it most important.

High defenses reduce the amount of damage.

Speed can cause no damage at all at high levels with frequency, and allows you to double attack. I say speed FTW. Durability is useful, but Speed is a double-edged sword.

I've always preferred defense, perhaps because my luck isn't that great sometimes. Much more beneficial for me to have a unit that I know can take the hits than one who, if he does get hit, is finished.

Assuming high stats everywhere else, Speed. Being able to kill everything with your god speed is a good thing, as well as the high avo.

Spd. if it is backed up by LUK, as having only spd still leaves you with crap avoid.

spd >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> def

Spd affects both offense and defense, while def only affects defense and even then, only some of the time.


Spd lets you double your offense, lets you dodge both physical and magical attacks, and keeps you from getting doubled.
Def reduces damage from physical attacks.

They even out in some cases. If you have high speed, but low def, you get a lot of damage when you get hit. But if you have a higher def and low speed, you'll get doubled giving you probably around the same amount of damage. A balance of both is what I prefer.

qft

qft x 2

I prefer a good balance myself, but if I had to choose one, I would choose defense. If you are all speed and no DEF, then you get screwed if you get hit.

Id say both ae useful, Def because you can triple 0, and Speed for Doubling

Try reading Reikken's post.

It's a fact that SPD pwns all.

yeah... i rather prefer spd to def
offensive is the best defensive(?)

What's dead can't hurt you. As long as it's dead, not undead.

Some FAQ said that.

In sheer essence, DEF wins out.

If you factor in HP, STR, SKL, etc, SPD wins out.

High DEF: Consistantly less DMG
High SPD; Inconsistant dodge skillz

With high HP then DEF isn't as important, so SPD has a safety net, if you will, for when you don't dodge.

In FE8, since it was used as a reference, It doesn't matter, since with capped stats, average enemies don't hit hard, when they do damage, thus lowering the importance of DEF. Assuming everyone is 20/20 and capped off da hook, they should be dodging, since enemies in CC are pathetic, except in the later LR stages.

SPD >>> DEF

SPD also affects offense.

SPD >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Speed, kill them before they kill you. =D

I prefer speed myself. If you have speed, you can hit better, dodge, and keep yourself from getting double-attacked. Defense is great, but what happens when something that overpowers your defence comes along and double-attacks you? That's worse than having poor defence and high speed, since high speed will give you a chance at living at least.

Both are necessary to have good defenses.

Don't you know how situational that is? While it's nice not being doubled, the damage would balance out assuming that we're talking about a lowspdhighdef unit and a hispdlowdef unit.

Both are among the best stats, so it's hard to go out and choose a clear superior. Although, SPD would be more useful considering that it affects more areas.

Statwise, I prefer defense. Tacticswise, I prefer speed.

Wallace vs Lyn. :hmm:

I figured people would say "Speed because speed affects offense and defense" By that logic, Luck should be the best stat, because it affects many things.

I guess my point lies in the counterargument to the question "what happens when something that overpowers your defense comes along and double-attacks you?"

See, especially in the later FE games, this is so rare it is almost a nonfactor. And offense is great, but as long as you don't lose, you have all the time in the world to deal damage and win. Add on the fact that you want to make sure NONE of your guys die, and I actually find defense more reliable for winning the chapter on a regular basis. In arena matches, SPD is the best hands down. But when it's a tough map and you want everyone to survive, it doesn't matter if you kill 20 enemies in one turn and then one or two get lucky and hit. Offense means nothing if you don't survive the chapter.

That said, SPD comes very close, and I just wanted to see how many people agreed with me (or thought I was remotely sane)

Unless you're going for ranks, obviously. And since ranks are assumed...

Also, Luck doesn't give much of a benefit to anything. Spd does.

I'd have to say Defense. Speed is relatively useless if you get a high-atk-high-hitrate character that can get rid of him/her .

lolwut.

Speed lets you attack twice...

Read the thread.