Does 3 more chapters of availability really make up for Gilliam's sheer availability, support flexibility, combat prowess (Innes has good player phase with the right weapons, but does it really make up for Gilliam's tanking+utter weapon selection+countering+1-2 range?)?
Innes has better move while not requiring a promotion item, this much is true. However, that promotion item is the one Orion's Bolt in the game, of which only one other person can use. There is that argument that a prepromote saves a promotion item, allowing someone else to use it. Well it doesn't help that the only item of his kind only has one person to use it, so she isn't taking it from anybody, so him existing or not doesn't help anyone promote any sooner. Best this advantage does is give you 5,000 more gold in a gold-rich game, it's not exactly a huge advantage in his favor.
As for his offense, that is a question. He starts with 14 Str, which is not bad. However, it's not great when you're basically having Swordmaster offense on player phase only while being attacked is actually a detriment on the basis that countering>not countering (as for his offense comparing to a swordmaster , Joshua has 15 Str at 20/1, yet not even crit bonuses exist for the Sniper, nor do the slayer forms swords have like Zanbato and Armorslayer). Gilliam even before promotion has access to weapons like the Heavy Spear, Horse Slayer, Axereaver, avelins for 1-2 range. After promotion, it becomes a blowout. He gets access to a secondary ranged weapon, triangle control, and soon to come all slayer types, reavers, none of it is a mystery to him. While he might not double, he will indefinitely be able to tank and smash several enemies at once compared to Innes's 1.
11/1 Gilliam (I'm just gonna go with General for the speed)
35.3 HP, 14.15 Str, 10.45 Skill, 8.1 Speed, 5.1 Luck, 14.85 Def, 7.4 Res
7 levels to get where he needs to be, and you get a knight's crest in chapter 8. In comparison, Franz would need 9 levels just to promote. It's not a matter of greatness, but rather a matter of if Franz can actually get to promotion when Gilliam could. It would then be logical to assume that Gilliam has this sort of performance before Innes evne arrives, which is essentially 2 1/2 chapters later. Then, you would basically be saying that Innes has twice Gilliam's offense. this is true, for as long as his silver bow lasts. Once it breaks, Innes has no way to compare to Gilliam's slayer weapons, or his 1-2 range, or his supports, or his tankiness, or his weapon control.
Gilliam does have supports too, 2 good ones, Franz (who's a bit lashed for a B), and Moulder (who's only other real option is the slower supporting Colm or too far away Vanessa). If it's fair to say 7 turns is the chapter average, and he starts in chapter 2 with Franz, chapter 3 with Moulder, then it's to say that 7x2 multiplied by the number of chapters Gilliam has before Innes's arrival (10 1/2 for Franz, 9 1/2 for Moulder), Gilliam could have 2 turns away from a B for Franz (so a C, since obviously they won't be glued together all the time), and nearly a B with Moulder (since it's not hard to imagine them being close together, and obviously some chapters like chapter 8 will take longer than 7 turns). B Moulder, C Franz. That's +1 ATK, 3 Def, 12 avoid, 2 hit, 10 crit, 7 crit avoid. Offensively not much has changed, but defensively he's soon to help Franz be a bit tougher, while he himself has defense pretty much under control.
To measure, comparing with those stats up there, he has the following defensive parameters.
35 HP, 21+12 avoid, 14-15+3 Def, 7+3 Res
Level 5 Seth has 33 HP, 40 avoid, 12-13 Def, 9 Res supportless. He doesn't quite even beat him in solid durability, not necesarily avoid either (Gilliam DOES have a 3rd weapon type for full control). Obviously, Seth won't be supportless (even full defense support, he'd tie concrete defense, and even then you have to consider still that Gilliam more often has WTA), but I think it's fair to say this was doing pretty nicely considering. In a technical sense, Seth's only wins at this point (considering Eirika and Franz), his wins would be 5 avid and 4 Res.
Obviously he doesn't compare to Seth offensively, but I just wanted to show that Gilliam has no problem tanking, doing his own form of chip damage to more than 1 enemy a turn. He's also benefitting a team with his presence, of which Innes cannot due to not existing, then continues not to do so until his supoprts build up (as nice as Gerik tanking better is, he'd prefer the crit and offense Saleh (who is quicker) and Joshua give (and both are better units than Innes himself, whereas Gilliam's excuse for Franz is that his better supports do not exist yet, and for Moulder is that he's the quickest one that's nearby the most often) as he is tough enough already).
I would compare them directly, but it's hard to do so. Innes doubles, Gilliam doesn't. Gilliam can fight swarms of enemies along with bitchslapping someone on the player phase, Innes can only attack once a turn outside of rare conditions of enemy phase counter. Gilliam benefits other units for longer, Innes does not, and he's no fair claim to doing so whereas Gilliam does.
Perhaps I'm missing something (I doubt flier slaying is THAT big a deal), but it sounds pretty fair in Gilliam's field to me.
Innes has better move while not requiring a promotion item, this much is true. However, that promotion item is the one Orion's Bolt in the game, of which only one other person can use. There is that argument that a prepromote saves a promotion item, allowing someone else to use it. Well it doesn't help that the only item of his kind only has one person to use it, so she isn't taking it from anybody, so him existing or not doesn't help anyone promote any sooner. Best this advantage does is give you 5,000 more gold in a gold-rich game, it's not exactly a huge advantage in his favor.
As for his offense, that is a question. He starts with 14 Str, which is not bad. However, it's not great when you're basically having Swordmaster offense on player phase only while being attacked is actually a detriment on the basis that countering>not countering (as for his offense comparing to a swordmaster , Joshua has 15 Str at 20/1, yet not even crit bonuses exist for the Sniper, nor do the slayer forms swords have like Zanbato and Armorslayer). Gilliam even before promotion has access to weapons like the Heavy Spear, Horse Slayer, Axereaver, avelins for 1-2 range. After promotion, it becomes a blowout. He gets access to a secondary ranged weapon, triangle control, and soon to come all slayer types, reavers, none of it is a mystery to him. While he might not double, he will indefinitely be able to tank and smash several enemies at once compared to Innes's 1.
11/1 Gilliam (I'm just gonna go with General for the speed)
35.3 HP, 14.15 Str, 10.45 Skill, 8.1 Speed, 5.1 Luck, 14.85 Def, 7.4 Res
7 levels to get where he needs to be, and you get a knight's crest in chapter 8. In comparison, Franz would need 9 levels just to promote. It's not a matter of greatness, but rather a matter of if Franz can actually get to promotion when Gilliam could. It would then be logical to assume that Gilliam has this sort of performance before Innes evne arrives, which is essentially 2 1/2 chapters later. Then, you would basically be saying that Innes has twice Gilliam's offense. this is true, for as long as his silver bow lasts. Once it breaks, Innes has no way to compare to Gilliam's slayer weapons, or his 1-2 range, or his supports, or his tankiness, or his weapon control.
Gilliam does have supports too, 2 good ones, Franz (who's a bit lashed for a B), and Moulder (who's only other real option is the slower supporting Colm or too far away Vanessa). If it's fair to say 7 turns is the chapter average, and he starts in chapter 2 with Franz, chapter 3 with Moulder, then it's to say that 7x2 multiplied by the number of chapters Gilliam has before Innes's arrival (10 1/2 for Franz, 9 1/2 for Moulder), Gilliam could have 2 turns away from a B for Franz (so a C, since obviously they won't be glued together all the time), and nearly a B with Moulder (since it's not hard to imagine them being close together, and obviously some chapters like chapter 8 will take longer than 7 turns). B Moulder, C Franz. That's +1 ATK, 3 Def, 12 avoid, 2 hit, 10 crit, 7 crit avoid. Offensively not much has changed, but defensively he's soon to help Franz be a bit tougher, while he himself has defense pretty much under control.
To measure, comparing with those stats up there, he has the following defensive parameters.
35 HP, 21+12 avoid, 14-15+3 Def, 7+3 Res
Level 5 Seth has 33 HP, 40 avoid, 12-13 Def, 9 Res supportless. He doesn't quite even beat him in solid durability, not necesarily avoid either (Gilliam DOES have a 3rd weapon type for full control). Obviously, Seth won't be supportless (even full defense support, he'd tie concrete defense, and even then you have to consider still that Gilliam more often has WTA), but I think it's fair to say this was doing pretty nicely considering. In a technical sense, Seth's only wins at this point (considering Eirika and Franz), his wins would be 5 avid and 4 Res.
Obviously he doesn't compare to Seth offensively, but I just wanted to show that Gilliam has no problem tanking, doing his own form of chip damage to more than 1 enemy a turn. He's also benefitting a team with his presence, of which Innes cannot due to not existing, then continues not to do so until his supoprts build up (as nice as Gerik tanking better is, he'd prefer the crit and offense Saleh (who is quicker) and Joshua give (and both are better units than Innes himself, whereas Gilliam's excuse for Franz is that his better supports do not exist yet, and for Moulder is that he's the quickest one that's nearby the most often) as he is tough enough already).
I would compare them directly, but it's hard to do so. Innes doubles, Gilliam doesn't. Gilliam can fight swarms of enemies along with bitchslapping someone on the player phase, Innes can only attack once a turn outside of rare conditions of enemy phase counter. Gilliam benefits other units for longer, Innes does not, and he's no fair claim to doing so whereas Gilliam does.
Perhaps I'm missing something (I doubt flier slaying is THAT big a deal), but it sounds pretty fair in Gilliam's field to me.