i feel shadow dragon is a bit shallow compared to later games in the series when it comes to character development and overall sotry telling.

also Path of Radiance has to be the easiest game ever. your characters get so damn powerful so quick it crazy. Radiant Dawn though was a slap in the face for difficulty. man after playing path of radiance just on normal i was like holy shit tricky, though after getting used to the harder difficulty then its fine.

haven't played it on hard yet though, just started the final chapter or 4-F1 or whatever. so soon can start on hard, though will probably play Path of Radiance again to experience the whole story in one go. Radiant Dawn made path of radiances story a million times better. I've usually found sequals and stuff to not really be that great of a continuation. or what i mean is take a paragraph to say hey this happened and thats all you need to know about all games before. but this one made everything in the first one make so much more sense and better and by playing the first one made the second so great as well.

That's because PoR Normal = RD Easy. PoR uses the "Western gamers are stupid" mode, where the Japanese Easy is the Western Normal. They didn't do it in RD. And that's even on similar difficulties a much harder game, only in Book 1 though, due to Micaiahs team being seriously underleveled.

@Soriku: Start with Path of Radiance or 7. Both explain the basics very well and are very good games. Sacred Stones isn't a very traditional FE though, so playing PoR and RD might be the best way to be introduced to the series.

Probably Thracia 776 - the S/NES games are brutal compared to the games released outside of Japan. And out of the GBA releases, FE6 is much tougher than FE7, mainly because most of your units suck to high heaven.

Also, Shadow Dragon is a pushover when playing it on Normal.

What? I've finished it. It's not that hard really (I've played all FEs but 1-3, haven't finished 4 though, as my save-file corrupted). (I went east way at 16th chapter, maybe that's easier)

Chapters up untill 6 (I think) are a pain.

Then there are some easy chapters that also have arenas, so you can level up your units a lot there (if you die, just restart the chapter).

10-15 are kinda jokes really, I find them far easier than Radiant Dawn... It's like Normal (if you decide to not battle save).

Chapter 18 was kinda tough, but not that hard.

Chapter 22 is a living hell. Could be the hardest FE chapter ever (and that says A LOT). I wiped roughly 15 times.

Honestly, it's not that hard. It's standard FE (never played it on hard though, if there is one).

Difficulty wise (hard modes for 7 and out, standard for 4 & 5)

10 = 5 > 4 > 11 hardest (hard 5) > 6 > 7 = 9 > 8 > 11 (normal)

To start out, I would recommend to start with 7 (just called Fire Emblem), as it has a great introduction, and is awesome. Then go to 8 or 6 (6 is a sequel to 7, but frankly, 8 is better). Then 9, then 10. Then 4 and 5 if you want to (but they're bloody hard). Wouldn't recommend playing 1-3, as they're kinda crappish.

DS + Wii can play all 7-10. For the ones before that, you have to try... Different methods.

I'd strongly recommend to wait with FE11 till after you've done the GBAs at least (11 is the worst FE I've played), both because it's crap (very little story, dull maps) and because it goes so quickly that the GBA ones might feel a bit slow.

Of course, I didn't follow my advice at all... I played it like this (played the left one first, right one last)

10 - 8 = 9 (at the same time) - 7 - 6 - 5 = 4 (at the same time) - 11

Since June 2007, I've played Fire Emblem over... let's see

10 = 200 hours (or so, 1 hard, 1 easy, 1 medium)

9 = 70 hours (hard and medium)

8 = 80 hours (medium, both routes, now playing it again on hard).

7 = 80 hours (all on medium and hard, save for Hector hard)

6 = 80 hours (medium and hard)

No clue for 4 and 5... But say 130 hours combined)

11 = 40 hours (hard 4 and hard 1)

That's... 550 hours (well, 450-650 really). In around 650 days. Just shy of an hour a day, damn I'm addicted

(PS: If you quote this, please just quote parts of it).

I'm still on the third chapter on Radiant Dawn...I'm playing on normal mode and no matter which path I take, my units keep getting killed. I then bought the strategy guide to help me and I followed what the book says, but my units keep getting killed  

1)  Restart
2)  Take Sothe's weapons away (literally give his weapons to someone else)
3)  Let everyone else get kills

Hmm, I don't really know how to help you, but a few things that always work:

- Make sure the enemy can't reach your weak units (sound logical, but it's something easily forgotten). Always use the enemy grid to see no-one can get hurt.
- Make sure you finish off enemies. In the beginning you'll likely need 2 (or maybe 3) of your team members to make a kill. Group your units together, so they can attack in a row. One enemy dead and one with full health is always better than 2 with half health. Do your first attacks with ranged units like Leonardo and Micaiah. That way you have a free attack.
- Level all your important units!!! It's tempting to let Sothe kill everyone, but that way your other units stay weak. Basically have Sothe (or other overpowered characters) not make any kills in the beginning of the game at all. That way your weak units will level quickly and become less of a liability.

Hope it helps. The first few chapters in RD are very tough. Afterwards it becomes a little easier.

Man, it's been so long since I played FE7. I'd have to play through it again to refresh my memory.

All I know is that Hector Hard Mode made me weep.

I turned out wrong.

Look like Hector's going to max out his strength several levels early.

So, guys, how cool is Ike? I've only played FE7, so the only Lords I can compare him to are Eliwood, Lyndis, and Hector.

Coolest lords : Hector and Lyndis (Blazing Swords)

Runner-ups : Ephraim and Eirika (Sacred Stones)

Honorable mentions : Ike (PoR/RD), Marth (MotE), Roy (SoS)

Lamest : Leaf (Tharcia)