Begin your selection process with Erador, whose role will soon become clear. (It's tanking as usual, but a very specific sort of it.) If you have them, Narve and Ezana both have access to Lightning magic, which will prove invaluable. If you lack one or the other, or in the worst case scenario both, don't panic — purchase Lightning Stones from your provisioner back at the Encampent. Consider bringing Medina along in that case, if she's joined your ranks; her Double Items ability will allow you toꦏ administer this type of magic on the regular.

Why is Lightning magic so important here, you may be asking? Puddles cause Lightning spells to travel, acting as superconductors for electric mayhem that can well and truly shock Aesfrost's armed forces into easier submission. Proper control of this trick is highly valuable on Normal difficulty. On Hard, it's down right necessary.

As for Erador, you'll want him to tank atop the stairs to hold the enemy at bay. By now, he should be at a high enough level to know the Ram Foe ability. If you haven't been using him, now's your chance to do a mental mock battle or two to amend this. Think of Erador as your bowling ball in this battle. Whenever Aesfrosti troops get too close early on, he'll knock them back. (Later in the fight, you'll likely be on the offensive instead, at which point this strategy sees diminishing returns.)

Don't expect Booker's two soldiers to last longer than a couple of turns. As for Booker himself, the longer he's kept intact the better off you'll be; his ability to act twice (and even move twice) coupled with high likelihood of poisoning🎶 his foes makes him a valuable asset on the battlefield.

Let's talk about what to do if the battle goes sideways, which can happen alarmingly swiftly if you don't have the best starting party to handle Avlora. If Erador's wall isn't enough, or worse still, he's flatly overwhelmed, you'll want Serenoa to practice a skilled retreat as quickly as you can. Work hard for your scattered troops to reunite, preferably at the far end of one of the docks w🌳here the three-tile width serves as something of a natural b🎃arrier.