The Importance of Luck

[Wataru]

There is something about RPGs in general and Suikoden is particular that has always bothered me. Maybe someone here can give me an answer.

Stats, in general, ar self-explanatoy. We know star strength, speed, magic, magic dense, etc are used for, but I have a question: Just what the hell does luck do?

Does it affect critical hits and counterattacks? I have used lucky characters like Meg and Gon extensively in S1, as well as unlucky characters like Luc and Milich, and I have not noticed a great deal of difference in their critical rates. Skill seems to have a much greater effect on that. In S1, try using Clive with a Killer Rune. Clive has godlike skill and abyssmal luck and with that setup at high levels he will critical nearly 50% of the time. So I don't think luck does that.

Does luck affect item drop rates? Again, statistically, I have not seen an incease in items drop (even common item drops) by bringing a lucky party as opposed to an unlucky one. Near the end of S2 I go hunting with Riou, Freed, Shin, Meg, Viki and Millie (the top 6 lucky people) and it still takes me forever to get anything. I bring an average-luck party and drops seem to happen at the same rate.

In RPG Maker for PSX, luck affects enemy AI and their targeting practices (lucky characters are targeted less while unlucky ones are targeted more). I have never really looked at this in Suikoden. Has anyone else seen a difference between lucky and unlucky characters being targeted?

Is luck a god stat that affects everything?

Can anyone else shed light on this for me?
_________________

[Tonberry]

I would assume luck helps determine accuracy, evasion, critical hit rate, counter attack rate, repelling/parrying/defending rate, magic blocking rate, and maybe a few others. I think it would affect anything that is randomized and ups your percent chance of the beneficial action happening. Never really thought it mattered much though.

Maybe someone knows for sure.

[Axiose]

Luck in particular helps in Suikoden I with Gasper's game which the obvious name escapes me for the moment, either that, or I dont want to spell it.
_________________

[Axiose] [Fliktor]

[Beecham]

Chinchirorin, I believe it is.

But yes, luck helps with, essentially, all of the random money making games, I believe, from Suikoden I right on through Suikoden IV. I think it's given more credit than is its due, but it's still one of the more useful stats in the games.

[Axiose]

Does it help with random finds from enemies in all Suikodens and the treasure bosses in Suikoden III?
_________________

[Axiose] [Fliktor]

[Beecham]

I know it helps with random finds, but I never considered whether it helps with Treasure Bosses. Very possibly, since I think I've had some parties that tend to get all the good stuff while others tend to get crap, even on the first visit in that chapter.

[Wataru]

Yeah, I know it helps out amazingly with Gaspar, but not so much with Shilo.

It does help with random finds then? OK, wow. I guess my own horrific luck counteracts the luck scores of anyone I bring along with me! :)
_________________

[Krawnik]

Chinchirorin + high luck + 20 minutes = 9999 Bits.

~win~

But yeah, other than that, you got me. I never bothered playing Chinchirorin with Shilo, cuz it took much longer to make money, and it was a lot more reliable to just find a good trade route and use Viki. In S4, luck helps marginally with Rita-pon on lower exchange rates and might have the slightest effect on Net Fishing.

Otherwise, I never really noticed any glaring differences between high and low luck parties.
_________________

416- friggin' racists, messing up my generalizations, also stealing my jobs, women.
RIP Ninjalicious

[Admiral Ackbar]

I remember reading as well that it affects critical hit rates in all the games, and also counter attack rates. it would be nice if the stat was explained in the rules manuals of each game in the series (or every RPG for that matter)
_________________

[ShuTheLord]

I never reallly payed any attention to the luck stat in any RPG I've ever played. Which is saying something since Ive played quite a lot :oops: . I really dont think it makes a huge difference anyway, its not game-changing. (Except in Suikoden I where you can make lots and lots of cash)
_________________
Gale Knight of Tenzan forever!

[Admiral Ackbar]

Usually having a high Luck helps but having a low Luck doesn't seem to hurt you at all. It's a strange stat that way.
_________________

[MMan9000]

I heard somewhere that Luck is the stat that affects your critical rate and the like.

The luckier that you are, the more likely you are to strike a critical. And think, if we have someone with a high luck score, and we give them a Killer Rune, they will probably become Killing Machines.
_________________
Avatar courtesy of Midori



Official Smoke Bomb User

Space For Rent. Contact Me for Details

[Neclord]

I know the more luck you have in Suikoden IV the greater your chances for winning the lottery. If you can manage to get a high luck stat you can win the bigger prizes more often.

In RPGs in general luck usually effects your critical hit rate & your dodging of attacks.
_________________


You must not fear death, my lads; defy him, and you drive him into the enemy's ranks.
~ Napoleon Bonaparte

[Wataru]

[Beecham]

In Suikoden, there's a specific stat for criticals. Wataru already pointed it out: skill. The same applies even here on the forum. Skill brings more criticals, not luck [or karma, in our case].

I don't honestly know what luck does then in the earlier Suikoden games. I -am- fairly certain it helps in GS3 getting better finds though, even if it doesn't in GS1.