More like, how do I unit balance.
Nureha, replacing Natasha, is a Shamaness instead of a Cleric. Serara, replacing Amelia, is now a Cleric. In the chapter after that (in Eirika/Raynesia’s route) Maryelle, replacing Tethys, is currently a Bishop (who can use staves). And then in the chapter after that, Coppelia can be recruited, and she’s a Troubador. And unless I change either the Druid or Sage classes, Shiroe (replacing Sage Saleh) is going to be yet another stave user.
Three stave users in a row. That’s... really redundant. And currently, the only solution I see around this is by making some characters only recruitable on a certain route until Chapter 15, when the two armies meet up (i.e. I make Serara, Kanami, and Coppelia Krusty route-exclusive until the two routes meet up, while Naotsugu, Maryelle, and Akatsuki Raynesia route-exclusive).
That might work, since I plan on making Misa/Rieze/Kushi go with Krusty and Elissa with Rayneshia regardless of the route taken, which means that Raynesia won’t get them until Chapter 15 and Krusty won’t have Elissa. That means that I can give Raynesia more exclusive recruitables, like Naotsugu/Maryelle/Akatsuki/Minori/Tetra. (William and Shiroe are already Raynesia-exclusive, while Nyanta/Duessel are Krusty-exclusive. I won’t count Quon/Knoll as Krusty-exclusive because Quon only joins starting in Chapter 15 on either route.)
And my playtests for Chapters 1-6 has given me a lesson in the unreliability of growths. Odissoooooo!!! How did you miss an 80% magic growth three times in a rooowwwwwwwww???!!!! Is this why people don’t like the Race of Ritual race in Elder Tale???