Helena + Flint vs. 500 Gold

[Bromtaghon]

When faced with the choice between Helena and Flint, and 500 Gold, which did you pick?
I found 500 Gold to be worth more: Flint's mobility really means his powerful attacks rarely get used.  Helena is pretty much a weaker version of Gamblin' Jack, who I've trained a lot by that point.  Whirlwind is hardly helpful as either there aren't enough enemies for it to be useful, or there are too many and she'll end up dieing- in other words, it's a kamikaze suicide attack.

[Zackirus]

I don't really use Flint and Helena that much but I still choose them to be on my team. Why? because I am a completionlist. Even though something might not be useful to be I still get it just to have it.

[Bromtaghon]

I agree- the first time, I did it, the second time, I realized I didn't use them at all, so I ditched them in the Deeper Downs.

[Steelfist]

I find that if you use the steam engine for Flint he becomes fairly mobile, so I get them. Just for Flint.

[SmartyPants]

It is easy to get back 500 gold, but you only get one chance to hire Helena and Flint.

[Bromtaghon]

I agree.  Gold can be regained, but orbs/teammates can't.  However, when it's a teammate I rarely find useful, such as Helena or Flint, I'd rather take the gold, not because it's scarce but because it's more useful.

[KZ]

Always hired them, since you get only one shot at doing so, whilst getting extra 500 gold is very simply and there is more than one way, at any time to re-gain it. I use Helena quite a lot during the mission 4-5 stretch, whilst Flint I use on occaison to liven things up a litte- and it is rather ironic that he is, ultimately, the fastest character you have on your team (max speed 13, I believe, with steam engine and capacitor). In any way, it's worth keeping them as alternatives, just in case the player gets bored or decides to change strategy.

[Tastidian]

I just used flint as a giant wall that destroys stuff and eventually as my most fastest member.

[cx]

I've hired Helena and Flint always but rarely used Flint and Helena is good at battle against Cerzak's minions and at battles against Academy/Shadowlings

[Zhampir]

I've always hired them (except the first time through I didn't have the money :-\)
I tend to opt out on having any shadowlings in my crew. Just to spite the queen... or if I used them I'd send them off in suicide attacks... I'd use festus though. Helena and Gamblin Jack make a good team. and Flint... well... he's just unstoppable.

[Barzul]

But she takes the money from the bug queen battle... how could you not have that?

[Bromtaghon]

He probably thought he'd have to pay up immediately, I did the first time.
I don't use Helena and  :-\, as in, ever, because I have seven teammates more useful than them, so I keep the money.

[KZ]

I don't use Helena and  :-\, as in, ever, because I have seven teammates more useful than them, so I keep the money.

So, in what ways are the other teammates more useful? (Just curious. I also seem to recall a very old poll which showed that although people did find using Flint amusing for a short while, an not as a regular teammate, mostly due to his slow upstart in any battle, even with Steam Engine, with everyone basing arguments in "buy them or leave them" polls around Helena's usefulness instead.)

[Bromtaghon]

I never use Flint because he's too slow- Steam Engine is bugged for me, just like Jack's Recover.  So by the time he gets to the front to use his attacks, the battle's over already.  If Steam Engine worked I suppose I'd use him more often...
Helena, she's pretty much a clone of Jack and I only need one swordsman, especially during the Lake Alto mission.  Jack is much stronger by then, he also has Mind Shield and Snake Eyes, I'm pretty sure Fury was bugged when I used it too, and I dislike Whirlwind.  Area attacks do less damage then more concentrated attacks, and enemies who don't die can easily surround and kill her next turn.

[cx]

On my party Helena is finisher on brutal at Lake Alto when others took enemies HP down enough so Whirlwind killed enemies around her (2-3 enemies) and at Academy-battle after party gets to advance, never used Fury since either no time to use it (enemy could have killed Helena on next round) or enemy's hp was low enough to kill with normal attack.