by Gaan » Wed May 29, 2013 12:09 pm
Well I prefer giving it to Marine for mainly 2 reasons. First of all it's too expensive to use Matramasu on a regural basis if it doesn't have its cost reduced by something like the Shumen Runes. And secondly it means you must keep Dee in the party, and I think she's just too squishable to be worth it.
In MM3 where you can still use every piece of equipment available then Abu (always have Abu in your party since when you have completed enough quests with him you have a chance to get an Earth Heart every time you complete an additional quest), Legion (when you get him), Salome, Karine and Benoit (mainly in the beginning), can all help your party more imo.
In MM4 you have tons of hand level ups to do, so personally I prefer having only members of the 13 in my party. And in the special occasions when I choose people outside the 13 then it's Merline that can seriously work wonders (with the proper set up she can make fights with Animal Kings like the Chopper one a walk in the park, or cut by half the time you need to grind Silver Lances if you decide to go down that path).
EDIT: Disregard the first reason, not sure why but I was convinced that only Marine and later her mother could use the runes, but Dee is able as well, as is Salome (giving her a free heal and cure poison) and Abu (giving him free status heals and a 1mp cure KO).