Fire Emblem: Awakening Official Thread
Note that this thread is currently under construction, it will be completed (hopefully) within the week
Introduction
Fire Emblem: Awakening is the brand-new game in the classic series by Intelligent Systems. Awakening could be called the "greatest hits" of the entire series so far, with numerous returning characters, and ideas (traversable world map, special skills, marriage). In terms of length, the game features 25 main chapters as well as a prologue, 17 side-chapters (with 5 in addition via SpotPass) and a selection of DLC (more on this later).
The game also features the largest production values for the series so far, with numerous CGI cutscenes and VA sequences. In addition, the interface has been revamped to be more streamlined and user-friendly, and as such looks incredibly crisp and inviting. If you've never played a Fire Emblem game before, now's the time to start!
Release Dates
USA- Released
EU- April 19th 2013 (...)
TV Ad
Reviews
Gameplay- Battles
Well, if you've played a Fire Emblem game you pretty much know what to expect here. So, you may as well skip past this section...or should you?
Yes, Awakening features the tried-and-tested SPRG formula. A selection of characters, move on an isometric grid, stats govern the damage you'll do on units, different weapons and units are weak and strong against others (bows are good against flying units, for example). So it's all about your usual Fire Emblem (or, heck, almost any SRPG ever released) up to this point. But here's where the changes start.
First and foremost, the biggest change is the dual attack system. When a character enters battle with a friendly unit next to them, the friendly unit will appear besides them as a "support character". As well as boosting the active character's combat stats, the support character offers a chance of providing offensive and defensive aid--all elements of the Dual system.
After the active character strikes the enemy, a "Dual Attack" may occur, where the support character launches a follow-up attack on the unsuspecting enemy, with the additional benefit of both characters receiving experience. When the active character is attacked by the enemy, a "Dual Guard" may trigger, where the support character completely shields them from damage. The stronger the bond between characters, the higher the chance of a Dual Attack or Dual Guard activating. So it certainly adds a little bit of extra strategy to the game and is an incredibly useful way of upgrading your weaker units!
In addition, there's also a new "Pair Up" command which is avaliable. Think "Rescue", but it's the person who's going to be rescued who issues the command. However, there are several benefits. The users move together (so pairing an armoured unit with a flying unit for easy traversal) and the active unit gets a stat upgrade from the standby one, depending on their unit type (e.g. Fighters mainly increase attack, Mages magic) and support. They can also deal Dual Attacks, as with other units, and can switch around freely.
Gameplay- My Unit/Levelling
.
So that's the fighting sorted. But there's still some other bits which haven't been mentioned, namely My Unit and Class Changing.
My Unit is a new concept to the Fire Emblem universe. It's a blank canvase, you design the character. You choose the Gender (which has more effect than just the looks), the build, face, hair, voice, name etc. You can also choose an "Asset", and a "Flaw". The former is your characters strength, and the latter is their weak point in the game. You always start off as a Tactician, but you can change their class using a Change Seal to almost any other (again, more on this later).
It's certainly an intriguing concept, and one which will be interesting to be seen in practice. At any rate, it means that every playthrough (and odds are they'll be many) will be at least a little different.
The other key part of the gameplay is the levelling. 100 experience points for a level, and 20 levels in a class, as always. You need a Master Seal to change class to one of the other ones avaliable to you in that class when you hit Level 10 or over, or a Change Seal in order to revert the character to Level 1, in any of their other classes avaliable when they hit Level 10, or any level if they've used a Master Seal already. Skills carry over, and this can be done as many times as desired. So theoretically if you have the time (and money) you can constantly change the class back down and get better stats and skills.
If that sounds confusing, here's an example. Consider the above character. He's currently a Knight at Level 15. Using a Master Seal, his options are:
Knight -------- General
Knight--------- Great Knight
If using a Change Seal at the same level, his options are different:
Knight---------Theif
Knight---------Priest Note that, if the unit is in their promoted class then they have the option to
Kinght---------Knight promote to their corresponding promoted classes instead.
It's not a new concept, but it's certainly upgraded. It could provide easier battles, but the time investment and the cost will have to be brought into question. It will be interesting to see how this works out in the actual game.
DLC- Purchased
Fire Emblem: Awakening features 2 different types of DLC; Purchased and SpotPass. The purchased DLC can be bought and played anytime after completing Chapter 5 in the main story from the nearby Isle that opens up. Simply go to the Island, click on "buy map", download the maps you want and then play! You can play an infinite number of times to get an infinite number of items; though note each character you can get from the DLC chapters only appears once.
Here are the currently released DLC chapters (courtesy of SerenesForest):
From 31st January 2013
 |
Xenologue: Champions of Yore 1 Chrom ends up lost in the Outrealms, where he chances upon an ageing fortune-teller who can use summoning cards to call forth the Einherjar. When a battle breaks out, the fortune-teller aids Chrom by summoning who...? |
| Reward: Hero-King Marth's Card (allows players to recruit Prince Marth) Difficulty: 1 star, Price: $2.50 Artist: Senri Kita (Path of Radiance, Radiant Dawn) |
|
| Chrom is joined by Marth, Ike and Alm as NPC units; their objective is to defeat 10 heroines from previous titles. The enemies on this map are Level 7~8: the weakest DLC foes you'll face. After completion of the mission, Prince Marth will join as a Level 8 Lodestar. |
|
| Enemy data (Normal) Battle map: Chapter 1 (Dark Dragon and Sword of Light) Map theme: Battle map 1 Player Attack (Dark Dragon and Sword of Light) Battle theme: Battle 1 Player Attack (Dark Dragon and Sword of Light) |
7th January
 |
Xenologue: Champions of Yore 2 Chrom visits the Outrealm again, this time chasing a mysterious female who's stolen magical cards from the old fortuneteller. The mysterious female uses the cards to summon forth heroic spirits and thus Chrom is forced into another battle... |
| Reward: Roy card (allows players to recruit Roy) Difficulty: 1 star, Price: $2.50 Artist: Kimihiko Fujisaka (The Last Story) |
|
| In a reversal of fortunes, Chrom is joined by Eirika, Lyn and Celica as NPC units and must defeat all 10 male heroes from previous titles. The enemies on this map are Level 9~12. After completion of the mission, Roy will join as a Level 11 Mercenary. | |
| Enemy data (Lunatic) Battle map: Chapter 1 (Dark Dragon and Sword of Light) Map theme: Beyond the Sky (Roy's Journey) (Sword of Seals) Battle theme: Attack! (Sword of Seals) |
And here are the stats for the currently released DLC characters:
| Name | Class | Lv | HP | Str | Mag | Skl | Spd | Lck | Def | Res | Mov | Weapon Rank | Skills |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pr. Marth |
Lodestar |
8 |
25 |
10 |
2 |
12 |
12 |
8 |
7 |
3 |
6 |
 C |
Aptitude, Charm |
| Roy |
Mercenary |
11 |
27 |
11 |
1 |
13 |
12 |
6 |
8 |
0 |
5 |
C |
Dual Strike+, Aegis |
| Micaiah |
Dark Mage |
12 |
26 |
2 |
13 |
12 |
11 |
14 |
7 |
11 |
5 |
 C |
Shadowgift, Rally Luck |
| Leif |
Trickster |
1 |
40 |
22 |
20 |
25 |
28 |
24 |
17 |
12 |
6 |
C  E |
Underdog, Locktouch, Renewal |
| Alm |
Dread Fighter |
21 |
50 |
26 |
5 |
21 |
20 |
18 |
22 |
17+10 |
6 |
B  D E |
Resistance +10, Aggressor, Rally Resistance |
| Seliph |
Swordmaster |
2 |
43 |
22 |
11 |
23 |
28 |
25 |
19 |
12 |
6 |
B |
Galeforce, Avoid +10, Charm |
| Elincia |
Falcon Knight |
6 |
40 |
16 |
18 |
24 |
25 |
19 |
12 |
19 |
8 |
 C B |
Charm, Rally Speed, Dual Support+, Renewal |
DLC- SpotPass
SpotPass content appears when you've left the 3DS in sleep mode whilst connected to the Internet. A blue flashing light will appear in the corner of the 3DS to indicate you've obtained SpotPass data. To obtain the data, check the "Download Box in the Communications menu when on the World Map, to activate the content. This includes:
Legacy units: These are teams of 10 units (1 legacy unit and 9 Outrealm units) from a particular Fire Emblem title in the past. There's 12 different teams which can all be recruited if you beat the team on the map (appears as a Skirmish), so that's 120 extra units for free. If the team you've downloaded is the newest team, then you need to wait 24 hours between each skirmish; i.e. 10 days before you can get all of the characters.
After defeat, and buying items/recruiting, they will vanish until you summon them again. Note the below stats are for normal mode, and any equipment is not kept when the characters are recruited (again, thanks to SerenesForest for this):
Currently avaliable:
Blazing Sword
| Name | Class | Lv | HP | Str | Mag | Skl | Spd | Lck | Def | Res | Mov | W. Rank | Equipment | Skills |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eliwood |
Paladin |
20 |
66 |
35+5 |
12 |
36 |
36 |
32 |
33 |
20 |
8 |
A B |
Brave Sword, Eliwood's Blade |
Discipline, Outdoor Fighter, Defender, Holy Shield, Sword Expert |
| Lyn |
Swordmaster |
18 |
48 |
29+5 |
12 |
36 |
39 |
31 |
20 |
16+5 |
6 |
A |
Sol Katti |
Avoid +10, Vantage, Astra, Sword Expert, Acrobatics |
| Hector |
General |
20 |
71 |
40+5 |
3 |
30 |
31 |
18 |
38+7 |
8 |
5 |
E A |
Armads, Hector's Axe |
Defence +2, Indoor Fighter, Defence Cry, Great Shield, Axe Expert |
| Florina |
Pegasus Knight |
3 |
19 |
6 |
3 |
9 |
11+2 |
8 |
4 |
7 |
7 |
D |
Javelin |
Speed +2, Carrier |
| Matthew |
Thief |
17 |
30 |
13 |
2 |
11 |
21 |
9 |
8 |
2 |
6+1 |
C |
Steel Sword |
Picklock, Movement +1, Wrath |
| Serra |
Cleric |
14 |
23 |
1 |
11 |
13 |
16 |
14+4 |
6 |
13 |
5 |
C |
Physic |
Miracle, Healtouch, Luck +4 |
| Karel |
Swordmaster |
8 |
38 |
19 |
5 |
34 |
32 |
24 |
16 |
15 |
6 |
B |
Silver Sword |
Avoid +10, Vantage, Astra, Luna |
| Nino |
Mage |
10 |
24 |
1 |
11+2 |
11 |
14 |
13 |
5 |
8 |
5 |
D |
Elfire |
Magic +2, Focus, Prescience |
| Jaffar |
Assassin |
15 |
52 |
35 |
3 |
40 |
39 |
15 |
28 |
21 |
6+1 |
A  A |
Killing Edge |
Picklock, Movement +1, Lethality, Pass, Lightning Speed |
| Nergal |
Sorcerer |
20 |
78 |
21 |
40 |
26 |
23 |
20 |
31 |
35 |
6 |
A |
Goetia |
Curse, Crimson Curse, Vengeance, Magic Slayer, Life Absorb |
Sacred Stones
| Name | Class | Lv | HP | Str | Mag | Skl | Spd | Lck | Def | Res | Mov | W. Rank | Equipment | Skills |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ephraim |
Great Knight |
20 |
71 |
40 |
3 |
35 |
33 |
31 |
36 |
10 |
7 |
C A C |
Brave Lance, Ephraim's Lance |
Discipline, Outdoor Fighter, Luna, Support Block+, Rightful King |
| Eirika |
Myrmidon |
5 |
19 |
6 |
3 |
9 |
11 |
7 |
5 |
3 |
5 |
C |
Eirika's Blade |
Avoid +10, Miracle |
| Seth |
Paladin |
20 |
65 |
35+5 |
8 |
33 |
31 |
24 |
32 |
18 |
8 |
B A |
Brave Lance |
Discipline, Outdoor Fighter, Defender, Aegis, Lancefaire |
| Moulder |
Priest |
14 |
32+5 |
8 |
12 |
16 |
15 |
5 |
6 |
13 |
6 |
C |
Physic |
Miracle, Healtouch, HP +5 |
| Lute |
Mage |
17 |
27 |
1 |
16+2 |
10 |
14 |
15 |
5 |
11 |
5 |
C |
Arcfire |
Magic +2, Focus, Veteran |
| Amelia |
Knight |
7 |
24 |
9 |
2 |
6 |
7 |
12+4 |
10+2 |
5 |
4 |
D |
Iron Lance |
Defence +2, Luck +4 |
| Innes |
Sniper |
12 |
45 |
29 |
3 |
28+2 |
31 |
25 |
21 |
16 |
6 |
A |
Innes' Bow |
Skill +2, Prescience, Accuracy +20, Support Block+ |
| Marisa |
Swordmaster |
5 |
38 |
22 |
13 |
31 |
33 |
28 |
14 |
13 |
6 |
B |
Killing Edge |
Avoid +10, Vantage, Astra, Tantivy |
| L'Arachel |
War Cleric |
18 |
48 |
19 |
26 |
21 |
28 |
33 |
15 |
28+2 |
6 |
B A |
Bolt Axe, Fortify |
Resistance +2, Demoiselle, Rally Luck, Renewal, Rally Resistance |
| Lyon |
Sorcerer |
20 |
60 |
28 |
35+5 |
23 |
21 |
4 |
33 |
35 |
6 |
A |
Goetia |
Hex, Anathema, Vengeance, Tomebreaker, Tomefaire |
Items: Rare items are added straight to the convoy after being downloaded from the Download Box. You can only get one of each per save file, duplicates can be found in the paid DLC.
Currently avaliable: None
Side missions: Additional missions can be attempted after Chapter 25. These, unlike the paid chapters, are related to the story and allow you to recruit previously un-recruitable characters. The structure is the same as any other side-mission in the main game, so you can only attempt each one once.
Currently avaliable: None
Dual Tag opponents: Exclusive teams are added to the local co-op mode.
