Fire Emblem: Three Houses - Features Summary

Overview

There are many new features in Fire Emblem: Three Houses which differentiate it from previous installments. However, the game also brought back features that existed in past games which haven’t been seen in a long time, albeit using new names.

New Features in Three Houses

Certification Exams

Exams are tests that will measure a student’s aptitude for a specialization. Whenever a students passes the exam, he or she can change to the new class before a battle starts. Students with a higher skill level can be guaranteed a passing rate on the certification exam. Focus on raising the student’s skill levels to increase their chances of passing.

Information on Certification Exams

Weapon Skills

There are 11 types of weapon skills. Each student’s weapon skill has a matching grade which is similar to the “Alphabetical grading system.” You can comfortably tell which weapon skills are a student’s strengths by checking the ones with blue marks. Conversely, those that have red marks indicate the student’s weaknesses. Other marks such as the three stars signify a student’s budding talent, so keep an eye on those as well.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Education

You need to set goals for your students so that they can pass the certification exams. Learn about the skills that each student is good at, then work alongside them to reach that goal. You need to devote some time with your students by doing activities such as manual instruction and group tasks.

Tutoring

Combat Arts

Aside from regular attacks, units can unleash a fierce blow using Combat Arts. You can unlock a combat art by raising a unit’s skill level during tutoring. When a unit performs a Combat Art, they will use more of a weapon’s durability, which means that the weapon will break faster than if they spam them often. To make use of the weapon efficiently, learn about the effect of the combat art you wish to use and look for a window of opportunity to connect it.

Combat Arts

Battalion

One of the new features that affect combat is the use of battalions. To supplement a unit’s gear, they can enlist a battalion to escort them in battle. Battalions come with unique abilities called gambits. While these have limited uses, they offer powerful effects.

Battalion

Changes from previous games

Class change

In addition to passing certification exams, a student will maintain his level and skills after changing classes.

Difficulty and Mode

At the start of the game, players can choose between Normal and Hard difficulties. In addition, they can also select between Casual and Classic modes to suit their play style.

Game Modes

Weapon Triangle System

“The weapon triangle system hasn’t disappeared, it’s just less visible. Will we see it again in future games is difficult to say since we’re working on themes and game mechanics first before thinking about importing features in it. What we wanted to do in Three Houses is to give player freedom in tutoring their students, so that the player can give their favorite students whatever they want in weapons and skills. It helps the player identify with the team they’re raising.”

According to an interview, Mr. Yokota stated that the weapon triangle system is not entirely absent and will have an indirect effect on combat. For instance, you can train units to have mastery over a particular weapon to unlock skills that can help them fare better against other types of weapons.

No Marriage System

Unlike the recent Fire Emblem games, no marriage system exists in Three Houses. As a result, having children in battle is also absent. This means that there are no children that can inherit the abilities of their parents.

Old Features

Weapon durability

One of the returning features from earlier games, but was absent in recent works, is weapon durability. When in combat, units will spend one unit of a weapon’s durability. Whenever the weapon’s durability falls to 0, the weapon will break. However, some special weapons regenerate their durability, such as the protagonist’s weapon.

Weapon weight

Another returning feature is the weapon’s weight. The weapon’s weight will have an influence on its bearer’s attack speed.

Shields

Similar to TearRing Saga is the return of shields. Units can now equip both a shield and a weapon for use in combat.

Divine Pulse

A mechanic that started in Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is the ability to rewind time. Its use is similar to its predecessor, the Mila’s Turnwheel, since it allows you to rewind time. Whether you need to revive a fallen ally or prefer to deal with the map using trial and error, you can use the Divine Pulse.

Divine Pulse

The Ten Elites

They are known as the heroes of Fodlan and are blessed by the goddess. These units possess either a minor or major crest. The notion was adopted from Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War.

Crest List

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