Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude, heroes of Fire Emblem Three Houses, return in Fire Emblem Engage as the Emblem of Rivals, who will assist your army in its quest – if you’ve bought the Expansion Pass.
The three lords of Fódlan are the first DLC Emblem in the game, and quite useful – if finicky. Their main distinguishing feature is Friendly Rivalry, which will randomly switch to one of the three each turn and affect the effect of Gambit. Edelgard’s Flame Gambit attacks a foe and sets nearby spaces on fire, Dimitri’s Shield Gambit negates one ranged attack, and Claude’s Poison Gambit will poison the foe and adjacent enemies. Engage Skill Combat Arts enables to use any of three very powerful moves (a strong attack after which you can move again, a double Mt blow, and a ranged attack that will allow you to dodge the next blow) at the cost of Engagement turns. And Engage Attack Houses Unite strikes with all three lords’ weapons in succession, providing a straightforwardly powerful blow. In general the trio are an offensively minded emblem without many Enemy Phase options, and skills that you can’t necessarily plan for ahead of time. Engagement is strong with Combat Arts, but misusage can backfire as you lose your most useful abilities. It’s one of the trickier Emblems to use and rather situational, but very powerful in the right circumstances.
Edelgard’s Aymr is the first Engage Weapon, a stupidly powerful Smashing axe that will annihilate any and all dragons. Dimitri’s Areadbhar will be much stronger if you strike first, and Claude’s Failnaught not only provides Avoid and Dragonslaying but coveted 2-3 range, making it one of the best bows in the game. Each one is absurdly powerful depending on the situation, so attack accordingly.
How to obtain Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude
First, you need to buy the Expansion Pass/DLC. No two ways about it. After clearing Chapter 6: The Stolen Ring, you’ll get a notice at the Somniel that “Something has appeared at Lookout Ridge.” Go there (it’s an auto-travel location, the cliff around the southern campfire) and a cutscene will play out where the trio of lords will join you. This also opens the Divine Paralogues so you can recruit other DLC characters, so there’s really no reason not to do it as early as possible.
Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude’s Skills
Here are detailed explanations of each of the trio ’s skills. Remember that to have your characters inherit them, they must be at Bond Level 5 minimum with the Emblem and spend SP:
Engage Skill: Combat Arts – Enables use of Edelgard, Dimitri, or Claude’s Combat Art. Spends some remaining engage turns
- Raging Storm – After combat, take another action (uses three turns)
- Atrocity – Attack at double weapon’s Mt (uses one turn)
- Shattering Star – Ranged, avoid foe’s attack during next combat (uses one turn)
Engage Attack: Houses Unite – Use to attack with Aymr, Areadbhar, and Failnaught at 50% damage (becomes Houses Unite+ if adjacent to Byleth, which also allows unit to take another action afterwards.)
Engage Weapon 1: Aymr – Smashes foe, can’t follow up or strike first if initiating combat, effective against dragons.
Engage Weapon 2: Areadbhar (Bond Lvl 10) – Grants Mt +50% if initiating combat
Engage Weapon 3: Failnaught (Bond Lvl 15) – 2-3 range, grants Avo+20 if initiating combat, effective against dragons.
Bond Lvl 1: Friendly Rivalry (Synchro Skill) – At start of player phase, the Emblem will randomly switch to Edelgard, Dimitri, or Claude (Cannot Inherit)
Bond Lvl 1: Gambit (Synchro Skill) – Effects change based on synced Emblem (Flame Gambit (Edelgard) – attack and set the target foe’s space and nearby spaces on fire; Shield Gambit (Dimitri) – negate damage from first attacks of ranged foes targeting unit in next enemy phase; Poison Gambit (Claude) – attack and poison target and all foes adjacent to it after combat) (Cannot Inherit)
Bond Lvl 2: Assembly Gambit – Use to attack an adjacent foe, then move 1 space away after combat. Target foe moves to unit’s previous space (SP Cost: 1500)
Bond Lvl 3: Str/Dex +1 – Grants Str+1 and Dex+1 (SP Cost: 700)
Bond Lvl 3: Lineage (Synchro Skill) – Increases unit’s earned experience by 20% (SP Cost: 150)
Bond Lvl 4: Bow Guard 1 – If foe is equipped with a bow, unit takes 1 less damage during combat (SP Cost: 200)
Bond Lvl 5: Skill Inheritance – Unit can inherit this Emblem’s skills
Bond Lvl 6: Axe Prof. – Proficiency with axes. Required for promotion to certain classes
Bond lvl 7: Str/Dex +2 – Grants Str+2 and Dex+2 (SP Cost: 1600)
Bond Lvl 8: Bow Guard 2 – If foe is equipped with a bow, unit takes 2 less damage during combat (SP Cost: 400)
Bond Lvl 9: Lance Prof. – Proficiency with lances. Required for promotion to certain classes
Bond Lvl 11: Strong Bond – Unit stays Engaged 1 additional turn
Bond Lvl 12: Weapon Sync (Synchro Skill) – If unit initiates combat using same weapon type as the synced Emblem, grants Atk+5. If engaged, grants Atk+5 regardless of weapon type (SP Cost: 3000)
Bond Lvl 12: Str/Dex +3 – Grants Str+3 and Dex+3 (SP Cost: 4200)
Bond Lvl 13: Bow Prof. – Proficiency with bows. Required for promotion to certain classes
Bond Lvl 14: Bow Guard 3 – If foe is equipped with a bow, unit takes 3 less damage during combat (SP Cost: 600)
Bond Lvl 16: Str/Dex +4 – Grants Str+4 and Dex+4 (SP Cost: 6000)
Bond Lvl 17: Weapon Sync+ (Synchro Skill) – If unit initiates combat using same weapon type as the synced Emblem, grants Atk+7. If engaged, grants Atk+7 regardless of weapon type (SP Cost: 5000)
Bond Lvl 17: Bow Guard 4 – If foe is equipped with a bow, unit takes 4 less damage during combat (SP Cost: 500)
Bond Lvl 18: Str/Dex +5 – Grants Str+5 and Dex+5 (SP Cost: 8400)
Bond Lvl 19: Bow Guard 5 – If foe is equipped with a bow, unit takes 5 less damage during combat (SP Cost: 1000)
Bond Lvl 20: Deep Synergy – Unit’s Engage meter is shortened one step
Who Are Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude?
This trio of young lords serve as the young heads of houses at the Officers Academy at Garreg Mach Monastery. Edelgard (VA: Ai Kakuma [JP] / Tara Platt [EN]) leads the Black Eagles of the Adrestian Empire, an ambitious young woman with a righteous and noble spirit. Dimitri (VA: Kaito Ishikawa [JP] / Chris Hackney [EN]) leads the Blue Lions of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, an earnest young man whose good nature hides a scarred past. And Claude (VA: Toshiyuki Toyonaga [JP] / Joe Zieja [EN]) leads the Golden Deer of the Leicester Alliance, a charming and wisecracking strategist who knows how to play dirty. They all study under Byleth at the monastery, but will their conflicting ideals bring them to fight one another…?
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Written by Amelia Fruzzetti
A writer and Nintendo fan based in Seattle, Washington. When not working for NinWire, she can be found eating pasta, writing stories, and wondering about when Mother 3 is finally going to get an official localization.
