Fire Emblem: Thracia 776 (also known as Thracia, Fire Emblem 5 or simply FE 5) is probably the most challenging title in the series, because of its map design and inherent mechanics, despite the fact that enemy units are actually the weakest in the series. It’s also the most evil of the bunch, but also the apex of strategy in the franchise. Due to this, knowing who your best units are is crucial, as they help alleviate the load that this game provides on the player.
In comparison to the other games, Thracia 776 incentivizes using all of the units, because of the fatigue mechanic. This causes that, everytime an unit is used in combat, their fatigue meter builds up, little by little, except for Leif, the protagonist. When it fills up (the meter is equal to the amount of max health the character has), the character can’t be used for a whole match. IMO it’s a genius mechanic, and a defining feature of FE5.
Keep in mind that in Fire Emblem, it’s not just about the stats, but also their availability and utility. This is even more apparent in Thracia.
I beat this game many years ago, and it was a true ordeal, but I did it! The experience impacted me so much that I inmediately whipped-up a tier list with explanations on why they are placed where they are. Hopefully, if someone takes on this behemoth, this information will help them somehow.
Important glossary so you understand this list:
– Bases: Refers to the base stats a character has upon joining, because of how the growth system in Fire Emblem works, the higher the bases, the better.
– Growth: In every Fire Emblem game, each time a character levels up, there’s a chance each stat grows by one. The chance depends on the stat and on the character. For example, an armored unit will have high growths in attack and physical defense, but very low growths in speed and magical defense.
– Pursuit Critical Coefficient: Also known as PCC, Follow Up Critical Coefficient, FUCC (yes, really) or Follow-up Critical Multiplier is a hidden stat that’s only in Thracia 776. It’s rated from 0 to 5, and it increases the chance of a critical strike on a second hit (this is caused when the speed of the character is superior than the opponent, and I believe in Thracia is by 4 points). If a character has 0 PCC, no critical strikes can occur on follow up.
– Movement stars: Each movement star gives a character a 5% chance to act again after combat, effectively increasing their damage and movement.
– Promoted units: In Fire Emblem, after reaching level 10 (maximum is 20), a character can promote by using a specific item. This causes them to obtain a new form, go back to level 1 and gain a few stat bonuses. A great way of getting even more stats on a character, should always be done.
10. Dean
Dean – Hero of the Clear Blue Skies
Dean is a powerful wyvern rider. This by itself is very good, since mounted units (pegasi, wyvern and horses) have better movement than non mounted units. However, Dean also sports incredible bases, great growths (especially for an unit that comes promoted, which tend to have worse to compensate), a Pursuit Critical Coeficient of 3 and 2 movement stars. This by itself is quite incredible, but he also has access to a personal weapon (a weapon only specific characters can use) that is very powerful and grants him new combat abilities. Granted, this weapon is not available from the start, and Dean has to go through a tough ordeal to get it, but it’s very worth it.
His main drawbacks are being a flying unit (flying units take extra damage from archers) and the fact that he is obtained in a particularly hard chapter halfway through the game. Also, unmounted wyvern units lose even more stats than the others (in certain cases, a mounted unit will need to unmount to advance a specific part of a map), so he will be weaker in those scenarios. Still, Dean is a high tier character with multiple purposes (mostly kill, but also capturing and rescuing).
9. Fergus
Fergus – The Free Knight
Fergus is by far the best cavalry unit in the game, alongside Finn. Unlike Dean, his bases and growths are quite modest, so if it were for just that, nobody would pay him any mind. Fortunatelly for Fergus, he has more to show. For starters, he has a PCC of 5, which is the highest in the game, which means a LOT of critical strikes on follow up, although his speed isn’t the best and needs some help to go fast. His class is called Free Knight, which in comparison to the other mounted units lose much less stats when unmounted; and last but no least, he gets access to not one, but TWO personal weapons that are very powerful (although he gets them quite late, and one of them can be used by some more characters). Combine that with the fact that he’s also obtained very early, which gives him more chances to level up, and you've got a really solid unit in your hands.
8. Lara
Lara: Step Lively
Thieves in this game are invaluable because of economy. This is because gold is very scarce (in other games, it's easy to find chests that hold copious amounts of gold), and without gold you can’t purchase weapons, door keys and healing potions. And that’s what thieves are for, provided that their constitution exceeds that of the stolen item, as well as being faster than the target (which doesn’t tend to be a problem, as thieves are inherently fast).
That being said, Lara is not that great of a thief because her constitution is very low, both in bases and in growths, so she won’t be stealing much. What elevates her over the other characters is a special event that can be done in a chapter, which promotes her to Dancer while still retaining the ability to steal. Dancers are very valuable in Fire Emblem, as they give another unit the ability to act again. Also, even if she can’t steal very well, she can still use picklocks (only thieves can use picklocks), allowing her to open closed doors without the need of a key.
She’s garbage in combat, though, because of very bad stats across the board that are not getting better unless you have godlike luck or give her every scroll you have.
7. Lifis
Lifis: Terror of Iz
Yet another thief! Lifis’ stats are also quite bad but not as bad as Lara. The important part here is that, were he to level up constitution just once, he can get access to a virtually endless supply of iron swords from the enemies. This weapon is very common, and can be sold for good cash, so it’s a really good way of obtaining money.
Aside from that, his combat capabilities are not very good, and he’s one of the few characters with a PCC of 0, which, as explained before, means he will never do critical strikes on follow up.
Yes, thieves are THAT important in Thracia, even if they are garbage fighters. Do NOT disregard them, ever.
6. Dagdar
Dagdar – Ex-brigand of Mount Violdrake
Dagdar is a peculiar case. He’s of an archetype that’s common in Fire Emblem, called a Jagen. These characters join up VERY early and have ludicrous stats, but to compensate their growths are really bad. For that reason, they tend to have similar stats to the early game at end game. In Dagdar’s case, it does not matter. His base stats are very high, and the cap for every stat in this game is 20, so he will always remain useful.
However, what makes him relevant is his constitution stat. You see, in Thracia 776 there’s a mechanic called Capture. This mechanic makes it so that your character will have half the stats for that specific round. Were the unit that Captures defeat the enemy (provided that their constitution is higher than the target), they won’t be killed. Rather, he will be kidnapped and then released, but during that time, you can take their items. This is mostly done to sell those items and earn money, but sometimes you can get some impressive stuff.
Combine that with his high HP (which means less fatigue) and respectable movement, and you have an unit that holds up for the entire playthrough, even if by endgame he starts to fall back.
5. Orsin
Orsin – Scolded Knight
Orsin has everything you could ask in a playable unit. He has great availability, being playable from the moment you boot up the game. His base stats are actually pretty good, having 9 in speed where the cap is 20 and a respectable 6 in strength. But that’s not what makes him good. What makes him good is that, in the very first chapter, he can acquire a personal weapon for himself (and much later on, another copy), which has great critical strike chance and can attack from afar. And then you notice that he has the skill Wrath, which in Thracia GUARANTEES critical strikes in enemy phase, and then someone tells you that he has a PCC of 3, and the puzzle starts to form, little by little. The puzzle being: Orsin is a critical strike machine, both on attack and defense.
While all of this is very good, his growths are actually very subpar, minus his HP, which is really good (which means: less fatigue). All in all, one of the best, even with infantry movement.
4. Finn
Finn – Lance of Legend
Finn is pretty much a perfect unit. He rides a horse, which means great movement. His bases are very good for the time he appears, his growths are very respectable, he is available from the very first minute just like Orsin (although if I remember correctly, he isn’t available for like 4 chapters), holds a personal weapon which allows him to attack twice (potentially giving FOUR attacks in a turn if he’s fast enough) and boosts his luck, AND to boot has the skill Miracle, which, if an attack were to kill him, there’s a chance it activates, based on luck, and avoids any attack guaranteed. Combined with his personal weapon and his innate speed, he quickly becomes a dodge tank very easily. He also has good defense to boot, so even if he takes a hit he will be fine. He’s simply too good. Keep in mind as well that weapons that attack twice in a row are good for capturing.
Oh, yeah, he also has one leadership star. Leadership stars increase avoid and hit of every allied unit and its user in the map by 3%. He’s not the only one with leadership stars, as well. Impressive.
The only real drawback he has is that he has just a PCC of 1, but with so many good things, who cares?
3. Perne
Perne – Dacian Scoundrel
The third and final thief of the game, and he’s one of the best units? Honestly quite incredible.
This guy is just loaded. For a thief, he actually has really good base stats and even better growths; great movement; 5 movement stars (25% chance of acting again after a turn, and this can theoretically happen infinitely); the skill Ambush that allows him to attack first if he has less than half health; the skill Sol that heals him if it activates based on damage dealt; a PCC of 5 AND a really good personal weapon that allows him to attack twice in a row, just like Finn’s weapon, which also gives him yet another good skill. I’ve had countless moments where I could beat certain maps because he could tank everything. Did I leave something unmentioned? Ah, yes, he’s also the reason Lara can become a dancer. Also, there’s an exploit that only thieves can do to earn infinite and easy experience. What does this guy not have.
I’d say that the only problem with him is that he has to be recruited, and he isn’t exactly easy.
Just like Finn, he’s a perfect unit. So, imagine how good the two other guys must be.
2. Safy
Safy – Servant of God
Originally, I placed this gentle priest as the best character in the game, but recently I've been thinking of how important to beating the game the first place is. Still, this is a VERY close second place.
Safy is the first healer you acquire. Her stats are decent, although she is physically fragile and can’t fight, and at first her skill stat is not high enough, so her heals can miss (yes, in Thracia, heals can miss). However, with a bit of work, she will eventually reach rank A in staves. This means she can use the powerful Warp spell to transport an allied to unit to wherever you wan, or Silence to shut up pesky enemy mages. As a result, Chapter 11 is completely trivialized; and in Chapter 14 you can obtain Dean’s personal weapon MUCH easier, amongst many other examples. Eventually, she will promote, acquiring the ability to use combat magic, and she’s gonna be a powerful fighter thanks to her growth rates.
One might think that, in comparison to previous units, she’s not as powerful. But, believe me when I say that being able to use high rank staffs in this game is the most valuable skill. This, and the fact that she comes out at, like, the second chapter, makes her, in my opinion, the most important and best member in the party.
1. Asbel
Asbel – Follower of the Winds
Asbel is the only unit in this list that’s not part of the “main” story campaign. This is because he’s only available in a side chapter that can only be accessed by meeting the requirements in a specific chapter, so if you miss those requirements, you miss out on Asbel. And that would be a shame.
Asbel is the first mage that you can theoretically encounter, provided you met the requirements. At a glance, he doesn’t look too good, as his base stats and movement are subpar. However, the key thing here is that he is your first mage. In Thracia, most of the bosses have high physical defense but low tolerance to magic. I don’t know how you could beat most of them without a mage. So, yes, Asbel is mandatory, in my opinion. If he dies, you’re in big trouble. I don't think you're beating the game any time soon.
Aside from that, Asbel has pretty good growths, uses wind magic (which is the best in this game), has a personal weapon with high critical rate and a PCC of 3. Also, when he promotes, he earns an absurd amount of stats, because of his class. Really good if you can keep him safe, because he is soft.
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