Alm’ed and Dangerous

So if you’re like me and find yourself playing a certain mobile game somewhat obsessively (give me Camilla already!) while waiting for the next Fire Emblem game to come out, you might appreciate a peek at a few characters from the Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia game. All of these characters are members of one of the two armies you control (in this case, Alm’s). So without further ado, let’s jump into this roster of new heroes!

Alm

Raised in the quiet and rural Ram Village, this young warrior was trained in swordsmanship and military tactics and taught how to overcome challenging weather and terrain from a young age by his grandfather, the knight Mycen. At the start of the game, Alm is a formidable, if untested, Fighter. As the game progresses, his battle-filled journey will take him far from the village he’s called home.

Alm in action on the front lines.

Protecting his homeland, Zofia, is his goal, and Alm’s history with combat has taught him that when you stand up and fight, you have a chance to help those who are suffering.

Even from the beginning of the game, Alm is adept at close combat and (unsurprisingly) one of the best early fighters you’ll get. He’s got pretty even stats across the board, and his high Speed means he can frequently land two blows at once against slower enemies. Make sure to equip him with a good blade, like the Lightning Sword.

On a more personal note, Alm enjoyed a close friendship with Celica as a child. Separated for seven years, he still wonders what became of her and where in the world she is…

Childhood pinkie-promises are serious business, right?

Clair

A headstrong and fearless young noblewoman as well as a valuable fighter, this Pegasus Knight is not only a member of the Deliverance—a force created to counter the recent coup d’etat—but also a queen bee of Zofian high society who absolutely LOATHES being excluded from anything. Her proud, overbearing attitude can be a bit overwhelming…but it’s kind of admirable that she doesn’t give a damn about what people think of her, isn’t it?

Though she’s close with her elder brother Clive and childhood friends with fellow knight Fernand (and she has a bit of a secret crush on Alm, as well), Clair doesn’t have much of an opportunity to interact with the more common people of Zofia. As a result, she rather desperately wants to know more about cows, pigs, and other aspects of day-to-day village life.

Only if you try to tip them, Clair. Only if you try to tip them…

She has a broad range of movement due to her Pegasus Knight class, and she can work well both as a harrier and front-line attacker. She does well with a spear or shield, so experiment with what works best for your playstyle. Her highest stats are her Speed, Skill, and Luck…which makes sense when you think about it. I mean, her job is to attack moving targets from a flying horse.

Dragons and lava? This must be what they mean by “the fires of battle”!

And Classic players, take note! Clair is the ONLY Pegasus Knight in Alm’s army, with the potential exception of Faye, who can be classed that way if you so choose, so keep that in mind while you strategize.

Faye

This young woman from Ram Village grew up with Alm and has had a…not-so-subtle thing for him ever since they were kids. Faye’s affection for Alm is unfortunately (or fortunately) unrequited, but she’s intensely devoted to him and, if asked, she’ll accompany him on his journey and join up with the Deliverance.

Just one of the strong female characters in Fire Emblem

Faye starts out as a Villager but, like many other plucky young Villagers we’ve grown to love in the Fire Emblem universe, if you devote time to her training she’ll grow to be a formidable fighter whether she takes the path of Pegasus Knight, Cavalier, Cleric, or Mage.

Faye’s passion for Alm drives her to devastating effect in combat…much to Alm’s dismay. Seriously. She gets a bit scary!

Keep in mind, though, that while she’s a well-rounded character who does well in these classes, she’s not the strongest candidate you might come across for each of them, and she can be a bit squishy through her earlier levels. But give her time to grow, and she’ll be a solid member of your army.

Lukas

A loyal member of the Deliverance, Lukas grew up on the borderlands at the kingdom’s edge before becoming a Soldier whose considerable merits have caused him to rise quickly up the ranks.

Now THAT’s a knife.

He’s level-headed, quiet, cool, and collected—and certainly not lacking in either grit or determination. These qualities have made him a close advisor to Knight Captain Clive, though some of his other colleagues find Lukas to be a bit distant and detached. He has a dry sense of humor that’s easy to miss if you aren’t expecting it.

As a Soldier, Lukas is a tank who can take pretty much anything physical attackers throw at him early in the game. He’s slightly lower than the commoner Knight Forsyth stat-wise, but his earlier recruitment into your team gives him a bit of an edge that balances the two out.

We’ll take them down anyway, though, because XP…and it’s the right thing to do.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this intro to a slice of Alm’s army! Keep in mind, of course, that each character has his or her own unique set of stats in addition to the strengths and weaknesses of his or her class, so please take my observations here with a grain of salt. I know what’s worked for me, but your experiences may be quite different as you learn how best to leverage each character, from the most fragile of glass cannons to the mightiest of brick walls, to best fit your personal strategy and play style.

I’ll be giving the members of Celica’s army some love in a bit, so please be sure to check back later. And in the meantime, I hope you enjoy these pieces of concept art from the art book that’ll be included in the Limited Edition bundle of the game!

—Lindsey N.