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Tome

From Fire Emblem Wiki, your source on Fire Emblem information. By fans, for fans.
Revision as of 14:38, 8 April 2016 by PikaSamus (talk | contribs) (→‎Tomes with special effects: nosferatu was listed as not existing in the gba games)
File:TCGCipher Yubello 01.jpg
Yubello casting a fire spell from a tome in Fire Emblem Cipher.

The tome (Japanese: 魔道書 magic book) is a magical weapon type in the Fire Emblem series which debuted in Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light and appears in six games - Shadow Dragon NES, Mystery of the Emblem, Shadow Dragon, New Mystery of the Emblem, Awakening, and Fates. While other games in the series commonly split magic offensive magic into multiple types based on elemental affiliation, the tome weapon type contains all offensive spells in a variety of elemental affilitations under a single weapon type.

There are 52 different tomes available in the series.

Overview

Tomes are a magical weapon type, so their damage calculations use their wielder's magic stat and target their oppponent's resistance stat, rather than strength and defense. While physical weapons are usually locked to either 1 or 2 range with uncommon exceptions, attacking at both 1 and 2 range is the standard range for tomes. In every appearance except Fates, they are entirely separate from the weapon triangle, but the Fates rearranging of the weapon triangle added tomes to it and had them behave the same way as swords, giving them an advantage over axes/clubs and bows/yumi and a disadvantage to lances/naginata and daggers/shuriken.

In Awakening and Fates, there are some tomes which - while classified as tomes and maintained under the tome weapon rank - are considered dark magic and are locked exclusively to the Dark Mage, Sorcerer and units which possess the Shadowgift skill.

In-universe role

Main article: Magic (element)

In the worlds of the Fire Emblem series, tomes are the standard form taken by the offensive magic used by humans, with the only known exception being the scrolls of Hoshido. In Archanea at least, tomes are vessels which contain the powers of nature itself, and the use of tomes manipulates these energies to the magician's will. The people of Archanea were introduced to tomes by the divine dragon Gotoh, who wished to share the secrets of magic with humans to further their prosperity, but humans started using tomes as tools of war instead.[1]

Tomes in the Fire Emblem series

Note: This table lists all appearances of the weapons in question. They are only classified as tomes in Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light, Mystery of the Emblem, Shadow Dragon, New Mystery of the Emblem, Awakening and Fates; only their special properties relevant to their appearances as tomes are listed, and their classifications in other games are noted. This list does not include scrolls, the Hoshidan counterpart to tomes in Fates.

Basic tomes

Weapon Available in: Notes
FE01 FE02 FE03 FE04 FE05 FE06 FE07 FE08 FE09 FE10 FE11 FE12 FE13 FE14 FE15 FE16 FE17
Arcfire --
Arcthunder --
Arcwind --
Blizzard --
Bolganone --
Dying Blaze --
Elfire --
Elthunder --
Elwind --
Ember --
Fire --
Ginnungagap --
Hellfire --
Katarina's Bolt --
Mjölnir --
Razor --
Rexcalibur --
Shaver --
Sleet --
Thoron --
Thunder --
Wilderwind --
A means that the weapon is available in that game, while a indicates the contrary.

Tomes with special effects

Weapon Available in: Notes
FE01 FE02 FE03 FE04 FE05 FE06 FE07 FE08 FE09 FE10 FE11 FE12 FE13 FE14 FE15 FE16 FE17
Celica's Gale --
Disrobing Gale --
Dulam --
Fimbulvetr --
Glower --
Iago's Tome --
Lightning --
Meteor --
Micaiah's Pyre --
Moonlight --
Nosferatu --
Odin's Grimoire --
Ragnarok --
Robin's Primer --
Speed Thunder --
Superior Jolt --
Swarm --
A means that the weapon is available in that game, while a indicates the contrary.

Regalia and personal tomes

Weapon Available in: Notes
FE01 FE02 FE03 FE04 FE05 FE06 FE07 FE08 FE09 FE10 FE11 FE12 FE13 FE14 FE15 FE16 FE17
Aura --
Book of Naga --
Brynhildr --
Excalibur --
Forseti --
Imhullu --
Missiletainn --
Mjölnir --
Starlight --
Thoron --
Valflame --
A means that the weapon is available in that game, while a indicates the contrary.

Classes capable of using tomes

Class Wields tomes in: Notes
FE01 FE02 FE03 FE04 FE05 FE06 FE07 FE08 FE09 FE10 FE11 FE12 FE13 FE14 FE15 FE16 FE17
Mage --
Bishop --
Dark Mage --
Sage --
Sorcerer --
Valkyrie --
Dark Knight --
Dark Flier --
Tactician --
Grandmaster --
Dread Fighter --
Nohr Noble --
Strategist --
Malig Knight --
Witch --
A means that the class wields tomes in that game, while a indicates the contrary.

Trivia

Gallery

Etymology and other languages

Names, etymology, and in other regions
Language Name Definition, etymology, and notes
English

Tome

A book, usually with a magical connotation.

Spanish

Magia

Magic

French

Magie

Magic

German

Magie

Magic

Italian

Magia

Magic

References

  1. "Magic relies on containing nature's energies in "tomes" and "staves", freely manipulating these energies to harness great power. A few centuries ago, a lone sage founded an academy here, teaching magic's secrets. However, instead of bringing happiness, magic was soon used as a tool of war and a thing to be traded. The sage was disappointed, and vanished from the pages of history. Though there is no confirmation, some say that was the Archsage Gotoh." — Opening narration of Chapter 9, Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem

See also

Weapon types
Physical weapons ArtAxeBow (Ballista)CannonballGauntletsDaggerLanceSword
Magical weapons Anima (FireThunderWind)Black magicDarkLightStaffTome (Blue tomeColorless tomeGreen tomeRed tome)White magic
Other weapons BreathCrest StoneSpecialStoneStrike, beast, and monster weapons
Tomes
Basic tomes ArcfireArcthunderBlizzardBolganoneDying BlazeElfireElthunderEmberFireFimbulvetrGinnungagapKatarina's BoltMjölnirRagnarokReese's TomeSleetSwarmThoronThunder
Long-range tomes MeteorSwarm
Tomes with secondary effects ArcwindCelica's GaleCutting GaleDisrobing GaleDulamElsurgeElwindGlowerIago's TomeLightningMerric's TomeMicaiah's PyreMjölnir (Fates)MoonlightNosferatuNovaOdin's GrimoireRexcaliburRobin's PrimerSpeed ThunderSuperior JoltSurgeWilderwindWind
Regalia and personal tomes AuraBook of NagaBrynhildrExcaliburForsetiImhulluMissiletainnMjölnirObscuritéStarlightValflame