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Support

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Genny receiving support bonuses from Sonya, indicated by Sonya's portrait to the left and the orange portions of the hit and crit bars.

Support (Japanese: 支援 support) is a game mechanic wherein units provide statistical bonuses to nearby units they are affiliated with. Supports first appeared in Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem, and have appeared in almost every game since. Supports first appeared as invisible, stagnant bonuses; Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade made the mechanic visible and expanded its effects, introducing affinities, support levels, and conversations.

Overview

Supports first appeared in Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem; they have appeared in every game since, except Genealogy of the Holy War. In some games, support bonuses are one-way, though two units may support each other; in others, supports are mutual.

Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade introduced ranks to supports, which became a feature in every game thereafter, and made supports visible for the first time. After garnering enough points together, two units can activate a support level, and will subsequently boost each other's stats when nearby. Typically, supports come in three levels (C, B, and A), but some games also feature S supports or "plus" supports. The Binding Blade also introduced affinity, which determines the bonuses a pair receives from supports, and is present in each of the GBA and Tellius games.

The Binding Blade further introduced support conversations, dialogues between two characters that are viewed when unlocking new levels of support.

Generally, a unit can only provide or build support to a predetermined set of other units. Games with support conversations tend to feature a support list, where a player can see who a unit can support or re-view an unlocked support conversation.

Mechanics

Super Famicom games

In Mystery of the Emblem and Thracia 776, supports are one-way, and are active when one unit is within three tiles of another unit they receive support from; supports are hidden in both games.[1][2] In Mystery of the Emblem, a supported unit receives +10 (or, for some units, +5[Note 1]) to their hit rate, critical hit, and avoid.[1] In Thracia 776, a supported unit receives +10 (or, for some units, +20[Note 2]) to hit rate, critical hit, avoid, and critical avoid;[2] additionally, if a unit is supported by another unit, they cannot counterattack when attacked by that unit; this can be seen, for example, in Chapter 18, where Xavier will not counterattack if Leif—who provides support to Xavier—initiates combat against him.

GBA games

In The Binding Blade, The Blazing Blade, and The Sacred Stones, supports are ranked, two-way, and active when units are within three spaces of each other. In each of the GBA games, a unit can have up to 5 levels of support (e.g. Roy can have an A support with Lilina and a B support with Wolt, or C supports with Lilina, Wolt, Sophia, Shanna, and Alen). The bonuses from a support are determined by summing the bonuses from the two units' affinities per level of support, rounded down as relevant.

Bonuses from affinities
Affinity Atk Def Hit Avo Crit Ddg
Is gba fireaffin.png Fire +0.5 +0 +2.5 +2.5 +2.5 +0
Is gba thunderaffin.png Thunder +0 +0.5 +0 +2.5 +2.5 +2.5
Is gba windaffin.png Wind +0.5 +0 +2.5 +0 +2.5 +2.5
Is gba iceaffin.png Ice +0 +0.5 +2.5 +2.5 +0 +2.5
Is gba darkaffin.png Dark +0 +0 +2.5 +2.5 +2.5 +2.5
Is gba lightaffin.png Light +0.5 +0.5 +2.5 +0 +2.5 +0
Is gba animaaffin.png Anima +0.5 +0.5 +0 +2.5 +0 +2.5
For example, Eliwood has the anima affinity and Hector the thunder affinity.
At C-level support, Eliwood and Hector provide each other with +1 defense, +5 avoid, +2 critical hit, and +5 critical avoid.
At B support, they provide +1 attack, +2 defense, +10 avoid, +5 critical hit, and +10 critical avoid.
At A support, they provide +1 attack, +3 defense, +15 avoid, +7 critical hit, and +15 critical avoid.

In the GBA games, points toward unlocking the next level of support are earned each turn two units are next to each other; each pair gains a number of points each turn, and has a certain number of points at base. Once the threshold for the next level has been reached, a conversation can be held between the two units, and the next level will be unlocked; points cannot be earned past this level until it has been unlocked. Supports are unlocked through talking on the battlefield; a pair of units can only unlock a single support on each map (although if they remain next to each other after they unlock a support, they will earn points toward unlocking their next). A single unit can unlock supports in as many pairs as is feasible.

Unless the chapter's objective is Survive, the final turn of a chapter does not add support points to any pairs of characters. For example, if Eliwood and Marcus spend every turn of Chapter 11E of The Blazing Blade together, and Eliwood seizes the gate on turn 8, they will have a total of 39 support points as of the end of the chapter: their initial 25, plus 2 per turn for 7 turns. This will be the case whether or not Marcus is next to Eliwood at the end of turn 8.

Supports do not apply in Lyn's Tale in The Blazing Blade.

Support point requirements for level increase in the GBA games
Level Total support points at support level (points from last level)
In The Binding Blade In The Blazing Blade In The Sacred Stones
C 60 80 80
B 120 (60) 160 (80) 160 (80)
A 200 (80) 240 (80) 240 (80)

Path of Radiance

Like the GBA games, supports in Path of Radiance are ranked, two-way, and active when units are within three spaces of each other; a unit can have up to five levels of support. The bonuses from a support are determined by summing the bonuses from the two units' affinities per level of support, rounded down as relevant.

Bonuses from affinities
Affinity Atk Def Hit Avo
Is gcn fireaffin.png Fire +0.5 +0 +2.5 +0
Is gcn thunderaffin.png Thunder +0 +0.5 +0 +2.5
Is gcn windaffin.png Wind +0 +0 +2.5 +2.5
Is gcn wateraffin.png Water +0.5 +0.5 +0 +0
Is gcn darkaffin.png Dark +0.5 +0 +0 +2.5
Is gcn lightaffin.png Light +0 +0.5 +2.5 +0
Is gcn heavenaffin.png Heaven +0 +0 +5 +0
Is gcn earthaffin.png Earth +0 +0 +0 +5

In Path of Radiance, one point is earned toward a support between two units each time they are both deployed at the beginning of a chapter. For example, Ike and Oscar gain a point toward their support in Chapter 2 (since they are both deployed at the beginning of the chapter), but Ike and Titania do not (since Titania is not deployed at the beginning of the chapter). Chapter 17 counts as a single chapter for this purpose, and any reinforcements called in subsequent parts of that chapter do not gain points toward their supports.

After enough points are earned toward a support, a level is unlocked by viewing a conversation at the base in the next chapter.

Path of Radiance additionally features hidden innate supports. These innate supports are active only when two units are adjacent, and can be separated into two types: critical hit bonuses, which are mutual and increase a pair's critical hit rate by 5 or 10 points (depending on the pair); and critical immunity bonuses, which are one-way and negate an enemy's critical hit rate against the supported unit.[3]

Radiant Dawn

Like Path of Radiance, Radiant Dawn features both ranked supports (termed "Buddy" in the Japanese version) and innate supports (termed "Bonds"); both are visible in Radiant Dawn.

Unlike the GBA games and Path of Radiance, each unit can only have a ranked support with at most one other unit, but any two units can support each other.

The bonuses from a Buddy support are determined by summing the bonuses from the two units' affinities per level of support, rounded up as relevant.

Bonuses from affinities
Affinity Atk Def Hit Avo
Is wii fireaffin.png Fire +0.5 +0 +2.5 +0
Is wii thunderaffin.png Thunder +0 +0.5 +0 +2.5
Is wii windaffin.png Wind +0 +0 +2.5 +2.5
Is wii wateraffin.png Water +0.5 +0.5 +0 +0
Is wii darkaffin.png Dark +0.5 +0 +0 +2.5
Is wii lightaffin.png Light +0 +0.5 +2.5 +0
Is wii heavenaffin.png Heaven +0 +0 +9 +0
Is wii earthaffin.png Earth +0 +0 +0 +7.5

Points toward levels of support are earned for a number of actions, including starting a turn adjacent, being deployed in the same chapter, or carrying a unit. Different pairs gain different points from any given action.

Sources of support points[4]
Action Points gained
Type 1 Type 2 Type 3 Type 4 Type 5
Use Shove or Smite on another unit 3 2 1 0 −1
Start a turn adjacent to another unit[including turn 1?] 5 4 3 2 1
Use a staff or Sacrifice on another unit 6 5 4 3 2
Start a turn with a rescued unit 7 6 5 4 3
Be deployed in the same chapter as another unit 17 16 15 14 13

Once a pair have accrued enough points, they can unlock a Buddy support at the base. The threshold required for each pair is the same:

Support point requirements for level increase in Radiant Dawn
Level Total support points at support level (points from last level)
C 50
B 100 (50)
A 150 (50)

Bond supports activate when two units are adjacent, and provide +5 or +10 (depending on the pair) to a unit's critical hit and critical avoid; additionally, if data from Path of Radiance is transferred to Radiant Dawn, any units who attained an A support in Path of Radiance will have a bond support with one another (all of which provide a +5 bonus).[5]

Nintendo DS games

In Shadow Dragon and New Mystery of the Emblem, supports are ranked, hidden, one-way, and active when units are within three tiles of each other. The bonuses provided depend on the level of support:

Support level Stat boost
Hit Avoid Crit Crit Avo
C +5 +5 +0 +0
B +10 +10 +0 +0
A +10 +10 +5 +5

Pairs gain one point toward unlocking a support each time they are deployed in the same chapter, and automatically unlock the next support level upon reaching a certain threshold; the thresholds for supports depend on the pair. If a unit uses the Bond Drop, all of their supports are unlocked immediately.

New Mystery of the Emblem additionally features base conversations between units that are unlocked in ranks by being deployed in the same chapters; these are similar to support conversations, but are unrelated to the support mechanic.

Awakening

See also: Pair Up

Awakening features four levels of support: C, B, A, and the new S rank. A unit can only unlock one S support, and upon unlocking their S support, certain units will conceive a child unit.

Supports in Awakening affect the Pair Up and Dual Support systems. A unit receives bonuses to their hit, avoid, critical hit, and critical avoid in combat based on the total level of support with a paired-up unit and adjacent units; each level of support counts as a different level for Dual Support (no support is 1 level, C is 2, B is 3, A is 4, and S is 5) and can be increased further by the Dual Support+ skill, and the sum of the Dual Support levels of paired-up and adjacent units (to a maximum of 12) determines the bonuses the unit in combat receives.

Stat Dual Support bonus level
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Hit rate +10 +10 +10 +10 +15 +15 +15 +15 +20 +20 +20 +20
Avoid -- +10 +10 +10 +10 +15 +15 +15 +15 +20 +20 +20
Critical rate -- -- -- +10 +10 +10 +10 +15 +15 +15 +15 +20
Critical avoid -- -- +10 +10 +10 +10 +15 +15 +15 +15 +20 +20

A unit in dual position has a higher chance to activate Dual Strike or Dual Guard based on the support level of the pair in combat:

Support level Dual Strike rate calculation Dual Guard rate calculation
None ([Lead's skill + supporter's skill] / 4) + 20 ([Lead's defense or resistance + supporter's defense or resistance] / 4)
C ([Lead's skill + supporter's skill] / 4) + 30 ([Lead's defense or resistance + supporter's defense or resistance] / 4) + 2
B ([Lead's skill + supporter's skill] / 4) + 40 ([Lead's defense or resistance + supporter's defense or resistance] / 4) + 5
A ([Lead's skill + supporter's skill] / 4) + 50 ([Lead's defense or resistance + supporter's defense or resistance] / 4) + 7
S ([Lead's skill + supporter's skill] / 4) + 60 ([Lead's defense or resistance + supporter's defense or resistance] / 4) + 10
The Dual Guard rate is calculated using the stat an attack would target; i.e. it is calculated using defense when an enemy uses a physical weapon (e.g. most swords), and is calculated using resistance when an enemy uses a magical weapon (e.g. a tome or a Levin Sword).

Additionally, higher support levels increase the bonus a unit provides to another in Pair-Up from their class: with a C or B support, non-zero class bonuses (aside from movement) are increased by 1; with A or S support, such bonuses are increased by 2.

Like in Radiant Dawn, units gain support points in Awakening by making certain actions together, such as attacking while paired-up or randomly in the barracks—unlike Radiant Dawn, the points earned are the same for all pairs.

Sources of support points[6]
Action Points
Enter combat with a supporting unit (i.e. one in Pair Up or Dual Support) present +6/9
Enter combat adjacent to an ally (other than the supporting unit) +2/9
Use a staff on or dance for an ally +2/9
Activate a Dual Strike or a Dual Guard +2/9
Trigger an event in the barracks +1
Trigger an event tile while paired up +1
Use a Seed of Trust while paired up +1

At the end of a map, the total support points accrued by a pair are rounded to the nearest integer.[6] For any one unit, the pair including that unit with the most points can gain a maximum of three points per map, the pair including that unit with the second-most points can gain at most two points, the third-highest at most one, and all other pairs including that unit gain no points—ties are broken by preferring the unit higher in the support list.[6] When a unit is defeated in Casual Mode, any pairs involving that unit lose any support points they gained in that battle.[6][including exceptions from maximum?] The last two actions listed are exempt from the maximums;[6][do they still count towards them?] the third-last occurs outside of battle, rendering the maximums moot.

Fates

The support system of Fates is similar to that of Awakening. Fates features the same four support levels (C, B, A, and S), and like in Awakening, certain units will sire a child unit when they unlock their S support. Additionally, a unit may change into their S support partner's class using a Partner Seal. Similarly, the new A+ level allows a unit to reclass to their A+ support partner's class using a Friendship Seal; A+ supports can be unlocked by most pairs of units that cannot unlock an S support, but unlike other supports, they are not mutual (e.g. even if Kaze has unlocked his A+ support with Saizo, Saizo may unlock his with A+ support with Ryoma). Units cannot unlock A+ supports with Corrin, nor can Corrin unlock A+ supports with other units, instead needing only an A support to use a Friendship Seal. Aside from the Friendship Seal, A+ supports have no other benefits.

Like in Awakening, supports in Fates provide bonuses through the Pair Up and Tag Team systems. When two units are in Tag Team (i.e. are adjacent to each other so as to Dual Strike), the unit in combat receives bonuses to their hit rate, avoid, critical hit rate, and critical avoid from the supporting unit based on the pair's support level; when in Pair Up, the unit in combat receives bonuses to their strength, magic, skill, speed, luck, defense, or resistance based on the pair's support level (in addition to those provided by class). In both cases, the bonuses provided vary based on the supporting unit.

Like in Awakening, units gain support points in Fates by making certain actions together.

Sources of support points[7]
Action Points
Enter combat with a supporting unit (i.e. one in Pair Up or Tag Team) present +3/9
Enter combat adjacent to an ally (other than the supporting unit) +2/9
Use a staff on or sing for an ally +2/9
Activate a Dual Strike or a Dual Guard (once per combat) +1/9
Use a Seed of Trust while paired up +1
Trigger an event in My Castle +1
Give an ally a neutral or liked accessory in My Castle +1
Invite an ally to the Private Quarters +1

At the end of a map, the total support points accrued by a pair are rounded to the nearest integer.[7] For any one unit, the pair including that unit with the most points can gain a maximum of three points per map, the pair including that unit with the second-most points can gain at most two points, the third-highest at most one, and all other pairs including that unit gain no points—ties are broken by preferring the unit higher in the support list.[7] When a unit is defeated in Casual Mode, any pairs involving that unit lose any support points they gained in that battle.[7][including exceptions from maximum?] Support points gained from a Seed of Trust are exempt the maximums;[7][do they still count towards them?] as the last three actions occur in My Castle—thus outside of battle—the maximums are moot.

Echoes: Shadows of Valentia

Supports in Echoes: Shadows of Valentia are ranked, but some pairs provide bonuses innately—essentially, a "rank 0". The bonuses a unit receives depends on the supporting unit in the pair—a unit typically gives the same or similar bonuses to every unit they support, but does not do so necessarily; e.g. Celica boosts most of her partners' avoid and critical avoid, but boosts Mae's and Atlas's differently than Nomah's and Conrad's, and instead boosts Alm's critical hit rate and critical avoid. Supports activate when two units are within three tiles of each other. When units are receiving support, small portraits appear next to the unit in the combat forecast.

Like the previous games, support points in Shadows of Valentia are earned based on certain actions.

Sources of support points[8]
Action Points
Be deployed in the same battle +1
Fight an enemy within two tiles of an ally +1
Use white magic on an ally +2

Once enough points have been earned, two units may talk to increase their support level; the points required to unlock a support vary by pair. Points cannot be earned past a support that has not been unlocked, and some supports require certain story progress in order to be unlocked.

Some characters present in the base game received supports in the Rise of the Deliverance DLC.

Three Houses

Supports in Three Houses are ranked. Three Houses features S supports; unlike the previous games to feature S supports, they can only be unlocked with single unit—Byleth—and they can only be unlocked at the end of the game. Additionally, Three Houses features C+, B+, and A+ supports; these + supports are typically hidden, but some units have support conversations linked to them.

Linked Attacks and Gambit Boosts

The primary benefit of supports is strengthened Linked Attacks and Gambit Boosts. A Linked Attack activates if a unit targets an enemy that other allied units could attack from their current position and with their currently equipped weapon. If a Linked Attack can occur, the combat forecast will display smaller portraits of each supporting ally, linked up to the main unit by lines. A Gambit Boost activates under the same criteria, but when a unit targets an enemy with a gambit—the allies strengthening the Gambit Boost do not need to be able to use a gambit or have a battalion equipped.

The potency of a Linked Attack's or Gambit Boost's stat bonuses is proportional to both the number of allied units that can attack the target, as well as the attacking unit's support level with each of them. All units in a Linked Attack will grant additional hit and avoid to the main attacker, though only certain pairs of units will grant them additional might as well.

Linked Attack bonus from a single ally
Support level Stat boost
(any allied pair)
Stat boost
(certain allied pairs)
None Hit +3, avoid +3 Hit +3, avoid +3
C Hit +5, avoid +5 Attack +1, hit +5, avoid +5
B Hit +7, avoid +7 Attack +2, hit +7, avoid +7
A Hit +10, avoid +10 Attack +3, hit +10, avoid +10
S[Note 3] Hit +15, avoid +15 Attack +5, hit +15, avoid +15

The particular pairs of units that grant increased Linked Attack bonuses are as follows:

  • Byleth and Edelgard
  • Byleth and Dimitri
  • Byleth and Claude
  • Byleth and Flayn
  • Byleth and Yuri
  • Edelgard and Hubert
  • Dimitri and Dedue
  • Claude and Hilda
  • Ferdinand and Lorenz
  • Dorothea and Manuela
  • Felix and Sylvain
  • Felix and Ingrid
  • Sylvain and Ingrid
  • Mercedes and Annette
  • Annette and Gilbert
  • Raphael and Ignatz
  • Leonie and Alois
  • Seteth and Flayn
  • Catherine and Shamir
  • Mercedes and Jeritza
  • Hilda and Balthus

Additionally, two pairs of units (Bernadetta with Marianne, and Dorothea with Hilda) are coded to have increased Linked Attack bonuses, but as neither pair has supports, neither can benefit from increased Linked Attack bonuses.

All units in a Gambit Boost will provide bonuses to might and hit; unlike Linked Attacks, special pairs do not provide additional bonuses.

Gambit Boost from a single ally
Support level Stat boost
None Attack +1, hit +5
C Attack +2, hit +10
B Attack +3, hit +15
A Attack +4, hit +20
S Attack +5, hit +25

A Linked Attack or Gambit Boost will only factor in up to three supporting allies on the field along with an adjutant, for a total of four allies; if more than three allies can attack an enemy, units earlier in deployment order are prioritized.

Recruiting units

Outside of battle, support makes units easier to recruit in Garreg Mach Monastery during Part I. Higher support levels of support between Byleth and another unit reduce the statistic and skill level requirements to recruit that unit; the statistic requirements are typically reduced by a fifth of the original requirement (e.g. 25 at no support to 20 at C), and the skill level by one level (e.g. C+ at no support to D at C support). Unlike with Linked Attacks, the + supports affect support requirements as much as non-+ supports do. In addition to reducing the requirements to recruit a unit, after unlocking a unit's B support with Byleth, that unit may randomly request to join Byleth's class without Byleth meeting their recruitment requirements. Furthermore, unlocking their A support with Byleth completely reduces that unit's recruitment requirements—i.e. they can be recruited regardless of Byleth's stats or skill levels; however, no recruitable unit can unlock their A support with Byleth until Part II when they can no longer be recruited, rendering this only applicable in New Game +.

Unlocking supports

Units in Three Houses gain support points for doing a number of actions together.

In Share a Meal, points are earned between Byleth and the two units invited to the meal.

Support points from Share a Meal[9]
Opinion of meal Points
Both units liked meal +30
One unit liked meal, one neutral +15
One unit liked meal, one disliked +10
Both units neutral +10
Neither unit liked meal, at least one disliked +0

In Cooking Together, points are earned between Byleth and the unit they cook with.

Support points from Cooking Together[9]
Cooking prowess Points
Good +20
Neutral +10
Bad +5

When giving gifts, lost items, and birthday flowers, points are earned between Byleth and the recipient.

Support points from Gifts and Lost Items[9]
Opinion of gift Points
Liked gift +20
Neutral gift +10
Disliked gift +0
Birthday flowers +5
Lost Item +20
Faculty members receive 45% more points from gifts, but not from flowers or Lost Items.

In Teatime, points are earned between Byleth and their tea partner.

Support points from Teatime[9]
Result Points
Perfect +30
Great +20
Nice +10
Failure +5

Other activities:

  • Choir practice provides 30 points between Byleth and both units invited to choir.
  • Correctly answering a question in the Counselor Box provides 10 points between Byleth and the unit who submitted the question.
  • Faculty Training provides 7 points, while Advanced Drills provide 5 points; both between Byleth and the trainer.
  • Responding to dialogue in a way another character likes provides 5 points, while responding in a way they dislike provides −5 points; both are earned between Byleth and the unit signified by the support increase or decrease—typically, but not necessarily, the character being responded to.
  • Completing a quest for a character provides 10 points between Byleth and that character.
Support points from viewing supports[9][Are points granted between non-Byleth pairs?]
Support Points
C support +20
B support +40
A support with potential S support +80
A support without S support +20
A support with faculty member and without S support +29
Support points from battle[9]
Action Points
Linked Attack with adjacent unit +6
Linked Attack with non-adjacent unit +4
Deal no damage on player phase (with adjacent units) +3
Deal no damage on enemy phase (with adjacent units) +2
Use white magic on an ally[Note 4] +3
Gambit Boost +3
Rally +3
Complete a map together (between all available pairs) +2
Byleth earns half as many points (rounded down) from each action. Any characters present through Mission Assistance always gain points with Byleth.[which Linked Attack bonus do they gain?]
Support points from an Adjutant[9]
Action Points
Defeat an enemy +8
Deal damage to enemy +3
Deal no damage to enemy on player phase +3
Deal no damage to enemy on enemy phase +2
Use white magic on an ally +3
Use a gambit +3
Rally +3

The thresholds required to unlock a support level are universal for all units. Points stop being earned before a support level with a conversation (e.g. 100 points at the C support), and unlocking the support increments the point total by 1.[10][interaction with points from viewing support?] Points cannot be earned past a support that has not been unlocked. If two units do not have an ending, they stop gaining support points after unlocking their final support (e.g. Alois and Shamir stop gaining points after unlocking their A support, maximizing at 601 points); pairs that do have an ending continue to gain points up to the S support threshold (though an S support is not unlocked).[10] Units that cannot unlock an S support with Byleth also earn points up to the S support threshold; units that can unlock an S support stop gaining points at 1000, and their points are set to 1001 if Byleth unlocks their S support.[10]

Support point requirements for level increase in Three Houses
Level Total support points at support level (points from last level)
C 101
C+ 201 (100)
B 301 (100)
B+ 451 (150)
A 601 (150)
A+ 801 (200)
S 1001 (200)

Like Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, some supports require certain story progress to unlock; additionally, some supports may be permanently locked after certain story progress—e.g. none of Byleth's supports with Rhea can be unlocked after Part I. Furthermore, some supports can only be unlocked on certain routes, such as Ingrid and Seteth's A+ support, which can only be unlocked on the Azure Moon route.

Engage

Supports in Engage are ranked, one-way, and active when units are adjacent to each other. Similar to Three Houses, S supports are featured, but can only be unlocked by a single unit—Alear—and they can only be unlocked by using the Pact Ring item. The bonuses a unit receives depends on the supporting unit in the pair—a unit always gives the same bonuses to every unit they support. Units will give support bonuses from one of six different sets.

Like the previous games, support points in Engage are earned based on certain actions.

Sources of support points[11]
Action Points
Automatically at the beginning of each support level[Note 5] +1
Initiate combat adjacent to an ally +1
Use a staff on or dance for an ally +1
Activate Quality Time or Quality Time+ +1
Activate Lost and Found +1
Give an ally a neutral gift on the Somniel +1
Give an ally a liked gift on the Somniel +2
Perform Recreation together on the Somniel +3
Battle each other in the Arena +5

Support points gained from battle are rounded to +3 for the two pairs who gained the most support points, +2 for the three pairs who gained the second most, and +1 for all other pairs that gained support points together. For example, if the highest pair gained +5 points, it would be rounded down to +3, while if they only gained +1, it would be rounded up to +3.[11]

When dining in Café Terrace on the Somniel, points are earned between Alear and the two units invited to the meal.

Support points from dining[11]
Opinion and rank of meal Points
Rank G–E +0
Disliked meal, rank D–SS +0
Neutral meal, rank D–SS +1
Liked meal, rank D–B +1
Liked meal, rank A–SS +2
Liked meal, altered dialogue[Note 6] +1
Include a Rare Vegetable, Rare Fruit, or Rare Fish in the meal[Note 7] +1

Once enough points have been earned, two units may talk to increase their support level; the points required to unlock a support vary by pair. Points cannot be earned past a support that has not been unlocked, and some supports require certain story progress in order to be unlocked.

Other games


This section has been marked as a stub. Please help improve the page by adding information.


Fire Emblem Warriors

The ranked support mechanic is in Fire Emblem Warriors, with support conversations. All characters can increase support levels with one another, but only certain pairings will trigger a support conversation by reaching an A+ support level. Each time two characters increase support, the convoy is awarded materials. The convoy receives the silver-rarity material pertaining to each character when support level reaches C. Then, at support level B, each character's gold-rarity material is awarded. At A and A+, each character's Essence is awarded. Reaching A and A+ support levels is the only way to receive Essences, so there are a limited number of them in the game. An Essence and a gold-rarity material are needed in order for any character to receive a crest that awards them another character's unique ability.

Fire Emblem Heroes

Ally Support is a ranked support system found in Fire Emblem Heroes. The player can pick any two units they have to be support partners. Each unit can only have one partner at a given time. The player can change a unit's partner, but it will remove the support between them and their previous partner. The support rank can be increased by having the two supporting units fight on maps against enemies that are level 35 or higher. Upon gaining a support rank, an animation will playing showing that their relationship has improved. The bonuses are as followed:

Support level Stat boost
Adjacent space One space away
C Res +2 Res +1
B Def/Res +2 Def/Res +1
A Spd/Def/Res +2 Spd/Def/Res +1
S Atk/Spd/Def/Res +2 Atk/Spd/Def/Res +1

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes

The ranked support mechanic appears in Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes. Similar to the system in Three Houses, supports can max out at any of the C, B, and A-ranks. However not all support levels will yield a conversation; those that do will have three dots above the letter. Some support conversations are locked until reaching specific chapters or events within the game, while others can be missed if unlocked too late. Some conversations are route specific and cannot be viewed on certain paths even if both characters are recruited. Despite this, support points can continue to grow between characters even if the requirements for reading the conversations are not met. When starting a New Game +, the player will be asked if they want to keep their supports or reset all of them; the former option makes it easier to unlock previously missed support conversations.

Support conversations

Artwork of Odin and Laslow during a support conversation.

One of the most well known and popular aspects of supports are the conversations associated with them. In some games, starting from Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade, every time a support level is increased, the two characters hold a unique conversation together. In Radiant Dawn, however, because of the open nature of supports, conversations are generalized and short.

In most games, each pair of characters has one conversation for each support level which must be viewed to unlock the support; there are some characters that are exceptions to this, like Pent and Louise in The Blazing Blade, who automatically have an A support with each other, or Chrom and Olivia, whose supports can all be unlocked immediately without viewing the conversations. In Three Houses, the number of support conversations can range from two to five depending on the pair.

Trivia

Etymology and other languages

Support

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

Support

--

Japanese

支援

Support

Spanish

• Apoyo
• Apoyar

Support

French

Soutien

Support

German

Unterstützung

Support

Italian

Sostegno

Support

Linked Attack

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

Linked Attack

--

French

Attaque en chaîne

Chain attack

German

Kettenangriff

Chain attack

Gallery

Artwork

Screenshots

See also

Lists of support bonuses

Lists of support conversations

Related mechanics

Notes

  1. The four supports that provide bonuses of +5 are:[1]
  2. The four supports that provide bonuses of +20 are:[2]
  3. As S supports are only unlocked after completing the final chapter of a given route, the bonuses provided by S supports are only relevant in New Game +.
  4. Some spells,[clarification needed] like Fortify and Restore, do not generate support points.
  5. Includes pairs with no support level between each other.
  6. Occurs either when both units have a conversation between each other, or one of them comments on a rare ingredient. Overwrites the support points from both units' likes and dislikes.
  7. Stacks with other support points.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Support Bonuses – Mystery of the Emblem, Serenes Forest, Retrieved: 5 November 2022
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Support Bonuses – Thracia 776, Serenes Forest, Retrieved: 5 November 2022
  3. Support Bonus – Path of Radiance, Serenes Forest, Retrieved: 5 November 2022
  4. Buddy Supports, Serenes Forest, Retrieved: 5 November 2022
  5. Bond Supports, Serenes Forest, Retrieved: 5 November 2022
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Support Basics – Awakening, Serenes Forest, Retrieved: 5 November 2022
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Support Basics – Fates, Serenes Forest, Retrieved: 5 November 2022
  8. Support Basics – Shadows of Valentia, Serenes Forest, Retrieved: 6 November 2022
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 Support Points Guide, fe16.triangleattack.com, Retrieved: 6 November 2022
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 Jacien_V, [FE3H] Support Points Information - The point ranges, New Game Plus trickery, and Misc info., reddit.com/r/fireemblem, Published: 26 August 2019, Retrieved: 25 August 2020
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 Support Bonus – Engage, Serenes Forest, Retrieved: 6 September 2023
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