Difficulty

Difficulty modes are gameplay modes that...

Fire Emblem Gaiden

Gaiden features two difficulty modes, though one of them is hidden.

Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War

Genealogy of the Holy War is the first game in the series to feature conventional difficulty modes.

Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones

Easy Mode

“	For first-timers. Game rules and controls will be explained to you as you play.	”	— Help text

The first eight chapters include tutorials, but are otherwise identical to those in Normal mode. After completing Chapter 8 and choosing which lord's route to take, an Easy Mode file will become a Normal Mode file.

Easy Mode save files are colored green.

Normal Mode

“	For experienced players. No game-play hints will be provided to you as you play.	”	— Help text

Difficult Mode

“	For players seeking a real challenge. No instructions are given & difficulty is set to high.	”	— Help text

Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance

Easy Mode

“	Difficulty: ★ For novices who want a little helpful advice to get them familiar with the game.	”	— Help text

Added in the international versions of Path of Radiance to replace Maniac Mode

Easy Mode save files are colored red, just as Maniac Mode files would be.

Normal Mode

“	Difficulty: ★★ For players who already know their way around the game. This is the standard difficulty setting.	”	— Help text

Difficult Mode

“	Difficulty: ★★★ For players looking for a serious challenge.	”	— Help text

Maniac Mode

Present only in the Japanese version, Maniac Mode serves as an even greater challenge than Hard Mode.

Maniac Mode save files are colored red.

Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn

Easy Mode

“	Difficulty: ★ A brisk tempo makes this mode easy to get into and easy to play.	”	— Help text

Named Normal Mode in the Japanese version, this is the game's standard difficulty.

Normal Mode

“	Difficulty: ★★ For players who already know their way around the game. This is the standard difficulty setting.	”	— Help text

Named Hard Mode in the Japanese version.

Difficult Mode

“	Difficulty: ★★★ For players looking for a serious challenge.	”	— Help text

Named Maniac Mode in the Japanese version.

Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon

Normal Mode

“	Recommended for beginners and those playing the game for the first time. A special prologue introduces the story and game play.	”	— Help text

Hard Mode

“	Recommended for those seeking a challlenge. Enemies are up to five degrees tougher than those in Normal mode. No prologue is included.	”	— Help text

Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem

Normal Mode

“	An entry-level difficulty for players with little experience. You can play the game while learning the basics.	”	— Help text

Hard Mode

“	Recommended for those looking for responsive gameplay. Enemies are stronger than normal. Reinforcements act as soon as they appear.	”	— Help text

Maniac Mode

“	Recommended for players seeking a challenge. The enemies are stronger than in Hard Mode.	”	— Help text

Lunatic Mode

“	Stronger enemies than Maniac Mode, this mode easily has the highest level of difficulty the series can provide.	”	— Help text

Fire Emblem Awakening

Awakening features three difficulty modes available by default, as well as a single unlockable difficulty mode.

Normal Mode

“	For series beginners.	”	— Help text

The game's standard difficulty. The first several chapters include "slide guide" tutorials on the bottom screen to help new players, though these can be turned off in the settings menu. Enemies generally have low stats, and little to no unpromoted units will have any skills. Later on, promoted units can have a single skill from their class tree's pool, though they are generally limited from having stronger skills such as the -breaker series and offensive skills.

Normal Mode save files are marked with a green icon and one star (★).

Hard Mode

“	For experienced players.	”	— Help text

Hard Mode save files are marked with a red icon and two stars (★★).

Lunatic Mode

“	For expert players.	”	— Help text

Lunatic Mode save files are marked with a purple icon and three stars (★★★).

Lunatic+ Mode

“	For Fire Emblem masters.	”	— Help text

The highest difficulty the game offers, Lunatic+ Mode is unlocked after completing Lunatic Mode at least once.

Lunatic+ is largely identical to Lunatic, with the addition of several powerful enemy-exclusive skills distributed at random.

Fire Emblem Fates

Fates handles its difficulty modes differently depending on which of the three paths—Birthright, Conquest, or Revelation—is chosen.

Normal Mode

“	For series beginners.	”	— Help text

The game's standard difficulty. The prologue and the first six chapters include "slide guide" tutorials.

Hard Mode

“	For experienced players.	”	— Help text

In all paths, enemies have higher overall stats, as well as a minimum of C in each weapon level.

Lunatic Mode

“	For those seeking a challenge.	”	— Help text

In all paths, enemies have maximum weapon levels.

In Birthright, enemies have slightly more HP than they do in Hard Mode, though their other stats remain identical.

In Conquest, enemies have identical stats to their Hard Mode counterparts.

In Revelation, enemies have higher HP, strength, defense, and resistance. As well, generic promoted enemies are given the two skills from their respective base classes.

Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia

Normal Mode

“	For series beginners.	”	— Help text

The game's standard difficulty. Enemy positioning and stats are nearly identical to how they are in the original Gaiden's Normal Mode, though with some changes to account for new mechanics such as dungeons, as well as the new characters.

Hard Mode

“	For experienced players.	”	— Help text