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Skills

From Fire Emblem Wiki, your source on Fire Emblem information. By fans, for fans.
(Redirected from Ability)
Highlighted: Fiona's skills list and capacity. She currently has two personal skills equipped—Savior and Imbue—and also possesses the class skill Canto.

The skill system (Japanese: スキル Skill) is a Fire Emblem series gameplay mechanic revolving around the use of special abilities, called skills, which grant additional abilities to individual units which subvert the normal flow of gameplay. Learned by units both depending on their class and on a personal basis, skills possess a wide variety of effects which serve to both augment and hinder a unit's performance and capabilities in battle, and are used by both playable units and the enemy army.

While skills as a defined mechanic first appeared in Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War, skill-like features of certain classes have existed since Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light. In Three Houses, skills are instead known as abilities.

Overview

Classifications

Class and personal skills

From the introduction of the system in Genealogy of the Holy War to Radiant Dawn, skills are divided into two categories which dictate their availability: class skills (Japanese: 兵種スキル class skill) and personal skills (Japanese: 個人スキル personal skill), or "soldier" and "citizen" respectively in Path of Radiance. A class skill is a skill possessed by all units of a certain class, whereas a personal skill is a skill specifically inherent or taught to an individual unit and has no direct association with a class. Overlap in the two categories is possible, as a skill which is a class skill for some classes may be available as a personal skill for some units. Thracia 776 additionally has weapon skills (Japanese: 武器スキル weapon skill), which are gained while equipping specific weapons that grant them. These are present in other games, but are only shown on a unit's skill list in Thracia 776 and Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, and are only referred to as such in Thracia.

Example: Pavise is a class skill in Genealogy of the Holy War and Thracia 776, associated with Generals, Barons and Emperors in the former, and Barons only in the latter. However, Xavier also possesses Pavise as a personal skill.

A sub-category of class skills is mastery skills in Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn, which are class skills available only to advanced classes (requiring the use of an Occult scroll in the former game) and are typically more potent than "normal" skills.

The next game with a skill system after Radiant Dawn, Awakening, removed distinct types of skills in favor of a simpler system where all skills are learned from classes, and can then be equipped whenever. Fates, while continuing to use this system and not using the term, introduces a new form of personal skills to the series. In it, every normal playable unit has a single completely unique skill which cannot be unequipped, and cannot be learned by other units by any means. These are often designed to reflect the unit's character in some way. Playable unit-unique skills would continue to be featured in later games in the series, and come to explicitly be named personal skills, effectively replacing the previous definition.

Three Houses and Engage, while retaining the equipped skills system, return to a more rigid definition of different types of skills. In addition to equipped skills and the now so named personal skills, the class skills system from the earlier games returns mostly unchanged, where all units of a certain class have an unremovable skill or set of skills. In Three Houses, most classes have class skills, but in Engage only advanced classes have skills, and units can only use them once they reach level 5 in the class.

Equippable skills

From Awakening onward, the original idea of personal skills is somewhat reworked with the introduction of a unit's personal skill pool, which their learned skills accumulate in and can be equipped from at the player's leisure. Awakening and Fates do not use the terms "personal skill" and "class skill", referring to everything as simply "skills". In these games, almost all skills are learned by leveling up in a certain class, which grants access to that class' skills to the unit at set levels. These skills are then retained in the skill pool across all further reclasses and class changes. However, a small few units do have access to skills which cannot be learned from any of the classes they have access to; in particular, every bonus unit in Awakening has at least one skill outside their default class, with some being otherwise unavailable to them due to gender.

In Three Houses, they are known as equipped abilities, and are learned from a variety of sources, most often by raising a unit's skill levels. Other sources include Class mastery, unlocking units' budding talents, and special events. In Engage, they are known as inherited skills and are acquired exclusively by spending SP to inherit them from Emblem Rings.

Offensive skills

Main article: Offensive skill

An offensive skill is any skill which has a percentage chance of activating derived from a specific stat possessed by the user or their target, usually their Skill stat. In common fandom parlance, however, the term is most commonly used to refer to directly offensive skills with this activation criteria, such as Sol and Luna.

Restrictions

Perne, after learning all eight of the game's manual-taught skills (plus his own base skills), demonstrating an absence of a hard skill maximum in Thracia 776.

In Thracia 776, there is no restriction on how many skills a unit can learn. Theoretically, a unit can be taught all eight of the skills learnable from the game's skill manuals with no restriction, though in practice the limited quantities of the skill manuals and the size of the playable cast discourage expending all of one's skill manuals on a single unit. Needless to say, a unit who already possesses a given skill cannot learn it a second time from a manual.

In Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn, skill restriction is determined by the capacity stat. Every unit has a set number of capacity points depending on their class, which are consumed by the skills they have been taught; every skill has a set number of capacity points which it requires to be available if it is to be taught to a unit, with the required point threshold depending on the individual skill. Generally speaking, advanced classes have a higher capacity than basic classes, and laguz possess the highest capacity of any class. It is important to remember that mandatory class skills such as Shove and Canto (marked with the icon WiiLockSkill.png) do consume capacity points and cannot be removed to free up capacity. There is also a physical limit in place in Radiant Dawn, where regardless of how much capacity they have left over, a unit cannot learn more than six skills, including any irremovable ones.

List of classes by capacity points available

Path of Radiance Radiant Dawn

Capacity Classes possessing this capacity
0 Civilian
15 Sword KnightLance KnightAxe KnightBow KnightPegasus KnightWyvern Rider
20 RangerMyrmidonSoldierFighterArcherKnightPaladinFalcon KnightPrincess CrimeaWyvern LordMagePriestClericThiefBandit
25 LordHeroSwordmasterHalberdierWarriorSniperGeneralSageBishopValkyrieAssassinBerserkerLionTigerCatHawkRaven
40 General (Black Knight only) • King DaeinWhite DragonRed DragonHawk (Tibarn only) • Raven (Naesala only) • Heron

Games from Awakening forward (with the exception of Echoes) feature a system where units can only have a certain number of skills active on themselves at a time; any surplus skills are stored in a pool of skills available to the individual unit, and all units can freely swap around, apply or remove skills in the menu when outside of battle. Awakening and Fates allow five player-assigned skills active per unit at a time, with Fates additionally featuring a sixth, always equipped personal skill unique to each unit. Three Houses builds upon this further, allowing for one personal skill, five player-assigned skills, and up to three skills inherent to a unit's class. In Engage, player units may only have four non-Emblem skills active at a time; one personal skill, two player-assigned skills, and one class-specific skill unlocked by reaching a certain level. Equipping an Emblem Ring will grant them as many as six additional skills unique to that Emblem Ring.

List of skills by game

Technically speaking, class skills exist in almost every game in the series, in the sense of abilities dependent on specific classes, and indeed many abilities available to classes in non-skill-enabled games are considered skills in games with a formal skill system (in some cases, such as Canto and Shove, a skill already existed in an hidden and undefined state in earlier games with skill systems before finally being given a proper skill entry in a later game with a skill system). However, only ten titles in the main series actually possess a formal skill system.

Genealogy of the Holy War and Thracia 776

Genealogy of the Holy War and Thracia 776 are the originators of the formal skill system, with the original eighteen skills debuting in the former. Of these eighteen only two, Critical and Follow-Up, did not return in Thracia 776 as the game's mechanics were altered to render their respective functions part of standard gameplay as per the rest of the series.

In Genealogy of the Holy War, they are given categories in the skill menu: Standard (Japanese: いっぱん), Combat (Japanese: せんとう), and Special Sword (Japanese: とくしゅ剣). Special sword skills are a specific subcategory of offensive trigger skills which are available only for unmounted sword-wielding units (Myrmidon, Swordmaster, Forrest, Thief, Thief Fighter, Dancer) and cannot be learned by mounted or non-sword-wielding units under any circumstances, and cannot activate simultaneously if multiples are possessed by a single unit. These restrictions were lifted in Thracia 776 onward, allowing them to be freely learned and used by any class, as well as allowing multiple Special Swords to activate on the same attack.

Skills in Genealogy of the Holy War and Thracia 776
Skill Effect Available in:
Genealogy
Available in:
Thracia
Category
(Genealogy)
Is snes02 accost.png Accost Engages the enemy in another round of combat, up to 20 more times*/once*. Combat
Is snes02 adept.png Adept It deals two consecutive hits against the enemy. Does activate when wielding a brave weapon*. Combat
Is snes02 astra.png Astra If activated, user's next strike becomes five consecutive strikes. It is possible for any and all of the strikes to be a critical hit. Special Sword
Is snes02 bargain.png Bargain Reduces prices at the vendor, weapon repair shop and pawn shop* by 50%. Standard
Is snes02 charm.png Charm +10% hit rate and avoid to all allied units within a 3-tile radius of the user. Standard
Is snes02 critical.png Critical Allows the user to perform critical hits. Combat
Is snes02 dance.png Dance Refreshes all four*/one* adjacent allies, or all other allies in the home castle*, allowing them to move again if they have already moved. Standard
Is snes02 follow-up.png Follow-Up Enables the user to make follow-up attacks if user's attack speed exceeds foe's. Combat
Is snes02 luna.png Luna If activated, user's next strike ignores the enemy's Defense and Resistance*/Magic*. This attack also ignores the standard hit check. Special Sword
Is snes02 miracle.png Miracle The user's avoid is increased by
[(11 − HP) × 10] for one turn.*/
If activated, for the entire round of combat, the user will avoid any attack that would kill them.*
Standard
Is snes02 nihil.png Nihil It negates the enemy's special sword skills, critical hits and bonus damage.*/
It negates the enemy's combat-related skills.*
Combat
Is snes02 paragon.png Paragon It doubles the user's experience gain. Standard
Is snes02 pavise.png Pavise If activated, negates an enemy attack against the user. Can't activate if foe is using Nosferatu, or Earth Sword at 2-range. Combat
Is snes02 renewal.png Renewal It heals 5-10 HP to the user at the beginning of the user's phase.*/
It heals 10-20% of the user's HP at the beginning of the user's phase.*
Standard
Is snes02 sol.png Sol If activated, user's next strike recovers HP equal to damage dealt to foe. This attack also ignores the standard hit check. Special Sword
Is snes02 steal.png Steal On a successful hit, user takes all of the enemy's gold. Also grants guaranteed critical hits if the foe has Wrath active.*/
The user can steal weapons and items from enemies, if (user's Speed > enemy's Speed) and (user's Con > weapon/item's Weight)*
Combat
Is snes02 vantage.png Vantage If Current HP < (Max HP/2) + 1, negate foe's Accost and user always strikes first in combat.*/
The user always strikes first, unless the foe also has Vantage.*
Combat
Is snes02 wrath.png Wrath The user always unleashes a critical hit when Current HP < (Max HP/2) + 1.*/
The user always unleashes a critical hit on their first counterattack when the enemy attacks first (affected by attack order changes from Vantage).*
Combat

The Sacred Stones

Gilliam activating Great Shield in The Sacred Stones.

The Sacred Stones reintroduced skills to the series following their absence in its two predecessors, albeit in a significantly watered-down form compared to skill systems in other games. Seven skills are present in the game, all class skills. The game interface allots no specific space to profile skills and their effects, and the skills are only acknowledged briefly by name in the class descriptions.

Skills in The Sacred Stones
Skill Activation Effect Class
Great Shield (Enemy's level)% Nullifies damage dealt by the enemy, unless the attack can apply Poison. General
Sure Strike (User's level)% Maximizes the user's accuracy for one strike. Sniper
Silencer 50% if attack rolls a critical hit Instantly kills the enemy in one strike, gaining extra EXP for the kill. Assassin
Pick Command Allows the user to open doors and chests without keys or a Lockpick. Rogue
Pierce (User's level)% Nullifies the enemy's Defense. Wyvern Knight
Slayer 100% Allows the user to deal bonus damage to monsters. Bishop
Summon Command Summons a single Phantom onto the map as an ally. Summoner, Necromancer

Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn

Regular skills

Skills in Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn
Skill Effect Regular skill in:
Path of Radiance
Regular skill in:
Radiant Dawn
Is wii nihil.png
Nihil
Negates enemy skills in battle.
(Personal)

(Personal and class)
Is wii vantage.png
Vantage
May grant the first strike.
(Personal)

(Personal)
Is wii adept.png
Adept
Can deal a second consecutive hit.
(Personal)

(Personal)
Is wii wrath.png
Wrath
Boosts critical rate when HP is below a certain threshold.
(Personal)

(Personal)
Is wii miracle.png
Miracle
Can reduce fatal damage to half of user's current HP.
(Personal)

(Personal)
Is wii resolve.png
Resolve
Boosts Strength, Skill, and Speed when below half total HP.
(Personal)

(Personal)
Is wii counter.png
Counter
May deal half damage dealt to unit back at enemy.
(Personal)

(Personal)
Is wii cancel.png
Guard (GCN)/Cancel (Wii)
May nullify further action from target.
(Personal)

(Personal)
Is wii corrosion.png
Corrosion
May further reduce durability of target's weapon.
(Personal)

(Personal)
Is wii parity.png
Parity
May negate all other skills and bonuses.
(Personal)

(Personal)
Is wii gamble.png
Gamble
May double critical rate at cost of half hit rate.
(Personal)

(Personal)
Is wii smite.png
Smite
Can shove an ally two spaces instead of one.
(Personal)

(Personal)
Is wii celerity.png
Celerity
Increases movement by 2.
(Personal)

(Personal)
Is gcn tempest.png
Tempest
Doubles biorhythm bonuses and penalties.
(Personal)
Is gcn serenity.png
Serenity
Halves biorhythm bonuses and penalties.
(Personal)
Is wii provoke.png
Provoke
May attract enemies toward user.
(Personal)

(Personal)
Is wii shade.png
Shade
May repel enemies from user.
(Personal)

(Personal)
Is wii renewal.png
Renewal
Restores 10% of maximum HP at start of user's turn phase.
(Personal)

(Personal)
Is wii savior.png
Savior
Negates rescue penalties.
(Personal)

(Personal)
Is wii paragon.png
Paragon
Doubles experience gain.
(Personal)

(Personal)
Is gcn reinforce.png
Reinforce
Can summon three partner reinforcements.
(Personal)
Is wii blossom.png
Blossom
Slows experience gain, but increases growth rates.
(Personal)

(Personal)
Is wii galdrar.png
Canto (GCN)/Galdrar (Wii)
Refreshes ally units.
Radiant Dawn also allows biorhythm alteration, laguz transformation assistance, and healing of ally units.

(Personal)

(Personal)
Is wii insight.png
Insight
Boots hit rate. Also boosts vision in Radiant Dawn.
(Personal)

(Personal)
Is wii vigilance.png
Vigilance
Boosts avoid. Also boosts dodge in Radiant Dawn.
(Personal)

(Personal)
Is wii daunt.png
Daunt
Reduces enemy hit rate and critical rate.
(Personal)

(Personal)
Is wii mantle.png
Mantle
Negates all damage. In Radiant Dawn, ignored for non-blessed weapons, and additionally recovers user's HP at start of user's turn phase, and grants the effects of the Nihil and Fortune skills.
(Personal)

(Personal)
Is gcn discipline.png
Discipline (Path of Radiance)
Decreases damage dealt by user.
(Personal)
Is wii discipline.png
Discipline (Radiant Dawn)
Doubles weapon experience gain.
(Personal)
Is gcn impregnable.png
Impregnable
No effect.
(Unused)
Is gcn lumina.png
Lumina
Enables use of light magic.
(Class)

(Replaced by weapon level)
Is gcn knife skill.png
Knife
Enables use of knives.
(Personal and class)

(Replaced by weapon level)
Is wii steal.png
Steal
May steal weapons and items from target's inventory.
(Personal and class)

(Class)
Is wii shove.png
Shove
May push ally one space away.
(Undefined)

(Class)
Is wii canto.png
Canto
May use leftover movement after attacking or performing other actions.
(Undefined)

(Class)
Is wii critical +5.png
Critical +5
Boosts critical rate by 5%.
(Class)
Is wii critical +10.png
Critical +10
Boosts critical rate by 10%.
(Class)
Is wii critical +15.png
Critical +15
Boosts critical rate by 15%.
(Class)
Is wii critical +20.png
Critical +20
Boosts critical rate by 20%.
(Class)
Is wii critical +25.png
Critical +25
Boosts critical rate by 25%.
(Class)
Is wii sacrifice.png
Sacrifice
Drains user's HP to heal target, also heals status effects.
(Personal)
Is wii guard.png
Guard (Wii)
May take a hit intended for an adjacent buddy support partner.
(Personal)
Is wii fortune.png
Fortune
Negates critical hits.
(Personal)
Is wii howl.png
Howl
May stun indirect attackers.
(Personal)
Is wii quickclaw.png
Quickclaw
May damage indirect attackers.
(Personal)
Is wii wildheart.png
Wildheart
Allows laguz to halfshift.
(Personal)
Is wii shriek.png
Shriek
May negate target's Luck when attacked indirectly.
(Personal)
Is wii imbue.png
Imbue
Restores HP to user based on Magic.
(Personal)
Is wii pass.png
Pass
Allows user to pass through spaces occupied by foes.
(Personal)
Is wii beastfoe.png
Beastfoe
Allows user to deal bonus damage to beast laguz.
(Personal)
Is wii birdfoe.png
Birdfoe
Allows user to deal bonus damage against bird laguz.
(Personal)
Is wii dragonfoe.png
Dragonfoe
Allows user to deal bonus damage against dragon laguz.
(Personal)
Is wii flourish.png
Flourish
Allows user to weaken their damage output.
(Personal)
Is wii disarm.png
Disarm
Unequips target's equipped weapon.
(Personal)
Is wii mercy.png
Mercy
User cannot kill target; otherwise-lethal blows leave target with 1 HP.
(Personal)
Is wii nullify.png
Nullify
Negates bonus damage done toward user.
(Personal)
Is wii formshift.png
Formshift
Allows a laguz user to remain fully transformed at all times.
(Personal)
Is wii blessing.png
Blessing
Restores HP to allies.
(Instead a mastery skill)

(Personal)
Is wii boon.png
Boon
Heals status effects from allies.
(Instead a mastery skill)

(Personal)
Is wii glare.png
Glare
May petrify target.
(Personal)
Is wii pavise.png
Pavise
May negate all damage.
(Instead a mastery skill)

(Personal)
Is wii maelstrom.png
Maelstrom
May damage indirect attackers.
(Personal)
Is wii blood tide.png
Blood Tide
Boosts allies' Strength and Skill.
(Personal)
Is wii white pool.png
White Pool
Boosts allies' Magic and Speed
(Personal)
Is wii night tide.png
Night Tide
Boosts allies' Defense and Resistance
(Personal)
Is wii stillness.png
Stillness
May strongly repel enemies.
(Personal)
Is wii aurora.png
Aurora
Deals half damage taken back at enemy.
(Personal)

Mastery skills

Mastery skills (Japanese: 奥義スキル esoteric skills) are a classification of powerful skills in the Tellius duology and a sub-type of class/soldier skills. The majority of class families are associated with a mastery skill, which normally are trigger skills dealing exceedingly potent amounts of damage to enemies. All mastery skills consume a very high amount of capacity, hindering the ability to equip them alongside other skills. In other games, the mastery skill distinction does not exist and they are treated as normal, if uncommon, skills; additionally, a few Path of Radiance mastery skills were downgraded to become normal skills in Radiant Dawn. All three of the sword skills of the Jugdral duology also act as mastery skills in Tellius.

In Path of Radiance, mastery skills are learned by advanced-class beorc units and laguz units above level 15 by equipping them with an Occult scroll. In Radiant Dawn, beorc units automatically obtain their mastery skill upon promoting to their third-tier advanced class, while laguz units gain their mastery skills by using a Satori Sign item after reaching a minimum level of 30.

Mastery skills in Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn
Skill Effect Mastery skill in:
Path of Radiance
Mastery skill in:
Radiant Dawn
Is wii aether.png
Aether
Can launch consecutive attacks, using the power of Sol and Luna.
Lord, Hero

Vanguard
Is wii sol.png
Sol
In certain conditions, restores as many HP as the damage dealt to an enemy.*/
Can inflict 3 times normal damage and restore HP equal to damage dealt.*

Paladin, Valkyrie

Gold Knight, Silver Knight, Valkyrie
Is wii luna.png
Luna
In certain conditions, reduces enemy defense by half.*/
Can neutralize an enemy's defenses and multiply the unit's strength by 3.*

General, Halberdier

Marshall
Is wii astra.png
Astra
In certain conditions, grants this unit 5 consecutive attacks at half damage.*/
Can launch 5 consecutive attacks.*

Swordmaster

Trueblade
Is wii impale.png
Impale
Can multiply damage dealt by 4 times.
Sentinel
Is wii colossus.png
Colossus
In certain conditions, increases damage when unit's Cn exceeds enemy's.*/
Can multiply the unit's strength by 3.*

Warrior, Berserker

Reaver
Is wii deadeye.png
Deadeye
Doubles chance to hit and, in certain instances, puts enemy to sleep.*/
Can multiply damage by 3 times and put the enemy to sleep.*

Sniper

Marksman
Is wii stun.png
Stun
In certain instances, immobilizes an enemy unit for 1 turn after being hit.*/
Can inflict 3 times normal damage and paralyze enemy until their next turn.*

Falcon Knight, Wyvern Lord, Princess Crimea

Seraph Knight, Dragonlord, Queen
Is wii lethality.png
Lethality
Can kill with a single strike. Does not work on all opponents.
Assassin

Assassin
Is wii bane.png
Bane
Can reduce an enemy's HP to 1 with a strike. Does not work on all opponents.
Whisper
Is wii flare.png
Flare
In certain conditions, reduces enemy magic resistance by half.*/
Can nullify an opponent's resistance and restore HP equal to damage dealt.*

Sage, Bishop

Arch Sage, Summoner, Empress
Is wii corona.png
Corona
Can nullify an opponent's resistance and halve their hit rate for one turn.
Saint, Chancellor, Light Priestess
Is wii roar.png
Roar
Immobilizes enemies on the next turn. Does not work against certain units.*/
Can multiply the unit's strength by 3 and shocks enemy for a turn.*

Lion, Tiger, Cat

Lion, Tiger
Is wii rend.png
Rend
Can multiply the unit's strength by 5 and shocks enemy for a turn.
Cat
Is wii savage.png
Savage
Can multiply the unit's strength by 3 and halve enemy skill for a turn.
Wolf
Is gcn cancel.png
Cancel
In certain conditions, nullifies enemy attacks.
Hawk

(Downgraded to normal skill)
Is gcn vortex.png
Vortex
Attacks with the same effect as Wind.
Raven
Is wii tear.png
Tear
Can multiply the unit's strength by 3 and halve enemy speed for a turn.
Hawk, Raven
Is gcn blessing.png
Blessing
Restores HP to a unit in an adjacent space.
Heron

(Downgraded to normal skill)
Is gcn boon.png
Boon
Returns an adjacent unit to normal condition.
Red Dragon, White Dragon

(Downgraded to normal skill)
Is wii ire.png
Ire
Can inflict triple the normal amount of damage dealt.
Red Dragon, White Dragon, Black Dragon
Is wii eclipse.png
Eclipse
Can neutralize an enemy's defenses and multiply the unit's strength by 5.
Black Knight

Enemy- and NPC-exclusive skills

Enemy-exclusive skills in Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn
Skill Effect Mastery skill in:
Path of Radiance
Mastery skill in:
Radiant Dawn
Is wii daunt.png
Daunt
Reduces enemy hit rate and critical rate.
(Personal)

(Personal)
Is wii aurora.png
Aurora
Deals half damage taken back at enemy.
(Personal)

Awakening

Main article: List of skills in Fire Emblem Awakening

Fates

Main article: List of skills in Fire Emblem Fates

Echoes: Shadows of Valentia

Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is the first remake title in the series to include a defined skill system where its corresponding original game, Gaiden, did not. There are two primary types of skills in Shadows of Valentia, combat arts and passive skills. Most combat arts are learned as the result of earning enough skill points (SP) while equipped with a certain piece of equipment; combat arts usually involve losing a number of HP when used, and typically grant might and hit rate boosts in addition to a special effect. Passive skills associated with equipment take effect while the equipment remains equipped, while those not associated with equipment can mostly be subdivided into personal and class varieties, although there is some overlap.

Like The Sacred Stones but unlike other games with defined skill systems, each individual skill does not have a dedicated icon; in Shadows of Valentia's case, skills associated with equipment will bear an icon based on the type of equipment (Is 3ds03 skill sword.pngsword, Is 3ds03 skill lance.pnglance, Is 3ds03 skill bow.pngbow, Is 3ds03 skill shield.pngshield, Is 3ds03 skill ring.pngring), and icons also exist for Is 3ds03 skill personal.pngpersonal, Is 3ds03 skill class.pngclass skills, and Is 3ds03 skill on-hit.png defensive combat arts.

Combat arts

Main article: Combat art

Note that the below table does not include the SP cost, HP cost, Might boost, hit rate boost, or associated weapons or units; refer to the skill's article for that information.

Combat arts in Shadows of Valentia
Skill Special effect
Curved Shot No special effect
Wrath Strike No special effect
Hit and Run +30 to Avoid
Subdue Otherwise-fatal hits leave target with 1 HP
Shove Pushes adjacent ally forward 1 tile
Swap Switches places with adjacent ally
Crosswise Cut No special effect
Heavy Draw No special effect
Duelist Sword +30 to Avoid
+20 to critical rate
+4% to damage output
Sunder +30 to critical rate
Hexblade Converts attack to a magical strike, targeting foe's Resistance
Lunge +10 to critical rate
Switches places with target after combat
Penetrate +10 to Avoid
Moves forward 1 tile after combat
Leonine Poise -30 to Avoid
+50 to critical rate
User strikes last
Foudroyant -1 to Range
+15 to Avoid
Doubles Attack
Knightkneeler Deals bonus damage to Is 3ds03 mounted.pngmounted targets
Armorcrush Deals bonus damage to Is 3ds03 armored.pngarmored targets
Death Blow Deals bonus damage to Is 3ds03 armored.pngarmored targets
Celestial Bow Deals bonus damage to Is 3ds03 terror.pngTerror targets
Grounder Deals bonus damage to Is 3ds03 flying.pngflying targets
Destreza Fatal strikes always hit
Encloser Halts target's movement for one turn after combat
Ward Arrow Seals target's magic for one turn after combat
Plenitude Heals user equal to damage dealt to target
Double Lion +10 to Avoid
Converts attack to a brave strike
Vendetta Adds user's accumulated damage to the Might calculation
Dragonhaze Adds user's Speed to the Might calculation
Tigerstance Adds user's Skill to the Might calculation
Archballista +2 to Range
Trance Shot +3 to Range
Shadow Gambit +10 to critical rate
Ignores terrain effects on target
Astral Blade Strike deals five consecutive blows with halved Might
Roundhouse +20 each to Avoid and critical rate
Ignores half of target's Defense and Resistance during strike
Solar Thrust No special effect
Lunar Flash +10 to critical rate
Defensive -5 to damage taken against physical strikes
Coral Cover Doubles terrain effects
Aegis Halves damage dealt by ranged strikes
Speculum Reflects magical damage back at attacker
Pavise Halves damage dealt by physical strikes
Earth's Kiss Halves damage dealt by magical strikes
Windsweep +10 to critical rate
Negates counterattacks
Thunderclap +1 to Range, minimum 2
Earth's Boon +5 each to Avoid and critical rate
Grants provisions upon defeating target
Flamberge Converts attack to a brave magical strike
Longearche Fixes Range to 2
Tempest Lance No special effect
Mistdancer +10 to Avoid
-10 to damage taken against magical strikes
Overrun +10 to Avoid
Pushes target forward 1 square after combat
Hunter's Volley +10 to critical rate
Converts attack to a brave strike
Scendscale +2 to Range
Ragnarok Ω +1 to Range
Triangle Attack Must surround foe with three flying units with this skill to use; +40 critical rate when in use.

Passive skills

Passive skills in Shadows of Valentia
Skill Effect
Lifetaker Restores HP after defeating target
Soothing Light Restores 5 HP to adjacent allies at start of user's phase
Recovery Restores 5 HP to user at start of user's phase
Incarnation Restores 5 HP to user at start of user's phase
Deicide Grants user ability to defeat Duma
Hex User may damage itself with its own strike instead of target
Antihex Nullifies any Hex skill on user's weapon
Transmute Marks user's weapon as a magic weapon
Reconstruct Shuffles two of user's non-Resistance growth rates eight times
Evade Critical User is immune to critical hits
Banish +10 to damage dealt against Is 3ds03 terror.pngTerror targets
Vengeful Cry Allows user to counterattack regardless of range while using black magic
Wrath Increases critical rate while below half HP
Magic +5 +5 to Might while using black magic
Discipline +10 to hit rate while using black magic
Influence +1 to Range while using black magic
Sophisticate +2 to Range while using black magic
Bowrange +1 +1 to Range while using bows
Bowrange +2 +2 to Range while using bows
Resistance +5 +5 to Resistance
Wildfire +10 each to hit rate and Avoid
Halve Swords Halves damage dealt to user by a sword
Halve Lances Halves damage dealt to user by a lance
Halve Axes Halves damage dealt to user by an axe
Sanctuary Halves damage dealt to user by a Is 3ds03 terror.pngTerror adversary
Heavy Armor Halves damage dealt to user by a bow
Apotrope Halves damage dealt to user by black magic
Phantasm Halves damage dealt to user by bows and black magic
Teleportation Allows user to teleport next to target and perform another action
Divide Splits user into two units
Miracle May survive fatal strike with 1 HP
Eerie Screech Seals target's magic after combat
Duma's Gift Negate's target's strikes
Upheaval Damages all units of opposing alignment on map
Dark Spikes Damages all units of opposing alignment in range
Dragonskin Halves damage taken by target's strikes
Anathema -20 Avoid to all enemies within 3 tiles
Nullify Ailments Nullifies status effects
Anti-Cavalry Deals bonus damage to Is 3ds03 mounted.pngmounted targets
Anti-Armor Deals bonus damage to Is 3ds03 armored.pngarmored targets
Anti-Fliers Deals bonus damage to Is 3ds03 flying.pngflying targets
Anti-Terrors Deals bonus damage to Is 3ds03 terror.pngTerror targets
Pact Nullifies HP cost when casting spells
Absolve Negates damage dealt to user by terrain

Three Houses

Main article: List of abilities in Fire Emblem: Three Houses

In Three Houses, skills have been renamed to "abilities" to avoid conflict with the skill level system. Abilities are split into three categories: personal abilities, which are unit-specific and cannot be unequipped; class abilities, which are granted so long as a unit is within a certain class; and equipped abilities, which are learned through various means, and can be freely equipped and unequipped at any time outside of battle. Up to nine abilities can be active on a unit at once: one personal ability, three class abilities, and five equipped abilities. Combat arts have additionally been made separate from the ability system.

The methods of obtaining abilities have been changed, with most becoming available by raising a unit's skill level, or by achieving class mastery, a new feature in Three Houses. Every time a unit enters a round of combat, uses white magic, or uses a gambit, they will gain one point of class Exp for their current class. When the unit has earned enough class Exp for a class, the unit will learn that class's mastery ability and/or combat art.

Engage

Main article: List of skills in Fire Emblem Engage

In Fire Emblem Engage, each playable character has a unique personal skill. In addition, each promoted Class at level 5, and each special Class at level 25 gains a unique class skill that is lost when reclassing to another class.

The bulk of the skill system is through the Emblem Ring mechanic. When synced with an Emblem, a unit will be granted several skills. At level 1, an emblem provides one sync skill, and will provide more, as well as improved versions of sync skills, as the bond level is raised. Starting with bond level 5, a unit can inherit the sync skills, as well as some other skills that only take effect when inherited and equipped, at the cost of SP. Only two inherited skills can be equipped at once. In addition, each emblem has one engage skill (with the exception of Emblem Alear, who cannot be synced with and only has engage skills), that is provided when Engaged with the unit, and an engage attack, which can be used once per engaged state. Engage skills and engage attacks can also gain additional effects based on the user's unit type. These are detailed on the skills' individual pages.

Like past games, some skills can only be used by enemy units, and are unobtainable by the player.

Heroes

Main article: List of skills in Fire Emblem Heroes

Skills in Fire Emblem Heroes form the core of the gameplay experience, and come mainly in four types: weapon, assist, special, and passive. Weapon skills are subdivided into red, green, blue, and colorless categories, and those categories are further subdivided into three categories of their own. Passive skills can be subdivided into types A, B, C, as well as Sacred Seal and attuned skills.

Warriors

Main article: Crests (Warriors) § Skills

Skills are one of four types of crests in Fire Emblem Warriors, with the most varied variety of effects of all types of crests. Each character has one skill associated primarily with them that can be learned with more common materials; other characters can also make use of a character's personal skill, but doing so requires an essence and another rarer material.

Warriors: Three Hopes

Main article: List of abilities in Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes took the skill system that was present in Fire Emblem: Three Houses and tweaked it in order to accommodate the new gameplay. Personal abilities are now split into three groups while the others groups were left untouched. Black magic, white magic and dark magic are now put into the same category as combat arts. Additionally, personal abilities, combat arts and magic spells can now level up to level 3, increasing their effects.

There are several other types of abilities that units can utilize in battle:

  • Class abilities are granted to units of certain classes and will be removed if the user changes their class.
  • Class mastery abilities are abilities that are learned by units upon gaining a certain amount of class experience in a given class. Unlike most other Fire Emblem games, each class can bestow different abilities depending on the unit.
  • Innate abilities are identical to class mastery abilities, but the game does not tell the player that these abilities can be learned by units.
  • Battalion abilities are abilities granted to units while they have a battalion deployed.

In addition, certain weapons and accessories grant abilities to the user while equipped. Some of these abilities are unique while others can be learned from other sources. Shez can also give the Merc Whistle to an ally with an A-rank support to receive a special accessory that changes Shez's Unique Action Ability to that of their ally's.

Etymology and other languages

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

• Skills
• Abilities

• Used in all titles except Three Houses.
• Used only in Three Houses. This is likely to distinguish from the skill level mechanic in Three Houses. The skill stat was similarly renamed to "dexterity".

Japanese

スキル
特殊能力

• Skill
• Special ability; used on the Thracia 776 and Awakening websites as a gloss for スキル.

Spanish

Habilidad

Ability

French

• Techniques
• Compétences

• Skills. Used in other titles.
• Used in Radiant Dawn.

German

Fähigkeit

Skill

Italian

Abilità

Ability

Korean

스킬

Skill

Simplified Chinese

特技

Special skill

Traditional Chinese

特技

Special skill

See also

Game mechanics
Out-of-battle management Base (BarracksBase CampBase conversationEveryone's ConditionsExpeditionGarreg Mach Monastery (Abyss) • My CastleSomniel) • Bonus experienceDungeonsGameplay modes (DifficultyCreature CampaignNew Game +) • GoldLessonsMila ShrinesPeddlerPreparationsRenownShopping (ArmoryBargainsForgeItem shopMerchantOnline shopSecret shop) • Supply convoyWorld map
Battles and chapters ArenaBattle saveBossCastleChapter (Alternate routeParalogueSide quest) • ChestCombat forecastEvent tilesHidden treasureObjectivesReinforcementSkirmishTerrain (Hazards) • Turn (Turn rewind) • Weather (Fog of war) • Village
Stats Units ActionAffinityAuthorityBiorhythmCharmClass (Class masteryClass relative powerUnit type) • Constitution (Aid) • DefenseExperienceFollow-up critical multiplierGrowth rateHit pointHoly BloodInventoryLevelLuckMagicMovementProficiencyResistanceSkillSpeedStrengthWeapon levelWeight
Weapons Brave weaponCritical rateDurabilityHitKill bonusMightPersonal weaponsRangeWeapon experienceWeapon levelWeightWorth
Unit mechanics and commands AdjutantAttack (Counterattack) • Auto-BattleBattalion (Gambit) • CantoChain attackChain GuardClass change (Reclass) • Combat artCrestsDance (GaldrarPlaySing) • Death (Decoy) • DismountDragon VeinEmblem RingsFatigueInventoryLaguz transformationLove (JealousyInheritance) • Pair UpRallyRecruitmentRescue (Capture) • Skills (Offensive skill) • SmashStaggering BlowStatus effectsSupportTalkTradeUnit (AvatarBond unitsBonus unitEinherjarLoan unitPrisonerReplacement unitSubstitute character) • Visit
Calculations AttackAttack speedAvoidBonus damageCritical hit (Combination bonusDodgeTriangle Attack) • Hit rate (True hit) • Random number generatorWeapon triangle (Trinity of magic)
Connectivity amiiboData transferDouble DuelDownloadable contentLink ArenaMultiplayer battleOnline shopSpotPassStreetPass
Other BarrierBirthdayClass rollGlitchesMultiple endingsRankingsSound RoomTactician bonus