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Alternate route

From Fire Emblem Wiki, your source on Fire Emblem information. By fans, for fans.

In some Fire Emblem series games starting from Fire Emblem Gaiden, the player is confronted with a branching set of alternate routes, in which the story and gameplay progresses in one of two distinct directions. The player chooses between the two routes, either explicitly through being given the option or implicitly through meeting certain statistical criteria, setting them on one of two paths of successive chapters which they will exclusively follow until the two routes converge back into a single chapter progression. When taking a route, the player is never able to visit the other route during the same playthrough, often resulting in certain characters being available solely based on a player's choice of route.

It should be noted that the "A" and "B" designation lettering is a colloquialism applied by the fandom to simplify talking about such split routes; the games themselves never refer to route-specific chapters by this letter designation, with equivalent chapters in a route instead bearing the same chapter number. The letter designations are, however, used officially on the website for Thracia 776, in the same fashion as the fandom's usage.[1]

Alternate routes by game

Fire Emblem Gaiden and Echoes: Shadows of Valentia

Alternate routes in Gaiden and Echoes: Shadows of Valentia
Root map Northern route Southern route Notes
Access criteria
Characters recruited in or as a result of this route
Attack on the Desert Stronghold Northern Desert Battle Southern Desert Battle --
Take the northern path from the Desert Stronghold. Take the southern path from the Desert Stronghold.
Sonya Deen

Fire Emblem: Thracia 776

Alternate routes in Thracia 776
Root chapter Split route A Split route B Notes
Access criteria
Characters recruited in or as a result of this route
15: Two Paths 16A: Norden Line
17A: The Gates of Leonster
16B: Dark Forest
17B: The Gathering Storm
--
In Chapter 15, escape the map via the west escape point or select the "Fort Norden" option when Leif talks to the priest. In Chapter 15, escape the map via the east escape point or select the "Millefeuille Forest" option when Leif talks to the priest.
Ilios, Sleuf, Misha, Sara, Amalda Shannam, Miranda, Sara, Conomor

Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade

Alternate routes in The Binding Blade
Root chapter Split route A Split route B Notes
Access criteria
Characters recruited in or as a result of this route
9: The Misty Isles 10A: Western Resistance
11A: The Hero of the West
10B: Amidst a Struggle
11B: Flight Toward Freedom
Gonzalez is at level 11 when recruited on the B route, but at level 5 on the A route.
In Chapter 9, do not visit the top-right village. In Chapter 9, visit the top-right village.
Larum, Echidna, Geese, Gonzalez, Klein, Thea Elffin, Bartre, Geese, Gonzalez, Klein, Thea
16: Storming the Capital/
16x: The Glorious Ascension
17A: Ocean's Parting
18A: The Frozen River
19A: Bitter Cold
20A: Ilia's Salvation
20Ax: The Freezing Lance
17B: The Bishop's Teachings
18B: The Laws of Sacae
19B: Battle in Bulgar
20B: The Silver Wolf
20Bx: The Bow of Swift Wind
Experience gained by dead characters counts toward the threshold.
In Chapter 21, Yoder will join with the divine weapon from the route the player did not visit – Mulagir if the player took the A route, and Maltet if the player took the B route.
At the end of Chapter 16/16x, Shanna and Thea's total experience gained ≥ Sue and Sin's total experience gained. At the end of Chapter 16/16x, Sue and Sin's total experience gained > Shanna and Thea's total experience gained.
Niime, Juno Niime, Dayan

Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade

Alternate routes in The Blazing Blade
Root chapter Split route A Split route B Notes
Access criteria
Characters recruited in or as a result of this route
22E/23H: Living Legend/
22xE/23xH: Genesis
23E/24H: Four-Fanged Offense
(Linus version)
23E/24H: Four-Fanged Offense
(Lloyd version)
In Chapter 27E/29H, the boss of the chapter will be whichever boss of Ch.23E/24H was not fought – Lloyd if the Linus version of the chapter was completed, and Linus if the Lloyd version of the chapter was completed.
At the end of Chapter 22E/23H/22xE/23xH, Eliwood, Hector, and Lyn's current levels total 50 or more. At the end of Chapter 22E/23H/22xE/23xH, Eliwood, Hector, and Lyn's current levels total 49 or less.
Geitz Wallace
24E/26H: Unfulfilled Heart 25E/27H: Pale Flower of Darkness
(Kenneth version)
25E/27H: Pale Flower of Darkness
(Jerme version)
The experience gain requirement does not count any eperience gained by any of the relevant characters in Lyn's tale, if it was completed. Dead characters count as 0 experience toward the threshold.
At the end of Chapter 24E/26H, Erk, Serra, Priscilla, and Lucius's total experience gained ≥ Dorcas, Bartre, Guy, and Raven's total experience gained. At the end of Chapter 24E/26H, Dorcas, Bartre, Guy, and Raven's total experience gained > Erk, Serra, Priscilla, and Lucius's total experience gained.
Harken or Karel Harken or Karel

Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones

Alternate routes in The Sacred Stones
Root chapter Route A (Eirika) Route B (Ephraim) Notes
Access criteria
Characters recruited in or as a result of this route
A New Journey
(Interlude following chapter 8)
9A: Distant Blade
10A: Revolt at Carcino
11A: Creeping Darkness
12A: Village of Silence
13A: Hamill Canyon
14A: Queen of White Dunes
15A: Scorched Sand
9B: Fort Rigwald
10B: Turning Traitor
11B: Phantom Ship
12B: Landing at Taizel
13B: Fluorspar's Oath
14B: Father and Son
15B: Scorched Sand
The characters of each route are also recruited automatically in the opposite route's Chapter 15, as the sole members of the retinue of the other Lord character.
Select "Go with Eirika to Rausten". Select "Go with Ephraim to Grado".
Innes, Saleh Duessel, Knoll

Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem

Alternate routes in New Mystery of the Emblem
Root map Route A Route B Notes
Access criteria
Characters recruited in or as a result of this route
Prologue 3: Training Begins Prologue 4A: New Companions (Jeorge) Prologue 4B: New Companions (Athena) The exclusivity of the characters is only present in the Prologue chapters.
Choose the "No" option during the conversation with Jagen. Choose the "Yes" option during the conversation with Jagen.
Gordin Athena
Prologue 5: March Duty Prologue 6A: Bonds (Ogma) Prologue 6B: Bonds (Draug)
Choose the "No" option during the conversation with Katarina. Choose the "Yes" option during the conversation with Katarina.
Ogma Draug
Prologue 6: Bonds Prologue 7A: The Final Test (Est) Prologue 7B: The Final Test (Cain)
Choose the "No" option during the conversation with Katarina. Choose the "Yes" option during the conversation with Katarina.
Est Cain

Fire Emblem Warriors

While Fire Emblem Warriors's gameplay structure ultimately allows players to play all of the game's chapters, there is one situation in the story mode that plays in a somewhat similar fashion to an alternate route branch. Unlike alternate paths from the mainline Fire Emblem games, both paths must be played to progress, instead of it being one or the other.

In this situation, the game's main characters, Rowan and Lianna, split up their forces and each seek out one of the two rival factions from the world of Fire Emblem Fates. In storyline playings of these chapters, characters who are on the opposite side of this split cannot be deployed, but this restriction is removed in free play mode.

Alternate routes in Warriors
Root chapter Hoshido route Nohr route Notes
Characters initially embarking on path
Characters recruited on path
5: The Dragon's Table 6: Hoshidan Princess
7: Hoshidan Prince
8: High Prince Ryoma
9: Nohrian Princess
10: Nohrian Prince
11: Crown Prince Xander
Rowan is not usable in storyline playings of Chapter 7 due to storyline reasons that develop on his route; there is no counterpart situation on Lianna's route.
DLC characters are not restricted by this split, despite the storyline implying otherwise in the case of Owain, Oboro, and Niles.
Rowan, Chrom, Robin, Frederick, Lucina Lianna, Lissa, Cordelia
(Darios joins this path as an NPC)
Hinoka, Takumi, Sakura Camilla, Leo, Elise

References

  1. ファイアーエムブレム/攻略インデックス, nintendo.co.jp, Retrieved: March 19, 2017

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