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Castle

From Fire Emblem Wiki, your source on Fire Emblem information. By fans, for fans.
This page is about castles as a mechanic in Genealogy of the Holy War. For their role in other games, see Terrain. For the feature in Fates, see My Castle.
Chalphy Castle in the Final Chapter

In Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War, the central objective around which gameplay revolves is its castles. Each map has multiple castles, with the goal of the player being to seize all enemy-controlled castles. In addition to castles providing their usual terrain bonuses to units who guard them, they also provide numerous facilities for unit maintenance which in other games are typically found in preparations or bases.

Facilities

Inside Sailane, Chapter 4's home castle

Home castle

In every chapter, the player starts at the chapter's home castle with some or all of their units waiting within it. Units which the player chooses not to use can be left waiting in the home castle, and the player can individually sortie each unit out onto the battlefield with no limitations on how many can be out in the field at a time. The home castle can host up to a total of 24 player units; at the top of the castle menu, the throne is where the Lord character of the current generation is designated (Sigurd or Seliph), and a nearby chair is for a Light Priestess closely connected to the Lord (Deirdre or Julia); the character slots at the top corners of the home castle are reserved for two close associates of the main Lord (Quan and Ethlyn for Sigurd, Oifey and Shannan for Seliph); the remaining twenty units are allocated to the columns of character slots in the lower part of the castle interior. Defending the castle is also necessary, if rarely an issue: if an enemy seizes the home castle, it is an automatic Game Over. To this end, the player can station a unit to guard the castle, and the castle is safe until this unit is killed.

Inside the home castle, the player can use numerous administrative facilities to manage their units. In addition to access to the castle town (see below), the player can set a unit to guard the castle and sortie out onto the battlefield. Within the castle, staves can be used on other units in the castle, gold can be exchanged between compatible units, and dance can be used to refresh every ally in the castle, though all of these actions will expend the unit's action. Additionally, from within the castle, ranged staves have both "Inside" and "Outside" options for targeting; "Inside" targets another ally inside the castle, like 1-range staves, while "Outside" has the same effect of departing the castle and casting from the castle gate and then returning to the castle, which can be manually replicated via the "Depart" command; this enables ranged staves to target units outside the castle, including the castle guard (who cannot be targeted by staves cast from within the castle), but as this requires the caster to depart the castle, it cannot be used if the castle gate is blocked by an enemy. The home castle is the only place in which class change can happen, and the only place in which the Valkyrie Staff can be used to revive a dead unit.

Home castles have another property: units cannot end their turn in front of their home castle. If a player unit tries to end their turn in front of their home castle, they will be forced to either enter the castle or guard it (if there is not a guard assigned already). This occurs even if that unit performs a non-wait action that would otherwise end their turn, such as talking, attacking, or using a staff, and occurs even if the unit does not have Canto. Furthermore, this also applies to the enemy, who are also unable to end their turn in front of their castles without being forced inside; as a result, enemies will never end their turn in front of their own castles, with the exception of units emerging from the castle who have no other tile to go to except the tile in front of the castle due to other units blocking them in. If the tiles immediately around the entrance to a castle are blocked by enemies, a unit emerging from the castle may attack and then return to the castle without inhibiting other units' ability to leave the castle; this allows several units—potentially the entire army—to all attack from the same space in the same turn.

Town

Ced visits Chalphy's town

In all castles other than the home castle, the town is all that is accessible. In the home castle, visiting the town for any length of time will not consume a unit's turn, and can be visited multiple times by the same unit in a single turn.

The contents and facilities of all castle towns in a chapter are identical and carried between each other; for example, all castles share the exact same item shop with the exact same finite list of available items, and buying a weapon from one castle in a chapter also causes it to be unavailable in all other castles.

Weapon repair

Portrait blacksmith fe04.png

The weapon repair shop provides a functionality only otherwise appearing in Fire Emblem: Three Houses: free and near-limitless access to repairing the durability of one's weapons. The fee for repairing a weapon is calculated based on its current remaining uses:

(Worth / total uses) × (total uses − current remaining uses) = Repair cost
Example: The Brave Lance has 50 uses and is worth 8,000G. If it had only 12 uses remaining, the price to repair it would be calculated thus:
(8,000 / 50) × (50 − 12) = 6,080
Thus, the fee to repair the Brave Lance is 6,080G.

If a unit does not have enough money to fully repair a weapon or staff, the blacksmith will restore as many uses as their gold permits.

Pawn shop

Portrait pawnbroker fe04.png

The pawn shop is the only means for units to do anything resembling swapping their items between each other. Units can sell any of their items to the pawn shop for half the weapon's worth, placing them in a communal storage box; from there, any unit can buy the item back for its full worth (or equivalent; the price decreases as the weapon's durability lowers) to obtain it for themselves.

Item storage

Main article: Supply convoy
Portrait anna fe04.png

The item storage system provides a personal storage box for a unit's items. Unlike the supply convoy of other games, the storage system is not communal and items cannot be exchanged between units in it. The storage system is administered by Anna, marking her primary appearance in Genealogy of the Holy War.

Arena

Main article: Arena
Portrait fightmonger fe04.png

In a variation on the usual arena, each chapter of Genealogy of the Holy War provides a set of seven arena opponents of increasing difficulty. At any castle town, a unit can challenge this arena for gold rewards and comparatively easy experience gain.

The arena is not available at all in the Prologue or in Chapter 6.

Augury

Portrait augur fe04.png

The augury's services are concerned with providing information about individual units. He can provide information on the visiting unit's love status, their win/loss record (excluding arena matches) and, in the second generation, the identities of the unit's parents.

Love points Augury's comment
0–199 "You've yet to find one to capture your heart."
200–299 "You've had (unit for whom they have the most love points) dwelling on your mind as of late."
300–399 "(unit for whom they have the most love points) has taken your fancy as of late."
400–499 "You're well and truly in love with (unit for whom they have the most love points)."
500 "You and (lover) are bound in holy matrimony!"

Vendor

Main article: Vendor
Portrait armorer fe04.png

The vendor allows purchase of weapons, staves and occasionally ring items. Unlike most other item shops in the rest of the series, these item shops have only one of each item in stock and further instances cannot be bought from that shop, unless they explicitly list a multiple instance of a given item as available.

List of castles by chapter

Prologue: Birth of a Holy Knight

Combatants and castles
Army Commander Affiliation Units Castles Guardian Notes
Sigurd's Sigurd Player 4 Chalphy Arden Home castle
Evans Munnir*/
Gerrard
Enemy 32+15 Evans Gerrard Main objective
Yngvi DiMaggio • Seized by Munnir on turn 1; DiMaggio then becomes the guardian.
• Once seized by Sigurd, the west bridge will be lowered and 15 additional units will appear from Evans
Yngvi Midir Partner 1 Midir
-- Arvis Partner 1 -- -- • Appears once Sigurd seizes Yngvi.
• Does not have a faction, castle, or phase, and moves at the end of Evans Phase.

Chapter 1: Lady of the Forest

Combatants and castles
Army Commander Affiliation Units Castles Guardian Notes
Sigurd's Sigurd Player 10 Evans -- Home castle
Genoa Cimbaeth Enemy 17+∞ Genoa Commander Cimbaeth will retreat to Genoa Castle, returning a turn later with 12 additional units; this will continue indefinitely.
Marpha Munnir Enemy 21+10 Marpha Munnir • The Marpha army emerges at the end of turn 1.
• An additional 10 units appear to replace those killed sent after Edain.
Verdane Ayra* Enemy 3 Verdane -- • The Verdane army appears once Genoa and Marpha have been seized.
• A small portion of the Spirit Forest leading to the castle becomes traversable once Genoa and Marpha have been seized.
Sandima 23 Sandima
Nordion -- Other 1 Nordion -- • The Nordion army does not emerge until Heirhein has arrived; once Heirhein has been routed, they return to Nordion castle.
• Enemies will not attempt to capture Nordion Castle
Eldigan Partner 9
Heirhein Elliot Enemy 12 -- -- Appears once a castle has been seized.

Chapter 2: Crisis in Agustria

Combatants and castles
Army Commander Affiliation Units Castles Guardian Notes
Sigurd's Sigurd Player 15 Evans -- Home castle
Nordion Lachesis* Partner 4 Nordion Lachesis --
Heirhein Bordeaux Enemy 26+∞ Heirhein Bordeaux --
Infini -- Other 7 Infini -- The neutral Infini army is deployed at the end of turn 1.
Macbeth Enemy 31 Macbeth The enemy Infini army is deployed once Heirhein has been seized.
Mackily -- Other 2 Mackily -- The neutral Makily army is deployed at the end of turn 1.
Clement Enemy 18 Clement The enemy Makily army is deployed once Infini has been seized.
Agusti Chagall Enemy 24+1+∞ Agusti Chagall • The Agusti army is deployed once Infini has been seized.
• An additional 18 units appear and the ramparts are removed once Mackily has been seized.

Chapter 3: Eldigan, the Lionheart

Combatants and castles
Army Commander Affiliation Units Castles Guardian Notes
Sigurd's Sigurd Player 21 Agusti -- Home castle
Sylvale -- Other 3 Sylvale -- • The enemy Sylvale army appears once Madino has been seized.
• An additional 8 units appear a turn after either Eldigan retreats or the last Cross Knight is killed.
• A bridge appears north of Madino once Sivail has been seized.
Chagall Enemy 29+8 Chagall
Madino Jacobi Enemy 39 Madino Jacobi --
Orgahil Duvall* Enemy 6+42+∞ Orgahil Duvall The bulk of the Orgahil army appears once Sylvale has been seized.

Chapter 4: Dance in the Skies

Combatants and castles
Army Commander Affiliation Units Castles Guardian Notes
Sigurd's Sigurd Player 20 Sailane -- Home castle
-- -- Partner 6−6 -- -- • Appears after Silesse is seized by the Beige Ritter.
• Does not have a defined faction, castle, or phase, and moves at the end of Sigurd's phase.
Tófa Myos Enemy 45+∞ Tófa Myos When any unit gets near the bridge, it is raised and becomes inaccessible; a thief can lower it again.
Zaxon Daccar Enemy 16+34−9+∞ Zaxon Daccar • The Zaxon army appears once Tófa has been seized. The Beige Ritter arrive one turn later and leave after seizing Silesse.
• Additional forces appear after the Beige Ritter seize Silesse.
Silesse Donovan Seized by the Beige Ritter
Silesse Annand* Other 1+12 -- Annand's squad appears after Tófa is seized.

Chapter 5: Doorway to Destiny

Combatants and castles
Army Commander Affiliation Units Castles Guardian Notes
Sigurd's Sigurd Player 20 Zaxon -- Home castle
-- Byron Partner 1 -- -- Does not have a faction, castle, or phase, and moves at the end of Sigurd's Phase.
Leonster Quan Partner 10 -- -- The Leonster army appears once Lubeck has been seized.
Thracia Travant Other 15 -- -- The Thracian army appears once Lubeck has been seized; the army becomes an enemy once Leonster is routed.
Magorn Enemy 14
Lubeck Lombard Enemy 47+∞ Lubeck Lombard Seizing Lubeck causes the ramparts just south to be lowered.
Phinora Vaja Enemy 4 Phinora Vaja • The Phinora army appears once Lubeck has been seized.
• Seizing Phinora causes the Leonster army to be defeated and the rampart south of Velthomer to be lowered.
Velthomer -- Enemy 6+6 Velthomer -- The Velthomer army appears once Lubeck has been seized; an additional 6 units appear upon seizing Phinora.
• The army becomes neutral upon passing the rampart.
Aida Other 13 Aida
Friege Reptor Enemy 18 -- -- • The Friege army appears once Phinora is seized.
• Killing Reptor causes the Friege army to rout.
Belhalla -- Other 0 Belhalla -- --

Chapter 6: Heir of Light

Combatants and castles
Army Commander Affiliation Units Castles Guardian Notes
Seliph's Seliph Player 4 Tirnanog -- Home castle
Ganeishire -- Enemy 24 Ganeishire Harold --
Sophara Iucharba Other 11+∞ Sophara Sophara The army becomes an enemy after Ganeishire is seized, and becomes a partner if Iucharba is recruited.
Enemy
-- Partner 10
Isaach Iuchar Other 11+∞ Isaach Isaach The army becomes an enemy after Ganeishire is seized, and becomes a partner if Iuchar is recruited.
Enemy
-- Partner 10
Ribaut Danann Enemy 6+12+∞ Ribaut Danann An additional 12 units appear once Ganeishire has been seized.

Chapter 7: Beyond the Desert

Combatants and castles
Army Commander Affiliation Units Castles Guardian Notes
Seliph's Seliph Player 11+8 Ribaut -- Home castle
Aed Kutuzov Enemy 20 Aed Kutuzov The cliffs south of the castle become sands once Aed is seized.
Dahna -- Other 6 Dahna -- • The border guards move to block off Dahna Castle once Aed is seized.
• The enemy army appears once Melgen is seized.
Bramsel Enemy 23+∞ Bramsel
Melgen Ishtore Enemy 22 Melgen Ishtore • The Melgen army appears once Aed has been seized.
• The gates around Ulster are lowered when Melgen is seized.
-- -- Partner -- Leonster -- The only facility that can be used is the Blacksmith.
Ulster Bloom Enemy 18+21+∞ Ulster Bloom Additional forces appear once Melgen is seized.

Chapter 8: The Wyvern Knights of Thracia

Combatants and castles
Army Commander Affiliation Units Castles Guardian Notes
Seliph's Seliph Player 19+2 Ulster -- Home castle
Leonster Leif Leif, Finn, and Nanna/Jeanne start at the castle.
Connacht Bloom Enemy 41+2−2+∞ Connacht Bloom A bridge south of Connacht Castle raises once it is sezied
Munster -- Enemy 0 Munster -- Munster becomes partner-aligned once Connacht is seized.
Ced/Hawk* Partner 7−7 Ced/Hawk
Meath -- Enemy 5+37 Meath -- The Meath army appears once Connacht has been seized.
Maykov Maykov

Chapter 9: For Whose Sake

Combatants and castles
Army Commander Affiliation Units Castles Guardian Notes
Seliph's Seliph Player 21+3 Meath -- Home castle
Kapathogia Hannibal Enemy 19−1+∞ Kapathogia Kanatz • The caslte is seized upon recruiting Hannibal.
• Seizing Kapathogia causes the ramparts to the northwest and near Grutia to be lowered.
Luthecia -- Enemy 5 Luthecia Distler --
Grutia Judah Enemy 21 Grutia Judah • The Grutia army appears once Kapathogia is sezied.
• Seizing Grutia Caslte causes the rampart east of the castle to be lowered.
Thracia Altena Enemy 10−1+57+∞ Thracia -- Additional forces appear once Altena is killed or retreats and further appear once Grutia is seized.
Travant
Arion

Chapter 10: Light and Dark

Combatants and castles
Army Commander Affiliation Units Castles Guardian Notes
Seliph's Seliph Player 23 Peruluke -- Home castle
-- -- Partner 6+6 -- -- • Does not have a faction, castle, or phase, and moves at the end of Seliph's phase.
• Additional units appear once Miletos Castle has been seized.
Chronos Hilda Enemy 16 Chronos Hilda The rampart leading to Miletos is lowered when Chronos and Rados are seized.
Rados Riddell Enemy 19 Rados Morrigan
Miletos -- Enemy 5+25 Miletos Zagam • The Miletos army emerges once Chronos and Rados are seized.
• The bridge connecting Miletos to Chalphy is raised once Miletos is seized.
Chalphy Julius Enemy 2+36 Chalphy -- Julius and Ishtar emerge once Chronos and Rados have been seized; the army appears once Miletos has been seized.
Arvis Arvis

Final Chapter: End of the Holy War

Combatants and castles
Army Commander Affiliation Units Castles Guardian Notes
Seliph's Seliph Player 23+1 Chalphy -- Home castle
Edda Juphiel Enemy 39+∞ Edda Juphiel The ramparts northwest of Chalphy and Edda castles are lowered upon seizing Edda.
Dozel Brian Enemy 8+29+∞ Dozel Dagon • The Dozel army appears once Edda has been seized.
• The rampart south of Friege is lowered upon seizing Dozel
Friege Hilda Enemy 19 Friege Baran • The Friege army appears once Dozel has been seized.
• The two ramparts east of Friege Castle are lowered once Friege is seized.
Yngvi Scipio Enemy 18 -- -- • The Yngvi army emerges once a unit crosses the pass to Friege enters the range of a Friege unit.
• The Yngvi army is tied to the Friege castle, and will disappear when it is siezed.
Thracia Arion Enemy 6 -- -- • The Thracian army arrives one turn after Friege is seized.
• The Thracian army becomes a partner once Altena talks to Arion.
Partner
Velthomer Manfroy Enemy 7 Velthomer Manfroy The Velthomer army emerges once Friege is seized.
Belhalla Julius Enemy 6+30+∞ Belhalla Julis The Loptrians emerge once Dozel has been seized; the Belhalla army emerges once Friege is seized.

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
Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War
Playable characters First gen. AlecArdenAyraAzelleBeowolfBrigidChulainnClaudDeirdreDewEdainErinysEthlynFinnJamkeLachesisLewynLexMidirNaoiseQuanSigurdSilviaTailtiu
Second gen. AltenaAresArthur/AmidCed/HawkCoirpre/CharlotDiarmuid/TristanFebail/AsaelloFee/HerminaFinnHannibalIucharIucharbaJuliaLana/MuirneLarcei/CreidneLeifLene/LayleaLester/DeimneNanna/JeanneOifeyPatty/DaisyScáthach/DalvinSeliphShannanTine/Linda
Non-playable characters First gen. AidaAlvaAnnandArvisAzmurBatuByronCalfCigyunEldiganEthniaEvaEveGrahnyeImcaKurthManananMariccleOifeyLahnaRingShannanTravantVictor
Second gen. AnnaFelipeJakeLewynPalmarch
Bosses First gen. AndreyBeowolfBordeauxChagallCimbaethClementCuvuliDaccarDiMaggioDíthorbaDonovanDuvallElliotEldiganErinysGerrardJacobiJamkeLamiaLombardMacbethMagornMyosMunnirPamelaPapilioPhilipPizareReptorSandimaSlayderVajaWaltzZane
Second gen. AltenaAnguillaArionArvisBanbaBaranBlegBloomBovisBoyceBramselBrianCanisCoulterDagonDanannDistlerDracoEquusEriuFisherFotlaGallusHannibalHaroldHildaIshtarIshtoreIucharIucharbaJavarroJudahJuliaJuliusJuphielKanatzKutuzovLizaMabelManfroyMaykovMengMorriganMuhammadMusMusarOvisOvoPorcusRiddellRobertoRodanSchmidtScipioSimiaTine/LindaTigrisTravantZagam
Background characters BaldrBragiCedDáinnFjalarGairHeimHoðrForsetiLoptousMaeraNagaNálNjörunOdSalamanderThrudUllr
Holy Weapons BalmungForsetiGáe BolgGungnirHelswathLoptousMjölnirMystletainnNagaTyrfingValflameValkyrieYewfelle
Chapters First gen. P: Birth of a Holy Knight • 1: Lady of the Forest • 2: Crisis in Agustria • 3: Eldigan, the Lionheart • 4: Dance in the Skies • 5: Doorway to Destiny
Second gen. 6: Heir of Light • 7: Beyond the Desert • 8: The Wyvern Knights of Thracia • 9: For Whose Sake • 10: Light and DarkE: End of the Holy War
Locations JugdralAed Desert (Dahna) • Agustria (Bragi TowerNordionOrgahil) • Grannvale (BelhallaChalphyDozelEddaFriegeVelthomerYngvi) • Isaach (Tirnanog) • Munster District (ConnachtLeonsterMunsterUlster) • MiletosSilesseThraciaVerdane
Groups, objects and events 12 crusadersAed MassacreBattle of BelhallaChild huntsCross KnightsFall of LeonsterFinal Holy WarHoly BloodHoly WarKnight brigades of GrannvaleLanceritterLoptr Church (DeadlordsLoptrian Empire) • Miracle of DahnaQuintessence
Lists ChaptersCharactersClasses (Class change) • Hidden map eventsItemsScriptsSkillsWeapons
Related topics TreasureGenealogy of the Holy War ExceedŌsawa manga adaptationFujimori manga adaptationSuzuki novelizationHeir of LightName chart • Other games (Mystery of the EmblemThracia 776Awakening) • Timeline