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Dagger

From Fire Emblem Wiki, your source on Fire Emblem information. By fans, for fans.
This article is about daggers and knives as a weapon type. For the specific weapons, see Dagger (weapon) and Knife (weapon). For the skill permitting their use, see Knife (skill).
Jakob attacking with numerous daggers in Fire Emblem Cipher.

The dagger (Japanese: 暗器 concealed weapon) or knife (Japanese: 短剣 dagger) is a weapon type which was introduced in Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance and is subsequently present in it, Radiant Dawn, Fates, and Engage. They are the least powerful weapon type in almost all the games they appear in save Engage, where arts are generally weaker, but tend to have good accuracy while, in Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn, they are by far the most lightweight weapons (whereas in Engage they are second lightest second only to arts once again). Additionally, in Fates, every dagger has the ability to inflict stat reductions on enemies while they all poison enemies instead in Engage.

Daggers and knives often have enhanced range, being able to attack both at melee range and at a distance. All knives in Path of Radiance are melee range only, while the knives of Radiant Dawn and later, Engage are divided into two varieties, daggers (melee only) and throwing knives (enhanced range). In Fates, all daggers have enhanced range.

In Path of Radiance, knives lacked an actual weapon level of their own, instead having their use locked to classes possessing the Knife skill and thus allowing any such unit to use any knife; they gained a proper weapon level and according rank scaling in Radiant Dawn. The daggers of Fates are specifically associated with Nohr, and like every other weapon type in Fates, they have a unique Japanese-themed counterpart weapon type which is used primarily in Hoshido: the shuriken. Units who can wield daggers can wield shuriken just as easily, and vice versa.

There are 47 dagger/knife varieties in the Fire Emblem series; of these, three appear in Path of Radiance, thirteen in Radiant Dawn, 32 in Fates, and ten in Engage.

In Fire Emblem Fates, their Hoshidan counterpart is called the shuriken (Japanese: 手裏剣 shuriken). They are almost exactly the same as daggers and share a weapon level, differentiated by the effect of that, when equipped, they increase the wielder's speed by 2, and, on average, they have lower hit rate. Shuriken, along with daggers, occupy the blue weapons niche in the weapon triangle alongside lances and naginata, beating out red weapons (swords/katana and tomes/scrolls) but losing out to green weapons (axes/clubs and bows/yumi).

In Fire Emblem Engage, they return after their absence and occupy a one-sided disadvantage alongside tomes and bows against arts.

Overview

Fates debuff system

Main article: Status effects § Buffs and debuffs

In Fates, the key advantage of daggers is their debuff ability. When a dagger successfully hits, its target has temporary stat reductions applied after the battle ends; all daggers reduce the defense and resistance stats, and most also reduce one or two further stats in addition to defense and resistance. These debuffs do not stack but can be combined with other debuff effects on different stats (if there is a conflict, the larger stat reduction takes priority). Debuffed stats recover by 1 point each turn until the stat is back to normal.

Engage poison system

Main article: Poison (status)

In Engage, the key advantage of knives is their ability to inflict the poison status. When a knive successfully damages a unit (including via chain attack), it increases the damage the unit takes during combat, acting by directly increasing the opponent's attack stat. Poison can be stacked up to three times, with each stack increasing the damage the afflicted unit takes: one stack makes them take +1 extra damage, two stacks make them take +3, and three stacks make them take +5. Additionally, poison does not wear off on its own, and can only be removed by using an Antitoxin or a Restore staff, or via skills like Lifesphere and Detoxify.

Knives and daggers in the Fire Emblem series by type

Basic knives/daggers

Weapon Available in: Notes
FE01 FE02 FE03 FE04 FE05 FE06 FE07 FE08 FE09 FE10 FE11 FE12 FE13 FE14 FE15 FE16 FE17
Knife --
Dagger --
Stiletto --
Bronze Dagger --
Iron Dagger --
Steel Dagger --
Silver Dagger --
Kard --
Brass Shuriken --
Iron Shuriken --
Steel Shuriken --
Silver Shuriken --
A means that the weapon is available in that game, while a indicates the contrary.

Ranged knives/daggers

These knives/daggers have the capability of hitting beyond the typical 1 range (Radiant Dawn and Engage) or 1-2 range (Fates).

Weapon Available in: Notes
FE01 FE02 FE03 FE04 FE05 FE06 FE07 FE08 FE09 FE10 FE11 FE12 FE13 FE14 FE15 FE16 FE17
Bronze Knife --
Iron Knife --
Steel Knife --
Silver Knife --
Peshkatz 1 range only in Engage
Spy's Shuriken 3 range only
Short Knife --
Iron Dagger Only has enhanced range in Engage.
Steel Dagger Only has enhanced range in Engage.
Silver Dagger Only has enhanced range in Engage.
A means that the weapon is available in that game, while a indicates the contrary.

Close-range daggers

This dagger, on the other hand, is incapable of hitting within the full 1-2 range that normal daggers have in Fates.

Weapon Available in: Notes
FE01 FE02 FE03 FE04 FE05 FE06 FE07 FE08 FE09 FE10 FE11 FE12 FE13 FE14 FE15 FE16 FE17
Caltrop 1 range only.
A means that the weapon is available in that game, while a indicates the contrary.

Magic daggers

These daggers inflict magical damage instead of physical.

Weapon Available in: Notes
FE01 FE02 FE03 FE04 FE05 FE06 FE07 FE08 FE09 FE10 FE11 FE12 FE13 FE14 FE15 FE16 FE17
Flame Shuriken --
Misericorde Veyle only.
A means that the weapon is available in that game, while a indicates the contrary.

Effective knives/daggers

These weapons deal bonus damage to certain types of enemies.

Weapon Available in: Notes
FE01 FE02 FE03 FE04 FE05 FE06 FE07 FE08 FE09 FE10 FE11 FE12 FE13 FE14 FE15 FE16 FE17
Stiletto Deals bonus damage to armored units in Path of Radiance. No effect in Radiant Dawn and Engage.
Beast Killer Deals bonus damage to beast units.
Hunter's Knife Deals bonus damage to beast units.
Kris Knife Deals bonus damage to monster units.
Sting Shuriken Deals bonus damage to armored units.
A means that the weapon is available in that game, while a indicates the contrary.

Character's daggers

Fates includes five daggers named for individual characters but not locked specifically to them.

Weapon Available in: Notes
FE01 FE02 FE03 FE04 FE05 FE06 FE07 FE08 FE09 FE10 FE11 FE12 FE13 FE14 FE15 FE16 FE17
Felicia's Plate Magic weapon.
Jakob's Tray --
Kaze's Needle --
Saizo's Star --
Kagero's Dart --
A means that the weapon is available in that game, while a indicates the contrary.

Miscellaneous daggers

Weapon Available in: Notes
FE01 FE02 FE03 FE04 FE05 FE06 FE07 FE08 FE09 FE10 FE11 FE12 FE13 FE14 FE15 FE16 FE17
Soldier's Knife Brave weapon.
Fruit Knife Can be used to recover 10 HP.
Quill Pen --
Stale Bread --
Raider Knife --
Votive Candle Grants Miracle when equipped.
Sacrificial Knife --
Pebble --
Barb Shuriken --
Dual Shuriken Reverses the weapon triangle.
Chopstick --
Hair Pin Female units only.
Confectioknife --
A means that the weapon is available in that game, while a indicates the contrary.

Regalia and personal knives/daggers

Weapon Available in: Notes
FE01 FE02 FE03 FE04 FE05 FE06 FE07 FE08 FE09 FE10 FE11 FE12 FE13 FE14 FE15 FE16 FE17
Baselard --
Chakram Only Master Ninjas may acquire requisite weapon level.
Cinquedea --
Carnwenhan Smashes foes. Cannot follow up, or strike first if initiating combat.
Misericorde Veyle only. Magic weapon.
A means that the weapon is available in that game, while a indicates the contrary.

Classes capable of using knives/daggers

There are 15 classes which have wielded knives and daggers.


Class Wields knives/daggers in: Notes
FE01 FE02 FE03 FE04 FE05 FE06 FE07 FE08 FE09 FE10 FE11 FE12 FE13 FE14 FE15 FE16 FE17
Thief --
Assassin --
Sage Optional, with each individual Mage having to choose between gaining knives or staves upon promotion to Sage; Bastian and Calill have knives by default.
Rogue --
Whisper --
Ninja --
Mechanist --
Master Ninja --
Dread Fighter --
Butler --
Maid --
Wolf Knight --
Fell Child Veyle only.
Enchanter --
Emblem Soren only.
A means that the class wields knives/daggers in that game, while a indicates the contrary.

Trivia

Etymology and other languages

Knife

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

Knife

This weapon category is known by this name in Path of Radiance, Radiant Dawn, and Engage.

Japanese

軽器
短剣

• Light weapon; the weapon category is known by this name only in Path of Radiance.
• Dagger; the weapon category is known by this name in Radiant Dawn and Engage.

Spanish

• Cuchillo
• Puñal
• Daga

• Knife; used in Path of Radiance.
• Dagger; used in Radiant Dawn.
• Dagger; used in Engage.

French

• Couteau
• Dague

• Knife; used in Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn.
• Dagger; used in Engage.

German

Messer

Knife

Italian

Coltello

Knife

Korean

단검

Dagger

Simplified Chinese

短剑

Dagger

Traditional Chinese

短劍

Dagger

Dagger

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

Dagger

This weapon category is known by this name in Fates and Heroes.

Japanese

暗器

Concealed weapon

Spanish

Daga

Dagger

French

Dague

Dagger

German

Dolch

Dagger

Italian

Pugnale

Dagger

Korean

암기

Concealed weapon

Shuriken

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

Shuriken

From 手裏剣 shuriken (literally "sword concealed in the hand"), a Japanese throwing weapon.

Japanese

手裏剣

Shuriken

Spanish

Shuriken

--

French

Shuriken

--

German

Shuriken

--

Italian

Shuriken

--

Korean

수리검

Shuriken

Gallery

References

See also

Weapon types
Physical weapons ArtAxeBow (Ballista)CannonballGauntletsDaggerLanceSword
Magical weapons Anima (FireThunderWind)Black magicDarkLightStaffTome (Blue tomeColorless tomeGreen tomeRed tome)White magic
Other weapons BreathCrest StoneSpecialStoneStrike, beast, and monster weapons
Knives and daggers
Basic knives and daggers Bronze DaggerDaggerIron DaggerJakob's TrayKardKnifePebblePeshkatzQuill PenShort KnifeSilver DaggerSteel DaggerStiletto
Knives and daggers with secondary effects Beast KillerFruit KnifeHunter's KnifeKris KnifeRaider KnifeSacrificial KnifeSoldier's KnifeStale BreadStilettoVotive Candle
Magic-based daggers Felicia's Plate
Ranged knives Bronze KnifeIron DaggerIron KnifePeshkatzShort KnifeSilver DaggerSilver KnifeSteel DaggerSteel Knife
Regalia and personal knives BaselardCarnwenhanCinquedeaMisericorde
Shuriken
Basic shuriken Barb ShurikenBrass ShurikenChopstickHair PinIron ShurikenKagero's DartSilver ShurikenSteel Shuriken
Shuriken with secondary effects Dual ShurikenKaze's NeedleSaizo's StarSting Shuriken
Magic-based shuriken Flame Shuriken
Unusual-range shuriken CaltropSpy's Shuriken
Regalia and personal shuriken Chakram