Tails by the Foxfire

So you were born in/shipwrecked on/wronged by Dagda, and now you’re entering into the Heroic Games to have a wish granted by the gods. There’s…a lot to Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave, and I’ve seen even veteran players say that it can be overwhelming and exhausting to keep up with. There are four Flame Lords of Dagda to choose from, and every single one of them has their own unique mechanics and unlocks certain classes. Everything from the map to the recruitable characters differs slightly, and that’s just Act 1. Not to worry! We’re here to clear up some things and help you orient yourself in Dagda as you prepare to play through Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave, starting with choosing which of the four lords you want to start with!

Before You Start: How Act 1 of Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave Works

I mentioned already that each Flame Lord in Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave has their own unique mechanics, and that virtually everything is slightly different. I also already said that each Flame Lord unlocks certain classes, so you will want to know a little bit about how each Lord works before you choose the order you play them in. It’s important to note here that class unlocks, map exploration, temple service level, and universal sidequest progression will carry over between playthroughs, but only if you finish one route before beginning another. Therefore, it is our strong recommendation that you pick a lord and stick to them until the end of their Act 1.

With that said, here are each of Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave‘s four Lords, and a bit about their motivations, mechanics, unique classes, and so on to help you choose who to start with.

Cai is a young boy seeking to free his father from imprisonment and establish stability within his own family. His mechanics center around taming animals to use as mounts, and is the only Lord who can access the Stable and train unique mounts for characters. Mounts can have an impact on your stat growths, so it’s worth investing in this. Cai should be your starting Lord if you want:

• To play with a lot of mounted classes.
• Access to the Caldarius, Troubador mounted casters, or the Dragoon flying cavalry and to unlock them for other routes as Advanced class options.
• A basic understanding of Fortune’s Weave’s base story and the state of Dagda without getting too deeply into the details.
• The ability to farm vegetables on the main map and trade them for goods like weapons and accessories.
• To follow a young, optimistic character who believes in kindness and empathy.

Dietrich is a warrior seeking ever stronger opponents. He is single minded about this, and his mechanics are almost entirely centered around finding and defeating strong foes. He doesn’t spend a lot of time on other aspects of the game, but he does come with his own benefits including access to areas nobody else can enter. Dietrich should be your starting Lord if you want:

• A story that is more closely tied to Fire Emblem: Three Houses and establishes where in the timeline we are.
• A purely physical main character with a lot of mobility and a focus on swords.
• A playthrough that just points you in a direction and lets you destroy things.
• Earlier access to the hybrid classes, Blacksmith and the Guardian, who use Axes & offensive magic or spears & healing magic respectively.
• To be able to level up your combat abilities.

Theodora is a newly crowned queen who is trying to achieve the long-held dream of her people. She is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve that dream, and feels as though it is solely her burden to bear. Theodora’s mechanics include the ability to explore Dagda’s waterways and go places nobody else can reach, as well as using Battalions both as gathering tools and in combat with the Fire Emblem: Three Houses gambit system. Theodora dives deeply into Dagda’s lore and mythology, and specializes in heavy armor. She should be your first Lord if:

• You enjoy using physical weapons and don’t mind a slower pace in combat.
• You really like the idea of overwhelming enemies with brute strength.
• You want a clear understanding of the history of Dagda prior to the Heroic Games.
• You want earlier access to high-defense units like the Guardian, Cataphract, and Dragoon.
• You want to be a royal navigating the reality of being a country within an imperial structure.

Leda is seeking revenge from the games, and is obsessive about her vengeance while working as a traveling musician. Her mechanics include putting on performances for monetary gain, revealing hidden locations on the map that nobody else can see, and getting special in-battle items that can be used to change the flow of combat. Leda should be your first Lord if:

• You like the idea of being a mysterious, brooding musician.
• You don’t mind playing a support-oriented Lord.
• You want to learn more about conspiracies and crimes in Dagda.
• You want the Ranger, a sword and bow class, the Dancer, and the Troubador to be unlocked early.
• You don’t like having money troubles in RPGs.

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No matter which of Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave‘s lords you choose to start with, you can move on to the next Lord and gain a number of benefits once you finish each route, making subsequent playthroughs a little easier until all 4 Lords have finished Act 1.

If you found this Fire Emblem quickstart guide helpful, look forward to part 2, where I’ll talk about general mechanics and concepts you should be aware of before you get too deeply into your very first run in Fortune’s Weave. You can also check out our other quickstart guides, game reviews, deep dive essays, demo sneak peeks, and indie spotlights for more information, and follow us on Steam, Bluesky, Twitter, Threads, and Instagram to keep up with our latest tips and insights on social media!

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