- This article refers to the recurring gameplay element; for the article on the magic stat, see Magic (stat).
Magic is a staple gameplay function used throughout the Fire Emblem franchise. Magic takes several forms from martial combat to supportive assistance.
Overview[]
Magic is a wide range of elemental spells usable by various characters throughout the franchise. Offensive based magic are generally divided into three offensive disciplines: Anima, Light, Dark. Anima in particular has its own subcategories of magic: Fire, Thunder, and Wind. The Mage class is the quintessential representation of these types of magic users within the Fire Emblem franchise, particularly with Anima Magic. Likewise, the Monk and Dark Mage classes best represent the Light and Dark magic disciplines respectively.
Magic in its various forms are most noted for their ability to attack and counterattack at both close and distant range. They are reliant on a user's innate stat to fuel their power and, when receiving a magic based attack, is calculated against their Resistance stat. In most games, Magic is utilized through the usage of Tomes, though there are two exceptions as described below.
Staff Magic is almost purely a supportive set of magic as they focus on healing, warding, and cleansing effects for allies. Some games do have staves with semi-offensive capabilites such as Silence or Fracture, though these are focused more on debuffing an enemy rather than outright damaging them. The Cleric and Priest classes are the two classes most often associated with this magic type.
Several martial weapons, Bows, Daggers, and Brawl gauntlets, which normally calculate damage based off of a user's Strength and a foe's Defense, have magical properties that calculate damage like magic does instead. The most notable examples include the Levin Sword, Flame Lance, and Bolt Axe. Like Tomes, these also carry the ability to attack at both close and distant range.
Gaiden/Shadows of Valentia[]
In Gaiden and its remake, Magic is channeled through the user without needing a tome or staff. Instead, the user's Hit Points are utilized when casting magic and has essentially infinite uses so long as the caster has the hit points to sustain their casting. Users learn new spells when they reach a specific level in a specific class and each character has their own unique spell set. Magic in the Valentian games are classified into either Black Magic, which embodies Anima and Dark Magic, and White Magic, which embodies Light and Staff magic.
Fódlan Series[]
In Three Houses, magic is innately channeled through the user similar to Gaiden and its remake and does not require tomes. Each spell has a set number of uses like normal weapons and once exhausted during a battle, can no longer be cast. Magic users regain all uses of their spell between battles however. Individual magic spells are learned by having a character reach certain proficiency levels in either Reason magic, which embodies Anima and Dark Magic, and Faith magic, which embodies Light and Staff magic. Each character has their own unique spell set.
Three Hopes does however have Mage and Cleric/Monk based classes using tomes for their primary weapons in combat, though their specialized spells do not seem to require a tome to cast.
Fire Emblem Heroes[]
In Heroes, Magic, specifically Tome Magic, is divided into the four core weapon colors and every tome wielding unit is assigned a specific color that they cannot change except for Kiran. Because tomes can be assigned a color, they are subject to the Weapon Color Triangle of Heroes
Staves are colorless only, but can deal damage, albeit damage calculations are reduced for Staff users unless a skill like Wrathful Staff is equipped, which removes this reduction.