Asset is the stat Robin is good at. Flaw is the one you dump. You pick both when you make the file, and that file keeps them. They change three things: the numbers you start the Prologue with, how fast those numbers grow, and (except HP) the caps you can reach in a class. Neutral Tactician Robin is HP 19, Str 6, Mag 5, Skl 5, Spd 6, Lck 4, Def 6, Res 4. A first file that has not decided on a class yet is +Speed −Luck.
What the two picks change
Robin always opens as a level 1 Tactician with Veteran and a Bronze Sword plus Thunder. Movement 5. The asset and flaw sit on top of that. Male and female Robin use the same bonuses.
| Layer | What moves |
|---|---|
| Start | Most stats +2 on the asset, −1 on the flaw. HP is +5 / −3. Luck is +4 / −2. |
| Growth | Personal growths start at 40 / 40 / 35 / 35 / 35 / 55 / 30 / 20. The asset adds +15 to its stat and +5 to two neighbours; HP is +30 / −20 instead. The flaw subtracts 10 and 5 on those same cells (HP −20). |
| Cap | Added to the class maximum for Str, Mag, Skl, Spd, Lck, Def, Res. HP has no cap from this screen. The asset's own stat is usually +4 (HP's row is smaller: +1 Str/Mag, +2 Lck/Def/Res). |
In the Tactician class those personal growths become 80 / 55 / 50 / 50 / 50 / 55 / 40 / 30 before you apply the asset and flaw. Reclass later and the class piece changes. The asset and flaw piece does not. Full class lists are on classes and skills.
Starting stats
| Stat | If it is the Asset | If it is the Flaw |
|---|---|---|
| HP | +5 | −3 |
| Strength | +2 | −1 |
| Magic | +2 | −1 |
| Skill | +2 | −1 |
| Speed | +2 | −1 |
| Luck | +4 | −2 |
| Defense | +2 | −1 |
| Resistance | +2 | −1 |
Luck is the odd one: the asset gives twice the usual start bonus, and the flaw takes two points instead of one. That is why −Luck leaves the other opening stats alone; it is a flexible default, not a free pick.
Growths
| Pick | HP | Str | Mag | Skl | Spd | Lck | Def | Res |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HP | +30 / −20 | — | — | — | — | — | +5 / −5 | +5 / −5 |
| Strength | — | +15 / −10 | — | +5 / −5 | — | — | +5 / −5 | — |
| Magic | — | — | +15 / −10 | — | +5 / −5 | — | — | +5 / −5 |
| Skill | — | +5 / −5 | — | +15 / −10 | — | — | +5 / −5 | — |
| Speed | — | — | — | +5 / −5 | +15 / −10 | +5 / −5 | — | — |
| Luck | — | +5 / −5 | +5 / −5 | — | — | +15 / −10 | — | — |
| Defense | — | — | — | — | — | +5 / −5 | +15 / −10 | +5 / −5 |
| Resistance | — | — | +5 / −5 | — | +5 / −5 | — | — | +15 / −10 |
+Speed −Luck therefore reads 40 / 35 / 30 / 40 / 50 / 50 / 30 / 20 on the personal row: Speed and Skill up, Strength, Magic and Luck down, HP / Def / Res untouched.
Caps
| Pick | Asset | Flaw |
|---|---|---|
| HP | +1 +1 0 0 +2 +2 +2 | −1 −1 0 0 −1 −1 −1 |
| Strength | +4 0 +2 0 0 +2 0 | −3 0 −1 0 0 −1 0 |
| Magic | 0 +4 0 +2 0 0 +2 | 0 −3 0 −1 0 0 −1 |
| Skill | +2 0 +4 0 0 +2 0 | −1 0 −3 0 0 −1 0 |
| Speed | 0 0 +2 +4 +2 0 0 | 0 0 −1 −3 −1 0 0 |
| Luck | +2 +2 0 0 +4 0 0 | −1 −1 0 0 −3 0 0 |
| Defense | 0 0 0 0 +2 +4 +2 | 0 0 0 0 −1 −3 −1 |
| Resistance | 0 +2 0 +2 0 0 +4 | 0 −1 0 −1 0 0 −3 |
+Speed −Luck on the cap row is −1 Str, −1 Mag, +2 Skl, +4 Spd, −1 Lck, 0 Def, 0 Res. That −1 Luck is the pair, not the flaw by itself: −Luck is −3 Luck, and +Speed gives +2 Luck back. Strength and Magic each take −1 from the flaw. HP as an asset never raises the HP cap; it pads Luck, Defense and Resistance instead.
What to pick
| Pair | Use it when |
|---|---|
| +Speed −Luck | First file, or you have not picked a class. Doubling matters with every weapon type. −Luck is a flexible default because it leaves the other opening stats alone. |
| +Magic −Luck | You already know Robin is going Sage or Sorcerer, or a female Dark Flier. Magic's asset also gives Speed and Resistance on both growth and cap. Tome play is on how to use a mage. |
| +Defense −Skill or −Luck | Lunatic or Lunatic+ when the Prologue and Chapter 1 have to take a hit. Skill as the flaw hurts Dual Strike rate and crit; Luck as the flaw reduces Armsthrift reliability while actual Luck is below 50. |
| +Strength −Luck | Physical-only Robin: Wyvern, Hero, Bow Knight. You give up the Magic cap on purpose. |
| +Magic −Defense | A file aimed at Apotheosis. Defense is the dump when the file is built to delete people before they hit back; Brave weapons still do not guarantee two-hit kills on that map. Do not take this on a Lunatic opening. |
Skip −Speed, −HP and −Defense on Lunatic. Those three get Robin doubled or dropped in the first maps. Skip +Luck unless you are building around Armsthrift on purpose. Luck's asset raises Strength and Magic caps; Speed does not. Speed still wins more fights earlier because doubling shows up first. +HP is a bulk asset that never lifts the HP cap.
Armsthrift (Mercenary) rolls on Luck. Armsthrift activates at Luck × 2%, reaching 100% at 50 Luck. Below 50, some files dump Skill instead of Luck. That is a real trade, not a rule.
Morgan
Morgan does not pick a separate pair. A child's cap mods are the father's mods plus the mother's mods, plus one extra point in every stat, except when Robin marries a child unit: that Morgan does not get the extra +1. If you care about a specific Morgan, pick the asset that Morgan wants (often Speed or Magic) and dump Defense or Luck. The marriage planner adds the parents. Robin's own join row, before these picks, is on the characters list.