This tier list ranks every unit in Fire Emblem Awakening by how much they help you finish the main story, from Normal up to Lunatic. A unit ranks high when they join early and ready to fight, grow into strong stats, and have a class list that leads somewhere good. Robin, Chrom, Frederick, Sumia, Cordelia, Olivia and Lucina make S tier; the children and the units who arrive in the last stretch of the game are ranked on their own.
What decides a tier
- When they join, and how ready. Frederick arrives promoted in the Prologue; Nowi arrives at level 3 with 4 Str. Early, ready units carry the chapters where your army is thin.
- Growth rates. The percentage chance of each stat rising on a level up. The class adds its own growth on top, so a unit's personal rates matter in every class they take.
- Class list. Every unit can only Second Seal into the classes on their own list. Access to Pegasus Knight (for Dark Flier and Galeforce), Myrmidon (Swordmaster and Astra) or Wyvern Rider raises a unit's ceiling.
- Difficulty. On Normal almost anyone can be raised; the order below matters most on Hard and Lunatic, where weak recruits are hard to train without dying.
- What the list assumes. No downloadable content and no heavy grinding in skirmishes, with Master Seals and Second Seals used as they turn up. Long-term picks cost levels: a Pegasus Knight needs level 10 to promote and then 15 more levels as a Dark Flier before Galeforce arrives.
S tier: build your army around these
Robin
Can Second Seal into almost every base class of their gender, has no weak growth outside Res, and Grandmaster gives Ignis. Veteran speeds up their leveling while paired. Growth rates before asset and flaw: 40 / 40 / 35 / 35 / 35 / 55 / 30 / 20 (HP / Str / Mag / Skl / Spd / Lck / Def / Res).
Chrom
Must be deployed in every chapter, so he gets the levels. Great Lord adds lances and Aether, and he can also go Cavalier or Archer. Personal growth rates: 45 / 40 / 10 / 40 / 40 / 70 / 35 / 20 (HP / Str / Mag / Skl / Spd / Lck / Def / Res).
Frederick
Joins as a promoted Great Knight with 13 Str and 14 Def at level 1: the unit that wins the first chapters, especially on Lunatic. He falls off later, so feed kills to others once they catch up. Personal growth rates: 60 / 40 / 10 / 40 / 35 / 40 / 40 / 20 (HP / Str / Mag / Skl / Spd / Lck / Def / Res).
Sumia
Pegasus Knight from Chapter 3 with 45% Skl and Spd. Dark Flier gives her Galeforce, and she can Second Seal into a Cleric for staves. Personal growth rates: 35 / 30 / 20 / 45 / 45 / 60 / 25 / 30 (HP / Str / Mag / Skl / Spd / Lck / Def / Res).
Cordelia
Joins in Chapter 7 already level 7, with 45% Str to Sumia's 30%. Dark Flier gives Galeforce; Mercenary opens Hero and Bow Knight. Personal growth rates: 50 / 45 / 15 / 35 / 35 / 45 / 40 / 25 (HP / Str / Mag / Skl / Spd / Lck / Def / Res).
Olivia
The only Dancer: her Dance lets another unit act again every turn. Pegasus Knight and Myrmidon in her list mean she can also fight as a Dark Flier or Swordmaster. Personal growth rates: 40 / 35 / 25 / 45 / 45 / 60 / 20 / 20 (HP / Str / Mag / Skl / Spd / Lck / Def / Res).
Lucina
Joins in Chapter 13 as a level 10 Lord. Her own growth values are 80% Lck and 45% Skl and Spd before they are averaged with Chrom's and her mother's. Great Lord brings Aether; her class list grows with whoever Chrom marries. Her own growth values before averaging: 45 / 35 / 20 / 45 / 45 / 80 / 25 / 25 (HP / Str / Mag / Skl / Spd / Lck / Def / Res).
Galeforce: why the fliers rank so high
Dark Flier learns Galeforce at level 15: after defeating an enemy on your own turn, the unit can move and act again, once per turn. Any woman with Pegasus Knight in her own class list can get there with a Master Seal (from level 10) and enough levels. Sumia, Cordelia and Olivia have it from the start; Lissa, Maribelle, Say'ri, Emmeryn and Cynthia can reach it too, as can a female Robin. Aversa joins in Paralogue 22 already a Dark Flier with Galeforce learned. Daughters get Pegasus Knight from a mother who has it, and also from Gaius or Donnel, whose class lists for a daughter include it. A child of either gender can also inherit Galeforce itself as the skill a parent passes down. It doesn't trigger when the kill happens on the enemy's turn.
A, B and C tiers
| Tier | Unit | Joins | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Panne | Chapter 6, Taguel Lv 6 | Taguel with 55% Spd, the highest Spd growth in the first generation, and 50% Skl. Wyvern Rider and Thief open Wyvern Lord, Griffon Rider and Assassin. |
| A | Lon'qu | Chapter 4, Myrmidon Lv 4 | 50% Skl and Spd make him a natural Swordmaster (Astra); Vantage comes from Myrmidon at level 10. |
| A | Gaius | Chapter 6, Thief Lv 5 | Thief with 15 Spd on joining. Myrmidon and Fighter in his list lead to Swordmaster, Assassin and Hero. |
| A | Tharja | Chapter 9, Dark Mage Lv 10 | Joins at level 10 with 45% Mag and Spd. Sorcerer brings Vengeance; Archer and Knight round out her list. |
| A | Libra | Chapter 9, War Monk Lv 1 | Joins as a promoted War Monk at level 1 with 38 HP: a healer who can also fight with axes. Sage and Sorcerer are in his list too. |
| A | Henry | Chapter 13, Dark Mage Lv 12 | Level 12 Dark Mage in Chapter 13 with 45% Skl. Barbarian and Thief give him physical options as well. |
| A | Cherche | Chapter 12, Wyvern Rider Lv 12 | Level 12 Wyvern Rider with 14 Str and 15 Def on arrival, and 45% Def growth. Troubadour and Cleric give her staves. |
| A | Say'ri | Chapter 15, Swordmaster Lv 1 | Joins in Chapter 15 as a level 1 Swordmaster with 26 Spd. Her list includes Pegasus Knight, so she can become a Dark Flier. |
| B | Vaike | Chapter 2, Fighter Lv 3 | Fighter with 50% Str and 60% HP but 35% Spd; Warrior and Hero suit him. |
| B | Sully | Chapter 1, Cavalier Lv 2 | Cavalier with 40% Spd. Myrmidon and Wyvern Rider give her Swordmaster and Wyvern Lord. |
| B | Stahl | Chapter 2, Cavalier Lv 2 | Cavalier with 50% Def and 45% Str: dependable, never the star. Great Knight suits him. |
| B | Lissa | Prologue, Cleric Lv 1 | Your first healer. Her list includes Pegasus Knight, so she can later become a Dark Flier. |
| B | Virion | Chapter 1, Archer Lv 2 | Archer with 45% Spd. Wyvern Rider in his list fixes his movement; Wyvern Lord or Bow Knight. |
| B | Gregor | Chapter 8, Mercenary Lv 10 | Level 10 Mercenary in Chapter 8 with 30 HP and 12 Str. Ready to promote, but his Spd growth is only 30%. |
| B | Kellam | Chapter 3, Knight Lv 5 | Knight with 55% Def but 35% Spd; General gives Pavise. |
| B | Nowi | Chapter 8, Manakete Lv 3 | Manakete with 70% HP and 50% Def growths. Her own stats at level 3 are low (4 Str, 2 Def), but her Dragonstone adds +8 Str, +10 Def and +7 Res while she fights with it, so she can hold a choke point early; she needs many levels before she out-damages the Shepherds around her. |
| B | Maribelle | Chapter 5, Troubadour Lv 3 | Troubadour healer with 80% Lck and 40% Res; her list includes Pegasus Knight and Mage. |
| B | Anna | Paralogue 4, Trickster Lv 1 | Recruited in Paralogue 4 as a promoted Trickster (level 1) with 80% Lck and 17 Mag: she can heal with staves and fight with swords. Archer and Mage in her list open Sniper, Bow Knight and Sage. |
| C | Miriel | Chapter 2, Mage Lv 1 | Mage with only 20% Def; better as a Sage support than a front-line caster. |
| C | Ricken | Chapter 5, Mage Lv 3 | Mage with 65% Lck; Cavalier and Archer in his list help, but his Spd growth is 30%. |
| C | Donnel | Paralogue 1, Villager Lv 1 | Villager with Aptitude (+20% to every growth) but very low bases at level 1; he must survive Paralogue 1 and gain a level there to stay. Great on Normal, hard to raise on Lunatic. |
Late joiners
These units join in Chapter 23 or in late paralogues. Most of them start promoted and at a high level, so they are strong straight away, but by then most of the story is behind you. Rate them for the final chapters and the postgame. Walhart and Gangrel, who join from the enemy side, have higher stats on Hard and Lunatic than the Normal values below.
| Tier | Unit | Joins | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Priam | Paralogue 23, Hero Lv 20 | Level 20 Hero with 74 HP, 40 Str and 44 Skl, already holding Sol and Luna: the strongest arrival in the game, from the last paralogue. |
| A | Walhart | Paralogue 19, Conqueror Lv 30 | Level 30 Conqueror with Conquest; Chrom must fight him in Paralogue 19 for him to join. |
| A | Yen'fay | Paralogue 21, Swordmaster Lv 20 | Level 20 Swordmaster with 40 Spd and 39 Skl, already holding Astra and Vantage. |
| A | Aversa | Paralogue 22, Dark Flier Lv 20 | Level 20 Dark Flier with Galeforce already learned and Shadowgift. |
| B | Flavia | Chapter 23, Hero Lv 10 | Level 10 Hero with 26 Spd, but she only joins in Chapter 23. |
| B | Basilio | Chapter 23, Warrior Lv 10 | Level 10 Warrior with 56 HP and 30 Str, also from Chapter 23. |
| B | Tiki | Paralogue 17, Manakete Lv 20 | Level 20 Manakete with 80% HP, Lck and 45% Res growths. |
| C | Emmeryn | Paralogue 20, Sage Lv 10 | Level 10 Sage with 55% Mag but only 5 Str and 12 Def. |
| C | Gangrel | Paralogue 18, Trickster Lv 15 | Level 15 Trickster with 50% Skl and Spd; Chrom must talk to him three times in Paralogue 18. |
Children
Each child joins in their own paralogue once their fixed parent is married. Their growth rate in each stat is the average of their own rate, their mother's and their father's, and they inherit classes from both parents, so a child is only as good as the pairing behind them. The rates below are each child's own, before averaging. Lucina joins in Chapter 13 and is ranked with the main story.
| Tier | Unit | Paralogue | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | Morgan | Paralogue 12 | Robin's child: inherits Robin's whole class pool (Tactician to Grandmaster and everything of their gender), plus the other parent's classes. |
| A | Owain | Paralogue 5 | Myrmidon line with 45% Skl; joins in Paralogue 5 and inherits from Lissa. |
| A | Inigo | Paralogue 6 | Mercenary with 65% Lck and 45% Spd; he inherits Myrmidon from Olivia. |
| A | Severa | Paralogue 10 | Mercenary with 45% Skl and 40% Def; Cordelia passes on Pegasus Knight for Galeforce. |
| A | Kjelle | Paralogue 8 | Knight with 45% Spd, unusual for an armour, and 40% Def. |
| A | Noire | Paralogue 15 | Archer with 50% Spd and 45% Str; Tharja passes on Dark Mage. |
| A | Gerome | Paralogue 11 | Wyvern Rider with 50% Str and 65% HP. |
| A | Nah | Paralogue 16 | Manakete with 70% HP and Lck and 45% Def. |
| B | Cynthia | Paralogue 9 | Pegasus Knight with 70% Lck and 45% Spd but 25% Skl; Galeforce comes with her own class. |
| B | Laurent | Paralogue 14 | Mage with 40% Mag and 35% Res; a solid Sage. |
| B | Yarne | Paralogue 13 | Taguel with 70% HP and 50% Str. Panne also passes him Thief and Barbarian, and his father adds more. |
| B | Brady | Paralogue 7 | Priest with 40% Mag; a healer first. |
Plan pairings with the marriage planner, which shows every child's classes for a given father.
Growth rates of every unit
| Unit | HP | Str | Mag | Skl | Spd | Lck | Def | Res | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robin | 40 | 40 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 55 | 30 | 20 | 290 |
| Chrom | 45 | 40 | 10 | 40 | 40 | 70 | 35 | 20 | 300 |
| Frederick | 60 | 40 | 10 | 40 | 35 | 40 | 40 | 20 | 285 |
| Sumia | 35 | 30 | 20 | 45 | 45 | 60 | 25 | 30 | 290 |
| Cordelia | 50 | 45 | 15 | 35 | 35 | 45 | 40 | 25 | 290 |
| Olivia | 40 | 35 | 25 | 45 | 45 | 60 | 20 | 20 | 290 |
| Lucina | 45 | 35 | 20 | 45 | 45 | 80 | 25 | 25 | 320 |
| Panne | 60 | 45 | 15 | 50 | 55 | 40 | 40 | 15 | 320 |
| Lon'qu | 40 | 35 | 20 | 50 | 50 | 55 | 25 | 20 | 295 |
| Gaius | 50 | 45 | 15 | 45 | 45 | 35 | 25 | 15 | 275 |
| Tharja | 40 | 25 | 45 | 25 | 45 | 40 | 35 | 20 | 275 |
| Libra | 45 | 25 | 35 | 45 | 35 | 45 | 25 | 30 | 285 |
| Henry | 45 | 35 | 35 | 45 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 20 | 300 |
| Cherche | 55 | 40 | 20 | 40 | 35 | 50 | 45 | 10 | 295 |
| Say'ri | 50 | 35 | 20 | 40 | 40 | 45 | 35 | 30 | 295 |
| Vaike | 60 | 50 | 10 | 45 | 35 | 45 | 40 | 5 | 290 |
| Sully | 40 | 35 | 20 | 40 | 40 | 60 | 35 | 20 | 290 |
| Stahl | 50 | 45 | 10 | 35 | 30 | 50 | 50 | 10 | 280 |
| Lissa | 35 | 25 | 35 | 30 | 35 | 65 | 15 | 35 | 275 |
| Virion | 35 | 40 | 30 | 40 | 45 | 40 | 25 | 25 | 280 |
| Gregor | 60 | 40 | 10 | 40 | 30 | 45 | 40 | 10 | 275 |
| Kellam | 50 | 40 | 15 | 40 | 35 | 35 | 55 | 30 | 300 |
| Nowi | 70 | 45 | 35 | 30 | 30 | 65 | 50 | 35 | 360 |
| Maribelle | 30 | 20 | 40 | 40 | 30 | 80 | 10 | 40 | 290 |
| Anna | 45 | 30 | 30 | 35 | 35 | 80 | 30 | 30 | 315 |
| Miriel | 35 | 15 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 50 | 20 | 30 | 270 |
| Ricken | 50 | 20 | 35 | 30 | 30 | 65 | 30 | 25 | 285 |
| Donnel | 50 | 45 | 15 | 40 | 45 | 80 | 35 | 15 | 325 |
| Priam | 80 | 60 | 10 | 40 | 30 | 50 | 40 | 10 | 320 |
| Walhart | 75 | 60 | 10 | 30 | 30 | 45 | 45 | 25 | 320 |
| Yen'fay | 60 | 45 | 10 | 45 | 50 | 60 | 30 | 20 | 320 |
| Aversa | 45 | 25 | 45 | 35 | 40 | 65 | 30 | 30 | 315 |
| Flavia | 50 | 35 | 20 | 45 | 45 | 55 | 30 | 25 | 305 |
| Basilio | 65 | 45 | 10 | 40 | 35 | 45 | 40 | 15 | 295 |
| Tiki | 80 | 40 | 40 | 35 | 30 | 80 | 45 | 45 | 395 |
| Emmeryn | 45 | 10 | 55 | 40 | 40 | 70 | 25 | 35 | 320 |
| Gangrel | 40 | 40 | 30 | 50 | 50 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 300 |
| Morgan | 35 | 35 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 50 | 25 | 25 | 290 |
| Owain | 45 | 40 | 30 | 45 | 35 | 50 | 30 | 30 | 305 |
| Inigo | 50 | 35 | 15 | 35 | 45 | 65 | 30 | 20 | 295 |
| Severa | 45 | 40 | 10 | 45 | 35 | 35 | 40 | 30 | 280 |
| Kjelle | 40 | 35 | 25 | 40 | 45 | 55 | 40 | 20 | 300 |
| Noire | 30 | 45 | 40 | 35 | 50 | 40 | 30 | 40 | 310 |
| Gerome | 65 | 50 | 15 | 40 | 40 | 30 | 40 | 10 | 290 |
| Nah | 70 | 35 | 35 | 45 | 35 | 70 | 45 | 40 | 375 |
| Cynthia | 45 | 35 | 20 | 25 | 45 | 70 | 30 | 30 | 300 |
| Laurent | 45 | 20 | 40 | 40 | 30 | 50 | 25 | 35 | 285 |
| Yarne | 70 | 50 | 10 | 45 | 40 | 60 | 45 | 10 | 330 |
| Brady | 55 | 30 | 40 | 25 | 30 | 60 | 30 | 30 | 300 |
Related guides
- Characters: where every unit joins and their base stats.
- Classes and skills: every promotion and the level each skill is learned.
- Weapons and items: every item, including Master Seals and Second Seals.