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Personal weapons

From Fire Emblem Wiki, your source on Fire Emblem information. By fans, for fans.
Image
Lyn unsheathing the Mani Katti, her personal weapon, for the first time.
The sword Ike received from his father. It's light and easy to wield. Only Ike can wield it.
— The Regal Sword's description, providing a typical example of a personal weapon

Personal weapons (Japanese: 専用武器 personal weapons) are weapons which are restricted to be usable only by a limited group of units, or more commonly, a single unit. This concept has existed since Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light, with weapons like Marth's Falchion and Linde's Aura, and has appeared in every game since in some capacity.

Overview

Image
Artwork of a Sword used for Marth's personal weapons from the Encyclopedia.

"Personal weapon" is a somewhat generic term used to refer to the concept, with different games referring to them by different names. Most Japanese versions use a ★ to symbolise a personal weapon, described as a "star weapon". The English releases of The Blazing Blade, The Sacred Stones and Path of Radiance give personal weapons the rank of "Prf", presumably short for "preferred". Some games in both languages simply do not use a special denotation, and instead list the weapon's required rank or weapon level as a blank, "--". From Shadow Dragon onward, personal weapons have actual weapon levels (normally ranked E, but higher ranks have occurred, in which case the wielder must have the required rank to wield it) with the personal weapon status instead denoted in their description.

The series' most prominent example of a personal weapon is the Rapier. It is a personal weapon which traditionally acts as the starting weapon for characters of the Lord class (Marth, Roy, Eliwood, Eirika, Chrom). Most other starting personal weapons for units are essentially copies of its anti-mounted or -armor abilities for other weapon types, such as the Wolf Beil, Reginleif, and Thani.

All of the main weapons used by the series's protagonists are usually personal weapons, such as Sigurd's and Seliph's Tyrfing, Ike's Ragnell, and Corrin's Yato.

Gameplay

Generally speaking, they have a unique or uncommon added effect, and are either a starting weapon for the unit (or gained very soon after the unit appears), or are their most powerful end-game weapon. Personal weapons come in three varieties: weapons locked to specific characters (this is the variety to which the term normally applies), weapons locked to specific classes, and weapons locked based on the gender of characters. In addition, most personal weapons are either the only ones of their type to be found in the game, or, if there exist more than one, appear very rarely.

In Genealogy of the Holy War the Holy Blood mechanic is an expanded version of personal weapons and the ability to exclusively pass down the ability to use a certain weapon from parent to child is a major gameplay mechanic.

Story

The in-universe justifications for personal weapons varies by game and by weapon itself. Not every weapon lock has an in-universe explanation, however.

Some weapons are simply a character's preferred weapon in combat, while others are locked to characters through magical means. For instance, Hector's Wolf Beil and numerous protagonist's Rapiers do not appear to have magic-related locks, and are simply used only by certain characters due to personal preference.

Even the means of magic locking the weapon can be different. In The Blazing Blade, Lyn's Mani Katti is stated to be a "spirit-inhabited sword", and chose her as its wielder when she picked it up; Lyn is the only person able to draw it from its sheath. Glass, who was not favored by the Mani Katti, was unable to draw it from its sheath. In Awakening, Lucina explains to her sibling that if someone other than the chosen wielder attempts to use Falchion, its blade will be "dull as a stone". In Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, the Royal Sword is said to be impossible to lift by anyone not of royal blood; Tobin claims that the sword "weighs a ton", while Alm finds it "light as a feather".

There are many weapons also locked by bloodline, which, as mentioned above, is a major mechanic in Genealogy of the Holy War, though this method also appears in other games. Often, weapons that are blood locked rely on the wielder to have or be descended from one with the gifted blood of a dragon, though weapons linked solely to human bloodlines, like Aura, exist. It is not always explicitly stated what happens if an unworthy wielder uses a physical weapon, though tomes that are magically locked to individuals fail to function and are no more than paperweights.

List of personal weapons by game

Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light

Weapon Weapon type Wielder
Rapier Sword Marth
Mercurius Sword Marth
Falchion Sword Marth
Levin Sword Sword Classes: Any sword-using class except General
Excalibur Tome Merric
Aura Tome Linde
Imhullu Tome Gharnef
Hammerne Staff Lena
Aum Staff Elice
Divinestone Stone Tiki
Earthstone Stone Medeus

Gaiden

Weapon Weapon type Wielder
Royal Sword Sword Alm
Falchion Sword Alm
Javelin Lance Classes: Any Lance-using class can use it as a ranged weapon except Soldier
Gradivus Lance Classes: Any Lance-using class can use it as a ranged weapon except Soldier

Mystery of the Emblem

Weapon Weapon type Wielder
Image Rapier Sword Marth, Phina
Image Falchion Sword Marth
Image Ladyblade Sword Gender: Female units
Image Excalibur Tome Merric
Image Aura Tome Linde
Image Imhullu Tome Gharnef
Image Nosferatu Tome Gender: Female units
Image Hammerne Staff Lena, Marisha
Image Aum Staff Elice, Yuliya
Image Rescue Staff Yuliya
Image Thief Staff Marisha
Image Divinestone Stone Tiki
Image Magestone Stone Any Manakete except Bantu
Image Icestone Stone Any Manakete except Bantu
Image Wyvernstone Stone Any Manakete except Bantu

Genealogy of the Holy War

Main article: Holy Blood

In Genealogy of the Holy War, there is a variation on the standard personal weapon system governed by its unique Holy Blood system, wherein a unit's ability to use one of the weapons is tied to whether or not they possess the matching major holy blood. While several units in both generations have major holy blood, for the second generation the majority of possessors of holy blood, and thus of the weapons, are determined by the pairings of the parents possessing the holy blood in question in the first generation.

In addition to the thirteen weapons governed by holy blood, there are a handful of weapons locked by class and gender.

Weapon Weapon type Required holy blood
Image Tyrfing Sword Major Baldr
Image Balmung Sword Major Od
Image Gungnir Lance Major Dáinn
Image Yewfelle Bow Major Ullr
Image Valkyrie Staff Major Bragi
Image Mjölnir Thunder Major Thrud
Image Valflame Fire Major Fjalar
Image Mystletainn Sword Major Hoðr
Image Gáe Bolg Lance Major Njörun
Image Helswath Axe Major Nál
Image Naga Light Major Naga
Image Forseti Wind Major Forseti
Image Loptous Dark Major Loptous
Weapon Weapon type Wielder
Image Miracle Sword Sword Gender: Female units
Image Iron Ballista Bow Classes: Iron Ballista
Image Ballista Bow Classes: Ballista
Image Killer Ballista Bow Classes: Killer Ballista
Image Great Ballista Bow Classes: Great Ballista

Thracia 776

Thracia 776 sports the largest number of personal weapons of any game in the series; many of the personal weapons are recurring weapons which are not personal weapons in any other game. Additionally, it is the first instance in the series where the Rapier appears but is not a personal weapon; its usual role as the first personal weapon of the main hero is filled instead by the Light Brand.

Weapon Weapon type Wielder
Image Light Brand Sword Leif
Image Lands Sword Sword Nanna
Image Shadow Sword Sword Mareeta
Image Mareeta's Sword Sword Mareeta
Image Beo's Sword Sword Diarmuid, Fergus
Image Blessed Sword Sword Olwen
Image Bragi Sword Sword Leif, Nanna, Diarmuid, Fergus
Image Loptr Sword Sword Raydrik, Mus
Image Dragon Lance Lance Deen, Altena
Image Brave Lance Lance Finn
Image Vouge Axe Osian, certain enemy units
Image Ballista Bow Enemy Ballista units
Image Iron Ballista Bow Enemy Iron Ballista units
Image Poison Ballista Bow Enemy Poison Ballista units
Image Killer Ballista Bow None*
Image Valflame Fire None*
Image Dire Thunder Thunder Olwen, Reinhardt
Image Mjölnir Thunder Ishtar*
Image Grafcalibur Wind Asbel
Image Forseti Wind Ced
Image Hel Dark Alphand, Veld, certain enemy units
Image Loptous Dark None*
Image Repair Staff Safy
Image Thief Staff Tina, certain enemy units
Image Unlock Staff Tina, certain enemy units
Image Kia Staff Sara

The Binding Blade

Personal weapons in the GBA games, other than Eckesachs, are all locked to classes rather than characters.

Weapon Weapon type Wielder
Image Rapier Sword Classes: Lord, Great Lord
Image Binding Blade Sword Classes: Lord, Great Lord
Image Eckesachs Sword Zephiel
Image Wo Dao Sword Classes: Myrmidon, Swordmaster

The Blazing Blade

Weapon Weapon type Wielder
Image Mani Katti Sword Classes: Lord (Lyn), Blade Lord
Image Sol Katti Sword Classes: Lord (Lyn), Blade Lord
Image Rapier Sword Classes: Lord (Eliwood), Knight Lord
Image Durandal Sword Classes: Lord (Eliwood), Knight Lord
Image Wo Dao Sword Classes: Lord (Lyn), Blade Lord, Myrmidon, Swordmaster
Image Wolf Beil Axe Classes: Lord (Hector), Great Lord
Image Armads Axe Classes: Lord (Hector), Great Lord
Image Forblaze Anima Class: Archsage
Image Flametongue Stone Class: Fire Dragon

The Sacred Stones

Weapon Weapon type Wielder
Image Rapier Sword Classes: Lord (Eirika), Great Lord (Eirika)
Image Sieglinde Sword Classes: Lord (Eirika), Great Lord (Eirika)
Image Shamshir Sword Classes: Lord (Eirika), Great Lord (Eirika), Myrmidon, Swordmaster, Assassin, Bonewalker, Wight
Image Reginleif Lance Classes: Lord (Ephraim), Great Lord (Ephraim)
Image Siegmund Lance Classes: Lord (Ephraim), Great Lord (Ephraim)
Image Dummy Sword None*

Path of Radiance

Weapon Weapon type Wielder
Image Regal Sword Sword Ike
Image Ragnell Sword Ike
Image Amiti Sword Elincia
Image Alondite Sword Black Knight
Image Gurgurant Sword Ashnard
Image Rolf's Bow Bow Rolf
Image Double Bow Bow Classes: Sniper
Image Ballista Bow Classes: Archer, Sniper
Image Iron Ballista Bow Classes: Archer, Sniper
Image Killer Ballista Bow Classes: Archer, Sniper
Image Onager Bow Classes: Archer, Sniper

Radiant Dawn

Weapon Weapon type Wielder
Image Ettard Sword Ike
Image Ragnell Sword Ike
Image Florete Sword Mist
Image Amiti Sword Elincia, Renning*
Image Caladbolg* Sword Edward
Image Tarvos* Axe Nolan
Image Lughnasadh* Bow Leonardo
Image Ballista Bow Classes: Archer, Sniper, Marksman
Image Iron Ballista Bow Classes: Archer, Sniper, Marksman
Image Killer Ballista Bow Classes: Archer, Sniper, Marksman
Image Onager Bow Classes: Archer, Sniper, Marksman
Image Cymbeline Fire Sanaki
Image Thani Light Micaiah
Image Creiddylad Light Sephiran
Image Judge Various Ashera
(except the four hidden variants used by Lekain, Dheginsea and Sephiran)

Shadow Dragon

The way in which Shadow Dragon structured the weapons system resulted in all personal weapons herein still having a normal weapon level; while for most of these weapons said rank is the base rank E, some have a higher rank requiring that a personal weapon's wielder still requires that rank before using the weapon. Additionally, some weapons which were originally full personal weapons allow for greater leeway in accessibility: they can be used by any unit of a certain gender, but have a high weapon level, while still allowing one specific wielder to use them at any rank.

With the implementation of the reclass system, there is the additional caveat that a unit must be of a class able to use the relevant weapon type before they can use the personal weapon; thus, in the case of Aum, of the many units capable of using it only half are of the correct class in the first place, and the others will need to be reclassed before they can use it.

Weapon Weapon type Wielder
Image Rapier Sword Marth
Image Falchion Sword Marth
Image Wing Spear Lance Caeda
Image Longbow Bow Classes: Archer, Sniper
Image Excalibur Tome Gender: Male units
Merric can use at any weapon level
Image Aura Tome Gender: Female units
Linde can use at any weapon level
Image Hammerne Staff Lena
Image Aum Staff Caeda, Maria, Minerva, Elice
Image Divinestone Stone Tiki, Nagi
Image Earthstone Stone Medeus

New Mystery of the Emblem

The system remains the same as in Shadow Dragon.

Weapon Weapon type Wielder
Image Rapier Sword Marth
Image Falchion Sword Marth
Image Ladyblade Sword Gender: Female units
Image Wing Spear Lance Caeda
Image Longbow Bow Classes: Archer, Sniper
Image Excalibur Tome Gender: Male units
Merric can use at any weapon level
Image Aura Tome Gender: Female units
Linde can use at any weapon level
Image Nosferatu Tome Gender: Female units
Image Hammerne Staff Lena, Marisha
Image Aum Staff Caeda, Maria, Minerva, Elice, Yuliya, Nyna, Sheena
Image Divinestone Stone Tiki, Nagi

Awakening

The system remains the same as in Shadow Dragon.

Weapon Weapon type Wielder
Image Rapier Sword Classes: Lord, Great Lord, Lodestar
Image Noble Rapier Sword Classes: Lord, Great Lord, Lodestar
Image Falchion Sword Chrom, Marth
Image Exalted Falchion Sword Chrom, Marth
Image Parallel Falchion Sword Lucina, Marth
Image Missiletainn Sword Owain
Image Amatsu Sword Classes: Myrmidon, Swordmaster
Image Sol Katti Sword Classes: Myrmidon, Swordmaster
Image Wolf Berg Axe Walhart
Image Longbow Bow Classes: Archer, Sniper
Image Towering Bow Bow Classes: Archer, Sniper
Image Double Bow Bow Classes: Archer, Sniper
All dark magic Tome Classes: Dark Mage, Sorcerer
Units possessing Shadowgift
Image Beaststone Stone Classes: Taguel
Image Beaststone+ Stone Classes: Taguel
Image Dragonstone Stone Classes: Manakete
Image Dragonstone+ Stone Classes: Manakete

Fates

The system remains the same as in Shadow Dragon.

Weapon Weapon type Wielder
Image Siegfried Sword Xander, Siegbert*
Image Yato Katana Corrin, Kana*
Image Raijinto Katana Ryoma, Shiro*
Image Arthur's Axe Axe Gender: Male units
Image Camilla's Axe Axe Gender: Female units
Image Fujin Yumi Yumi Takumi, Kiragi*
Image Hair Pin Shuriken Gender: Female units
Image Nosferatu Tome Classes: Dark Mage, Sorcerer
Units possessing Shadowgift
Image Brynhildr Tome Leo, Forrest*
Image Missiletainn Tome Ophelia
Image Astral Blessing Staff Lilith

Echoes: Shadows of Valentia

The system remains the same as in Gaiden.

Weapon Weapon type Wielder
Image Royal Sword Sword Alm
Image Falchion Sword Alm
Image Beloved Zofia Sword Celica

Three Houses

Main article: Heroes' Relics

Personal weapons work differently than they do in previous games. Strictly speaking, no weapons are personal; any unit can use any weapon or equipment, but their Crest—or lack thereof—will affect the potency of the item. There are fifteen Heroes' Relics, including Aymr, and ten Sacred weapons.

Heroes' Relics and Aymr require a weapon level of E to use, meaning any unit can use them, but only units with the correlating Crest can use the weapon's unique combat art, while units with no Crest will suffer 10 damage for using the relic in a battle. The Sword of the Creator is an exception to this, as it is tied to Byleth rather than a particular Crest; units with no Crest will not take damage for using it, but it will have greatly increased weight and reduced range when used by anyone other than Byleth. All Heroes Relics have a golden item sprite.

Sacred weapons require a weapon level of A to use; unlike Heroes' Relics, however, units without Crests are not penalized for using them. All Sacred weapons heal a certain portion of HP at the start of each turn when equipped, healing more HP if the unit has the correlating Crest. Some Sacred weapons have additional effects, but those are not tied to the possession of a Crest. All Sacred weapons have a silver item sprite.

Weapon Weapon type Crest/Wielder
Image Sword of the Creator Sword Byleth
Image Thunderbrand Sword Crest of Charon
Image Blutgang Sword Crest of the Beast
Image Sword of Seiros Sword Crest of Seiros
Image Sword of Begalta Sword Crest of Riegan
Image Sword of Moralta Sword Crest of Fraldarius
Image Areadbhar Lance Crest of Blaiddyd
Image Lance of Ruin Lance Crest of Gautier
Image Lúin Lance Crest of Daphnel
Image Spear of Assal Lance Crest of Cichol
Image Aymr Axe Crest of Seiros
Image Crusher Axe Crest of Dominic
Image Freikugel Axe Crest of Goneril
Image Axe of Ukonvasara Axe Crest of Gloucester
Image Failnaught Bow Crest of Riegan
Image Tathlum Bow Bow Crest of Lamine
Image The Inexhaustible Bow Crest of Indech
Image Vajra-Mushti Gauntlets Crest of Chevalier
Image Aegis Shield Shield Crest of Fraldarius
Image Seiros Shield Shield Crest of Seiros
Image Ochain Shield Shield Crest of Cichol
Image Thyrsus Staff Crest of Gloucester
Image Caduceus Staff Staff Crest of Cethleann
Image Rafail Gem Gem Crest of Lamine
Image Fetters of Dromi Ring Crest of Aubin

Engage

Weapon Weapon type Wielder
Image Libération Sword Lumera and Alear
Image Misericorde Knife Veyle
Image Obscurité Tome Veyle, Sombron, Nel, and Rafal
Image Wille Glanz Sword Lumera and Alear

Heroes

Main article: Personal weapons/Fire Emblem Heroes

Warriors

In Fire Emblem Warriors, all personal weapons are E-Rank and aren't as powerful as the other weapons. With the exception of Chrom's Training Sword and Tiki's Tear, after using a specific scroll found in History Mode and performing 10,000 kills with the weapon, the weapon will be upgraded to the level of an A-Rank weapon. None of them can be used for Forging Material.

Weapon Weapon type Wielder
Image Enliron Sword Rowan and Lianna
Image Facinna Sword Rowan and Lianna
Image Yato Sword Corrin
Image Raijinto Sword Ryoma
Image Siegfried Sword Xander
Image Falchion Sword Chrom
Image Parallel Falchion Sword Lucina
Image Exalted Falchion Sword Marth
Image Lady Sword Sword Celica
Image Sol Katti Sword Lyn
Image Wo Dao Sword Navarre
Image Missiletainn Sword Owain
Image Olivia's Blade Sword Olivia
Image Chrom's Training Sword Sword Chrom
Image Risyl Sword Darios
Image Hinoka's Spear Lance Hinoka
Image Cordelia's Lance Lance Cordelia
Image Wing Spear Lance Caeda
Image Blessed Lance Lance Azura
Image Oboro's Spear Lance Oboro
Image Camilla's Axe Axe Camilla
Image Lissa's Axe Axe Lissa
Image Frederick's Axe Axe Frederick
Image Hauteclere Axe Minerva
Image Fujin Yumi Bow Takumi
Image Spellbane Yumi Bow Sakura
Image Anna's Bow Bow Anna
Image Niles's Bow Bow Niles
Image Brynhildr Tome Leo
Image Moonlight Tome Elise
Image Thoron Tome Robin
Image Aura Tome Linde
Image Tharja's Hex Tome Tharja
Image Grima's Truth Tome Validar
Image Iago's Tome Tome Iago
Image Imhullu Tome Gharnef
Image Divinestone Stone Tiki
Image Tiki's Tear Stone Tiki

Warriors: Three Hopes

The system remains the same as in Three Houses.

Weapon Weapon type Crest/Wielder
Image Sublime Creator Sword Sword Byleth, Sothis
Image Thunderbrand Sword Crest of Charon
Image Blutgang Sword Crest of the Beast
Image Sword of Seiros Sword Crest of Seiros
Image Sword of Begalta Sword Crest of Riegan
Image Sword of Moralta Sword Crest of Fraldarius
Image Areadbhar Lance Crest of Blaiddyd
Image Lance of Ruin Lance Crest of Gautier
Image Lúin Lance Crest of Daphnel
Image Spear of Assal Lance Crest of Cichol
Image Aymr Axe Crest of Seiros
Image Crusher Axe Crest of Dominic
Image Freikugel Axe Crest of Goneril
Image Axe of Ukonvasara Axe Crest of Gloucester
Image Labraunda Axe Crest of Seiros
Image Failnaught Bow Crest of Riegan
Image Tathlum Bow Bow Crest of Lamine
Image Vajra-Mushti Gauntlets Crest of Chevalier
Image Járngreipr Gauntlets Crest of Cichol
Image Suttungr's Mystery Tome Crest of Charon
Image Hrotti Tome Crest of Timotheos
Image Ichor Scroll Tome Crest of Lamine
Image Wind Caller's Genesis Tome Crest of Macuil
Image Amalthea Tome Crest of Cethleann
Image Aegis Shield Shield Crest of Fraldarius
Image Seiros Shield Shield Crest of Seiros
Image Ochain Shield Shield Crest of Cichol
Image Thyrsus Staff Crest of Gloucester
Image Caduceus Staff Staff Crest of Cethleann
Image Rafail Gem Gem Crest of Lamine
Image Fetters of Dromi Ring Crest of Aubin

Shadows

In Fire Emblem Shadows, all 7★ weapons, which can be used by any unit, also have 8★ variations which are exclusive to one specific unit each.

Weapon Weapon type Wielder
Image Royal Sword Sword Kurt
Image Crow Sword Sword Zasha
Image Lycan Edge Sword Joachim
Image Ragnell Sword Ike
Image Eminence Sword Sword Eugene
Image Binding Blade Sword Roy
Image Shield Lance Lance Gotthold
Image Areadbhar Lance Dimitri
Image Aerial Lance Lance Erma
Image Siegmund Lance Ephraim
Image Heiress Lance Lance Hanya
Image Bull Axe Axe Carina
Image Ravenous Axe Axe Bartolomeus
Image Aymr Axe Edelgard
Image Solo Merc Axe Axe Rusty
Image Solar Claws Claws Skoll
Image Lunar Claws Claws Hati
Image Ivory Tome Tome Rose
Image Enclosing Dark Tome Veronica
Image Treachery Tome Tome Uka
Image Tactics Tome Tome Robin
Image Tutelage Tome Tome Perenna
Image Prayer Tome Tome Celica
Image Panther Staff Staff Alberta
Image Wily Staff Staff Tamamo
Image Ancestral Staff Staff Micaela
Image Forest Edge Staff Staff Ananke
Image Mulagir Bow Lyn
Image Swift Bow Bow Estel
Image Shaded Bow Bow Yunaka
Image Failnaught Bow Claude
Image Hidden Bow Bow Yuyo
Image Sound Stone Stone Sai
Image Sight Stone Stone Shea
Image Primordial Stone Stone Corrin
Image Solitary Stone Stone Yuni
Image Ancient Stone Stone Tiki

References