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Tristan

From Fire Emblem Wiki, your source on Fire Emblem information. By fans, for fans.
Tristan

Image
Artwork of Tristan from Treasure.

Gender

Male

Race

Human

Family
Nationality

Agustrian

Starting class

Free Knight

Appearance(s)

We? You're kidding, right? I'm pretty sure you mean yourself. Some of us are actually doing a good job here!
— Tristan, to Dalvin

Tristan (Japanese: トリスタン Tristan) is the son of Evan of Nordion, and the elder brother of Jeanne.[1] He and Jeanne were orphaned in their infancy during the wars in Agustria and were adopted by Sigurd's army, later fleeing with Oifey, Shannan, and Seliph to Tirnanog, during which Jeanne was lost.[2] Growing up as a warrior under Oifey's tutelage, he was later one of the first members of Seliph's liberation army in Grann 777.

Tristan is Diarmuid's substitute character, filling his role in the story and gameplay if Lachesis died or failed to be married in the course of the first generation.

Biography

Tristan and Lester/Deimne were on a scouting mission outside of Isaach with Oifey when the Dozel army launched an assault on Tirnanog, but arrived early on in the battle to assist Seliph in combating the occupation.

Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War

Role

Tristan is a playable character during the second generation. As Diarmuid's substitute character, Tristan only appears if Lachesis wasn't married or was dead at the end of Chapter 5. In Chapter 6, Tristan, along with Oifey and Lester/Deimne, appear as player units at the start of turn 3.

Starting stats and growth rates

Recruitment: Chapter 6, automatically from turn 2

Stats Growth Rates

Inventory Skills
Image Iron Sword
5,000 Gold
Image Critical
Weapon Levels
Swords B Lances -- Axes -- Bows -- Staves --
Fire magic -- Thunder magic -- Image -- Light magic -- Dark magic --

Promotion stat gains

Class HP Str Mag Skill Spd Lck Def Res Mov Skills Weapon level
Ranger +0 +1 +0 +9 +6 +0 +2 +3 +1 Image Adept Swords A

Love growths and events

Image
Tristan
Free Knight
Image Image
Lana/Muirne
Initial: 0
Per turn: 2
Image Image
Larcei/Creidne
Initial: 0
Per turn: 2
Image
Julia
Initial: 0
Per turn: 0
Image Image
Fee/Hermina
Initial: 0
Per turn: 2
Image Image
Patty/Daisy
Initial: 0
Per turn: 2
Image Image
Patty/Daisy
Initial: 0
Per turn: 2
Image
Jeanne
Initial: --
Per turn: --
Image Image
Lene/Laylea
Initial: 0
Per turn: 2
Image Image
Tine/Linda
Initial: 0
Per turn: 3
{{{portrait9}}}
{{{option9}}}
Initial: {{{initialpoints9}}}
Per turn: +
{{{portrait10}}}
{{{option10}}}
Initial: {{{initialpoints10}}}
Per turn: +
Image Image
Tine/Linda
Initial: 0
Per turn: 3
{{{portrait9}}}
{{{option9}}}
Initial: {{{initialpoints9}}}
Per turn: +
{{{portrait10}}}
{{{option10}}}
Initial: {{{initialpoints10}}}
Per turn: +
{{{portrait11}}}
{{{option11}}}
Initial: {{{initialpoints11}}}
Per turn: +
{{{portrait12}}}
{{{option12}}}
Initial: {{{initialpoints12}}}
Per turn: +
{{{portrait13}}}
{{{option13}}}
Initial: {{{initialpoints13}}}
Per turn: +
{{{portrait14}}}
{{{option14}}}
Initial: {{{initialpoints14}}}
Per turn: +
See love for more details on the love system.
  • In Chapter 7, Oifey can talk to Tristan at any time, rewarding him with +1 Strength, Skill and Defense.
  • In Chapter 7, Tristan can talk to Jeanne at any time, rewarding her with +1 Luck.
  • In Chapter 7, Tristan has a hidden conversation with Dalvin if both are under Level 10. After Melgen Castle has been seized, if Tristan waits next to Dalvin, a conversation will occur which grants Tristan +2 Strength and +1 Speed and Defense, and grants Dalvin +2 Strength, +1 Skill and Defense.

Analysis

This character analysis section may not be accurate to every player's experience.

Tristan is a substitute unit, and while he has some advantages, he also has significant drawbacks. His most significant advantage is that he has a mount, giving him good mobility and allowing him to always keep up with the player's main forces. His most significant disadvantage is that he lacks the Follow-Up skill, which prevents him from doubling enemies. He only has Critical, which is not a very useful skill by itself. Aside from that, Tristan's growth rates are rather poor in all areas except for HP, where his growth is over 100%. He also has terrible resistance, so he cannot fight magic users very well and is vulnerable to status staves – both of which are frequently present in Chapter 10 and Endgame, greatly limiting Tristan's potential contributions there.

Given Tristan's lack of Follow-Up, his baseline damage output is very poor. What exacerbates the issue is the fact he joins with a mere Iron Sword, so his attacking power in Chapter 6 is outright terrible. Giving him a better weapon in future chapters mitigates his issues, but granting him the Follow-Up skill requires giving him the Follow-Up Ring, and it can be a contested resource if the player has other substitute units. The best possible resource Tristan can receive is a Brave Sword, preferably one inherited from the first generation, as it allows Tristan to strike twice despite his lack of Follow-Up and makes his Critical skill more likely to activate. Additionally, Tristan's promotion gives him a lot of skill and speed, with the skill bonus being a notable increase to his Critical activation rate and the speed bonus letting him meet the attack speed thresholds for doubling more enemies, should he have the Follow-Up Ring. With the Brave Sword, Tristan can quadruple most enemies and has a good chance to critically strike at least once in the process. However, the Brave Sword is arguably even more contested than the Follow-Up Ring, as virtually any unit capable of using swords can use it to good effect. Tristan does have a good argument for it, as he is a mounted unit with several traits that synergize with it, but the competition still exists.

Without any resources, Tristan will be a mediocre, filler combat unit at best, capable of keeping up, but incapable of significant contributions. With resources, Tristan can be a good combat unit, but making him one deprives the player's other units of important resources, as he cannot be a good combat unit without them.

Personality

Tristan has little patience for dealing with Dalvin for reasons unknown; he treats Dalvin's attempts to initate conversation with hostile disinterest, and readily snaps at him over the littlest things.[3]

Endings

Genealogy of the Holy War

Ares was accompanied home by
Tristan, the charming knight,
[Tristan's wife, if married], his wife,
and worked with them to unite Agustria.

Quotes

Death quotes

Nngh... Good luck, Lord Seliph...
— Tristan, in Genealogy of the Holy War.

Other appearances

Fire Emblem Cipher

Tristan is featured on one card in Fire Emblem Cipher.

Fire Emblem Cipher data for Tristan
Image Sister-Searching Mercenary Knight, Tristan
Jugdral

Male

Sword

Mounted
"Oh, thank the gods! I've finally found you! I'm Tristan, your brother!"
Attack: 60 Support: 10 Range: 1 Deploy Cost: 3
Class: Ranger Tier: Advanced Class Change Cost: 2
Horsemanship of the Cross Knights: [Activate] [Once per turn] Move a Mounted ally.
Bond Skill Siblings of Nordion: [Bond] [Trigger] When this card is placed in the Bond Area, until the end of this turn, your allied 'Tristan' and 'Jeanne' gain +20 attack.
Card #B08-067HN • Artist: Mikihiro Taguchi/Crowd Gate Co., Ltd.
Some card information translation provided by Serenes Forest.
For more detailed strategic information on these cards, see their TCG wiki article on Tristan .

Choose Your Legends placement history

Round Placement Character Votes
CYL 2
(2018)
764 Image
Tristan
Genealogy of the Holy War
34
(−16)
CYL 3
(2019)
638
(−23)
Image
Tristan
Genealogy of the Holy War
51
CYL 4
(2020)
739 Image
Tristan
Genealogy of the Holy War
27
(−24)
CYL 5
(2021)
770 Image
Tristan
Genealogy of the Holy War
21
(−6)
CYL 6
(2022)
782 Image
Tristan
Genealogy of the Holy War
20
(−1)
CYL 7
(2023)
828 Image
Tristan
Genealogy of the Holy War
6
(−14)
CYL 9
(2025)
737
(−108)
Image
Tristan
Genealogy of the Holy War
28
(+16)
CYL 10
(2026)
878
(+141)
Image
Tristan
Genealogy of the Holy War
5
(−23)
Total results This character has 10 entries across all Choose Your Legends polls. 254

Etymology and other languages

Names, etymology, and in other regions
Language Name Definition, etymology, and notes
English

Tristan

Used in official websites. Tristan is a knight in Arthurian folklore.

English
(unofficial)

Tristan

Used in the Genealogy of the Holy War fan translation.[which?]

Japanese

トリスタン

Officially romanized as Tristan.

Spanish

Tristan

--

French

Tristan

--

German

Tristan

--

Italian

Tristan

--

Portuguese

Tristan

--

Traditional Chinese

特里斯坦

Tristan

Gallery

Sprite Gallery
Image Free Knight Image Ranger Image
Image
Sword
(Iron or Steel Sword, or Iron or Steel Blade)
Image
Sword
(Iron or Steel Sword, or Iron or Steel Blade)

Official artwork

References

  1. "Our father was a Nordion knight who died in the service of Lady Lachesis. His name was Evan..." — Jeanne to Seliph in the Epilogue, if she is unmarried and Tristan is dead, Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War
  2. "See, our father was a knight of House Nordion. When we were both still little, he was killed in the Agustrian civil war, and we were adopted by Lord Sigurd's army. We later fled to Isaach with Sir Oifey, but we somehow lost you along the way..." — Tristan, Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War
  3. "Dalvin: Oi, Tristan! I have to ask you something quick.
    Tristan: Oh. Dalvin. What do you want now?
    Dalvin: Oh, come on! That's hardly necessary, is it? Can't you at least pretend to be happy to see me? Now, as I was saying, here's a question. I've been thinking that we're kinda dragging Lord Seliph down here. What d'you think?
    Tristan: We? You're kidding, right? I'm pretty sure you mean yourself. Some of us are actually doing a good job here!
    Dalvin: You sure? Come on, then. Let's hear about that good job that you've obviously been doing so far!
    Tristan: Gladly! Why, just today I've, er... Let's see...
    Dalvin: Hah! Told you! You can't remember anything you've done if there's nothing to remember, can you?
    Tristan: Okay, okay! I admit it! I've been useless so far! What exactly are you getting at here?
    Dalvin: How about a little sparring? Even someone like you oughta be enough of a learning experience! I'm desperate enough to try anything if it means dodging the guard duty shaft. I want to fight on the front lines like the best of 'em!
    Tristan: You really have no idea how to ask for help, do you? Go away, Dalvin.
    Dalvin: Okay, fine! How about this? Pleeeeease? Please, please, pleeease be my sparring partner, you wonderful, wise, fantastic, sexy man? ...There, happy now?
    Tristan: Ugh, what else did I expect... Fine, I'll do it! If it'll shut you up, that's good enough for me. Ready? Now draw!" — Dalvin and Tristan, Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War
Image This article is part of Project Characters, a project focused on writing articles for every character present in the Fire Emblem series.