Fire Emblem Engageis the latest installment in one of Nintendo’s biggest RPG franchises. This newest entry in the series, which has been on a steady revival sinceFire Emblem Awakeningon the 3DS, combines many elements of the franchise’s past and present. This is especially true when it comes to the game’s main mechanic: Emblem Rings.
While players can get wrapped up in battling alongside their favorite heroes from throughout theFire Emblemsaga, there are plenty more mechanics that shouldn’t go unnoticed. Some may even make the game more thrilling and interesting as it goes on. These hidden secrets should not be overlooked by either newcomers or diehardFire Emblemfans.
10Create Bond Rings To Power Up Units
As players collect Emblem Rings throughout the main story, it’s easy to favor the units who are designed to battle alongside heroes past. However, players' other units should not go without their own benefits. This is where Bond Rings come into the mix. By spending bond fragments,power-ups centered on otherFire Emblemcharacterscan be created.
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Bond Rings work essentially the same way as Emblem Rings, although the units possessing them are unable to Engage or use devastating special attacks. Nevertheless, they make for a good boost in stats, which can come in handy. Suffice it to say, players shouldn’t overlook some of their weaker units when they can be made anew with this mechanic.
9Adopt Pets After Every Mission
There’s lots to discover in the Somniel, the player’s home base in between missions. One aspect that may be overlooked is the Stable. As it turns out, there’s something to do when exploring the battlefield after every mission other than collecting items and talking to units. Players can to adopt pets such as sheep, dogs, cats, and birds.
Bringing these adorable animals into the Stable at the Somniel is enough of a reward, but the animals may also leave behind special item drops, such as rare vegetables that players can use to cook. Though itmay turn theFire Emblemexperience intoNintendogs, it’s more than worth the extra effort to explore after completing a mission.
8Get New Emblems With Day One DLC
To the surprise of many fans, Nintendo announcedFire Emblem Engagewould be receiving Day One DLC upon release. More DLC waves are intended to arrive throughout 2023, but the first one adds some pretty hefty content, including two new Emblem Rings. One of them is Tiki, the iconic character who has appeared in severalFire Emblemtitles.
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The other adds representation fromFire Emblem: Three Houses.The ring contains the spirits of Edelgard, Claude, and Dimitri, the house leaders. During each battle, the three will cycle between each other during attacks, offering a special benefit for the units that players choose to equip them with.
7Connect Nintendo Accounts With Fire Emblem Heroes
MostFire Emblemfans are probably already aware ofFire Emblem Heroes, the mobile game allowing players to collectthousands of characters from the franchiseand battle with them. However, even those who have the game may make the mistake of not connecting their app to their Nintendo Account. Doing this may offer big benefits forFire Emblem Engageplayers.
While the player’sFire Emblem Heroesgame will receive 5 new orbs that can be used to summon new Heroes,Fire Emblem Engageplayers receive a set of DLC items. In addition to some top-tier weapons, three S-rank Bond Rings will also be given to the player. As early as Chapter 3,Engageplayers can start off with a pretty big advantage.
6Infinitely Level Up Units
Changing classes is a major part ofFire Emblem’s core game mechanics, allowing units past Level 10 to increase their stats and weapon capabilities. However, few players take advantage of this mechanic to its fullest potential. While Master Seals can upgrade a unit to an advanced class, Second Seals can be used to reset a unit’s level back down to 1.
On the surface, this may not seem useful, but it’s more than a good strategy. By resetting a unit’s level, they do not lose any of their stats; they only gain the ability to continue increasing in strength. This means units can be leveled up infinitely, as long as the player has enough Second Seals to keep resetting their stats after maxing out their levels.
5Get Fortunes Told In The Somniel
Some areas of the Somniel can only be opened up once completing certain Chapters in the story. That’s true of the resident Fortune Teller, Seadall, who can be recruited as an ally after Chapter 15. While he serves as a useful unit of the battlefield, Seadall also opens up shop in the Somniel, where players can have their units' fortune told in between missions.
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While Seadall can only be visited at night, he offers some vital information. In the “Thinking Of” section of Seadall’s fortune for each character, another ally’s name will appear, signifying who each character has a greater chance of increasing their Support level with. This can come in handy when determining which units to team up in battle.
4Use The Amiibo Gazebo
Like inFire Emblem: Three Houses, the Somniel is also home to a location known as the Amiibo Gazebo. Here, players can use their Amiibo figures to get bonus in-game content. For non-Fire Emblemamiibo, this will usually be bond fragments or in-game currency. However, even better bonuses await for those who useFire Emblemamiibo.
With amiibo like Byleth, Celica, and Ike, players will be able to unlock costumes for each of the amiiboFire Emblemcharacters, as well as special music tracks from pastFire Emblemgames. Although the costumes are only visible in the Somniel, it can add a little flavor to the time spent in between missions.
3Paralogue Missions Introduce New Units
Long-timeFire Emblemfans are well aware of what Paralogue missions offer. Oftentimes, these side quests offer fans new units they can add to their in-game party, with some being incredibly useful. In total, there are 15 Paralogue missions in addition to the 26 Chapters, giving players many opportunities to discover new units and Bond Rings.
In particular, the first two Paralogues introduce players to two unique units: Jean, a healer; and Anna, an axe-wielder.Anna is a recurring character in theFire Emblemseries, so it’s always great to see her return. The final Paralogue also gives players the ability to marry one of the units they have an A-rank support level with.
2Spend Extra Money On Donations
It may seem like a waste to throw thousands of in-game currency units at what seems like nothing, but don’t be fooled. At the bulletin board in the Somniel, players can donate money to each allied nation, which can have some neat rewards. At first, players can be granted access to adopting new animals or unlocking new outfits, but there’s even more.
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Some special weapons can also be obtained by maxing out donations to the different nations. Brodia donations reap special swords, Elusia give out staves, and Solm gives out axes. Additionally, it’s a good way to quickly earn bond fragments, as well as ingredients that can be used while preparing meals for units.
1Visit The Training Yard
The Somniel wouldn’t be complete without the Training Yard, an area players can access after Chapter 3 of the game’s story. There, players can engage in brief minigames that will slightly boost some of their stats before the next battle. All in all, it’s a good, quick thing to do in the Somniel before setting off on the next chapter.
On the downside, some of these mini-gamescan be stressful on Nintendo Switchjoy-cons, which many gamers know to be sensitive and easily breakable. While it’s worth doing for a little extra bonus before every mission, it’s also not mandatory enough to risk breaking the Switch. Train characters, but do it with caution above all else!
