Top 30 Fire Emblem Characters of ALL TIME Countdown

[Lord Raven]

Given that Jeigans have made this list in many cases, I wouldn't expect them to make it on a list of worst units. A top 30 worst units would have units that are consistently awful or terrible, not units that are good for the first half and crap for the second.

Hence, they were grouped (by none other than the Enter key) with an FFX character and an FE13 character. And Athos. Edited January 10, 2012 by Mercenary Raven

[RNG Princess]

what about Miranda? I've never used her but I heard she was bad. I've heard many complaints about Gilliam, and I used Marisa in a NM draft and she was barely decent I imagine her worse in HM Efficiency. Astrid FE10 would definitly be bad but not that bad for top 10 worst (Blossom is in her favor)

Edited January 10, 2012 by Queen_Kittylincia

[Lord Raven]

It takes a special type of horrible to be on the list... Gilliam isn't that special type (I found him useful, even with 5 Spd, during my Sethless FE run) but Marisa is. I don't recall Miranda being that bad- to be honest, I don't think most units in Thracia really deserve to be on this list except like Marty. Scroll growths pretty much fix everything... kinda like BEXP, except there's no one that's *so* mediocre even with BEXP (save some bow users, so someone like Robert/Selphina are viable somewhat) that they really deserve to be on the list either.

Making a Top 30 worst is harder than Top 30 best simply because there are characters that are pretty much unusable.. At least we've got a consensus on who's fantastic and who isn't, who's "ridiculously awful" heavily varies between the games between "pretty much unusable" to "mediocre at best" (so think of FE11 Macellan vs FE7 Nino, the latter of whom gets a ton of levels in ranked runs).

[Othin]

Seems to me all the FE5 characters can be effective without much trouble; Marty is certainly no exception.

[Renall]

Marty is nowhere near a Top 30 worst unit in FE. Dat BLD. Even if he's never doing anything but being Dagdar's Creepy Molesting Sidekick who grabs captured enemies to strip and release them, that's way more than most units ever do. Plus if you actually use him he gets insane promo bonuses in a game with really low caps to begin with (+5 SKL and +6 SPD, plus some STR and DEF). He's probably not even in the bottom half most useless units in his own game. Well okay that might be a bit much.

Ardan... man that's hard. I kind of think Ardan deserves a super low spot for failing so incredibly spectacularly at the one and only thing that matters in FE4. It's damn near inefficient just making his fat ass walk out to get the Pursuit Ring, which he will never get to use anyway. It's cute how the cutscene acts like Ardan's problem is that he can't attack twice when his problem is he can't move and thus never attacks at all. Maybe he should've found the goddamn Leg Ring. Plus he's pretty much exclusively edged out as a father by Lex so he lacks even the marginal contribution of his tainted seed to some 80s-hair wench.

Wendy and Amelia really need no further coverage, although some numbers showing how badly Wendy would continue to suck even with extreme favoritism would really seal the deal.

I imagine you'd see a shitload of FE10 and FE12 characters on the list though. There are just too many with too little usefulness and too little availability.

Fiona could be a contender. Nearly useless at base, isn't even useful in several following maps and can't be used at all in one, can't go into water on 3-6, and then is hopelessly behind for the entire rest of the game where she actually has a chance to be used... and isn't really ideal on any of the routes in Part 4. I mean hell, say what you will about Amelia and Wendy, but once they join you can deploy them.

[Lord Raven]

There are just too many with too little usefulness and too little availability.

The characters with low availability in FE10 tend to have plenty of use in whatever chapters they are in- though obviously this doesn't apply to like Astrid though.

[Anouleth]

Seems to me all the FE5 characters can be effective without much trouble; Marty is certainly no exception.

Well, we will presumably have to exact a more stringent standard than "can potentially be effective", since that definition could conceivably extend to cover a huge proportion of the units in Fire Emblem. I do not particularly want to see a list where every unit is from FE12.

[bottlegnomes]

Fiona can guard a ledge in 3-13 and fiddle with laguz gauges with javelins. That's something for her. But yeah, this would be an interesting list to see.

Ardan's a definite, as are the trainees and Sophia and Wendy. He's hard to even justify using in anything but ranking. And even then, he just makes things more difficult.

I could also see Dew and Selphina's quartet of fail, but mostly her and Robert. Any knight not named Oswin or Gatrie (barring 11 and 12 because of reclass) would also probably be a contender for the list, though some obviously more than others. 99% of archers and Ests would probably be on there, too. I could also definitely see Ena in FE9. Karla, too.

It's actually pretty hard to find characters with absolutely no redeeming qualities in FE.

Edited January 10, 2012 by bottlegnomes

[Anouleth]

Fiona can guard a ledge in 3-13 and fiddle with laguz gauges with javelins. That's something for her. But yeah, this would be an interesting list to see.

Ardan's a definite, as are the trainees and Sophia and Wendy. He's hard to even justify using in anything but ranking. And even then, he just makes things more difficult.

Yeah, but the question that Othin posed is "can they be effective" (i.e. can they kill things), not "can you justify using them". Which is a bar so low that you could even roll Meg over it.

[Renall]

Karla is pretty insulting and arguable for Bottom 10. While Bartre isn't what I would consider Bottom 30 material himself, he's certainly not a particularly great choice to use, and you have to just to recruit Karla. And then when you do... there are three more maps in the game. Two of which she's basically useless on and would never be deployed, ever. Only two characters join after her: Renault and Athos. Athos is an auto-lock for the final chapter because babying-free Luna, and Renault at least comes in with auto-A Staves to do something, anything in the last two chapters. Karla can't even claim that. She's worse than Karel, who joins way earlier, and way way worse than Harken, the very reason you wouldn't even be recruiting Karel. But it doesn't matter because whoever you choose Karla is worse, with fewer maps to play.

When your availability is three fucking maps and you're still worse than the two characters who join after you, what the fuck does that say? That recruitment is just balls, she'd have to have all her stats capped to even be worth bothering.

Xavier too. Xavier at least has OK skills and stats, but availability, lolgeneral, and lolwarp. And that recruitment... come the fuck on.

Edited January 10, 2012 by Renall

[bottlegnomes]

Yeah, but the question that Othin posed is "can they be effective" (i.e. can they kill things), not "can you justify using them". Which is a bar so low that you could even roll Meg over it.

I was more responding to Renall about that.

Karla is pretty insulting and arguable for Bottom 10. While Bartre isn't what I would consider Bottom 30 material himself, he's certainly not a particularly great choice to use, and you have to just to recruit Karla. And then when you do... there are three more maps in the game. Two of which she's basically useless on and would never be deployed, ever. Only two characters join after her: Renault and Athos. Athos is an auto-lock for the final chapter because babying-free Luna, and Renault at least comes in with auto-A Staves to do something, anything in the last two chapters. Karla can't even claim that. She's worse than Karel, who joins way earlier, and way way worse than Harken, the very reason you wouldn't even be recruiting Karel. But it doesn't matter because whoever you choose Karla is worse, with fewer maps to play.

When your availability is three fucking maps and you're still worse than the two characters who join after you, what the fuck does that say? That recruitment is just balls, she'd have to have all her stats capped to even be worth bothering.

Xavier too. Xavier at least has OK skills and stats, but availability, lolgeneral, and lolwarp. And that recruitment... come the fuck on.

Agreed on Xavier's recruitment.

[Anouleth]

Karla is pretty insulting and arguable for Bottom 10. While Bartre isn't what I would consider Bottom 30 material himself, he's certainly not a particularly great choice to use, and you have to just to recruit Karla. And then when you do... there are three more maps in the game. Two of which she's basically useless on and would never be deployed, ever. Only two characters join after her: Renault and Athos. Athos is an auto-lock for the final chapter because babying-free Luna, and Renault at least comes in with auto-A Staves to do something, anything in the last two chapters. Karla can't even claim that. She's worse than Karel, who joins way earlier, and way way worse than Harken, the very reason you wouldn't even be recruiting Karel. But it doesn't matter because whoever you choose Karla is worse, with fewer maps to play.

When your availability is three fucking maps and you're still worse than the two characters who join after you, what the fuck does that say? That recruitment is just balls, she'd have to have all her stats capped to even be worth bothering.

Xavier too. Xavier at least has OK skills and stats, but availability, lolgeneral, and lolwarp. And that recruitment... come the fuck on.

If you're playing ranked, you'll recruit him anyway. And I don't really know if recruitment should be taken into account. Depends on who makes the list, really.

[RNG Princess]

I thought Selphina was really good with a brave bow but i'm not good at tiering.

@Renall Fiona > Wendy/Amelia for rescue dropping. If your characters are suffering defense-wise in Part 3 she's perfect for placing defensive spots since she can carry generals in 3-12 & 3-13 and she's well worth deploying in 1-7 for ferrying and 3-6 for gauge chipping.

Edited January 10, 2012 by Queen_Kittylincia

[Thor Odinson]

We could just roll every useless unit in FE12 into one post and leave it at that. Most of their uselessness stems from lack of availability+lack of staves+lack of epic bases anyway so it's pretty much the same reason.

Though, a good portion of the useless guys in Lunatic are okay to decent and at least pretty usable in regular Hard. Maniac and Lunatic just raises the bar by... a lot.

Edited January 10, 2012 by Luminescent Blade

[tiff]

I thought Selphina was really good with a brave bow but i'm not good at tiering.

I dunno about "really good" but I'd think it'd give her good enough offense to get out of the bottom 30, maybe.

[Narga_Rocks]

Mekkah won't appreciate the thread being derailed :(

Perhaps not, but it is sorta on topic, in an opposite way.

[Dr. Tarrasque]

It's the technical opposite but it's not derailment since it's a general discussion of how fire emblem characters rank. If Mekkah does not want the current discussion in his thread and wants to have the thing closed and exist purely for "Best/Top" fire emblem characters, he can just say so.

Edited January 10, 2012 by Sirius

[Othin]

Well, we will presumably have to exact a more stringent standard than "can potentially be effective", since that definition could conceivably extend to cover a huge proportion of the units in Fire Emblem. I do not particularly want to see a list where every unit is from FE12.

Marty requires a couple of chapters of being a bit below average to become just as effective as most others. Let's compare to Sophia, who gets killed in half a round by literally everything and never becomes good without huge amounts of babying. There's a world of difference here, and it's the difference between a Bottom 30 character (Sophia) and an absolutely not Bottom 30 character (Marty).

I realize this might not have been quite the idea I expressed, but it's the one I'm advocating and have been intending to advocate.

Edited January 10, 2012 by Othin

[Caliban of Sycorax]

Unlike some stupid crap like scroll-less Ronan or Rolf or even like Dorothy, Wolt actually contributes to an efficient play through.

Anyways, some nominees:

Hannibal

Ardan

Ronan

Wendy

Bors

Barth

Sophia

Karla

Amelia

Ewan

Rolf (FE9)

Lucia

Bastian

Meg

Fiona

Lyre

Oliver

A lot of units in FE11/12

Oliver has potential staff usage in Endgame, easily you could slap a Physic and possibly a Restore on him. Decent enough to use a status staff too. And you don't have to baby his rank unlike the Archsages, and lolLaura/Rhys.

FE10!Bastian at least can equip Rexcalibur at base (not like it matters because lolTibarn/Haarsolo).

FE10!Ena should be on the list as well because of her massive uselessness. In fact, rolling FE9!Ena and FE10!Ena into one is a good idea. She's that useless. At least Nasir has Nihil.

I'm surprised no one's mentioned Tiltyu yet. After all, she's always the last drafted unit in First Gen for a reason, and Mekkah counted the two as separate. Is the reason why no one mentions her because of Arthur? Because without her kids she's pathetic. And Linda and Amid aren't horrible subs.

[Bluedoom]

Bors and Barth aren't what I'd consider worst 30 quality. Barth hasinsta promo option and can be used a bit for another 4-5 chapters I suppose. And Bors has availability even if he's a knight. He's mediocre, but not horrid, really.

Ohyes, Lucia. She helps you out in 2-2, and she's decent in 4-2. 4-5 She's mediocre because she'll need a wyrmslayer for damage but she'll dodge well due to crappy dragon hits. If she promotes she's still find for endgame(lol endgame though)

[Mekkah]

I expected more discussion on what would have been a more appropriate top 30 but I definitely don't mind this.

Now I'm quite late in responding to this but GOD DAMN SOMEONE IS WRONG ON THE INTERNET

Even in that case, it's more efficient for Wendy and Barth to do it on one turn, so Oujay is not impeded.

Advantage: Wendy.

That wall only has 10 HP left. Barth can break it, Oujay can walk through, Wendy can just go back to being Bottom Tier.

[Bluedoom]

I expected more discussion on what would have been a more appropriate top 30 but I definitely don't mind this.

Now I'm quite late in responding to this but GOD DAMN SOMEONE IS WRONG ON THE INTERNET

That wall only has 10 HP left. Barth can break it, Oujay can walk through, Wendy can just go back to being Bottom Tier.

Or Wendy can break it and Barth and Oujay can walk through. Barth has pretty good bases now.

Still doesn't change the fact she's crappy, but she's there to break that damn wall. Amelia doesnt do shit.

[Titamon]

Barth cant reach the enemies in time. 4 move is really bad in Ch. 8

[Lord Raven]

I was talking about their Fe9 iterations, in which Lucia sucks and Bastian is still pretty bad. In FE10 Lucia is crucial to chapter 2-2 and Bastian is best for endgame staff usage in general... Oliver's the same I suppose.

Anyways yeah sure... I'll talk to some people and do a list for top 30 worst. The "grouping completely shitty units en masse" for fe11/12 sounds good.

[RNG Princess]

I knew I forgot someone Kurth! He's very useless even in drafts, and maybe the FE9 dragons too. I agree with Othin about Marty, he's useful at capturing and thats important early chapters in Thracia. I don't think any flier belongs here but i'm biased with them 0w0, the closest case is Juno imo.