Fixed Mode



Credits: Pegasus Knight

Information

Introduction

From your second play onwards, you will have the option to choose from Random mode or Fixed mode when beginning a new game file.

Random Mode is the traditional method of levelling up- used in each of the previous Fire Emblem games, as well as your first playthrough of this game. Every character possesses a set of hidden “growth rates”, one for each stat. Each growth rate is the percentage chance of the character increasing that particular stat during a level up. For example if a character has 70% growth in magic, statistically speaking, 70 times out of 100 they will gain a +1 in magic during a level up. Random numbers are used to determine stat rises.

Fixed Mode is slightly more complicated. This time round, character growth rates act more like “points”. They contribute to a set of values called “Growth points”, which are used to determine stat increases. Additionally, the character’s equipped weapons/items and enemy’s class slightly alters the type and amount of Growth points that are gained. In general, the more Growth points accumulated, the more that particular stat will rise. From the beginning, characters also possess a set amount of Growth points in particular stats (likely to prevent the first Level Up from resulting in no stat gains).

If this all sounds too complicated, you can think of it as characters tending to their average stats, with a bit of leeway.

Formula for Growth Points

Growth points = Experience gained x (Unit’s growth rate + Equipped weapon’s alteration + Equipped item’s alteration + Enemy class’s alteration)

Notes: Growth points are rounded to the nearest integer. The maximum amount of Growth points that can be accumulated is 255.

Formula for Stat Rise

Stat rise during a Level Up = Growth points / 100

Note: 100 Growth points are consumed for each stat rise, while Growth points that are not used remain.

Example: Ilyana’s Magic

Ilyana’s Magic growth rate is 50%.

Her starting Magic Growth points is 45.

Say Ilyana kills a Halberdier boss, while she is equipped with Elthunder and a Mage Band. She gains 100 Experience in the process and levels up for the first time.

Halberdier’s class alteration is -5% Magic (also -5% Luck, +5% HP, +5% Def, but we’re only interested in Magic right now).

Elthunder’s weapon alteration is nothing to do with magic so I’ll ignore it.

Mage Band’s item alteration is +10% Magic.

Formula for Growth points:

Growth points = Experience gained x (Unit’s Growth Rate + Equipped weapon’s alteration + Equipped item’s alteration + Enemy class’s alteration) = 100 x (0.50 + (-0.05) +0.10) = 55 Growth points in Magic

However we’re not finished there, because Ilyana starts with 45 Growth points in magic. So now she has 55 + 45 Growth points in Magic, i.e 100.

Formula for stat rise:

Stat rise during a Level Up = Growth points / 100 = 100 / 100 = +1 Magic

100 Growth points are used up for +1 Magic. There is no remainder here, but if there is a remainder then it is carried onto future level ups. Also note that Ilyana’s starting Growth points in Magic have all been used up as well.

Conclusion

If you’re confused, don’t worry. The game doesn’t expect you to calculate when you’ll get a stat rise or anything like that!

All you need to know is that, in this mode, you have the potential to target stat rises depending on your equipped item/weapon and the enemies that you face. Because of this, character stats can turn out slightly differently in the end, contrary to popular belief. However, because the alterations are minor (only about +/- 5%), the characters’ final stats are largely dependent on their original growth rates (usually the highest values). This is why characters seem to reach their average stats in this mode.