Fire Emblem Awakening: The Ultimate Guide to Best Pairings
Choosing the right pairings in Fire Emblem Awakening is crucial for maximizing your units’ potential and enjoying the full scope of the game’s narrative. The best pairings aren’t just about stat boosts; they also weave compelling stories and unlock powerful children units. There isn’t one single “best” set of pairings as the optimal choices depend on your priorities – maximizing stats, optimizing skills, or crafting specific character stories. However, some pairings consistently stand out due to their powerful offspring and beneficial support conversations. Here’s a comprehensive look at the most effective and popular pairings in Fire Emblem Awakening:
Top-Tier Pairings for Power and Story
Robin (Avatar) and Chrom: The Royal Couple
This pairing is often touted as the best for both story and gameplay. The support conversations between Robin and Chrom are natural and well-developed, leading to a satisfying romance. From a gameplay perspective, this pairing provides Robin with much needed speed from Chrom, and the “Charm” skill from Chrom is a great support ability. Moreover, it solidifies Robin’s role as Queen of Ylisse, enriching the narrative. However, this combination does not create a child unit.
Sumia and Henry: The Unlikely Power Couple
Sumia and Henry create Cynthia, a highly versatile Pegasus Knight. The blend of Sumia’s speed and Henry’s magical prowess and Vengeance skill passes down to Cynthia, making her a formidable and fast unit with great offensive potential. This unexpected pairing is also narratively interesting, as the cheerful Sumia tries to understand the eccentric Henry.
Olivia and Chrom: The Story Weaver
Olivia and Chrom create Lucina and Inigo, both incredibly powerful units. Lucina benefits from Chrom’s strong physical stats and will be able to gain some speed as well. Inigo receives the power Luna from Olivia. This pairing is excellent for those seeking strong, versatile children with a focus on physical damage and speed. This is also a significant pairing for the storyline, establishing Lucina’s identity and her relationship with Chrom.
Tharja and Gaius: The Dark Duo
Tharja and Gaius produce Noire, a potent mage with a dark edge. Noire inherits both magic and speed, becoming a devastating offensive unit that pairs well with Gaius’s speed. The pair’s contrasting personalities also make their support conversations compelling, highlighting their complexity.
Maribelle and Lon’qu: The Unexpected Connection
Maribelle and Lon’qu yield Brady, a powerful magic unit with a unique set of skills. Brady gains an improved magical ability from his mother and the “Astra” skill from his father, creating a powerful hybrid unit. Their support story is intriguing as they both struggle with their own emotional shortcomings.
Cherche and Frederick: The Steady Force
Cherche and Frederick are a great match, resulting in Gerome, a powerful wyvern rider. Gerome inherits the solid stats from both parents creating an incredibly strong physical unit that is a great frontliner. The relationship between Cherche and Frederick is built on care and understanding, leading to a heartwarming support story. Additionally, this pairing helps to explain how Lucina obtains her mask.
Panne and Stahl: The Beastly Union
Panne and Stahl’s pairing results in Yarne, a Taguel with impressive combat potential. Yarne inherits strength and a few other useful skills from his parents. Their support conversations are very intriguing as it revolves around the unusual dynamic between the two.
Sully and Donnel: The Stalwart Pair
Sully and Donnel produce Kjelle, a powerful, heavily armored unit with a strong focus on physical defense. Kjelle’s skills make her a reliable unit with good HP. This pairing focuses on passing down survivability and physical strength to Kjelle, as well as showcasing the characters’ growth.
FAQ: Expanding on the Best Pairings in Fire Emblem Awakening
1. What is the most popular Robin pairing in Fire Emblem Awakening?
The most popular pairing for Robin is Chrom. It offers a strong storyline and benefits the overall narrative as Robin becomes the queen of Ylisse. The pairing also provides some great statistical benefits for Robin. Many players also enjoy pairing Robin with Lucina.
2. Is it better to marry Olivia to Chrom or someone else?
If you’re prioritizing powerful child units, Olivia to Chrom is often considered the best choice. This pairing yields both Lucina and Inigo, two of the most potent children units in the game. However, Olivia can also benefit other potential partners if you want variety and other skills on children.
3. Who is the best partner for Gaius?
Many players consider Tharja to be the best partner for Gaius, as they produce the powerful magic user Noire. The pair pass down some useful skills, as well as giving players an interesting support conversation to follow.
4. Why are the children units so important in Fire Emblem Awakening?
Children units are vital as they inherit stats and skills from their parents. This inheritance can lead to extremely powerful units, making them critical for tackling the late game challenges in Fire Emblem Awakening.
5. How do support conversations influence gameplay?
Support conversations enhance character development and contribute to the narrative of the game. Moreover, gaining support levels between characters offers in-game bonuses, such as combat stats, making partnerships even more effective.
6. Can any character marry any other character?
While the game offers many options, certain characters have specific pairing limitations. Most pairings between first-generation characters are possible, but children units can only marry other children or Robin/Avatar.
7. What is the impact of passing down skills in Fire Emblem Awakening?
Passing down skills from parents to children is a core aspect of strategic planning. Key skills like Galeforce, Vengeance, and Luna significantly enhance children’s battle capabilities.
8. Is there a “perfect” Robin build?
There is no single “perfect” Robin build as the best class and skills depend on playstyle. However, pairings like Robin and Chrom tend to produce a powerful, well-rounded unit.
9. Who should I pair Lucina with for best gameplay?
Lucina can perform well with many different husbands but the best partner for her is typically a Male Avatar/Robin because her child will gain benefits from both characters. She also does well with a Male Morgan as well since she gets an additional power from the marriage.
10. How do I ensure Chrom marries Olivia?
To get Chrom to marry Olivia, ensure that he does not achieve a high enough support level with Sully, Sumia, or Maribelle. Prioritizing conversations with Olivia will improve the pairing and increase the chances of marriage.
11. What are some overlooked but strong pairings in Fire Emblem Awakening?
Gregor and Miriel are often overlooked, but they produce Laurent, a formidable mage with access to powerful skills. Similarly, Ricken and Lissa give Owain a strong magical boost.
12. Why do some pairings have better storyline potential than others?
Certain pairings such as Chrom/Olivia, or Robin/Chrom have more established narrative arcs, leading to compelling support conversations and a better understanding of the characters’ motivations and relationships.
13. What is the importance of “Galeforce” skill in pairings?
Galeforce is one of the most sought-after skills in the game because it grants an extra turn upon killing an enemy. Passing Galeforce down to children units through specific pairings is crucial for maximizing battle potential and controlling the battlefield.
14. How does the Avatar’s gender affect pairings?
The Avatar’s gender opens up certain romantic pairings and also influences which skills and stats are passed down to children characters. A female Avatar can pass down Galeforce to male children and vice versa.
15. Are there any pairings that are considered “bad”?
Pairings that result in characters with significantly lower stats or irrelevant skill sets could be considered unfavorable. Poor pairings can also result in sub-par or disappointing support conversations. It’s all up to the player’s priorities for characters.
Ultimately, the best pairings in Fire Emblem Awakening depend on your preferences, strategic goals, and desire for compelling storylines. Experiment with different pairings to find what works best for you and enjoy the unique outcomes each pairing offers.