Which Flame Lord Path to Start
Start with Cai unless you already know you want Theodora's politics, Dietrich's combat and lore, or Leda's troupe. You pick at the Obelisk Chamber after the prologue, and each path is a separate timeline.
Core answer: pick Cai (Fox Obelisk) first for the smoothest opening. The first path is the longest and teaches the game; later paths get faster because Boons, map unlocks, and some quest progress carry over after you finish a route.
Decide in This Order
Balanced opening party (Cai mounted, Tialla support magic, Peter archer, Ultand attack magic), faster Renown from side work, plus beast taming and farm plots. Use taming and farming when they appear - that is his path identity and it pays in mounts and money.
The most traditional Fire Emblem story and the one that hits hardest. Battalions and gambits are her unique kit. Part 2 (War) is essentially her war even if you bring another lord. Some starters here wished they had Cai's Renown and Boons first.
Strongest personal combat, combat-art farming by killing, Answerer world-map fights, richest recruiting, every Paralogue visible. Also the path players warn about opening on if you hate a steep first combat curve. Save him for when the game has clicked.
Dancer/troupe path with tavern performances for intel and drinks (stat tonics). Best starting team according to players who cleared all four, weaker personal trigger on her own arts. Least main-plot, most character-focused.
1What to Do in the First Session (Any Lord)
- 1Finish the two prologue maps.
Do not walk out the Door of Destiny in the Obelisk Chamber. That skips to Part 3 with Eshmel, Hong Hua, and Troy only. Players who tried it got crushed and spoiled. Retreat if you already opened it.
- 2Pick one obelisk and play it as a full campaign.
Finish Part 1 on that lord before you hop. World-map and dungeon progress plus non-unique sidequests only carry after a finished route - hopping early means redoing exploration four times.
- 3Spend Karma Shards on Boons of Salvation.
Buy them at the Shrine of Causality from Notable Deeds, especially XP boosts, before starting path two. Boons are global. The first Part 1 is ~20 hours; later ones shrink once XP Boons are on.
- 4Recruit with one gift, then raise bonds at meals.
Requirements differ per lord (Peppe will not join Leda, for example). The same character recruited on two paths later merges best stats, classes, and weapon ranks for Part 3.
- 5Check ranges before a Blaze Art.
They cost HP. Have a healer or an escape tile ready.
Decision Points
| You care most about | First path | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Learning the game, Renown, mounts | Cai | Easiest ramp, fastest recruit economy |
| Story and Part 2 context | Theodora | Politics, battalions, she is the War arc center |
| Combat and Fodlan leftovers | Dietrich | Arts, Answerer, lore - harder open |
| Support play, revenge hook, roster | Leda | Troupe, drinks, personal plot |
| Seeing everything once, efficiently | Finish one Part 1, then the other three, then one Part 2 and skip the rest | |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Starting Dietrich because he looks cool, then bouncing because the first stretch is combat-heavy.
- Playing all four in parallel chapter-by-chapter. You lose the finish-a-route carryover.
- Walking out the chamber door "just to see." It jumps to Part 3 unprepared.
- Treating Renown and Boons as optional on path one. Path two is where that investment shows.
- Assuming a recruit from Cai auto-joins Dietrich. Requirements change; some units refuse a given lord.
- Saving Theodora for last if you care about Part 2 story - she is the through-line there even when she is not your POV.