Fire Emblem: Thracia 776 Game Mechanics

So, you're going to start playing Fire Emblem: Thracia 776, or Fire Emblem 5. Thracia 776 has quite some unique features to the series. Often regarded as the hardest Fire Emblem to date, if you are getting ready to start the game then read up and understand the way the game works so you don't get confused.

=Movement stars=

The first unique system to be used in FE5 is Movement stars. Each unit has a specifically assigned amount of Movement stars, ranging from zero to five. You can view the stars each unit has by moving down when viewing their information page; it is the third one down underneath personal information. For each movement star a unit has, the unit has a 5% chance of moving again. When a unit moves again, a music note will appear over their head and you can do what you would like with them. Make sure you make a team of units with high movement stars so they can move again!

=Fatigue System=

The only game to feature the fatigue series, Fire Emblem: Thracia 776 has a system that protects you from using one unit too much. Following Chapter 8, all units with the exception of Leaf will gain a fatigue bar. This can be viewed by viewing the second page of a unit's information; it is the second icon from the bottom under personal information. When a unit enters battle, heals someone, or pretty much does anything but move, they will gain points on their fatigue bar. When a unit's fatigue bar passes their HP, the unit cannot participate in the next chapter. When a unit does not participate in a chapter, their fatigue bar is reset to 0. Items you obtain during the game called S-Drinks have the ability to allow a unit to participate once again. Simply make the fatigued unit hold an S-Drink in their inventory and then select them on the battle preparation screen. The units bar will reset to 0, but the S-Drink will be lost. You are only given a certain amount of S-Drinks in the game, so make them count!

=Capture System=

The only game to feature the capture system, as you progress through Fire Emblem: Thracia 776, the weapons your units use will have their durability decrease. However, unlike other Fire Emblem games, you are given almost no cash at all in the game. You can either earn money selling weapons or using the arena. This leaves you with one option: Capture. When you see a weakened enemy that you can almost kill, select the Capture option (Second down from attack) and engage the enemy. All of your unit's stats will be cut in half, but if the capture is successful, you've taken the enemy hostage. On your next turn (or if you swap the captured enemy using the help of another ally) you can trade with the captured unit and take anything they are holding. This is the primary way to obtain items in FE5. Beware, as when a unit is holding another unit, all of their stats are decreased by half! Also take note that enemy units can capture your units too! Capture them back to save the unit they took and get that unit's items back.

=Leadership Stars=

Yet another unique feature to Thracia 776, Leadership stars are shown under personal information as well. The second one down under personal information, the amount of leadership stars affect the bonuses given. Small amounts of avoid and hit are added to all units on the side of the one with the leadership stars. Certain units other then Leaf have leadership stars; examples of this are Eyvel and Glade. The amount of leadership stars Leaf has depends on the point of the story you are on.

=Status Conditions=

Status conditions have been throughout all of the Fire emblem games to date. However, Thracia 776 is the only one to feature permanent status conditions. When a unit is inflicted with a status condition, it lasts until the end of the chapter. When a unit is put to sleep, all of their stats except build, luck, and HP are reduced to zero. Easy capture target! :O! Poison lasts until the end of the chapter, so if you're not careful and one of your units is weak and poisoned, they can die. Trust me, it happens. Silence blocks the user from using any magic tomes or staves, making your magical attackers virtually defenseless. Berserk is only more deadly in this game, as you have your unit against you the whole chapter! Restore staves are given throughout the game, and they are the only thing that cure it. I recommend you hold onto them until you face enemies that use the Berserk or Sleep staves. 

==Promotion==

Throughout the series, Fire Emblem has given you the opportunity to raise your units and make them grow stronger. Thracia 776 is no different. When a unit reaches level 10, a new option becomes available to it. The unit can promote to become stronger. Upon promotion, the unit will gain certain stat boosts, and can become even stronger! You can wait till level 20 before a unit stops gaining experience and must promote. Due to the low cap system in Thracia 776, early promotion is not as big of a problem as in other games. The promotion item for all units in this game is the Knight Proof.

=Counter Critical Rates=

In Fire Emblem: Thracia 776, each unit has a hidden rate called the Counter critical rate. Each unit has a rate from 0 to 5. On a return attack, the critical rate of the unit is multiplied by this number. This can be very helpful. For example, Leaf has a counter critical rate of 2. On a return attack, his critical is multiplied by 2. If you combine units with a counter critical rate of 5 with Wrath and something such as a Killing Edge, stand back and watch the fireworks go off!

=Supports=

In Fire Emblem Thracia 776, supports are slightly different then the later games. In it, each unit receives certain bonuses from other units, typically in the form of a 10% avoid and hit. There is no building up supports; they are set from the start, and you must be within a few squares of the unit to receive the bonus.

=Weapon notes=

The weapon triangle is also implemented in FE5. It is very similar to later games; the Sword beats the Axe which beats the lance. For the magic triangle, Wind beats Thunder which beats Fire which beats Wind. Take note both Light AND Dark beat Anima. However, the effects of a triangle bonus are very small; only a 5% hit and evade added or subtracted. Take note that your hit can never be 100 and can never be 0.