How to Win Every Battle in Fire Emblem: Three Houses

26 June 2025

Alright, so you’ve found yourself knee-deep in medieval teen drama, flinging fireballs and flailing lances around at the monastery in Fire Emblem: Three Houses. Maybe you’re just tired of watching your favorite student take a critical hit to the face because you forgot that archer hiding in the bushes.

Look. We’ve all been there. You start out thinking, “This game looks chill,” and suddenly you’re doing more math than you did in high school just to figure out if your Pegasus Knight can survive two enemy phases.

Fear not, tactician! I’ve got your back with this guide that’ll help you win every. single. battle in Fire Emblem: Three Houses. Whether you're playing on Casual mode and just vibin’, or Classic mode where every mistake is PERMANENT (RIP Dedue, we hardly knew ye), this article is your one-stop shop for domination.

Let’s get into it.

Know Thyself (And Thy Students)

Before we even step foot on the battlefield, let’s talk about the most important factor in your army: your students.

Each house (Black Eagles, Blue Lions, or Golden Deer — yeah, I love Claude too) has a cast of quirky, lovable, and sometimes emotionally-traumatized individuals. Your first job? Figure out what your students are good at and lean into that hard.

Strengths and Weaknesses Matter

The game literally tells you what each student is good and bad at. Don’t try to turn your axe-hating mage into a Fortress Knight. You can, but just because you can doesn’t mean you should. That’s like trying to teach your cat to swim.

Instead:
- Focus on their strengths early game.
- Use tutoring and instruction to push those strengths.
- Later on, you can experiment with wild builds (I’m looking at you, Swordmaster Raphael).

Positioning is EVERYTHING

Here’s the cold truth: Fire Emblem battles are like playing chess, except everyone has a tragic backstory and absurd hairstyles.

So what’s the #1 rule of chess? Never let the queen die. In this version — don’t let Dorothea stand between two enemy archers without protection.

The Terrain is Your Best Friend

You know that random patch of forest over there? Yeah, it gives +30 avoid. Always. Use. The. Terrain. Stick your weaker units in forest tiles, and bait enemies into bad positions. It's like leading someone into a trap with the promise of snacks — only the snack is your Knight unit.

The Art of Bait and Smash

This is the classic Fire Emblem dance:
1. Bait an enemy with a tanky unit (looking at you, Dedue).
2. Smash the enemy with your heavy hitters the next turn.

Lure them in like you’re setting up a surprise party—but with more stabbing. Works every time.

Weapon Triangle Is Gone... But Not Really

Yes, yes, Three Houses got rid of the classic rock-paper-scissors Weapon Triangle. But don’t let that fool you — the spirit of the triangle is still alive in combat arts and unit positioning.

Use the Right Units for the Right Enemies

- Got a Knight blocking your path? Bring a Mage or a guy with a hammer the size of a small child.
- Facing a Wyvern Lord? Archers eat those guys for breakfast.
- Annoying swordmaster with high speed? Lance users and magic will take ‘em down.

Think of your army like a toolbox. You wouldn't use a screwdriver to hammer a nail, right? Same logic.

Grind Smart, Not Hard

Look, if you’re spending every Sunday grinding battles and missing out on tea parties, you’re doing it wrong.

Explore the Monastery Wisely

Use your monastery time to:
- Train students in new skills.
- Hit up faculty training to raise your own proficiencies.
- Bond with students for motivation boosts (and yes, sometimes just for the gossip).

Then, on battle days, don’t just auto-battle unless you really need to. You’ll miss out on valuable EXP and weapon skill-ups.

Class Promotions: Plan Ahead or Cry Later

You don’t want to be the fool who hits Level 20 and realizes that your student doesn’t meet the certification requirements for the class you wanted.

Certification Planning Tips:

- Know what class path you want (there are tons of guides, or just use your gut).
- Train those weapon, riding, and flying skills early.
- Keep intermediate seals handy! They run out faster than toilet paper during a zombie apocalypse.

Pro-tip: If you're unsure, just make everyone a Wyvern Lord or a Falcon Knight. They're busted. Like, so busted.

Combat Arts: Murder With Style

Combat Arts are basically your unit saying, “Hey, let me do this real quick in slow motion with dramatic flair.”

Use them.

They're not just flashy, they’re:
- Excellent for finishing off high-HP enemies.
- Weakened versions can chip damage without crit risk.
- Some have big bonuses like effective damage against cavalry or flying units.

Just watch your weapon durability. You don’t want to see your Iron Sword snap mid-duel like a cheap pencil.

Gambits and Battalion Abuse

Ah yes, gambits. It's like when your entire squad does a synchronized dance move — and suddenly the enemy can't move for a turn.

Use Gambits Strategically:

- Surround enemies to break their formation.
- Paralyze monsters so your casters can clean house.
- Buff your squad with rally-style gambits, especially with support battalions.

Bonus: high Authority = stronger gambits. So yeah, that stat’s not just there for decoration.

Monsters: Size Doesn’t Always Matter

These multi-tile beasties are scary until you realize they’re basically Zelda bosses: figure out the weak spot and go to town.

How to Deal With Monsters:

1. Break their armor by attacking glowing tiles.
2. Use gambits to stun them.
3. Watch for their attack pattern and cycle through their HP bars like you’re peeling an onion — a very angry onion.

Take them one bar at a time, keep ranged units at the rear, and don’t panic. You’ve got this.

Supports: Not Just for Shipping

Okay, let’s be honest. You’ve probably watched some Byleth x Edelgard cutscenes more times than you'd care to admit. But supports aren’t just for romance drama — they give battlefield boosts.

The More You Know:

- Higher supports = better Crit, Hit, Avoid, etc. when they’re nearby.
- Build supports through eating, fighting together, tea, etc.
- Pair strong units with complementary weaknesses (tank + healer = match made in heaven).

It’s like having your bestie cheering you on from the sidelines. “You can do it, Sylvain!” proceeds to crit for 78 damage.

Know When to Retreat (a.k.a. Rewind Time)

Rewind is life. Sothis gave you the broken watch of the gods — you better use it.

Divine Pulse = Unlimited Do-Overs

- Missed a 90% hit? Rewind.
- Accidentally moved Bernadetta into a pit of axe-wielding doom? Rewind.
- Just had a bad plan? Rewind that sucker.

You get more pulses as the game goes on, so don’t hoard them like a dragon — use them smartly to fix tactical errors or RNG nonsense.

Final Battle Tips: Endgame Like a Pro

By now, you’ve fielded your dream team and everyone’s sporting shiny master classes. But the final battles in each route are no joke.

Here’s how to crush the endgame:
- Bring a balanced team (don’t go full mage squad unless you want to cry).
- Use reclassing to cover weaknesses (a flying axe tank? Yes please).
- Keep healing staves and physic users ready; they’re more clutch than a phoenix down.

Also, don’t be afraid to turtle. Let the enemies come to you while you chill behind bushes and throw javelins like dodgeballs in gym class.

Bonus Fun: Meme Strats That Actually Work

Want to have some fun breaking the game a little?

- All Wyvern Everything: Literally make every character into a flying murder machine. Fire Emblem: Dragon Edition.
- Annette Attack Squad: Rally Speed + buffs = one-shot monsters. She’s tiny, but mighty.
- Dancer Cheese: Give your dancer to someone busted like Lysithea, and watch her delete enemies twice per turn.

Because winning is great — but winning with style? Even better.

TL;DR: The Secret Sauce

Winning every battle in Fire Emblem: Three Houses isn’t just about raw power. It’s about:
- Knowing your units.
- Using terrain and positioning.
- Planning your builds ahead.
- Abusing supports, gambits, and monster tactics.
- Rewinding time when you screw up — because hey, we all do.

With a little strategy, a sprinkle of caffeine, and a lot of love for your anime students, you’ll go from tactician-in-training to battlefield boss in no time.

Now get out there, Professor — the battlefield awaits.