Musou-style spinoff Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes, which combines the tactical strategy gameplay of the Fire Emblem series with the epic 1-vs-100 combat of Dynasty Warriors, offers its players not one, not two, but three fully distinct routes to choose from. Early in the game, players will be asked to side with one of the three houses first introduced in the 2019 main series title Fire Emblem: Three Houses – the Black Eagles led by Edelgard von Hresvelg, the Blue Lions led by Dimitri Alexander Blaiddyd, and the Golden Deer led by Claude von Riegan. Each house’s story will take you down a different route; you can fight the Church with the Adrestian Empire on the Scarlet Blaze route, uncover an ancient corruption alongside the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus on the Azure Gleam route, or fend off an invading Almyran army that threatens the borders of the Leicester Alliance on the Golden Wildfire route.
As with Three Houses before it, each route of Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes features a distinct set of playable characters, primarily hailing from the region you have chosen to support. However, other characters from the two routes you did not select can sometimes be swayed to join your cause. Typically, characters can be recruited by employing the “Persuade [character’s name]” strategy when you meet them in battle. Some characters may have additional requirements above and beyond simply using the right strategy at the right time.
Below is a chapter-by-chapter list of every character able to be recruited on the Golden Wildfire route, where Claude is faced with enemies on two fronts as Almyra invades just as a war begins brewing in Fodlan.
Chapter 1
Shez, the game’s protagonist, is automatically available to play on all routes beginning with the prologue. Claude von Riegan becomes playable in Chapter 1 before the player chooses a house. Some members of the Golden Deer appear as NPCs in early chapters prior to the game’s two-year time skip. Notably, although this is the only route on which Jeritza von Hrym cannot be recruited, he still appears as an NPC in Chapter 2.
Chapter 3
Hilda Valentine Goneril, Lorenz Hellman Gloucester, Marianne von Edmund, Lysithea von Ordelia, Ignatz Victor, Raphael Kirsten, and Leonie Pinelli are available as playable characters beginning in Chapter 3 of the Golden Wildfire route. Additionally, Holst Sigiswald Goneril appears as an NPC in this chapter, but does not become playable until several chapters later.
Chapter 4
Shamir Nevrand, a mercenary formerly associated with the Church of Seiros, joins the Leicester Alliance forces as a playable character during Chapter 4 of the Golden Wildfire route.
Linhardt von Hevring from the Black Eagle house can be recruited by using the “Persuade Linhardt” strategy in the final battle of Chapter 4.
Chapter 5
Holst Sigiswald Goneril is officially added to the roster as a playable character in Chapter 5, after having previously appeared only as an NPC.
Balthus von Albrecht of the Ashen Wolves house requires the use of the “Persuade Balthus” strategy during Chapter 5’s main battle. Players should note that Balthus still requires this strategy even though he was born in the Leicester Alliance and is technically still a member.
Chapter 6
Bernadetta von Varley may be a member of the Black Eagles house, but she can be swayed to the side of the Golden Deer by using the “Persuade Bernadetta” strategy in Chapter 6 of the Golden Wildfire route.
Chapter 7
Yet another member of the Black Eagles house, the Brigid princess Petra Macneary can be added to your roster if the “Persuade Petra” strategy is used during the final battle of Chapter 7 of the Golden Wildfire route.
Chapter 9
Two more members of the Ashen Wolves, Constance von Nuvelle and Hapi, can be made your allies in Chapter 9 by using the “Persuade Constance” and “Persuade Hapi” strategies respectively. You may wish to complete side quests for additional Strategy Resources to ensure that you have enough to recruit both at once.
Chapter 10
Yuri Leclerc becomes the final member of the Ashen Wolves to switch sides if the “Persuade Yuri” strategy is used during Chapter 10 of the Golden Wildfire route.
Also recruitable during this chapter are Byleth Eisner, a mercenary called the Ashen Demon, and their father Jeralt Reus Eisner. However, recruiting this powerful pair will require a few additional steps. First, you must successfully complete the “Escort Claude” mid-battle mission to ensure that your house leader survives the battle safely. Then, you must ignore and not accept the “Face and Defeat Byleth” side mission that will pop up. Finally, you must find and defeat the enemy commander Fleche before Byleth can get to her and protect her. If these steps are carried out successfully, both Byleth and Jeralt will join your army as playable characters at the conclusion of the battle.
Keep in mind that choosing to spare Byleth and Jeralt (and thus recruit them) will result in a different ending than the one achieved by accepting the side mission and defeating Byleth in battle, so players may wish to save and play Chapter 10 and other later chapters multiple times to see both endings.
Chapter 11
Ashe Ubert is the only member of the Blue Lions house who can be successfully recruited on the Golden Wildfire route. This commoner from the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus is useful to recruit because he comes with the innate skill Locktouch, allowing him to open treasure chests without needing keys. He can be recruited by utilizing the “Persuade Ashe” strategy during Chapter 11 of the game.
Chapter 12
The final recruit for the Golden Wildfire route is yet another Black Eagle, this time the former songstress Dorothea Arnault. She is one of the most difficult units to recruit, as simply using the “Persuade Dorothea” strategy is not enough. Once the strategy is carried out, you will need to successfully escort Dorothea to safety. However, she is poisoned at this time and will be weaker than usual and have low health, so it is important to keep her health up until the end of the map. If Dorothea falls in battle, she will not join your roster as a playable character.
This is every playable character available on the Golden Wildfire route in Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes. Aside from Ashe, the rest of the Blue Lion house cannot be recruited. This includes Dimitri Alexander Blaiddyd, Dedue Molinaro, Felix Hugo Fraldarius, Rodrigue Achille Fraldarius, Sylvain Jose Gautier, Ingrid Brandl Galatea, Annette Fantine Dominic, and Mercedes von Martritz. Unrecruitable characters from the Black Eagles house include Edelgard von Hresvelg, Hubert von Vestra, Ferdinand von Aegir, Caspar von Bergliez, Monica von Ochs, and former teachers Jeritza von Hrym and Manuela Casagranda. Finally, the Church of Seiros-affiliated characters Flayn, Seteth, and Catherine cannot be recruited on this route.
Who is your favorite character that is playable on the Golden Wildfire route of Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes? Who did you let fall, and who did you successfully recruit into your party? Which units did you use the most frequently in battle? Comment below and let us know!
