Throughout each entry of the Fire Emblem series, the franchise has repeatedly utilized recurring character archetypes. These archetypes are often frequently occurring roles that are filled in the given story of a game, or a type of unit that the series includes in installments time and time again. Since the very first entry in the series, Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light, Navarre's are sword-wielders that are often quite strong who are recruitable early into a given game, frequently joining with a killing edge in their inventory.
However, like every archetype in the series, the quality of Navarres has varried quite a lot from game to game, so today we're going to see which were the best and most useful throughout the series history!
10 Arya
When it comes to combat in Genealogy of the Holy War, Arya is far from one of the worst sword-wielders the game has to offer. With the pursuit, astra, and nihil skills, she'll have no problem holding her own in combat. However, being a myrmidon in Genealogy has an unfortunate drawback. As the game features notoriously massive maps that make having a mount nearly essential, Arya will struggle to keep up with one's mounted units and get into combat when she's needed.
9 Navarre
The namesake of the archetype, Navarre appears in the first entry in the series, its sequel Mystery of the Emblem, and both of these game's respective remakes.
Recruitable quite early into the game and with immediate access to a killing edge, Navarre is able to deal serious damage to foes. Unfortunately, Navarre's base stats and growths aren't anything to write home about and he's plagued by the two most common problems with characters of the archetype: the inability to reliably attack from afar, and low movement.
8 Joshua
The first myrmidon available in Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones, Joshua is a myrmidon with very high speed that comes equipped with a killing edge. With solid growth rates in skill and speed that pair well with his above-average base stats, Joshua is a great unit for taking out key targets in close combat. Unfortunately like Navarre, Joshua's lack of easy access to a 1-2 range weapon hinders his usefulness during the enemy phase.
7 Deen
Deen is a recruitable myrmidon in Celica's route of Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, joining with impressive base stats and a brave sword that allow him to deal serious damage as soon as he becomes available. Additionally, as a myrmidon, Deen is able to promote into one of the strongest classes in the game, the dread fighter.
The only factor really holding Dean back is his lack of availability, as he joins well into Celica's route with much of the game needing to be completed without him.
6 Lon'qu
Lon'qu is the Navarre of Fire Emblem: Awakening, boasting stellar speed and skill growth rates of 75%, and one of the highest strength growths of any Navarre with a 55% growth in the stat. While his base stats leave something to be desired, his starting ability of Avoid +10 greatly helps his survivability. Additionally, as he gains access to the ever-excellent Vantage skill at level 10, he can become quite a servicable unit if given enough experience.
5 Fir
The second recruitable myrmidon in Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade, Fir is actually one of two Navarres in the game. Both she and later entry on this list each both appear initially as enemy units wielding high critical rate weapons that are recruitable in the midst of a chapter. While her availability could be better and she joins quite under-leveled, The Binding Blade's version of the Swordmaster class has the incredible distinction of providing +30% critical chance, making her a solid unit choice.
4 Shiva
Shiva is the Navarre of Fire Emblem: Thracia 776 and is recruitable in the game's seventh chapter. While many other Navarre's suffer from a lack of movement, Thracia 776 notably forces mounted units to unmount for chapters that take place in doors. This provides Shiva with comparably satisfying movement in these chapters, allowing him to serve as a strong combat unit when inside. With solid bases, decent growths, a killing edge, and the Sol skill, there are far worse units a player can use when playing Thracia, especially when player in-door maps.
3 Zihark
Appearing in both Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn, Zihark appears as myrmidon and swordmaster respectively and is a solid unit in both games. While Zihark is a fine myrmidon with decent base stats in Path of Radiance, he really shines in Radiant Dawn. Joining a player's army in part one, immediately upon being recruited Zihark is one of the most reliable units for combat in part one, able to do serious damage with his killing edge while putting his great base stats to good use.
2 Felix
While Fire Emblem: Three Houses technically allows a player to make their units any class they desire, from his personality, to his design, to his expertise with swords, Felix is a Navarre through and through. Felix has phenomenal offensive potential, with great 55% growth rates in both strength and speed, allowing him to hit hard and with frequency. Additionally, Felix's Lone Wolf ability allows him to deal yet even more damage by simply not having a battalion equipped while his major crest of Fraldarius can provide Felix with even more raw damage output.
Available immediately in the Blue Lions house and recruitable in each other route, while Felix does not come with a killing edge like other Navarres, he can uniquely gain access to a Sword of Zoltan if the player progresses his support with Dimitri.
1 Rutger
Though some of the most commonly valued elements of Fire Emblem units are the ability to attack from both near and afar and having high mobility, Rutger is still one of the best units in Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade despite being an unmounted sword-wielder. Toting stellar availability, great combative base stats, and solid growth rates, Rutger greatly benefits from his class. This is because upon promoting into a swordmaster, like Fir, he gains access to a constant +30% critical hit rate allowing him to make short work of countless bosses in the game.