The Fire Emblem series is known for its complex cast of characters and strategic tactical RPG gameplay. While past entries in the series have included combat mechanics like the weapon triangle and combat arts, Fire Emblem Engage aims to expand upon series' battle mechanics to add more depth to its gameplay by merging the two mechanics. Announced in September of this year, Fire Emblem Engage is the next entry in Nintendo's popular tactics series following up on the success of 2019's Fire Emblem: Three Houses. To help it stand out from predecessors, it was announced that a change to the way combat arts would be implemented in Fire Emblem Engage, bringing a new level of strategy to battles.Combat arts will now factor into the way certain weapons have an advantage or disadvantage over each other. Nintendo has confirmed that arts will now have the advantage over bows, tomes, and knives.The previous few entries in the series played with traditional Fire Emblem combat formula—such as the removal of the weapon triangle and the addition of combat arts. Fire Emblem Engage will see the best of both worlds as the weapon triangle returns along with the new implementation of combat arts.
Fire Emblem's Arts System is a Relatively New Mechanic
The mechanic of combat arts was first introduced to the series with 2017's Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia. As a remake of the classic Fire Emblem Gaiden, Echoes retained some of the minimalist combat design of Gaiden like the lack of the weapon triangle's rock, paper, scissors approach to combat. To add a bit of depth in the gameplay to account for this design, combat arts were added to incentivize players to use different weapons strategically. Arts could be learned by using a particular weapon over time, with most arts tending to give that character an advantage over a specific type of enemy.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses built upon this mechanic by adding the ability for characters to learn new arts outside of combat. Characters were able to learn new arts through mastering a class or by unlocking a Budding Talent through tutoring. Although Three Houses still lacked the weapon triangle, the ability to change characters' classes and learn new weapon arts felt like a natural replacement for the mechanic. This added a level of strategy that forced players to consider a character's aptitude in a particular class—as well as what role needed to be filled on their squad—before investing in learning a combat art.
How Arts Can Shape the Flow of Combat in Fire Emblem Engage
The return of the weapon triangle in Fire Emblem Engage is cause for celebration for fans who have missed this mechanic in previous titles. But the inclusion of arts alongside the weapon triangle opens the door for new strategies as the game seeks to balance these two mechanics that have not previously coexisted. Historically, the weapon triangle sees swords beating axes, axes beating lances, and lances beating swords. Magic has had its own variation of this triangle—which has taken on different forms of which magic type trumps which depending on the game.
The most relevant combat triangle in this discussion is the unit-type triangle. This triangle sees ground units beating archers, archers beating fliers, and fliers beating ground units. The new implementation of combat arts throws a twist into this equation by trumping bows, tomes, and knives. A ground unit could now potentially beat a tome-using flier with an advantageous combat art. It would also be possible for an archer to have the advantage over a ground unit wielding a knife, for example. This shake up to Fire Emblem's combat has the potential to create unique strategies not seen in the series before. Players should look forward to how this new combat system unfolds and what changes it brings to Fire Emblem Engage's gameplay.
Fire Emblem Engage releases on January 20, 2023 for the Nintendo Switch.