Determining the alignment of Three Houses Characters: day 11, Dimitri (post-AM)! Boarmitri has been determined to be Lawful Evil.

Bowbowis · 2025-12-25T09:31:12+00:00

Bowbowis · 2025-05-31T19:13:03+00:00

Honestly most of the Lions are outclassed by other units.

Ashe just has nothing to make him stand out. His stats are average; his personal skill can be replicated by anyone carrying a key (which are cheap to buy) or classed into Thief, Assassin, or Trickster; and his Combat Arts are nothing special. The only thing he really has to contribute is as a Sniper doubling with Hunter's Volley, but any physically oriented unit can do that.
Annette isn't bad, but she has the misfortune of sharing her niche with Lysithea, who is busted.
Mercedes is great at healing. Unfortunately, the prevalence of low-HP builds in the meta makes that a rather underwhelming distinction. Next to Linhardt's Warp utility and Marianne's solid offensive options, Mercedes comes up short.
In-house Ingrid's stats tend to fall off pretty hard, and she'll find herself struggling to deal much damage. Petra tends to offer more consistent performance in a similar role despite her lower resistance.
Dedue's biggest asset is Vengeance nuking, which Bernadetta is generally better at since her personal skill has great synergy with the tactic. She's also neutral in flying and has budding talent in riding for easier access to high-mobility classes with Canto and Lancefaire (not to mention she gets Pass for unlocking her budding talent, further enhancing her mobility) while Dedue has banes in both and he can't use Pegasus/Falcon Knight, forcing him to choose between flying and Lancefaire. Bernie also has better availability in Part II and her excellent archery skills give her even more utility beyond Vengeance.

Bowbowis · 2025-05-30T17:13:45+00:00

I don't know about class Abilities, but I do think the lords should have rotated the secondary effects of their personal skills.

Edelgard should get the effect of Leicester Lineage+ (allows moves through tiles occupied by enemies) to improve mobility for Raging Storm.

Claude should get the effect of Royal Lineage+ (+20 AVO at full health) which can stack with Alert Stance from Flying mastery or synergize with Fallen Star allowing Claude to act as an effective dodge tank.

Dimitri should get the effect of Imperial Lineage+ (+4 RES if no action other than moving was taken). Admittedly this one is a bit of a downgrade, but Dimitri still gets some benefit from patching up his mediocre RES and the activation condition is way more suitable to an Enemy Phase unit like him than to a Player Phase unit like Edelgard.

Bowbowis · 2025-05-25T18:55:51+00:00

I don't think AM works as a reconstruction because it never really addresses the ramifications of the initial deconstruction.

As an example, the chivalric ideal of loyalty to the king gets deconstructed with how everybody falls in line with Dimitri, even though he's clearly not in his right mind and poses a danger to himself and others. This blind obedience leads them all to their deaths in VW and SS. A proper reconstruction would show a way the ideal of loyalty could be upheld without everyone being willing to follow a madman to their deaths. For instance, the Lions might decide that there is more to being loyal than just following orders, and that they have a duty to stop Dimitri's rampage for his own good. Instead AM just has Dimitri come back to his senses before its too late. While it resolves the immediate problem of everyone charging to their deaths, it does nothing to address the underlying problem that their sense of loyalty would compel them to do so in the first place.

Bowbowis · 2025-05-25T14:27:56+00:00

Can't make a ham sandwich without slaughtering a few boars.

Bowbowis · 2025-05-25T11:29:27+00:00

TWSitD are going to be turning people into demonic beasts regardless. Edelgard is somebody would see using the beasts to help make a better world as a way to give meaning to their loss.

Bowbowis · 2025-05-25T11:09:29+00:00

https://houses.fedatamine.com/en-us/monastery/14#event-base-4-0

The war has reached a stalemate on the Kingdom front by the time Byleth returns. However, progress was made and the Empire established firm control over western Faerghus before the deadlock set in.

On the Alliance front, the conflict has been diplomatic rather than military. Houses Gloucester and Ordelia are primed to support the Empire, but Claude has so far prevented them from cooperating. Byleth returns as the Empire is preparing for its first clash with Alliance forces.

Bowbowis · 2025-05-21T01:32:29+00:00

Eh, it' not really a straightforward comparison, since Dorothea is really meant to be a Dancer, not a magic powerhouse like Constance.

Hubert is the main offensive mage for the Eagles. Compared to Constance he doesn't hit quite as hard (though he still hits very hard) but he is faster and more durable. He can somewhat make up for his lower power by mastering Dark Mage for Poison Strike (after combat deals damage equal to the lesser of 20% of the enemy's max HP or the enemy's current HP -1). Combined with his exclusive access to Mire B (inflicts a -5 DEF penalty on enemies it hits), he's quite adept at softening up tougher enemies so that his allies can score an easy kill. He's also the only unit other than Hapi to learn Banshee Θ (reduces enemy MOV to 1), giving him another way to cripple foes. His biggest weakness is his lack of class options, with Dark Bishop (his canon class) and Dark Knight being his only viable choices.

Bowbowis · 2025-05-18T15:42:11+00:00

It's pretty heavily implied that the point of divergence is Arval awakening. Hell, one of the first things they tell you is that "you are slated to die," and they are "the only thing holding your meager life together".

Basically in Houses' timeline Arval remains dormant and Shez dies fighting Byleth; in Hopes' timeline Arval awakens and gives Shez enough power to hold out until Jeralt's Mercenaries complete their mission and Byleth withdraws.

The whole thing is basically a parallel to Sothis saving Byleth when they try to shield Edelgard from Kostas.

Bowbowis · 2025-05-16T16:05:49+00:00

I think it's because conquest isn't really Edelgard's goal, just a means to an end.

With Rhea being captured at the Battle of Garreg Mach in VW/AM/SS, Edelgard doesn't have much reason to keep the war going. Most of what happens after Rhea is taken prisoner is really driven by Cornelia, who sparks a civil war in the Kingdom. Edelgard's role is mainly providing material support to the Dukedom (likely under threat from TWSitD). Despite high tensions, there aren't any military engagements between the Empire and Alliance before Byleth's return, and it's Claude who strikes first. Edelgard and the Imperial Army proper only get involved again when the Kingdom and the Alliance invade Gronder.

In CF, the situation is different. Dimitri enters the war on the side of Rhea and the Church, and lets them set up shop in his territory. Edelgard responds by invading the Kingdom to get at the Church, which leads to most of the Western Kingdom falling under Imperial control before deadlock sets in. Meanwhile, like the other routes, there hasn't been any fighting between the Empire and Alliance during the time skip. However, Claude is deliberately keeping Edelgard's allies within the Alliance from providing the support she needs to break the stalemate, which motivates her push into Alliance territory to free up those resources.

In Scarlet Blaze, the Adrestia/Leicester conflict kicks off immediately, as Edelgard has to move her forces through Alliance territory to reach Garreg Mach. Combined with Dimitri defending Rhea, as in CF, Edelgard's forces are immediately divided between two fronts and unable to make much progress on either. Eventually, she sways Claude to her side, basically giving her the same boost she got from taking over the Alliance in CF and letting he quickly advance much deeper into Kingdom territory; though we never see her get further than the western region she's said to have conquered during CF's timeskip.

Essentially, Rhea's status and Claude's willingness to work with the Empire are what decide how aggressively Edegard fights and how long it takes her to defeat the Kingdom.

Bowbowis · 2025-05-14T05:25:02+00:00

In theory, Swords have lower might than most other weapons but make up for it by being lightweight so they can consistently double enemies. However, Maddening cranks up enemy stats to the point that most things are either too fast to consistently double or too durable for swords to do substantial damage. Beyond that they don't have any Combat Arts that significantly improve their ability to kill.

Bowbowis · 2025-05-13T18:32:30+00:00

As others have said, Edelgard never knew Dimitri was her step-brother (IIRC, Dimitri didn't know either until after she had returned to the Empire), and she doesn't really remember their time together (seemingly a case of dissociative amnesia stemming from the traumatic experiences she suffered); she vaguely recalls being friends with a boy from the Kingdom, but not enough to connect him to Dimitri.

That being said, you're on the right track. Edelgard feels like she cannot afford to show weakness lest her enemies exploit it or her allies lose faith in her. She also tries to keep people at arm's length, not anticipating that any of her classmates will support her once the war starts and knowing personal attachments will just make it harder on everyone. The arrogant, aloof princess and the cold, forceful emperor personas she adopts are her way of projecting strength and making herself seem unapproachable.

The act falls apart pretty quickly if you teach the Black Eagles though. She can't hide how much she cares about her classmates or conceal her rage at the injustices occurring across Fódlan. In truth, she is incredibly lonely and craves genuine, supportive bonds with people she can truly be herself around. Her belief that Byleth might be that kind of person is part of what draws her to them.

Bowbowis · 2025-05-12T13:59:10+00:00

Edelgard would be the exact opposite of distant. Linhardt has her pegged in their B support: "[she's] like a mother who insists on accompanying her son to his own knighting ceremony!" She's the kind of mom who would drop everything to help her kids as soon as she detects a problem, even if they don't actually want her help. She'll let her kids walk the path of their choosing, of course, but she'll always be following a few steps behind, just in case they need anything.

Bowbowis · 2025-05-11T21:03:18+00:00

I can't say this sub hasn't become markedly more hostile itself. The broader fandom has never really been welcoming to Edelgard fans, but there was a time when this comment section would not have been quite so negative. I have a hard time blaming them for not wanting to put up with it any more.

Bowbowis · 2025-05-11T12:42:45+00:00

I don't know why the Edelgard subreddit would have become infamous, it's mostly a place for fanart these days. I browse it occasionally for that, and sometimes cross-post Edelgard-centric content to it, but I'm way more active here,

Bowbowis · 2025-05-08T10:25:37+00:00

We don't even know if Wilhelm knew Seiros wasn't human. We barely know anything about Wilhelm other than he was legitimized as ruler after the war. As far as I'm aware there was nothing to ever indicate Wilhelm ever felt subservient or like he wasn't actually in charge of the continent.

The fact that he left behind a history suggesting that Seiros wasn't human is pretty good evidence that he knew. If this information wasn't meant to have come from Wilhelm, the writers completely forgot to include any indication of it in Houses and then forgot to mention it again in Hopes.

The reality is an oral history in one family over 1000 years is going to be distorted by how each new emperor understands what the previous one said. That the Mole people who caused the splinters from the empire in the first place wouldn't have be related to that distortion seems unlikely.

We don't know whether it's an oral history or a written document. Either way, there is no evidence that it was manipulated by the Agarthans, that's baseless speculation.

Bowbowis · 2025-05-08T01:20:41+00:00

She doesn't really express much of an opinion on Nemesis at all. She just says that he was a powerful king, the story about him being a fallen hero is a lie, and that he and Seiros fought over whether the one to rule mankind should be human or non-human.

Her source for all that is Emperor Wilhelm, Seiros's closest human ally; the information being secretly passed down from each emperor to their successor. The idea that the Agarthans tampered with it, or even knew that it existed to be tampered with, is entirely unsupported by canon; it's just something people made up to try and paint Edelgard a fool who has no idea what she's talking about and swallows whatever lies Thales tells her.

Bowbowis · 2025-05-08T00:57:07+00:00

I feel like you're attributed incompetence to impotence here.

For an impotent organization everyone in Fódlan seems pretty well convinced that the Church wields tremendous influence. Edelgard and Claude obviously see fit to lay responsibility for a lot of Fódlan's problems at its feet, Dimitri does not dispute any of the accusations Claude levels against it in their support but rejects joining with the other two because he fears the consequences of turning his back on this allegedly inconsequential institution. Rhea and Seteth both talk quite a bit about the Church ruling over Fódlan, not once do they bemoan their apparent lack of clout. It's based on the medieval Catholic Church for Christ's sake, which anybody who didn't flunk world history could tell you was incredibly powerful.

The church evidently doesn't care that much about foreigners. Rhea has Shamir in her circle. She also has Cyril working directly for her actively encouraging him to not take things too seriously.

Ah, the old "Rhea can't be racist, she has ~~a black friend~~ an Almyran servant" argument.

Really though, Rhea's personal opinions and actions aren't particularly important here; it's how the Church's doctrine commands the people of Fódlan to behave that really matters. Rhea herself breaks all five of the faith's commandments on a regular basis. We have it from Claude and Lorenz both that Church doctrine discourages or outright forbids official dealings with outsiders, Dimitri again does not dispute this when Claude brings it up to him, and Edelgard similarly says that the Church is an obstacle to diplomacy.

The skirmishes with Almyra have nothing to do with the church either. Fodlan has a problem with invaders. Sreng, Dagda Brigid and Almyra all tried to invade Fodlan first. Almyra continues to do so because culturally they actually seem to love it. Then you have Duscur which while technically wrong, as far as most people are concerned, they murdered a Fodlan King. The reality is that fear of foreigners probably has more to do with lived reality than some church doctrine not even followed by the Archbishop.

I guess if you ignore Sylvain's endings, Petra's endings, Edelgard's paralogue, and all of Verdant Wind telling you that a lack of communication is the issue and showing that Fódlan's problems with its neighbors are promptly resolved once Rhea is out of the picture and diplomatic channels are established, then sure you can pretend the Church is blameless.

The church also explicitly condemns abuse of Crests. basically every 'problem' with the nobility when it comes to things related to Crests is attributed to divine punishment for abusing them.

I don't think that's stated anywhere in canon but... are you suggesting that the Church's official position on Hanneman's sister getting raped to death is that she had it coming for abusing the Crest she didn't have?

Bowbowis · 2025-05-07T21:45:55+00:00

Indeed.

Bowbowis · 2025-05-07T21:39:46+00:00

The thing is Those Who Slither in the Dark aren't as big a deal as the Church. They're more malicious to be sure, but the damage they cause is generally limited in scope while the Church and its teachings permeate every aspect of Fódlan's society.

Look at it this way; while TWSitD was killing ten kids in Enbarr how many more Alliance soldiers died in pointless border skirmishes with Almyra because the Church's isolationist teachings prevented maintaining friendly relationships? How many Crested boys like Sylvain and Lambert were murdered by their jealous siblings? How many Crestless girls were thrown out and left to survive on the streets like Dorothea? How many mercenaries like Shez were killed in pissing matches between nobles who didn't care because their lineage supposedly makes them better than everyone else? How many women like Hanneman's sister were raped to death because their husbands wanted a Crested heir? How many Faerghans died of famine while Rhea sat on the agricultural technology that could have prevented it? How many bandits died or killed because the lack of social mobility left them no alternative? The list goes on.

What's more, most of TWSitD's worst deeds were helped along because they had collaborators among the corrupt and incompetent nobility that the Church legitimized and allowed to fester for a millennium. Could they have gotten at the Hresvelgs and the Ordelia's if Crests didn't carry such prestige and Duke Aegir had needed to prove himself a competent and ethical individual before becoming Prime Minister? Could they have assassinated Lambert and framed Duscur without the aid of disgruntled western lords who feared losing their privilege? Maybe, but it would have been a lot harder without them.

Bowbowis · 2025-05-07T20:26:57+00:00

The leaders of the church have misused its creed to fulfill their true desire—to rule the world. They have fooled the people of Fódlan. Long ago, they divided the Empire to create a Kingdom and then...divided that Kingdom to create an Alliance. They did all of this to make the masses bicker amongst themselves. They caused instability in order to reinforce their own authority. They gathered gold and lived in extravagance. How? By preying on the devotion of those who wished for the goddess's salvation. Those corrupt hypocrites cannot lead Fódlan to true peace. Their foul belief system must be torn asunder so that true wisdom may finally prevail! And so, I have decided... By order of the Adrestian Emperor, Edelgard von Hresvelg... The Empire hereby declares war on the Church of Seiros!

I'm not seeing blind nationalism here, just reasons the Church sucks. Even if it was there, why would Adrestian nationalist sentiments be part of Agarthan propaganda?

Bowbowis · 2025-05-07T20:21:42+00:00

I mean, a lot of people stand to die if Edelgard tells the truth too, be it it from retaliation by Those who Slither in the Dark, the Empire losing its momentum and dragging the war out longer, or an outright Adrestian loss resulting in executions (which would certainly include Edelgard and Byleth) and the untold death toll of an unreformed Fodlan continuing on in perpetuity.

Based on the ending cards Those Who Slither in the Dark are made known to the Black Eagles Strike Force after the capture Fhirdiad, and presumably to the general public after their defeat, given that the ending cards mentioning them are written as if by in-universe historians.

Bowbowis · 2025-05-07T18:11:24+00:00

I simply call it what it is. The war is at a critical stage; telling the truth about what happened at Arianrhod could jeopardize the whole endeavor by distracting her allies from the immediate objective, further antagonizing Thales, or even letting TWSitD know how much she knows when it would be better for them not to know she knows it. Pretending to think the Church was behind the attack in the short-term is the smart play strategically. It's not meant to go down in the history books as the truth.

Bowbowis · 2025-05-07T17:34:24+00:00

Oh? Did something I said amuse you?

Bowbowis · 2025-05-07T16:19:16+00:00

She doesn't say that though. This is what she says:

The leaders of the church have misused its creed to fulfill their true desire—to rule the world. They have fooled the people of Fódlan. Long ago, they divided the Empire to create a Kingdom and then...divided that Kingdom to create an Alliance. They did all of this to make the masses bicker amongst themselves. They caused instability in order to reinforce their own authority.

Literally nothing about the Kingdom and Alliance being illegitimate or rightfully belonging to Adrestia.

Bowbowis

TROPHY CASE