Spoiler Warning: This list contains Units that are not available from the start of the game. Some Units are unlocked throughout the game, which may spoil part of the story.
To get the upper hand on the battlefield, you need to leverage your Units’ Skills in combat. In Fire Emblem Engage, particularly on the harder difficulty settings, it’s important to plan your battle strategy around using your Units’ Skills. Starting with Unit Selection and then ongoing battlefield positioning, your choices should be made around maximizing your Units’ Skills.
Skills can provide stat buffs, debuff the enemy, or add a unique mechanic. Each Unit comes with 1 Personal Skill that is pre-equipped and is unchanged throughout the game. These powerful Skills add unique bonuses to your combat if you execute your battle plan in a certain way.
10 Anna – Make A Killing
With money on her mind at all times, Anna has a Personal Skill that is perfect for growing your wealth. Make a Killing gives Anna a chance to obtain 500G when she defeats a foe (triggered by her Luck stat).
Especially in the early part of the game, this can provide you with much-needed currency to fortify your efforts. If you’re handing out Emblem Rings, Anna is best paired with Byleth’s Emblem because of the increased Luck. The Ring of the Instructor can give Anna a huge chance to proc Make a Killing.
9 Clanne, Framme, & Vander
This entry is a bit different, but Clanne, Framme, & Vander all have similar benefits. As Stewards of the Dragon, these 3 Units all have a Personal Skill that empowers them as well as the Divine Dragon. When adjacent to Alear, these Skills grant Hit+10, Avo+10, or Crit+5, respectively.
Since they never leave the Divine Dragons’ side, these Personal Skills all require the unit to be next to Alear in combat. Whether you need more offense or defense, choose one of these three to fight alongside Alear at all times.
8 Yunaka – Trained To Kill
The Thief Yunaka is prepared to steal and trained to kill. Her Personal Skill provides her with Crit+15 whenever she’s standing on a square which provides an Avo bonus. Terrains like Thicket, Woods, and Pillars grant any Unit occupying these spots with Avo+30.
There are quite a few Terrain squares that grant Avo, so look for these spots and map out a path for Yunaka to travel. If she can stay on these squares throughout the battle, it’s a free Crit+15 bonus.
7 Citrinne – Generosity
Healing is an important mechanic in Fire Emblem Engage, as it gives your Units more staying power on the battlefield. Losing an ally in combat, whether you’re on Classic or Casual, can be devastating to your campaign.
Citrinne and her Personal Skill Generosity can help keep your Units alive. When Citrinne uses a healing item, adjacent units will also recover the HP gained. This makes Citrinne the best candidate to carry Vulneraries and Elixirs. Make sure she is holding your healing items, as they become areas of effect that heal when she uses them.
6 Merrin – Knightly Escort
The honorable knight Merrin excels in battle when he travels with a group. When there are 2 or more female allies within 2 spaces, Merrin grants himself and those Units Hit/Avo+5. Merrin’s default class is the Cavalry-type Wolf Knight, so make sure not to outpace your squadron.
The 2 additional Unit requirements don’t hinder this Skill; it’s empowered by it. By allowing Merin to buff all female allies around him, this Skill scales in power with each additional Unit nearby. If you’re fielding Merrin, keep him near your female Units.
5 Timerra – Racket Of Solm
Similar to Merrin and Citrinne, Timerra also has a powerful area of effect on Personal Skill. Racket of Solm inflicts Crit-5 on all enemies within 3 spaces. This is an incredible ability as it can affect a large number of enemies and, at times, can descend from a safe distance.
While most of the Skills on this list enhance your team with a powerful offensive ability, Racket of Solm is equally powerful in its ability to reduce damage. In many cases, getting critically struck by an enemy can be disastrous. Lowering your chance of getting critically hit is always beneficial.
4 Jean – Expertise
Jean has the perfect Skill to build power over time. With all Units, leveling up provides a significant stat boost that makes them more formidable in battle. Expertise grants Jean enhanced stat growth when he levels up, boosting the gains he gets over the course of his career.
If you take on the side objectives like Skirmishes and Paralogues, Units can level up over 40 times throughout their journey. Jean can see immense benefits from his Personal Skill if he were on your starting roster consistently.
3 Seadall – Curious Dance
The best healing Personal Skill in the game belongs to Sedall, the Curious Dance. This skill causes all nearby allies within 2 spaces to recover 10% of their Maximum HP at the start of each round. This can be vital to keeping units on the battlefield.
Having your units topped off at full health can change the flow of the battle — whether you can push forward or must pull back and be determined by your Units’ HP. When positioned correctly, Seadall will keep the odds in your favor.
2 Veyle – Fell Protection
With Veyle on your starting roster, you get a well-balanced Personal Skill on your side. Fell Protection not only provides adjacent allies +1 damage but also protects them from 3 less damage per attack. This Skill contributes to a lot of extra damage being dealt with and avoided.
As long as you can stand alongside Veyle, her Personal Skill grants big benefits. While the range and number of affected allies are limited, this Skill can be well worth having in play. Fell Protection alone is enough for Veyle to warrant a spot in your starting Unit Selection.
1 Alear – Divinely Inspired
You may have already guessed it, but Alear has the best Personal Skill in the game. The inverse of Veyle’s skill, Divinely Inspired grants adjacent allies +3 damage dealt and 1 less damage taken. Like with Fell Protection, this Personal Skill is incredibly powerful. There are a number of Units with the ability to multi-hit and counter-attack, making this Personal Skill an enormous damage dealer.
Alear should always have a Unit on either side. With an ally on each hip, Divinely Inspired will create opportunities to finish off foes with more regularity. The +3 damage is particularly effective if paired with other Personal, Class, or Emblem Skills that increase the frequency a Unit will attack.
