This article is about the calculated stat. For the growable stat inShadows of Valentia, seeStrength.

Attack (Japanese:攻撃attack), abbreviatedAtk, is a calculated stat that is the main determiner of how much damage a unit deals. The primary components of attack are a weapon'smight and the user'sstrength ormagic; a unit's attack is opposed by a foe'sdefense orresistance to determine damage. Other things that can affect attack includeabilities,supports, andbonus damage.

Attack was first displayed on the stat screen inFire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem, but similar calculations are performed inShadow Dragon & the Blade of Light andGaiden. InHeroes, attack is not a calculated stat but a unit-based one with a growth rate, replacing strength and magic as one unified stat.

Damage

In combat, a unit's attack stat is how they contribute damage to an enemy. Damage is subtracted from a unit's currentHP; when a unit's HP reaches 0, they are defeated and are typically removed from the map, though some enemies may havemultiple health bars or may have HP restored through a story-based event.

When using physical weapons (e.g.swords orbows), a unit's attack is determined based on their strength and reduced by an opponent's defense (orprotection inThree Houses) to calculate damage; when using magical weapons (e.g.tomes or special weapons like theLevin Sword), attack is determined by magic and reduced by resistance (orresilience inThree Houses). Effects such asLuna may partially or fully negate a foe's defense or resistance, while others such asbreath weapons inHeroes target the lower of a foe's defense or resistance.

Damage can be increased by landing acritical hit, which triples the damage the attacker deals in most games; inGenealogy of the Holy War andThracia 776, it instead doubles the attacker's attack stat. Several skills or other effects can increase damage, such as by increasing a unit's attack (e.g. the various -⁠faire skills likeSwordfaire), increasing a foe's vulnerability to damage (Malefic Aura), or providing a direct damage boost (Bravery). Some effects, such as theDivinely Inspiring skill or theLaguzguard item, can reduce damage by some penalty or factor; other effects likeMiracle allow a unit to survive a lethal hit with 1 HP.

Some weapons or skills deal unusual damage that does not factor in the attack stat. TheEclipse tome inThe Blazing Blade, for example, damages a foe such that they are reduced to half their current HP. Effects likeLethality deal damage to defeat an enemy in a single strike. TheDulam tome orBohr Χ spell instead reduce a foe to 1 HP when they hit; whether effects like this can reduce enemies at 1 HP to 0 varies—Dulam cannot while Bohr Χ can.

InGaiden andShadows of Valentia, using spells and (in the latter)combat arts deals damage to the user. Units are prevented from using spells or arts that would reduce them to 0 HP; a unit in combat will simply not attack if using their equipped spell would reduce them to 0. Some special weapons—theDevil Sword,Devil Axe, andShadow Sword—have a unique "backfire" effect that occasionally causes a unit to attack themselves rather than their opponent.

Out-of-combat damage

While damage is typically dealt in combat, some effects are capable of inflicting damage outside of combat. Many sources of such damage are incapable of reducing units to 0 HP, but which can or cannot varies between effects and between games.

Damage dealt in an area of effect (AoE) typically cannot defeat units; for example, theGeosphere inShadow Dragon & the Blade of Light,Upheaval inShadows of Valentia, orballistae inFates all cannot reduce units to 0 HP. However, the Geosphere inShadow Dragon orQuake Σ inThree Houses can defeat units, as can the ballistae of other games, which initiate combat against a single foe.Gambits can defeat their main target, but the ensuing AoE cannot defeated affected units; by contrast,Staggering Blows lack a main target, and their AoE can defeat any affected unit.

Damage dealt byterrain, such as the swamps inGaiden or flames left byBlazing Lion inEngage, leave units with 1 HP, and usually cannot effect flying units.Hazards such as poison jets or lava geysers, however, can typically both defeat units and damage flying ones.

Some weapons or skills inflict damage to units after combat. TheCursed Ashiya Sword inThree Houses damages its user after combat;Poison Strike in various games damages the foe after combat; andPyrotechnics inFates can damage the user and nearby foes after combat. In all cases, this after-combat damage cannot reduce a unit to 0 HP.

Calculations

In most games, a unit's attack with their currently equipped weapon can be seen on their stat screen.Mystery of the Emblem features an additional listing for attack withbonus damage.

Attack is not shown inShadow Dragon & the Blade of Light; attack is also not shown inGaiden, but the might of a unit's equipped weapon is added to their strength. InHeroes, a unit's shown attack includes their weapon's might.

Physical attack

Magical attack

Damage

In most games, the minimum damage that can be inflicted is 0, andcritical hit factor is 3.

Items and skills affecting attack

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Attack

Skills providing an equipping bonus
	Source	Attack increase	Games
	Swordfaire	+5 attack when user hassword equipped.	Fates,Three Houses
	Lancefaire	+5 attack when user haslance equipped.	Fates,Three Houses
	Axefaire	+5 attack when user hasaxe equipped.	Fates,Three Houses
	Shurikenfaire	+5 attack when user hasdagger equipped.	Fates
	Bowfaire	+5 attack when user hasbow equipped.	Fates,Three Houses
	Tomefaire	+5 attack when user hastome equipped.	Fates
	Authority	+2,lv 1 +4,lv 2 +6,lv 3 +8,lv 4 and +10lv 5 attack withgambits	Three Houses
	Fistfaire	+5 attack when user hasgauntlets equipped.	Three Houses
	Black Tomefaire	+5 attack when user hasblack magic equipped.	Three Houses
	White Tomefaire	+5 attack when user haswhite magic equipped.	Three Houses
	Dark Tomefaire	+5 attack when user hasdark magic equipped.	Three Houses
	Officer Duty	+5 attack withgambits.	Three Houses
	Lady Knight	+3 attack withgambits.	Three Houses
	Offensive Tactics	+5 attack withgambits.	Three Houses
	Professor's Guidance+	+2 attack when equipped	Three Houses

Items and skills providing a temporary increase
	Source	Attack change	Games
	Holy Sword	+20 attack when triggered.	Genealogy of the Holy War(Unused)
	Darkness Sword	+20 attack when triggered.	Genealogy of the Holy War(Unused)
	Filla's Might	+10 attack to ally.	The Blazing Blade,The Sacred Stones(unused)
	Dragon Fang	+50% base attack when triggered.	Fates
	Elbow Room	+3 attack when user is in terrain with no effects.	Fates
	Strong Riposte	+3 attack when counterattacking.	Fates
	Inspiration	+2 attack to allies within 2 spaces.	Fates
	Supportive	+2 attack to ally when user is supporting inTag Team orPair Up and has at least C support.	Fates
	Devoted Partner	+2 attack toCorrin when user is supporting Corrin inTag Team orPair Up.	Fates
	Fiery Blood	+4 attack when user'sHP < 100%.	Fates
	Vow of Friendship	+3 attack whenCorrin'sHP ≤ 50%	Fates
	Rallying Cry	+2 attack to allies within 2 spaces.	Fates
	Pride	+4 attack when user'slevel ≤ foe's level.	Fates
	Nohr Enmity	+3 attack when foe's baseclass isNohrian.	Fates
	Competitive	+3 attack when user is leading inTag Team orPair Up and user'slevel ≤ partner's level.	Fates
	Bushido	+2 attack when user is leading inTag Team orPair Up and user'slevel ≥ partner's level.	Fates
	Born Steward	+2 attack when user is inMy Castle.	Fates
	Noble Cause	+3 attack when user is leading inTag Team orPair Up and partner'sHP < 100%.	Fates
	Prodigy	+4 attack when both of user'sstrength andmagic < one of foe's strength or magic	Fates
	Vendetta	+4 attack when user has fought foe previously in same battle.	Fates
	Foudroyant	Doubles user's attack.	Shadows of Valentia
	Death Blow	+6 physical attack when user initiates combat.	Three Houses
	Fiendish Blow	+6 magical attack when user initiates combat.	Three Houses
	Distinguished House	+2 attack when user has abattalion equipped.	Three Houses
	Charm	+3 attack to adjacent allies.	Three Houses
	Advocate	+3 attack to adjacent male allies.	Three Houses
	Guardian	+3 attack to adjacent female allies.	Three Houses
	Philanderer	+2 attack when user is next to a female ally	Three Houses
	Rivalry	+2 attack when user is next to a male ally	Three Houses
	Lone Wolf	+5 attack when user has nobattalion equipped or equipped battalion's endurance = 0, and user has noadjutant.	Three Houses
	Persecution Complex	+5 attack when user'sHP < 100%.	Three Houses
	Honorable Spirit	+3 attack when user is in combat atrange = 1 and is not adjacent to an ally.	Three Houses

Weapons providing a temporary decrease
	Source	Attack change	Games
	Dark Breath	Halves foe's attack.	Mystery of the Emblem
	Loptous	Halves foe's attack.	Genealogy of the Holy War
	Loptr Sword	Halves foe's attack.	Thracia 776
Most weapons that dealbonus damage[a]		−4 attack when fighting foes who are not targets of bonus damage.	Fates

Damage

Items and skills that decrease damage when equipped
	Source	Attack growth modification	Games
	Laguzguard	Halves damage taken fromlaguz units.	Path of Radiance
	Mantle	Negates all damage taken.	Path of Radiance
		Negates all damage taken from weapons not blessed byYune.	Radiant Dawn
	Magestone	Negates all damage taken frommagic weapons.	Shadow Dragon,New Mystery of the Emblem
	Imhullu	Negates all damage taken from non-Starlight weapons.	Shadow Dragon,New Mystery of the Emblem
	Dragonskin	User takes half damage.	Awakening,Fates,Shadows of Valentia
–	Sanctuary	Halves damage taken fromterror units.	Shadows of Valentia
–	Heavy Armor	Halves damage taken frombows.	Shadows of Valentia
–	Apotrope	Halves damage taken fromblack magic.	Shadows of Valentia
–	Phantasm	Halves damage taken frombows andblack magic.	Shadows of Valentia
	Seiros Shield	Halves damage taken frommonster units.	Three Houses
	General	Halves damage taken.	Three Houses
	Commander	−75% damage taken.	Three Houses
	Anti-Magic Armor	Negates damage taken from magic attacks.	Three Houses
	Ancient Dragonskin	Halves damage taken.	Three Houses
	Enhanced Fortitude	Halves damage taken.	Three Houses
	Dark Barrier	Reduces damage taken by 20%/40%/60%/80%.	Engage
	Fell Barrier	Reduces damage taken by 50%/70%/85%/100%.	Engage
	Laguz Friend	Halves damage taken.	Engage

Skills and status effects that increase damage temporarily
	Source	Attack growth modification	Games
	Ire	Triples damage dealt when triggered.	Radiant Dawn
	Impale	Quadruples damage dealt when triggered.	Radiant Dawn
	Sol	Triples damage dealt when triggered.	Radiant Dawn
	Stun	Triples damage dealt when triggered.	Radiant Dawn
	Deadeye	Triples damage dealt when triggered.	Radiant Dawn
	Duelist Sword	+4% damage dealt when used.	Shadows of Valentia
	Divinely Inspiring	+3 damage dealt by adjacent allies.	Engage
	Fell Protection	+1 damage dealt by adjacent allies.	Engage
	Merciless	+50% damage dealt to foes sufferingbreak.	Engage
	Poison	+1,one stack +3,two stacks or +5three stacks damage taken while afflicted.	Engage

Skills that decrease damage temporarily
	Source	Attack growth modification	Games
	Pavise	Negates all damage taken when triggered.	Genealogy of the Holy War,Thracia 776,The Sacred Stones,Path of Radiance,Radiant Dawn
		Halves damage taken when triggered.	Awakening,Fates,Shadows of Valentia,Three Houses
	Holy Sword	−20 damage taken when triggered.	Genealogy of the Holy War(Unused)
	Darkness Sword	−20 damage taken when triggered.	Genealogy of the Holy War(Unused)
	Astra	User makes five attacks at half damage when triggered.	Path of Radiance,Awakening,Fates
		User makes five attacks at 30% damage when used.	Three Houses
	Aegis	Halves damage taken when triggered.	Awakening,Fates,Three Houses
	Dragon Ward	Adjacent ally takes half damage when triggered.	Fates
	Earth's Kiss	Halves damage taken from magical attacks when used.	Shadows of Valentia
–	Phalanx	Negates all damage taken when triggered.	Shadows of Valentia
	Divinely Inspiring	−1 damage taken by adjacent allies.	Engage
	Fell Protection	−3 damage taken by adjacent allies.	Engage
	Allied Defense	−3 damage taken when active.	Engage

Flavor text

Etymology and other languages

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Gallery

Notes

References

See also

• Protection
• Resilience