Zeiss (pronounced /⁠zaɪs⁠/^[key][3]; Japanese:ツァイスZeiss) is a playableWyvern Rider inFire Emblem: The Binding Blade. He is a knight ofBern and the brother ofMelady.

Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade

Role

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Zeiss is aWyvern Rider in service toBern. He first appears inChapter 14 to tellRandy that they will not get any more reinforcements than what they already have. He then appears inChapter 16, whereGalle tells him to hide, since Wyvern GeneralNarcian would blame Zeiss for leaking information to the enemy as Melady had already joined theLycian Army.

IfMelady speaks with Zeiss, she tells him to joinRoy's side, as she states her loyalty has always been with PrincessGuinivere of Bern, and says that Guinivere has always worked for good and not KingZephiel.

Starting stats and growth rates

Stats with two figures separated by a ~ are presented as a range, representing stats that vary due to random growths. The figures to the left and right of the ~ are the stat's minimum and maximum possible values respectively.^[4]

NormalHard

Wyvern Rider Level 7 Affinity

Recruitment:Chapter 16, talk to withMelady StatsGrowth Rates Max HP 28 Luck 6 Strength 14 Defense 12 Skill 9 Resistance 2 Speed 8 Constitution 10 Movement 7 Aid 15 Max HP 80% Luck 20% Strength 60% Defense 25% Skill 50% Resistance 5% Speed 35% {{{content3}}} {{{content4}}} {{{content5}}} {{{content6}}} {{{content7}}} {{{content8}}} {{{content9}}} {{{content10}}} {{{content11}}} {{{content12}}} {{{content13}}} {{{content14}}} {{{content15}}} Inventory Steel Lance Javelin Weapon Levels -- D -- -- -- -- -- --

Wyvern Rider Level 7 Affinity

Recruitment:Chapter 16, talk to withMelady StatsGrowth Rates Max HP 35~38 Luck 8~10 Strength 18~20 Defense 14~16 Skill 12~14 Resistance 2~4 Speed 10~12 Constitution 10 Movement 7 Aid 15 Max HP 80% Luck 20% Strength 60% Defense 25% Skill 50% Resistance 5% Speed 35% {{{content3}}} {{{content4}}} {{{content5}}} {{{content6}}} {{{content7}}} {{{content8}}} {{{content9}}} {{{content10}}} {{{content11}}} {{{content12}}} {{{content13}}} {{{content14}}} {{{content15}}} Inventory Steel Lance Javelin Weapon Levels -- D -- -- -- -- -- --

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Promotion stat gains

Class	HP	Str	Skill	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Con	Mov	Weapon level
Wyvern Lord	+5	+2	+2	+2	+0	+2	+1	+1	+1	E, +50

Analysis

Zeiss is aWyvern Rider that joins inChapter 16 ofThe Binding Blade. He joins in a rather complicated chapter where it can be difficult to recruit him without putting some of your units at risk due to him attacking with a javelin through the wall. In normal mode, his bases leave something to be desired, but his hard mode bonuses are as beneficial to him as Melady's are, as he starts with ~19 strength at level 7, as well as ~39 HP and ~15 defense.

He joins underleveled and will need to be fed some kills. The easiest way to get Zeiss of level 10 is through theHorseslayer obtained inChapter 7 if it hasn't broken yet. His high base strength lets him OHKO enemy cavaliers; with his low level, killing unpromoted enemies gets him over 50 experience, and promoted enemies yield even more. Given this, he can reach level 10 after roughly 6 kills.

Early promotion at level 10 is recommended for Zeiss due to him capping his strength very quickly and needing additional speed and skill to be an effective combat unit. It takes him 6 level-ups on average to get the 2 speed his promotion gives him, so going beyond level 10 does not help with the stats he needs anyway. Due to how late he joins (only 12 chapters left), it is unlikely that he will reach level 20 after promotion before the last few chapters, if at all.

Due to his initial D rank in lances, the most powerful lances he will have access to are rather inaccurateSteel Lances, giving him some significant accuracy issues.Iron Lances are also too weak for this point in the game. An early promotion is useful again, as it gets him to C rank in lances, which lets him wield the accurate and reasonably powerfulKiller Lance. He also gains swords through promotion, but only enough sword level to useIron Swords.

His speed will lag behind most other combat units unless he is givenSpeedwings. He has enough speed to prevent getting doubled by most enemies, thoughNomads orMyrmidons likely will. He is a fine candidate for Speedwings if they have not been used before he joins, as most combat units should have sufficient speed by the time he joins. His average speed after promoting at level 10 without the Speedwings (14 to 15) lets him double slow enemies like Steel Lance-wieldingPegasus Knights andCavaliers or Steel AxeFighters. If trained well, Zeiss is one of the great candidates for the legendaryMaltet lance, as his potential allows him to fight decently againstmanaketes with this weapon.

Another of Zeiss's issues is his low resistance making him susceptible to enemy status staves and tomes, even after using aPure Water. His high HP can help him survive against the latter, but the former will always be a problem for him. His weakness to arrows and ballistae will also be a factor at times; theDelphi Shield is an option, but the player may want to give it to one of the other fliers, as Zeiss tends to be the most physically durable among them.

Zeiss's aid gives him a notable niche among the fliers; his physical durability is on par with Melady while his aid is on par with Thea, meaning he can rescue heavy units like Dieck or Perceval that Melady cannot while having the bulk to be positioned a bit more aggressively than the Pegasus Knights.

Zeiss is a great choice for a support partner for Melady (should the player seek one) as he is her only partner with the same movement as her. It is relatively easy to build due to their similar mobility, but bear in mind that there may be times when the player wants to send them in different directions, as opposed to keeping them together.

Overall, Zeiss takes a bit to get up to speed, and even after promotion, he takes some favoritism to have a shot of having combat remotely comparable to Melady. However, promotion gives him respectable combat alongside great utility and durability with or without favoritism.

Fire Emblem Heroes

Role

There is one variation of Zeiss inFire Emblem Heroes. The normal variation of Zeiss was available through aGrand Hero Battle that first ran November 15–22, 2024

Zeiss: Ebon Bolt

Starting stats

★★★★★★★★★★★★

Rarity ★★★ Weapon type Movement type

Initial StatsLevel 40 Stats Maximum HP 17/18/19 Attack 11/12/13 Speed 4/5/6 Defense 9/10/11 Resistance 4/5/6 Maximum HP 36/39/42 Attack 40/43/46 Speed 29/32/35 Defense 34/37/40 Resistance 19/22/25 {{{content3}}} {{{content4}}} {{{content5}}} {{{content6}}} {{{content7}}} {{{content8}}} {{{content9}}} {{{content10}}} {{{content11}}} {{{content12}}} {{{content13}}} {{{content14}}} {{{content15}}} Note: This unit requires the usage ofTrait Fruit to access any flaws and assets.

Skills Steel Lance -- --

Rarity ★★★★ Weapon type Movement type

Initial StatsLevel 40 Stats Maximum HP 17/18/19 Attack 12/13/14 Speed 4/5/6 Defense 10/11/12 Resistance 4/5/6 Maximum HP 37/40/43 Attack 43/46/49 Speed 30/33/37 Defense 36/39/43 Resistance 20/23/26 {{{content3}}} {{{content4}}} {{{content5}}} {{{content6}}} {{{content7}}} {{{content8}}} {{{content9}}} {{{content10}}} {{{content11}}} {{{content12}}} {{{content13}}} {{{content14}}} {{{content15}}} Note: This unit requires the usage ofTrait Fruit to access any flaws and assets.

Skills Reversal Lance -- Dragon Gaze

Rarity ★★★★★ Weapon type Movement type

Initial StatsLevel 40 Stats Maximum HP 18/19/20 Attack 12/13/14 Speed 5/6/7 Defense 10/11/12 Resistance 5/6/7 Maximum HP 40/43/46 Attack 45/48/51 Speed 33/36/40 Defense 38/41/45 Resistance 22/25/29 {{{content3}}} {{{content4}}} {{{content5}}} {{{content6}}} {{{content7}}} {{{content8}}} {{{content9}}} {{{content10}}} {{{content11}}} {{{content12}}} {{{content13}}} {{{content14}}} {{{content15}}} Note: This unit requires the usage ofTrait Fruit to access any flaws and assets.

Skills Reversal Lance+ -- Dragon Gaze

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Skill set

Skill set
Skill		Unlock	Auto-unlock	SP cost
	Iron Lance	★★★	★★★	50
	Steel Lance	★★★	★★★	100
	Reversal Lance	★★★	★★★★	200
	Reversal Lance+	★★★★★	★★★★★	400
	Dragon Gaze	★★★	★★★★	100
	Dragon Fang	★★★★	—	200
A	Atk/Def Clash 1	★★★	—	60
A	Atk/Def Clash 2	★★★★	—	120
A	Atk/Def Clash 3	★★★★★	—	240
C	Air Orders 1	★★★	—	60
C	Air Orders 2	★★★	—	120
C	Air Orders 3	★★★★	—	240

Personality

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After hearing that Guinivere was working for good and not Zephiel, Zeiss switches sides and also works with Guinivere to rebuild Bern.

Supports

Main article:Zeiss/Supports

Zeiss Wyvern Rider Melady Wyvern Rider Initial: 20 Per turn:+3 Karel Swordmaster Initial: 1 Per turn:+1 Sin Nomad Initial: 1 Per turn:+1 [[{{{support7}}}]] [[]] [[File:Is gba {{{affin7}}}affin.png|link={{{affin7}}} (affinity)]] Initial: {{{initialpoints7}}} Per turn:+ [[{{{support9}}}]] [[]] [[File:Is gba {{{affin9}}}affin.png|link={{{affin9}}} (affinity)]] Initial: {{{initialpoints9}}} Per turn:+ Elen Priest Initial: 10 Per turn:+2 Bartre Warrior Initial: 1 Per turn:+1 [[{{{support6}}}]] [[]] [[File:Is gba {{{affin6}}}affin.png|link={{{affin6}}} (affinity)]] Initial: {{{initialpoints6}}} Per turn:+ [[{{{support8}}}]] [[]] [[File:Is gba {{{affin8}}}affin.png|link={{{affin8}}} (affinity)]] Initial: {{{initialpoints8}}} Per turn:+ [[{{{support10}}}]] [[]] [[File:Is gba {{{affin10}}}affin.png|link={{{affin10}}} (affinity)]] Initial: {{{initialpoints10}}} Per turn:+

Endings

Zeiss, Ebony Lightning
Short: Helped Guinivere rebuild Bern.

Long: Zeiss aided Guinivere in rebuilding Bern. As he rose in rank he was criticized for allying with Etruria, but his firm loyalty to Guinivere earned him the respect of his peers.

Quotes

Battle quotes

Death quote

Heroes quotes

Main article:Zeiss/Quotes (Heroes)

Other appearances

Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance

Zeiss's official artwork fromThe Binding Blade can be viewed inPath of Radiance's extras menu if a copy ofThe Binding Blade is connected to a Japanese copy ofPath of Radiance. This illustration, along with all otherThe Binding Blade-related artwork, is inaccessible in the international versions of the game, owing to the fact thatThe Binding Blade was not released in those regions.

Flavor text

Meet some of the Heroes entries

Zeiss: Ebon Bolt
Zeiss is a wyvern rider of Bern, a kingdom on the continent of Elibe. He's the younger brother of Melady, another of Bern's wyvern riders!	During Bern's attacks on its neighboring countries, Zeiss was confronted by a shocking development: Melady and Queen Guinivere of Bern had switched sides to the Lycian League, Bern's enemy!	To make matters worse, Narcian, one of the three Wyvern Generals of Bern, framed him for collaborating with the League. Zeiss left the army with the aid of Galle, one of the few people he could still trust, and went to find Melady.	Having learned the truth of why both his sister and his queen switched sides, Zeiss then joined the Lycian League's army to see their wishes come to fruition!
Closely Associated Characters
Melady Galle {{{Related_name3}}} {{{Related_name4}}} {{{Related_name5}}} A wyvern rider who accompanies Guinivere. Though she is conflicted about opposing her homeland, she is loyal to her lady. Older sister of Zeiss. Considered by many to be the strongest Wyvern Lord of Bern's army, he is loyal to the leader of the Wyvern Generals, Murdock. An elder-brother figure to Zeiss. {{{Related_blurb3}}} {{{Related_blurb4}}} {{{Related_blurb5}}}

Choose Your Legends placement history

Round	Placement	Character	Votes

CYL 1 (2017)

433

Zeiss The Binding Blade

308

CYL 2 (2018)

571 (+138)

Zeiss The Binding Blade

159 (−149)

CYL 3 (2019)

499 (−21)

Zeiss The Binding Blade

211 (+52)

CYL 4 (2020)

490 (−31)

Zeiss The Binding Blade

203 (−8)

CYL 5 (2021)

388 (−102)

Zeiss The Binding Blade

203 (No change)

CYL 6 (2022)

351 (−39)

Zeiss The Binding Blade

240 (+37)

CYL 7 (2023)

348 (−3)

Zeiss The Binding Blade

161 (−79)

CYL 8 (2024)

367 (+19)

Zeiss The Binding Blade

158 (−3)

CYL 9 (2025)

570 (+203)

Zeiss The Binding Blade

61 (−97)

Total results		This character has 9 entries across all Choose Your Legends polls.	1,704

Trivia

• Zeiss'swyvern is namedLevrey.^[5]
• Zeiss is one of the few playable characters in theFire Emblem GBA games to not have custom palette data attached to one of his possible classes, and the only playable unit in a non-exclusive class to have that distinction. He lacks a palette for his unpromoted class and thus uses the otherwise unused generic playable palette of the Wyvern Rider class.

Etymology and other languages

Gallery

Sprite Gallery
Wyvern Rider Wyvern Lord Lance Sword Lance

Official artwork

• 

  Artwork of Zeiss fromThe Binding Blade.

Heroes artwork

Character artwork

• 

  Artwork of Zeiss: Ebon Bolt.

• 

  Artwork of Zeiss: Ebon Bolt.

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  Artwork of Zeiss: Ebon Bolt.

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  Artwork of Zeiss: Ebon Bolt.

Meet some of the Heroes artwork

• 

  Artwork of Zeiss: Ebon Bolt.

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  Artwork of Zeiss: Ebon Bolt.

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  Artwork of Zeiss: Ebon Bolt.

References

This article is part ofProject Characters, a project focused on writing articles for every character present in theFire Emblem series.