FEH Legendary Heroes 2 - Should You Summon?
Nintendo's Fire Emblem Heroes introduces a new character in its most recent summoning focus of Legendary Heroes that comes with a 8% chance to summon Gunnthrá, the eldest princess of the Ice Kingdom Nifl and Fjorm's older sister, along with eleven other Heroes. In this post, I will be analyzing the stats and skills of each unit, and whether or not you should summon on this banner.
Gunnthrá: Voice of Dreams
The newest addition to Heroes' original cast of characters, the first princess of Nifl rides in as the second green tome user to also be a cavalry unit, the first being Cecilia. Gunnthrá's Atk stat is less than Cecilia's by one point, but her Spd stat is much higher than Cecilia's at 33, which is very respectable and makes her one of the most ideal candidates for Gronnblade+, especially if you put her on a cavalry buff-centered team. Gunnthrá's Def stat, as is typical for her class, is pitifully low at 19, and her Res stat at 25 isn't the greatest in the world. Gunnthrá overall seems to be more offensively than defensively oriented, if you take away her natural Fortress Res.
As for Fortress Res, it works somewhat to fortify her Res up to an impressive 30 Res, but in my opinion, this can become a little awkward since the drawback in less Atk would make Gunnthrá less effective at combat than Cecilia. Factoring in Res Ploy, however, makes this drawback seem less like a drawback, as Gunnthrá would then be able to debuff the Res of enemy units very effectively with her own high Res, which would then allow her to attack as if she had suffered no Atk reduction.
Gunnthrá's personal weapon, Blizzard, works like a reverse Bladetome in that instead of adding buffs placed on her to her damage, it adds debuffs on the enemy team to her damage. This means that with Blizzard, Gunnthrá has potential to work very well on a team centered around debuffing the enemy team, like dagger users or units with Threaten or Ploy skills. Finally, her personal skill, Chilling Seal, inflicts Atk/Spd -6 on the foe with the least Def as long as Gunnthrá herself remains at or above 50% HP. This skill has the potential to invalidate Life and Death users and units like Linde that are centered around having great offensive stats but very weak defensive stats.
Why would you summon?
You don't want to invest so heavily in Cecilia to make her work. You're salty that she wasn't a free story unit and this is one of a few chances to get her. You want Fortress Res or Res Ploy fodder and Innes or Sonya just won't come to you.
Why wouldn't you summon?
You've already invested in Cecilia or are planning to. You already have Fortress Res or Res Ploy fodder.
Amelia: Rose of the War
Upon her release, Amelia was immediately regarded as one of the best armored units out there, with good reason. Her outstanding offensive stats at 34 base Atk and 34 Spd (which is unusual for an armored unit), as well as her decent 35 Def and 23 Res, make her one of Armor Emblem's favorite Reinhardt counters even to this day. But perhaps the thing that makes Amelia a shining star is Armor March, a skill that only two other units (that are seasonal, so they're not around anymore) share. Armor March takes away the one drawback to using armored units-- their limited mobility-- and turns them into what are essentially better infantry units. Amelia is one of the best and most common users of Distant Counter out there, as her solid Spd gives her a lot of build flexibility.
Why would you summon?
You weren't able to get Amelia in any past banner she was in. You weren't able to get Halloween Henry or Winter's Envoy Robin and really, really want Armor March. You don't have Hector and really want a green armored unit to finish off your Armor Emblem team.
Why wouldn't you summon?
You already have Hector or invested in a different armored axe unit. You already have Armor March in some form and don't need another one. Amelia's other skills can be easily obtained anyway.
Chrom: Spring Exalt
The usually-Falchion-wielding Exalt of Ylisse makes his return as a spring-themed unit with a carrot axe. Chrom sports a more balanced offensive spread than his normal self, trading some Atk for Spd, which results in a very respectable 35/32 offensive spread. Chrom's weapon, Carrot Axe+, heals him for 4 HP after each round of combat that he initiates (or any round of combat if you refine it), which negates the HP drain from Fury. Chrom's okay 28 Def and poor 20 Res make him a good candidate for a Life and Death and Desperation build to make him into something of a melee glass cannon, but if you want to make Chrom into a more sustainable unit, skills like Steady Stance can make Chrom a great duelist. Overall, Chrom's balanced statline gives him a lot of build versatility.
Why would you summon?
You want a jack-of-all-trades axe unit. You weren't able to get Chrom when he was first released and really need his silly outfit and axe in your life. You want to fodder off his Carrot Axe+ to Bartre or something for the memes.
Why wouldn't you summon?
You already have him and aren't really looking to merge. You already have an axe unit that can do Chrom's job better than he can. Chrom's low Res isn't going to do him any favors in the current magic meta.
Fjorm: Princess of Ice
The second princess of Nifl returns to welcome her older sister into the Order of Heroes. Most players have already received a free, neutral copy of Fjorm upon clearing the last map of Book II's first chapter, so unless you want to merge Fjorm or get a copy with better IVs, summoning for her won't be entirely necessary. Regardless, Fjorm sports a very balanced statline and a base kit that serves her well by itself. Fjorm's 30/31 offensive spread and 30/34 make her a mixed tank that can retaliate with as much force as is dealt to her. This means that though her base kit is perfectly fine by itself, you can experiment with different builds and see what works the best.
Why would you summon?
You want to merge your existing Fjorm into a better IV copy. Atk/Def Bond, Shield Pulse, and Drive Atk are all rare skills that you want to put on another unit and you haven't gotten Saber or Delthea yet. You accidentally sent your existing copy home.
Why wouldn't you summon?
You're perfectly content with your existing Fjorm. You don't need any of her passive skills as fodder. You have Camus, who is an offensively better DC lance user.
Lucina: Spring Exalt
The Future Princess takes a break from changing her fate for a second to dress up in an outlandish bunny costume for the long-past spring festival, using an egg as a tome. Unfortunately, her relatively low Atk stat indicates that she has no idea how to properly use an egg to cast spells, which I don't blame her for, because... it's an egg. Lucina's primary asset is her extraordinary Spd, which, at 36, matches that of her two other non-festive variants. Defensively, Lucina isn't exactly the most durable of units, at a middling 22 Def and 25 Res.
Lucina also comes with Swift Sparrow by default, a skill that is essentially a player-phase version of Life and Death 2 that comes with no drawbacks, which makes it a rare and much-coveted skill. This is probably the primary reason why you would want to summon for her if you're going by stats and skills alone-- Swift Sparrow is a skill shared by only three other units in the game, all locked at 5* rarities.
Why would you summon?
You weren't able to get her in her first run and want her Blue Egg for memes. You want to complete your Lucina Emblem team. You want Swift Sparrow fodder.
Why wouldn't you summon?
Lucina's low Atk, Def, and Res don't impress you-- 0x2 is still 0. You don't need Swift Sparrow fodder. You think that bunny hat that she's wearing is sentient and refraining from summoning for her own safety.
Charlotte: Money Maiden
The gold digger of Fates returns for her only appearance in Heroes, at least until another Fates banner is added with her in it. Charlotte is a bit of a special case when it comes to her class of lance units, since she sports a great offensive spread with a very high Atk of 36 and decent Spd at 32 (which can be improved even further with Wind Boost and her high HP pool), but at the cost of her durability, with a low Def of 24 and an even lower Res of 19. What this means is that Charlotte is perfect for a Brave Lance and Life and Death build that capitalizes on her offensive power to hit twice and KO all but the bulkiest of green units. Additionally, her default weapon, First Bite, can act as a supportive weapon giving up to Def/Res +5 to allies within 2 spaces after combat. This, along with Drive or Hone skills and seals, can make Charlotte into both a supportive and an offensive unit, though it would not be advisable to leave Charlotte unprotected on the battlefield with her meager defenses.
Why would you summon?
You want a lance unit that can hit hard and fast. You want Wind Boost fodder and Gray wouldn't come to you. You want First Bite+ for the memes. You want a unit that can double as a powerful offensive unit and a supportive unit.
Why wouldn't you summon?
Charlotte's meager defenses aren't impressing you and you want a unit that can actually tank a hit. You already have a better offensive lance unit like Nephenee.
Roy: Brave Lion
Our boy dons his dear father's clothing and takes his sword and horse as he returns for the winter season. While Roy is nothing special when it comes to the CYL banner that he debuted in, he still stands out as the best offensive red cavalier in the game, with an outstanding offensive spread of 32/34, which also gives him the highest Spd value of any red cavalier. Additionally, his personal weapon, Blazing Durandal, is essentially a 19 Mt weapon with a built-in Heavy Blade effect that, with Roy's high Atk, gives him the ability to use special skills like Galeforce. However, while Roy excels in offense, he lacks in defense. With a low HP of 38 and a middling defensive spread of 26 Def and 24 Res, Roy may find himself struggling against units he can't KO outright.
Why would you summon?
You want a good red melee cavalier. You want Steady Blow or Galeforce fodder. Eliwood's outfit is just a little too big for Roy and that's absolutely adorable and you must have that in your life. (Might have been projecting a little in that last sentence.)
Why wouldn't you summon?
You've already invested into another red melee cavalier. Roy's defenses aren't that great and you want a unit that can tank a hit or two and not lose half their HP.
Ryoma: Peerless Samurai
The High Prince of Hoshido has been a constant in the game since the very first day. Raijinto, which comes with Distant Counter built-in, makes Ryoma a powerful unit just with that fact alone, but Ryoma's powerful offensive stats make him a master swordsman with a lot of versatility. His fantastic 34/34 offensive stats ensured that he would rule the meta in the early months of Heroes' existence, and his decent 27 Def indicates that he will also be able to tank physical hits very well. However, Ryoma suffers in the current magic meta, as his Res stat of 21 is pretty low, and popular blue mages like Reinhardt can take him out very easily, but this weakness can be ameliorated with skills like Vantage that will allow Ryoma to take out his foes before they have the chance to take him out. Overall, Ryoma is a powerful unit even without skill inheritance that is only made more powerful with it, and skills like Fury, Desperation, and Moonbow only improve his standing.
Why would you summon?
You want an offensively powerful infantry sword unit. You want a unit that has a DC sword and you haven't managed to snag Black Knight or Xander.
Why wouldn't you summon?
Ryoma won't survive for long in the arena, which is absolutely filled with Reinhardts. Your focus is on building cavalry, flier, or armor-centered teams and infantry units only really have one skill that grants them a buff.
Sigurd: Holy Knight
Vastly superior to his son in pretty much every way, the heir to Chalphy is almost infallible by most, if not all units. Not only are Sigurd's offensive stats of 35/32 outstanding, his Def stat of 34 is very strong and only made even stronger by Close Def, which Sigurd comes with at default. True to his original incarnation in Genealogy of the Holy War, Sigurd has a low Res stat of 17, but don't let that fool you-- his personal weapon, Divine Tyrfing, reduces the damage from a mage's first attack by 50%, and his personal skill, Crusader's Ward, reduces the second ranged attack by a whopping 80%. This means that Sigurd can survive a lot of hits from units like Reinhardt that he normally wouldn't be able to survive without such skills, and as such, he is a must-have on any arena team.
Why would you summon?
Red units that can survive Reinhardt are really rare, and Sigurd is one of them. You want an offensively powerful red cavalier that can also function as a frontline tank. You already have Deirdre and Seliph and want to reunite the family. You want Spd Smoke fodder.
Why wouldn't you summon?
You've invested a lot into Seliph already, and he can get Divine Tyrfing through the Weapon Refinery. You already have a red cavalier that you're going to keep using. Sigurd's 32 Spd isn't super outstanding when faster units exist.
Lyn: Bride of the Plains
Sacae's dazzling swordswoman returns in a bridal dress, and with her comes the much-coveted Dazzling Staff and Candlelight+. For a healer, Lyn is unnaturally fast, sporting a Spd stat of 34, which competes with Maria for the title of fastest healer, but typical of healers, her Atk stat of 28 is nothing special, and her defensive spread of 23/24 isn't anything to write home about either. Perhaps Lyn's best assets are her staff, which inflicts her foe and foes around them with the inability to counterattack, which makes sweeps that much easier for the rest of the team. Additionally, Lyn's Dazzling Staff renders her unable to be countered against, which would be great on healers with high Atk like Genny and Elise to turn them into colorless mages. Overall, while Lyn herself isn't the best healer to use Dazzling Staff, she serves as excellent skill fodder for healers that are more deserving.
Why would you summon?
You want a fast healer that can assist your team in sweeps. You want Candlelight+ or Dazzling Staff for another healer. You want to run the Wrathful Staff/Dazzling Staff (Wrazzle Dazzle) combo on Lyn and her Atk, while not great, isn't completely unusable either.
Why wouldn't you summon?
You can get the Dazzling Staff skill through staff refinery. Your team is centered around ORKOs anyway, so you don't need someone else to make sweeps happen. Brave Lyn is a better colorless Lyn.
Innes: Regal Strategician
The crown prince of Frelia sports one of the best offensive spreads for an infantry archer in the game; with 33 Atk and 34 Spd, he is rivaled only by Bride Cordelia, but is much more magically durable than her. Additionally, Innes' personal weapon, Nidhogg, comes with an Owltome-like effect, which can give him even more offensive power in a pinch. Additionally, Innes comes with a super high Res stat of 31, which means he can take multiple magic hits and retaliate in kind with a charged Iceberg. Cancel Affinity also invalidates popular anti-archer Raventome builds, which often rely on Triangle Adept. It's extremely dangerous for Innes to be left on the front lines, however, because while his Res stat is very high, his extremely low 14 Def and 35 HP means that almost any physical hit can fell him in one round.
Why would you summon?
You need a good, offensive archer that's not reliant on a Brave Bow to work. You want Cancel Affinity fodder. You really want to screw with all the male Robins and Reinhardts that think they can take you down in arena.
Why wouldn't you summon?
You've already invested in a Bride Cordelia. You spent 20k feathers on Mathilda to pass off Cancel Affinity to someone else. You want an archer that can actually survive a physical hit.
Elise: Budding Flower
The cinnamon roll of Nohr seems innocent on the surface, but under that charming smile lies a demon. Elise has the best offensive spread of any healer; with 32 Atk and 32 Spd, Elise is one of the best candidates to run a Wrathful/Dazzling Staff combo with a refined staff. This means that Elise can double and kill foes with no retaliation. Her default staff, Gravity+, essentially immobilizes the enemy team, provided that they're not separated, which means another team member can reposition her out of harm's way. Elise especially benefits from her status as a cavalry healer, since her increased mobility means she can travel easily to heal allies and hurt foes, and she can also get cavalry buffs like Hone Cavalry that improve her already impressive offensive spread for maximum damage.
Why would you summon?
You want a colorless mage that can receive cavalry buffs and heal allies at the same time. You haven't gotten Brave Lyn and you just want a colorless unit on your cavalry team anyway. You're fond of using healers to get your other units out of a pinch. You want Live to Serve and don't want to upgrade Wrys for it.
Why wouldn't you summon?
The colorless position on your cavalry team is already taken by Brave Lyn. Elise's 19 Def lowers her durability on your team. Your team is centered around ORKOs, so healers are unnecessary.
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Whether or not to summon this banner is entirely dependent on what your team needs. Each unit is on this banner for a good reason, whether it be their good stat spread or valuable skill fodder, and there's not much to lose by summoning if you don't have these units yet.