Echoes: Alm's early game | Thieves' Shrine and your first class changes

Early in Alm's campaign, exploring the Thieves' Shrine to obtain a healer and new classes makes the next battle easier to plan. Your objectives are to collect the Iron Sword, recruit Silque, and check villager class changes. This article uses Normal in the Japanese 3DS version; it does not mix in the controls or mechanics of Famicom Gaiden. You do not need to finish a lengthy level grind before moving on.

This guide takes an approach that also recruits Kliff and Faye into Alm's army. Check the conversations in Ram Village and speak to everyone you want to recruit before leaving. Start early battles by assigning roles: Alm and Lukas hold off approaching enemies, while villagers you want to train attack foes they can handle safely. You do not need to send everyone forward at once.

Save before entering the shrine. In the first area, explore the left side as well as straight ahead and collect the Iron Sword from the chest. Each unit carries one item, so check the recipient's current equipment too. Before the next battle, see whether giving them the sword has removed another item.

Striking a roaming enemy before making contact lets you begin battle with its HP reduced. However, check your army's condition first instead of chasing every enemy you see while exploring. Avoid rushing into places with several nearby enemies. Separating the time you spend searching for chests from the time you spend fighting helps you notice attrition.

Repeated dungeon battles cause fatigue, which can reduce maximum HP. If the HP cap seems lower than usual, check fatigue instead of continuing straight into another fight. Recover by using food, making an offering at a Mila idol, or leaving the dungeon for a while. Winning the current battle does not necessarily mean you can begin the next one safely.

Magic and combat arts also use HP. Consider whether you can survive a counterattack or the next enemy phase afterward, as well as how much HP you have before acting. Having an ally who needs healing does not justify placing the healer within enemy reach. Keep your front-line fighters and rear support from getting too far apart.

After defeating the thieves' leader and his group at the back of the shrine, speak to the girl lying there. Receive Mila's Turnwheel and recruit Silque. Do not end your exploration simply because the enemies are defeated: complete the conversation and check recruitment. Once you have a new healer, provide a position behind the front line from which she can support, rather than sending her to the same position as the fighters.

Once Mila's Turnwheel is available, you can rewind actions in battle. After a mistake, return to when you moved into danger and recheck enemy range and your remaining HP instead of simply repeating the same move. If you lose an ally in Classic, decide whether to retry before carrying on.

Villagers can change class at a Mila idol from level 3. The available classes differ by sex, so do not assess Gray and the other men using the same list as Faye. First check whether you have enough front-line fighters, ranged attackers, and healing. This early guide does not require everyone to take the same class or wait until maximum level.

The next map, Ram Valley, has a mercenary carrying a Leather Shield. One option is to promote a villager to Mage in preparation for an enemy who resists physical attacks. This is not the only correct choice. Once you have checked your strength after class changes, review recruitment, equipment, fatigue, and saves before proceeding to the next map.