Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem — Heroes of Light and Shadow | Chapter 1: Grust expedition, Marisha, and the cave's Bullion

Difficulty and Classic/Casual are selected separately in this game. Fallen allies return next chapter in Casual, but the defeat of Marth or your avatar causes a game over. Using Normal/Classic as its reference, this article explains decisions aimed at progressing without anyone falling.

Unlike the prologue in the preceding Shadow Dragon, this game's prologue is available on every difficulty. Even if your temporary allies differ because of earlier choices, the village-visit and collection objectives here are the same.

Chapter 1's roster centers on Marth, your avatar, Arran, Draug, Gordin, Cecil, Luke, Roderick, and Ryan. You cannot simply continue tactics relying on prologue allies such as Caeda, Wrys, and Merric. First check everyone's HP, Defense, and usable weapons.

Reclassing, the armory, and the convoy become available here. When trying reclassing, check whether the unit can equip your weapons as well as their new stats. Your avatar's role depends on the class you chose and how they grew. Do not assign them a fixed role taking melee attacks if you trained them as a mage or archer.

Draw nearby enemies in order instead of pushing everyone north immediately. Choose who takes attacks using current stats and the combat forecast, and place archers behind. Arran can assist in combat too, but avoid exposing one unit to several enemies at once.

Always check where enemies you cannot finish in your phase can reach. When moving Marth toward the village, assess whether the remaining force can hold the front. Choose a formation that protects the rear even after a miss over a tight arrangement that assumes attacks will hit.

Marisha joins when Marth visits the village. Thieves emerging from the cave target it, so check their route and defeat them promptly when spotted. Avoid chasing only the thief into other uncleared enemies; use cavalry movement and ranged attacks to stop it safely.

After Marisha joins, heal wounded front-line units before advancing to the next group. Be careful that moving closer to heal does not put Marisha herself in enemy range. Letting her handle necessary healing trains her without making her fight.

After dealing with the enemies, move an ally onto the cave entrance and choose Wait. This collects the Bullion; no thief unit is required. Visiting the village alone does not complete this collection, so check it as a separate detour.

Once you assign a collector, have the rest approach the castle while healing the front line. Restore allied HP before provoking the next group so you do not fight both enemies near the fort and those in front of it at once.

Once the surroundings are safe, place Marth beside Lorenz and talk. This conversation does not recruit him, but talking before seizing grants a Mend staff. If you want the reward, do this before another ally defeats Lorenz.

Before seizing, check Marisha's recruitment, the Bullion, and the Lorenz conversation. Give experience to younger units you want to use when a safe finishing blow is available. Do not concentrate all combat on your avatar; keep front-line, ranged, and healing roles available as you move on.

• You checked which prologue allies leave temporarily
• You checked whether units can use their items after reclassing
• You protected the village and recruited Marisha with Marth
• You waited at the cave entrance and collected the Bullion
• You had Marth talk to Lorenz before seizing