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Analysis by lordhelpme
Gaius - Candy Stealer

3-4

Obtainable as a 3 - 4 only

Related Heroes

Hero Stats

Max Avg Total Stats at Lvl 40
148
HP 42
ATK 29
SPD 36
DEF 22
RES 19

Stat Variations

Level 1 Stat Variation
5★
4★
3★
HP ATK SPD DEF RES
Low 17 6 9 4 3
Middle 18 7 10 5 4
High 19 8 11 6 5

Level 40 Stat Variations
5★
4★
3★
HP ATK SPD DEF RES
Low 39 25 33 19 16
Middle 42 29 36 22 19
High 45 32 39 25 22

IV Sets

Key stats worth increasing through nature if possible.
Complementary stats that matter, but not to the point of picking them over key stats for nature increase.
Relatively worthless stat that can safely be decreased through nature.
HPATKSPDDEFRES

Skill Sets

Death by Chocolate (Offensive Nuke)

Build by lordhelpme
Recommended
Candied Dagger (+Eff) A Swift Sparrow (2 or 3)
Alternate: Atk/Spd Solo 3
Reposition B Desperation 3
Moonbow
Alternate: Luna
C Spd Smoke 3
Alternate: Odd Atk Wave 3
IVs

+ATK or +SPD / -DEF or -RES

SFlashing Blade 3

Show Explanation/Analysis

Weapon: Candied Dagger (+Eff) 

Assist: Reposition / Flexible

Special: Moonbow / Luna

Passive A: Swift Sparrow / Atk/Spd Push 4 / Atk/Spd Solo / Fury

Passive B: Desperation / Null Follow-Up / Lull Spd/Def 

Passive C: Spd Smoke / Odd Atk Wave / Flexible

Sacred Seal: Flashing Blade / Swift Sparrow / Sturdy Blow / Death Blow

  • This build is a standard offensively oriented set meant to maximize the overall solid performance boost Candied Dagger provides in the Player Phase. Taking an Asset to either one of Gaius’ offensive stats is thus highly recommended to further bolster his combat prowess. 
  • Moonbow offers Gaius a decent amount of burst with a relatively frequent activation rate, making it his prime choice of Special here; it can also be paired with Desperation and Flashing Blade to ensure its activation in each round of combat, provided he doubles. For greater damage in exchange for consistency, Luna may be taken instead.
  • Gaius’ A slot can be filled by any offensive choice available, with options like Swift Sparrow, Atk/Spd Push 4, and Atk/Spd Solo being especially standout. His B slot should similarly be offensively oriented, including Desperation (to grant her some safety at low HP), Null Follow-Up (for greater versatility), and Lull Spd/Def (to break through enemy bonuses). 
  • His C slot is largely flexible. Spd Smoke is a great option to capitalize on his dagger’s built-in debuffing effects and pairs well with refresher support, though Attack or Speed-increasing Wave skills are always solid candidates for increased firepower. 
  • The Flashing Blade seal is ideal to hasten his Special activations (which will be his main source of firepower besides his PRF’s bonus damage) but if unavailable, any seal that boosts his offensive stats (such as Swift Sparrow or Darting Blow) may be taken.

Swiper, No Swiping! (AoE Special Activation)

Build by lordhelpme
Candied Dagger (+Eff) A Life and Death (3 or 4)
Alternate: Flashing Blade 4
Reposition B Special Spiral 3
Blazing Light
Alternate: Blazing Wind
C Time's Pulse 3
Alternate: Savage Blow 3
IVs

+ATK / -HP or -DEF or -RES

SFlashing Blade 3

Show Explanation/Analysis

Weapon: Candied Dagger (+Eff)

Assist: Reposition / Flexible

Special: Blazing Light / Blazing Wind

Passive A: Life and Death / Flashing Blade 4

Passive B: Special Spiral

Passive C: Time’s Pulse / Savage Blow / Spd Smoke / Flexible

Sacred Seal: Flashing Blade / Swift Sparrow 

  • Although Gaius’ Attack stat may not be particularly high, the +7 bonus damage he gains when using an AoE Special does allow him to utilize them to a relative degree of success. An Attack Asset (alongside any means of increasing his visible Attack like merges, Summoner Support, etc.) is ideal here to increase his Special’s firepower and his consistency at landing OHKOs. 
  • Life and Death (3 or 4) is Gaius’ A slot skill of choice as it offers him a massive boost to his visible Attack, which subsequently heightens the effectiveness of his AoE Special; its defense cut is largely negligible since he should be OHKO’ing his opponent anyway. 
  • There are two other key components of this set: Flashing Blade. Following their initial activation, AoE Specials will only have a two-turn cooldown thanks to Special Spiral’s effect, which in combination with Flashing Bladel, allow for them to consistently activate in every round of combat. Flashing Blade can be used in either his A slot or his seal slot but if it's used in the A slot, the Swift Sparrow seal should be taken instead. 
  • Lastly, for his C slot, Time’s Pulse is a great but high investment option that allows Gaius to set up his AoE Special chain with much greater consistency. Otherwise, Savage Blow or Spd Smoke can be taken to debilitate nearby foes to sweep through them more easily. 

Strengths

Candied Dagger

Gaius’ exclusive weapon, Candied Dagger, provides him with a relatively solid performance boost in the Player Phase, increasing his Speed by 4 and granting slight bonus damage when initiating combat. In addition, upon being refined, Candied Dagger also provides an additional +7 damage per hit if his foe’s HP is 100% -- a relatively simple condition -- which helps mitigate his otherwise mediocre damage output by a sizable extent. 

Good Speed

Gaius’ good base Speed stat of 36 allows him to easily secure follow-up attacks against a wide array of opponents with sufficient investment. This is incredibly important for his offensive potential as he is heavily dependent on his follow-up attacks to maximize his primary sources of damage: his weapon’s bonus damage and his Special activations. 

Infantry

As an infantry unit, Gaius benefits from access to powerful exclusive skills like Special Spiral, which he can utilize quite effectively to augment his combat prowess considerably.

Just Enough Bulk

Although Gaius does not excel at taking on sustained offensive pressure by any means, his relatively good HP pool -- especially compared to many of his contemporaries -- does offer the flexibility of being able to take a hit or two from an enemy. 

Weaknesses

Subpar Attack

With a low base Attack of 29, Gaius’ base damage output leaves much to be desired and forces him to be extremely reliant on Special activations and his weapon’s bonus damage to shine as an offensive unit. 

Low Defensive Stats

While Gaius can typically take a hit or two from an opposing foe just fine, his low defensive stats mean that he will crumble quickly when on the receiving end of successive enemy attacks

Weapon Skills

Weapons SP Rng. Mt.
Iron Dagger

After combat, inflicts Def/Res-3 on foe through its next action.

Learns by default at 1 ★
Unlocks at 1 ★
Dagger users only.
50 2 3
Steel Dagger

After combat, inflicts Def/Res-3 on foe through its next action.

Learns by default at 3 ★
Unlocks at 2 ★
Dagger users only.
100 2 5
Rogue Dagger

After combat, inflicts Def/Res-3 on foe through its next action.
Grants unit Def/Res+3 for 1 turn.

Learns by default at 4 ★
Unlocks at 3 ★
Dagger users only.
200 2 4
Rogue Dagger+

After combat, if unit attacked, inflicts Def/Res-5 on foe through its next action.
Grants unit Def/Res+5 for 1 turn.

Learns by default at 5 ★
Unlocks at 5 ★
Dagger users only.
300 2 7
Candied Dagger

If unit initiates combat, grants Spd+4 and boosts damage by 10% of unit's Spd during combat. Effect:【Dagger 7】 【Dagger 7】 After combat, if unit attacked, inflicts Def/Res-7 on target and foes within 2 spaces of target through their next actions.

Unlocks at 5 ★
Non-Inheritable skill.
400 2 14
Available Rearmed Weapons
Arcane Void
Weapon Evolution
Weapon Upgrades
Weapon Upgrades

Support Skills

Support Skills Rng. SP
Rally Speed

Grants Spd+4 to target ally for 1 turn.

Learns by default at 4 ★
1 150

Passive Skills

Passive Skills SP Slot
Defiant Atk 1

Grants Atk +3 at start of turn if unit's HP ≤ 50%

Inheritable by all units.
Unlocks at 3 ★
40
A
Defiant Atk 2

Grants Atk +5 at start of turn if unit's HP ≤ 50%

Inheritable by all units.
Unlocks at 4 ★
80
A
Defiant Atk 3

Grants Atk +7 at start of turn if unit's HP ≤ 50%

Inheritable by all units.
Unlocks at 5 ★
160
A
Pass 1

Unit can pass through foes if its own HP ≥ 75%.

Inheritable by all units.
Unlocks at 3 ★
50
B
Pass 2

Unit can pass through foes if its own HP ≥ 50%.

Inheritable by all units.
Unlocks at 3 ★
100
B
Pass 3

Unit can pass through foes if its own HP ≥ 25%.

Inheritable by all units.
Unlocks at 4 ★
200
B

Other Info

Origin
Fire Emblem: Awakening

Banners Featured In

None

Official Hero Artwork