Reduces damage from an adjacent foe's attack by 30%.
Melee
- Restricted to melee units.
Skillsets that use skill
five foot somethin’ and I’m royalty (HP-Centric Support)
Lantern Breath+ (+Def) Alternate: Surprise Breath+ (+Def) |
A | G Duel Infantry 4 Alternate: HP +5 |
|
---|---|---|---|
Play | B | Even Pulse Tie 3 Alternate: Odd Pulse Tie 3 |
|
Escutcheon | C | Infantry Pulse 3 | |
SP | 1470 | S | HP +5 |
Man they really just went and powercrept Kempf like that didn’t they? (AR-D)
Frostbite Breath | A | AR-D Def/Res 3 Alternate: AR-D Spd/Res 3 |
|
---|---|---|---|
Assistless | B | Windsweep 3 Alternate: Lull Atk/Spd 3 |
|
Escutcheon Alternate: Sacred Cowl |
C | Domain of Ice | |
SP | 1320 | S | Def/Res Solo 3 Alternate: Distant Def 3 |
Budget Lex… If Lex Was a 5* Locked Unit OMEGALUL (Aether Raids Defense)
Brave Axe+ | A | AR-D Atk/Def 3 Alternate: Fort. Def/Res 3 |
|
---|---|---|---|
Positional Assist | B | Lunge Alternate: Lull Atk/Def 3 |
|
Escutcheon | C | Panic Smoke 3 Alternate: Def Smoke 3 |
|
SP | 1210 | S | Deflect Melee 3 |
Isolate this binch (Aether Raids D Specialization)
Wagasa+ (+Def) Alternate: Courtly Candle+ (+Def) |
A | Fort. Def/Res 3 Alternate: Fortress Def 3 |
|
---|---|---|---|
Dance | B | Wings of Mercy 3 Alternate: Aerobatics 3 |
|
Escutcheon | C | Ground Orders 3 Alternate: Guidance 3 |
|
SP | 1470 | S | Fortress Def 3 Alternate: HP/Def 2 |
The Unmasked Tuxedo(AR Def Frontliner)
Melee Bouquet+ (+Def) Alternate: Melee Bouquet+ (+Res) |
A | Fury (3 or 4) | |
---|---|---|---|
Rally Atk/Spd+ | B | Lull Atk/Def 3 Alternate: Lunge |
|
Escutcheon Alternate: Pavise |
C | Panic Smoke 3 | |
SP | 2070 | S | Steady Stance 3 Alternate: Mirror Stance 2 |
The American Truth (AR Defense)
Venin Edge | A | AR-D Spd/Res 3 Alternate: AR-D Spd/Def 3 |
|
---|---|---|---|
Positional Assist | B | Windsweep 3 | |
Escutcheon Alternate: Sacred Cowl |
C | Fatal Smoke 3 Alternate: Savage Blow 3 |
|
SP | 1500 | S | Deflect Melee 3 Alternate: Phantom Spd 3 |
2021 Lunge Strats (AR Def Lunge)
Courtly Candle+ (+Res) | A | Fort. Def/Res 3 | |
---|---|---|---|
Rally Assist | B | Lunge | |
Escutcheon Alternate: Iceberg |
C | Panic Smoke 3 Alternate: Fatal Smoke 3 |
|
SP | 1785 | S | Fort. Def Res 2 Alternate: Deflect Magic 3 |
ヘクターさんかわいい (Near Save)
Conjurer Curios (+Eff) Alternate: Arcane Éljúðnir |
A | Close Def 4 Alternate: Sturdy Stance 3 |
|
---|---|---|---|
Positional Assist | B | Hardy Fighter 3 Alternate: Crafty Fighter 3 |
|
Escutcheon Alternate: Bonfire |
C | A/D Near Save 3 | |
SP | 1860 | S | Steady Breath Alternate: Atk/Def Form 3 |
where’s the flavor? where’s the flavor in this? i don’t taste sugar, cinnamon, nutme— (Stall Tank / Hardy Fighter)
Eldhrímnir (+Eff) | A | Atk/Spd Unity Alternate: Distant Stance |
|
---|---|---|---|
Positional Assist | B | Hardy Fighter 3 | |
Escutcheon Alternate: Sacred Cowl |
C | D/R Near Save 3 Alternate: D/R Far Save 3 |
|
SP | 1740 | S | Darting Breath Alternate: Deflect Magic 3 |
Xander But Epic (Aether Raids Defense)
Siegfried Alternate: Brave Sword+ |
A | Fort. Def/Res 3 Alternate: AR-D Def/Res 3 |
|
---|---|---|---|
Positional Assist | B | Lunge | |
Escutcheon Alternate: Moonbow |
C | Panic Smoke 3 Alternate: Def Smoke 3 |
|
SP | 1635 | S | Deflect Melee 3 |
Melee Damage Reduction Specials
Overview
These defensive specials block a percentage of enemy damage upon triggering. While their ranged counterparts (Aegis/Sacred Cowl) work against attacks from a distance, Pavise and Etsucheon work against melee-ranged attacks. The damage absorbed is a total percent of final damage taken, and even includes bonus damage such as from Wrath or a weapon like the Wo Dao. Compared to commonly seen damage-boosting specials, these are often seen on surgically thought out builds, to grant a certain winning matchup. Since these specials reduce damage directly (and don't work off Defense or Resistance) they are great for units with low Defense and Resistance.
Synergy
Damage reducing specials have always been less viable compared to their damage-dealing counterparts, as most game modes focus more on defeating the enemy team rather that surviving yourself. Pavise and Etsucheon can be used to grant a squishy unit the ability to survive a duel they otherwise couldn’t. This can be good build strategy for melee-ranged glass cannons, who choose skills such as Life and Death. Breath skills and Blade skills all grant units a much faster special charge time. Pavise in particular can be employed to defend against powerful specials, if you don’t have the aforementioned skills to inherit to your own unit. Shield Pulse is a skill designed for use with defensive specials, allowing it’s users to gain additional damage reduction when the special triggers, and also reduce its initial cooldown. A combination of a Killer/Slaying weapon, Shield Pulse and the Quickened Pulse seal allows a unit to start the round with Pavise pre-charged for the very first attack.
Weaknesses
As mentioned before, most modes in Fire Emblem Heroes revolve around defeating four enemies, and as such, specials that can score KO’s are generally seen as superior to those that prevent them. Since Pavise and Etsucheon have similar cooldown times to Bonfire/Luna/Iceberg and Moonbow, they sometimes have a hard time charging up before them. Pavise and Etsucheon also only block close-range attacks, leaving the user completely exposed vs. ranged damage, whereas offensive specials work on everyone. For longer game modes, healing specials such as Sol, Aether and Noontime will prevent more damage over time.