GamePress
Analysis by lordhelpme
Dimitri - The Protector

5

Obtainable as a 5 only

Hero Stats

Max Avg Total Stats at Lvl 40
157
HP 40
ATK 36
SPD 29
DEF 34
RES 18

Stat Variations

Level 1 Stat Variation
5★
HP ATK SPD DEF RES
Low 17 9 4 9 2
Middle 18 10 5 10 3
High 19 11 6 11 4

Level 40 Stat Variations
5★
HP ATK SPD DEF RES
Low 36 33 26 31 15
Middle 40 36 29 34 18
High 43 39 32 37 21

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

Assets

  • +ATK: Dimitri’s base Attack stat of 36 is rather impressive and remains one of the stronger values amongst all cavalry units. Given that Noble Lance already guarantees his follow-up attack upon fulfilling its activation requirement, increasing his Attack stat further with an Asset thus makes for a fantastic (and highly recommended) option to elevate his damage output further and maximize his offensive capabilities. 

Neutral

  • HP / DEFDimitri’s physical bulk is actually quite strong, however, he will generally gain more significant returns from investing in his Attack stat instead so it’s best left untouched. Furthermore, do keep in mind that an HP Flaw can be especially detrimental to his overall survivability as it results in a four-point reduction (as opposed to the usual three). 

  • SPD: Although his Speed stat is not particularly high, it does offer some defensive value in potentially safeguarding Dimitri from enemy follow-up attacks and can be made increasingly more impactful when providing him with cavalry buff support. Accordingly, it should be left neutral as well, though it can be a serviceable Flaw should there be no other option available.

Flaws

  • -RES: At an exceptionally low base value of 18, Dimitri’s Resistance offers very little to him and renders his durability against magical threats to leave much to be desired. Lowering it further with a Flaw will hardly impact his overall performance, making it his ideal choice of IVs. 

Skill Sets

Spear of Azure Guidance (Galeforce)

Build by
Recommended
Noble Lance A Death Blow 4
Alternate: Fury (3 or 4)
Reposition B Wings of Mercy 3
Galeforce C Savage Blow 3
Alternate: Def Smoke 3
IVsSHeavy Blade 3

Show Explanation/Analysis

Preferred IV: +ATK / -RES

Thanks to Noble Lance’s formidable offensive capabilities and his access to cavalry strengths (most notable of which being his exceptional mobility), Dimitri can make fantastic use of a Galeforce set-up to distinguish himself as a frightening force in the Player Phase under the proper conditions. Since Noble Lance guarantees his follow-up attack upon meeting its prerequisite conditions, Dimitri has the flexibility of focusing solely on maximizing his damage output, making a +ATK IV the optimal choice; this also serves to let him make more consistent use of the Heavy Blade seal. 

Weapon: Noble Lance 

  • Noble Lance is the key behind Dimitri’s combat prowess in the Player Phase, ensuring his ability to perform a follow-up attack provided that both he and his opponent are either at full HP or below it; it also grants him a passive Attack +3 for increased damage output. This allows him to effectively bypass one of his greatest weaknesses (i.e. his low Speed) and be a powerful source of damage output, even when equipped with Galeforce. 

  • Although its activation requirement may seem rather unconventional at first glance, it can be quite simple to maintain in practice given the proper combination of skills, potentially with permanent uptime under the proper circumstances. 

Assist: Reposition / Flexible 

Special: Galeforce 

  • Galeforce composes the crux of this set and functions essentially as a self-refreshing Special, allowing Dimitri to take another action once per turn upon activation; this allows him to potentially take down multiple foes in the course of a single turn. This can be an extremely powerful asset at one’s disposal when utilized correctly, with the additional flexibility and maneuverability it provides him in the Player Phase being indispensable for certain strategies in modes such as Aether Raids. 

  • However, it should be noted Galeforce also comes attached to a rather hefty five-turn cooldown. This means that in order for Dimitri to consistently activate it in a single engagement, he must be equipped with the Heavy Blade seal which may be unfavorable depending on who his allies are; his opponent must also possess the ability to counterattack, making him much more selective in choosing his initial match-up. 

Passive A: Death Blow / Fury (3 or 4)

  • Dimitri’s native Death Blow is a stellar choice of A slot skill, granting him a massive boost to his raw damage output with no other prerequisite condition for combat other than simply initiating against his opponent. However, do take caution as utilizing Death Blow does carry the risk of Dimitri potentially killing foe before he is able to perform his follow-up attack (meaning that he would be unable to activate Galeforce), subsequently decreasing his effectiveness massively.

  • Fury (3 or 4) can also be taken to ensure that he falls below 100% HP after his initial round of combat; when paired with Savage Blow, this combination guarantees his ability to benefit from his PRF’s effect against any nearby foes, making it arguably more consistent than Death Blow in certain scenarios. 

Passive B: Wings of Mercy / Hit and Run / Drag Back

  • Wings of Mercy pairs wonderfully with Galeforce-centered team compositions for use in modes like Aether Raids, serving to maximize Dimitri’s mobility by allowing him to teleport in a space adjacent to a weakened ally. It can prove to be especially useful in maneuvering around terrain like trenches that would otherwise prove to be detrimental to his overall potential, though it also has the benefit of providing him with some defensive options as well if necessary. Overall, Wings of Mercy’s applications are quite vast in nature and make it a prime choice of B slot skill here. 

  • On a budget, Hit and Run is a solid alternative that similarly improves Dimitri’s mobility (albeit to a considerably lesser extent) and increase his likelihood of being able to escape his opponent’s range after activating Galeforce. Drag Back is a good option as well to let his allies pick off foes that he is unable to kill in a single round of combat. 

Passive C: Savage Blow / Def Smoke / Flexible 

  • Given that Noble Lance requires that Dimitri and his opponent are both either at full HP or below it in order to activate, in addition to the fact that it is extremely unlikely that he will remain entirely unscathed after his first round of combat, Savage Blow makes for Dimitri’s ideal choice of C slot skill — following his initial engagement, this skill enables the young prince to sweep through opposing forces without fear of being unable to perform a follow-up attack. 

  • However, if providing him with any form of healing or chip damage support, Dimitri’s C slot is then open to any skill that best compliments one’s preferred playstyle. Smoke skills remain a fantastic choice here to let him kill multiple foes with greater ease, synergizing perfectly with Galeforce. 

Sacred Seal: Heavy Blade

  • The Heavy Blade seal is an irreplaceable component of this build; its effect of Special acceleration is pivotal in making sure that Dimitri is able to activate Galeforce in a single round of combat. 

Under the Ethereal Moon (Offensive Nuke)

Build by
Noble Lance A Death Blow 4
Alternate: Fury (3 or 4)
Reposition B Lull Atk/Def 3
Bonfire
Alternate: Luna
C Savage Blow 3
IVsSHeavy Blade 3

Show Explanation/Analysis

Preferred IV: +ATK / -RES

This set takes a much more generalist approach to Dimitri’s combat prowess in the Player Phase compared to the first’s more specialized capabilities, placing a significantly heavier emphasis on heightening his overall damage output (as opposed to capitalizing on his extended mobility instead). That being said, an Attack Asset remains his ideal choice of IVs to strengthen the power behind his blows and let him activate the Heavy Blade seal more consistently. 

Weapon: Noble Lance 

Assist: Reposition

Special: Bonfire / Luna / Glimmer / Moonbow 

  • If utilizing the Heavy Blade seal, Specials with a three-turn cooldown will be Dimitri’s best options — assuming that Noble Lance is active and that his opponent can counterattack, such Specials have the capacity to activate in each round of combat, resulting in the young price obtaining considerable destructive potential. Of those available to him, Bonfire and Luna make for his most standout candidates, with the choice of which to equip ultimately being up to a matter of personal preference.

  • Alternatively, if the Heavy Blade seal is already occupied by one of his allies or if using the Heavy Blade + Desperation combination, Glimmer and Moonbow will be preferred instead due to their lower cooldown. 

Passive A: Death Blow / Fury (3 or 4)

  • His native Death Blow remains Dimitri’s ideal choice here to bolster his raw damage output as much as possible, though Fury (3 or 4) makes for a worthwhile consideration as well thanks to its strong synergy with Savage Blow; when utilized in tandem, this ensures Dimitri’s ability to consistently benefit from Noble Lance’s powerful effect. 

Passive B: Lull Atk/Def / Desperation 

  • Dimitri’s native Lull Atk/Def is an exceedingly powerful skill that lends itself perfectly to this build’s intended purpose. In addition to applying a considerable -3 in-combat Atk/Def debuff, it also negates any Attack and Defense field buffs affecting his foe, allowing him to easily pierce through opponents regardless of the amount of support they may have received as well as benefit from a substantial boost to his survivability. 

  • Although it doesn’t improve his offensive potential nearly as much as Lull Atk/Def does, Desperation can be taken to let Dimitri safely engage in extended rounds of combat regardless of how much damage he may have previously incurred; this is a particularly strong option if using Fury as his chosen A slot skill. 

Passive C: Savage Blow / Flexible 

Sacred Seal: Heavy Blade / Attack +3

  • The Heavy Blade seal is recommended to augment Dimitri’s damage output via faster Special activations. Given its rather coveted nature, however, the Attack +3 seal (or any of its variants) can be taken instead should it be unavailable to grant him a solid boost to his damage output. 

Introduction

Leader of the Blue Lions and the crown prince of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, Dimitri: The Protector enters the fray as a powerful offensive lance cavalier, most directly comparable to the likes of Legendary Ephraim. Statwise, Dimitri boasts high values in Attack, HP, and Defense; this makes him well adept at dealing significant amounts of damage and allows him to safely trade blows with opposing physical threats. His main distinguishing feature, however, is his unique personal weapon, Noble Lance. In addition to granting him a passive Attack +3 for increased damage output, this PRF enables Dimitri to perform a guaranteed follow-up attack, provided that both he and his opponent are at 100% HP or below it. Although this may initially seem to be a rather inconsistent activation requirement, in actuality, it can be quite simple to fulfill and Dimitri can potentially maintain it with virtually permanent uptime given the proper build. Combined with his access to class-exclusive buffs on top of his outstanding mobility, Dimitri can perform as an exceedingly powerful force in the Player Phase. 

However, Dimitri does suffer from several weaknesses of his own. For instance, while his physical resilience is quite high, his magical durability leaves much to be desired; at an unimpressive base value of 58, Dimitri struggles when facing off against sustained offensive pressure from incoming magical damage dealers, with dragons potentially posing a significant threat as well when initiating against them. Although it is definitely beneficial in supplementing his offensive capabilities, Dimitri’s status as a cavalry unit is also quite limiting to his overall potential and causes him to have severely limited skill availability, preventing him from obtaining access to several powerful tools such as Impact skills; the introduction of Lull skills has made this not as much of an issue as it once was, though. Lastly, he suffers from a debilitating weakness to cavalry-effective weaponry and is unable to traverse certain terrain, which can be quite detrimental depending on the map in which he is deployed. 

Overall, Dimitri is a solid unit whose strong personal weapon in Noble Lance, high Attack and physical durability, and access to class-exclusive buffs on top of extended mobility makes him a wonderful addition to any team looking for a capable offensive cavalier. 

Strengths

Noble Lance

Dimitri’s unique personal weapon, Noble Lance, enables him to circumvent his low Speed and establish a formidable offensive presence through its effect of guaranteed follow-up attacks and appreciable boost to his already strong base Attack stat. 

Great Attack

Dimitri’s excellent base Attack stat of 36 allows him to make phenomenal use of Noble Lance to deal significant amounts of damage with relative ease, a strength that is only bolstered further by his access to class-exclusive buffs and Noble Lance’s passive Attack +3. 

Strong Physical Bulk

His physical bulk stands tall at a neutral base value of 74; combined with his strong foundation for dealing damage, this lets Dimitri perform as a rather competent duelist when facing off against opposing physical threats. 

Cavalry

Dimitri’s status as a cavalry unit is greatly beneficial to his performance in the Player Phase, granting him flexible mobility and access to class-exclusive buffs — both of which are key advantages that he can utilize to improve his offensive capabilities massively. 

Weaknesses

Cavalry 

Dimitri shares the same fate as many other cavalry units; weaknesses such as poor skill availability, hampered mobility on certain maps, and a debilitating weakness to cavalry-effective weaponry all limit his overall potential as a unit quite significantly. 

Low Resistance 

Dimitri’s low base Resistance stat of 18 makes him exceedingly weak to sustained offensive pressure from incoming magical threats, making it crucial that he be kept out of their reach is possible. 

Weapon Skills

Weapons SP Rng. Mt.
Iron Lance
Learns by default at 1 ★
Unlocks at 1 ★
Lance Users Only
50 1 6
Steel Lance
Learns by default at 3 ★
Unlocks at 2 ★
Lance Users Only
100 1 8
Silver Lance
Learns by default at 4 ★
Unlocks at 3 ★
Lance Users Only
200 1 11
Noble Lance

Grants Atk+3. At start of combat, if both unit's and foe's HP = 100% or if both unit's and foe's HP < 100%, unit makes a guaranteed follow-up attack.

Learns by default at 5 ★
Unlocks at 5 ★
Non-Inheritable skill.
400 1 16
Weapon Evolution
Weapon Upgrades
Weapon Upgrades

Special Skills

Special Skills SP Turns
Retribution

Boosts damage dealt to foe by 30% of damage dealt to unit.

Learns by default at 4 ★
Unlocks at 3 ★
Non-inheritable by Staff-wielding units.
100 3
Vengeance

Boosts damage dealt to foe by 50% of damage dealt to unit.

Unlocks at 4 ★
Non-inheritable by Staff-wielding units.
200 3

Passive Skills

Passive Skills SP Slot
Death Blow 1

If unit initiates combat, grants Atk+2 during combat.

Non-inheritable by Staff-wielding units.
Unlocks at 2 ★
50
A
Death Blow 2

If unit initiates combat, grants Atk+4 during combat.

Non-inheritable by Staff-wielding units.
Unlocks at 3 ★
100
A
Death Blow 3

If unit initiates combat, grants Atk+6 during combat.

Non-inheritable by Staff-wielding units.
Unlocks at 4 ★
200
A
Death Blow 4

If unit initiates combat, grants Atk +8 during combat.

Non-inheritable by Staff-wielding units.
Unlocks at 5 ★
300
A
Lull Atk/Def 1

Inflicts Atk/Def-1 on foe and neutralizes foe's bonuses to Atk/Def (from skills like Fortify, Rally, etc.) during combat.

Excludes Armor and Flying units.
Unlocks at 1 ★
60
B
Lull Atk/Def 2

Inflicts Atk/Def-2 on foe and neutralizes foe's bonuses to Atk/Def (from skills like Fortify, Rally, etc.) during combat.

Excludes Armor and Flying units.
Unlocks at 2 ★
120
B
Lull Atk/Def 3

Inflicts Atk/Def-3 on foe and neutralizes foe's bonuses to Atk/Def (from skills like Fortify, Rally, etc.) during combat.

Unlocks at 4 ★
240
B

Other Info

Origin
Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Banners Featured In