Tempest Trials - Familiar Faces

Using a bonus ally on your team will raise your score by +40%. Multiple allies do not stack.

This special event contains a series of maps you must fight your way through from beginning to end. Losing does not mean game over, as you can retry with  multiple teams. At the end of each round, points are awarded based on clear speed, survivability and bonus units. Your total points are tallied and used to unlock various rewards, many of which are exclusive to the Tempest Trials. Additionally, there is a player ranking with large feather rewards given to those with the highest scores.

Basic information about the Tempest Trials+ are as follows.

• Using a Bonus ally on your team will increase your score by 40%.

• Bonus allies gain double EXP and SP, and stat boosts (HP+10, +4 other stats).

• Your first two runs per day earn triple the amount of points, and grant stat boosts to all of your units (as if they were bonus allies).

• Event Duration is 10 days.

• Rewards are given for scores up to 50,000.

4★ Dorcas: Pumpkin Smasher

Fan favorite Dorcas is dressed up for halloween and is the reward unit for this Tempest Trials! If Ippei's art isn't enough of a reason to pick him up, his great statline (including base 41 Attack) and inheritable axe might be. Halloween Dorcas can be used or sacrificed to inherit Sturdy Stance 2. Check out his Hero Analysis here.

Spd/Def Seal

This seal gives units a straightforward stat boost of +2 Speed and +2 Defense. It's a great seal for units with already-complete builds looking for a little extra boost to their stats. While its not the most glamorous reward, it only requires one level up in the Sacred Seal Forge to reach max level.

Darting Stance Seal

This skill gives the user a +6 boost to their Speed when foes initiate combat. Unfortunately its considered mostly useless thanks to skills like Quick Riposte and Vengeful Fighter that can guarantee double attacks. Units who need Speed tend to be better on the player phase, leaving this seal with only niche uses.

5★ Dorcas: Pumpkin Smasher

A five-star version of Dorcas: Pumpkin Smasher. It's highly recommended to use Dorcas during the trials, thanks to his status as a bonus unit and awesome Attack power. Dorcas can be used in the trials or sacrificed to inherit Sturdy Stance, Wary Fighter or the Hack'o'Lantern to other units. Check out his Hero Analysis here.

Brazen Atk/Res Seal

Arguably the most valuable reward from this event, this seal gives a unit the power of Brazen Atk/Res. This seal gives the strongest boost to Attack available, making it a must-have choice for any threshold sweeper or offensive unit. Units such as Alfonse, Lyn, Halloween Kagero and Karel gain a significant boost from this seal. 

All Sacred Seals come at level one, but can be upgraded to their higher-leveled versions in the Sacred Seal Forge. To access the forge, one must complete all Book 1: Chapter 13 story missions, as well as the Intermission: A Power Awakens story mission. Then, the Sacred Seal Forge can be accessed in the menu through Allies > Change Equipment > Sacred Seal Forge.

Team Building

For those looking to maximize their score and stamina efficiency, care should go into choosing a Tempest Trials team. Instead of talking about completed teams, I’ll be talking about the elements that make those teams successful, so that players with different units can construct viable teams. Unless otherwise stated, all units from here on out are assumed to be running their recommended builds. A team with the best chance of success will have the following: 

• As many bonus units as possible, as they receive huge stat boosts.
• Source(s) of healing, such as healing specials or a staff-user.
• Strategy for the final map and boss.
• Weapon Triangle coverage, as the actual units within each map can vary significantly.

The first two runs each day grant all units a stat boost as if they were bonus units. This simplifies team-building for those looking to complete just those runs and nothing else.

Bonus Units

The first units you’ll want to think about using are of course, the bonus units. With their huge stat bonuses (+10 HP, +4 to all other stats) they will punch far above their normal weight. Always endeavor to have at least one bonus unit on your team, as they increase your score by 40%. Bonus units do not stack: 40% total will be awarded no matter how many bonus units are on the team.

The first two runs each day grant all units a stat boost as if they were bonus units. This makes team-building much simpler for those runs, as players can use nearly any unit they want.

• Mia, Lady of Blades: Mia is known for her incredible Speed and strong Specials thanks to the Resolute Blade and skills such as Wrath. Mia is one of the best units for the trials, able to activate many Specials over the maps. Giving her a healing Special such as Sol or Noontime will help her survivability a great deal. Check out her Hero Analysis here.

• Dorcas, Serene Warrior: One of the many green units available for the trials, Dorcas stands out from the rest thanks to his natural Distant Counter. His low Speed and Resistance can cause him issues, so it's recommended to give him some Resistance buffs or the Distant Def seal to protect from mages. His Infantry Pulse accelerates Specials every round, making him a fantastic partner to other infantry. Check out his Hero Analysis here.

• Myrrh, Great Dragon: Long considered one of the best units in the game, Myrrh's got incredible defensive bulk. Her Great Flame lets her prevent foes from double attacking, fixing her greatest weakness. She needs Distant Counter to reach her max potential, but is a very strong choice. Check out her Hero Analysis here.

• Mia, Moonlit Witch: This version of Mia wields a Staff and is the only flying healer in the game! This makes her one of the best units available for the trials. Her ability to support allies is nigh unparalleled due to her movement options. When it comes to support units, she is the clear standout and is recommended on all team compositions. Check out her Hero Analysis here.

• Kagero, Beverage Ninja: An offensive monster, Halloween Kagero combines a sky-high attack with solid defensive stats. Since she already comes with Bold Fighter, Kagero is ready to use out of the box. However, her restricted movement can make it tough for her to get the jump on enemies. To get the most out of Kagero, use her in conjunction with other armor who have Armor March to boost her movement. Check out her Hero Analysis here.

• Niles, Forbidden Tease: Niles is the only blue unit available as bonus, and boasts solid offensive stats. Swift Sparrow and Atk/Spd Link allow his stats to reach unbelievable heights. However, he has the same weakness as Kagero, lack of mobility makes it hard for him to engage upon enemies reliably. Check out his Hero Analysis here.

• Myrrh, Spooky Monster: Myrrh's halloween form is a monster in more ways than one. Not only does she boast a whopping 179 BST, she has optimized stats and comes with skills that make her extremely strong. With a healing Special, she'll be unkillable, especially if given defensive buffs. Check out her Hero Analysis here.

• Dorcas, Pumpkin Smasher: The reward unit from these Tempest Trials is a fantastic choice. He boasts extremely high Attack, and patches up his low Speed with Wary Fighter. Although his lack of Distant Counter make him less desirable than regular Dorcas, he's guaranteed to do his best when chosen. Check out his Hero Analysis here

Healers

Staff-users are highly recommended for all kinds of teams due to their amazing healing potential. They are by far the most reliable and powerful healers available, and can also provide strong chip damage to neutralize strong threats. Halloween Mia is a bonus unit who wields a staff, making her an exceptional choice for the Tempest Trials.

There are a few types of builds which can be used to heal teams without using a dedicated healer. The first of these is the “Renewal Medic”, a build type which relies on healing from Renewal and the legendary weapon Falchion. Reciprocal Aid is a must-have skill to ensure clean transferral of health to allies. Forging Falchion increases the healing from this type of build. Lastly, there is the "sustain tank" build. With a cooldown -1 weapon such as a Slaying Axe combined with Steady Breath, Quick Riposte and Aether, a unit can charge and fire off their special every round of combat keeping their health topped up over a long time.

Dancers

These are some of the most potent allies for Tempest Trials, offering both safety and speed to your run. In short, they are great for all the usual reasons, but are affected by their low combat stats, which can hold them back. Due to team limitations, if you choose to field a dancer they must be a respectable combat unit in their own right, with either a full build or something close.

Sweepers

One of the fastest ways to clear the Tempest Trials is with a powerful ranged attacker wielding a Brave Bow or Blade tome. Combined with a buffer or dancer, they can destroy most units in the trials with ease once they are under the Desperation threshold. Kagero and Niles are the only ranged sweepers available as bonus units this time, but both are worth using and even work well on a team together.

Using Autobattle

For those looking to save time, the autobattle feature lets you quickly gain Tempest Trial points with minimal effort. When creating an autobattle team, there are a few considerations:

Difficulty

• Hard (5 Battles) is the most suitable difficulty for most players, assuming you can field a full team of five star characters. With enough bonus units or merges, it may be possible to do the lower infernal difficulty.

Team Building

• Team building considerations are mostly the same for manual teams. The AI tends to play recklessly, making tanky units with well-rounded statlines and Distant Counter fare the best.
• A dedicated healer is nearly always better unless you have multiple units with Aether or other healing. If you choose a dedicated healer, don’t forget to un-equip their weapon. Otherwise, the AI will treat them like a ranged attacker, and play aggressively with them.
• Don't forget to pack a bonus unit!
• Flying units tend to be poor choices, unless equipped with Iote's Shield. This is because the AI's reckless playstyle often leaves them in the range of deadly archers.

Examples

• Distant Counter Units: Dorcas, Black Knight, Hector(LA), Nowi, Hector, Ike, Ike(VL), Ryoma, Young Tiki, Zelgius.
• Sustain Tanks: Brave Ike, Ike, Ike(VL), Raven, Brave Lucina, Leif, Linus.
• Dedicated Healers: Halloween Mia, Any staff-user!
• Other Healers: Marth: Enigmatic Blade, Marth, Lucina, Chrom, Arvis, Linde, Performing Olivia, Alm.
• Sweepers: Halloween Kagero, Halloween Niles, Lewyn, Bridal Sanaki, Bridal Tharja, Sanaki, Reinhardt, Olwen, Brave Lyn, Lute, Reinhardt, L'Arachel, Olwen, Delthea, Lilina, Bridal Cordelia, Nino, Nino(SF).

Threats to Autobattling Teams

• Triangle Adept
• Weapon Breaker Skills
• Firesweep Weapons
• Brave Weapons
• Effective Weapons (Such as Armorsmashers, Horseslayers and Bows)
• Wrath/Wo Dao/Wo Gun/Harmonic Lance users

Defeating Henry: Happy Vampire

Henry is a dangerous unit, being a threat both when attacking and defending. Don't be fooled by his armored unit type, as he packs Armor March to close the gap surprisingly quick. He is always paired with an armored ally to activate this condition (they also get the boost!). Halloween Henry's statline is also very difficult to exploit: 34/42 defenses combined with 58 HP make him very difficult to OHKO.

Offensively, he threatens with Bold Fighter and a huge 40 Speed, allowing him to win skill ties (for instance using Wary Fighter to counter Bold Fighter won't work, since the skills will cancel out and he'll likely win the Speed tie). If he attacks a unit who counterattacks and fails to KO, Henry will activate Vengeance to demolish his foes. With such a high HP pool, his Vengeance Specials deal extraordinary damage and should be avoided. The best way to eliminate Henry is with a unit who can OHKO him, or bait him out and survive both of his attacks.

Resistance Tanks

• Henry uses magical weaponry, meaning the easiest way to tank his damage is with a unit with high Resistance, and hopefully ranged counterattacks. Julia, Deirdre, Katarina, Arvis and Halloween Kagero are all fine choices, but they might need the Distant Def seal to ensure survival against Henry's Vengeance Special. High-resistance red units aren't as common, but Fir, Sigurd, Seliph and Young Tiki can all handle Henry provided they have Distant Counter abilities.

Swift Swords

• Henry's skill build leaves him without Close Counter. This means high-speed swords like Ayra, Karla, Karel, Soleil, Lucina, Fir and Hana can all potentially creep his Speed and double him when attacking. This is an ideal way to handle him as his Defense is lower than his Resistance, but leaves trouble in handling the armored unit standing in front of Henry. Any of these units can be given an Armorsmasher to deal huge damage to Henry, potentially enough to OHKO him with a Special charged.