GamePress

Ninja Laegjarn

Analysis by MackerelPye
Ninja Laegjarn - Flame and Frost

5

Obtainable as a 5 only

Hero Stats

Max Avg Total Stats at Lvl 40
178
HP 40
ATK 44
SPD 19
DEF 37
RES 38

Stat Variations

Level 1 Stat Variation
5★
HP ATK SPD DEF RES
Low 17 13 3 8 4
Middle 18 14 4 9 5
High 19 15 5 10 6

Level 40 Stat Variations
5★
HP ATK SPD DEF RES
Low 36 41 16 34 34
Middle 40 44 19 37 38
High 43 48 22 40 41

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

The Self-Refreshing All-Female Duo Unit Drawn By Cuboon To Automatically Win A Hero Rises (Vantage)

Build by MackerelPye
Recommended
Flamefrost Bow A Close Salvo
Alternate: Close Countering A Slot
Ardent Sacrifice
Alternate: Positional Assist
B Vantage 3
Moonbow
Alternate: Deadeye
C Atk/Def Hold (or Rein)
Alternate: Joint Drive Atk
IVs

+ATK / -Anything Else

SAtk/Def Catch 3
Alternate: Heavy Blade 3

Show Explanation/Analysis

Weapon: Flamefrost Bow

Assist: Ardent Sacrifice / Flexible

Special: Moonbow / Iceberg / Deadeye

Passive A: Close Salvo / Close Counter / Close Reversal

Passive B: Vantage 

Passive C: Atk/Def Rein or Hold / Joint Drive Atk / Atk/Res Oath 4

Sacred Seal: Atk/Def Catch / Heavy Blade / Fierce Stance

  • If a unit has a dual-phase brave weapon, then an all-countering Vantage build recommendation is pretty much obligatory. Due to the sheer amount of damage from double strikes, this gives you a potential checkmate option after countermeasures are taken care of. In Laegjarn/Fjorm's case, Flamefrost Bow offers exactly that and can provide additional striking strength through its ally/enemy bonus-based stat swings — like Laslow before them, take care to specifically provide stat buffs throughout the team to get the most efficient use of the weapon's effects. 
  • Flamefrost Bow also significantly improves Laegjarn/Fjorm's defenses given the right teammate buffing setup, which allows them to safely whittle themselves down to Vantage's HP requirement. 
    • For a safer method (given that optimal setup matchups won't always be present, especially in Summoner Duels), Ardent Sacrifice with Winter Bernie or Brave Lysithea's HP-lowering properties is a good out-of-combat option.
  • As usual, Vantage sweepers want to maximize the number of enemies they can counterattack against possible to avoid being vulnerable to kills. Out of all the Close Counter-based options available, Close Salvo's Atk increase and self-recoil make it the best choice. Do not settle for Foils as maximizing counterattacks, again, is the goal here.
  • To finish off the build and improve the build's killing strength, Laegjarn/Fjorm will want to dedicate the C and Sacred Seal to reliable damage-improving passives. 
    • In the C-slot, Atk/Def Rein (or Hold if you're an extraneous spender), for example, does exactly this while also further improving Laegjarn/Fjorm's bulk. Likewise, Joint Drive Atk benefits other allies with easier positioning, and Atk/Res Oath gives additional visible bonuses and also more mobility options, and both encourage you to keep up Flamefrost Bow's ally nearness requirement at any rate.
    • A basic Atk Sacred Seal like Atk/Def Catch or Fierce Stance should easily do the trick. To potentially trigger Iceberg or Deadeye from full cooldown on every counterattack, however, you can run Heavy Blade to accelerate Special charging and accommodate this with significant Atk support from allies.

Cocytus Love and Pain (Player Phase / Brave Nuke)

Build by MackerelPye
Recommended
Flamefrost Bow A Atk/Res Catch 4
Positional Assist B Seal Def 4
Alternate: Wings of Mercy 3
Moonbow
Alternate: Deadeye
C Atk/Def Menace
Alternate: Atk/Def Rein 3
IVs

+ATK / -Anything Else

SAtk/Def Catch 3
Alternate: Heavy Blade 3

Show Explanation/Analysis

Weapon: Flamefrost Bow

Assist: Positional Assist 

Special: Deadeye / Glimmer / Moonbow

Passive A: Atk/Res Catch 4

Passive B: Seal Def 4 / A/D Far Trace / Wings of Mercy

Passive C: Atk/Def Menace / Atk/Def Rein / Atk/Res Oath 4 / Joint Drive Atk

Sacred Seal: Atk/Def Catch / Atk/Def Solo / Death Blow / Heavy Blade

  • Laegjarn/Fjorm's base build is a lot more than serviceable for the most part; it provides almost everything they need for a complete stereotypical Brave Bow nuke build, in fact. With the extremely high damage swings from Atk/Res Catch, Seal Def 4, and Flamefrost Bow, Laegjarn/Fjorm needs little more than a few slight kit optimizations. 
  • As Atk Smoke 4 is a more enemy phase-oriented that requires Laegjarn/Fjorm to participate in a fight before kicking in, more immediate C-slot skills with less setup are sought out. 
    • Atk/Def Menace is one of the best options out there as is directly impacts the enemy's Defense while improving Laegjarn's own Atk, giving the largest damage differential of other skills. 
    • Else, Atk/Def Rein, Atk/Res Oath, and Joint Drive Atk all work as great in-combat options. 
  • For alternative B slots, A/D Far Trace is worth considering over Seal Def 4 despite its smaller in-combat debuff; the post-battle mobility offered by its Canto effect gives Laegjarn/Fjorm a possible avenue of escape after completing a match. Likewise, Wings of Mercy grants significant mobility assuming a greatly damaged ally is in play; Laegjarm/Fjorm can thus lend their strengths over on AR-O Galeforce teams as a technical option (due to their self-refresh).
  • To finish off the build and improve the build's killing strength, finish off with a damage-increasing Sacred Seal. A basic Atk Sacred Seal like Atk/Def Catch, Death Blow, or Atk/Def Solo should easily do the trick. To potentially trigger Deadeye from full cooldown on every initiated attack, however, you can run Heavy Blade to accelerate Special charging.

Frost Kissed By Flame (Tank / Enemy Phase)

Build by MackerelPye
Recommended
Flamefrost Bow A Close Countering A Slot
Alternate: Atk/Res Catch 4
Positional Assist B Mystic Boost 4
Alternate: A/D Far Trace 3
Bonfire
Alternate: Ignis
C Atk Smoke 4
Alternate: Atk/Def Hold (or Rein)
IVs

+ATK OR +DEF OR +RES / -SPD

SAtk/Def Form 3
Alternate: Iote's Shield

Show Explanation/Analysis

Weapon: Flamefrost Bow

Assist: Positional Assist 

Special: Bonfire / Ignis 

Passive A: Close Reversal / Atk/Res Catch / Close Foil / Close Counter / Close Salvo 

Passive B: A/D Far Trace / Mystic Boost 4 / Seal Def 4 / Quick Riposte

Passive C: Atk Smoke 4 / Atk/Def Rein or Hold / Atk/Def Menace / Def/Res Menace

Sacred Seal: Atk/Def Catch / Atk/Def Form / Atk/Res Form / Iote's Shield / Heavy Blade

  • This build is somewhat to the previous Vantage build, but focuses instead on making use of the combined tanky might of Laegjarn/Fjorm's statline and Flamefrost Bow's potentially high defensive bonuses. Basically, we intend on taking heavy hits and retaliating instead of sweep — and a lot of power is still maintained with Frostflame Bow's double strikes and additional damage passives. 
  • A Close Counter-based A-slot is maintained as a catch all-option and generally making Laegjarn/Fjorm a more independent unit overall. Though, given Near Save support, wanting to keep matchups strictly ranged, or wanting to maintain killing power in both phases, their default Atk/Res Catch may be a preferred option as well.
  • One significant alteration from the Vantage build is, of course, the lack of Vantage in favor of more sustainability or tank-focused skills. 
    • Mystic Boost 4 is one of the best options here, with a pack of effects that suit this build perfectly: lowering enemy damage by -5, healing a fair amount of HP back after every match, and the ability to pretty much decimate any Dazzling Staff healers that come Laegjarn/Fjorm's way.  
    • A/D Far Trace provides a form of Canto, something that Laegjarn/Fjorm otherwise oddly lacks for a 2022+ premium flier. The added escapability movement after battle is always nice, but the other main draw is the combat debuff of Atk/Def -3 which consistently applies in both phases. 
    • Seal Def 4 is a pretty good option to keep; it doesn't improve bulk or sustainability, but instead increases damage while offering a form of Special denial (enemy CD +1) if a penalty is present on the enemy.
    • Quick Riposte is a bit on the lower grade scale, but the additional follow-up may allow Laegjarn/Fjorm to confirm a kill with a total of four hits dealt in retaliation. 
  • In the C-slot, Laegjarn/Fjorm's default Atk Smoke 4 takes center stage here as it significantly improves matchups with follow-up denial as well as mass Atk manipulation. It requires one combat to completely set up though, which isn't always optimal; this is where Atk/Def Rein or an appropriate Menace comes in as more immediate alternatives at the cost of the follow-up blockage.  
  • Atk-boosting passives are preferred in the Sacred Seal to make up for Frostflame Bow's low Mt, and given the build's enemy phase nature and inclination to be near other allies, Atk-based Forms tend to offer the most gains. Heavy Blade also appears again as a way to accelerate Specials to full quickly. Assuming Laegjarn/Fjorm meets the Atk check (and they usually will with the amount of Atk manipulation in the build), Bonfire can potentially trigger in one initiation and counterattack, though Ignis is the preferred special if you're dedicating Laegjarn/Fjorm to enemy phase purely. 
    • If you're exceptionally worried about bow matchups, Iote's Shield takes special mention for nullifying flying weaknesses. It should be accompanied by more stat support to make up for what's essentially an empty slot otherwise.

Strengths

Flamefrost Bow

Laegjarn and Fjorm enter the Ninja festival with a weapon effect that is all-too familiar yet a slight toss-up. Indeed like past ninja weapons with Brave effects, Flamefrost Bow hits twice, but:

  1. It's a dual-phase brave weapon, meaning Laegjarn/Fjorm can carry out some nasty double-blow damage whether initiating or playing defensively.
  2. It grants visible stat adjustments that are pretty relevant to their statline — +5 to both defenses and a sharp but pretty irrelevant dip of -8 to Spd.
  3. And finally, in a slight twist of typical Laegjarn effect fashion, the bow grants even more Def, Res, and most importantly of all on a Brave weapon user, Atk, by "absorbing" 70% of the total of visible bonuses present on the target and teammates within two spaces. 
    • …okay, yeah, that's a mouthful, so for less reading: if the target or a nearby ally manages buffs totaling 24 (so, the usual +6 buffs to all stats), Laegjarn gets a whopping +16 (70% of 24). 

Basically, buff up your teammates, and punish enemies buffing themselves. This makes for a pretty stable unit that does more than your stereotypical brave nuking. This can easily be carried out through effective bonus distribution via Tactics or units with specialty buffing skills like Medeus, Spring Veronica, and Helbindi

Fantastic Atk and Great Defenses

A brave weapon calls for high natural offense, and Laegjarn/Fjorm provides that in spades through base 44 Atk. They're no slouch at taking hits either with raw 37 Def and 38 Res. To top it off, all stats mentioned become further strengthened by the various stat effects from Flamefrost Bow, making the two a stable tanky unit overall. 

Ranged Flier Perks

As a ranged flier, Laegjarn/Fjorm gets access to innate benefits and cool skills, including Rein skills (for immediate stat dominance), Far Trace (post-combat movement and more stats), and the ability to initiate from an extended range while traversing over many problematic terrain spaces.  

Duo Unit / Self-Dancing

As is tradition for the star duo unit of Ninja banners, Laegjarn/Fjorm have the ability to spur themselves for another round of action via a one-time refresh button. This is akin to targeting themselves with Dance / Sing, and just about anybody actively using those skills can tell you about the flexibility that this additional action offers — from gaining the opportunity to net yet another kill to simply moving out of enemy range safely.  

Besides this, being a Duo has a few perks, including high-scoring potential in Colisseum modes (counted as an effective 200 BST) as well as the ability to enable Duo's Hinderance in Aether Raids Defense.

Weaknesses

Slow as a Glacier

Base 19 Spd, which decreases further to 11 effectively the -8 decrease from Flamefrost Bow, is leagues below lackluster. Given Laegjarn/Fjorm's playstyle and high damage output, though, this is often not a huge issue except for situations where they cannot manage to confirm a kill in one blow. This low Spd also meant the duo is likely to have the maximum damage reduction from Dodge skills (Vital Astra, Velocity, Frenzy, etc) applied against them, reducing their chances of defeating units in the "godsword" archetype in one go. 

One-Shot or Bust

An inherent weakness of the Brave weapon trade that bears mentioning. With the number of ways to increase unit bulk, Laegjarn/Fjorm will definitely have to respect the efforts of fellow tanky units sometimes, especially with Flamefrost Bow's low base Mt per strike as well as its blue colouring. 

Competition / Generally Disadvantaged

Generally speaking, Laegjarn/Fjorm is operating at a generally disadvantaged stance. For instance, it's easy to compare them with the previous duo Ninja units due to their shared Brave and self-refreshing effects; compared to Lyn/Florina, Laegjarn/Fjorm lacks all-around coverage (due to their innate matchup disadvantage versus greens as opposed to being colorless) and the ability to use Disarm Trap, and they lack the huge and flexible threat range that make Corrin/Elise so feared by many. The previous ninja duos' high Spd stats also made it possible to inch past matchups or confirm kills with quadruple attacks — something that is totally not possible with Laegjarn/Fjorm unless supplied with specific outsourced means such as Bridal Catria/Thea or Divine Fang+

Outside of these, Laegjarn/Fjorm is easily susceptible to an effective weakness from bows, as well as the usual countermeasures to dual brave units such as Hardy Bearing and counterattack cancellation.

Duo Skill

Grants unit another action. (May be used only if unit has already entered combat during the current turn.)

(Duo skills can be used once per map by tapping the Duo button. Duo skills cannot be used by units deployed using Pair Up.)

Weapon Skills

Weapons SP Rng. Mt.
Iron Bow

Effective against flying units.

Learns by default at 1 ★
Unlocks at 1 ★
Only Inheritable by Bow users.
50 2 4
Steel Bow

Effective against flying units.

Learns by default at 2 ★
Unlocks at 2 ★
Only Inheritable by Bow users.
100 2 6
Silver Bow

Effective against flying units.

Learns by default at 4 ★
Unlocks at 3 ★
Only Inheritable by Bow users.
200 2 9
Flamefrost Bow

Accelerates Special trigger (cooldown count-1).

Effective against flying foes.

Grants Def/Res+5 and inflicts Spd-8 on unit.

Unit attacks twice. (Even if foe initiates combat, unit attacks twice.)

Grants bonus to unit's Atk/Def/Res during combat = 70% of the highest value among the total bonuses of target and the total bonuses of an ally within 2 spaces of unit.

Learns by default at 5 ★
Unlocks at 5 ★
Non-Inheritable skill.
400 2 8
Weapon Evolution
Weapon Upgrades
Weapon Upgrades

Special Skills

Special Skills SP Turns
New Moon

Treats foe's Def/Res as if reduced by 30% during combat.

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

Treats foe's Def/Res as if reduced by 30% during combat.

Unlocks at 4 ★
Non-inheritable by Staff-wielding units.
200 2

Passive Skills

Passive Skills SP Slot
Atk/Res Catch 1

At start of combat, if foe's HP = 100% or if【Penalty】is active on foe, grants Atk/Res+3 to unit during combat. 

【Penalty】

All effects that last "on foe through its next action." Includes penalties inflicted by a skill like Panic or Threaten and negative status effects (preventing counterattacks, restricting movement, or the effects of a skill like Triangle Adept or Guard).

Cavalry & Flying Only
Unlocks at 2 ★
60
A
Atk/Res Catch 2

At start of combat, if foe’s HP = 100% or if【Penalty】is active on foe, grants Atk/Res+4 to unit during combat. 

【Penalty】

All effects that last "on foe through its next action." Includes penalties inflicted by a skill like Panic or Threaten and negative status effects (preventing counterattacks, restricting movement, or the effects of a skill like Triangle Adept or Guard).

Cavalry & Flying Only
Unlocks at 3 ★
120
A
Atk/Res Catch 3

At start of combat, if foe’s HP = 100% or if【Penalty】is active on foe, grants Atk/Res+5 to unit during combat. 

【Penalty】

All effects that last "on foe through its next action." Includes penalties inflicted by a skill like Panic or Threaten and negative status effects (preventing counterattacks, restricting movement, or the effects of a skill like Triangle Adept or Guard).

Cavalry & Flying Only
Unlocks at 4 ★
240
A
Atk/Res Catch 4

At start of combat, if foe's HP = 100% or if【Penalty】is active on foe, grants Atk/Res+7 to unit during combat. At start of combat, if foe's HP = 100% and【Penalty】is active on foe, grants an additional Atk/Res+2 to unit during combat. 

【Penalty】

All effects that last "on foe through its next action." Includes penalties inflicted by a skill like Panic or Threaten and negative status effects (preventing counterattacks, restricting movement, or the effects of a skill like Triangle Adept or Guard).

Cavalry & Flying Only
Unlocks at 5 ★
300
A
Seal Def 1

Inflicts Def-3 on foe through its next action after combat.

Non-inheritable by Staff-wielding units.
Unlocks at 2 ★
40
B
Seal Def 2

Inflicts Def-5 on foe through its next action after combat.

Non-inheritable by Staff-wielding units.
Unlocks at 3 ★
80
B
Seal Def 3

Inflicts Def-7 on foe through its next action after combat.

Non-inheritable by Staff-wielding units.
Unlocks at 4 ★
160
B
Seal Def 4

Inflicts Def-4 on foe during combat, and if no effect neutralizes penalties to foe's Def, inflicts penalty on foe's Def during combat = 7 - current penalty on foe's Def (min: 0). If penalty is active on foe's Def, inflicts Special cooldown charge -1 on foe per attack during combat. (Only highest value applied. Does not stack.) Inflicts Def-7 on foe through its next action after combat.

Non-inheritable by Staff-wielding units.
Unlocks at 5 ★
300
B
Atk Smoke 1

Inflicts Atk-3 on foes within 2 spaces of target through their next actions after combat.

Non-inheritable by Staff-wielding units.
Unlocks at 2 ★
60
C
Atk Smoke 2

Inflicts Atk-5 on foes within 2 spaces of target through their next actions after combat.

Non-inheritable by Staff-wielding units.
Unlocks at 3 ★
120
C
Atk Smoke 3

Inflicts Atk-7 on foes within 2 spaces of target through their next actions after combat.

Non-inheritable by Staff-wielding units.
Unlocks at 4 ★
240
C
Atk Smoke 4

After combat, inflicts Atk-7 on target and foes within 2 spaces of target through their next actions, grants Def/Res+6 to unit for 1 turn, and unit gains "foe cannot make a follow-up attack" for 1 turn.

Non-inheritable by Staff-wielding units.
Unlocks at 5 ★
300
C

Other Info

Origin
Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Banners Featured In