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Soiree Berkut

Analysis by MackerelPye
Soiree Berkut - Debonair Noble

5

Obtainable as a 5 only

Hero Stats

Max Avg Total Stats at Lvl 40
161
HP 41
ATK 36
SPD 23
DEF 37
RES 24

Stat Variations

Level 1 Stat Variation
5★
HP ATK SPD DEF RES
Low 16 7 5 6 4
Middle 17 8 6 7 5
High 18 9 7 8 6

Level 40 Stat Variations
5★
HP ATK SPD DEF RES
Low 38 33 20 34 21
Middle 41 36 23 37 24
High 44 39 26 41 28

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

  • +DEF: A superasset in this stat is an obviously good choice, bringing Berkut's already superb base 37 Defense up to a sensational 41.  
  • +RES: Berkut's Resistance is also a terrific superasset. Though the resulting base 28 Resistance doesn't seem like much by itself, it moulds extremely well to Distant Counter and/or Resistance-based builds after dedicated investment. 
  • +ATK: Berkut's already-high Attack stat makes an Asset in Attack pretty considerable as well. Attack can be used as an Asset across most builds, though Berkut prefers a defensive Asset on those focused on tanking or walling. Attack should ideally be left neutral otherwise.

Neutral

  • HP: At base 41, Berkut's HP is considered adequate but volatile as Berkut will frequently get doubled. A Flaw should be avoided here to maintain his all-around bulk. Berkut benefits from an Asset as the extra HP can be used to increase overall bulk and better perform HP-based builds. 

Flaws

  • -SPD: At base 23 Speed, Berkut isn't exactly known for having twinkle toes. It easily can be taken as a Flaw.

Skill Sets

Danses Gothiques (Mixed Melee Tank)

Build by
Recommended
Berkut’s Lance+ (+Res)
Alternate: Slaying Lance+ (+Res)
A Warding Stance 4
Alternate: Fort. Def/Res 3
Dance B Quick Riposte 3
Alternate: Guard 3
Bonfire
Alternate: Iceberg
C Infantry Pulse 3
Alternate: Infantry Rush 3
IVsSClose Def 3
Alternate: Distant Def 3

Show Explanation/Analysis

Preferred IV: +RES / -SPD

  • This build is purposed to take on both physical and especially magical fights, making Resistance a preferred Asset here. The fact that Resistance is also a superasset, bringing Berkut's tolerable 24 Resistance to a much more satisfactory, supple 28, makes the decision all the more worth it.

Weapon: Berkut's Lance+ (+Res) / Slaying Lance+ (+Res)

  • Berkut can come back to his roots by running Berkut's Lance, which further pads out Berkut's Resistance by 7 when the foe initiates combat. For stat-based stalling matchups against dragons and ranged magic, this is the most optimal choice.

  • Slaying Lance is still an ever-viable option as it helps Berkut activate Specials in one sitting through certain skill combinations. 

  • Any weapon Berkut runs should be Resistance or Defense refined, depending on your personal desired balance between both defenses. 

Assist: Dance

Special: Bonfire / Iceberg / Aether

  • Without cooldown acceleration (via Breath skills), most non-Aether damaging specials are sufficient. With Warding Breath, any of them including Aether are good choices regardless.

  • Both Bonfire and Iceberg are good choices since they scale off of either Berkut's invested Defense or Resistance, respectively. The Special you choose should depend on the higher defense stat Berkut achieves in your build.

  • Aether provides both sustain and good burst damage, but must specifically be used with cooldown acceleration.

Passive A: Warding Stance 4 / Fort. Def/Res / Warding Breath / Mirror Stance / Atk/Res Bond (3 or 4)

  • For a wall-based build rather than tanking (in which case Berkut should use Warding Breath or Mirror Stance), Warding Stance 4 and Fort. Def/Res are chosen to endure the most matches possible. Warding Stance 4's Guard effect leaves Berkut less susceptible to being cheated out of a matchup by a foe's Special, whereas Fort. Def/Res grants large increases to both of Berkut's defenses at a mere cost of two Attack points. 

  • Warding Breath is a great choice for accelerated Special activation, giving Berkut a practical means of activating Aether in one round or activating Iceberg or Bonfire after the opponent's first initiation (when used with Slaying Lance).

  • Mirror Stance and Atk/Res Bond 3 are the most accessible of the listed options as they are easily inheritable from units summoned via Heroic Grails. Additionally, the Attack boost given by both gives Berkut more raw damage per hit. For scoring purposes and the additional null debuff effect, Atk/Res Bond 4 is also up for consideration.

Passive B: Quick Riposte / Guard / Wings of Mercy

  • Quick Riposte gives Berkut an offensive presence by providing an additional follow-up attack in enemy phase. It is optimal with any of the listed skills in the A slot, but finds particular synergy with the Guard effect that Warding Stance 4 offers. 

  • Guard offers value with non-Stance 4 A skills as it offers light disruption and stalling against enemy Specials.

  • Wings of Mercy offers a ton of utility by granting the ability to teleport and support damaged teammates in any infantry-accessible space.

Passive C: Infantry Pulse / Infantry Rush / Distant Guard / Flexible

  • Infantry Pulse and Infantry Rush provide superlative cooldown support for infantry allies; the former leads to great precharge setups, while the former essentially provides Heavy Blade to those who don't wish to use it themselves.

  • Distant Guard is still a great default support special that increases resilience to ranged attacks for teammates within two spaces.

  • The C slot is otherwise open for team-specific options and personal preferences.

Sacred Seal: Close Def / Distant Def / Atk/Res Bond / Quick Riposte / Flexible

  • Close Def and Distant Def grants more resilience against melee and ranged attacks respectively, depending on which matchups you value more.

  • Atk/Res Bond is a fine option for reasons stated in its A slot section: granting 5 Atk/Res when adjacent to a teammate offers both substantial magical resilience as well as offensive presence.

  • Quick Riposte should be assessed above all else if not used in the B slot as Berkut needs it to secure follow-up attacks. 

  • Warding Stance, Fortress Res, Chill skills, and many more are up for consideration depending on skill availability and team preferences.

Lacrimosa (Physical Tank)

Build by
Recommended
Slaying Lance+ (+Def)
Alternate: Vanguard+ (+Def)
A Steady Breath
Alternate: Steady Stance (3 or 4)
Dance B Guard 3
Alternate: Wings of Mercy 3
Bonfire
Alternate: Ignis
C Infantry Pulse 3
Alternate: Infantry Rush 3
IVsSQuick Riposte 3
Alternate: Close Def 3

Show Explanation/Analysis

Preferred IV: +DEF / -SPD

  • Defense is the optimal Asset, since it largely benefits Berkut's raw Defense and thus directly debilitates most physical attacks heading his way.

  • This build's disposition to the enemy phase and usage of Quick Riposte makes Speed the clear optimal Flaw.

Weapon:  Slaying Lance+ (+Def) / Vanguard (+Def)

  • Slaying Lance permanently subtracts the cooldown of Berkut's Specials by 1, resulting in a number of rewarding Steady Breath-based setups. Additionally, unlike Verðandi, Slaying Lance is refinable, meaning Berkut can further augment his awesome physical bulk with a Defense refine.

  • Vanguard acts as a pure walling option, providing an additional 7 Defense when a foe initiates. This helps Berkut deal with purely stat-based matchups, where even the smallest opening in his Defense might bring him down with repeated pressure.

Assist: Dance

Special: Bonfire / Ignis / Aether 

  • Bonfire's high additional damage can be attributed to Berkut's fantastic invested Defense. Bonfire is particularly effective with both Slaying Lance and Steady Breath as it allows him to fire off Bonfire instantly on most enemies without Guard effects of their own. 

  • Ignis provides higher burst damage and should be the prime damaging Special for builds not using Slaying Lance due to reworked activation timing. Berkut is also likely to save the Special for another target, should he come out of a previous battle intact.

  • Aether provides both great sustain and beefy additional damage at the cost of 5 cooldown, which can easily be worked around with cooldown manipulation (i.e. Slaying Lance and/or Steady Breath). 

Passive A: Steady Breath / Steady Stance (3 or 4) / Most Defense-based Bonds and Stances

  • Steady Breath is the bee's knees when it comes to consistent and frequent Special activation. With this skill in tow, Berkut can punish attackers with two Bonfires (assuming they don't go down to the first), and simply activate Aether and Ignis at a practical pace regardless of build. 

  • In addition to a beefy Defense boost in enemy phase, Steady Stance 4 also provides a Guard effect. This ensures most Special-reliant physical attackers that challenge Berkut will likely have a difficult time come out successful. On a budget, Steady Stance 3 lacks Guard but is nonetheless doable.

  • Most Defense-based Bond and other Stance skills are worth considering if you prefer a more well-rounded approach to Berkut's stats. 

Passive B: Guard / Wings of Mercy / Quick Riposte 

  • Guard is a fine option on many setups not featuring Steady Stance 4, for the same reasons the aforementioned skill is great for: stopping the opponent's Special from charging too easily and thus breaking through Berkut. However, it has an HP threshold that can be inconvenient without the use of Aether.

  • Wings of Mercy is always a fantastic mobility option on refresher units, and Berkut is no exception as he gains the ability to teleport to damaged teammates and support from afar.

  • Quick Riposte makes up for Berkut's lack of natural follow-ups by providing one itself, assuming Berkut keeps his health above 70% and isn't faced against Null Follow-Up users.

Passive C: Infantry Pulse / Infantry Rush / Distant Guard / Flexible

  • Berkut's access to a handy line of Infantry support skills puts them first and foremost above most other options. For example, Infantry Pulse can lead to some potent precharge setups, while Infantry Rush grants Heavy Blade to fellow infantry allies within two spaces so they do not need to equip the skill themselves. The latter is especially potent with Wings of Mercy for allowing Berkut to apply the skill anytime and anywhere as long as the applicable teammates are damaged enough.

  • Distant Guard comes by default in Berkut's base kit and is a good general defensive support skill for most intents and purposes.

  • The C slot is otherwise open for your needs and team preferences.

Sacred Seal: Quick Riposte / Close Def / Atk/Def Bond / Steady Stance

  • Quick Riposte should be used as the Sacred Seal if not used in the B slot, as Berkut critically needs it in one form or another to reliably double foes, frequently fire off Specials, and defeat his foes consequently.

  • Close Def and its close equivalent Steady Stance further bolsters Berkut's raw physical bulk and further specializes him against the usual threats the build counters.

  • Atk/Def Bond provides a similar boost to the aforementioned seals while also providing a handy Attack boost, granting Berkut better damage potential outside of his Specials. The condition of adjacency is also relatively easy considering Berkut will likely benefit and assist teammates nearby.

Kriemhild's Funeral March (Brave Lance)

Build by
Brave Lance+ A Death Blow (3 or 4)
Alternate: Sturdy Impact
Dance B Wings of Mercy 3
Alternate: Lull Atk/Def 3
Galeforce
Alternate: Moonbow
C Time's Pulse 3
Alternate: Odd Atk Wave 3
IVsSHeavy Blade 3
Alternate: Sturdy Blow 2

Show Explanation/Analysis

Preferred IV: +ATK / -SPD

  • A build focused on building as much damage output as possible while covering for Brave Lance's low might naturally prefers an Attack asset, which augments Berkut's starting base 36 quite well. 

  • Berkut suffers a Speed penalty from Brave Lance also, which further encourages Berkut to drop his Speed altogether as a Flaw. 

Weapon: Brave Lance+

  • Brave Lance is a power-based weapon that deals damage twice consecutively, allowing Berkut to serve some serious blitz damage when he isn't required to Dance.

  • Berkut is notably one of the few Dancers with both access to a Brave weapon and a sufficient amount of Attack needed to use it, giving this build a significant offensive niche—whereas fellow Soiree dancers Ishtar and Reinhardt have the magic department covered.

  • Brave Lance is also Berkut's only reliable method of activating Galeforce (when combined with certain skills), as the weapon's consecutive behavior makes up for Berkut's inability to make follow-up attacks in player phase. 

Assist: Dance

  • This build, in particular, allows Berkut to exercise his hidden player phase capabilities while providing an awesome form of utility through Dance. Despite Berkut's awesome offensive potential, players should not forget to use Dance when the situation calls for that instead.

Special: Galeforce / Moonbow / Luna / Bonfire

  • Galeforce is a potent Special that allows Berkut to take another action after its activation. Berkut can use this extra opportunity to attack the same enemy or others, Dance a teammate into another action of their own, or simply escape enemy territory. However, this requires a specific setup; in particular, the Heavy Blade seal is essential across all builds involving Galeforce, and Time's Pulse is handy but expensive. Lacking Time's Pulse can be covered by utilizing outsourced Pulse support, though it will be difficult to activate Galeforce in a single round after its first initial activation as Galeforce starts at five cooldown turns instead of four. 

  • A damaging Special offers burst damage which is quite handy against persistent foes who aren't eliminated in a single round. Assuming Brave Lance fires all two of its attacks, Moonbow has a similar activation timing to Specials with a total cooldown of 3. Therefore, Moonbow is only worth it on builds with Heavy Blade as Berkut can potentially activate it in a single round. 

  • Luna or Bonfire should be the skill of choice on all non-Heavy Blade builds. The damage difference between the two specials is rather trifling most of the time, but using either depends on whether you value cutting through high defense foes or dealing solid, predictable damage respectively. With the stacked Defense boosts provided by the Sturdy Blow seal and Sturdy Impact, Bonfire's resulting damage increase is worth noting. 

Passive A: Death Blow (3 or 4) / Sturdy Impact / Mirror Impact

  • Death Blow 3 is the most accessible optimal skill; it offers a solid additional 6 Atk on initiation which translates to +12 damage in a clean matchup. 

  • Death Blow 4 offers the most damage output of all possible options. Notably, several of the current native users of this skill also give out optimal inheritance options in Galeforce (Brave Celica) or Lull Atk/Def (Dimitri). 

  • The Impact skills are a bit extraneous and expensive, though the added ability to disable the enemy's follow-up attack is handy for survival in otherwise dire matchups. This survival translates well to Galeforce builds, where Berkut can potentially finish off the same enemy if they also survive the matchup. 

Passive B: Wings of Mercy / Lull Atk/Def / Special Spiral / Chill Def / Hit and Run

  • Wings of Mercy is, as usual, a handy support skill that allows Berkut to help out his teammates from afar. Its usefulness extends far beyond that with Galeforce, however. To visualize its usefulness, Berkut can teleport to a teammate after they are finished eliminating an enemy, and proceed to defeat an enemy adjacent to the defeated unit himself. Berkut will then likely gain another action thanks to Galeforce, leading to him Dancing an appropriate teammate or attacking again. This scenario gives Berkut exceptional value on Galeforce-based Aether Raids Offense teams, where he can further the chain of attacks that occur on such setups. 

  • Lull Atk/Def 3 is a more selfish option that neutralizes current Attack and Defense bonuses on his current target and punishes those stats further by -3. This not only furthers Berkut's damage output by a fair amount, but it also makes Heavy Blade easier to activate if used. Notably, Berkut can inherit this along with Death Blow 4 from any Dimitri.

  • Special Spiral decreases the cooldown count of any of Berkut's Specials by 2 when that Special activates in combat, allowing for instant usage of Specials such as Luna and Bonfire without the use of Heavy Blade. Due to the activation timing of Galeforce and Special Spiral's own activation requirement, note that these two skills together do NOT interact and should not be used accordingly.

  • Chill Def provides passive, remote support by decreasing an affected enemy's Defense by 7, which a teammate or himself can promptly take advantage of. 

  • Hit and Run provides good positional escapability after a successful initiation or kill.

Passive C: Time's Pulse / (Even or Odd) Atk Wave / Joint Hone Atk / Def Smoke / Flexible

  • Time's Pulse is almost a requirement on all Galeforce setups; at the start of the turn, it decreases the normally too-long maximum cooldown of Galeforce to 4, making it easier to activate the skill in a single round thanks to Heavy Blade and Brave Lance consecutively hitting twice. With outsourced Pulse support, Time's Pulse can be substituted, though note that one-round Galeforce activations beyond of the first will be somewhat difficult.   

  • An Atk Wave of your choice or Joint Hone Atk self-sufficiently increases Berkut's Attack by remarkable amounts, while offering the same benefit to an adjacent teammate as a nice support option.

  • Def Smoke decreases the Defense of affected foes by a devastating -7, which seriously increases the damage output of Berkut and possibly a Danced teammate (assuming Galeforce activation) after he is done attacking.

  • The C slot is otherwise open for other team-preferred options.

Sacred Seal: Heavy Blade / Sturdy Blow 

  • It is because of the cooldown acceleration of Heavy Blade that Galeforce builds are even practical to begin with. It follows that this exact seal is required on any and all builds running Galeforce, no exceptions. Additionally, Heavy Blade is also good for regularly-occurring Moonbow procs, or Luna if Time's Pulse is used. Because Heavy Blade is reliant on Atk comparisons to activate, be mindful of high Attack enemies that can interfere with Berkut's groove. 

  • Sturdy Blow provides an additional 4 Attack boost on initiation, making it an obvious choice among other Attack-related Sacred Seals. The extra Defense boost also directly benefits Bonfire, especially when combined with that of Sturdy Impact.

Une Saison en Enfer (Aether Raids Offense Omnitank / Support)

Build by
Casa Blanca+ (+Res) A Distant Counter
Dance B Null C-Disrupt 3
Alternate: Quick Riposte 3
Noontime
Alternate: Sol
C Atk Smoke 3
Alternate: Def Smoke 3
IVsSQuick Riposte 3
Alternate: Distant Def 3

Show Explanation/Analysis

Preferred IV: +RES / -SPD

  • Aether Raids is generally filled to the brim with ranged and/or magical threats across all tiers, making raw Resistance the prime Asset to consider above all else. 

Weapon: Casa Blanca+ (+Res)

  • Many Aether Raids defense setups are built around buffing teammates in hopes that a poor soul will fall under the wrath of super-fortified units. The ubiquitous Legendary Azura also makes matters worse by using Prayer Wheel, which can potentially apply huge buffs while also refreshing a chosen teammate. Berkut can cut this issue almost entirely by using Casa Blanca, which dulls the bonuses of any ranged unit he comes across to zero, making them significantly easier to deal with.

  • Keep in mind that Casa Blanca's Dull effect does not extend to melee units, meaning Berkut must keep caution against threats such as Bold Fighter Duma, Brave Ike, and potential Galeforce units.

  • To make the most out of Berkut's somewhat specialized ranged matchups, Resistance refining Casa Blanca, as well as utilizing Eir's Light Blessing (5 HP and Res for every Eir your employ), is the optimal course of action.  

Assist: Dance

  • It would be redundant to state Dance's usefulness at this point, but it is worth noting Berkut's particular use of it in Aether Raids. Specifically, this build balances his combat duties (as ranged tanking is quite valuable in Aether Raids Offense) while offering great support regardless to other teammates in case he cannot do much against specific teams.

Special: Sol / Noontime / Aether

  • Aether Raids defenses tend to place units in concentrated setups in order to overlap each other's attack range and consequently overwhelm opponents. To deal with this, Berkut must have a consistent source of sustain. Sol and Noontime are ideal due to their short cooldown values.

  • Aether provides a package deal of both burst damage and reasonable sustainability but possesses far too much cooldown to consistently keep Berkut healthy in heavy mob situations. It gets an honorary mention, however, if you provide Berkut with the appropriate outsourced cooldown support (via Infantry Rush or refined Geirskögul).

Passive A: Distant Counter

  • Berkut, of course, needs Distant Counter if he's going anywhere near the majority of commonly-seen ranged threats in Aether Raids. 

Passive B: Null C-Disrupt / Quick Riposte

  • Null C-Disrupt is the priority recommendation here as it allows Berkut to cancel out the Sweep or Dazzling effects of incoming attacks. Thus, Berkut can properly take out the likes of Veronica, Firesweep Bow Lyn, and a variety of similar, common threats. As a dancer and supporting unit as a whole, Berkut makes extremely good use of this skill so your other units (especially other AR carries) do not have to go through the trouble of inheriting or using it.

  • Quick Riposte is a more accessible option if Null C-Disrupt is simply unavailable for any reason. It is used to more quickly close matches on typical matchups thanks to the additional follow-up attack while opening Berkut's Sacred Seal to alternative good options such as Distant Def.

  • Honorable support mentions include Sudden Panic and Wings of Mercy, while Mystic Boost is worth considering for another source of consistent sustain in multiple continuous fights.

Passive C: Atk Smoke / Def Smoke / Pulse Smoke

  • Atk Smoke is the most accessible Smoke option that improves Berkut's resilience to incoming attacks from enemies in concentrated formations.

  • Def Smoke improves Berkut's damage output on affected enemies, making them more susceptible to one-round kills. 

  • Pulse Smoke is the most luxurious option that provides comfort against precharge-based setups, where Berkut has the option of neutralizing the likes of Sonya, Sothe, Seliph, etc.

Sacred Seal: Quick Riposte / Distant Def / Fierce Stance / Atk Smoke

  • Quick Riposte is a requirement in one form or another due to Berkut's inability to make follow-up attacks otherwise. It is therefore important to use this alongside Null C-Disrupt, Disarm Trap, or other customized B slot skills.

  • If Quick Riposte is used, Berkut has the option of running other direct improvements to his statline, including Distant Def and Fierce Stance. The former improves Berkut's resilience to ranged attacks even further. Fierce Stance, on the other hand, improves his chances of taking out enemy units in one round—and thus eliminating chances of them being refreshed into action again by another Dancer or Singer.

  • Atk Smoke can be used in combination with the other Smoke skills used in the C slot to further debilitate enemies.

Prelude 1 in C Minor (Low Investment)

Build by
Verðandi
Alternate: Vanguard+ (+Def)
A Steady Stance 3
Alternate: B Duel Infantry 3
Dance B Wings of Mercy 3
Alternate: Swordbreaker 3
Bonfire
Alternate: Moonbow
C Distant Guard 3
Alternate: Atk Tactic 3
IVsSQuick Riposte 3
Alternate: Steady Stance 3

Show Explanation/Analysis

Preferred IV: +DEF / -SPD

  • This build is designed to work with any asset/flaw combination. Any physically-inclined stat of choice is fine here for the sake of flexibility, though Defense wins out over others for a noticeable improvement in raw bulk. HP is also notable as it opens the possibility of running HP-based support skills.

  • This build mostly works with most Flaws, though Speed as always is the best of them as it is very low at default investment.

Weapon: Verðandi / Vanguard+ (+Def)

  • Verðandi comes packaged in Berkut's default kit and is a fine basic support weapon as it applies a bonus of 4 to all stats on an ally of choice.

  • If the player can spare resources, Vanguard is one of the better alternative weapons for Berkut as its effect massively improves his Defense in addition to extra stats from Defense refinery. It is available from Thea, a 4-star rarity pull. 

Assist: Dance

Special: Bonfire / Moonbow

  • Bonfire is an obvious Special choice considering Berkut's high base Defense and further optional Asset in this stat. In practical fights, he has the option of saving Bonfire for his current target or another foe after his first fight.

  • Moonbow is an option that typically activates after every enemy initiation if they do not have Guard or relevant follow-up manipulation of any kind.

Passive A: Steady Stance 3 / B Duel Infantry / Triangle Adept

  • Steady Stance 3 is easily acquirable from low rarity Silas and directly improves Berkut's Defense, his most important stat on this build. 

  • B Duel Infantry will more likely be used for its HP+5 effect than Arena score augmentation. It comes packaged by default on Berkut and is not a bad default choice, though there are better options.

  • Triangle Adept specializes Berkut against physical red threats while allowing him to take the occasional moderate red Resistance-hitting attack. 

Passive B: Wings of Mercy / Swordbreaker / Quick Riposte (2 or 3)

  • Wings of Mercy combines both fantastic utility and low-investment affordability in one slot. It allows Berkut to teleport adjacent to any teammate under 50% HP, meaning he can offer awesome support to Desperation sweepers and such.

  • Sword units that dare attack into a Berkut with Swordbreaker will likely end up at the end of their own blade, as the skill even further specializes him against tough sword units without Null Follow-Up or Bold Fighter (with above-average Speed). 

  • Quick Riposte extends Berkut's list of viable matchups by providing an HP-conditional follow-up attack in enemy phase on all melee units rather than just swords. 

Passive C: Distant Guard / Atk Tactic / Flexible

  • Distant Guard comes by default on Berkut and is mostly a fine support choice as the additional distant defense is nearly never bad to have. 

  • Atk Tactic is a cheap option for an offensive stat buff, as long as Berkut and his teammates are qualified for Tactics conditions. 

  • The C slot is otherwise open for a host of alternative options depending on your team.

Sacred Seal: Quick Riposte / Steady Stance / Panic Ploy / Flexible

  • Quick Riposte can be used here if it is not in the B slot to increase Berkut's actual offensive contributions. 

  • Steady Stance provides an additional 6 Defense in enemy phase and can be doubly applied in the seal and A slot. It is sufficient with other A slot skills besides that.

  • Panic Ploy passively applies the Panic condition to cardinal enemies, and is effective with the HP augments of a refined weapon and B Duel Infantry. 

  • Like the C slot, the chosen Sacred Seal is up to resource availability and player preferences.

Introduction

Fire Emblem Heroes has given Berkut a chance to further expand on the fancy ballroom skills he oh-so-graciously displayed to us peasants playing Shadows of Valentia, and he does so with surprisingly fiery and competitive gusto. Out of the box, Soiree Berkut's Assist skill, Dance, is his pièce de résistance; its effect of granting other teammates additional actions is already worth renown and makes the Debonaire Noble a solid pick as a unit over others. While it goes without saying that other refresher units exist and can potentially provide the same level of support that Berkut does, this blatantly ignores Berkut's value as an astonishingly competent and powerful combat unit.  

To start, Berkut jives in with an increased base stat total of 161 compared to refresher units released prior to his banner. This is already remarkable by itself, but the fact that Berkut's stat distribution is so optimally distributed as it is deserves a few shocked glances. With physical stats of 36 Attack and 37 Defense, Berkut is certainly not asking for much more, outside of a few more points in his modest but otherwise workable base 41 HP.  His Resistance sits at a much more humble base 24, which can be somewhat of a sore spot in matchups against magically-inclined foes. However, dedicated investment in Resistance is both possible and practical thanks to a superasset in this stat, as well as Berkut's ability to run to Resistance-specialized weapons and skills. While Berkut's Speed suffers as a result of this stat distribution, this is arguably not a weakness since it simply affirms his role as a traditional enemy phase tank. This is not to say that Berkut can't do his fair share of the Player Phase Tango; his high Attack also lends itself to weapons and skills such as Brave Lance, Mirror Stance, Sturdy Impact, and more.

Berkut's other claim to dancing with the stars is the privileges that come with his infantry status. Not only does our Rigelian prince benefit from standard and flexible movement—beaten only by his rival flying dancers—but he also can run a number of infantry-locked skills with unerring confidence thanks to his flexible stats. Built standardly, Berkut can replicate the performance of Steady Breath Lukas, while other builds can have him defy his magical enemies and enemy phase-only status with skills such as Null C-Disrupt, Warding Breath, Special Spiral, and Time's Pulse.

Perhaps the best part about all of Berkut's combat perks, mainly his more-than-competent statline and access to great skills, as that he does this all with a Dance and a reluctant smile. While Berkut may stumble on a few obvious difficulties, including vulnerability to strong green threats and reliance on artificial follow-ups, he makes up for this and more by continuing to impress more than a smile to Rinea's visage.

Strengths

Dance

The ability to grant another action to other teammates—basically making them twice as effective—already puts Berkut way ahead of the competition. Regardless of the presence (or lack thereof) of targets that Berkut himself can combat, Dance always makes him a constructive team member.

Solid and Optimized Statline

For a dancer, Berkut does not suffer from the limitations of those that came before him at all. A base stat total of 161, along with an optimized stat distribution all-around especially on the physical side, leaves Berkut rarely asking for more. Though 24 base Resistance is a bit of a crack in an otherwise solid tank, it can be easily fortified through a variety of methods, including Eir's Light blessing effect and skills/weapons dealing with Resistance such as Berkut's Lance and Atk/Res Bond. 

Great Access to Alternative Weapons

Besides Berkut's base unique weapon Verðandi, which provides a nice bonus of 4 all-around and is ideal for general support and teammates utilizing Bladetomes, his statline allows for the usage of many alternative lances with great effects and refinability options. Slaying Lance, Vanguard, Casa Blanca, and ye olde but reliable Berkut's Lance are a few of many notables. 

Infantry Perks

Berkut's infantry status gives him the privilege of running several helpful type-locked skills, including Steady Breath, Infantry Pulse, Infantry Rush, Time's Pulse, and much more depending on the build.

Weaknesses

Low Speed

Berkut's Speed technically isn't an actual weakness as it merely encourages his role, and his other stats are more than ready to pick up the slack. Although, it may still get him in peril on occasion against particularly strong magic foes that naturally double him, including Nino and Sothis.

Pregnable Resistance

At a base of 24, Berkut's inherently average Resistance is a crack in his otherwise superb defenses. If left uninvested (which is typically the case on builds that overspecialize in physical Defense), it typically exposes him to strong magical assaults.

Seasonally Limited

Soiree Berkut is seasonally available once a year for the foreseeable future. Thankfully, this setback doesn't hit him as hard as others in his position: he does not share colors with the other focus units in A Splendid Soiree, and has more than enough individual value to be worth waiting for.

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
Verðandi

If Sing or Dance is used, grants Atk/Spd/Def/Res+4 to target

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

Support Skills

Support Skills Rng. SP
Dance

Grants another action to target ally. (Cannot target an ally with Sing or Dance.)

Learns by default at 4 ★
1 150

Passive Skills

Passive Skills SP Slot
B Duel Infantry 1

Grants HP+3. If unit is 5★ and level 40 and unit's stats total less than 160, treats unit's stats as 160 in modes like Arena. (Higher-scoring opponents will appear. Stat total calculation excludes any values added by merges and skills.)

Blue Infantry units only
Unlocks at 3 ★
70
A
B Duel Infantry 2

Grants HP+4. If unit is 5★ and level 40 and unit's stats total less than 165, treats unit's stats as 165 in modes like Arena. (Higher-scoring opponents will appear. Stat total calculation excludes any values added by merges and skills.)

Blue Infantry units only
Unlocks at 4 ★
150
A
B Duel Infantry 3

Grants HP+5. If unit is 5★ and level 40 and unit's stats total less than 170, treats unit's stats as 170 in modes like Arena. (Higher-scoring opponents will sppear. Stat total calculation excludes any values added by merges and skills.)

Blue Infantry units only
Unlocks at 5 ★
150
A
Distant Guard 1

Allies within 2 spaces gain: "If foe uses bow, dagger, magic, or staff, grants Def/Res+2 during combat."

Inheritable by all units.
Unlocks at 1 ★
60
C
Distant Guard 2

Allies within 2 spaces gain: "If foe uses bow, dagger, magic, or staff, grants Def/Res+3 during combat."

Inheritable by all units.
Unlocks at 2 ★
120
C
Distant Guard 3

Allies within 2 spaces gain: "If foe uses bow, dagger, magic, or staff, grants Def/Res+4 during combat."

Inheritable by all units.
Unlocks at 4 ★
240
C

Other Info

Origin
Fire Emblem Echoes

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