Tempest Trials - Reunited at Last

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 a second team. Therefore, teams should try and prioritise for speed as well as survivability. There are a few changes this time around, which make the trials easier. The important ones are as follows:

• Focus units gain significant stat boosts (HP+10, +4 other stats).
• Focus units gain double EXP and SP.
• Your first two runs per day earn triple points.
• There is a new easier difficulty and normal difficulty Trials cost 15 stamina

If you include a bonus ally on your team, you can increase your score. If you add multiple bonus allies, only the highest bonus will apply. Bonuses do not stack. Bonus Allies gain stat boosts equal to +10 HP, and +4 to all other stats.

Bonus Allies
+40%
+20%

Before you can attempt the Tempest Trials, it’s assumed that you have a decent pool (at least two of each colour) heroes at five stars, or four stars with a high merge value. It’s also expected that you have a recommended skill build, as some of the fights will be very tough. It’s a lot easier to claim rewards this time around, so although the highest difficulty gives the most points, it is possible to claim the important ones on lower difficulties. Losing a team will not significantly affect your point yield, so don’t stress about losing time. With the triple points bonus at the start of the day, it is very easy to obtain the top seal without excessive grinding.

4★ Clive (6000 Score)

• Clive is a blue cavalry unit with great HP and defense, and decent attack. He is comparable to Berkut but has slightly better speed. He comes with the previously-exclusive skill Hit and Run, making him a valuable reward for the trials.

Breath of Life 1 seal (12,000 Score)

• This reward was offered during the first Tempest Trial, but is back. It's a great pickup for units looking for minor healing to offset penalties from skills such as Fury. For those who already obtained this reward during the first trial, it will be converted to 300 feathers instead.

Atk Ploy 1 seal (20,000 Score)

• A seal that can lower the attack of foes, depending on the unit's position and resistance. A very valuable pickup, as it allows units to instead run more powerful buff skills without sacrificing Slot C for threaten. Useful for nearly all types of units.

5★ Clive (30,000 Score)

• A second copy of Clive, coming at five stars. A free 5★ unit is nothing to be sneezed at, and he remains the best F2P choice for a bonus unit.

Hardy Bearing 1 seal (40,000 Score)

• The Hardy Bearing seal nullifies the effects of skills that change attack priority (provided the unit is at max HP). This is a great way to counter users of Desperation and Vantage, two popular B skills that are difficult to deal with. Highly recommended to pick this up.

Without further ado, let us jump into the team-building part of the guide. Instead of talking about just completed teams, I’ll be talking about the elements that make those teams successful, so that players with varying boxes 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!
• Source of healing.
• Strategy for Sonya.
• A unit to beat each colour.

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. The F2P options this time around are Berkut and Clive. Both are powerful even at four stars, providing powerful blue options for the team. Celica, Delthea and Sonya are all powerful units, Celica in particular being notable for her Ragnarok tome and type advantage against the final boss. Alm can provide valuable healing, but Gray has a better statline and provides a larger bonus. If you can’t find room in your team for a bonus unit, consider starting with a throwaway team that features one.  Suffering one defeat with a bonus unit will still give you a higher score than if you never used one.

Official Healers

Healers are fantastic in the Tempest Trials, and can single-handedly sustain your team throughout the duration of the run. However, running a healer can compromise your team (unless you can get Wrathful Staff). It’s highly recommended to take a healer for safe runs, but keep in mind that they will slow your runs down compared to more offensive teams. Genny is the best choice due to her utility as a bonus unit and stat boosts.

Unofficial Healers

There are a few types of builds which can be used to heal teams without using a valuable team slot on a dedicated healer. The first of these is the “Falchion Medic”, a build type which requires a user of the legendary Falchion. With Renewal in B slot and Reciprocal Aid as a support skill, this build can provide healing to allies without sacrificing offensive power. Notable units who can pull this off include: Alm, a bonus unit and Masked Marth, who appeared as a free four/five star reward from the first trials. This is a great option for those with the units, but expect a lower amount of raw healing. If you have Linde, you can run a Breath of Life build. The effects from Aura (Linde’s unique tome), Breath of Life, and the Breath of Life seal stack to provide a whopping 15 health to all units around her when she attacks. Make sure to take Reciprocal Aid along with this build, to ensure that Linde herself can be sustained. If you don’t have Linde, the build can be applied to any character, but will only heal 10 HP. Remember that a dancer can potentially double this healing output!

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.

Triangle Adept + Raven Tomes

This skill build is amazing for the Tempest Trials, granting a significant amount of sturdiness to a team combined with a strong attacker. These units are capable of defeating many foes in a row without losing much HP, which makes them an idea choice for the trials. At least one unit with this build is highly recommended. The most common users are Robin(M), Sophia, Cecilia, Boey and Spring Camilla. Sophia is especially useful, as she can be used to safely KO Sonya, the final boss.

Celica, Delthea, Sonia, (Dancer)

The triple mage core is one of the most potent teams available for the trials. Celica and Delthea have extreme statlines after their stat boosts, and are capable of carrying the trials entirely on their own. Sonia provides a third mage, but can be replaced with Julia or Nino if necessary. The final team slot is best used on a dancer: Azura, Olivia or Ninian. Breath of Life should be the C skill on at least 2/3 mages, to provide heals for the team.

Clive, Xander, Cecilia, Genny

As a surprise to no-one, Cavalry teams are as powerful as ever during the trials and can be built very cheaply and entirely F2P. Clive is the bonus unit of choice thanks to his superior speed compared to Berkut. However, Berkut can be used before Clive is obtained. Xander is recommended due to his Distant Counter weapon, but Eldigan or Eliwood can be used instead. Cecilia provides the team with a raven tome and a valuable resistance tank. Genny is the healer of choice, but can be replaced with any other healer (mounted healers are preferred), or Falchion medic. Running Breath of Life on the fourth slot is a solid option if they aren’t cavalry.

Clive, Hector, Kagero, Masked Marth

Another decent team, Clive and Hector can KO most units with Kagero cleaning up mages and grey units. Kagero is the primary unit slayer, and should be running Breath of Life to give some healing to the team. She can run Green Tomebreaker to combat Sonya in the final round. This is a mostly balanced team, but lacks a dancer. Masked Marth is the flex unit of the team and can be replaced by Olivia or even a dedicated healer. Azama is a great choice in this regard, thanks to his high defense and natural access to Pain and Rehabilitate. Mounted healers are also exceptional choices, to provide even more buffs to Clive.