GamePress

New Year Lethe

Analysis by Wecondo12
New Year Lethe - New Year's Claw

5

Obtainable as a 5 only

Hero Stats

Max Avg Total Stats at Lvl 40
162
HP 41
ATK 35
SPD 41
DEF 27
RES 18

Stat Variations

Level 1 Stat Variation
5★
HP ATK SPD DEF RES
Low 16 8 10 4 4
Middle 17 9 11 5 5
High 18 10 12 6 6

Level 40 Stat Variations
5★
HP ATK SPD DEF RES
Low 38 32 38 23 14
Middle 41 35 41 27 18
High 44 38 45 30 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

  • +SPD: Easily NY Lethe’s best choice of asset, as it not only bolsters her ability to perform and avoid follow-up attacks, but also maximizes the effectiveness of exclusive weapon. She also gains 4 points of Speed from an Asset instead of the usual, making a Speed asset a fantastic choice for any build.

  • +ATK: An Attack asset is also a fantastic choice to increase lethe’s raw damage output, although it's not as strong overall as +SPD.

Neutral

  • HP: Lethe should ideally leave her HP neutral to preserve her overall bulk, as her weapon’s built in Close Call can make her surprisingly durable.

  • DEF: Lethe should also leave her Defense neutral to avoid a 4 point superflaw, resulting in an excessive loss of physical bulk.

Flaw

  • -RES: Lethe’s 18 Resistance is nearly unredeemable, and lowering it further will hardly affect Lethe’s performance, making it the ideal choice of Flaw.

Skill Sets

Fast Track to the New Year (Distant Counter)

Build by
Recommended
Guardian Fang A Distant Counter
Reposition B Lull Atk/Spd 3
Alternate: Lull Spd/Def 3
Moonbow
Alternate: Noontime
C Pulse Smoke 3
Alternate: Atk Smoke 3
IVsSFierce Stance 3
Alternate: Atk/Spd Bond 3

Show Explanation/Analysis

Preferred IV: +SPD or +ATK / -RES

  • A Speed asset is ideal to maximize the effectiveness of Lethe’s exclusive weapon and her ability to perform follow-up attacks, but she can also utilize an Attack asset to boost her raw damage output. A Resistance flaw is chosen as it affects her performance the least due to being irredeemably low as is.

Weapon: Guardian Fang

  • Lethe’s Guardian Fang is an incredible weapon, granting her +3 Speed, as well as a Vassals Blade and Close Call Effect all in one, in addition to standard transformation bonuses. This gives her high damage output and surprisingly good durability as long as she can consistently outpace her foes.

Assist: Reposition / Preference

Special: Moonbow / Noontime

  • Moonbow is a great choice of Special for Lethe as it allows her to pierce the Defense of foes when it triggers, in addition to having a fast cooldown.

  • If Lethe’s being used in AR, She’ll instead want Noontime to increase her sustain over many rounds of combat.

Passive A: Distant Counter

  • Distant Counter is the crux of this build, as it allows her to counterattack and KO ranged opponents. Despite her fairly low resistance and middle of the road defense, her weapon’s built in Close Call can compensate for this a great deal due to its maximum 40% damage reduction, letting her serve as a solid ranged check.

Passive B: Lull Atk/Spd / Lull Spd/Def / Mystic Boost

  • Lull Atk/Spd makes Lethe even more difficult to KO due to reducing the foe’s Attack and Speed by 3 as well as negating their visible Attack and Speed buffs, giving her an even greater Speed advantage over the foe right off the bat. Lull Spd/Def serves a similar purpose, although it leaves the foe’s Attack untouched, making it less ideal overall.

  • Mystic Boost can give Lethe some additional sustain due to healing 6 of her HP after combat. It also negates the effects of Adaptive Damage and Wrathful Staff, giving her an easier time against Staff users.

Passive C: Pulse Smoke / Atk Smoke / Preference

  • Both Pulse Smoke and Atk Smoke increase NY Lethe’s Enemy Phase durability, Pulse Smoke by increasing the Special cooldown of foes within 2 spaces after combat, and Atk Smoke by reducing the Attack of nearby foes. Lethe’s C slot is mostly up to Player Preference, However.

Sacred Seal: Fierce Stance / Atk/Spd Bond 

  • Fierce Stance grants Lethe +6 Attack when initiated on, letting her KO more consistently during Enemy Phase.

  • Atk/Spd Bond can also be used to increase Lethe’s Attack and Speed when adjacent to an ally, but the positioning requirement leaves her vulnerable to the effects of Sudden Panic users such as Aversa, as well as the effects of Sabotage skills.

Stinging Catscratch (Offensive)

Build by
Guardian Fang A Atk/Spd Solo 3
Alternate: Swift Sparrow 3
Reposition B Lull Spd/Def 3
Alternate: Lull Atk/Spd 3
Galeforce
Alternate: Luna
C Even Atk Wave 3
IVsSHeavy Blade 3
Alternate: Swift Sparrow 2

Show Explanation/Analysis

Preferred IV: +SPD or +ATK / -RES

  • Assets in Speed and Attack remain ideal to maximize Lethe’s offensive prowess. Resistance is once again the ideal flaw, but flaws in HP and Defense are acceptable if no other options are available.

Weapon: Guardian Fang

  • The Guardian Fang remains Lethe’s best choice of weapon thanks to its plethora of powerful effects, and Lethe can still take advantage of it’s built in Close Call to become a durable offensive unit.

Assist: Reposition / Preference

Special: Galeforce / Luna

  • Galeforce grants Lethe an extra action when it triggers, allowing her to retreat to safety or take down additional foes. Its long cooldown makes it difficult to use without Heavy Blade, however.

  • Luna is also a decent choice of special due to its reliable damage output on a reasonably short cooldown.

Passive A: Atk/Spd Solo / Swift Sparrow 3

  • Lethe’s innate Atk/Spd Solo can be used to great effect, boosting her offenses greatly during combat when she has no adjacent allies. Swift Sparrow can also be used to grant Lethe a similar offensive buff during Player Phase if positioning is a concern.

Passive B: Lull Spd/Def / Lull Atk/Spd

  • Lethe’s innate Lull Spd/Def increases her offensive prowess further by reducing the Speed and Defense of foes by 3 and negating their buffs, making her follow-up attacks difficult to avoid for all but the fastest of opponents.

  • Lull Atk/Spd can also be used as it allows Lethe to trigger Heavy Blade much more easily while increasing her durability.

Passive C: Even Atk Wave / Preference

  • Even Attack Wave grants Lethe an additional +6 Attack buff on even turns. If Lethe is already receiving buffs from her team, she can instead opt for an alternative C slot skill depending on the needs of her team.

Sacred Seal: Heavy Blade / Swift Sparrow

  • Heavy Blade is ideal if Galeforce is being used, as it gives Lethe much faster access to her Special as long as her Attack is higher than the foe’s.

  • Swift Sparrow is also a good choice of sacred seal to boost Lethe’s Player Phase damage output.

Strengths

Guardian’s Fang

NY Lethe’s exclusive weapon is incredibly powerful, boasting the effects of Vassal’s Blade and Close Call in one, in addition to granting her +3 Speed. This weapon allows Lethe to be effective on both Offense and Defense as long as she can outpace her foe, a feat she has little trouble accomplishing due to her incredible Speed.

Fantastic Offenses

Lethe’s 35/41 Offensive spread ensures that she will hardly struggle with performing follow-up attacks or dealing damage. 

Cavalry Beast

As a Cavalry beast, Lethe gains an innate Sturdy Impact esque effect when transformed, in addition to 3 movement and access to class exclusive buffs.

Weaknesses

Horrendous Resistance

Lethe’s 18 Resistance is one of the worst in the game, only made worse by a 4 point superflaw. Even with her weapon’s built in Close Call, she will struggle to take Magical damage from any source.

Cavalry Weaknesses

NY Lethe unfortunately shares many weaknesses with other cavaliers, most notably a weakness to trenches and effective weaponry such as Hoshidan Summer Micaiah’s Dawn Suzu.

Weapon Skills

Weapons SP Rng. Mt.
Whelp (Cavalry)

At start of turn, if unit is adjacent to only beast or dragon allies or if unit is not adjacent to any ally, unit transforms (otherwise, unit reverts). If unit transforms, grants Atk+2, and if unit initiates combat, inflicts Atk/Def-4 on foe during combat and foe cannot make a follow-up attack.

Learns by default at 1 ★
Unlocks at 1 ★
Beast (Cavalry Only)
50 1 4
Yearling (Cavalry)

At start of turn, if unit is adjacent to only beast or dragon allies or if unit is not adjacent to any ally, unit transforms (otherwise, unit reverts). If unit transforms, grants Atk+2, and if unit initiates combat, inflicts Atk/Def-4 on foe during combat and foe cannot make a follow-up attack.

Learns by default at 3 ★
Unlocks at 2 ★
Beast (Cavalry Only)
100 1 6
Adult (Cavalry)

At start of turn, if unit is adjacent to only beast or dragon allies or if unit is not adjacent to any ally, unit transforms (otherwise, unit reverts). If unit transforms, grants Atk+2, and if unit initiates combat, inflicts Atk/Def-4 on foe during combat and foe cannot make a follow-up attack.

Learns by default at 4 ★
Unlocks at 3 ★
Beast (Cavalry Only)
200 1 9
Guardian Fang

Grants Spd+3. If unit's Spd > foe's Spd, deals damage = 70% of difference between stats. (Maximum bonus of +7 damage. Combos with Phantom Spd.) If unit's Spd > foe's Spd, reduces damage from attacks during combat and from area-of-effect Specials (excluding Røkkr area-of-effect Specials) by percentage = difference between stats × 4 (max 40%).

At start of turn, if unit is adjacent to only beast or dragon allies or if unit is not adjacent to any ally, unit transforms (otherwise, unit reverts). If unit transforms, grants Atk+2, and if unit initiates combat, inflicts Atk/Def-4 on foe during combat and foe cannot make a follow-up attack.

Learns by default at 5 ★
Unlocks at 5 ★
Non-Inheritable skill.
400 1 14
Weapon Evolution
Weapon Upgrades
Weapon Upgrades

Special Skills

Special Skills SP Turns
Night Sky

Boosts damage dealt by 50%.

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

Boosts damage dealt by 50%.

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

Passive Skills

Passive Skills SP Slot
Atk/Spd Solo 1

If unit is not adjacent to an ally, grants Atk/Spd+2 during combat.

Unlocks at 3 ★
60
A
Atk/Spd Solo 2

If unit is not adjacent to an ally, grants Atk/Spd+4 during combat.

Unlocks at 4 ★
120
A
Atk/Spd Solo 3

If unit is not adjacent to an ally, grants Atk/Spd+6 during combat.

Inheritable by all units.
Unlocks at 5 ★
240
A
Lull Spd/Def 1

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

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

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

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

Inflicts Spd/Def-3 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 4 ★
240
B

Other Info

Origin
Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn

Banners Featured In