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Bridal Shanna

Analysis by MackerelPye
Bridal Shanna - Bridal Novice

5

Obtainable as a 5 only

Hero Stats

Max Avg Total Stats at Lvl 40
167
HP 37
ATK 38
SPD 42
DEF 23
RES 27

Stat Variations

Level 1 Stat Variation
5★
HP ATK SPD DEF RES
Low 17 7 8 7 4
Middle 18 8 9 8 5
High 19 9 10 9 6

Level 40 Stat Variations
5★
HP ATK SPD DEF RES
Low 34 35 38 20 23
Middle 37 38 42 23 27
High 41 42 45 26 30

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

PiNk DiAmOnD wAs ThE cUlPrIt!!111!! (Rose-Quartz Bow / Low-Investment)

Build by MackerelPye
Recommended
Rose-Quartz Bow A Swift Sparrow 3
Alternate: Atk/Spd Catch 4
Positional Assist B A/D Far Trace 3
Alternate: Desperation 3
Moonbow
Alternate: Draconic Aura
C Atk/Def Rein 3
IVs

+ATK or +SPD / -HP or -DEF or -RES

SAtk/Spd Solo 3
Alternate: Swift Sparrow 2

Show Explanation/Analysis

Weapon: Rose-Quartz Bow

Assist: Draw Back / Reposition

Special: Moonbow / Luna / Draconic Aura

Passive A: Swift Sparrow / Atk/Spd Catch 4

Passive B: A/D Far Trace / Desperation

Passive C: Atk/Def Rein 

Sacred Seal: Swift Sparrow / Heavy Blade / Blade Session / Atk/Spd Solo

  • Shanna's base skills don't leave much to the imagination: Swift Sparrow 3, Atk/Def Rein, and A/D Far Trace all provide their fair share of offensive boosts on top of what Rose-Quartz Bow already provides. The only necessary action needed is filling in her empty Assist slot with a movement skill of your preference — you can never go wrong with Draw Back or Reposition.
  • The Rose-Quartz Bow provides a simple but potent gift bundle of offensive effects: under very easy conditions, it basically provides +9 Atk (the flat +3 plus +6 Atk if Shanna initiates or is near allies), +6 Spd, and deals free true damage equivalent to 20% of Shanna's Speed. While it's not the most stacked or intimidating weapon, it will prove to be quite the one-shot killer in battle combined with Shanna's other skills and great offensive stats. 
  • A/D Far Trace grants extra bulk and damage as well as the option of post-combat moment after combat, allowing them to mobilize to areas of your choice, especially away from enemy territory. 
    • However, to grant extra safety when initiating combat (as Rose-Quartz Bow unfortunately lacks counterattack cancellation effects like Mirage Bow or Survivalist Bow), Desperation is a decent alternative. Below 75% health, it makes Shanna's often-occurring follow-up attacks occur immediately before enemy counterattacks, giving Shanna a chance to nip it in the bud before being defeated herself.
  • There's pretty much almost no good reason to replace Shanna's base Atk/Def Rein, which improves her single-shot output and has intrinsic value in its rarity. As usual however, it's fine to consider other C slot options depending on your team composition. 
  • While Draconic Aura is mostly fine to keep given Shanna's fantastic final Attack stat after skills, Moonbow tends to be more reliable given it requires shorter cooldown bursts, and Luna helps Shanna chunk past exceptionally high Defense enemies with similar timing to Aura. 
  • Given the offensive nature of this build as well as Rose-Quartz Bow's Speed-based true damage, Swift Sparrow in both the A-slot and Sacred Seal is a pretty baller choice. There's a few A-slot choices that inch out better in Atk/Spd boosts (such as Atk/Spd Catch), but it's not worth raising hairs over the majority of the time. The Sacred Seal also has many great alternative choices, including Atk/Spd Solo, Heavy Blade (which combos well with the Attack debuffs that Shanna's base skills provide), and the potentially powerful, newly-minted Blade Session.

better have spent a 3 month salary figure on that ring, chief (Brave Bow Nuke)

Build by MackerelPye
Recommended
Brave Bow+ A Swift Sparrow 3
Positional Assist B A/D Far Trace 3
Luna C Atk/Def Rein 3
Alternate: Spd/Def Rein 3
IVs

+ATK / -Anything Else

SLife and Death 3
Alternate: Death Blow 3

Show Explanation/Analysis

Weapon: Brave Bow+

Assist: Draw Back / Reposition

Special: Moonbow / Luna

Passive A: Swift Sparrow / Atk/Spd Catch / Death Blow 4 / Other Atk/Spd swing skills

Passive B: A/D Far Trace

Passive C: Atk/Def Rein / Spd/Def Rein

Sacred Seal: Death Blow / Life and Death / Swift Sparrow / Blade Sessions 

  • Brave Bow can be seen as a more practiced weapon compared to Rose-Quartz Bow for quite a number of people. That is, the fact that it hits twice per initiation (up to potentially four hits if Shanna makes a follow-up attack) strike means it tends to deal more damage in a single strike, despite having lower might compared to Rose-Quartz Bow's damage stacking effects.
    • It doesn't quite outmatch Rose-Quartz overall, though, as it guarantees safer first strikes but is more susceptible to being defeated by physically bulkier enemies. Additionally, the -5 Speed deficit compared to Rose-Quartz Bow's +6 Atk/Spd means Dodge tank units are more easily able to reduce damage from incoming Brave Bow hits.
  • Due to Brave Bow's lower Might per hit and extreme focus on blitz damage, users of it will tend to stack as many Attack-boosting skills and enemy Defense debuffs as possible. Fortunately, thanks to Shanna's insanely optimized base skills, there's not a lot to think about here at all: 
    • Swift Sparrow 3 is already pretty well-known at this point for being a strong and straightforward Atk/Spd boost when initiating. 
    • Additionally, the combination of A/D Far Trace and Atk/Def Rein inflicts a total Defense debuff of -7 on the enemy in every matchup, which is ever-so appreciated for single-shot focus weapons like Brave Bow. Far Trace also gives Shanna some post-combat movement options which can be handy to escape enemy range following a kill. 
    • After upping Shanna's Attack further with Sacred Seal like Death Blow or Life and Death, the build kinda writes itself out at this point. 
  • There's not much room to improve if you want to change skills at all. Though, you can take slightly higher Attack swings in skills such as Death Blow 4 or Atk/Spd Catch 4 (assuming its two conditions are both fulfilled), and Spd/Def Rein is a nice sidegrade for those wishing to improve Shanna's quad-attacking potential instead.  
  • To break through the bulk of higher-Defense enemies who will sometimes prey on the lower power per strike of this build, Moonbow and Luna are vastly preferred as offensive Specials as usual.

Strengths

Dressed and Wide for Murder, Chief!

Bridal Shanna is ready to continue the legendary bloodstained legacy that Bridal Cordelia left behind with an undeniably fine dress and offensive stats of 38 Attack and 42 Speed. Thus, consistent follow-ups, great damage, and a totally happy-go-lucky visage waiting at home should be expected of her in most scenarios as long as you exercise proper matchmaking. (Yes, the competitive kind.)

Ranged Flier Perks, Chief!

Shanna shows off her flying strengths yet again with mobility being mostly a non-concern with her. Her status as a bow user only accentuates this as Shanna has the ability to snipe enemies from a distance in many types of inconvenient terrain. 

Her access to Trace and Rein skills serve some really nice icing on this wedding cake too, as she gains better stat swings through both and, for the former, even move away after combat. She already comes with the Atk/Def variety of both, which gladly cuts inheritance costs while optimizing her damage and improving her bulk for both new and veteran players alike.

Great Bow Weapons, Chief!

Rose-Quartz Bow shouldn't be taken lightly despite its simpler constitution (that is, number of effects) compared to other modernly-released weapons. On top of an always-handy flat +3 Atk, by simply initiating combat — which is pretty much the natural state of order with strong Player Phase units like Shanna — or being near an ally, it grants a beefy additional +6 Atk/Spd as well as dealing guaranteed true damage based on her very intimidating Speed. Even higher-invesment defensive units should steel themselves for the sheer single shot power of this bow.

For those wishing for a more tried-and-true take on bow sweeping, Brave Bow, of course, is always an option that provides powerful double shots, resulting in generally improved initiation safety. Rose-Quartz Bow's single shots are powerful and result in better win ratios, but leave Shanna arguably open to counterattacking if the first shot doesn't do the enemy in. 

Weaknesses

Fragile, Chief

Like most archers that came before her, Shanna's not exactly dressed for tanking due to her only-okay defensive stat spread of 37 / 23 / 27.  While her default base skills Atk/Def Rein and A/D Far Trace allow her to avoid one-round KOes more often than not, it's pretty clear that trying to outright defend is not a great idea with her. 

Red Coloring, Chief

While Shanna enjoys an increased advantage versus green enemies with her red coloring, she trades that off for a not-at-all welcome damage disadvantage versus blue units. This can sometimes bite in tight situations where she is unable to squeeze in some extra damage against them.

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 3 ★
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
Rose-Quartz Bow

Effective against flying foes. Grants Atk+3. If unit initiates combat or if unit is within 2 spaces of an ally, deals damage = 20% of unit's Spd and grants Atk/Spd+6 to unit during combat.

Learns by default at 5 ★
Unlocks at 5 ★
Non-Inheritable skill.
400 2 14
Weapon Evolution
Weapon Upgrades
Weapon Upgrades

Special Skills

Special Skills SP Turns
Dragon Gaze

Boosts damage by 30% of unit's Atk.

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

Boosts damage by 30% of unit's Atk.

Unlocks at 4 ★
Non-inheritable by Staff-wielding units.
200 3

Passive Skills

Passive Skills SP Slot
Darting Blow 1

If unit initiates combat, grants Spd+2 during combat.

Non-inheritable by Staff-wielding units.
Unlocks at 2 ★
50
A
Swift Sparrow 1

If unit initiates combat, unit granted Atk/Spd+2 during battle.

Non-inheritable by Staff-wielding units.
Unlocks at 3 ★
120
A
Swift Sparrow 2

If unit initiates combat, unit granted Atk/Spd+4 during battle.

Non-inheritable by Staff-wielding units.
Unlocks at 4 ★
240
A
Swift Sparrow 3

If unit initiates combat, grants Atk+6, Spd+7 during Combat

Non-inheritable by Staff-wielding units.
Unlocks at 5 ★
300
A
A/D Far Trace 1

Enables【Canto (Rem.)】.  Inflicts Atk/Def-1 on foe during combat.  【Canto (Rem.)】 After an attack, Assist skill, or structure destruction, unit can move spaces = any movement not already used that turn. (If unit used a movement skill that warped them, its remaining movement is 0.)  (Unit moves according to movement type. Once per turn. Cannot attack or assist. Only highest value applied. Does not stack. After moving, if a skill that grants another action would be triggered (like with Galeforce), Canto will trigger again. Unit's base movement has no effect on movement granted. Cannot warp (using skills like Wings of Mercy) a distance greater than unit's remaining movement.)

Cavalry & Flying Only
Unlocks at 1 ★
60
B
A/D Far Trace 2

Enables【Canto (Rem.)】.  Inflicts Atk/Def-2 on foe during combat.  【Canto (Rem.)】 After an attack, Assist skill, or structure destruction, unit can move spaces = any movement not already used that turn. (If unit used a movement skill that warped them, its remaining movement is 0.)  (Unit moves according to movement type. Once per turn. Cannot attack or assist. Only highest value applied. Does not stack. After moving, if a skill that grants another action would be triggered (like with Galeforce), Canto will trigger again. Unit's base movement has no effect on movement granted. Cannot warp (using skills like Wings of Mercy) a distance greater than unit's remaining movement.)

Cavalry & Flying Only
Unlocks at 2 ★
120
B
A/D Far Trace 3

Enables【Canto (Rem.)】.  Inflicts Atk/Def-3 on foe during combat.  【Canto (Rem.)】 After an attack, Assist skill, or structure destruction, unit can move spaces = any movement not already used that turn. (If unit used a movement skill that warped them, its remaining movement is 0.)  (Unit moves according to movement type. Once per turn. Cannot attack or assist. Only highest value applied. Does not stack. After moving, if a skill that grants another action would be triggered (like with Galeforce), Canto will trigger again. Unit's base movement has no effect on movement granted. Cannot warp (using skills like Wings of Mercy) a distance greater than unit's remaining movement.)

Cavalry & Flying Only
Unlocks at 4 ★
240
B
Atk/Def Rein 1

Inflicts Atk/Def-2 on foes within 2 spaces during combat.

Flying Only
Unlocks at 3 ★
60
C
Atk/Def Rein 2

Inflicts Atk/Def-3 on foes within 2 spaces during combat.

Flying Only
Unlocks at 4 ★
120
C
Atk/Def Rein 3

Inflicts Atk/Def-4 on foes within 2 spaces during combat.

Flying Only
Unlocks at 5 ★
240
C

Other Info

Origin
Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade

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