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Halloween Rhea

Analysis by lordhelpme
Halloween Rhea - Witch of Creation

5

Obtainable as a 5 only

Hero Stats

Max Avg Total Stats at Lvl 40
182
HP 40
ATK 43
SPD 18
DEF 39
RES 42

Stat Variations

Level 1 Stat Variation
5★
HP ATK SPD DEF RES
Low 17 9 4 8 11
Middle 18 10 5 9 12
High 19 11 6 10 13

Level 40 Stat Variations
5★
HP ATK SPD DEF RES
Low 36 39 14 36 39
Middle 40 43 18 39 42
High 43 46 21 43 46

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

I Am the [REDACTED] Supreme (All-Purpose Tank / Defensive)

Build by lordhelpme
Recommended
Witch Breath A Distant Counter
Positional Assist B Dragon Wall 3
Alternate: Null C-Disrupt 3
Noontime
Alternate: Glimmer
C Joint Drive Res
Alternate: Pulse Smoke 3
IVs

 +ATK or +RES / -SPD

SAtk/Res Solo 3
Alternate: Mystic Boost 3

Show Explanation/Analysis

Weapon: Witch Breath

Assist: Positional Assist / Flexible

Special: Noontime / Glimmer / Iceberg / Sol

Passive A: Distant Counter

Passive B: Dragon Wall / Dragon’s Wrath / Null C-Disrupt

Passive C: Joint Drive Skills / Atk Smoke / Pulse Smoke / Menace Skills / Flexible

Sacred Seal: Atk/Res Solo / Steady Breath / Mystic Boost / Atk/Res Solo / Atk/Def Solo 

  • Halloween Rhea’s extraordinary defensive stat distribution with the assortment of follow-up mechanics integrated into Witch Breath altogether grant her stellar durability; this set, in particular, focuses on her ability to leverage this quality against all enemy types, having her operate as the team’s main carry as an omni-tank. She’ll realistically appreciate receiving any Asset that’s not +HP or +SPD, but +RES does stand out for its staggering four-point value.
  • Distant Counter is non-negotiable for maximized versatility, as her weapon does not provide any means of actually attacking against ranged threats; this ensures she can neutralize them as effectively as she can tank them and just keeps her from being a sitting duck. There’s Distant Foil/Distant Ward for anyone only worried about specific types of ranged foes, but these are usually needlessly limiting.
  • Healing Specials remain strong choices for defensive purposes, and this proves especially true in Halloween Rhea’s case as her Impact effect is active only when her HP is above 50%. Noontime works best with the Steady Breath Sacred Seal or Summer Hilda support for instant activations; otherwise, Sol is better. For damage, Glimmer or those that scale off Resistance are always safe and consistent bets. 
  • Her default Dragon Wall asserts itself as one of her best B skill options, making her even more monstrously resilient through Resistance-based damage reduction; maintaining its maximum 40% is relatively simple and you’ll generally be hard-pressed to find stronger alternatives. 
    • That being said, the newly introduced Dragon’s Wrath does make for an interesting sidegrade that brings ample damage and tanking benefits. It doesn’t enhance her durability as much as Dragon Wall nor is it active in both Phases, but the damage boost is useful for landing OHKOs in case a foe is able to shut down Witch Breath. 
    • Additionally, depending on how frequently you run into (or simply hate) Dazzling Staff or Firesweep effects, Null C-Disrupt may merit consideration to help Halloween Rhea safely neutralize them for simpler plug-and-play.
  • For her C skill, Halloween Rhea is flexible. For specific recommendations, most units appreciate a Joint Drive of choice for free stat boosts and she is no exception, and Smoke skills work well for baiting consecutive enemies (which, let’s be honest, she will be doing often since most will just put her in enemy range and press End Turn). Menace skills are also fantastic for achieving stat superiority, though they do require a little bit of smart positioning to work maximally. 
  • Halloween Rhea benefits from any Sacred Seal that enhances her key stats, with Solo and Bond skills being the prime candidates due to their ability to reap benefits on the offensive for bonus versatility. Mystic Boost is also an interesting Seal for its supplemental healing and nullification of Wrathful Staff effects; although it pairs nicely with Null C-Disrupt to wholly counter staves, it may be even more worthwhile when not using that as her B skill as it at least prevents such foes from landing hits with impunity.

Head Witch in Charge (Melee Specialist / Defensive)

Build by lordhelpme
Recommended
Witch Breath A Atk/Def Unity
Alternate: Atk/Res Unity
Positional Assist B Dragon Wall 3
Alternate: Null Follow-Up 3
Noontime
Alternate: Glimmer
C Joint Drive Atk
Alternate: Atk Smoke 3
IVs

+ATK or +DEF / -SPD

SSteady Breath
Alternate: Atk/Def Solo 3

Show Explanation/Analysis

Weapon: Witch Breath

Assist: Positional Assist / Flexible

Special: Noontime / Glimmer / Sol / Iceberg 

Passive A: Atk/Def Unity / Close Def 4 / Atk/Res Unity / Stance Skills

Passive B: Dragon Wall / Dragon’s Wrath / Null Follow-Up

Passive C: Joint Drive Skills / Smoke Skills / Menace Skills / Flexible 

Sacred Seal: Steady Breath / Solo Skills / Bond Skills 

  • Halloween Rhea also has the option of choosing to narrow down the scope of her defensive capacity to specifically affect melee foes; while perhaps not strictly necessary depending on where you plan on using her, pairing Rhea with a Far Save ally helps round out her matchups and circumvents the loss of Distant Counter. Although a +ATK IV remains a great choice, +DEF takes priority over +RES here given that the majority of melee foes deal physical damage; the latter is still useful if using Dragon Wall, though.
  • Her general playstyle doesn’t really change between this build and the first: simply send her into enemy range and aside from occasional initiations to set up Smokes or snipe a potential threat, press End Turn and watch Halloween Rhea do her magic. Much of what could be said for her B, C, and Sacred Seal slots in the first build also applies here – just be sure to give precedence to physical bulk boosts over magical. 
    • That being said, Null Follow-Up does replace Null C-Disrupt as the prime skill to consider for greatest versatility when it comes to her B slot, ensuring her PRF goes unhindered by the follow-up mechanics of her foe’s weapon / skills.
  • The greatest consideration becomes what to use as Halloween Rhea’s A skill. Since she has no need for Distant Counter, the standard stat-boosting A skills become actual options to mull over:
    • Unity skills provide exemplary protection against debuffs by reversing their effects entirely, coming with a relatively high ceiling in terms of the amount of stats such skills can provide. Atk/Def Unity is typically best since, again, most melee foes deal physical damage, but her native Atk/Res Unity isn’t unusable either. The Resistance boost assists Dragon Wall and Iceberg/Glacies activations – and if nothing else, the skill does still enhance Attack.
    • The viability of Close Def 4 primarily hinges upon how often you run into visible buffs. If they’re a frequent sight, which may be the case given the commonality of foes who provide them in abundance (e.g. Duo Peony, Legendary Azura, etc.), this skill will work wonderfully; otherwise, it may not be worth it considering that it does come with a considerable decrease to her actual damage output.
    • Fourth-tier Stance skills may seem overkill since Witch Breath carries an Impact effect, meaning that her low Speed does not outright allow foes to freely gather enough Special charges to burst through her defenses; however, this effect is not foolproof, especially in a meta where Null Follow-Up is equipped on many relevant attackers, so Stance 4 skills are a great safety tool for such scenarios.

why are you hiding that tiny gremlin from me (Damage Focus / Offensive)

Build by lordhelpme
Witch Breath A Atk/Res Unity
Alternate: Death Blow 4
Positional Assist B Null Follow-Up 3
Alternate: Lull Atk/Res 3
Iceberg
Alternate: Glimmer
C Res Smoke 3
Alternate: Atk/Res Menace
IVs

 +ATK / -SPD

SDeath Blow 3
Alternate: Heavy Blade 3

Show Explanation/Analysis

Weapon: Witch Breath

Assist: Positional Assist / Flexible

Special: Iceberg / Glimmer / Glacies

Passive A: Atk/Res Unity / Solo Skills / Death Blow / Ideal Skills 

Passive B: Null Follow-Up / Lull Atk/Res / Dragon Wall 

Passive C: Smoke Skills / Tempest Skills / Time’s Pulse / Joint Drive Skills / Flexible

Sacred Seal: Death Blow / Heavy Blade / Blow Skills / Quickened Pulse

  • One also has the option of investing entirely into Halloween Rhea’s damage potential during the Player Phase instead, as she can maintain the full breadth of Witch Breath’s effects as long as she stays true to its HP requirements. A +ATK IV should be pursued above all else to frontload as much damage as possible. 
  • Realistically, any A skill that strengthens Attack (and possibly Resistance if using Specials that scale off it) will be appreciated here for greater damage. Rhea’s innate Atk/Res Unity works fine for most purposes, particularly on debuff-heavy maps, but Death Blow, Solo skills, and Ideal skills may be possible alternatives depending on your preference. 
    • It’s worth noting, however, that Impact skills are generally not needed, as the follow-up denial effect is redundant with her PRF. They do come with nifty defensive stat boosts, but they’re so scarce that it's typically better to give it to someone who can fully appreciate its bonuses. 
  • Her B skill should assist the power of her initiations, with some choices being Null Follow-Up to ensure her follow-up attack (aside from instances of her foe also using Null Follow-Up) and Lull Atk/Res to break through enemy bonuses. For some safety given that she wants to stay above 50% HP, Dragon Wall may be kept to shield her longevity. 
  • The same applies to Halloween Rhea’s C skill, including those that aid her damage directly (e.g. Joint Drive Atk, Res Smoke, Atk/Res Menace) and indirectly (e.g. Time’s Pulse for hastened Special activations). Tempest skills are also interesting to expand on Rhea’s mobility, but they're not quite as effective as they would be on someone who could combine them with Galeforce; it does make her potentially threatening enough for an Aether Raids Defense frontliner, though. Any Attack-increasing Seal is recommended.

Strengths

Witch Breath

Featuring properties spookily similar to that of a certain saint’s weaponWitch Breath provides Halloween Rhea with steady control of each battle; having access to automatic doubles and enemy follow-up denial simultaneously is seriously powerful as it helps her bypass the typical limitations of her low Speed without wasting a single one of her other skill slots. Alongside its complementary in-combat buff and debuff to her Attack and that of her foes, Witch Breath ensures that Halloween Rhea can hit hard, tank effectively, and do both effortlessly in both Phases by maintaining relatively simple activation requirements. 

Definitely not a complicated weapon by any means, but a notably potent one nonetheless. 

Stellar Attack & Defensive Statline

Halloween Rhea’s overall stat distribution was clearly meant to make the most of Witch Breath, and boy does she do it well thanks to her staggering 182 BST.  In exchange for sacrificing any semblance of a Speed stat (which is, again, remedied entirely by her weapon), Rhea sports some of the best defensive values in the game with a 39 Defense, 42 Resistance, and access to four-point Assets in both; this grants fantastic durability at base and becomes highlighted further upon consideration of her passive Attack debuff and damage reduction access. 42 base Attack also means that Rhea can output consistent damage without difficulty. 

As a bit of a side note, such strong values mean that Halloween Rhea is somewhat forgiving should Witch’s Breath automatic doubles and/or follow-up prevention be bypassed by Null Follow-Up or other means — she won’t necessarily be able to deal or endure damage as effectively as she normally would, but at least she won’t be entirely dead in the water.

Infantry Dragon Benefits

The head witch is able to maximize the versatility and power of her appropriately named PRF by merit of the exceptional skill accessibility imparted by her infantry dragon status; with access to powerful Assets like Null Follow Up, Null C-Disrupt, and Dragon Wall, she can extend the applications of her weapon in ways she otherwise couldn’t.

Beautiful Art

seriously just look at her, everything else she can do is a bonus

Weaknesses

Abysmal Speed

While Witch Breath makes it so that Halloween Rhea normally doesn’t have to worry about her Speed, the issue with her Speed this low is that it means all she can rely on to both perform and avoid follow-ups is her weapon, so any enemies who can neutralize these effects will undoubtedly prove quite troublesome. Her well-optimized statline does protect her from being outright killed in such cases, but she still won’t be able to operate as nearly as potently as usual — especially if engaging with such a foe leaves her below 50% HP.

Effective Damage 

Dragon-effective damage may not be as annoyingly ubiquitous as it once was, but it’s still common enough that it’s a threat worth considering when including Rhea into a team and one that should be actively avoided; she’s bulky, sure, but effective damage can still leave a heavy dent in her health and she needs to stay above the aforementioned threshold to maintain her follow-up denial effect.

Weapon Skills

Weapons SP Rng. Mt.
Fire Breath
Learns by default at 1 ★
Unlocks at 1 ★
Only inheritable by Dragon units.
50 1 6
Fire Breath+
Learns by default at 2 ★
Unlocks at 2 ★
Only inheritable by Dragon units.
100 1 8
Flametongue
Learns by default at 4 ★
Unlocks at 3 ★
Only inheritable by Dragon units.
200 1 11
Witch Breath

Grants Atk+3. At start of combat, if foe's HP ≥ 50%, grants Atk+6 to unit during combat and unit makes a guaranteed follow-up attack. At start of combat, if unit's HP ≥ 50%, inflicts Atk-6 on foe during combat and foe cannot make a follow-up attack. If foe's Range = 2, calculates damage using the lower of foe's Def or Res.

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

Special Skills

Special Skills SP Turns
Chilling Wind

Boosts damage dealt by 50% of unit's Res.

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

Boosts damage dealt by 50% of unit's Res.

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

Passive Skills

Passive Skills SP Slot
Atk/Res Bond 1

Grants Atk/Res+3 to this unit during combat if unit is adjacent to an ally.

Inheritable by all units.
Unlocks at 2 ★
60
A
Atk/Res Bond 2

Grants Atk/Res+4 to this unit during combat if unit is adjacent to an ally.

Inheritable by all units.
Unlocks at 3 ★
120
A
Atk/Res Bond 3

Grants Atk/Res+5 to this unit during combat if unit is adjacent to an ally.

Inheritable by all units.
Unlocks at 4 ★
240
A
Atk/Res Unity

If unit is within 2 spaces of an ally, grants Atk/Res+5 and bonus to Atk/Res during combat = current penalty on each of those stats × 2. (Example: if unit has -7 penalty to Atk, grants Atk+19, for a net bonus of Atk+12.) Calculates each stat bonus independently.

Inheritable by all units.
Unlocks at 5 ★
300
A
Dragon Wall 1

If unit's Res > foe's Res, reduces damage from attacks during combat and from area-of-effect Specials (excluding Røkkr area-of-effect Specials) by percentage = difference between stats × 2 (max 20%).

Only inheritable by Dragon units.
Unlocks at 1 ★
60
B
Dragon Wall 2

If unit's Res > foe's Res, reduces damage from attacks during combat and from area-of-effect Specials (excluding Røkkr area-of-effect Specials) by percentage = difference between stats × 3 (max 30%).

Only inheritable by Dragon units.
Unlocks at 2 ★
120
B
Dragon Wall 3

If unit's Res > foe's Res, 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%).

Only inheritable by Dragon units.
Unlocks at 4 ★
240
B

Other Info

Origin
Fire Emblem: Three Houses

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