Sylvain

"Well, there's Dorothea, Hilda, and Mercedes. Lady Rhea's quite the beauty too. And I must admit, I've even checked out Professor Manuela once or twice. You know, Professor, I think I'm going to like it at the Officers Academy. There are beautiful girls as far as the eye can see..."

Sylvain is a playable character that appears in Fire Emblem: Three Houses.

Sylvain is a student at the Officers Academy who hails from the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus and is a member of the Blue Lions. He possesses a minor Crest of Gautier. He is 19 years old at the start of the game.

Early life
Sylvain was born as the second son of Margrave Gautier in the Imperial Year 1160. He had one older brother Miklan, who was disinherited by House Gautier, as it is required for the family head to bear a Crest. Miklan attempted to kill Sylvain a variety of times while he was young due to his jealousy, though Sylvain understood why and does not appear to blame him for it. He grew up with his childhood friends Dimitri, Felix, and Ingrid.

Academy phase
Sylvain enrolls in Garreg Mach Monastery Officers Academy in Imperial Year 1180, and joins the Blue Lions.

During the Verdant Rain Moon of 1180, Byleth's class was tasked with subduing a bandit group led by his older brother Miklan, whom had stolen House Gautier's Hero's Relic, the Lance of Ruin. If he is being taught by Byleth, he can be among the forces confronting his brother. Should the two meet in battle, Miklan expresses his lifelong contempt for Sylvain inheriting the Crest of Gautier. Sylvain retorts that it was never his fault that he inherited the crest nor that their family effectively disowned him. He is horrified when his brother transforms into a demonic beast, but with the assistance of Byleth and his classmates, his brother is defeated. While he somewhat laments his fallen brother's death, he reclaims the Lance of Ruin and returns it to his home, leaving his brother's corpse behind.

Paralogue
In the aftermath of his brother's death, his brother's former bandit group continue to pillage local villages in the Gautier region. Sylvain's father tasks him to rid the bandit group on his own as a test. Sylvain requests the help of Byleth and their class, wherein the successful disposal of the bandits allows Sylvain to acquire the Lance of Ruin from his father.

Personality
Caring for his friends and admired as an older brother figure in his class, Sylvain is a perpetual skirt-chaser and often attempts to woo women with sweet words to a fault, with the most notable example including Ingrid's grandmother when he was only eight. He is fond of women but his easygoing, shallow, womanizing behavior stems from the fact that he feels unable to form proper romances, and so he dates around without any particular commitment. This does lead him into trouble (which Ingrid reluctantly has to help him resolve) and misunderstandings, such as Flayn insisting on avoiding him out of his notoriety, whereas Sylvain only wanted to pass along a message from Byleth.

Despite the impression he gives off to people he's actually quite intelligent, being shown to easily grasp complicated magic formulas at a glance when magic isn't even one of his areas of expertise. In his supports with Annette it is seen that he intentionally leads people to think he is not very smart because he dislikes the pressure of people's expectations and them believing they know what he is capable of, saying he finds it suffocating.

Sylvain holds a strong level of disdain for the way Crests influence the lives of those in Fódlan, with a bulk of his dialogue throughout the story focusing on their negative impact, and showing sympathy and envy in his supports with Mercedes and Byleth respectively. Furthermore, he holds noble women in contempt, as he believes they show interest in him solely due to his Crest in an attempt to curry favor with him without actually getting to know him. Despite this, in conversations with Byleth, Sylvain admits that hating women is merely an "easy answer" and seems to recognize that he cannot blame them for all his problems. It is because of the Crest that he endured a rough childhood with his elder brother who grew jealous of him. He does not seem to bear a grudge against his brother for these past transgressions, understanding his motivations. However, he has nothing but pity for him after his fall from grace and theft of the Lance of Ruin.

As an Enemy
Combat at Tailtean Plains

Growth Rates

 * 55%
 * 45%
 * 30%
 * 35%
 * 50%
 * 35%
 * 40%
 * 25%
 * 40%
 * }

Maximum Stats

 * 98
 * 65
 * 42
 * 48
 * 70
 * 49
 * 56
 * 38
 * 57
 * }

Learnt Magic

 * D
 * Fire
 * Heal
 * D+
 * Nosferatu
 * C
 * Bolganone
 * Physic
 * C+
 * B
 * Sagittae
 * Seraphim
 * B+
 * A
 * Ragnarok
 * A+
 * }
 * Sagittae
 * Seraphim
 * B+
 * A
 * Ragnarok
 * A+
 * }
 * A
 * Ragnarok
 * A+
 * }
 * A+
 * }
 * }
 * }

Overall
Sylvain is similar to Ferdinand and Leonie in that he is a well-rounded physical fighter who does his best in cavalry roles. They each have similar growth rates, though Sylvain has better magic growth than Ferdinand or Leonie and a budding talent in Reason, along with a better spell list. These come at a slight cost in luck and dexterity.

Given Sylvain's unique budding talent and middling magic growth, he can be a decent choice as a Dark Knight, but he won't deal magic damage that can compete with dedicated mages. Additionally, going as a Dark Knight means giving up Lancefaire, which can hinder his physical damage. He can, however, take physical hits much better than other options such as Lysithea and Annette, and his strengths in Lances and Riding make it much easier for him to train for the class than his competition. If training him to be a Dark Knight, it is advised for him to temporarily be classed as a Mage to get access to Fiendish Blow to offset his lower magic stat. Great Knight makes for a viable alternative thanks to Sylvain's strength in Axes and Lances, though it will require setting Heavy Armor as one of his goals.

Given his skill levels, Sylvain will have easy access to the Soldier class family (Soldier, Cavalier, Paladin), the Fighter class family (Fighter, Brigand, Warrior), and the Monk class family (Monk, Mage, Dark Mage, Warlock, Dark Bishop, Dark Knight).

Sylvain is a unique character for recruiting into the other two houses. If Byleth is male, he will join once Byleth has reached a certain proficiency level in Reason and Charm stat. If Byleth is female, he will instead join her house immediately without requiring a proficiency in his two desired stats.

Overall, Sylvain is one of the best characters in the Blue Lion House as well as in the entire game. He is a unit worth picking up in every playthrough due to his middling to good growths in multiple stats and being one of the best customizable characters in the game doing decently well to really good in most of the classes he is assigned to in a game where customizability is one of the key points of each character.

Supports

 * Byleth (S-Support with female Byleth)
 * Dimitri
 * Dedue
 * Felix
 * Ashe
 * Mercedes
 * Annette
 * Ingrid
 * Bernadetta
 * Dorothea
 * Lorenz
 * Lysithea
 * Marianne
 * Hilda
 * Leonie
 * Flayn
 * Manuela

Quotes

 * Sylvain/Quotes

Possible Endings
Sylvain - Sincerest of Knights
 * As Margrave Gautier, Sylvain devoted his life to improving relations with the people of the Sreng region. With oration alone, he succeeded in helping to create a new way of life for nobles in which Relics and Crests were no longer viewed as necessary. Though he went down in history as an extraordinary lord, it nevertheless became customary to refer to cheaters as "sons of Gautier."

Sylvain and Byleth (Verdant Wind/Silver Snow routes)
 * After ascending the throne as the first leader of the United Kingdom of Fódlan, Byleth announced her marriage to Sylvain, who had become the new Margrave Gautier. Sylvain was a valued ally who assisted his wife in her new role, both publicly and privately. Most of all, it is said that his cunning manner of speech was a great asset for fostering relations between the Church of Seiros, Fódlan, and surrounding regions. Though known as a philanderer in youth, Sylvain happily settled down after marriage and became a gentle and devoted husband and father. The two had many children whom they doted on equally, regardless of whether or not they bore a Crest.

Sylvain and Byleth (Azure Moon route)
 * After becoming the new archbishop of the Church of Seiros, Byleth announced her marriage to Sylvain, heir to House Gautier. Sylvain was a valued ally who assisted his wife in her new role, both publicly and privately. He achieved a great deal, including fostering relations with Faerghus and helping to institute sweeping organizational changes within the church. Though known as a philanderer in youth, Sylvain happily settled down after marriage. By the time he inherited the title of Margrave Gautier, he was a gentle and devoted husband. It is said that those who knew him in his youth wondered what sort of spell the archbishop had cast on him.

Sylvain and Byleth (Crimson Flower route)
 * When the fighting was over, Byleth and Sylvain were married. As the new leaders of House Gautier, they focused their efforts on the restoration of northern Fódlan, which had been deeply scarred by the ravages of war. Once this task was complete, they set their sights on improving relations with the Sreng people in an effort to remove the perceived need for the power of Crests. This accomplishment took a great deal of hard work, but the two refused to give up on their ideals. In time, the two had a large and loving family. They lived happily and loved their children equally, regardless of whether or not they bore a Crest.

Sylvain and Dorothea
 * After more than 10 proposals, Dorothea finally relented and agreed to marry Sylvain. Together they inherited Gautier territory. With the support of his wife's counsel, the new Margrave Gautier was able to improve relations with the Sreng people, and thereby convince the local nobles that Relics and Crests were no longer an absolute requirement for survival. Due to their efforts, they went down in history as an extraordinary lord and lady. It is said that what finally convinced Dorothea to marry Sylvain was his promise that they would grow old happily together, and that he was true to his word.

Sylvain and Felix (Azure Moon route)
 * After the war, Felix and Sylvain inherited their respective titles of Duke Fraldarius and Margrave Gautier, and set to work restoring the Kingdom. Each led a busy life, but that only seemed to enhance their friendship over the years. Each became known for making surprise visits to the estate of the other, in order to deliver the latest taunting in a friendly but relentless game of one-upmanship. It is said that, in their later years, they became so close that they passed away on the same day, as if conceding that one could not live without the other.

Sylvain and Felix (Other routes)
 * Even after the war's end, skirmishes continued to break out across Fódlan. Learning that there were still places where he could fight, Felix abandoned his noble title and chose to make a living with his sword. Decades later, he reunited briefly with Sylvain, who had need of his services as Margrave Gautier. Felix departed as soon as the job was finished, however, and the two never met again. Years later, a sword that was thought to have belonged to Felix arrived on Sylvain's doorstep.

Sylvain and Mercedes
 * As Margrave Gautier, Sylvain devoted his life to improving relations with the people of Sreng. Under his leadership, nobles were persuaded that Relics and Crests were not necessary as they'd previously thought. Though he went down in history as an extraordinary lord, he could not have done so without the constant support and counsel of his wife, Mercedes, whose wisdom and guidance brought prosperity to the people. The couple built a loving home life, surrounded by happy children, and when Sylvain at last passed away, he was succeeded by his oldest child, who bore no Crest.

Sylvain and Ingrid
 * As Margrave Gautier, Sylvain devoted his life to improving relations with the people of Sreng. Under his leadership, nobles were persuaded that Relics and Crests were not necessary as they'd previously thought. Though he went down in history as an extraordinary lord, he could not have done so without the constant support and counsel of his wife, Ingrid, whose wisdom and tenacity ensured that the people would prosper. Sylvain was ever loyal to his beloved wife. The couple had many children, and while not one of them bore a Crest, they were all equally and wholeheartedly loved.

Etymology
Sylvain is the French form of the Latin name Silvanus, which means "of the woods." It may also refer to the Roman deity who protects field and forest. José is the French, Spanish, and Portuguese form of the Hebrew given name Joseph ("Jehovah shall increase"). Gautier is a French variant of the German name Walter ("ruler of the army"); the most prominent figures to bear the name is a Saint who founded a monastery for women and a minstrel known for his crass and erotic poetry.

Trivia

 * Sylvain shares his English voice actor, Joe Brogie, with Linus.
 * Sylvain has a unique post-timeskip battle model as a Cavalier and Paladin
 * Sylvain stands at 186cm (or about 6’1”).
 * In a survey conducted by Nintendo DREAM Magazine, Sylvain placed 10th with 9.1% of the vote overall and ranked 9th with 11.5% among those who completed the game in the character popularity poll for Fire Emblem: Three Houses. The male-female vote ratio was 1:2.
 * Sylvain has more supports that reach B than supports that reach A.
 * Sylvain is one of the characters to receive a Hero's Relic during the main story as a playable character but is optional. The others are Byleth, Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude.
 * In cutscenes after the timeskip, the outfit Sylvain wears is his unique take on that of Paladins.
 * His English C-Support with Ingrid differs from the original Japanese, in the former he flirts with a "scarecrow" while in the latter he hits on a "man dressed as a woman."