Hero (class)

Heroes (勇士, known as Sword Fighters in Fire Emblem Gaiden, Forrests in Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War, Mercenaries in Fire Emblem: Thracia 776, and Braves in the Japanese version of Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn) are usually the promoted version of Mercenaries, though Axe Fighters sometimes promote to this class.

They usually wield Swords along with Axes. Stat-wise, they are usually described as half way between a General and a Swordmaster. They do not have as much defense as Generals, but are faster than them, and they do not have as much speed as Swordmasters, but have better defense. As as a result, well-trained Heroes can block attacks like Generals, but still have enough agility to dodge assaults like Swordmasters. Heroes are typically set to be one of the "balanced" classes of the Fire Emblem series alongside the Soldier class. However, many characters that are/can become Heroes typically become very powerful units.

Prior to Fire Emblem: Awakening, all female Heroes were prepromoted or promoted from Myrmidons.

Fire Emblem: Ankoku Ryū to Hikari no Tsurugi and Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem
Heroes in Ankoku Ryū to Hikari no Tsurugi and Monshō no Nazo do not have the use of axes. However, it is important to note that the Weapon Triangle did not exist in these games.

Fire Emblem Gaiden
In Fire Emblem Gaiden, the Sword Fighter is a Hero in all but name, as Alm's promoted class uses the name Hero. Sword Fighters can promote onwards into Dread Fighters.

Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War
The Forrest is essentially a renamed Hero class, and can only wield Swords. It's one of the advanced versions of the Sword Fighter class; Holyn, Radney, Roddlevan and Ulster can promote to this class upon reaching level 20. Forrests have Pursuit as a class skill.

Fire Emblem: Thracia 776
The Mercenary class in this game, instead of being first-tier, is actually an advanced class of Axe Fighters and some Sword Fighters, being able to use both Axes and Swords. In the fan translation of the game, the Mercenary class is even renamed as Hero.

Fire Emblem: Binding Blade and Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken
In this game, the Mercenary returns as a first-tier class which can be promoted to Heroes through the use of a Hero Crest or an Earth Seal. The Heroes of these games are stronger, although not as fast as the rival Swordmaster class. Heroes can use axes as well swords.

Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Fighters and Mercenaries can become Heroes in this game when promoted using a Hero Crest or Master Seal. Heroes can also walk across water.

Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance and Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn
Greil's class is hero when he appears in the tutorial of Path of Radiance with weakened stats. A stronger version can be found in the game data used when he chases off Petrine. Ike's Lord class from Path of Radiance shares the same caps as the Hero class, but is unable to use axes. In the sequel, Radiant Dawn, Ike's second tier class becomes Hero, just like Greil in the previous game, but he still can't use axes until promotion.

Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon
Mercenaries can be promoted to Heroes using the Master Seal, and there are prepromoted Heroes. Some units can be reclassed to be a Hero as well.

In WiFi battles, Heroes are usually considered bad units. They lack a high speed cap, meaning they can be struck twice (four times if the opponent is using Brave weapons) without being able to retaliate in kind. Their low defense stat means they cannot survive being hit four times from a forged brave weapon and they have low movement.

Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem

 * Hp: 52
 * Str: 20
 * Skl: 20
 * Spd: 20
 * Lck: 20
 * Def: 20
 * Res: 20

Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War

 * HP: 80
 * Str: 27
 * Mag: 18
 * Skl: 27
 * Spd: 27
 * Lck: 30
 * Def: 22
 * Res: 18

Fire Emblem: Binding Blade

 * HP: 60
 * Str: 25(M) 24(F)
 * Skl: 30
 * Spd: 26
 * Def: 25(M) 24(F)
 * Res: 22(M) 24(F)

Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken and Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones

 * HP: 60
 * Str: 25
 * Skl: 30
 * Spd: 26
 * Lck: 30
 * Def: 25
 * Res: 22

Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance

 * HP: 60
 * Str: 26
 * Mag: 20
 * Skl: 27
 * Spd: 28
 * Lck: 40
 * Def: 24
 * Res: 22

Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn

 * HP: 50
 * Str: 27
 * Mag: 10
 * Skl: 30
 * Spd: 30
 * Lck: 30
 * Def: 26
 * Res: 15

Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and Fire Emblem: Shin Monshō no Nazo ~Hikari to Kage no Eiyū~

 * HP: 60
 * Str: 25
 * Mag: 20
 * Skl: 30
 * Spd: 26
 * Lck: 30
 * Def: 25
 * Res: 22
 * Sword: A, Axe: A

Fire Emblem: Awakening

 * HP: 80
 * Str: 42
 * Mag: 30
 * Skl: 46
 * Spd: 42
 * Lck: 45
 * Def: 40
 * Res: 36
 * Sword: A, Axe: A

Fire Emblem: Ankoku Ryū to Hikari no Tsurugi/Shadow Dragon

 * Samson - An Altean gladiator and eventually Sheema's bodyguard in Mystery of the Emblem.
 * Astram - Midia's lover and loyal soldier of Akaneia.
 * Promotion for: Ogma, Caesar, Radd, and Nabarl (only in Ankoku Ryu to Hikari no Tsurugi)

Fire Emblem Gaiden

 * Deen
 * Possible Promotions for: Grey, Robin, Cliff, Savor, Kamui, Jesi, Atlas

Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem/Shin Monshō no Nazo ~Hikari to Kage no Eiyū~

 * Promotion for Samto in Mystery of the Emblem only, otherwise same as above, with Nabarl only promoting to a Hero in Mystery of the Emblem.

Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War

 * Promotion for: Holyn, Ulster, Radney, and Roddlevan

Fire Emblem: Thracia 776

 * Galzus - The prince of the fallen kingdom of Rivough and Mareeta's father.
 * Ralph - A traveling mercenary
 * Promotion for: Orsin, Halvan, and Machyua

Fire Emblem: Binding Blade

 * Ekhidna - A resistance leader from the Western Isles. Also a female Hero.
 * Henning
 * Randy
 * Promotion for: Dieck and Ogier

Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken

 * Linus - Brendan Reed's youngest son, the 'Mad Dog' of the Black Fang, and one of the Four Fangs.
 * Harken - A knight in service of House Pherae. Sole survivor of Lord Elbert's crew and Isadora's lover.
 * Kaim - Guardian of the "Thunder Axe", Armads.
 * Promotion for Raven

Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones

 * Caellach - One of the Six Generals of Grado.
 * Possible Promotion for Garcia, Gerik, and Ross

Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance

 * Greil - Father of Ike and Mist, and the founder of the Greil Mercenaries.

Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn

 * Ike - The son of Greil and Hero of The Mad King's War. A swordsman called The Savior of Crimea.

Fire Emblem: Awakening

 * Flavia - The East Khan, and later Khan Regnant, of Ferox.
 * Priam - Available via SpotPass, he wields Ragnell and claims to be a descendant of Ike.
 * Possible promotion for Vaike, Gregor, Inigo, and Severa.

Fire Emblem: Fates

 * Possible Promotion for Luna, Lazward, Arthur, Charlotte and Soleil.

Trivia

 * Heroes, as the balanced class, always wield swords and shields, sometimes including axes in their armament. The Elibe duology, however, is unique in that they keep their weapons inside their shields, similar to Roman warriors. They are also much more acrobatic in this game, with somersaults being a mainstay of their animations.