Myrmidon

"A swift specialist in the blade who makes for a tricky target."

- In-game description from Awakening.

The Myrmidon (剣士, Kenshi lit. Swordsman in the Japanese versions) is a classic combat physical class that recurrently appears across the Fire Emblem Series. Wielding swords as their sole weapon of choice, the Myrmidon class is distinguished from the similar Mercenary class, but closely linked to it in terms of origins and promotion paths.

Navarre, originally a Mercenary in the original game and Mystery of the Emblem, is credited for creating the archetype of Myrmidons, with the class's basic appearance and statistic traits derived from him. Navarre was befittingly made into a Myrmidon in the remakes of the original two titles.

History in the Series
The Myrmidon first appeared in Fire Emblem Gaiden, as the promoted form of the Mercenary, it is further promoted into the Dread Fighter class.

The Myrmidon class, is called the Sword Fighter (ソードファイター, Sōdo Faitā) class, Genealogy of the Holy War, where it replaces the Mercenary as the primary Sword wielding foot unit. The class is able to promote into two different classes depending on the character; Ayra and Larcei promote into Swordmaster, while Chulainn, Ulster, Creidne and Dalvin promote into Forrest, the equivalent to the Mercenary's traditional Hero promotion.

In Thracia 776, the Sword Fighter class functions in much the same way as its predecessor, where some characters promote into Swordmaster and others promote into Mercenary, another Hero equivalent.

Serendipitously, in both TearRing Saga: Utna Heroes Saga and Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade, the class is formally separated from the Mercenary class and the Swordmaster class is instituted as the sole promoted form of the Myrmidon class.

In The Sacred Stones, Myrmidons are given the further option to promote into the Assassin class alongside the Swordmaster class.

The Myrmidon class is simply known as Blade ( 剣士ブレイド Bureido) in the Japanese version of Radiant Dawn. Like its predecessors, the class promotes directly into the Swordmaster class, which in turn promotes into the Trueblade class when the necessary requirements are fulfilled.

In Shadow Dragon and New Mystery of the Emblem, remakes of the Archanea Series, some characters who were originally Mercenaries are reinstated as Myrmidons, including the likes of Navarre and Radd.

In Awakening, the class is again given the further option to promote into the Assassin class alongside the Swordmaster class.

The class has been renamed Samurai (侍) in Fates and is treated as a Hoshidan class. The Samurai has the option to promote into the Master of Arms alongside the traditional Swordmaster. The Samurai class is regarded as the counterpart to the Nohrian Mercenary.

Combat


The Myrmidon's superior Speed and Skill over other similar classes make them very formidable foot soldiers, but their comparatively lower HP, Strength and Defense make them difficult to protect against quick and accurate opponents.

While Myrmidons can easily deal with magic users and thieves with a single round of combat on the player phase, the same prowess may not necessarily be replicated on the enemy phase; when overwhelmed by too many of such enemies, they could potentially lose their superior edge and be felled. When facing heavier enemies, especially fighter-type units, the high Speed boasted by Myrmidons makes them proficient at evading clumsy blows. This is, however, offset by their typically mediocre Strength, especially when they are commanded to do battle with heavily armored units (exacerbated further if said armored units are immune to their damage).

Should a Myrmidon be attacked by slower units, especially a Fighter or Brigand, they are often able to kill or heavily damage their enemy in a single counterattack due to the consistency that they display in inflicting critical attacks.

Uniform
Most female Myrmidons are depicted donning a tunic with an over-top that barely covers their waist and long, high boots with no leggings. Males, conversely, are depicted in a tunic and leggings with a belt and sheath (sometimes on their back) for their sword.

In titles where members of this class are outfitted with armour, they are usually restricted to extremely light breastplates or gorgets, a cloth headband (with a small steel plate covering their forehead in Awakening and Fates) and sometimes small pauldrons depending on the game to indicate their lack of Defence.

In Fates, Samurai come better equipped, as they wear much sturdier chest plates and gorgets that resemble standing steel collars with various cultural clothing items worn underneath. Samurai are still considered to be under-equipped as compared to traditional Samurai, but this is changed the moment they promote into Swordmasters, where they are properly outfitted in a whole suit of Samurai armor.

Genealogy of the Holy War

 * Ayra - The princess of the Kingdom of Isaach, daughter of King Mananan and younger half-sister of Prince Mariccle. Aunt of Shannan and mother of Larcei and Ulster.
 * Chulainn - The son of the Lord of Sophara Castle in Isaach and a distant relative of Ayra.
 * Larcei - The daughter of Ayra and the twin sister of Ulster.
 * Ulster - The son of Ayra and the twin brother of Larcei.

Thracia 776

 * Machyua - A member of the Magi Squad.
 * Shiva - A mercenary hired by the Lifis Pirates.
 * Mareeta - The daughter of Prince Galzus of Rivough and the adopted daughter of Eyvel.
 * Troude - A member of the Dandelion Gang.

TearRing Saga: Utna Heroes Saga

 * Julia - The daughter of Yoda and the adopted sister of Shigen.
 * Vega - A mysterious man who is known as Dhullam's Angel of Death.
 * Shigen - The son of Karla and the nephew of Zeek who was adopted by Yoda.
 * Krisheena - A swordfighter searching for the ☆Dakruon in order to revive her lover, Aldo.

The Binding Blade

 * Rutger - A half Sacaen from Bulgar who seeks revenge against Bern.
 * Fir - The daughter of Bartre and Karla and the niece of Karel.

The Blazing Blade

 * Guy - A swordsman from Sacae's Kutolah tribe.

The Sacred Stones

 * Joshua - The prince of Jehanna and the son of Queen Ismaire who has a fervor for gambling.
 * Marisa - A member of Gerik's Mercenaries who is known as the "Crimson Flash".

Path of Radiance

 * Mia - A member of the Greil Mercenaries.
 * Zihark - A Daein mercenary who does not harbour hatred for the Laguz.

Radiant Dawn

 * Edward - A member of the Dawn Brigade.
 * Isaiya - A swordsman hired by the Begnion Occupational Army to capture the Dawn Brigade.

Shadow Dragon

 * Navarre - A stoic mercenary who is also known by the alias "Crimson Fencer".
 * Radd - A citizen of Port Warren who joins the Archanean League with Caesar.
 * Athena - A swordswoman of mysterious origins.

New Mystery of the Emblem

 * Samuel - Impersonator of Navarre.
 * Malice - Daughter of Dice and is constantly in pursuit of gaining riches.

Awakening

 * Lon'qu - A swordsman from Chon'sin who suffers from gynophobia.
 * Owain - Lissa's son from the future.
 * Morgan (Only if the Avatar married to Lon'qu, Say'ri, Owain or Yen'fay).
 * Eirika (SpotPass)

Fates

 * Hana - A tomboy who comes from a long line of Hoshidan samurai who have served the Hoshidan Royal Family. The best friend of Sakura and one of her retainers.
 * Hinata - A brash samurai who prides in his mettle with a blade. He is a retainer of Takumi.
 * Hisame - The son of Hinata. A mature boy who has a liking for pickled food.

Etymology
The Myrmidons were a tribe that followed Achilles, descended from Myrmidon, one of Zeus's countless sons. In modern times, a Myrmidon is someone who follows a cause without question. Many members of the class (Such as Guy, Lon'qu and Mia) could be called Myrmidons in this respect in relation to their devotion to swordplay.

Trivia

 * In some games, the manner by which Myrmidons handle the blade can be seen as a style of swordplay from a specific region on the continent.
 * In Jugdral, Myrmidons hail from Isaach.
 * In Elibe, Myrmidons hail from Sacae.
 * In Magvel, Myrmidons hail from Jehanna.
 * In Awakening, with the exception of Owain, all the Myrmidons/Swordmasters that join the Shepherds are from Chon'sin.
 * In Fates, Samurai hail from Hoshido.