Dark Mage

The Dark Mage (ダークメイジ Dāku meiji) is a combat magical class that recurrently appears across the Fire Emblem Series. Wielding Dark Magic as their primary weapon of choice, Dark Mages have exclusive access to dark magic spells like Nosferatu and Mire in titles where all spells are collectively grouped under the Tome category.

Dark Mages usually have less Magic as compared to their Anima counterparts, but they compensate for this with their higher Defense. They commonly promote into Sorcerers in most games where they are available, and in the more recent 3DS instalments, Dark Knights act as their alternate promotion option.

Dark Mages are considered to be the equivalent of the Shaman class from the GBA titles, as both are armed with Dark Magic for combat purposes.

History in the Series
The Dark Mage makes its debut to the series in Mystery of the Emblem, where it is an enemy-only variant of the Bishop class that is used by Gharnef and the priests of Doluna in the later parts of Book 2.

Genealogy of the Holy War reintroduces the class as the primary wielders of enemy-only Dark Magic, with the Dark Bishop being its promoted equivalent.

In Thracia 776, the Dark Mage is made playable for the first time and is treated as a second-tier class that promotes from the Lopto Mage class. The class can also wield all forms of Anima Magic as well, a feature that will remain with the class throughout the series from this point onwards.

TearRing Saga: Utna Heroes Saga returns the Dark Mage to an enemy-only class with the Dark Bishop class as the promoted equivalent; the player is granted access to Dark Magic through the Witch class instead.

The Dark Mage class is absent from the Elibe Series and The Sacred Stones, being replaced by the Shaman class.

The class makes its return in Shadow Dragon, where it promotes into Sorcerer. No unit starts as a Dark Mage by default, but Cord and Caesar are recommended reclass candidates, as they both have a 30% growth rate in Magic as Dark Mages, which is higher as compared to other candidates.

The class remains in Awakening and Fates, where they and the Sorcerer have the innate ability to wield Dark tomes alongside the standard Anima ones. The Dark Mage is also given the alternate promotion of Dark Knight, which removes Dark Magic access in exchange for a mount and Sword usage.

In Fates, the Dark Mage class is treated as a Nohrian class. Its Hoshidan counterpart is the Diviner.

Mystery of the Emblem
* Gharnef is a Sorcerer in Shadow Dragon and Shin Monshō no Nazo.
 * Gharnef - The Dark Pontifex who wishes to revive Medeus and destroy the world.*

Genealogy of the Holy War

 * Sandima: Member of the Lopto Sect who manipulated the country of Verdane.

Thracia 776

 * Possible Promotion for: Salem

Awakening

 * Tharja - A moody mage from Plegia who stalks the Avatar to gain their affections.
 * Henry - A jolly mage from Plegia who has an oddly happy disposition and a thirst for war and blood.

Fates

 * Nyx - A prodigious fortune-teller from Nohr who bears a curse preventing her from aging.
 * Odin - A familiar traveler from the outrealms and Leo's retainer.
 * Ophelia - Odin's daughter, and a frequent daydreamer with heroic aspirations akin to her father's.
 * Zola - A mage in service of King Garon who specializes in deceptive illusions.