Rolf

"Hey! I'm not small! I'm a dangerous mercenary!"

- Rolf talking to Marcia in a support conversation

Rolf (ヨファ, Yofa, Lofa in the Japanese version) is a playable character in Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance and Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn. He is a member of the Greil Mercenaries, the younger brother of Oscar and Boyd, and the youngest member of the mercenary company. Despite all of this, he is a very mature, loyal young man. He was first taught how to use a bow by Shinon, so that, like Mist, he could be of some use to the group rather than staying behind every time the company went to work. Shinon told Rolf during his training never to tell anyone who taught him, and he remained faithful to that promise, although his eldest brother, Oscar, could detect the secret. He never told anyone, either, respecting Rolf's oath.

It is revealed in a special Info Conversation that he is, in fact, Oscar's and Boyd's half-brother: they share the same father, but have two different mothers. When the younger brothers were only very little, Rolf being an infant at the time, she abandoned her sons and their bedridden father for another love interest, leaving Oscar to take care of the family. Although he is given the opportunity to return to his mother once she begs, he chooses to stay with his brothers, stating that she is only a stranger to him, considering the fact she abandoned him as a baby and his brothers, and his sickly father just to be with another man. He would much prefer staying in the company of what he considers his true family: Oscar, Boyd, and the rest of the Greil Mercenaries.

He can perform a Triangle Attack with his brothers under certain conditions, being that Oscar and Boyd upgraded classes with the ability to use bows. This is a default setting in Radiant Dawn (keep in mind that Oscar must be a Silver Knight, and Boyd must be equipped with a crossbow of some kind), but optional in Path of Radiance.

Recruitment

 * Chapter 9: Automatically from the start.

Base Stats

 * FE9 Rolf Archer Sprite.png Archer
 * FE9Wind.gif
 * 1
 * 18
 * 5
 * 0
 * 8
 * 6
 * 4
 * 6
 * 2
 * 4
 * 4
 * 6
 * FE9 Bow.png Bow - E
 * FE9rolfsbow.gif Rolf's Bow FE9Vulnerary.gifrary
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Growth Rates

 * 60%
 * 40%
 * 20%
 * 45%
 * 50%
 * 40%
 * 30%
 * 25%
 * }

Support Conversations

 * Rhys
 * Shinon
 * Marcia
 * Mist
 * Tauroneo

Bond Support

 * Oscar: 10%
 * Boyd: 10%
 * Shinon: 5%

Promotional Gains
Promotion to Sniper
 * HP: +3
 * Strength: +3
 * Magic: +2
 * Skill: +2
 * Speed: +2
 * Defense: +2
 * Resistance: +2
 * Con: +1
 * Move: +1
 * Cap: +5

Death Quote
"I... wonder what will happen to me... I'm so scared... Boyd... Broth--"

- Death Quote

Overall
Rolf joins a bit underleveled, and also joins at a time where enemies are getting tougher and seem brutal until 7 chapters later. Despite this, he can be very useful. He has nice strength, and balanced Skill and Speed ratings. His hp is a bit low, but his other stats anchor that for him so it should not be much of a problem. He has slightly higher stats than his tutor, Shinon, except in HP.

Availability
◎=Forced　○=Available　□=Available for selected
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Base Stats

 * FE10 Rolf Sniper Sprite.png Sniper
 * FE10Wind.png
 * 1
 * 32
 * 17
 * 3
 * 20
 * 19
 * 13
 * 13
 * 9
 * 6
 * 7
 * 7
 * FE10 Bow.gif Bow - B
 * Critical 10.png Critical +10 Shove.png Shove
 * Rolfsbow.png Rolf's Bow FE10steelbow.png Steel Bow FE10vulnerary.png Vulnerary
 * }

Growth Rates

 * 85%
 * 75%
 * 10%
 * 45%
 * 45%
 * 35%
 * 35%
 * 20%
 * }

Bond Support

 * Oscar: 10%
 * Boyd: 10%
 * Shinon: 5%

Promotional Gains
Promotion to Marksman
 * HP: +4
 * Strength: +2
 * Magic: +4
 * Skill: +2
 * Speed: +2
 * Defense: +2
 * Resistance: +4
 * Con: +0
 * Move: +0
 * Deadeye.png Deadeye skill

Overall
In Radiant Dawn, Shinon joins at a higher level at the same time as Rolf joins, but Shinon is not necessarily the better option. Rolf has higher HP, luck, and much higher strength, but lower defenses, and much less skill. In contrast to Leonardo, Rolf has much higher HP, strength, and speed, but much less resistance, luck, and skill. It is advised to take at least one Marksman with you to the final chapter so you can use the powerful Double Bow. If Rolf is chosen, the Nihil skill is a good skill to put on him, so he can attack Ashera's barriers without taking recoil damage.

Death Quote
"So this is what fate...had in store for me... I'm so cold... I still had...a lot...to learn. Oscar... B-Boyd... Shinon..."

- Death Quote

Epilogue

 * Faithful Student (若葉の射手, Young Archer in the Japanese version)
 * Rolf remained with the mercenaries. He was always in demand as a tutor of unrivaled marksmanship.

Etymology
Rolf is a real name and has its own meaning, but it is an alteration of "Rudolf", which means 'fame' and 'wolf' in its Germanic roots.

Trivia

 * Before Rolf is recruited, he dons a unique class of Child.
 * In Radiant Dawn, it is revealed in a base conversation with Boyd that he believes skill is more important than strength, yet in Radiant Dawn, his growth rate for strength (75%) is ironically higher than the one for his skill (45%).
 * Rolf is voiced by a woman (Yū Asakawa) in Radiant Dawn.

Gallery
Rolf