Gaius

"Fine then, I'll prove my sincerity...if you sweeten the deal."

- Gaius' recruitment quote to Chrom in Chapter 6.

Gaius (ガイア Gaia, Guire in the Japanese version) is a playable character in Fire Emblem: Awakening. He is voiced by Gideon Emery in the English version.

According to the official Japanese website, he is voiced by Matsumoto Shinobu.

Profile
Gaius is a thief living in Ylisse and will do any job if paid the right price. He loves sweets and has candy hidden all over his body.

Gaius was hired by Validar to help assassinate Emmeryn, but under the pretense of stealing from the treasury. Upon discovering the true plan of the raid, Gaius talks to Chrom and asks to be hired by him. Though Chrom is not too sure, he accidentally drops a satchel he received from Lissa earlier. When he asks about the contents of the satchel, he is elated to know that they are filled with sweets. He willingly decides to join Chrom's army, as long as he can have that bag of candy and ask Lissa if she has any more.

As revealed in his supports, he is good at making things by hand, like jewelry and embroidery, and also is good with housework. His support with Olivia also reveals that he enjoys baking his own sweets. Gaius is also very open to criticism, using any feedback people tell him to try and improve his skills further.

Gaius is a practiced liar, a trait fitting of his profession. In his support with Nowi, he details that he prefers older women ("A poised woman that has class and bearing, but knows exactly what she wants"), but though his description seems very convincing, he later reveals it had been a lie.

His support with Maribelle reveals that he once tried to ruin her father's good name; he snuck into the royal treasury to frame her father for a crime, which placed him on trial (though he later reveals that his hand was forced with the threat of Maribelle's death and his own imprisonment.) He's been trying to "atone" for what happened since then. In Gaius's support with the Avatar, he bribes them to keep secret about a criminal tattoo imprinted on him after getting caught in a heist, despite their protests and assurances that they would keep quiet. He explains that he does not believe in "something-for-nothing", and refuses to forget about it until the Avatar decides to share a secret of their own. He also is not very fond of bugs.

Gaius gives people nicknames based on their appearances. In the support and side conversations, he addresses Chrom as "Blue," the Merchant (Anna) as "Red," Maribelle "Twinkles," Panne "Whiskers," Sumia "Stumbles," Avatar "Bubbles" (regardless of gender), Tharja "Sunshine," Henry "Junior," Lissa "Princess," Miriel "Specs," Libra "Padre," Nowi "kid," and simply calls Olivia "babe" (even in the C-rank support conversation.)

He gives no nickname to Cordelia, Cherche, Sully (though she herself nicknames him "Chuckles"), or his own child.

After the war, Gaius' sweet tooth never faded, and he returned to his old ways of thievery. Tales of "Sticky-Fingers Gaius" become popular in taverns.

Personality
Gaius is calm and collected, with a clear mind. However his seriousness breaks whenever candy and other sweet confections are brought into the question. Despite the nature of his job, Gaius has morals and does things with the best interest of others such as his unwillingness to assassinate Emmeryn because he likes her or blaming Maribelle's father for his theft incident to protect Maribelle. He enjoys teasing people by giving everyone he supports with a nickname. He gets the most nosebleeds out of anyone in the army. His birthday is January 2nd.

Recruitment
Chapter 6: Enemy, talk with Chrom.

Growth Rates

 * 85%
 * 60%
 * 20%
 * 70%
 * 70%
 * 35%
 * 30%
 * 20%
 * }

Maximum Stat Modifiers

 * +1
 * -1
 * +2
 * +2
 * -2
 * -1
 * 0
 * }

Supports
Romantic Supports
 * The Avatar (Female)
 * Lissa
 * Sumia
 * Sully
 * Maribelle
 * Miriel
 * Cordelia
 * Panne
 * Nowi
 * Tharja
 * Olivia
 * Cherche

Other Supports
 * Chrom
 * The Avatar (Male)
 * Libra
 * Gaius' children

Class Sets

 * Thief - Promotes to Assassin or Trickster
 * Myrmidon - Promotes to Swordmaster or Assassin
 * Fighter - Promotes to Warrior or Hero
 * Dread Fighter - Requires Dread Scroll

Inheritance
Gaius has a Male-only class: Fighter. If he marries someone who produces a daughter, then his daughter will inherit the following class instead.
 * Pegasus Knight - Promotes to Falcon Knight or Dark Flier

Base Class
As per any thief, Gaius' skill and speed are very high with low defenses to offset them. But the unusual aspect of Gaius is his high HP and Strength, but low Luck, which can make him quite fragile early on. Pairing him up with another unit to aid his low defenses is a good idea to keep him alive while leveling up. As a Trickster, he will not be able to make too much use of the ability to use staves due to his lower magic rating, but Lucky Seven is an incredibly useful skill for 7 turns to take on the initial wave of enemies, and Acrobat can aid escaping from danger in forested areas. However, as an Assassin, he gains the ability to use a secondary weapon in Bows, which allows him to stay away from close-quarters combat. Lethality may not activate that often due to a lower chance of activating, but it can potentially strike down an enemy who has strong defenses and save you an extra use of your weapon. Pass is a relatively useful skill on Gaius that can allow him to sneak past enemies at the right time.

Reclassing
Gaius' alternate class sets are the Myrmidon and Fighter sets. Gaius fares well as a Myrmidon due to his high skill and speed, outshining Lon'qu in Strength and HP, and only having 1 point down from Lon'qu's skill and speed caps as a Swordmaster. Avoid +10 increases his longevity, especially early on, and Vantage can allow him to defeat an enemy while weakened before they land any blows. Pairing that up with Lethality as he promotes can be a lifesaver. However, promoting him to Swordmaster will maximize his potential with Astra, dealing x2.5 damage, and later Swordfaire maximizes his damage potential.

Taking on the Fighter route is not entirely advised as Gaius still has a low defense growth while being in an up front class, but his HP, Skill, and Speed still stay strong. Max HP +5 immediately keeps him alive longer, and Zeal adding a small critical boost. Promoting to a Warrior will give him the ability to use bows like the Assassin, which you can use to keep him in the back lines if you wish. Rally Strength can be used to help allies for an oncoming attack. If he gains Counter, then his low defense may come in handy as taking more damage will benefit him slightly in battle and can also serve as self-defense when using a bow; however, Counter loses its usefulness as his stats increase. As a Hero, he can acquire Sol to help mitigate his lower defense ratings.

Recruitment

 * Chrom: Drop your weapon, or die where you stand!
 * Gaius: Easy there, blue blood. I'm not here to hurt anyone.
 * Chrom: ...Yet you run with a band of assassins?
 * Gaius: Believe it or not, just trying to make a living. I'm a thief, see? Bust open doors, crack into chests...that kind of thing. This lot said they wanted to break into some type of vault. Nobody said anything about murder. I'd just as soon sit this one out.
 * Chrom: Hmm... Then perhaps you'd be willing to prove your good intentions?
 * Gaius: Beg pardon?
 * Chrom: We need all the help we can get to save the exalt's life. You appear capable, and we could use any information you have about our foes.
 * Gaius: Oh, right —those good intentions. Fine, then, I'll prove my sincerity...if you sweeten the deal.
 * Chrom: You want gold? ...Fine, you scoundrel. Let me just—oops.
 * Gaius: Looks like you dropped something. What's in the satchel, mmm?
 * Chrom: Nothing—candies from my little sister. I'm sure you—
 * Gaius: "Candies"? As in, sugar candies?
 * Chrom: Well...yes, I assume they'd be sweet? But—
 * Gaius: IT'S A DEAL!
 * Chrom: You'll risk your life for us if I give you...a bag of candy?
 * Gaius: I said "sweeten the deal", didn't I? Don't get me wrong, I'll take the gold too. Later. Unless you've got more of these. ...Have you got more of these?!
 * Chrom: Um... I'll ask Lissa.

Event Tiles

 * "What is this? Candy? Not candy?" (item)
 * "I snuck in some practice, but I could use a sugar boost in a big bad way." (weapon exp)
 * "I don't care what they say, stealing candy from a baby isn't as easy as it sounds." (exp)

Asking

 * "If I give you a cookie, can we team up during the coming battle?" (team up)
 * "So, what do you do in your spare time? Could you go on a cookie run for me?" (free time)
 * "Say, you got any big dreams?" (dreams)
 * "Why so happy? Did you score some cakes? Maybe a box of chocolates?" (happy)

Replying

 * "Sure. Just promise you'll reward me in gold...or better yet, snacks!" (team up)
 * "I gather honey in the forest. Wanna see my bee stings?" (free time)
 * "I drew up the blueprint to a gingerbread house once. ...Did I just say that out loud?" (dreams)
 * "Nope. I always smile when I'm chewing. Hey, you want some of these bonbons?" (happy)

Asking - Married

 * "I love you more than pudding, (name). There, I said it." (love)
 * "(name), you're as cute as a bonbon. Even the fancy kind!" (compliment)
 * "You're safe with me, (name). I won't ever let anything happen to you." (promise)
 * "Whatcha got there, (name)? Is it dessert? Don't hold out on me." (gift)

Replying - Married

 * "That's sweet of you to say. And I like sweet. Guess I picked the right lady!" (love)
 * "You're not the first to fall for me, but you're the only one I've cared about back." (compliment)
 * "Don't worry about me. I'll find a way to keep breathing just as long as you need me." (promise)
 * "Ah, damn. So much for keeping it a secret. Here. I, uh, baked this for you yesterday." (gift)

Asking - Child

 * "(name), what were the confection...Er, conditions like in the future?" (story)
 * "Need anything, (name)? Your pop's got a knack for wish fulfillment." (gift)
 * "Everything all right, (name)? If you're tired, eat something sweet." (concern)
 * "Let's spar, (name). If you sting like a bee, I'll teach ya how to collect honey." (train)

Replying - Child

 * "Nah, you're imagining it. Anyway, nothing a freshly baked pie won't fix!" (concern)
 * "Well, why not bake me something sweet? You can bake, right? ...RIGHT?" (gift)
 * "As long as we get to have cupcakes after, I'm game." (train)
 * "Wanna hear about my past? That'll cost ya some... Oh, you brought cookies! You take after your old man. Mmm... *crunch* Wow. These are so good, I might just talk to you for free next time!" (story)

Level Up

 * "Someone should reward me for this! (6+ stats up)
 * "A little sugar in my tank, and watch out!" (4-5 stats up)
 * "Sweet." (2-3 stats up)
 * "Ugh. That was bland." (0-1 stat up)
 * "I've climbed this ladder to it's top most rung." (0-1 stats up, most capped)

Class Change

 * "I'll wear any pockets... as long as you line 'em."

Armory

 * "Is this the sweets shop? ... Hey, you lied to me!" (buying)
 * "I demand 10% of the take for, uh, sugary diversions." (selling)
 * "You can use an anvil, sure. But can you use an oven?" (forging)

Alone

 * "No... No! That pastry I pilfered got all crumbled in my pocket!" (misc)
 * "A little sugar has really got my brain spinning again, and I got energy to spare!" (surge)

Greetings - Normal

 * "Good morning, Avatar. You here for snack time?" (morning)
 * "Hello, Avatar. You, uh...know where the snacks are?" (midday)
 * "Evening, Avatar. You think the five-second rule applies to sweets?" (evening)
 * "Avatar, it's late. No more snacking until tomorrow ." (night)
 * "Happy birthday, Avatar. ...Can I have a piece of cake?" (birthday)

Greetings - Married

 * "Hello, Avatar. Had your morning dose of sugar yet?" (morning)
 * "Hello, Avatar. When's snack time? It's now, right?" (midday)
 * "Hello, Avatar. You should see the sweet goods I scored." (evening)
 * "Hello, Avatar. Don't forget your bedtime snack." (night)
 * "Happy birthday, Avatar. ...Can I have a piece of cake?" (birthday)

Roster
''A cool and capable Ylissean thief who will take any job for the right price. He is absolutely obsessed with sweets and hides 50 varieties of "emergency snacks" in his cloak. The most frequent nosebleeder. Born on January 2nd.''

Help Description
A formidable Ylissean thief with a soft spot for sugar.

Confession
"Baby, you're a river of chocolate in an ocean of cream. I'm gonna steal your heart on a daily basis."

- Gaius' confession quote.

Final Chapter
"Up and at ‘em, Avatar! One dragon oughta be a piece of cake!"

- Gaius' final chapter quote

"And so ends another contract. ...Sweet, sweet victory."

- Gaius' quote after Grima was defeated by Chrom

"I still have a few sweet rewards left for you, my love. Don't go running away just yet."

- Gaius reassuring the Avatar for their choice if he is her husband.

"If Avatar's anythin' like me, he/she won't check out just 'cause a job is done. Gotta collect on all the sweet rewards, right?"

- Gaius' quote after the Avatar's sacrifice of killing Grima

The Golden Gaffe Pre-Battle
"*Sigh* Beaten at my own game of thievery. I'll never live this down... And why'd you have to go and take my sweets, too? Take my gold, but leave the sugary stuff alone, damn you!"

- Gaius's pre-battle quote.

EXPonential Growth Pre-Battle
"Just between you and me? I've robbed a village or two myself, before... I totally get where you're coming from. Er, except for the whole veggies thing. Unfortunately, these guys are paying me to have a double standard. Tough luck!"

- Gaius's pre-battle quote.

Infinite Regalia Pre-Battle
"This can't be any ordinary treasure if they've posted thirty-six guards. Mmm... Maybe it's a muffin with a gold leaf on the top. Or wait! A cake studded with rainbow jewels! ...EDIBLE rainbow jewels! Oh, gods, let me at it!"

- Gaius's pre-battle quote.

Death's Embrace Pre-Battle
"Crivens, this joint sure is gruesome... I've sat in jails more savory than this. And the smell of blood... Well, don't worry, pal. I'll put you out of your misery once and for all."

- Gaius's pre-battle quote.

Five-Anna Firefight Pre-Battle
"C'mon, did you really need to materialize in a lava field? You've caused all my sweets to melt! This stuff isn't cheap, you know. My gingersnaps cry for blood!"

- Gaius's pre-battle quote.

Roster Rescue Pre-Battle
"You probably read the roster, right? Tell me everything you know. Do we have talented cake chefs? Any secret heirs to a cookie fortune? Talk, damn you! These are things I must know!"

- Gaius's pre-battle quote.

Summer Scramble Pre-Battle
"Hey, if you're gonna pick a spot to plunder, you could do much worse... You've got sun, surf...all that lip-smacking fruit ripe for the plucking... ...Wait, what am I saying? I think the heat here is starting to get to me..."

- Gaius's pre-battle quote.

Hot-Spring Scramble Pre-Battle
"So this is a hot spring, huh? Always wanted to case one of these. I bet they've got a whole bevy of candies and cakes for souvenirs. Hear that? You're cutting into my taste-testing time. Time to die."

- Gaius's pre-battle quote.

Dual Support

 * "After you."
 * "You doing this?"
 * "Let's go!"
 * "Hang in there."
 * "I'm feeling this one."
 * "Right then."
 * "Ok! Ok!"
 * "I gotcha!"
 * "Wow. Fun."
 * "Do we have to?"

Dual Strike

 * "Guess who!"
 * "Where's your flavor?"
 * "Who wants seconds!?"
 * "Lunch time!"
 * "Just for you!"

Dual Guard

 * "So close!"
 * "Rejected!"

Defeated Enemy

 * "Sweet."
 * "That was tasty."

Partner Defeated Enemy

 * "Thanks."
 * "Niiice."
 * "Congrats."

Critical

 * "Like candy from a babe!"
 * "What a cupcake!"
 * "So long, sucker!"
 * "Piece of cake!"

Defeated

 * "Su...gar..."

Death/Retreat
"Nngh... Damn and double damn... I hate when things...go sour..."

- Gaius' death quote in Chapter 6

"Didn't see...that coming... No more...sweets for me..."

- Gaius' death quote. (classic mode)

"Crivens. Got careless and paid the price. Time to beat feet outta here..."

- Gaius' retreat quote (casual mode)

Possible Endings

 * Gaius - Candy Stealer
 * Gaius never lost his sweet tooth, though he ultimately returned to less savory enterprises. Tales of Sticky-Fingers Gaius are still told in taverns everywhere.


 * Gaius and the Avatar
 * Many wrote of Avatar's legendary exploits, but accounts of her origins and character varied. Scholars, poets, and bards agreed on one thing alone—she loved her husband, Gaius, above all else.


 * Gaius and Lissa
 * Gaius never lost his sweet tooth, though he ultimately returned to less savory enterprises. Lissa always insisted on going along, and the two survived many a comically dire predicament together.


 * Gaius and Sully
 * Gaius never lost his sweet tooth, though he ultimately returned to less savory enterprises. Sully disapproved and was said to pester her husband to take the examination for Ylissean knighthood instead.


 * Gaius and Miriel
 * Gaius never lost his sweet tooth, though he ultimately returned to less savory enterprises. Miriel soon began researching new and more-powerful sweeteners for her husband to enjoy.


 * Gaius and Sumia
 * Gaius never lost his sweet tooth, though he ultimately returned to less savory enterprises. His wife, Sumia, raised pegasi, and her flower-petal readings were said to bring good luck to all.


 * Gaius and Maribelle
 * Gaius never lost his sweet tooth, though he ultimately returned to less savory enterprises. Having studied to become a magistrate, Maribelle feared the day she would meet her own husband in court.


 * Gaius and Panne
 * Gaius never lost his sweet tooth, though he ultimately returned to less savory enterprises. Amazingly, Panne dirtied her hands right along with her husband, using her keen night vision to expedite jobs.


 * Gaius and Cordelia
 * Gaius never lost his sweet tooth, though he ultimately returned to less savory enterprises. As his wife, Cordelia was in charge of keeping law and order, Gaius dreaded the thought of seeing her on the job.


 * Gaius and Nowi
 * Gaius never lost his sweet tooth, though he ultimately returned to less savory enterprises. Nowi found her husband's work intriguing and was said to often come along and help out.


 * Gaius and Tharja
 * Gaius never lost his sweet tooth, though he ultimately returned to less savory enterprises. Meanwhile, his wife, Tharja, set up shop and hexed people for a living. The pair were said to get many odd looks.


 * Gaius and Olivia
 * Gaius never lost his sweet tooth, though he ultimately returned to less savory enterprises. His wife, Olivia, wandered down more than one dark alley just to make sure he was safe and sound.


 * Gaius and Cherche
 * Gaius never lost his sweet tooth, though he ultimately returned to less savory enterprises. When her work in Rosanne was done, Cherche would return home and cook for her husband, much to his delight.

Etymology
Guire is an Irish name meaning "beige color". It is also a shortened form of the name "MacGuire".

In Greek and Roman mythologies, Gaia (also known as Tellus) was an earth goddess and the wife of Ouranos. Her children were Kronos, Rhea, Hyperion, Oceanus, Themis, Crius, Mnemosyne, Iapetus, Tethys, Coeus, Thea, and Phoebe. Gaia was also Palla's grandmother.

Gaius is a Latin name meaning "rejoicer". Gaius could also be named after Gaius Julius Caesar (more commonly known as Julius Caesar), who was a Roman general and statesman.

Trivia

 * In his C-Support with the Avatar, Gaius references the famous "Phone Scene" from the movie "Taken".
 * Gaius' official artwork depicts him wielding a Steel Sword.
 * In his Summer of Bonds cutscene graphic, there is a handkerchief tied around his left forearm. It is likely that he is using it to conceal his prisoner's tattoo mentioned in his C-Support with the Avatar. The official manga also displays this mark in the same location during Gaius' story arc.
 * In the DLC episode Smash Brethren 2, Gaius can speak to Zihark and will mention that Zihark falls out of the usual "archetype" of myrmidons, usually saying things like "cut you down" or "face my blade".
 * Gaius ranked 4th overall out of the entire male cast in the Fire Emblem: Awakening Popularity Poll. Gaius was ranked 3rd out of all of the parent generation males, but since the Avatar could not have a CG in the Summer Scramble due to their customizable appearance, Gaius received a CG scene instead.
 * Every natural-occurring thief-class character in Awakening - Gangrel, Gaius, and Anna (and all three character's potential Morgan) - is a redhead.