Certification Exams (資格試験 Shikaku Shikan) are a feature in Fire Emblem: Three Houses and Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes as the games' main method of Class Change.
Overview[]
Three Houses[]
As Byleth provides Tutoring for their students and take them into combat, they gain proficiency in eleven different stats. By reaching a certain proficiency with these stats and reach certain levels, they can take a Certification Exam, allowing them to Class Change into a higher tier class or unlock additional classes.
There are five types of exams without DLC and six with, each requiring a different seal and level requirement to take it:
- Beginner Seal - Level 5
- Intermediate Seal - Level 10
- Advanced Seal - Level 20
- Abyssian Exam Pass - Level 20 (DLC Exclusive)
- Master Seal - Level 30
- Dark Seal - Level 10/20
In addition, in order for a character to take the exam, they must achieve a certain passing percentage based on the desired weapons/unit type of the class and the ideal Rank for each requirement. Characters do not need to have the exact required rank, but the likeliness of passing the exam increases the higher the desired ranks are. A character must have at least a 30 percent pass rate to take the exam and may pass it even with a percentage as low as that.
Characters are allowed to take one exam per week, regardless if they pass or fail. Characters may retake a failed exam on another week, but failure expends a seal. Once a character has passed an exam, they are given free access to that class and may switch into the class from the Inventory menu during the preparation phase of a battle, or at the beginning of each week.
Three Hopes[]
In Three Hopes, the Certification Exam has had some of its fat trimmed. As Shez and their comrades fight and win battles or Train in the Training Grounds, they will gain class EXP, eventually mastering their currently equipped class.
Once they master their equipped class, they will be able to obtain upgraded version(s) later down the class tree, which is done at the Training Grounds. However, only the Intermediate Class Certification Exam is available by default; the ability to undergo the Advanced and Master Class Certification Exams, and to obtain the classes available within them, are unlocked by spending the necessary Materials within the Training Grounds section of the Facility Manager for both individual Exams, even if you have managed to obtain any Advanced/Master Seals beforehand.
There are currently 3 types of exams, each requiring a different seal and upgrade requirement to take it:
- Intermediate Seal - Default; master a Beginner-tier class
- Advanced Seal - Facility Manager upgrade needed; master a Intermediate-tier class.
- Master Seal - Facility Manager upgrade needed; master a Advanced-tier class.
List of Certification Exams[]
Beginner Classes[]
Class | Exam Tests | Notes |
---|---|---|
Myrmidon | Sword rank D or higher | - |
Soldier | Lance rank D or higher | - |
Fighter | Axe rank D or higher Bow rank D or higher Brawl rank D or higher |
The exam will only test for one of these skills |
Monk | Reason rank D or higher Faith rank D or higher |
The exam will only test for one of these skills |
Intermediate Classes[]
Class | Exam Tests | Notes |
---|---|---|
Lord | Sword rank D+ or higher Authority rank C or higher |
Edelgard, Dimitri and Claude only |
Mercenary | Sword rank C or higher | - |
Thief | Sword rank C or higher | - |
Cavalier | Lance rank C or higher Riding rank D or higher |
- |
Pegasus Knight | Lance rank C or higher Flying rank D or higher |
Female only |
Brigand | Axe rank C or higher | - |
Armored Knight | Axe rank C or higher Heavy Armor rank D or higher |
- |
Archer | Bow rank C or higher | - |
Brawler | Brawl rank C or higher | Male only |
Mage | Reason rank C or higher | - |
Dark Mage | Reason rank C or higher | Requires usage of a Dark Seal Male only |
Priest | Faith rank C or higher | - |
Advanced Classes[]
Class | Exam Tests | Notes |
---|---|---|
Hero | Sword rank B or higher Axe rank C or higher |
Male only |
Swordmaster | Sword rank A or higher | - |
Assassin | Sword rank B or higher Bow rank C or higher |
- |
Paladin | Lance rank B or higher Riding rank B or higher |
- |
Warrior | Axe rank A or higher | - |
Fortress Knight | Axe rank B or higher Heavy Armor rank B or higher |
- |
Wyvern Rider | Axe rank B or higher Flying rank C or higher |
- |
Sniper | Bow rank A or higher | - |
Grappler | Brawl rank A or higher | Male only |
Warlock | Reason rank A or higher | - |
Dark Bishop | Reason rank A or higher | Requires usage of a Dark Seal Requires qualification of the Dark Mage class Male only |
Bishop | Faith rank A or higher | - |
Special Classes[]
Class | Exam Tests | Notes |
---|---|---|
Trickster | Sword rank B or higher Faith rank B or higher |
Requires qualification of the Thief class |
War Monk | Brawl rank B+ or higher Faith rank C+ or higher |
Male only |
War Cleric | Brawl rank B+ or higher Faith rank C+ or higher |
Female only |
Dark Flier | Reason rank B+ or higher Flying rank C or higher |
Female only |
Valkyrie | Reason rank B or higher Riding rank B or higher |
Female only |
Master Classes[]
Class | Exam Tests | Notes |
---|---|---|
Falcon Knight | Sword rank C or higher Lance rank A or higher Flying rank B+ or higher |
Female only |
Wyvern Lord | Lance rank C or higher Axe rank A or higher Flying rank A or higher |
- |
Mortal Savant | Sword rank A or higher Reason rank B+ or higher |
- |
Great Knight | Axe rank B+ or higher Heavy Armor rank A or higher Riding rank B+ or higher |
- |
Bow Knight | Lance rank C or higher Bow rank A or higher Riding rank A or higher |
- |
Dark Knight | Lance rank C or higher Reason rank B+ or higher Riding rank A or higher |
- |
Holy Knight | Lance rank C or higher Faith rank B+ or higher Riding rank A or higher |
- |
War Master | Axe rank A or higher Brawl rank A or higher |
Male only |
Gremory | Reason rank A or higher Faith rank A or higher |
Female only |
Intermediate Classes[]
Class | Mastered Class Req. | Notes |
---|---|---|
Mercenary | Myrmidon | - |
Thief | ||
Cavalier | Soldier | Unlocks High Lord for Dimitri* |
Pegasus Knight | Female only | |
Brigand | Fighter | Unlocks Armored Lord for Edelgard* |
Armored Knight | Unlocks Armored Lord for Edelgard* | |
Archer | Unlocks Wyvern Master for Claude* | |
Brawler | Male only | |
Mage | Monk | - |
Priest |
* - Armored Lord, High Lord, and Wyvern Master are unlocked upon getting any of the three Lords their first Intermediate-tier class
Advanced Classes[]
Class | Mastered Class Req. | Notes |
---|---|---|
Swordmaster | Mercenary Fluegel (Shez only) |
Only one mastered class needed |
Assassin | Thief | - |
Paladin | Cavalier Pegasus Knight |
Only one mastered class needed |
Warrior | Brigand | - |
Wyvern Rider | - | |
Fortress Knight | Armored Knight Armored Lord (Edelgard only) |
Only one mastered class needed |
Sniper | Archer Wyvern Master (Claude only) |
Only one mastered class needed |
Grappler | Brawler | Male only |
Warlock | Mage | - |
Dark Mage | Male only | |
Bishop | Priest | - |
Master Classes[]
Class | Mastered Class Req. | Notes |
---|---|---|
Asura | Swordmaster | Shez only |
Enlightened One | Byleth only | |
Saint | Rhea only Replaces Mortal Savant | |
Mortal Savant | All units except Rhea | |
Trickster | Assassin | - |
Dancer | Assassin |
Unlocked via Survey Spots (Chap 12 (SB/AG)/Ch 13 (GW)) Only one mastered classes needed |
Great Lord | Paladin | Dimitri only |
Death Knight | Jeritza exclusive Replaces Dark Knight | |
Falcon Knight | Female only | |
Dark Knight | All units except Jeritza | |
Holy Knight | - | |
Wyvern Lord | Warrior |
Only one mastered classes needed |
Emperor | Fortress Knight | Edelgard only |
Great Knight | - | |
Barbarossa | Sniper | Claude only |
Bow Knight | - | |
War Master | Grappler | Male only |
Gremory | Warlock |
Female only Only one mastered class needed |
Dark Bishop | Warlock |
Male only Only one mastered class needed |