Claude

For the similarly named Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War character, see Claud.

Claude
Names and Aliases
Name (Localized)	Claude Khalid*
Full Name (Localized)	Claude von Riegan
Aliases (Localized)	Claudester The Master Tactician King of Unification
Biological Information
Gender	Male
Race	Human
Birthday	July 24
Fódlan Birthday	24th of the Blue Sea Moon; Imperial Year 1162
Age	17-18 (Pre-Timeskip) 23–24 (Post-Timeskip)
Relatives	May contain spoilers Riegan (Ancestor) Blaiddyd (Ancestor) Loog (Ancestor) Klaus I (Ancestor) Oswald (Maternal Grandfather) King of Almyra (Father) Tiana (Mother) Godfrey (Maternal Uncle) Unnamed Cousin Claudia (Distant Relative) Judith (Distant Relative) Lambert (Distant Relative) Rufus (Distant Relative) Dimitri (Distant Relative)
Affiliations
Nationality	Almyra Leicester Alliance
Hometown	Almyra Derdriu
Residence	Garreg Mach Monastery
Occupation(s)	Heir of House Riegan Leader of the Leicester Alliance (Post-Timeskip) Crown Prince of Almyra Student at the Officers Academy House leader of the Golden Deer
Game Data
Game	Fire Emblem: Three Houses Fire Emblem Heroes
First Seen	Prologue: An Inevitable Encounter (Three Houses)
First Joined	Prologue: An Inevitable Encounter (Three Houses)
First Fought	Chapter 1: Three Houses (If the Golden Deer aren't chosen) (Three Houses)
Starting Class	Noble (White Clouds) Wyvern Rider (Cindered Shadows)
Voice Actors
Japanese	Toshiyuki Toyonaga
English	Joe Zieja
[view]

“Yet we have the strength to scale the walls between us, to reach out our hands in friendship so we can open our true hearts to one another. That's how we win!”
—Claude

Claude is a playable character and one of the protagonists in Fire Emblem: Three Houses. He possesses a minor Crest of Riegan, and is the presumptive heir to the noble house of the same name. Claude is the leader of the Golden Deer house at the Officers Academy, and wields bows as his main weapon. He is 17 years old at the start of the game.

Profile

Early Life

"Just a minute! The following section contains spoilers. Viewing it will cost a lot. Are you prepared to pay for it?"

Claude's birth name was Khalid, and he was born in Imperial Year 1162 as the son of the king of Almyra and Tiana, the daughter of Duke Riegan. As a child, he often found himself discriminated against due to his Fódlan heritage and had to contend with his half-siblings. When he left Almyra and taken to the Leicester Alliance, he was again discriminated against due to his Almyran heritage. This led him to develop a desire to end Fódlan's long-standing isolationism in an effort to bring about a new world where everyone accepts everyone else. These experiences also helped him develop his strong tactical prowess from a young age.

Khalid also tries to keep the complete truth of his heritage from others, especially from the Gloucester clan. To such ends, he changed his name from Khalid to Claude - a name more fitting to Fódlan - and claims to be the son of an "offshoot" from the Alliance, brought into the clan just after his Crest manifested. Only Balthus has realized that he is the son of Tiana, a beautiful woman who once was very beloved by the Leicester noblemen, and he has promised to not let anyone else know.

"End of spoilers. It's a pleasure doing business with you!"

---

Claude is the heir to House Riegan, the preeminent house of the Leicester Alliance, and the grandson of its leader through his mother, Tiana. Though he was born in Imperial Year 1162, he was not legitimated as heir until Imperial Year 1179, a year before enrolling at the Officers Academy.

Academy Phase

As a student at the Officers Academy in Garreg Mach Monastery in Imperial Year 1180, Claude is the house leader of the Golden Deer.

"Just a minute! The following section contains spoilers. Viewing it will cost a lot. Are you prepared to pay for it?"

If Byleth has chosen to teach the Golden Deer House, Claude becomes increasingly interested in Byleth's origins given Rhea's strange fixation with them along with the fact that they bear the Crest of Flames and can wield the Sword of the Creator. Claude also develops an interest in uncovering Fódlan's true history and the true nature of Crests and the Heroes' Relics after witnessing Miklan's transformation into a Black Beast during the mission of Chapter 5.

After forcing Byleth to lend him Jeralt's diary after his death, Claude learns that Rhea had done something to Byleth as a newborn. At the end of Chapter 10, Claude demands Byleth tell him everything about the circumstances behind their transformation and newfound power, learning that an entity claiming to be the Goddess was living in Byleth's head and surmising that this phenomenon had something to do with what Rhea did to Byleth upon their birth. Claude promises to Byleth that he will assist them in learning more about their origins as well as the secrets held by the Church and Rhea.

No matter which route is chosen, Claude teams with Dimitri and the Knights of Seiros, led by Archbishop Rhea, to defend Garreg Mach against the Adrestian Empire. They are crushed by Adrestian forces, and are forced to surrender, also losing Byleth in the process during the battle.

"End of spoilers. It's a pleasure doing business with you!"

---

Cindered Shadows

"Just a minute! The following section contains spoilers. Viewing it will cost a lot. Are you prepared to pay for it?"

Claude's heritage is somewhat more explored in this path. The name of his grandfather (Oswald) and his mother (Tiana) are revealed, and there's also a bit more of background on how Tiana left the Leicester lands to go to Almyra.

"End of spoilers. It's a pleasure doing business with you!"

---

War phase

"Just a minute! The following section contains spoilers. Viewing it will cost a lot. Are you prepared to pay for it?"

With the fall of Garreg Mach Monastery, Claude returns to the Leicester Alliance. The long grueling war instigated by Edelgard quickly spreads across Fódlan. After an undisclosed period of time, Claude's grandfather, Duke Oswald, passes away, naming him as his successor. Despite the impending war, beginning with the Empire's invasion into Gloucester territory, Claude's leadership of the Alliance has created a stalemate against it while maintaining unity within the Alliance's territories.

"End of spoilers. It's a pleasure doing business with you!"

---

Silver Snow

"Just a minute! The following section contains spoilers. Viewing it will cost a lot. Are you prepared to pay for it?"

If Byleth chooses to lead the Black Eagles and then chooses to stay with Rhea and the Church and go against Edelgard, they will lead a Resistance Army to stop the Empire and rescue Rhea. Once the army receives troops from Judith at the Valley of Torment, she gives Byleth a letter from Claude. In the letter, he states that he "doesn't know exactly why, but he feels that he can trust them".

He tells Byleth that in order to invade the Empire, they must go east and take the Great Bridge of Myrddin while he distracts House Gloucester's troops so that the Resistance Army can pass through their territory along the way. By taking the bridge, House Gloucester won't be able to receive the Empire's aid, benefiting Claude's position in the war as well as giving the Resistance Army a foothold to invade the Empire. After the Resistance Army takes the bridge, the Alliance engages in a three-way battle with the Empire and the Kingdom at Gronder Field, resulting in massive casualties on all sides. In the aftermath, Claude is reported as missing; however, some of his former classmates believe him to still be alive. Regardless, Claude is never heard from again.

"End of spoilers. It's a pleasure doing business with you!"

---

Crimson Flower

"Just a minute! The following section contains spoilers. Viewing it will cost a lot. Are you prepared to pay for it?"

If the Black Eagles route is chosen, Claude will find himself ill-prepared for the Empire to invade the Alliance first. A series of battles eventually lead to Claude being driven back to the Alliance capital, Derdriu. He and the Alliance army are soundly defeated by the Empire, but he attempts to negotiate with Edelgard, stating that he'd be worth more alive than dead due to all of the nobles indebted to him, leaving her with the option to spare or kill him.

If he is spared, Claude thanks Byleth and Edelgard for their mercy, entrusting the people and territories of the Alliance to her, believing that she will be able to rule justly. He also asks her to take care of his former classmates before leaving for Almyra. Before leaving, he quickly returns to talk to Byleth. If he is slain, he gives his sincere hope that Edelgard can create a better world than the one Fódlan currently finds itself in. Edelgard surmises that he accounted for all potential options, as he knew that as long as he lived, parts of the Alliance would continue to fight the Empire in his name, which would only be quelled with his death, real or otherwise.

"End of spoilers. It's a pleasure doing business with you!"

---

Azure Moon

"Just a minute! The following section contains spoilers. Viewing it will cost a lot. Are you prepared to pay for it?"

If the Blue Lions route is chosen, the Alliance army follows behind Faerghus’s as they march into Imperial territory, where they are intercepted by Edelgard’s own forces. Amidst the flames of war, Claude is forced to lament the brutality of the promised class reunion, before engaging in battle with the other two nations. He has his army stay neutral and wait for the battle to unfold before making a move, unless he is attacked first; regardless of the battle’s result, Claude retreats.

While Dimitri and the Blue Lions attack the Kingdom of Faerghus to reclaim it from Cornelia, Claude sends a messenger to the Kingdom requesting help in repelling an impending invasion by the Adrestian Empire. Under the belief that they would emerge victorious and heed the call, Claude sets up a defensive formation around Derdriu and waits. As planned, the Blue Lions reclaim the kingdom and answer his request, creating a pincer attack that defeats the Adrestian invasion.

After the battle, Claude makes a sudden announcement that he is stepping down as leader of the Leicester Alliance. With the approval of the other Alliance lords, the lands of Leicester integrate back under the control of the Kingdom. With a few parting words to his classmates and former teacher, he departs to deal with business in Almyra.

"End of spoilers. It's a pleasure doing business with you!"

---

Verdant Wind

"Just a minute! The following section contains spoilers. Viewing it will cost a lot. Are you prepared to pay for it?"

With the disappearance of Byleth, Claude never gave up hope that they were still alive. Remembering the promise the Golden Deer made, Claude returns to Garreg Mach Monastery and ascends the Goddess Tower. As he waits, Byleth, who went missing five years prior, miraculously returns. Elated to see his teacher well, Claude invites Byleth to help rout some bandits raiding a nearby town. As they quell the bandits, the rest of the Golden Deer students return as well. With the area cleared, Claude decides to make the Monastery their main base for the war to give them a strategic location to fight back against the Empire. Claude convinces Byleth to stay with the Golden Deer class by promising to aid them in the search for Rhea and learn the truth about themselves and Fódlan.

The Alliance, led by Claude’s tactics, fully unifies their full might as a nation with the capture of the Great Bridge of Myrddin, gathering their strength and eventually taking down Edelgard and the Empire at Enbarr after Dimitri and the Kingdom are defeated at Gronder Field. Claude will then let Byleth finish off Edelgard themselves, before turning his gaze homeward and steeling his troops to take down Those Who Slither in the Dark. He also shares his dream with Byleth about opening Fódlan to the outside world.

Upon hearing that Holst was severely injured fighting Nemesis, Claude decides that they should intercept his forces at Caledonian Plateau. Claude may be sent to fight his ancestor, although he expresses disappointment when he doesn't speak. Upon killing Nemesis' Ten Elites, the Alliance Army is able to injure Nemesis. Claude and Byleth challenge Nemesis together, where he fires several arrows, though they all miss. He then fires another arrow at the sky before charging and getting swatted aside by Nemesis. The arrow then lands back down and pierces Nemesis' arm, allowing Byleth to kill him. Claude then extends his hand to Byleth, stating that it is up to them to bring about peace, as he returns to Almyra to establish new ties with Fódlan.

"End of spoilers. It's a pleasure doing business with you!"

---

Personality

Claude is described as easygoing at the surface, but has a side that forces others to keep their guard around him. His introduction to Byleth at the Officers Academy emphasizes this as he refrains from divulging his potential professor any information about himself to give himself a "sense of mystery" and to entice them to choose his house in order to get to know him better. While appearing lazy and casual, he is far more astute than he lets on and is always a few steps ahead of his peers during conversations.

He tends to get along with those he interacts with, but his nonchalant attitude to his duties as heir to the Leicester Alliance seems at odds with each other and sometimes frustrates his fellow nobility classmates, namely Lorenz. Despite this, he has a wealth of knowledge of the Alliance's current state of affairs and has enough diplomatic sense to understand the ramifications of certain potential actions of Alliance against the neighboring country of Almyra.

He is a cunning strategist and is particularly skilled at mind games to throw his opponents off. He openly converses with Byleth of a ploy to give his house rivals food poisoning to give his house an advantage in the first mock battle. While he does not do so, he simply stated it to rile his rivals. He cares greatly for those under his command, valuing their lives and advises them to retreat rather than fight to the death, as shown in the Crimson Flower route numerous times. He abhors killing, only doing so if completely necessary; his tactics generally rely on incapacitating the enemy. His skills as a tactician have grown significantly after the time-skip that his guise of neutrality intimidates other nations' advisers, such as Hubert, as they know he has ulterior motives in hand.

Claude dislikes blind faith in gods, as he prefers to rely on the strength of men. On the other hand, he enjoys archery, long rides, subjects of curiosity, poetry, scheming and organizing feasts.

"Just a minute! The following section contains spoilers. Viewing it will cost a lot. Are you prepared to pay for it?"

Claude's mixed heritage serves as a source of inner turmoil as both sides have been odds long before he was born. He admires his mother Tiana, a free-spirited woman who threw away her Leicester noble status to follow her heart in order to be with the man she loved. Having experienced discrimination in both Almyra and Fódlan, Claude is driven to break the cultural barrier and have each nation more accepting of each other as equals, which leads to his dream of opening Fódlan to the outside world. He does, however, remain aware of the diplomatic tension between Fódlan and Almyra and would not try to force the issue unless there is an appropriate opportunity to do so.

War is more of a last resort to Claude as he would rather resolve disputes diplomatically. He is the most socially connected of the three House Leaders, reflected by having the most support conversations of the three, and has a better understanding of his peers than he initially lets on, even if it is simply to tease them. He is not as idealistic of peace as Dimitri, but far less ruthless than Edelgard on achieving it. He would rather avoid brute forcing his way onto the people of Fódlan and is more than satisfied to let others achieve his dreams over him should someone worthy appear.

Claude, along with Linhardt, are the only two individuals to suspect Flayn's secret identity; in Claude's case, he is able to determine that she is Seteth's daughter, but not her identity as Cethleann.

He has a deep sense of trust in Byleth and exclusively calls them "Teach", even if they are not his professor. He expresses faith and trust in Byleth's abilities and wisdom, even believing that they are the ultimate trump card for whomever they have aligned with. In the Azure Moon route, he gambled on the belief that Byleth and Dimitri would win the fight against Cornelia and immediately come to his aid against the impending Empire invasion before they had even began the fight to reclaim the kingdom. That being said, the belief in Byleth can also serve as his own undoing as it is possible for them to give the order to execute Claude in the Crimson Flower route, a choice that he never expected. In the Verdant Wind route where they personally guide Claude, they serve as a motivation to see the war to the end and inspires confidence in his dreams of forming a true diplomatic and cordial relationship between Fódlan and Almyra.

"End of spoilers. It's a pleasure doing business with you!"

---

In-Game

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Base Stats

• White Clouds
• Cindered Shadows

Starting Class						Crest
Noble
Level	HP	Str	Mag	Dex	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Cha
1	26	11	5	8	8	7	6	4	8
Magic		Combat Arts		Abilities		Starting Items
-		Curved Shot		Leicester Lineage Sword Prowess Lv 1 Bow Prowess Lv 1 Authority Lv 1		Iron Bow Vulnerary

Skill
Level	E+	E	E	D	E	E	E	D	E	E+	E+
Start

Starting Class						Crest
Wyvern Rider
Level	HP	Str	Mag	Dex	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Cha
20	41	26	9	20	21	16	19	8+2	19+6
Magic		Combat Arts		Abilities		Starting Items
-		Monster Blast Curved Shot Helm Splitter		Leicester Lineage Canto Axefaire Bow Prowess Lv 3 Authority Lv 3 Resistance +2 Battalion Desperation Close Counter		Steel Bow Iron Bow Mini Bow Concoction

Skill
Level	C	E	C	B	E	E	E	C+	E	E	C
Start

As an Enemy

Rivalry Of The Houses

• Normal
• Hard
• Maddening

Starting Class						Crest
Noble
Level	HP	Str	Mag	Dex	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Cha
2	26	12	5	9	9	8	6	4	9
Magic		Combat Arts		Abilities		Starting Items
-		-		Leicester Lineage		Training Bow Vulnerary

Starting Class						Crest
Noble
Level	HP	Str	Mag	Dex	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Cha
4	27	12	6	10	10	8	7	5	10
Magic		Combat Arts		Abilities		Starting Items
-		-		Leicester Lineage		Training Bow Vulnerary

Starting Class						Crest
Noble
Level	HP	Str	Mag	Dex	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Cha
8	30	15	8	13+4	13	11	9	7	13
Magic		Combat Arts		Abilities		Starting Items
-		-		Leicester Lineage Dexterity +4		Training Bow Vulnerary

Skill
Level	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	-	-	-
Start

Battle of the Eagle and Lion

• Normal
• Hard
• Maddening

Starting Class						Crest
Lord
Level	HP	Str	Mag	Dex	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Cha
15	33	17	6	16	15	11	10	5	17+1
Magic		Combat Arts		Abilities		Starting Items
-		-		Leicester Lineage Charm General Close Counter Bow Prowess Lv 3 Authority Lv 2		Longbow Evasion Ring

Starting Class						Crest
Lord
Level	HP	Str	Mag	Dex	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Cha
16	35	19	9	19	17	15	12	8	20+1
Magic		Combat Arts		Abilities		Starting Items
-		-		Leicester Lineage Charm General Close Counter Bow Prowess Lv 3 Authority Lv 2		Longbow Evasion Ring

Starting Class						Crest
Lord
Level	HP	Str	Mag	Dex	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Cha
22	42	26	13	26	24	21	18	12	27+1
Magic		Combat Arts		Abilities		Starting Items
-		-		Leicester Lineage Charm General Close Counter Bow Prowess Lv 3 Authority Lv 2		Longbow Evasion Ring

Skill
Level	D+	E	E	C	E	E	E	C	-	-	-
Start

Capturing Derdriu

• Normal
• Hard
• Maddening

Starting Class						Crest
Wyvern Master
Level	HP	Str	Mag	Dex	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Cha
31	40	24	9	25	24	16	15	11	25+10
Magic		Combat Arts		Abilities		Starting Items
-		Fallen Star		Leicester Lineage+ Charm Bowfaire Canto Commander Close Counter Flying Effect Null Bow Prowess Lv 4 Authority Prowess Lv 5		Failnaught Hexlock Shield Elixir

Skill
Level	B	D	D	B	E	D+	D	B	-	-	B
Start

Starting Class						Crest
Barbarossa
Level	HP	Str	Mag	Dex	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Cha
32	49	31	13	32	33	21	19	12	30+10
Magic		Combat Arts		Abilities		Starting Items
-		Fallen Star		Leicester Lineage+ Charm Bowfaire Canto Commander Close Counter Flying Effect Null Bow Prowess Lv 4 Authority Prowess Lv 5		Failnaught Hexlock Shield Elixir

Skill
Level	B+	D	D	A	E	C+	D	A	-	-	A
Start

Starting Class						Crest
Barbarossa
Level	HP	Str	Mag	Dex	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Cha
38	59	40	20	41	43	29	27	19	40+10
Magic		Combat Arts		Abilities		Starting Items
-		Fallen Star		Leicester Lineage+ Charm Bowfaire Canto Commander Close Counter Flying Effect Null Bow Prowess Lv 4 Authority Prowess Lv 5		Failnaught Hexlock Shield Elixir

Skill
Level	B+	D	D	A	E	C+	D	A	-	-	A
Start

To War at Gronder (Azure Moon)

• Normal
• Hard
• Maddening

Starting Class						Crest
Wyvern Master
Level	HP	Str	Mag	Dex	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Cha
35	42	25	9	26	26	17	15	11	27+10
Magic		Combat Arts		Abilities		Starting Items
-		Fallen Star		Leicester Lineage+ Charm Bowfaire Canto Commander Close Counter Flying Effect Null Bow Prowess Lv 4 Authority Prowess Lv 3		Failnaught Concoction Master Seal

Starting Class						Crest
Wyvern Master
Level	HP	Str	Mag	Dex	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Cha
36	47	31	14	32	32	23	19	13	33+10
Magic		Combat Arts		Abilities		Starting Items
-		Fallen Star		Leicester Lineage+ Charm Bowfaire Canto Commander Close Counter Flying Effect Null Bow Prowess Lv 4 Authority Prowess Lv 3		Failnaught Concoction Master Seal

Starting Class						Crest
Wyvern Master
Level	HP	Str	Mag	Dex	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Cha
42	57	40	21	42	42	32	28	20	43+10
Magic		Combat Arts		Abilities		Starting Items
-		Fallen Star		Leicester Lineage+ Charm Bowfaire Canto Commander Close Counter Flying Effect Null Bow Prowess Lv 4 Authority Prowess Lv 3		Failnaught Concoction Master Seal

Skill
Level	B	D	D	B	E	D+	D	B	-	-	B
Start

As an Ally

Saving Derdriu

• Normal
• Hard
• Maddening

Starting Class						Crest
Barbarossa
Level	HP	Str	Mag	Dex	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Cha
38	53	34	14	35	38	24	21+2	14	34+10
Magic		Combat Arts		Abilities		Starting Items
-		Fallen Star		Leicester Lineage+ Charm Bowfaire Canto Commander Close Counter Defense +2 Bow Prowess Lv 4 Authority Lv 4		Failnaught Aurora Shield Silver Bow Concoction Vulnerary

Starting Class						Crest
Barbarossa
Level	HP	Str	Mag	Dex	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Cha
39	54	35	15	36	39	24	21+2	14	35+10
Magic		Combat Arts		Abilities		Starting Items
-		Fallen Star		Leicester Lineage+ Charm Bowfaire Canto Commander Close Counter Defense +2 Bow Prowess Lv 4 Authority Lv 4		Failnaught Aurora Shield Silver Bow Concoction Vulnerary

Starting Class						Crest
Barbarossa
Level	HP	Str	Mag	Dex	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Cha
45	64	45	23	46	50	33	29+2	22	45+10
Magic		Combat Arts		Abilities		Starting Items
-		Fallen Star		Leicester Lineage+ Charm Bowfaire Canto Commander Close Counter Defense +2 Bow Prowess Lv 4 Authority Lv 4		Failnaught Aurora Shield Silver Bow Concoction Vulnerary

Skill
Level	B+	D	D	A	E	C+	D	A	-	-	A
Start

Growth Rates

HP	Str	Mag	Dex	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Cha
35%	40%	25%	60%	55%	45%	30%	25%	55%

Maximum Stats

HP	Str	Mag	Dex	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Cha
71	61	40	89	76	63	50	42	76

Learnt Magic

Skill Level	Reason	Faith
D	Wind	Heal
D+	-	Nosferatu
C	Sagittae	Recover
C+	-	-
B	Cutting Gale	-
B+	-	-
A	Excalibur	Silence
A+	-	-

Recruitment

Claude is automatically recruited in the prologue and will stay with Byleth if they choose to teach the Golden Deer house in the next chapter. Otherwise, he is unrecruitable in the other two houses. Note that any items that Claude has in the prologue will be lost if another house is chosen, so it is best to trade with Byleth before the prologue ends.

Overall

Subjective: The following part of this article is based upon the editor's personal experiences and opinions, and therefore may not be applicable for all readers.

Claude is the primary Lord for the Golden Deer, meaning that he will be one of the most used members of the Verdant Wind path for most chapters. He has the best Speed and Dexterity of the Lord trio, allowing him to easily double and launch critical hits, but has the lowest Strength and overall bulk growths, leaving him more fragile than the other two and giving him a bit more difficulty in dealing with heavily-armored opponents. His Luck growth is better than both Dimitri and Edelgard, letting him avoid magic attacks and score critical hits with ease (while also making him less susceptible to critical hits). He also naturally has a high Charm growth, allowing him to effectively use Battalions. Overall, he is generally geared towards ranged combat, namely through Bows, of which is his highest starting subject affinity and his primary choice of weapon. His Magic growth is low and his Reason mostly comprises of Wind magic and his Faith list is also fairly standard though he notably learns Silence. While this may be a quirky option, it is not particularly optimal, especially when playing Hard and Maddening, where battles are more limited.

Claude bears the Crest of Riegan, occasionally restoring 30% of his HP when he uses Combat Arts. Bows heavily utilize them to increase range through Arts like Curved Shot and Claude is no exception, thus he can use its effects whenever he is injured. He has a Hero's Relic and a Sacred Weapon at his disposal. His Hero's Relic is Failnaught, a powerful bow that grants him the ability to use Fallen Star. By consuming three uses, Fallen Star not only deals effective damage against Dragon foes but also allows him to completely avoid all attacks the next turn, giving Claude an excellent means of softening an opponent and then protecting himself. His sacred weapon is the Sword of Begalta, giving him a Renewal effect whose effect is increased in his hands.

Claude's subject strengths are in Swords, Bows, Authority, Riding, and Flying and has a Budding Talent for Axes, which grants him the Combat Art Diamond Axe when unlocked. His Subject Weaknesses are Lances and Faith. Claude shines best in the Myrmidon and Fighter lines due to his inherent strengths, but he also has his exclusive Lord line of classes with the aforementioned class plus his timeskip Wyvern Master and Barbarossa classes, the latter two turns him into a mobile attacker with superior movement due to being a flying class, though it does make him vulnerable to Bows and Excalibur as a result. Mastering the Barbarossa grants him the Wind God skill, a huge range Combat Art that far exceeds Curved Shot with a massive 2-5 range.

His normal class options for Claude to go through are the Archer class for Hit Rate +20 so he can counter act the huge bane to hit rate when attacking at long range with bows; this bonus can be combined with Bow Prowess, an Accuracy Ring and a Battalion with a High Hit rate bonus. With his unlocked mastery in Axes, the Brigand's Death Blow is available.The Warrior class offers Wrath, which can be combined with the Mercenary's Vantage (Skill), but this is more of a novelty as Claude shouldn't take hits anyway. Afterwards, Sniper will be his best option until the timeskip is unlocked, as it grants him extra range with bows and passable stat growths until he can slot into his personal classes.

Bow Knight can also be a viable option, but again, his Lance weakness does hinder him somewhat in unlocking the class, but he only requires a C mastery of Lances, unlike the Paladin which requires a B. Moreover, one may still take the exam with a very good success rate at D+ or even D lance given that the other two requirements are met. Other options include the Thief and Assassin classes for their excellent growth rates and stats that mesh well with Claude's already high Speed and Dexterity, and obtaining Lethality from Assassin may help with tougher enemies on higher difficulties.

Overall, Claude lives up to his Lord status and is the most nimble of the three Lords in the game. Though he lacks Dimitri's raw power and Edelgard's magical prowess, Claude makes up for this with his speed and strong crit capabilities. Claude also is far more mobile than the other two thanks to his skill strengths, and his unique Barbarossa class allows him far more tactical maneuverability than his peers.

Gift List

Gift Name	Type of Gift	Description	Rank
Riding Boots	Favorite	Boots specially made for mastering the equestrian arts. Appreciated by those who enjoy horseback riding.	★★★
Owl Feather	Favorite	A feather from a messenger owl that can be used in a variety of ways. Appreciated by everyone.	★★★
Book of Crest Designs	Favorite	A book containing the designs of 21 identified Crests. Appreciated by those who enjoy studying Crests.	★★★★
Exotic Spices	Favorite	Spices from a land to the east of Almyra. Appreciated by those who enjoy traveling or cooking.	★★★★
Board Game	Favorite	A fun activity in which players compete using stones on a board. Appreciated by those who enjoy tactical thinking.	★★★★
Book of Sheet Music	Dislike	An old collection of sheet music filled with hymns and pastoral songs. Appreciated by those who enjoy music.	★★★
Blue Cheese	Dislike	A pungent cheese with a very distinctive taste. Appreciated by lovers of food and drink.	★★★★

Lost Items

Lost Item	Description
Leather Bow Sheath	A leather bow sheath engraved with an unfamiliar script. It seems like something Claude would own.
Mild Stomach Poison	A small bottle labeled "Mild Stomach Poison" that seems fairly harmless. It probably belongs to a schemer.
Board Game Piece	A high-quality board game piece made of precious stone. It probably belongs to someone what a tactical mind.

Tea Party Conversations

See also: Claude/Tea Party

Supports

See also: Claude/Supports

• Byleth (S-Support with Female Byleth)
• Petra
• Annette
• Ingrid
• Lorenz
• Raphael
• Ignatz
• Lysithea
• Marianne
• Hilda
• Leonie
• Flayn
• Shamir
• Cyril
• Balthus

Fire Emblem Heroes

• Original

The Schemer

Heir to House Riegan, the leading house of the Leicester Alliance. Employs both an easygoing attitude and an effortless skill for scheming. Appears in Fire Emblem: Three Houses.

Base Stats

Rarity: ✯✯✯✯✯

		Title
		The Schemer
		Group
		Cavalry
Level	HP	Atk	Spd	Def	Res
1 40	16/17/18 35/39/42	6/7/8 30/33/36	10/11/12 34/37/40	4/5/6 17/20/23	3/4/5 18/21/24
Skills			Weapon
Cunning Bow Night Sky			Bow

Skills

Type	Name	Prerequisite	Default	Unlocked
	Iron Bow	-	-	-
	Steel Bow	-	-	-
	Silver Bow	-	-	-
	Cunning Bow	-		-
	Night Sky	-		-
	Glimmer	Night Sky	-
B	Lull Spd/Def 1	-		-
	Lull Spd/Def 2	Lull Spd/Def 1		-
	Lull Spd/Def 3	Lull Spd/Def 2
C	Def Smoke 1	-		-
	Def Smoke 2	Def Smoke 1
	Def Smoke 3	Def Smoke 2

Overall

Subjective: The following part of this article is based upon the editor's personal experiences and opinions, and therefore may not be applicable for all readers.

Base Set

Claude is comparable to the infamous Brave Lyn, having exceptional range due to being a Colorless Bow Cavalry unit. While he matches her in Atk, he is actually faster than her though has lower magical bulk, but overall this is not too much of a detriment to him. He exists in a relatively unoccupied unit pool, giving him some breathing room to shine over them in his own unique way.

His Cunning Bow turns him into a terrifying offensive unit as he thrives on teams who can both buff him and debuff enemies. If the total difference in visible stat bonuses on himself and penalties on his opponent equals 10 or more, Claude inflicts a further -5 to his foe's four core stats during combat, which can outright decimate his opponent's ability to counterattack him depending on the extent of the visible bonuses/penalties between the two.

Because Claude wants buffs to use his bow's effect, Glimmer is a natural fit on him to push his damage output by 50% with them applied. Lull Speed Defense removes enemy buffs, thus assisting in his Cunning Bow's effect, and also inflicts his -3 to his foe's Spd/Def when in combat. Finally Defense Smoke inflicts -7 Def onto opponents within two spaces of himself at the start of his turn. With this, all Claude needs is a 3 stat buff to one of his stats in order to activate his Bow's effect.

Counters

Claude needs to avoid getting hit by debuffs himself as he is vulnerable to Ploy and Panic users who can immediately shut off his bow's effect if he cannot turn it around with skills like Harsh Command on an ally. He is weak up close, thus any unit who can get to him first will likely take him down easily. Units like both genders of Robin, Lyon, and Sophia can inflict a color disadvantage through their tomes. Lastly, as a cavalry units, he is weak to Zanbatos and Ridersbane while Micaiah solidly kills him with all three of her variations.

Skill Inheritance

As a Cavalry unit, Reposition is a must for team synergy. Swift Sparrow gives him an initiated Atk/Spd boost for solid player turn offense,w here he is likely at his strongest while either Fury or Life and Death will enhance his stats mainly for his offense. Desperation is a better Skill B to ensure that he fires off his likely double attack over his opponent and finish off before they have an opportunity to retaliate.

Quotes

Three Houses

See Main Article: Claude/Quotes.

Heroes

See Main Article: Claude/Heroes Quotes.

Possible Endings

Three Houses

"Just a minute! The following section contains spoilers. Viewing it will cost a lot. Are you prepared to pay for it?"

Claude - King of Unification

Claude returned to his homeland of Almyra and assumed the role of a politically active prince. After inheriting the throne, he worked to improve relations with Fódlan. In addition to establishing new trade routes, he fostered trust by sending reinforcements into Fódlan to help quell revolts by the remnants of the Imperial loyalists. Under his guidance, the peoples of Fódlan and Almyra were finally able to set aside age-old prejudices, and over time, the fallacies of old were all but forgotten.

Claude and Byleth

After ascending the throne as the first leader of the United Kingdom of Fódlan, Byleth sought to rebuild the war-torn towns and villages and to help guide the reformation of the Church of Seiros. After a few months of peace, remnants of the Imperial Army joined with those who slither in the dark and marched upon the capital city of Derdriu. The new kingdom lacked the power to repel the invaders, but when defeat seemed imminent, a battle cry rang out from the east. Claude, the newly-crowned King of Almyra, led a mighty army that broke through the rebel forces with ease. This show of solidarity forever altered the course of history, heralding a new age of unity.

Claude and Petra

Claude left Fódlan, entrusting its future to his friends. He intended to travel to his homeland of Almyra, but his love for Petra instead drew him west, to Brigid. He won her affection, and after receiving the blessing of her grandfather, the king of Brigid, the two were wed. Some years later, each inherited their respective thrones. As the monarchs of Brigid and Almyra, Petra and Claude fostered friendly diplomatic relations between the two regions and Fódlan.

Claude and Annette

Entrusting the future of Fódlan to his friends, Claude left for Almyra with Annette, whom he intended to marry. He announced this fact to his father, the king of Almyra, who approved of Claude's growth and Annette's wisdom and resolved to entrust the monarchy to them. Once he became king, Claude established a school of sorcery with the intent to use it as a bridge between Almyra and Fódlan. Annette took on a role as headmaster, supporting Claude's dream by opening the doors to students from every corner of the world. Relations between Almyra and Fódlan improved drastically as a result.

Claude and Ingrid

Entrusting the future of Fódlan to his friends, Claude left for Almyra with Ingrid, whom he intended to marry. He announced this fact to his father, the king of Almyra, who approved of Claude's strength and Ingrid's virtue and resolved to entrust the monarchy to them. Even after they ascended the throne, Claude and Ingrid argued frequently. But while the queen chasing the fleeing king through the palace was a common occurrence, the couple must have loved one another deeply, for they happily raised many children together.

Claude and Lorenz

Claude disappeared from Fódlan after the war, leaving the new head of House Gloucester, Lorenz, to support the new United Kingdom of Fódlan in his stead. He proposed revolutionary policies to restore the war-torn region at a rapid rate. When the rebuilding effort was complete, Lorenz turned his eye toward diplomacy, seeking to establish treaties of friendship with foreign nations. Almyra was no exception, and when the two parties met for a summit at Fódlan's Locket, it was none other than Claude, the new king of Almyra, who arrived to negotiate. Some speculated that this meeting had been Claude's scheme all along, but Lorenz and Claude both denied it.

Claude and Lysithea

Entrusting the future of Fódlan to his friends, Claude left for Almyra to reclaim his place as heir to the throne. When he became king, he asked Lysithea to be his queen with a heart full of love, and with the hope of fostering friendly diplomatic relations with Fódlan. Due to her shortened lifespan, Lysithea declined. Claude, unable to abandon his love for her, gave up the throne to go on a quest for a means to save her. Years later, he appeared suddenly before her, claiming to have found a cure. With her trust and love to guide him, he whisked her away, across the sea. It is unknown where they went.

Claude and Marianne

Entrusting the future of Fódlan to his friends, Claude left for Almyra to reclaim his place as heir to the throne. Several years later, when he became king, he took initial steps to open trade routes with Fódlan, and entered into negotiations with Margrave Edmund. During this time, he was reunited with Marianne, who had grown under her adoptive father's guidance into a wise and talented woman. She offered him her aid, and as they worked together to secure friendly relations between their respective nations, they fell deeply in love.

Claude and Hilda

Entrusting the future of Fódlan to his friends, Claude left for Almyra to take his place as heir to the throne. His family saw that he had grown strong and allowed him to claim his birthright. When he became king several years later, he made the surprise announcement that he would make Hilda his queen. Having studied with her brother to prepare for this moment, Hilda demonstrated an uncanny talent for diplomacy, and greatly contributed to establishing friendly relations between Fódlan and Almyra. The presence of a Fódlan-born queen for two consecutive generations did much to alter Almyran values.

Claude and Leonie

Leonie returned to Sauin Village to repay her debts and mysteriously vanished afterwards. Some years later, when trade between Fódlan and Almyra began in earnest, the village received notice that the Almyran king would be passing through on his way to Garreg Mach. The village rushed to prepare themselves. When the anticipated day arrived, they were shocked to find Leonie at the king's side. She had gone to visit Claude in Almyra, and had ended up staying to become his queen. Faced with the sight of Leonie in the resplendent clothing of a monarch, her father and the other villagers could do nothing but stand in mute amazement.

Claude and Flayn

Entrusting the future of Fódlan to his friends, Claude left for Almyra to reclaim his place as heir to the throne. Several years later, when he became king, he took initial steps to open diplomatic relations with Fódlan, and asked Garreg Mach for aid. During this time, he was reunited with Flayn, who had been helping Seteth run the church. She agreed to help, and as they worked together to secure friendly relations between their respective regions, they fell deeply in love. It is said that Seteth never learned of their relationship.

Claude and Shamir

After the war, Claude returned home to Almyra and took his place in the royal family. Some years later he became king, and during his reign, promoted policies to improve relations with Fódlan and protect children who had been orphaned by the war. After he achieved his goals, he left the throne to a family member and left Almyra. During his travels, he encountered Shamir, who had been wandering the world as a mercenary. It is known that they traveled together from that day forward, but where they journeyed to remains a mystery.

Claude and Balthus

Perhaps unexpectedly, Balthus accompanied Claude upon his return to his homeland of Almyra. While Claude assumed the role of a politically active prince, Balthus spent his days drinking, flirting, and brawling. As soon as Claude inherited the throne, however, all that changed. In the blink of an eye, Balthus became son-in-law to the great commander, Nader, and took up a position of military command in service to Claude's stated goal to improve relations with Fódlan. To foster trust, Claude frequently sent Balthus into Fódlan on missions to help quell revolts begun by Imperial loyalists.

"End of spoilers. It's a pleasure doing business with you!"

---

Non-Canon Appearances

Super Smash Bros.

Artwork of Byleth's Claude costume

Claude appears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a background character at Garreg Mach Monastery. He also appears as a spirit in both his Academy and War phase appearances and Byleth's fifth alternate palette is based off Claude.

Fire Emblem 0 (Cipher)

Claude is illustrated in the trading card game Fire Emblem Cipher with the following cards:

B17-112HN

B18-032SR

B18-032SR+

B18-033N

B18-034HN

B19-030R

P16-014PR

P17-004PR

P19-013PR

S12-006ST

S12-006ST+

Etymology

Claude is a French given name derived from the Roman emperor Claudius. In view of the evident reference to the Shakespearean play King Lear that a majority of the Golden Deer (including him) play off of, his name may also have derived from King Claudius from Hamlet, the primary antagonist of the tragedy.

It may also be a reference to Claudio Ranieri, who was the manager of Leicester City during their improbable 2016 Premier League-winning campaign.

Khalid (variants include Khaled and Kalid; Arabic: خالد) is a popular Arabic male given name meaning "eternal," "endless," or "immortal."

Regan is a name likely derived from ancient Gaelic and means "little king." Furthermore, Regan is also the name of King Lear's second daughter, continuing the references to Shakespeare.

Trivia

• Claude shares his English voice actor, Joe Zieja, with Jamke and Canas in Heroes.
  • Joe Zieja stated in an interview that in his audition for Three Houses, he did readings for other characters such as Dimitri, Dedue, and Ferdinand before being chosen as Claude.
  • Starting from 17th August 2019, Zieja published his playthrough of the Golden Deer route in his YouTube Channel.
• Game director Toshiyuki Kusakihara stated in an interview that the writers drew inspiration from Rajendra from The Heroic Legend of Arslan and Yang Wen-li from Legend of the Galactic Heroes when creating Claude.
  • The interview states that Nader was intended to reveal that Claude's real name is Khalid, but this was eventually scrapped.
• Claude stands at 175cm (or about 5'9").
• Claude is one of the few Lords in the Fire Emblem series to not feature the color blue either in his hair or his clothes, a distinction he shares with both Celica from Gaiden and its remake and fellow Three Houses lord Edelgard.
• Due to House Riegan being a cadet branch of the Blaiddyd royal family, Claude is distantly related to Dimitri.
• Claude has the most supports with students outside of the Golden Deer compared to the other two Lords, which are Annette, Ingrid, and Petra. Dimitri has Marianne and Raphael while Edelgard only has Lysithea.
• Claude can have the most skill proficiencies in the game with a total of six, after unlocking his budding talent in axes. He shares this distinction with Balthus.
• As a boss in the Crimson Flower route, Claude is one of the few bosses in the Fire Emblem series that will be an entirely different class depending on the difficulty, either being a Wyvern Master on Normal or being a Barbarossa on Hard and Maddening.
• Claude is the only house leader in Three Houses that can survive in the majority of the routes. He lives by default in the Azure Moon and Verdant Wind routes, and he can be either spared or killed by Byleth in the Crimson Flower route. His fate in the Silver Snow route, however, is left ambiguous and is reported to be missing.
  • Compared to the other house leaders, Edelgard only survives in the Crimson Flower route, and Dimitri survives by default in the Azure Moon route, and like Claude, his fate is left ambiguous in the Silver Snow route. Though unlike Claude, he is reported dead rather than missing.
  • Additionally, Claude, Dedue, and Gilbert are the only route-exclusive characters that are confirmed to survive in more than one route.
• Claude's design and characteristics share a lot of similarities with Persian culture. This includes:
  • His pre-timeskip design, being based off the Persian Achaemenid archers. They are depicted as wearing yellow, having a singular earring, and wielding a composite bow.
  • His post-timeskip design, being based off a Kontush Sash: an ornate band worn around the waist which originated in Persia. At the end of this sash, Claude possesses a garland of Turkish püskül which wards off bad luck.
  • Claude's personal battalion, the Immortal Corps, is a reference to the Persian Immortals—the name given by Herodotus to an elite heavily-armed infantry queued unit of 10,000 soldiers within the grand army of the Achaemenid Empire.
  • An Almyran ritual Claude celebrates, as mentioned in his C-support with Annette, is a reference to the real-life "Chaharshanbe Suri", a Zoroastrian fire festival originating in ancient Persia.
  • Meditation Claude partakes in every morning, as mentioned in his C-support with Ingrid, is another practice of Zoroastrianism.
• Claude has placed high in several character polls done in magazines for Fire Emblem: Three Houses. These include:
  • The first survey conducted by Nintendo DREAM Magazine, Claude placed 2nd. The male-female vote ratio was 1:2. He ranked 2nd with 19.8% of the vote among those who completed the game and 22.9% overall.
  • The second survey conducted by Nintendo DREAM Magazine, Claude placed 2nd. The male-female vote ratio was 1:3. He ranked 2nd among those who completed the game with 286 points.
  • The third survey conducted by Nintendo DREAM Magazine, Claude placed 2nd The male-female vote ratio was 1:3. He ranked 2nd among those who completed the game with 256 points.
  • The fourth survey conducted by Nintendo DREAM Magazine, Claude placed 2nd. The male-female vote ratio was 1:4. He ranked 2nd among those who completed the game with 144 points.
  • The fifth survey conducted by Nintendo DREAM Magazine, Claude placed 3rd. The male-female vote ratio was 1:4. He ranked 3rd among those who completed the game with 20.8% of the vote.
  • A survey conducted by Famitsu Magazine, Claude placed 2nd. He ranked 2nd for males and 2nd overall with 1,249 votes. He also placed 3rd among S-Supports chosen in the first playthrough with 339 votes.
  • The January 2020 issue of Nintendo DREAM Magazine, Claude ranked 6th in the character popularity poll for most favorite Nintendo character.
  • The February 2020 issue of Nintendo DREAM Magazine, Claude ranked 10th in the character popularity poll for most favorite Nintendo character.
• In the fourth Fire Emblem Heroes: Choose Your Legends popularity poll, Claude ranked 2nd place for males and 3rd place overall with 59,751 votes.

Gallery

See main article: Claude/Gallery.