Combat Manual

Combat Manual (秘伝書 lit. Secret Book) is a gameplay element in Fire Emblem Heroes introduced in version 2.9.0.

Mechanics

Combat Manuals retain most features that standard Heroes have except that they cannot be deployed into battle. They also have a designated roster that comprises solely of any and all Manuals the player has acquired. Players may use Combat Manuals to convert excess Heroes for later usage such as Skill Inheritance, Merging, or exchanging for Hero Feathers at no penalty from a full playable version. Players may also Unlock Potential of any Combat Manual. A Hero converted into a Combat Manual cannot be changed back into a playable Hero.

Player can hold as many different Combat Manuals without needing to increase the inventory. Combat Manuals can be sorted and organized similar to the roster menu. Unlike regular Heroes, if the player has multiple Combat Manuals of the same rarity, they are automatically stacked on top of each other.

Acquisition

All Heroes can be converted into a Combat Manuals removing them from the usable roster. Alfonse, Sharena, and Askran Anna's default Heroes cannot be converted under any circumstance. Heroes created from a Forma Soul also cannot be converted into a Manual. Players can convert any Hero into a Combat Manual through the Create Combat Manual function. Heroes that are converted into a Manual retain their rarity when created, but the player does not receive the same number of Manuals to the amount of Merges the Hero had and if the Hero had inherited skills before conversion, those are also not retained.

Aside from conversion, Combat Manuals can be obtained from exchanging Divine Codes or as bonuses for special purchases in the Orb shop.