The Kinshi Knight (金鵄武者 Kinshi musha, lit. Golden Kite Warrior) is a Kinshi-mounted combat physical class that is introduced in Fire Emblem Fates. One of the promoted forms of the Sky Knight and Archer classes, the Kinshi Knight wields Yumi and Naginata as their weapons of choice.
Overview
Combat
Kinshi Knights make for fantastic flying unit exterminators, having the high mobility of other flying units with the addition of being able to use Bows. Their Air Superiority skill gives them a bonus of +30 to their Hit and Avoid rates when fighting against other flying units, further emphasising their usefulness in this regard. They can also arm Lances, which allow for some degree of close-range combat in case approaching enemies seek to take advantage of their Bows' lack of melee range. Kinshi Knights also share the high Resistance growths of the Sky Knight class, making them good counters for magic users as well. These strengths are, however, balanced by the Kinshi Knights' poor HP and Defense, making them very fragile units who need to be carefully deployed in order to avoid losing them. Low Strength growths also mean that they will not be able to inflict much damage, especially if promoted from the Sky Knight class, which shares this trait. Energy Drops and Strength Tonics can therefore be used on them as much as is possible.
The other skill that Kinshi Knights learn, Amaterasu, also allows them to play a more supportive role in battle, as they can quickly catch up to allies and linger around them in order to aid in their HP recovery. This makes them great units for keeping behind front lines, as they can attack with their Bows or ranged Lances while restoring HP to all nearby units every turn.
Kinshi Knights share the weaknesses to Bows and beast-slaying weapons that Sky Knights face. When faced by another Kinshi Knight, they can usually get by just fine with Air Superiority, unless the opposing Kinshi Knight also possseses the skill, in which case they cancel each other out. Their poor defenses also force them to hover outside of the enemy range when playing offensive roles.
As the Kinshi Knight's offensive role will commonly see them having to stray away from the rest of the army, a defensive Pair Up that grants bonuses in Strength and Defense can benefit them greatly, as their high Speed allows them to build up the Dual Guard gauge quickly and improve their overall survivability. The ability to switch out can also save them in a pinch, especially when they are on the verge of defeat. When acting as a support unit, offensive Pair Ups allow them to easily finish off units not taken out by other allies, although they need to be placed carefully to avoid possible lethal counterattacks.
In-Game
Base Stats
| HP | Str | Mag | Skl | Spd | Lck | Def | Res | Mov | Con | Wt | Wlv | Cha | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FE14 | 17 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 8 | - | - |  E  E |
Maximum Stats
| HP | Str | Mag | Skl | Spd | Lck | Def | Res | Mov | Con | Wt | Wlv | Cha | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FE14 | 50 | 27 | 26 | 33 | 31 | 34 | 25 | 31 | 8 | - | - | B A |
Growth Rates
| HP | Str | Mag | Skl | Spd | Lck | Def | Res | Mov | Con | Wt | Wlv | Cha | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FE14 | 0% | 5% | 0% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 0% | 15% | - | - | - | - |
Class Skills
| Skill | Requirements | |
|---|---|---|
| FE14 |  Air Superiority Amaterasu | Learnt at Level 5 and above. Learnt at Level 15 and above. |
Promotions
| Base Class | Promotion Method | Promoted Class | |
|---|---|---|---|
| FE14 |  Sky Knight | Use a  Master Seal on a Level 10+ Sky Knight. |  Kinshi Knight |
| FE14 |  Archer | Use a Master Seal on a Level 10+ Archer. | Kinshi Knight |
Notable Kinshi Knights
Fates
- Reina - Mikoto's retainer.
- Possible Promotion for: Hinoka, Takumi, Subaki, Setsuna, Shigure, Kiragi and Caeldori.
Etymology
Kinshi (金鵄) refers to a golden kite that led Emperor Jinmu, the first Japanese emperor, to victory against his nemesis, Nagasunehiko.
Trivia
- The Kinshi Knight class is the only class shared by all four Hoshido royal siblings, barring any shared classes gained through Friendship Seals and Partner Seals.
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