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Not to be confused with Replacement characters, a mechanic seen in Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon.

Substitute characters are a set of playable characters who appear exclusively in Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War. They are referred to as substitutes for their role in taking the place of child characters that are not born due to the fates of their potential mothers in the first-generation storyline.

Overview[]

Substitute characters are assigned to specific potential mothers, and will enter the game should that potential mother either not marry or die before the conclusion of the first-generation storyline. In general, they bear appearances notably different from the units for whom they substitute for, but they fulfill the same role in the story, with similar if not identical dialogue and events. However, some substitutes have special hidden events, such as Laylea obtaining the Barrier Sword from Anna.

Because substitute character traits are not informed by the first generation cast, they join the player's force with fixed base stats, growth rates, equipment, and skills. As a result, they are not as customizable as their child character counterparts and generally lack Holy Blood, which places them at a disadvantage because it limits their weapon selection. Their disadvantages are actually acknowledged in the story by some of them such as Muirne, Deimne, and Asaello; all of them feel inadequate and out of place due to their lack of Holy Blood, and need reassurance about their roles. Daisy also expresses this in her own way, as she is a huge fan of Shannan to the point where she starts to slightly annoy him in her excitement to meet him.

Gameplay[]

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.

The stats of substitute characters are generally inferior to the child characters whom they take the place of. However, some substitute characters do have gameplay traits that make them stand out. Linda can use the powerful Thoron tome prior to her promotion to Mage Fighter and possesses the Elite skill, unlike Tine. Charlot can obtain the Berserk Staff and has Elite as well, unlike Coirpre. Hawk also has excellent base stats and a decent weapon/staff selection, and while he is generally outclassed by Ced, it's mostly because of Ced's inheritance (especially Forseti).

List of Substitute Characters[]

Mother Children Substitutes
Deirdre

Shaman
Seliph and Julia

Junior Lord and Shaman
N/A.
Sigurd and Deirdre always fall in love during Chapter 1.
Julia is considered a static character in gameplay.
Ethlyn

Troubadour
Altena and Leif

Wyvern Rider and Prince
N/A.
Quan and Ethlyn are lovers by default, thus no substitute children will exist.
Edain

Priest
Lester and Lana

Arch Knight and Priest
Deimne and Muirne

Arch Knight and Priest
Ayra

Myrmidon
Scáthach and Larcei

Myrmidon and Myrmidon
Dalvin and Creidne

Myrmidon and Myrmidon
Lachesis

Princess
Diarmuid and Nanna

Free Knight and Troubadour
Tristan and Jeanne

Free Knight and Troubadour
Silvia

Dancer
Lene and Coirpre

Dancer and Priest
Laylea and Charlot

Dancer and Priest
Erinys

Pegasus Knight
Ced and Fee

Sage and Pegasus Knight
Hawk and Hermina

Sage and Pegasus Knight
Tailtiu

Thunder Mage
Arthur and Tine

Mage and Mage
Amid and Linda

Wind Mage and Thunder Mage
Brigid

Sniper
Febail and Patty

Bow Fighter and Thief
Asaello and Daisy

Bow Fighter and Thief