Selecting Difficulty: Gameplay 2

Choosing your difficulty in Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest? Learn about Normal, Hard, Lunatic, Casual, Classic, and Phoenix modes to find the right challenge for you.

Hey there! So, you're diving into Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest and wondering about the difficulty settings? It's pretty cool that they've made it more accessible now. You can tweak things to match your skill level or just how much you want to deal with the game's random number generator (RNG) and how often you're tempted to reset your game.

There are three main difficulty levels: Normal, Hard, and Lunatic. Don't worry, there's no Lunatic+ in Fates, so that's one less thing to stress about!

If you're new to Fire Emblem or just want to enjoy the story without a super tough challenge, Normal is the way to go. It keeps things pretty chill, though you'll still find challenges, especially in Conquest or if you play Birthright without any extra grinding. Hard and Lunatic, well, they're exactly what they sound like – tougher challenges.

But wait, there's more! Within each of those difficulties, you can also choose your 'mode' which really changes how units behave when they fall in battle:

• Casual Mode: If a unit is defeated, they'll be back and ready to fight in the next battle. It's a nice safety net.
• Classic Mode: This is the classic Fire Emblem experience. Units that fall in battle are gone for good unless you start a whole new game. Adds a lot of risk and excitement!

Now, Normal difficulty has a special third option: Phoenix Mode. If a unit falls, they're resurrected on the very next turn. Honestly, this mode takes away most of the challenge, but it's perfect if you're just starting out and want to get a feel for the game without any real consequences. Casual Mode is great for both beginners and veterans who want a bit of peace of mind, while Classic Mode is for those who crave that high-stakes thrill.

For the most part, the game's story and how it plays won't change much regardless of the difficulty you pick. What *will* change is the level of your enemies, how many of them show up, and the stats, weapons, and skills they come equipped with. Lunatic difficulty, in particular, loves to throw enemies at you with some seriously dangerous skills, sometimes skills that don't even make sense for their class or that you can't even get yourself!