Chapter Text
GM: Alright everybody, start of a new campaign. So let’s introduce your new characters!
Felix: So we’re finally done with Noir and Hobo?
GM: Nohr and Hoshido! And yes, we’re moving on!
Felix: Finally!
Dimitri: Hallelujah!
GM: I can already tell this is going to be a long campaign.
Author's Note: I kind of forgot that Echoes came out after Fates and not before, but I kept this joke in since I found it funny.
GM: Let’s start with you Dimitri.
Felix: Time to make another paladin? Time to misname your sword again?
Dimitri: Shut the hell up, Felix! Falchion is a badass name for a weapon anyway.
Dimitri: Actually I was thinking of something different this time! Just look at my sheet, GM!
Author’s Note: In my head, this current campaign takes place in 2019 and the group started with 3.5 playing Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon in 2008. Dimitri would play the lord of the group and would use the same sword each time, thus the joke.
GM [looking at Dimitri’s sheet]: Oh, an aasimar barbarian. That is pretty interesting. Not to mention that you’re chaotic e-
Dimitri: Hey! That part’s going to be a surprise!
GM: …what?
Dimitri: Trust me, I have a plan. Dedue, what’s your character?
Dedue: Don’t worry Dimitri, I’ve got you covered in the Paladin department.
Dedue: I’ve dumped my charisma and dexterity and put as much as I could into constitution.
Dedue: With my heavy armor on, I’m pretty much unkillable.
Felix: Expect in a spell fight. What’s your touch AC?
Dedue: …8
Author’s Note: In Pathfinder and 3.5, touch AC is what your AC would be without armor on. Spells target touch AC and because most things have low touch armor, this makes them very powerful. Paladins are somewhat infamous for having low touch AC.
GM: Why dump your charisma? That makes for a rather crappy Paladin.
Dedue: Why? Paladin is a wisdom based spell-caster, right?
GM: Nope! It’s charisma! Enjoy being a fighter without the bonus feats!
Dedue: So no spells or class abilities…
Mercedes: Don’t worry about healing! I’ve made another cleric!
Author’s Note: Everything a paladin can do is based on charisma. From spells to lay-on-hands to smite evil.
Felix: Mercedes, you let my character get killed in the 2nd session of the last campaign. You don’t fill me full of confidence.
GM: What about you, Felix? Playing another cavalier to match with Sylvain?
Felix: Nah. I’m playing an aasimar sword master this time. As mentioned above, my last cavalier died immediately.
Sylvain: Felix, you traitor!
Author’s Note: Felix played Gunter last campaign, who immediately died. Both Felix and Sylvain often had similar characters. The most common of which was the Cain and Abel archetype… I’m only now realizing how screwed up that naming convention is. Once again, I forgot Fates was made before Echoes.
GM: Ashe, you’re up next.
Ashe: I’m playing a human rogue who is skilled at fighting with a bow and arrow.
GM: Why a rogue? There’s a class called archer!
Ashe: Sure, it will take a few feats before I get good, but someone has to bite the party’s rogue bullet and it might as well be me.
Author’s Note: Rogues mostly suck, but are the only dependable class for disarming traps and unlocking chests.
GM: Sylvain, in the notes you gave me, it says you’re an aasimar cavalier and you’ve been friends with Felix ever since-
Sylvain: Well, that’s changed since Felix is no longer playing a fellow cavalier! So now I’m a noble with daddy issues and a sex addiction!
Felix: Yeah, well I have daddy issues too!
Sylvain: Yeah, well my brother beat me as a kid and then ran off to be a bandit.
Felix: Yeah, well I have a personal vendetta against Dimitri’s character.
Dimitri: Leave me out of this!
GM: Moving on from their feud, what are you playing Mercedes? Something other than an aasimar or human I hope.
Mercedes: Sorry to disappoint, but I’m playing an aasimar cleric. I have intelligence as my dump stat and maxed out my wisdom.
GM: Gee, I hope you enjoy your 1 skill point each level.
Mercedes: I’m having trouble determining if knowledge (religion) or profession (baking) is more important.
Author’s Note: Each level a character gains a skill point equal to their class base pulse their intelligence for a minimum of one. These skill ranks can make you better at skills. Both fighters and clerics had infamously bad skill ranks
GM: Annette? What's your character this time around?
Annette: I’m an aasimar wizard who specializes in evocation, and has opposition schools in divination and conjuration.
GM: …And what did you say your character’s intelligence was?
Annette: Really high!
GM: Yeah, I’m sure it is…
Author’s Note: When picking a school, a wizard must choose two opposition schools. For these opposition schools, a wizard will have a worst time crafting magical items of that school and must use two spell slots to prepare an opposition spell. Divination and conjuration are the 2 most powerful schools besides transmutation, so they aren’t schools you want to oppose. Only a dolt would make that choice once pointed out…
GM: And finally, Ingrid. You said you had a request when it came to your character?
Ingrid: Yeah. I’m playing an aasimar cavalier just like Sylvain. And…
GM: And what?
Ingrid: You know how all my previous characters rode ‘Pegasus’ that were actually just horses with a fly speed.
GM: Yes. What are you getting at?
Ingrid: Well, I want an actual one this time!
GM: Is that even a legal character?
Ingrid: Well it is once I reach level 5!
GM: Level 5! That’s 4 levels from now, we don’t even know if we will get there!
Ingrid: I promise it won’t fly in the meantime!
GM: Fine! Enjoy your glorified chicken horse for the first few levels!
Ingrid: Yay!
Author’s Note: This is the only explanation for why Pegasus rider could be translated to Pathfinder. Even if it's not RAW, a horse with a fly speed isn’t too game breaking. An actual Pegasus on the other hand… The feat in question is called monstrous mount found in Inner Sea Combat.
[The scene switches to the shot of Garreg Mach in the background]
GM: The basic premise is as such… You all are young nobility of the holy kingdom of Faerghus, a cold land in the northern reaches of Fodlan, the continent on which this story takes place.
Dimitri: Oh, I call being prince!
GM: You’ve been sent to Garreg Mach’s Officers Academy not just to learn the skills you will need to become proper defenders of your homeland, but also to meet students from other nations and walks of life as well.
Felix: You always get to be prince.
GM: Garreg Mach is split into three houses: The Black Eagles, the Golden Deer, and you, the Blue Lions.
Dedue: Does anyone else want to be prince this time?
Author’s Note: Dimitri has traditionally been the leader of the party and nobody has had any complaints, so they are content to still let him be the leader.
[The scene next comes to a close up of Byleth’s face when she is traveling with the lords to the Academy.]
GM: Of course, since this is an academy, you will need a professor, a leader if you will…
GM: Who I shall play.