Class changing and promotion are core to building a powerful army in Fire Emblem Awakening. Units can change classes using a Second Seal, which allows them to reset their level to 1 within their current class or a different base class. This is crucial for re-leveling to gain desirable skills from lower-tier classes or for optimizing stat growth. For instance, a character who has reached level 10 in the Myrmidon class might use a Second Seal to become a Cavalier, allowing them to learn skills like Avoid +10 before eventually promoting.
Promotion occurs when a unit reaches level 10 in a base class and uses a Master Seal. This elevates them to a promoted class, granting significant stat boosts and access to new, powerful skills. For example, a promoted Myrmidon becomes a Swordmaster, gaining access to the potent Luna skill. Similarly, a Cavalier promotes to a Paladin or Great Knight, each offering distinct advantages. The choice of promotion class can significantly impact a unit's role on the battlefield. Paladins are fast and mobile, excelling at hit-and-run tactics, while Great Knights possess higher defense and can wield lances and axes, making them more versatile against a wider range of enemies.
Understanding the class progression paths is vital. Some units have unique promotion options. For example, the Avatar can promote into a Lord or a Falchion-wielding hero. Characters like Chrom can promote into a Great Lord. The skills learned in base classes often carry over to promoted classes, making it beneficial to level up in a base class to acquire key skills before promoting. For example, a character aiming to be a potent Wyvern Rider might first level as a Fighter to learn the Rally Strength skill, which boosts adjacent allies' Strength by 4.
The strategic use of Second Seals and Master Seals can transform a struggling unit into a powerhouse. It's often recommended to promote units around level 10-15 in their base class to maximize their stat gains before they cap out. Reaching level 20 in a base class before using a Second Seal can also be beneficial if a unit has particularly poor growth rates, as it allows them to gain more stats before resetting. Experimenting with different class combinations and skill synergies is key to creating an unstoppable force.