Chapter 2 Shepherds

Learn how to conquer Chapter 2 of Fire Emblem: Awakening! This guide covers unit recruitment, strategies for Normal/Hard, and tips for Lunatic difficulty.

Alright, welcome to Chapter 2 of Fire Emblem: Awakening! This one's called "Shepherds," and it's all about getting your new recruits up to speed and pushing forward on a more open map. Don't worry, it's pretty straightforward, but there are a few things to keep in mind, especially if you're playing on higher difficulties.

First off, let's talk about who's joining your team:

• Stahl: A Cavalier at Level 2. He joins automatically.
• Vaike: A Fighter at Level 3. He also joins automatically, but heads up, he won't have a weapon on Turn 1!
• Miriel: A Mage at Level 1. She'll show up from Turn 2 onwards.

Now, about the boss for this chapter:

He doesn't move, so that makes him a bit easier to deal with. Just focus on taking him down when you're ready.

Strategies for Normal/Hard

The map in Chapter 2 is much more spread out than before. Enemies are positioned all over, moving upwards. You've got a decent number of units now, but remember Vaike starts without a weapon, so he's basically useless for the first turn. It's a good idea to start pairing up units that have good support or that you think will work well together as you push towards the top of the map.

Keep an eye out for Miriel; she arrives from the south on Turn 2. She actually starts with Vaike's axe, so make sure you trade it over to him as soon as she arrives so he can actually fight!

Advancing steadily can be made easier by using the terrain to your advantage, just like before. Try to avoid fighting enemies on forts if you can help it. A solid defensive formation is key here: use your stronger units to take hits for the weaker ones behind them, or pair them up. You can also unequip weapons from some units to let them act as meat shields, taking hits without retaliating. This is a great way for your ranged units, like Archers or Mages, to gain experience safely. Consider creating a choke point on the bridge to funnel the northern enemies – it makes them much easier to manage.

Ultimately, play to your strengths, but always keep your more vulnerable units, like Lissa, out of immediate danger. If you ever feel like you're getting overwhelmed, don't hesitate to use Frederick as your main defender; he's built for it.

Strategies for Lunatic

If you're brave enough to tackle Lunatic difficulty, things get a bit trickier. My approach was to consolidate everyone in the southwest corner. It required some careful maneuvering, using Frederick on the hillside for that sweet terrain bonus, and a good dose of luck to keep everyone else safe from enemy ranges. Using health items was also crucial to get through it.

Once you manage to get past the initial wave of enemies, the rest of the map becomes much more manageable. The key is to lure enemies towards Frederick, especially if he's positioned on a fort. Just make sure your other units are kept well away from the action to avoid taking unnecessary damage.