Wyvern Rider & Wyvern Lord/Malig Knight
The Wyvern Rider class in Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest is a formidable aerial unit specializing in physical combat. These units wield axes and lances, granting them a versatile offensive toolkit. Their high Strength and Defense stats make them excellent front-line combatants, capable of taking and dealing significant physical damage. Their personal skill, "Dismount", allows them to ore terrain movement penalties when dismounted, though this is rarely utilized as their aerial mobility is their primary strength. Wyvern Riders are particularly effective against infantry and cavalry units due to their weapon triangle advantages.
Upon promotion, Wyvern Riders can become either a Wyvern Lord or a Malig Knight. The Wyvern Lord path further enhances their physical combat prowess. They gain access to lances and axes, and their skill "Defender" grants them +4 Defense and Resistance when they are attacked. This makes them incredibly durable, capable of withstanding heavy assaults. Wyvern Lords are excellent for holding choke points and absorbing enemy attacks. The Malig Knight, however, offers a dark magic and axe-wielding hybrid. They gain access to tomes and the skill "Rally Resistance", which grants adjacent allies +4 Resistance for one turn. While they lose some of the raw physical power of the Wyvern Lord, Malig Knights offer unique utility by debuffing enemies with dark magic and providing magical defense buffs to allies, making them surprisingly effective in maps with strong magic threats, such as Chapter 22, "The Dark Wastes."
Notable units that start as Wyvern Riders include Camilla, a powerful early-game unit. Other units can gain access to this class through marriage or Heart Seals. For instance, a male unit marrying Camilla can gain access to the Wyvern Rider class. When planning your army composition, Wyvern Riders are excellent for clearing out groups of enemies quickly, especially those found in maps like Chapter 13, "The Barrier," where aerial units can bypass difficult terrain. Their ability to fly over obstacles also makes them invaluable for reaching objectives or rescuing stranded allies. However, they are vulnerable to bows, so careful positioning is required to avoid archers.