Crafting and Repairing Guide
In Fire Emblem: Three Houses, managing your equipment is crucial for success. While weapons and armor degrade with use, the ability to craft new items and repair existing ones can significantly extend their lifespan and provide access to powerful gear. Understanding the crafting and repair systems will save you money and ensure your units are always well-equipped.
The primary way to craft and repair items is through the Blacksmith located in the Monastery. This facility allows you to forge new weapons using materials gathered from battles and exploration, and to repair damaged equipment. The effectiveness of the Blacksmith is tied to your Professor Level and the availability of specific crafting recipes. Investing time and resources into the Blacksmith can yield significant rewards, allowing you to create custom gear tailored to your units' strengths.
Accessing the Blacksmith
The Blacksmith becomes available after a certain point in the White Clouds story arc. You can access it from the Monastery's main menu. Initially, your crafting options will be limited, but as you progress through the game and complete certain quests or achieve specific Professor Levels, new recipes and repair options will unlock.
Crafting Weapons
To craft weapons, you will need two main components:
- Materials: These are gathered from defeated enemies, treasure chests, and by exploring the Monastery during exploration phases. Common materials include Iron, Steel, Silver, and rare items like Meteorite Ore.
- Recipes: Weapon recipes are unlocked through various means, including advancing your Professor Level, completing specific paralogue missions, or purchasing them from the marketplace.
Each weapon requires a specific combination and quantity of materials. The higher the tier of the weapon, the rarer and more abundant the materials needed. For example, crafting a Silver Sword will require Silver Ore and possibly other rarer components, while an Iron Sword will only need Iron.
Repairing Equipment
Weapons and shields have a durability stat that decreases with each use. Once a weapon's durability reaches zero, it breaks and can no longer be used. The Blacksmith allows you to repair these damaged items, restoring their durability. The cost of repair is typically lower than crafting a new item of the same tier, making it a cost-effective way to maintain your best gear.
The repair cost is usually based on the weapon's tier and the amount of durability to be restored. It's generally advisable to repair your most powerful or frequently used weapons before they break completely.
Item Durability and Breaking
It's important to understand that weapons will break if their durability reaches zero. This can be a significant setback in battle if a key weapon is lost. Pay attention to the durability indicator on your equipment screen. Some unique or blessed weapons may have infinite durability, but these are rare.
Advanced Crafting and Special Weapons
As you progress, you'll unlock the ability to craft more powerful weapons, including:
- Steel Weapons: Stronger than Iron, requiring more advanced materials.
- Silver Weapons: Offer a significant boost in power and are essential for later game challenges.
- Hero Relics: Some Hero Relics can be forged or repaired, though their crafting requirements are often tied to specific quests or character progression.
Tips for Efficient Crafting and Repairing
- Prioritize Repairs: Always repair your most powerful and frequently used weapons.
- Gather Materials Regularly: Make it a habit to explore and collect materials whenever possible.
- Unlock Recipes Strategically: Focus on unlocking recipes for weapons that suit your primary combat units.
- Monitor Durability: Keep an eye on weapon durability and repair before it reaches zero.
- Consider Combat Arts: Some combat arts consume durability faster than regular attacks, so be mindful of their usage.
By effectively utilizing the Blacksmith, you can ensure your army remains formidable throughout your journey in Fódlan, saving valuable gold and ensuring your units are never caught without a reliable weapon.