Information about Awakenings in Fire Emblem Three Hopes, including what is Awakening, how to fill the Awakening Gauge and what bonuses you receive while in an Awakened state.

What is Awakening in Fire Emblem Three Hopes?¶

Back in the days of musou games past, it was sufficient to have a single charging super move meter. Alas, those days are far distant now, and it has become rather standard for many musou games to have the traditional super move bar that unleashes a devastating finisher/desperation attack along with a super mode meter that buffs the character for a duration once activated. Fire Emblem Three Hopes doesn’t deviate from this scheme, with Warrior Specials being the game’s charging “super move” available to all characters, and Awakenings being the charging “super mode”.

When the Awakening Gauge is filled you can press + to enter the Awakened state. While Awakened, all your hits will expose an enemy’s Stun Gauge and you’ll deplete it as if you had heavy Advantage over your foe. Additionally, while Awakened your Adjutant Attack Gauge will not deplete, nor can your HP be reduced to 0 while Awakened. All this contributes to defeating enemies faster, and you’ll be rewarded based on the number of enemies you defeat while Awakened.

You can exit the Awakened state by pressing + while Awakened, or if you press while Awakened or let the Awakening Gauge deplete fully you’ll finish exit your Awakened state by performing a Warrior Special.

How to Fill the Awakening Gauge in Fire Emblem Three Hopes?¶

There are a few ways to fill up the Awakening Gauge, which is a circular icon found at the bottom right of the screen during battle. First, dealing damage to enemies will fill the Awakening Gauge, especially during Critical Rushes. Second, using Adjutant Follow-Ups, which will occur periodically so long as you have an Adjutant assigned. Finally, you can pick up blue tonics, which can be found when you defeat enemy officers or when you smash blue pots.

Various Class Abilities can also increase the rate at which the Awakening Gauge fills.

Abilities that Boost Warrior Specials in Fire Emblem Three Hopes¶

There are a variety of Abilities - usually Class Abilities - that can modify how Awakenings function, or how the Awakening Gauge fills. Generally the Awakening Gauge fills slower than the Warrior Gauge, making it significantly less spammable, but boosting its fill rate may be what ensures you can enter the Awakened state during some shorter battles in the first place.

Spamming Warrior Specials is a particular speciality of Shez, as she has Unique Abilities that boost the Warrior Gauge’s fill rate and her unique Master Class, the Asura, also has an ability that contributes.

Below you’ll find a list of Abilities that modify Awakenings or the Awakening Gauge in some way. Keep in mind that the Class Abilities learned by characters isn’t universal - not everybody will learn Darting Blow when leveling as a Pegasus Knight, for example. Heck, male characters can’t even access the Pegasus Knight class!

Adept Flirt - Sylvain Unique Ability¶

Ashen Demon - Byleth Unique Ability¶

Distinguished House - Lorenz Unique Ability¶

Hunter’s Boon - Sylvain Unique Ability¶

Leader’s Acumen - Claude Unique Ability¶

Name Drop - Ferdinand Unique Ability¶

Power of the Saints - Rhea Unique Ability¶

Schemer - Yuri Unique Ability¶

Songstress - Dorothea Unique Ability¶

Unsought Power - Lysithea Unique Ability¶

Awakening Assist - Sniper Class Ability¶

Battle Instincts - Bow Knight Class Ability¶

Battle Trance - Brawler Combat Art¶

Burst of Resolve - Trickster Class Ability¶

Covenant - Dark Bishop Class Ability¶

Cyclical Awakening - Holy Knight Class Ability¶

Darting Blow - Pegasus Knight Class Ability¶

Exalted Breath - Holy Knight Class Ability¶

Flyswatter - Falcon Knight Class Ability¶

Forethought - Trickster Class Ability¶

Goddess’s Vessel - Enlightened One Class Ability¶

Panache - Dark Knight Class Ability¶

Pegasus Knight’s Wisdom - Pegasus Knight Class Ability¶

Piercing Cry - War Master Class Ability¶

Saint’s Power - Enlightened One Class Ability¶

True Awakening - Fluegel/Silverheart Class Ability¶

Vantage - Mercenary Class Ability¶