Fire Emblem Heroes FAQ: How to Get Five-Star Characters, How to Get Orbs, and More

Sing a lusty battle song: Fire Emblem Heroes is here for iOS and Android. This mobile turn-based strategy game plays like a classic Fire Emblem title in many regards, but its free-to-play format understandably has some traditional Fire Emblem fans confused and cautious.

This FAQ should answer some of the basic questions you have about Fire Emblem Heroes, including how its free-to-play elements work, how you fight, and how you summon heroes.

General Fire Emblem Heroes Questions

Is there a weapons triangle in Fire Emblem Heroes?

The famous Fire Emblem weapons triangle does indeed make an appearance in Heroes, but it's been simplified. Now, most weapons are color-coded: Swords and fire tomes are red, spears and ice tomes are blue, and axes and nature tomes are green.

In Heroes, characters are classified according the weapons they hold. "Red" fighters are strong against "Green" fighters. "Green" fighters are strong against "Blue" fighters. And "Blue" fighters are strong against "Red" fighters.

There are also neutral grey weapons / fighters. This category belongs to characters armed with daggers, bows, and staffs.

How many fighters can I take into battle?

Fire Emblem Heroes deals with teams of four. Surplus heroes hang around your castle, and you can swap them out at any time.

Is there permadeath in Fire Emblem Heroes?

Most of the Fire Emblem games are infamous for having your heroes bite the biscuit for good when they fall in battle. Don't worry about losing your five-star Tiki draw in Fire Emblem Heroes, though: If an ally expires in a fight, they're still available in the next battle.

Can I fight other players?

Once you finish Fire Emblem Heroes' story prologue, you can fight other players' teams in the Arena for rewards. Note that these aren't live matches. Instead, you're pitted against other players' teams controlled by the game's AI.

How to I change my character's name?

If you input "asdfdoodooman69" as your character name and accidentally hit "submit," don't worry. You can change your name in the "Misc" menu. Go to "FAQ / Etc," and hit "Change nickname."

Is Fire Emblem Heroes always online?

Yep. Mop up your battles before your subway hits the tunnel.

What does linking my Nintendo Account do?

Linking your Nintendo account to Fire Emblem Heroes keeps your save data safe in case you accidentally drop your phone or tablet into the toilet.

Is there a stamina system?

Like most free-to-play games, Fire Emblem Heroes does indeed adhere to a stamina system. Once your stamina runs out, you have to wait for it to refill before you can keep playing. You're allotted 50 stamina to start, and each fight you undertake uses some up. Stamina recharges over time, or you can use Orbs and certain items to refill your stamina instantly.

You probably won't run out of stamina too frequently when you first start playing, as early battles take up two stamina each. You also occasionally receive stamina-filling items as rewards.

Questions About Summoning Heroes

How do I summon heroes in Fire Emblem Heroes?

Orbs are the key to filling out your character roster. Orbs can be purchased through the in-app marketplace, but they're also handed out as rewards for completing story quests and other accomplishments.

Orbs and other goodies are retrievable from the Home menu (your castle). Make sure to collect them from the Owl, as well as the Fountain.

How many orbs do I need to summon a hero?

A single hero summon costs five orbs. However, if you summon multiple heroes in one session, you get a "discount."

One summon is five orbs. The subsequent second, third, and fourth summon are four orbs. The fifth summon costs three orbs. Note that the discount only applies to successive summons. If you leave the summoning area after, say, three summons and then re-enter, it costs five orbs to perform your first summon again.

What are "summoning stones?"

When you choose to summon a hero, you're whisked to a field that contains five spaces called "stones." Each stone has a color, or is grey. If you decide to summon a warrior to a colored stone, that warrior will be the same color as the stone they're summoned on. For example, if you summon a hero on top of a red stone, the summoned hero will be a red fighter who uses swords, fire tomes, or another red weapon.

The color of the stones on a summoning field changes every time you enter. You might be allowed to summon two green heroes and three grey heroes, or one red hero, two blue heroes, and two grey heroes. It seems to be up to chance.

What does it mean when a hero has more stars?

Fire Emblem Heroes' fighters rank from three to five stars. Five star heroes boast the best equipment, stats, and skills. It's possible to summon two identical heroes with different star ratings, i.e. you can have a four-star Marth and a five-star Marth in your party.

What are "Focus" heroes, and what do they have to do with summoning?

"Focus" summons are rare five-star summons that have an increased chance of appearing. Presumably, Nintendo will rotate this roster of Focus summons as time goes on. For example, if you summon a hero from the "Focus: Legendary Heroes" sub-category, you stand a better chance of pulling a five-star series hero like Tiki, Marth, or Lucina.

How to Get Stronger

How do I level up?

The most common means of levelling up in Fire Emblem Heroes is ye olde fashioned way – that is to say, fighting and winning battles. As is typical of Fire Emblem, attacking an enemy yields a small amount of experience points, but you're rewarded big numbers for killing a foe.

You can also level up instantly via shards and crystals, which you earn for fighting in the Arena, completing Quests, and going through the story. Shards and crystals are handy since summoned heroes start at level one.

What does upgrading my castle do?

Spending Orbs to upgrade your castle increases the amount of experience you earn from battles. It's definitely a worthwhile endeavor.

Are my heroes stuck with their star rating?

Even a lowly three-star fighter can blossom into a five-start hero if they're nurtured properly. Use the "Advanced Growth" option in the "Allies" menu to merge doubles and raise heroes' stars / stats.