Hi, Ray! I'm just starting out playing Fire Emblem 4, thanks to your videos on "Inheritors of the Crusade" and I was wondering what pairings you would recommend to someone playing for the first time? Sorry if this has been asked already.
Do you want to take a ride, Dan?
It’s generally agreed that if you’re playing FE4 for the first time and want to be optimal with pairings, that you should go for the more “canon” pairings. I’ll list them by female unit, aside from Ethlyn and Deirdre since they’re fixed.
Ayra - Lex or Holyn. Lex gives her children Paragon and minor Neir for extra Defense, Holyn gives Luna and more Skill than God. Do the Ch. 3 convo for a free Brave Sword to turn Larcei into Grand Larceiny. Noish is a good option here as well so the kids can get Critical.
Aideen - Midir, Jamke, or Azel. Jamke gives her kids Charge and Adept, Midir gives Pursuit and Adept. Azel makes Lana good but makes Lester doomed to eat shit. Jamke!Lester less so but still not reliable due to lack of Pursuit. Ch. 4 has a reward convo if Aideen is in love with those three by then and the reward helps.
Raquesis - Finn or Beowulf. Fin gives her kids good growths, Miracle, and enables Nanna to gain +5 Speed in Ch. 7, but Beowulf is easier to set up. Both give Pursuit. You’ll want Finn to get a Silver Blade ASAP so Delmud can contribute well. Or Dew for the hilarious Ch. 5 lover convo.
Sylvia - Death. Her subs are just better.
okay Claude, Lewyn, or Alec. Claude will give Corple the Valkyrie Staff just so you can have a revival bot in Gen 2 and both kids will have Res forever. Lewyn will make Corple have Forseti but he can’t use it until class change so this one is suboptimal. Alec only gives them Nihil, wow.
Erin Fury - Claude or Lewyn. Claude gives Ced the Valkyrie staff and enough Res to carry your team, this will also give Fee an extra staff rank on class change so she can use Physic or Recover. Lewyn means you win the game.
Tiltyu - Azel or Lewyn. Azel gives her kids some much needed Magic and Pursuit. Lewyn means you win the game even faster.
Briggid - Midir, Jamke, Dew, or Holyn. See Aideen for the first two. Dew passes on his decent growths, Sol to Patty, and Bargain. Holyn makes Patty an actual potential combat unit with B Swords and Luna and turns Faval into the Lord God of 80 HP.