It is important to consider your character classes in Fire Emblem: Three Houses, helping you to chart their path to unlocking the powerful Master Classes.
Changing your character’s Classes will not only require a Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, or Master Seal, but that they pass the relevant Certification Exam. These exams in themselves will need the characters to have acquired specific Skill levels, so here’s everything that you need to know.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses Skills
Your students will gain Skill experience from your teaching and the actions that they perform with a particular weapon (or magic type) on the battlefield. This will steadily build their Skill level, and, once increased, they will unlock new abilities and combat arts.
There are 11 Skills in Fire Emblem: Three Houses, which are: Sword, Lance, Axe, Bow, Brawl, Reason, Faith, Authority, Heavy Armor, Riding, and Flying. For each character, these will have Skill levels that will range from E to S+.
These levels are used to determine how likely a character is to pass a Certification Exam, as well as whether they can meet the requirements to take it in the first place.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses Class Certification Exams
It is explained that Certification Exams represent how your characters progress “to become a certain type of soldier,” and, in order to pass the exam, you will need to make sure that they have trained hard enough to become whichever class you want them to be.
You will need to own a Seal to allow a character to enter a Certification Exam, which also has other requirements such as your character’s Skill levels.
Pass the exam, and your character will be able to change to a higher-tier class that will boost their stats and growth rates.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses – Beginner Classes
You will require a Beginner Seal and a character to have reached Level 5 to unlock a Beginner class.
Myrmidon
Especially swift, with high avoidance, the Myrmidon deftly wields the sword.
Certification Exam Requirement: Sword (D or higher).
Soldier
Skilled with a lance, the Soldier has a high degree of accuracy and precision.
Certification Exam Requirement: Lance (D or higher).
Fighter
Proficient with the axe, the bow, and gauntlets, the Fighter has high strength that translates to mighty blows.
Certification Exam Requirement: Axe (D or higher), Bow (D or higher), or Brawl (D or higher).
Monk
Well balanced, the Monk uses magic for both offense and defense.
Certification Exam Requirement: Reason (D or higher) or Faith (D or higher).
Fire Emblem: Three Houses – Intermediate Classes
You will require an Intermediate Seal and a character to have reached Level 10 to unlock an Intermediate class.
Lord [Restricted to Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude]
A noble and powerful leader, this class excels at wielding a sword and has a high degree of authority.
Certification Exam Requirement: Sword (D+ or higher) and Authority (C or higher).
Mercenary
Strong and speedy – the Mercenary gets the job done.
Certification Exam Requirement: Sword (C or higher).
Thief
Skilled at opening locks, the Thief has excellent speed and dexterity.
Certification Exam Requirement: Sword (C or higher).
Armored Knight
With high defense, this class holds the front lines and acts as a shield.
Certification Exam Requirements: Axe (C or higher) and Heavy Armor (D or higher)
Cavalier
A mighty opponent who battles on horseback, the Cavalier can move again after taking certain actions.
Certification Exam Requirements: Lance (C or higher) and Riding (D or higher).
Brigand
Strong and heavy, the Brigand wields axes and makes an exceptional front-line combatant.
Certification Exam Requirement: Axe (C or higher).
Archer
The Archer is proficient with the bow and has excellent dexterity and uncanny good luck.
Certification Exam Requirement: Bow (C or higher).
Brawler [Male only]
Great for up close and personal encounters, this class fights using gauntlets.
Certification Exam Requirement: Brawl (C or higher).
Mage
Enemies with high physical defense are no match for a Mage, who can bend black magic to their will.
Certification Exam Requirement: Reason (C or higher).
Dark Mage [Male only and requires Dark Seal]
The Dark Mage shatters enemies with high physical defense using dark magic.
Certification Exam Requirement: Reason (C or higher).
Priest
The Priest is a versatile white-magic class who can use magic both to heal and attack.
Certification Exam Requirement: Faith (C or higher).
Pegasus Knight [Female only]
An airborne knight with high defense against magic but a weakness to arrows, this class can move again after taking certain actions.
Certification Exam Requirements: Lance (C or higher) and Flying (D or higher).
Fire Emblem: Three Houses – Advanced Classes
You will require an Advanced Seal and a character to have reached Level 20 to unlock an Advanced class.
Hero [Male only]
A master of combat, the Hero has high strength and speed.
Certification Exam Requirements: Sword (B or higher) and Axe (C or higher).
Swordmaster
A master in the way of the sword, this class strikes with speed and grace.
Certification Exam Requirement: Sword (A or higher).
Assassin
A killer who thrives in the shadows, the Assassin has excellent speed and dexterity.
Certification Exam Requirements: Sword (B or higher) and Bow (C or higher).
Fortress Knight
Trading speed for staying power, this heavily armored unit has staggering defense.
Certification Exam Requirements: Axe (B or higher) and Heavy Armor (B or higher).
Paladin
An esteemed knight with a balance of high strength, defense, and resistance, this class can move again after taking certain actions.
Certification Exam Requirements: Lance (B or higher) and Riding (B or higher).
Wyvern Rider
An airborne knight with overall high stats but a weakness to bows and magic, this class can move again after taking certain actions.
Certification Exam Requirements: Axe (B or higher) and Flying (C or higher).
Warrior
The Warrior is a versatile combatant boasting high health and unmatched strength.
Certification Exam Requirement: Axe (A or higher).
Sniper
The Sniper is a master of the bow with high dexterity who excels at taking enemies out from afar.
Certification Exam Requirement: Bow (A or higher).
Grappler [Male only]
A master of hand-to-hand combat, the Grappler mows down enemies with rapid blows.
Certification Exam Requirement: Brawl (A or higher)
Warlock
A black magic specialist, the Warlock decimates enemies with high physical defense.
Certification Exam Requirement: Reason (A or higher).
Dark Bishop [Male only and requires Dark Mage and Dark Seal]
Certification Exam Requirement: Reason (A or higher)
Bishop
A white-magic specialist, this versatile class can use magic to either heal or attack.
Certification Exam Requirement: Faith (A or higher).
Fire Emblem: Three Houses – Master Classes
You will require a Master Seal and a character to have reached Level 30 to unlock a Master class.
Falcon Knight [Female Only]
Riding aloft, this knight is weak to arrows with high defense against magic. This class can move again after taking certain actions.
Certification Exam Requirements: Sword (C or higher), Lance (A or higher), Flying (B+ or higher)
Wyvern Lord
An experienced wyvern handler with high stats but a weakness to bows and magic, this class can move again after taking certain actions.
Certification Exam Requirements: Lance (C or higher), Axe (A or higher), and Flying (A or higher).
Mortal Savant
A master who casts powerful magic and wields a sword with confidence and poise, the Mortal Savant is a force to be reckoned with.
Certification Exam Requirements: Sword (A or higher) and Reason (B+ or higher).
Great Knight
The heavily armored Great Knight has high defense while retaining mobility. This class can move again after taking certain actions.
Certification Exam Requirements: Axe (B+ or higher), Heavy Armor (A or higher), and Riding (B+ or higher).
Bow Knight
A graceful archer mounted upon a mighty steed, this class can move again after taking certain actions.
Certification Exam Requirements: Lance (C or higher), Bow (A or higher), and Riding (A or higher).
Dark Knight
A mysterious knight versed in black magic, this class can move again after taking certain actions.
Certification Exam Requirements: Lance (C or higher), Reason (B+ or higher), and Riding (A or higher).
Holy Knight
A blessed knight versed in white magic, this class can move again after taking certain actions.
Certification Exam Requirements: Lance (C or higher), Faith (B+ or higher), and Riding (A or higher).
War Master [Male Only]
A master of the axe and hand-to-hand combat, the War Master pulverizes enemies with massive strength.
Certification Exam Requirements: Axe (A or higher) and Brawl (A or higher).
Gremory [Female Only]
An expert in all forms of magic, the Gremory casts asunder any enemies with high physical defense.
Certification Exam Requirements: Reason (A or higher) and Faith (A or higher).
Fire Emblem: Three Houses – Unique Classes
Noble
Leaders of highborn lineage, many nobles are descended from the 10 Elites, heroes of old. This class can use some magic.
Certification Exam Requirement: This is the Class that some of your characters will start as.
Commoner
Those of common birth, who must compensate for a lack of noble privilege with tenacity. This class can use some magic.
Certification Exam Requirement: This is the Class that some of your characters will start as.
Dancer
The Dancer energizes allies with inspiring movement, allowing them to act again. This class also wields magic.
Certification Exam Requirement: The character that you choose to complete The White Heron Cup quest in Part 1 – Month 12: Ethereal Moon will unlock this Class.
Enlightened One
A holy one, blessed by the goddess herself, this wielder of magic has high overall stats.
Certification Exam Requirement: Byleth will unlock this Class automatically in Part 1 – Month 2: Pegasus Moon.
Armored Lord
An armored leader of soldiers and officers alike, this unit has high authority and wields an axe with ease.
Certification Exam Requirement: Edelgard will unlock this Class automatically at the start of Part 2.
Emperor
Certification Exam Requirement: Edelgard will unlock this Class automatically in Part 2 – Month 3: Lone Moon.
