A Boss is a specific unit deployed on a map in Fire Emblem series.
Overview[]
Bosses are usually enemy commanders. Bosses are often higher leveled than their underlings, possess better weapons, and they may also have authority stars to boost their allies' hit and evade rates. In some chapters, the only condition for victory is to Defeat the Boss. In other chapters, the player must defeat a boss that is guarding a throne so the player can Seize it, then seize the throne. Bosses give much greater experience values than normal enemies. Bosses are usually denoted with a shield icon and have different battle music than normal enemies as well.
Against bosses that can heal themselves (such as those sitting on gates and thrones), the player can Attack bosses repeatedly without killing them in order to rack up experience points. This tactic is known as Boss Abuse.
Bosses usually have a battle quote and a death quote. The battle quote is said when the player first engages the boss in battle. Some bosses also have special conversations when engaging certain characters. The death quote is said when the boss is finally defeated.
While these are rare events, there are some bosses that can be recruited by the player. In Chapter 19 of Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light, Mystery of the Emblem, and Shadow Dragon, Tiki can be recruited. In Part 4, Chapter 4 of Radiant Dawn, Oliver can be recruited. There are also some Fire Emblem chapters that feature multiple bosses. This is a common occurrence in Genealogy of the Holy War and Thracia 776. Bosses are usually immune to status effects or will be cured immediately at the begin of next Enemy Phase, with some exceptions such as Ike in Blood Contract in Radiant Dawn.
"Boss" is also the name of a class in TearRing Saga: Utna Heroes Saga.