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The Dark Mage (ダークマージ Dāku Māji) is a combat magical class that recurrently appears across the Fire Emblem Series. Wielding Dark Magic as their primary weapon of choice, Dark Mages have exclusive access to dark magic spells such as Nosferatu and Mire in titles where all spells are collectively grouped under the Tome category.

Dark Mages usually have less Magic as compared to their Anima counterparts, but they compensate for this with their higher Defense. They commonly promote into Sorcerers in most games where they are available, and in the more recent 3DS installments, Dark Knights act as their alternate promotion option.

Dark Mages are considered to be the equivalent of the Shaman class from the GBA titles, as both are armed with Dark Magic for combat purposes.

History in the Series

The Dark Mage makes its debut to the series in Mystery of the Emblem, where it is an enemy-only variant of the Bishop class that is used by Gharnef and the priests of Dolhr in the later parts of Book 2.

Genealogy of the Holy War reintroduces the class as the primary wielders of enemy-only Dark Magic, with the Dark Bishop being its promoted equivalent.

In Thracia 776, the Dark Mage is made playable for the first time and is treated as a second-tier class that promotes from the Loptyrian Mage class. The class can also wield all forms of Anima Magic as well, a feature that will remain with the class throughout the series from this point onwards.

TearRing Saga: Utna Heroes Saga returns the Dark Mage to an enemy-only class with the Dark Bishop class as the promoted equivalent; the player is granted access to Dark Magic through the Witch class instead.

The Dark Mage class is absent from the Elibe Series and The Sacred Stones, being replaced by the Shaman class.

The class makes its return in Shadow Dragon, where it promotes into Sorcerer. No unit starts as a Dark Mage by default, but Cord and Caesar are recommended reclass candidates, as they both have a 30% growth rate in Magic as Dark Mages, which is higher as compared to other candidates.

The class remains in Awakening and Fates, where they and the Sorcerer have the innate ability to wield Dark tomes alongside the standard Anima ones. The Dark Mage is also given the alternate promotion of Dark Knight, which removes Dark Magic access in exchange for a mount and Sword usage.

In Fates, the Dark Mage class is treated as a Nohrian class. Its Hoshidan counterpart is the Diviner.

In the spin-off Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE, the Dark Mage Tharja from Awakening appears as the Mirage partner of Kiria Kurono. Tharja can promote into either a Sage or Sorcerer.

Uniform

To match their name, Dark Mages are typically heavily cloaked and hooded to demonstrate their role as a mainly sinister-looking class that wields dark magics.

In Awakening, their clothes under their cloaks consist of revealing, tight clothing as well as black lace and sewn-in gold inspired off clothing used by priests from ancient civilizations. In place of a hood, they wear an additional dragon headpiece to show their allegiance to the Fell Dragon Grima and emphasize the fact that most (if not all) playable and enemy Dark Mages are from Plegia, whose culture and architecture is based off of ancient Egypt. This is further supported by the fact that male Dark Mages sport shendyts, an Egyptian skirt worn by men of that era.

Dark Mages from Fates are largely the same as Awakening although they now have a more European design, with a new clothed headdress replacing the Grima inspired one.

In-Game

Base Stats

HPStrMagSklSpdLckDefResMovConWtWlvCha
FE3265-130886--Tome/Staff 6
FE4400108807105--FE4 Dark B FE4 Staff B
FE524054304-65-FE5 Fire IconE FE5 Thunder IconE FE5 Wind IconE FE5 Dark IconC FE5 Staff IconC
TS20055403-?--TS Fire MagicTS Thunder MagicTS Wind MagicTS Dark Magic 5
FE111602130436--FE12 Tome E
FE121602130436--FE12 Tome E
FE131813230445--TomeIconFE13 E
FE141606331355--FE14 Tome E

Maximum Stats

HPStrMagSklSpdLckDefResMovConWtWlvCha
FE35220-20202020206--Tome/Staff 20
FE480152523233022255--FE4 Dark B FE4 Staff B
FE580202020202020-2020-FE5 Fire IconA FE5 Thunder IconA FE5 Wind IconA FE5 Dark IconA FE5 Staff IconA
TS60152020193018-12--TS Fire MagicTS Thunder MagicTS Wind MagicTS Dark Magic 20
FE1160202020202020206--FE12 Tome A
FE1260202020202020206--FE12 Tome A
FE1360202725253025275--TomeIconFE13 A
FE1435192416191819225--FE14 Tome B

Growth rates

HPStrMagSklSpdLckDefResMovConWtWlvCha
FE340%20%-30%10%0%20%40%----
FE4100%10%30%30%30%0%10%30%----
FE530%3%20%10%10%10%5%-0%---
FE1120%-15%20%20%20%0%-15%20%----
FE1220%-15%20%20%20%0%-15%20%----
FE1350%5%15%15%15%0%10%10%----
FE140%10%20%0%10%0%5%10%----

Class Skills

SkillRequirements
FE13FE13CurseHex
CrimsoncurseAnathema
Learnt at Level 1.
Learnt at Level 10.
FE14BindHeartseeker
Devilish WindMalefic Aura
Learnt at Level 1 and above.
Learnt at Level 10 and above.

Promotions

Base ClassPromotion MethodPromoted Class
FE5FE5 lopto mageLoptyrian MageUse a Knight Proof (FE5)Knight Proof on a Level 10+ Loptyrian Mage.FE5 dark mageDark Mage
FE11FE11 Dark Mage Map SpriteDark MageUse a FE11mastersealMaster Seal on a Level 10+ Dark Mage.FE11 Sorcerer Map SpriteSorcerer
FE12FEDS Dark Mage Map SpriteDark MageUse a FE11mastersealMaster Seal on a Level 10+ Dark Mage.FEDS Sorcerer Map SpriteSorcerer
FE13FE13 Generic Dark Mage (M) Map SpriteDark MageUse a Master Seal FE13 IconMaster Seal on a Level 10+ Dark Mage.FE13 SorcererSorcerer
FE13 Generic Dark Knight Map SpriteDark Knight
FE14FE14 Generic Dark Mage Map SpriteDark MageUse a Master Seal FE13 IconMaster Seal on a Level 10+ Dark Mage.FE14 Generic Sorcerer (M) Map SpriteSorcerer
FE14 Generic Dark Knight Map SpriteDark Knight

Notable Dark Mages

Mystery of the Emblem

  • Gharnef - The Dark Pontifex who wishes to revive Medeus and destroy the world.*

*Gharnef is a Sorcerer in Shadow Dragon and New Mystery of the Emblem.

Genealogy of the Holy War

  • Sandima: Member of the Lopto Sect who manipulated the country of Verdane.

Thracia 776

  • Possible Promotion for: Salem

Awakening

  • Tharja - A moody mage from Plegia who obsesses over and stalks the Avatar in hopes of gaining their affection.
  • Henry - A jolly mage from Plegia who has an oddly happy disposition and a thirst for war and blood.

Fates

  • Nyx - A recluse fortune-teller woman of age who was cursed to retain her youthful image.
  • Odin - A familiar eccentric man from a distant land with a flair for theatrics. He has pledged his elite services to Leo.
  • Ophelia - Odin's daughter, and a frequent daydreamer with heroic aspirations akin to her father's.
  • Zola - A mage in service of King Garon who specializes in deceptive illusions.

Gallery

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