The Master of Arms (兵法者 Heihousha, lit. Military Strategist) is a combat physical class introduced in Fire Emblem Fates. One of the promoted forms of both the Samurai and Villager classes, the Master of Arms, like its name suggests, is proficient at wielding all types of physical weapons, save for the Yumi and Shuriken.
Overview
Combat
The Master of Arms class is extremely similar to Nohr's Great Knight, as both classes are granted the ability to wield Swords, Lances and Axes. The main differences separating the two are the fact that the Great Knight is slightly more mobile, an A-Rank in Lances, and take less damage from physical attacks, while the fact that Masters of Arms have an A-Rank in Katanas, and are not weak to anti-armor and anti-beast weaponry. There are also minor differences in their stats.
The Master of Arms learns two skills: Seal Strength and Life and Death. Seal Strength works extremely well against physical-oriented characters, as after a given battle, if the user is still alive, the attacker will lose six points of Strength. This can mean a great difference in battle, especially if a character runs the risk of being double attacked in combat. Life and Death, on the other hand, is a rather gimmicky skill; while it can increase the chances of winning a battle, it also increases the chances of losing it at the same time. It can be equipped on "glass cannon" units (units with high Strength/Magic but poor HP and/or Defense/Resistance), as long as they are well protected and the target cannot retaliate.
As they enjoy the benefits of using every physical weapon except bows and shuriken, the Master of Arms can bring a wide variety of weapons to counter their opponents. A well-balanced class that can change combat quickly in battle to adapt to the weapons their opponents are carrying, the Master of Arms is a handy class to use.
In-Game
Base Stats
| HP | Str | Mag | Skl | Spd | Lck | Def | Res | Mov | Con | Wt | Wlv | Cha | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FE14 | 20 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 6 | - | - |  E  E  E |
Maximum Stats
| HP | Str | Mag | Skl | Spd | Lck | Def | Res | Mov | Con | Wt | Wlv | Cha | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FE14 | 65 | 33 | 25 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 28 | 6 | - | - | A B B |
Growth Rates
| HP | Str | Mag | Skl | Spd | Lck | Def | Res | Mov | Con | Wt | Wlv | Cha | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FE14 | 20% | 15% | 0% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 0% | - | - | - | - |
Class Skills
| Skill | Requirements | |
|---|---|---|
| FE14 |  Seal Strength Life and Death | Learnt at Level 5 and above. Learnt at Level 15 and above. |
Promotions
| Base Class | Promotion Method | Promoted Class | |
|---|---|---|---|
| FE14 |  Samurai | Use a  Master Seal on a Level 10+ Samurai. |  Master of Arms |
| FE14 |  Villager | Use a Master Seal on a Level 10+ Villager. | Master of Arms |
Notable Masters of Arms
Fates
Trivia
- The generic enemy portrait of the Master of Arms class resembles a famous Heian Warrior Monk, Musashibo Benkei, renowned for collecting weapons from defeated challengers.
- Generic Master of Arms are one of the few capturable enemies that can carry a skill different from their base class. This skill is Underdog from the Villager class, and they share this trait with the Merchant class (the other promotion for the Villager).