Fire Emblem: Three Houses has players take up the role of a teacher who has to choose between three different houses, each with its own set of students. All the students are well-developed characters thanks to a rich story and hours of support conversations. Each student has their own merits, but their support conversations bring out the best in them.
The players often get attached to the characters and go out of their way to recruit them from other houses, just to ensure that none of them die during the story. Still, not all characters can be recruited, such as the house leaders and their vassals. Choosing a house on the first playthrough is already difficult, but choosing a favorite character is an even harder decision.
10 Leonie Tries To Give Back To Her Community
Leonie grew up in a poor village but never felt dissatisfied with her life. She developed a habit of gathering and reusing materials. She would use the tailor's cloth scraps as dish rags, and turn restaurant oil into soap. She often uses the materials to help others, such as when she gathered pigments and made a paint brush for Raphael's sister.
Leonie goes out of her way to do menial tasks like weapon upkeep, and due to her gratitude for her village's support, she takes her education seriously. Fans consider her admiration of Jeralt to be excessive, as it makes her jealous of Byleth. However, in her support conversations with other characters, Leonie's admiration for Jeralt is overshadowed by her passionate desire to help others.
9 Dimitri Slowly Transforms Into One Of Fodlan's Greatest Kings
Dimitri is a character who prefers being spoken to as a friend rather than as royalty. He is the only person who laughs at Alois' jokes, and he is particularly pleased whenever he hears Byleth tell him a joke.
Although Dimitri tries to hide it, he is deeply affected by the Tragedy of Duscur, and goes into a downward spiral when he discovers that Edelgard is the Flame Emperor. Dimitri is pulled out of the darkness thanks to the efforts of Byleth and Rodrigue, and strives to become the kind of king his country deserves, making huge strides in addressing poverty.
8 Caspar Is Incredibly Motivated To Become A Great Knight
Caspar is a man with boundless energy. He sometimes fails to see eye to eye with others, to the point where someone may get swept away in his schemes if an idea pops into his head. Caspar was able to get Linhardt to train with him and whisked Bernadetta away to look at the scenery.
Caspar is always driven to rush into things headfirst, especially when he wants to do something he believes is morally right or something designed to make him stronger. This means he often picks difficult fights or disobeys orders even from Byleth in order to save someone.
7 Sylvain's Character Arc Had More Depth Than Fans Expected
Sylvain considers his Crest to be a burden. People want to use him, people have high expectations of him, and his brother envied him. These things led to Sylvain developing a flirtatious and carefree attitude. This facade is his way of protecting himself. In reality, Sylvain is trying to protect himself from women who just want to marry him for his Crest.
To keep away the stifling expectations, Sylvain hides his intelligence. He shocks Dedue when he deduces that the people of Duscur were wrongly framed for the Tragedy of Duscur, and he catches Annette off guard when he easily understands complex formulas. After developing close friendships with the other students, he learns to open up. When Sylvain finally settles down, he is not only devoted to his spouse, but he treats every child of his equally.
6 Hubert Enjoys Intimidating Others But Can Be Thoughtful
Hubert is Edelgard's vassal and one of the most intimidating characters in the game. His loyalty to Edelgard and her purpose is unwavering, and he can be often seen telling others ways that they can improve.
Hubert has an admiration for those who work hard, and he compliments people when it's warranted. He looks and sounds intimidating, but he seems to derive some enjoyment from unnerving people, so much so that he also gets surprised when he is complimented. Hubert is blunt and looks like a villain, but many fans have said that adds to his charm.
5 Marianne Grows Into A Confident Woman
Marianne is a soft-spoken recluse who tends to keep to herself in order to keep the truth of her Crest hidden. She spent most of her life believing that her Crest would bring great misfortune to others. This belief had no merit to it, and she becomes more confident upon making this discovery.
Fans were delighted to see Marianne's growth as a person, as after the time skip, she has blossomed into someone who speaks up more. In addition, Marianne puts more work into her appearance, no longer having bags under her eyes and messy hair.
4 Claude Is A Brilliant Tactician
Claude appears to have no cares in the world. Ingrid often scolds him for not acting like a noble. In reality, Claude hides his true intentions in order to get what he wants. He places more value on the people and earth around him than on the goddess or nobility. He feels that his classmates are his equals, as they put their lives on the line for each other.
Claude wants little to do with war, preferring diplomacy. If his allies are ever at a disadvantage, he always commands them to fall back. He tries to minimize the number of casualties his army experiences. Many fans like Claude's ability to be 10 steps ahead of his opponent, as well as his playful, charming nature, which allows him to get along with many of his peers.
3 Hilda Goes Out Of Her Way To Help People Who Need It
Hilda is often lazy, using sweet words and excuses to convince others to do things for her. When someone does something nice without telling her, she gets upset, unwilling to accept favors without at least giving thanks in return.
Despite Hilda's unwillingness to work, she often helps people who need it. She helped Caspar after he was injured from a fight, helped Raphael pick out a suitable gift for his sister, and made a charm for Leonie. Even if people don't ask for her help, she usually can't help but intervene. She cares a lot for her friends, and her upbeat and friendly personality makes it impossible not to like her.
2 Dedue Has Remained Selfless And Kind In A World That Discriminates Against Him
Dedue has been Dimitri's loyal vassal ever since Dimitri saved his life. Dedue feels indebted to the prince and would risk his life for him. Since his people were framed for the Tragedy of Duscur, Dedue has been faced with much criticism and hatred, making him hesitate to interact with others in fear of dragging down their reputation. He appreciates the people who have befriended him regardless.
Dedue appears intimidating, but he is a gentle and caring soul, even aiding the allies that criticize him. If Byleth chooses to side with the Black Eagles, Dedue is willing to turn himself into a monster on the battlefield for Dimitri's sake.
1 Edelgard Sparked Change In Fodlan
Every route in Fire Emblem: Three Houses ends in much-needed societal change. The person who is responsible for these changes has always been Edelgard. She noticed the corruption in the current Crest system, which put incompetent people in positions of power. The misplaced value in Crests also led to arranged marriages and deadly experiments to force a second Crest onto someone. Edelgard is a victim of the latter, which made her determined to wipe out such injustices.
Although Edelgard may appear solely focused on her goal, she is always worried about the safety of her allies, and she slowly learns to relinquish some of her control as Byleth earns her trust. Due to her experiences, she is able to connect with many of her allies, who have seen the same injustices that she has. Her strong desire for change is what earns their respect.