Those with less familiarity of the Fire Emblem franchise often associate the series with sword-wielders, due the series' many sword-swinging representatives in the Super Smash Bros. series. Despite this, swords are actually often regarded as one of the weaker weapon types in Fire Emblem. This is due to the fact that while lances and axes each possess widely available long range weaponry in the form of javelins and hand axes respectively, sword-users are completely relegated to close range combat.
However, this does not mean that sword-wielders are weak, as there are numerous useful sword-users across the series.
10 Saber - Shadows of Valentia
Joining a player's army incredibly early into Celica's route of Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, Saber is the perfect example of an above average sword unit.
Possessing impressive stats by Shadows of Valentia's standards, Saber can consistently deal large sums of damage throughout the game. Additionally, Saber is able to access the potent Dread Fighter class via promotion, ensuring his usefulness across a player's run.
9 Catherine - Three Houses
One of many characters from Fire Emblem: Three Houses on this list, Catherine is one of the strongest playable members of the Church of Seiros, and is available in each of the game's routes except for Crimson Flower.
Catherine is one of the few characters in the game who joins a player's ranks as a promoted class, joining as a Swordmaster. Additionally, Catherine possesses her own relic in the form of Thunderbrand, a weapon that functions as a stronger variation of the brave sword. The only thing holding back Catherine is her later than average join time, limiting the extent she can be trained and customized when compared to other Three Houses characters.
8 Felix - Three Houses
Like most units in Three Houses, Felix can hypothetically be made into any class of a player's desire. However, Felix's proficiency with swords and appearance as a Swordmaster if he is not recruited land him on this list.
Possessing excellent growths and one of the most useful crests in the game in the Major Crest of Fraldarius, this crest has a high chance of allowing Felix to deal additional damage. When it comes to physical damage dealers in Three Houses, few can compete with Felix.
7 Yuri - Three Houses: Cindered Shadows
Fire Emblem: Three Houses's Cindered Shadows DLC provides a significantly different structure than the core game, providing a player with a small group of pre-selected characters, each with much more limited utility than one would expect from Three Houses.Â
Of the characters available, Yuri is easily one of the most valuable units at a player's disposal. While normally, players are able to easily maneuver around Three Houses maps using tools such as the Stride gambit, in Cindered Shadows most mobility options are completely unavailable. However, Yuri's combination of the excellent Foul Play ability and canto provide much needed options to this DLC story.
6 Ike - Radiant Dawn
One of the primary protagonists of Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn, Ike is easily one of the best combative units the game has to offer. Toting both phenomenal base stats and growth rates alike, few enemies pose a serious threat to Ike.
Additionally, while most sword units have difficulty fighting foes from a distance, Ike's personal weapon, Ragnell can be utilized from up to two spaces away, has incredible stats, and even has an infinite amount of uses.
5 Xander and Ryoma - Fates
The eldest princes of Nohr and Hoshido, Xander and Ryoma are two of the strongest units in Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest and Birthright respectively. A Paladin and a Swordmaster, each of these princes have impressive stats across the board that immediately make them mainstays of a player's army as soon as they're recruited.
Like Ike, both Xander and Ryoma have access to their own special personal weapons that deal impactful damage while allowing them to fight from afar.
4 Byleth - Three Houses
The player's avatar in Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Byleth is an excellent offensive unit with great deal of flexibility that allows them to be utilized according to a player's taste. Available from the word go, Byleth excels in swords, and has two noteworthy unique features, possessing the extraordinary Crest of Flames that can allow them to heal themselves, and access to the Sword of the Creator.
Like the weapons wielded by Ike, Xander, and Ryoma, this sword can be used from afar. Additionally, this sword allows Byleth to use the powerful and helpful Ruptured Heaven combat art.
3 Olivia - Awakening
Dancers in the Fire Emblem series are some of the best units players have access to. While dancers are usually incapable of fighting in the traditional sense, they allow another unit to take an additional action on a given turn. The primary downside that comes with dancers in their inability to contribute to combat in a pinch. That's where Olivia comes in.
Olivia has all of the benefits and upsides that come along with being a dancer, whilst gaining the notable added perk of being able to defend herself with swords, further adding to her utility.
2 Lara - Thracia 776
Lara is easily one of the best units in Fire Emblem: Thracia 776 and is one of the most versatile characters at a player's disposal. While Lara joins a player's army as a thief, she is capable of promoting into a dancer, allowing her to have the same excellent usefulness as the previously mentioned Olivia.
However, Lara comes with another major benefit, namely the ability to steal. This gives her all the utility of thieves and dancers within one unit!
1 Rutger - The Binding Blade
Rutger is by and large the most outstanding sword-wielder in Fire Emblem history, a much of the reasoning why is due to the way the Swordmaster class functions in Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade. As long as a character is a Swordmaster in that game, that unit automatically gains a +30% critical chance at all times. This synergizes in phenomenal fashion with Rutger's easy access to a Killing Edge, and his solid base stats and growth rates.
Tie it all together with the excellent availability that comes with being recruitable in Chapter Four, and it's no secret why Rutger is often referred to as the boss killer of The Binding Blade.