The most debated aspects of the Fire Emblem series during the 3DS era involve the high level of customization you can choose if you decide to use it. In Fire Emblem: Fates, you have the ability to tweak classes, weapon stats, and even relationships as you progress through the game’s three different routes.
At the start, you’re prompted to customize your own Corrin. You can modify everything from their voice and gender to more detailed choices like Boon and Bane, which are key for shaping your character’s development.
Updated May 2, 2026: We’ve revised this article to ensure accuracy and offer some specific recommendations depending on which route you’re playing.
Boons and Banes
When creating Corrin, you select one Boon and one Bane. These choices directly influence a specific stat and have a significant impact on Corrin’s growth throughout the game. This allows you to craft Corrin’s combat style precisely how you want.
Boons and Banes impact the following:
- The starting base stats of Corrin, with bonuses or penalties depending on your choice.
- The rate at which Corrin’s stats grow when leveling up.
- The maximum potential for each stat.
- For Kana, they affect base stats and caps but not growth rates.
Below are tables outlining what each Boon and Bane does.
Boons
| Boon | Base Stat Increase | Growth Rate Effect | Stat Cap Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robust (HP) | +3 | +15% HP, +5% DEF, +5% RES | +2 LUK, +2 DEF, +2 RES, +1 STR, +1 MAG |
| Strong (STR) | +2 | +15% STR, +5% SKL, +5% DEF | +4 STR, +2 SKL, +2 DEF |
| Clever (MAG) | +3 | +20% MAG, +5% SPD, +5% RES | +4 MAG, +2 SPD, +2 RES |
| Deft (SKL) | +3 | +25% SKL, +5% STR, +5% DEF | +4 SKL, +2 STR, +2 LUK |
| Quick (SPD) | +2 | +15% SPD, +5% SKL, +5% LUK | +4 SPD, +2 SKL, +2 LUK |
| Lucky (LUK) | +3 | +25% LUK, +5% STR, +5% MAG | +4 LUK, +2 STR, +2 MAG |
| Sturdy (DEF) | +1 | +10% DEF, +5% LUK, +5% RES | +4 DEF, +2 LUK, +2 RES |
| Calm (RES) | +1 | +10% RES, +5% MAG, +5% SPD | +4 RES, +2 MAG, +2 SPD |
Banes
| Bane | Base Stat Decrease | Growth Rate Effect | Stat Cap Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sickly (HP) | -2 | -10% HP, -5% DEF, -5% RES | -1 STR, -1 MAG, -1 LUK, -1 DEF, -1 RES |
| Weak (STR) | -1 | -10% STR, -5% SKL, -5% DEF | -3 STR, -1 SKL, -1 DEF |
| Dull (MAG) | -2 | -15% MAG, -5% SPD, -5% RES | -3 MAG, -1 SPD, -1 RES |
| Clumsy (SKL) | -2 | -20% SKL, -5% STR, -5% DEF | -3 SKL, -1 STR, -1 DEF |
| Slow (SPD) | -1 | -10% SPD, -5% SKL, -5% LUK | -3 SPD, -1 SKL, -1 LUK |
| Unlucky (LUK) | -2 | -20% LUK, -5% STR, -5% MAG | -3 LUK, -1 STR, -1 MAG |
| Fragile (DEF) | -1 | -10% DEF, -5% LUK, -5% RES | -3 DEF, -1 LUK, -1 RES |
| Excitable (RES) | -1 | -10% RES, -5% MAG, -5% SPD | -4 SPD, -1 MAG, -1 SPD |
You can combine these numbers with Corrin’s default stats to see how your choices will influence performance. Remember, the maximum caps for stats depend on Corrin’s class, so they will vary.
Corrin’s Default Stats
| Stat | Base Stat | Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|
| HP | 19 | 45% |
| STR | 7 | 45% |
| MAG | 4 | 30% |
| SKL | 7 | 40% |
| SPD | 6 | 45% |
| LUK | 5 | 45% |
| DEF | 6 | 35% |
| RES | 2 | 25% |
For example, if you want Corrin to be a magic-focused character, you might choose Clever as the Boon and Weak as the Bane, boosting MAG to around 50% and starting MAG to seven, while decreasing starting STR and its growth rate.
Talents
Similarly to Boons and Banes, you pick a Talent when customizing Corrin. Talents unlock secondary classes that can be passed to allies and children at A+ or S ranks. You can change classes later using specific items. Some Talent options and their effects include:
- Lancer: unlocks Spear Fighter class.
- Dragon: unlocks Wyvern Rider class.
- Male Corrin: can choose Monk as Talent, promoting to Great Master.
- Female Corrin: can choose Shrine Maiden as Talent, promoting to Priestess.
Certain Talent choices are gender-specific; for example, Monk and Shrine Maiden are limited to male and female Corrin, respectively.
Best Choices for Each Route
Birthright: Focuses on physical units, but Corrin’s role should avoid redundant magic roles due to the team’s composition. A good pick here is Strong (Boon) with Excitable (Bane)—boosting strength while sacrificing resistance, which is manageable with healers.
Conquest: Features many armored enemies and limited leveling, so high damage output early on is essential. Magic is more reliable against armor than physical, making Clever (Boon) with Weak (Bane) the optimal setup—sacrificing strength for magic to break through defenses.
Revelations: Has a balanced mix of physical and magical enemies, with a large recruitment pool. It’s best for Corrin to be a flexible utility. Choosing Quick (Boon) with Fragile (Bane) ensures increased speed to avoid enemy doubles, with manageable reductions in defenses once your army is assembled.