If you wanna see some of Golden Deer in action, my coworker Paul Tamayo and I did a stream earlier today. There’s also some tips for exploring the monastery, how to recruit new students, and more!

Your House Mascot: Claude von Riegan is a very strong ranged unit, but that’s not why you should care about him. He’s just a nice guy—crafty, thoughtful, and mindful of the hardships of common folks. Part of the joy of playing Golden Deer is having such a charismatic ally. So yeah, he can snipe people from far away, but it really is all about the personality with this good lad.

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Summary: Golden Deer’s experience is a bit lighter in tone thanks to a cast of energetic students, but there’s also a great chance to really dive into Fódlan’s history and politics. It’s not as dramatic as other routes, but it hits most of the same notes and has a pretty spectacular ending. A good house for players looking to keep things chill with a somewhat safer time on the battlefield.

Difficulty: Easy, if a bit more technical and position-focused.

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Blue Lion

Blue Lion House is basically where all the knights, stalwart folk, and martial badasses are. Most of the students are from the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, an old-school nation of knights and sorcerers. It’s the “lawful” house, full of nobles and adjutants who are a little stuffy at first but warm up once you get to know them.

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The Story: In a lot of ways, Blue Lion’s story feels the most traditionally Fire Emblem. A house of heroic fighters and knights join together to reject scheming factions and would-be friends in favor of valiantly defending the status quo. Justice comes through deeds more than reform, and anyone eager for a more traditional story will get exactly what they want, although a midgame twist will shake things up.

On the battlefield: Blue Lion’s a well-balanced house that beginners will enjoy. While they focus on lances and swords, you’ll have a little bit of everything and should be able to handle whatever comes your way. There’s a bit less personality here, but who needs personality when you are really, really good at stabbing things?

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Your House Mascot: Prince Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd starts off as a goody-goody who fits the honorable-knight mold a bit too perfectly. What makes him interesting is how much he struggles and changes as the story progresses. Edelgard has her secrets, and Claude is damn nice; Dimitri is intense. That intensity can be compelling, both when he’s being heroic and when he gives into his inner demons. He has one hell of a glow up , going from clean-cut blando to rough-and-tumble edgelord. It’s great.

Dimitri’s also a really good unit in his own right, though his stat growth doesn’t make him quite as beastly as Edelgard. Still, he should be able to charge into the fray and dice up most enemies with ease. Incredibly reliable right from the start.

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Summary: Blue Lion’s gameplay starts slow, as the house’s characters are a bit clean cut. Give them time and allow circumstances to create a little bit of tragedy, and suddenly, they get a lot more dynamic. Narratively, things are straightforward, but there’s an appeal to playing as the (mostly) good guys. If you’re new to Fire Emblem, Blue Lion is a fair choice for story and starting units—even if a lot of the students are totally the sort to rat you out for breaking the rules.

Difficulty: Definitely the easiest house to start with.

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If you still have doubts about which house is right for you, just trust your gut and go for whoever you find interesting. Three Houses is a flexible game; with some planning, you can turn characters into just about any class you want. Three Houses is a game built around replays and rewatches. Choose, enjoy, and then play again—or maybe watch your favorite streamer follow a different path. Each house has something to offer, and while it’s an important decision, you also shouldn’t overthink it.