Dagger

This article is about daggers and knives as a weapon type. For the specific weapons, see Dagger (weapon) and Knife (weapon). For the skill permitting their use, see Knife (skill).

Jakob attacking with numerous daggers in Fire Emblem Cipher.

The dagger (Japanese: 暗器 concealed weapon) or knife (Japanese: 短剣 dagger) is a weapon type which was introduced in Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance and is subsequently present in it, Radiant Dawn, Fates, and Engage. They are the least powerful weapon type in almost all the games they appear in save Engage, where arts are generally weaker, but tend to have good accuracy while, in Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn, they are by far the most lightweight weapons (whereas in Engage they are second lightest second only to arts once again). Additionally, in Fates, every dagger has the ability to inflict stat reductions on enemies while they all poison enemies instead in Engage.

Daggers and knives often have enhanced range, being able to attack both at melee range and at a distance. All knives in Path of Radiance are melee range only, while the knives of Radiant Dawn and later, Engage are divided into two varieties, daggers (melee only) and throwing knives (enhanced range). In Fates, all daggers have enhanced range.

In Path of Radiance, knives lacked an actual weapon level of their own, instead having their use locked to classes possessing the Knife skill and thus allowing any such unit to use any knife; they gained a proper weapon level and according rank scaling in Radiant Dawn. The daggers of Fates are specifically associated with Nohr, and like every other weapon type in Fates, they have a unique Japanese-themed counterpart weapon type which is used primarily in Hoshido: the shuriken. Units who can wield daggers can wield shuriken just as easily, and vice versa.

There are 47 dagger/knife varieties in the Fire Emblem series; of these, three appear in Path of Radiance, thirteen in Radiant Dawn, 32 in Fates, and ten in Engage.

In Fire Emblem Fates, their Hoshidan counterpart is called the shuriken (Japanese: 手裏剣 shuriken). They are almost exactly the same as daggers and share a weapon level, differentiated by the effect of that, when equipped, they increase the wielder's speed by 2, and, on average, they have lower hit rate. Shuriken, along with daggers, occupy the blue weapons niche in the weapon triangle alongside lances and naginata, beating out red weapons (swords/katana and tomes/scrolls) but losing out to green weapons (axes/clubs and bows/yumi).

In Fire Emblem Engage, they return after their absence and occupy a one-sided disadvantage alongside tomes and bows against arts.

Overview

Fates debuff system

Main article: Status effects § Buffs and debuffs

In Fates, the key advantage of daggers is their debuff ability. When a dagger successfully hits, its target has temporary stat reductions applied after the battle ends; all daggers reduce the defense and resistance stats, and most also reduce one or two further stats in addition to defense and resistance. These debuffs do not stack but can be combined with other debuff effects on different stats (if there is a conflict, the larger stat reduction takes priority). Debuffed stats recover by 1 point each turn until the stat is back to normal.

Engage poison system

Main article: Poison (status)

In Engage, the key advantage of knives is their ability to inflict the poison status. When a knive successfully damages a unit (including via chain attack), it increases the damage the unit takes during combat, acting by directly increasing the opponent's attack stat. Poison can be stacked up to three times, with each stack increasing the damage the afflicted unit takes: one stack makes them take +1 extra damage, two stacks make them take +3, and three stacks make them take +5. Additionally, poison does not wear off on its own, and can only be removed by using an Antitoxin or a Restore staff, or via skills like Lifesphere and Detoxify.

Knives and daggers in the Fire Emblem series by type

Basic knives/daggers

Weapon	Available in:																	Notes
	FE01	FE02	FE03	FE04	FE05	FE06	FE07	FE08	FE09	FE10	FE11	FE12	FE13	FE14	FE15	FE16	FE17
Knife	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
Dagger	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
Stiletto	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	--
Bronze Dagger	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	--
Iron Dagger	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✓	--
Steel Dagger	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✓	--
Silver Dagger	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✓	--
Kard	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	--
Brass Shuriken	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	--
Iron Shuriken	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	--
Steel Shuriken	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	--
Silver Shuriken	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	--
A ✓ means that the weapon is available in that game, while a ✗ indicates the contrary.

Ranged knives/daggers

These knives/daggers have the capability of hitting beyond the typical 1 range (Radiant Dawn and Engage) or 1-2 range (Fates).

Weapon	Available in:																	Notes
	FE01	FE02	FE03	FE04	FE05	FE06	FE07	FE08	FE09	FE10	FE11	FE12	FE13	FE14	FE15	FE16	FE17
Bronze Knife	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
Iron Knife	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
Steel Knife	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
Silver Knife	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
Peshkatz	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	1 range only in Engage
Spy's Shuriken	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	3 range only
Short Knife	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	--
Iron Dagger	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✓	Only has enhanced range in Engage.
Steel Dagger	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✓	Only has enhanced range in Engage.
Silver Dagger	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✓	Only has enhanced range in Engage.
A ✓ means that the weapon is available in that game, while a ✗ indicates the contrary.

Close-range daggers

This dagger, on the other hand, is incapable of hitting within the full 1-2 range that normal daggers have in Fates.

Weapon	Available in:																	Notes
	FE01	FE02	FE03	FE04	FE05	FE06	FE07	FE08	FE09	FE10	FE11	FE12	FE13	FE14	FE15	FE16	FE17
Caltrop	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	1 range only.
A ✓ means that the weapon is available in that game, while a ✗ indicates the contrary.

Magic daggers

These daggers inflict magical damage instead of physical.

Weapon	Available in:																	Notes
	FE01	FE02	FE03	FE04	FE05	FE06	FE07	FE08	FE09	FE10	FE11	FE12	FE13	FE14	FE15	FE16	FE17
Flame Shuriken	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	--
Misericorde	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	Veyle only.
A ✓ means that the weapon is available in that game, while a ✗ indicates the contrary.

Effective knives/daggers

These weapons deal bonus damage to certain types of enemies.

Weapon	Available in:																	Notes
	FE01	FE02	FE03	FE04	FE05	FE06	FE07	FE08	FE09	FE10	FE11	FE12	FE13	FE14	FE15	FE16	FE17
Stiletto	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	Deals bonus damage to armored units in Path of Radiance. No effect in Radiant Dawn and Engage.
Beast Killer	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	Deals bonus damage to beast units.
Hunter's Knife	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	Deals bonus damage to beast units.
Kris Knife	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	Deals bonus damage to monster units.
Sting Shuriken	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	Deals bonus damage to armored units.
A ✓ means that the weapon is available in that game, while a ✗ indicates the contrary.

Character's daggers

Fates includes five daggers named for individual characters but not locked specifically to them.

Weapon	Available in:																	Notes
	FE01	FE02	FE03	FE04	FE05	FE06	FE07	FE08	FE09	FE10	FE11	FE12	FE13	FE14	FE15	FE16	FE17
Felicia's Plate	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	Magic weapon.
Jakob's Tray	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	--
Kaze's Needle	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	--
Saizo's Star	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	--
Kagero's Dart	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	--
A ✓ means that the weapon is available in that game, while a ✗ indicates the contrary.

Miscellaneous daggers

Weapon	Available in:																	Notes
	FE01	FE02	FE03	FE04	FE05	FE06	FE07	FE08	FE09	FE10	FE11	FE12	FE13	FE14	FE15	FE16	FE17
Soldier's Knife	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	Brave weapon.
Fruit Knife	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	Can be used to recover 10 HP.
Quill Pen	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	--
Stale Bread	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	--
Raider Knife	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	--
Votive Candle	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	Grants Miracle when equipped.
Sacrificial Knife	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	--
Pebble	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	--
Barb Shuriken	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	--
Dual Shuriken	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	Reverses the weapon triangle.
Chopstick	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	--
Hair Pin	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	Female units only.
Confectioknife	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	--
A ✓ means that the weapon is available in that game, while a ✗ indicates the contrary.

Regalia and personal knives/daggers

Weapon	Available in:																	Notes
	FE01	FE02	FE03	FE04	FE05	FE06	FE07	FE08	FE09	FE10	FE11	FE12	FE13	FE14	FE15	FE16	FE17
Baselard	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
Chakram	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	Only Master Ninjas may acquire requisite weapon level.
Cinquedea	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	--
Carnwenhan	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	Smashes foes. Cannot follow up, or strike first if initiating combat.
Misericorde	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	Veyle only. Magic weapon.
A ✓ means that the weapon is available in that game, while a ✗ indicates the contrary.

Classes capable of using knives/daggers

There are 15 classes which have wielded knives and daggers.

Class	Wields knives/daggers in:																	Notes
	FE01	FE02	FE03	FE04	FE05	FE06	FE07	FE08	FE09	FE10	FE11	FE12	FE13	FE14	FE15	FE16	FE17
Thief	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	--
Assassin	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
Sage	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	Optional, with each individual Mage having to choose between gaining knives or staves upon promotion to Sage; Bastian and Calill have knives by default.
Rogue	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
Whisper	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
Ninja	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	--
Mechanist	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	--
Master Ninja	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	--
Dread Fighter	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	--
Butler	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	--
Maid	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	--
Wolf Knight	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	--
Fell Child	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	Veyle only.
Enchanter	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	--
Emblem	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	Soren only.
A ✓ means that the class wields knives/daggers in that game, while a ✗ indicates the contrary.

Trivia

• Early Fates localization footage which was shown at E3 2015 referred to daggers as "kunai".

Etymology and other languages

Knife

Names, etymology, and in other regions
Language	Name	Definition, etymology, and notes
English	Knife	This weapon category is known by this name in Path of Radiance, Radiant Dawn, and Engage.
Japanese	• 軽器 • 短剣	• Light weapon; the weapon category is known by this name only in Path of Radiance. • Dagger; the weapon category is known by this name in Radiant Dawn and Engage.
Spanish	• Cuchillo • Puñal • Daga	• Knife; used in Path of Radiance. • Dagger; used in Radiant Dawn. • Dagger; used in Engage.
French	• Couteau • Dague	• Knife; used in Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn. • Dagger; used in Engage.
German	Messer	Knife
Italian	Coltello	Knife
Korean	단검	Dagger
Simplified Chinese	短剑	Dagger
Traditional Chinese	短劍	Dagger

Dagger

Names, etymology, and in other regions
Language	Name	Definition, etymology, and notes
English	Dagger	This weapon category is known by this name in Fates and Heroes.
Japanese	暗器	Concealed weapon
Spanish	Daga	Dagger
French	Dague	Dagger
German	Dolch	Dagger
Italian	Pugnale	Dagger
Korean	암기	Concealed weapon

Shuriken

Names, etymology, and in other regions
Language	Name	Definition, etymology, and notes
English	Shuriken	From 手裏剣 shuriken (literally "sword concealed in the hand"), a Japanese throwing weapon.
Japanese	手裏剣	Shuriken
Spanish	Shuriken	--
French	Shuriken	--
German	Shuriken	--
Italian	Shuriken	--
Korean	수리검	Shuriken

Gallery

• 

  A Thief wielding a knife in Path of Radiance.

• 

  Jakob attacking with numerous daggers in Fire Emblem Cipher.