Weapon experience

Weapon experience (commonly abbreviated WEx or WEXP) is a form of experience specific to a unit's weapon level, accrued through the continued use of weapons, magic or staves. Once a unit reaches a certain threshold of weapon experience in a weapon type, the matching weapon level increases and allows them to use a wider and more powerful selection of weapons. Weapon experience was first implemented in Fire Emblem: Thracia 776 and is present in all subsequent titles except Echoes: Shadows of Valentia and Engage. In Three Houses, it is known as skill experience.

Overview

In almost all uses of the system, WEx is gained through the use of weapons, with the unit's weapon level increasing by one after their weapon experience reaches a certain threshold. In the games from The Blazing Blade to Radiant Dawn, the amount of WEx gained varies depending on the weapon or staff used, while the WEx gained is constant regardless of the weapon or staff used in all other games. Thracia 776 has one exception to this, being staves; while all other weapons give a constant 1 WEx per hit, staves instead give a varying amount depending on the staff's weapon level: 1 for E-level, 2 for D-level, 3 for C-level, 4 for B-level, 5 for A-level, and 10 for ★-level. From Shadow Dragon through Awakening, 2 WEx is gained from all weapons and staves. In Fates, 1 WEx is gained from all weapons and staves. In Three Houses, 2 skill experience is gained from all weapons and spells, while also giving an additional +1 for units with a strength in the relevant skill level, or -1 for units with a weakness.

In games up to and including Radiant Dawn, WEx is gained on a per-hit basis; for example, a 2 WEx weapon will grant a total of four WEx to the matching weapon level if the wielder performs a follow-up attack. From Shadow Dragon onward, WEx is gained on a per-round of combat basis.

In the Game Boy Advance trilogy of games, a kill bonus is in effect in which the amount of WEx gained for a single blow is doubled if the unit successfully kills the enemy with said blow. For example, if a unit with a 2 WEx weapon attacks twice and kills an enemy, the unit actually gains 6 WEx in total: 2 from the first hit, and 4 from the second, fatal hit. In The Blazing Blade and The Sacred Stones, weapons and staves do not give any WEx if they break after use. For weapons, this means that even if the unit attacked multiple times during combat, no WEx is gained if the weapon breaks.

Weapon experience requirements by game

Upon gaining certain thresholds of weapon experience, a unit's weapon level in the matching weapon type will increase.

Weapon experience requirements for level increase by game
Game	Level progression (total weapon experience)
	Base E	D	C	B	A	S	SS
Thracia 776	50	100	150	200	250	--	--
The Binding Blade	1	51	101	151	201	251	--
The Blazing Blade	1	31	71	121	181	251	--
The Sacred Stones	1	31	71	121	181	251	--
Path of Radiance	1	31	71	121	181	251	--
Radiant Dawn	1	31	71	121	181	251	331
Shadow Dragon	1	31	76	136	196	--	--
New Mystery of the Emblem	1	31	76	136	196	--	--
Awakening	1	31	71	121	181	--	--
Fates	1	21	51	96	161	251	--

Three Houses adds additional "+" skill levels that are not featured in previous games. The skill level progression for Three Houses is as follows:

Skill experience requirements for level increase in Three Houses
Game	Level progression (total skill experience)
	Base E	E+	D	D+	C	C+	B	B+	A	A+	S	S+
Three Houses	0	40	100	180	300	460	680	960	1320	1760	2520	3600

Items and skills affecting weapon experience

Items and skills affecting weapon experience
	Item	Effect	Games
	Arms Scroll	Boosts all*/the current equipped weapon's level(s) by 1.	Path of Radiance, Radiant Dawn, Shadow Dragon, New Mystery of the Emblem, Awakening, Fates
	Discipline	Doubles the user's WEx gain when equipped.	Radiant Dawn, Awakening
	Mastermind	User gains +100% skill experience in combat when equipped.	Three Houses
	Knowledge Gem	User gains +100% skill experience in combat when equipped.	Three Houses

See also

• Weapon level