How to Manage Your Inventory in Fire Emblem Echoes
How your convoy and other game systems help you manage your inventory in Fire Emblem Echoes.
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is based on Fire Emblem Gaiden, the second entry in the series released exclusively in Japan and considered vastly different from other installments. Fire Emblem Echoes embraces the differences that set Gaiden apart, including the variances in its inventory system.
If you've grown accustomed to managing your supplies in other Fire Emblem games, even ones for Nintendo's DS and 3DS family of handhelds, reference our guide before you play to learn the ins and outs of how Echoes' inventory differs from the norm.
Managing Your Inventory: Convoys and Individual Units
In some ways, the inventory system in Fire Emblem Echoes is similar to other recent entries. A convoy trails after you, carrying weapons, food, and other supplies for you. Letting the convoy cart around your stuff means your party will always have gear and consumable items such as food close at hand.
Open an individual character's inventory, however, and you'll spot differences right away. Your units may carry only one item into combat with them instead of the usual five or more. To be more accurate, each unit may carry one item in addition to that unit's primary weapon.
Managing Your Inventory: Special Items
Since your units can only carry their primary weapon and one additional item into battle, the question becomes: what items should you assign to your units? Give priority to special items such as Leather Shields and Golden Daggers. These and other special items increase specific stats, making each unit who carries one of these items a deadlier force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.
The downside to carry these offensive and defensive items is that those units won't be able to pack a healing item. Mitigate this disadvantage by assigning a cleric to your party during battles.
Managing Your Inventory: When to Manage
You pay a high cost for losing units in battle. One common mistake players new to Fire Emblem make is to sort through inventories early on and then head into battle. Once they're on the battlefield, they realize they're missing critical items that boost their odds of survival.
Get into the habit of managing your inventory right before a battle. Just like you make sure you have your phone before leaving the house, checking unit inventories before heading into battle is the best way to make sure you've got everything you need.
Before a battle begins, you should see a menu on the left or right side of your top screen; the side on which the menu appears depends on whether you're playing Fire Emblem Echoes on 3DS or 2DS. On that menu, tap Inventory and then touch the unit whose inventory you want to manage. A list of items held by your convoy will appear. Sort through the items using left and right on your Control Pad. When you find an item you want the current unit to equip, highlight it and press A. Press the L or R shoulder triggers to switch units.
