Fire Emblem: Three Houses made a huge splash last year when it launched on Nintendo Switch, as one of the very best strategy games of 2019, and it’s about to get even bigger with the Cindered Shadows DLC. Since Three Houses launched, the Expansion Pass has already added on a host of new content, including new quests, bonding activities, outfits, and more.
Cindered Shadows is the big final piece of the Expansion Pass, adding on a brand new story and area to explore. This is the biggest DLC expansion a Fire Emblem game has ever seen, and there’s a lot of content for fans to dive into, even though Three Houses is already a massive game.
Adding on a fourth house called the Ashen Wolves, Cindered Shadows will expand on the complex story told through the three different paths in Three Houses. Here’s everything you need to know about Fire Emblem: Three Houses - Cindered Shadows.
Cindered Shadows Is Separate From the Main Story
While Cindered Shadows does add on a new story, it won’t be tied into the main game, and instead will be a separate story you can start from the main menu. Despite this, you do have to own the base game in order to play Cindered Shadows. Underneath Garreg Mach Monastery is a secret settlement called the Abyss.
Underneath Garreg Mach Monastery is a secret settlement called the Abyss. The fourth house of Garreg Mach, the Ashen Wolves, reside in the Abyss, and they’ll be integral to the story of Cindered Shadows. Each of the Ashen Wolves felt like they didn’t belong in the monastery, so they moved underground to start their own house. The Abyss will be a new explorable location, and it’s where the entirety of Cindered Shadows takes place. Save data for the DLC will be separate, but Nintendo has confirmed that by playing the DLC you’ll be able to explore the Abyss in the main game.
An NPC named Aelfric is a member of the Church of Seiros, and he’s responsible for overseeing the Abyss. Considering the implications of the church in the main story of the game, Cindered Shadows will expand on the story of the church.
New Students and Classes
The four students of the Ashen Worlves each have their own backstory and unique personalities, as you’d expect from any character in Three Houses. Yuri, Constance, Balthus, and Happi will all be playable in Cindered Shadows, and they’re also recruitable in the main game, but not right off the bat.
As you progress through the main story you’ll interact with the Ashen Wolves, and after a certain point you’ll be able to recruit them, although Nintendo hasn’t detailed just when that point is yet. The Ashen Wolves will also stick with you into the second part of the game, after the time skip. On top of the four new students, four brand new classes will be playable in the DLC, and once again, after beating Cindered Shadows you’ll be able to use them in the full game. The four new classes should be recognizable to any Fire Emblem fan, and they’re Trickster, Dark Flier, War Monk, and Valkyrie.
Returning Students and Gameplay Differences
Cindered Shadows is totally different in its gameplay loop from the main game, as you won’t have complete freedom for developing your students and their classes. Each character has a set group of classes they can use, and their skill point levels will also be capped. On top of this, you won’t be able to simply grind out levels as you see fit, and there’s also going to be a fixed number of resources to use for crafting and buying items.
This makes Cindered Shadows much closer to a traditional Fire Emblem experience, and the expansion will be more difficult than the main game, sporting unique map gimmicks. Luckily, the Ashen Wolves won’t be the only characters in your army, as a few characters from the main game will make the trip along with you.
For the first time since the tutorial level, the three house leaders (Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude) will band together in your party. The other characters we know will join are Linhardt from the Black Eagles, Ashe from the Blue Lions, and Hilda from the Golden Deer.
Next: Fire Emblem Three Houses: 10 Unanswered Questions We Want Resolved In DLC
