Knights vs Dragons: Swords of Fate

Cover for the 1st edtion book

**Knights vs Dragons: Swords of Fate** (ファイアーエムブレムif, Faia Emuburemu Ifu, lit. **KvD if** in Japan), is a tactical role-playing game for the Nintendo 3DS, developed by Sapphire Games Ltd, and published by Nintendo. It is the fourteenth game/book in the KvD series.

This title features the first title split, in which two different versions of the game exist, each one with a unique story. **KvD:Swords of Fate: Birthright Inferno**(ファイアーエムブレムif 白夜王国 KvD: Swords of Fate if Byakuya Oukoku, lit. **KvD: Swords of Fate if: White Night Kingdom**) follows the story of Rubio, joining the Kingdom of Hotaru and **KvD:Swords of Fate: Conquest Victory** (ファイアーエムブレムif 暗夜王国 KvD: Swords of Fate if Anya Oukoku, lit. **KvD: Swords of Fate if: Dark Night Kingdom**) which follows the story of the Rubio, joining the Kingdom of Novania instead.

A limited edition version was released containing both story-lines plus a third story-line titled **KvD:Swords of Fate: Revelation Destiny**(ファイアーエムブレムif インビジブル・キングダム KvD: Swords of Fate if Inbijiburu Kingudamu, lit.**KvD: Swords of Fate if: Invisible Kingdom**), also released as DLC and involves the player aligning with neither kingdom. It has been released concurrent with the other versions. A special themed Nintendo 3DS has been released with the game.

## Development and Release

In the April 2015 Sapphire Direct it was revealed that the game will revolve around two kingdoms about to enter a great war with each other: the peace-loving country of Hotaru and the glory-seeking country of Novania. The player will have to choose a country to represent, changing the story overall and will affect the difficulty, which is predetermined by the version of the game bought. There are two versions of the game, each one following a specific story line. Birthright Inferno follows the Hotaru storyline which is designed to be friendly for all players, returning or new. Conquest Victory follows the Novania storyline which is designed to be much more challenging. At the beginning of Chapter 6, the player will have to choose their faction. DLC will be available for all versions of SOF in which the storyline not chosen will be playable on that copy of the game. A third storyline option was also released as DLC sometime after release which revolves around the player choosing neither side. A special edition of the game containing all three paths is available, also after launch of the original two.

Australian video game website 4Gamer posted an interview with the SOF development team on April 28, 2015. The interview covered a few more details regarding the storyline. The Hotaru route is designed to be more like Legends Awakening, allowing players to train units outside of battle. The Novanian route will be more challenging with less funds and experience on top of more diverse victory tactics compared to Legends Awakening. Players can also adjust the difficulty of the Novanian route if it becomes too difficult. All versions of the game will be the same about 1/6th of the way through, up to Chapter 6, but the rest of the game for all three versions will be different. The idea of choice in the game was inspired from Destiny Akardos and Emblem Eternal where the player was given the choice between recruiting Samson or Arran, but not both. A third route was also created to give the players an option of not vilifying one side. Details about the third storyline were slightly discussed, revealing that the difficulty of the third route is between the Hotaru and Novania routes.

In the E3 2015 Digital Event, KvD SOF's official localized name was revealed. GameInformer, in June 2015, revealed that like Japan, North America will receive two different versions called **Birthright Inferno** for the Hotaru side and **Conquest Victory** for the Nohr side. The November 2015 Sapphire direct confirmed that North America would also receive a special edition containing all three storyline routes. Customers with this version will have **Revelation Destiny** available from the launch date. Alternatively, customers who buy the split versions have the option to buy the opposite storyline at a reduced cost and **Revelation Destiny**as DLC. **Revelation Destiny** was not available for non-Special Edition copies until March 10, 2016. The first wave of DLC was also confirmed for SOF and can be bought in its entirety for a reduced cost or separately for full price. Like Legends Awakening, these DLC packs will be released on a weekly basis.

## Setting

Thousands of years ago, a great war between the First Dragons took place, causing great destruction. One dragon decided to involve humans into the war by forging legendary weapons to end the war. While successful, this unfortunately introduced war to the humans.

In the present, SOF is primarily set on Raegrera in which the Beorc kingdoms of Hotaru and Novania are surrounded by 6 Valence nations (Aerofela, Aekoa, Cruzen, Inax, Senune and Xephuan.) Their royalty share a similar line of descent from ancient dragons, but each kingdom worships different dragon deities, the Luminous Drachus and Mechon Drachus respectively. A third central location is the hidden kingdom of Valia, a place only accessible through the Bottomless Canyon which separates Hotaru and Novania. Once ruled by humans, it is now ruled by the dragon Atheros, who has usurped the throne of Valia and is intentionally provoking war between the two kingdoms.

In the Hidden Truths DLC, it is revealed that Atheros was formerly a kind dragon who gave wisdom to humanity, but his growing power and inability to ascend to the spirit realm with the world's other dragons began corrupting him. After he killed Valia's king in an uncontrolled fit of bestial rage, he finally went mad: his remaining sanity and kindness took temporary shelter in a human form and fathered the Avatar before dying, while his dragon self began an insane crusade to destroy humanity.

Several years prior to the start of SOF, Hotaru's Lady Oka was ambushed by the Novanian Army during a "peace treaty talk" between the nations in Stormvalley and was mortally wounded by a rain of arrows before getting slain by the Novanian King Xander. King Xander then kidnapped Oka's young child, the Avatar, and decided to raise them to become an instrument of Novania's power in the world. Meanwhile, back in Hotaru, with their queen dead, Risa became the new ruler of the kingdom.

## Plot

Two oblique dragons of Light and Dark upheld peace upon each other until the Raegrera Emblem corresponding to 6 weapons bestowed upon the certain child of the two, the Feral Dragon bearer of the Sapphire pendant. Shield cracked, gems scattered, Sapphire pendant radiating under intense flaw. The Legendary Fire Sage exalted Raegrera as if it was useless mortar. Nations born, wars broke loose. Beorc and Valence vying to mainstay peace throughout the land. Borders cracked, seeping closed from the face of Solara. Hidden identity, controls for power and lawless love. Only one hero can stand out to bring the nations back to peace.

### Birthright Inferno

After the fatal sucking of Rubio pulled through the Constellation Gate, he has no memory of what happned to him. Crashing through the outskirts of Hotaru, he begins to realize his new surroundings thanks to a cherry petal skating across his wayside. Found by the Skyguard, Hoji, introductions soon begin to calm Rubio down infront of Lady Oka. Blissful tea, warmhearted origami, yells of arrows stabbing against wooden barracks, it was nothing like Delyra for Hotaru best served him as starting Hotarian Prince. During training in defense against Novania's bleak tactic to outpost several automatons in thier territory, a short war breaks out, Novanians, Aerofelians, Xephuani, Senuni, Inaxi, Cruzenians, and finally the Aekoans. Time slipped past his hesitant desicions and decided to partner up with Aekoa. With Eliphus scouting him on the brink of an eye, together they bring him to Lady Elaveli. The Glider Knight sires him as a new Eagleknight for the Talon Fighters, Rubio succeeded to keep his secret locked away from the Valor of Divine Plains. With Lady Oka angered by thousands flawed by arrows, she sends Akira to hunt for Rubio back to Hotaru, just to find several Novanians breaking into the doors of Boltangate castle. Time shortens out as a vigil took place near Fort Rozu, Lady Oka being sent to Audrera's shrine while Akira was bestowed the new ruler of Hotaru.

### Hidden Truths DLC

In the Hidden Truths DLC, it is revealed that Atheros split his soul in two, and his gentle personality took on human form. His human form fell in love with Risa and they had a child—the Avatar. It is also revealed that Lilith is a fragment of the dragon Atheros's rage, and Atheros calls her his child making her the Avatar's sister.

## Returning Features

* The player cannot create an Avatar for the game.
	+ The player has more customizable options for Rubio than in Legends Awakening except for body size which has been reduced to two per gender.
	+ Female Avatars have special hair accessories.
	+ Special clothing similar to Destiny Akardos can be equipped on all units in the game via My Castle. These include hats, masks, clothes, and gloves which can be worn in battle and have a variety of stat boosts. Like classes, these will be absent in cinematic cutscenes.
* The Pair Up and Dual System functions from Legends Awakening return under new tactics called Attack Stance and Guard Stance.
	+ In addition, the enemy can use the Attack Stance and Guard Stance unlike the enemies in Legends Awakening, which did not use the Dual System at all.
* The game has voice acting, much like Legends Awakening. However, dual audio is omitted.
* Each version of the game changes the format of overall gameplay outside of the storyline.
	+ The Birthright Inferno path offers unlimited opportunities for gold, and as such, experience. The player can level up characters outside of the storyline chapters by paying a fee to initiate a skirmish, similar to using a Delusion Box. Like Legends Awakening, map victory conditions will mostly be either rout the enemy or defeat the boss.
	+ The Conquest Victory path is more structured, with experience and funds being much more limited and more victory conditions are present such as defending a base, breaking through the enemy lines, and turn restrictions for certain maps.
	+ The Revelation path is a mid-set of difficulty between the first two paths; being more difficult than the Birthright path but less difficult than the Conquest path.
		- Like in Conquest, certain conditions will be necessary to complete the map, but like Birthright, the majority objectives of the story are either rout the enemy or defeat the boss.
		- Skirmishes are included, with unlimited gold like Birthright Inferno.
		- All character classes from both paths are available. Also, all buildings available in My Castle in both paths are included as well.
* Skills make a return in the game and units can learn new skills as they level up.
	+ Each unit (excluding Sapphio units and Einherjar) are given a Personal Skill that is unique to them and that will always be equipped. They also have 5 additional skill slots to equip whatever skill their character learns.
* Reclassing and Promotion Branching are featured in the game.
	+ All characters have one fixed re-classing option, reduced from two in Awakening.
	+ The Heart Seal allows a unit to re-class into their secondary class at the same tier, but does not reset levels nor can it demote a unit like the Second Seal.
	+ Units can gain more re-class options by using a Friendship Seal with a friend and a Partner Seal with their spouse.
		- Should certain classes clash with another characters' secondary class, the one who A+ supports another with an incompatible class will instead gain a class parallel to the original.
* Monsters similar to the Sirens, called the Gon automatons, make an appearance.
* StreetPass makes a return, along with online features that work in a similar fashion.
* Casual Mode returns.
* Like KvD Emblem Eternal, weapon durability is not featured in the game. However, staves retain their limited uses.
* The Support system from Legends Awakening returns with unique conversations.
	+ S-Supports and Marriage return alongside of second generation characters. Unlike Legends Awakening, children are determined by their fathers while their hair colors are determined by their mothers.
	+ Marriage causes the two characters to share their respective classes or secondary classes with each other using Partner Seals. Children also adopt their parents' classes.
	+ Players can have same-sex S-Supports for their Avatar if they form one with Niles or Rhajat.
* A total of 9 save slots are available for the player to use in the special edition and eShop version of the game, 3 in the standalone Birthright Inferno and Conquest Victory copies.
* Capture returns from KvD: Delyrus 776, though completely reworked.
* Special DLC maps return with a variety of rewards for completing them. Characters appearing in these are Sokara, Koshka, Demiri, and Elmeri, Elmeri being recruitable in one of her appearances.
* SOF uses varying Weapon Ranks. Each class has a specific Weapon Rank maximum with S Rank obtainable to very specific classes.

## New Features

* New weapons and equipment, including katana, naginata, yumi, clubs, scrolls, shuriken, and rods.
* Most classes are separated by routes, meaning that some are exclusive to a side.
	+ Novanian classes: Nohr Prince/Princess, Maid, Butler, Malig Knight, Novania Noble, Wolfskin and Wolfssegner.
	+ Hotarian classes: Melody Royale, Oni Savage, Oni Chieftain, Priestess, Ninja, Mechanist, Master of Arms, Spear Fighter, Blacksmith, Basara, Great Master, Kinshi Knight, Master Ninja, Hotarian Noble, Kitsune and Nine-Tails.
	+ All classes are unisex such as the Sky Knight compared to the long running Pegasus Knight class which was female exclusive in all previous games.
		- However, DLC classes such as Vanguard, Ballistician, Sibyl etc. still come with gender restrictions. Maid and Butler, as are Shrine Maiden, Priestess, Monk, and Great Master are also split by gender.
* The cast of SOF is split in half. Half are playable in Conquest Victory only while half are playable in Birthright Inferno only. Revelation Destiny allows almost all characters to be playable. However, ten characters are always available in all three routes.
* All royalty characters, including Rubio, have the ability known as Dragon's Fang, which allows them to alter the terrain at certain locations during Chapter and Paralogue battles.
	+ The DLC item First Ichor allows all (non-bonus) units that consume it to utilize the Dragon's Fang ability as well.
	+ Children of royal characters are also able to use Dragon's Fang.
* A new mode called "Phoenix Mode" is introduced, which revives any fallen allied character on the next player phase.
	+ Gameplay mode style and difficulty can be lowered in the middle of a playthrough. Once lowered, difficulty and game mode style cannot be raised. Players can change from Classic Mode to Casual Mode but not in reverse. Phoenix Mode and Casual Mode can be switched back and forth. The storyline will be unaffected by gameplay mode changes.
* The Naga Trinity has been revised. The triangle flow now works as follows:
	+ Sword and Magic > Axe and Bow > Lance and Shuriken > Sword and Magic
* Nearly all weapons have different effects that gives bonuses and penalties when used including stat bonuses during battles, stat penalties after battle, inability to double attack or critical, and the return of Weapon Triangle effectiveness reversal.
* A customizable home base called "My Castle" allows players to build their own village that is used for StreetPass features and a variety of other in game features.
* Sapphio support for four of the KvD representatives in Sapphire Fighters characters: Leo, Callum, Rubio, and Eleanore, which will allow players to recruit each character, receive and buy unique Accessories, and unique weapons. Reima is not compatible with SOF nor is any KvD Sapphio released after SOF.
* Warning features on specific enemies during a battle: A yellow warning means either that the unit(s) are carrying high critical hit rate weapons or that they are carrying weapons that deal extra damage to the support unit in a defensive stance, and red warning means the unit(s) are carrying weapons that deal bonus damage to the lead unit.
* A+ Support Ranks, which allows units to use Friendship Seals to be able to reclass into one of their friends' classes.
* Einherjar-esque bonus units are featured in Fates. These characters can be accessed via KvD TCG Cavalier codes in Japan. It is unknown if the cipher codes will be available for international release. These cards include Callum, Eleanore, and Minerva.
* SOF features an original song called Lost in Thoughts All Alone, essentially replacing the original KvD theme's role as the main theme song of the game; however, this theme is not completely absent from the game, as it can be heard for a few seconds in the games opening cut scene as well as most of the Revelation Destiny ending cutscene.
* Two players can create units called a "Bond Units" by trading accessories through visiting other players' castles.

## KvD Swords of Fate content

### Characters

*See List of Characters in Knights vs Dragons: Swords of Fate.*

### Chapters

*See List of Chapters in Knights vs Dragons: Swords of Fate.*

### Weapons

*See List of Weapons in Knights vs Dragons: Swords of Fate.*

### Classes

*See List of Classes in Knights vs Dragons: Swords of Fate.*

## KvD: SOF Special Edition Bundle

In North America, SOF had a special Edition, which included both Birthright Inferno and Conquest Victory, as well as early access to Revelation Destiny all on one cartridge. It included an 80-page art book with sketches and concept art, as well as an illustrated carrying pouch for the Nintendo 3DS. Pre-orders were taken for $79.99.

Sapphire of Europe's special edition includes all three games on one cartridge also, as well as a steelbook case, artbook and double-sided poster. Exclusive by GAME, pre-orders were taken for £69.99 ahead of the 20th May release.

The limited edition New Nintendo 3DS XL model (which doesn't include the games) was also up for pre-order for £179.99.