Fire Emblem Engage Master Seal primer: How to get & when to use Master Seals to Promote Units
In several ways, Fire Emblem Engage returns to more classic Fire Emblem trappings and design in its many gameplay elements and systems. One of these mechanics is the Master Seal, its counterpart the Second Seal, and how they're obtained and used to promote units to advanced classes.
Honestly, the system around Master Seals, Second Seal, and Unit Promotion and Class Changes can be one of the more initially baffling in the game - and it can be scary, as these are limited, consumable items - so you'll want to try to use them at the right time. This guide aims to help with that, covering topics like where you find them, how to use them, when to use them, and just how limited they are. It can be stressful, but we're here to help.
When to use Master Seals to Promote
You might be wondering 'I have a Master Seal, but when should I use the Master Seal promote my units?'
Just like in many classic Fire Emblem titles, almost any class can reach level 20. Once a unit reaches this level, they will no longer gain EXP, and thus no longer earn any more stats. The only exceptions to this are thieves, who can level up all the way to 40 and cannot promote into an advanced class with a Master Seal. They can, however, use a Second Seal to change classes entirely, if they have the right weapon proficiencies. Yunaka and Zelkov's starting class is Thief.
While you can promote a unit once it reaches level 10, generally speaking, it's best to wait until your unit reaches level 20 before promoting them to an advanced class. The reasoning for this is that you'll have more opportunities to gain stats if you allow characters to reach level 20, rather than if you promote them early.
There are valid reasons to promote early before reaching level 20, however. Promoted classes will offer a significant stat boost amount promotion, and you'll be able to access the promoted class' skills. Especially on harder difficulty modes like Maddening, these boosts may be crucial to success against unfair forces. After promotion, you can always use Second Seals to revert a unit's class back to level 1, if you need to gain more stats upon level-ups later on.
Additionally, Fire Emblem Engage is the type of Fire Emblem title where there is infinite EXP available via the game's Skirmish battles (as long as you are not in Maddening Mode). So you can always get more EXP whenever you want. If you want to look more into how to use Skirmish battles to grind EXP, check out our Fire Emblem Engage Skirmish Farm guide.
Second Seals allow a unit to switch into any other class in a sideways move. It won't allow a unit to initially promote into an advanced class, but if a unit is already promoted, then a Second Seal can move them to another advanced class, if they have the proficiencies to do so.
Master Seal Location: Where to find Master & Second Seals in Fire Emblem Engage
Now that you know when to promote your units, you might be wondering 'Where can I get more Master Seals?' This one is actually nice and easy to answer, as there are two key places to find Master Seals in Fire Emblem Engage.
Firstly, you can find Master Seals in battle, either as a drop from an enemy or in a treasure chest. We have a list of all available items to find during battle in Fire Emblem Engage, including available Master Seals, just check out our Fire Emblem Engage Chapter Rewards & Unlocks guide.
Secondly, you can buy Master Seals at the Item Shop at the Somniel. After every couple of story missions, the shopkeep's stock will update, adding a few more Master Seals and Second Seals to her inventory. They are expensive, but worth it. You should be returning to Somniel after every story mission anyway to Scan Amiibo at the Gazebo, make Kingdom Donations, and of course use our Fire Emblem Engage Gift guide to help rank up supports.
Now here's the key. After Chapter 16, the Item Shop's inventory will have an infinite number of Master Seals to purchase. That means that, yes, feel free to use a Master Seal on every character, or use a Second Seal as often as you'd like, since you cannot run out.
At this point, the only limit is your cash reserves. If you need more money to buy Master Seals or Second Seals, again, check out our Fire Emblem Engage Skirmish Farm guide.
How to use Master Seals in Fire Emblem Engage
How do you use Master Seals? This is easy, but admittedly a bit tucked away into the menu.
From the main in-game menu, go to Inventory, then select the character you want to promote. There will be an option here for "Change Class". That's it!
Now, which classes you can promote into depends on that unit's Weapon Proficiency. This is a little bit different than classic Fire Emblem titles. I'm not talking about the Weapon Rank with a letter rank like S, A, B, etc. Weapon Proficiency is slightly different.
Each character will either be proficient in a type of weapon, or not proficient in a type of weapon, no in-between. Depending on their Weapon Proficiencies, the type of classes that the unit can promote into will vary.
You can teach a unit new Weapon Proficiencies by bonding them with Emblems. For example, bonding a unit with Leif to level 2 will teach them Axe Proficiency, meaning that unit can now promote into classes that require Axe Proficiency, even if that unit has never used an axe. This system allows any unit to become any class, provided you bond with Emblems in such a way to gain the proper Weapon Proficiencies.
You can see all of the Weapon Proficiency unlocks, as well as every other Emblem unlock, in our Fire Emblem Engage Emblem Weapon & Skill Unlocks guide.