Wind (magic)

Soren casting wind magic in Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance.

Wind magic (Japanese: 風 wind) is a weapon category and class of magic in the Fire Emblem series, first appearing in Genealogy of the Holy War as one of its five magic types. It is one of the three nature-based magics which comprise the school of anima magic.

The main distinction of wind magic is how the stats of the average wind tome are primarily oriented toward being lightweight and accurate, while possessing lesser power than other schools of magic. In this respect, it can be viewed as a magical counterpart to swords, which tend to be oriented similarly; light magic also gets this treatment in many games. In all appearances following Genealogy, wind magic also possesses an advantage like that of bows where all wind spells are highly effective against flying units such as Pegasus Knights or Wyvern Riders. In accordance with the Trinity of Magic, wind magic has an advantage over thunder and light magic, but is at a disadvantage against fire and dark magic.

Wind tomes can be found in some form in every Fire Emblem game, but wind magic as a distinct, separate weapon category only appears in four games: Genealogy of the Holy War, Thracia 776, Path of Radiance, and Radiant Dawn. In all other games, wind magic is rolled into broader magic categories: black magic in Gaiden, Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, and Three Houses, anima magic in the Game Boy Advance games, and generic tomes in the Archanea games, Awakening, Fates, and Engage.

Wind magic in the Fire Emblem series

In addition to the effects listed for each, all wind tomes except Wind Tail deal bonus damage to flying units.

Weapon	Available in:	Notes
FE01	FE02	FE03	FE04	FE05	FE06	FE07	FE08	FE09	FE10	FE11	FE12	FE13	FE14	FE15	FE16	FE17
Wind	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	Appears as a tome or black magic in other games.
Elwind	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	Appears as a tome in other games.
Tornado	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
Blizzard	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	Extended range. Classified as a tome or black magic in other games.
Forseti	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	+10 skill, +20 speed in Genealogy; major Forseti blood only. +20 skill, +20 speed in Thracia 776; Ced only. Appears as a tome in Awakening.
Grafcalibur	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	Asbel only.
Vortex	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
Rexcalibur	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	+3 luck when equipped. Unused in Path of Radiance. Appears as a tome in Awakening and Engage.
Arcwind	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	Appears as a tome in Awakening.
Wind Tail	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	Cannot inflict critical hits. Spirits only.
A ✓ means that the weapon is available in that game, while a ✗ indicates the contrary.

Classes capable of using wind magic

There are 24 different classes which have been able to wield wind magic as a distinct weapon type at any point in the series.

Class	Wields wind magic in:	Notes
FE01	FE02	FE03	FE04	FE05	FE06	FE07	FE08	FE09	FE10	FE11	FE12	FE13	FE14	FE15	FE16	FE17
Master Knight	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
Baron	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
Emperor	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
Wind Mage	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
Mage Fighter	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
Mage	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
Mage Knight	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
Bard	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
Sage	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
High Priest	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
Bishop	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
Queen	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
Dark Bishop	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
Dark Prince	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
Cleric	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
Loptr Mage	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
Dark Mage	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
Fire Sage	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
Thunder Sage	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
Wind Sage	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
Archsage	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	Not if promoted from a Dark Sage
Empress	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
Wind Spirit	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
Order Incarnate	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	--
A ✓ means that the class wields wind magic in that game, while a ✗ indicates the contrary.

Trivia

• The following tomes appear in games which do not feature the distinct wind category, but visually appear as wind magic: Excalibur, Cutting Gale, Fimbulvetr, Aircalibur, Merric's Tome, Wilderwind, Celica's Gale, and Disrobing Gale.
• In Japanese pop culture, wind is often conceived of as a cutting force due to its association with the kamaitachi, a yokai that rides whirlwinds and slices humans with its sharp, sickle-like claws. This is likely why wind magic in the Fire Emblem series is often portrayed as a crescent shaped projectile that slices through the air.

Etymology and other languages

Names, etymology, and in other regions
Language	Name	Definition, etymology, and notes
English	Wind	--
Japanese	風	Wind
Spanish	Viento	Wind
French	Vent	Wind
German	Wind	--
Italian	Vento	Wind

See also

• Anima
  • Fire
  • Thunder
• Tome