The DLC weapons introduced in the expansion pass for Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave offer a significant combat advantage, though they come with a notable drawback: reduced durability. These potent armaments are part of Wave 1 of the DLC and are obtained by completing new subquests.
Accessing the DLC Subquests
After purchasing and downloading the expansion pass, players will receive an in-game notification about the new weapons. This notice directs players to a subquest but offers little detail on its location or timing. Each of the four playable Flame Lords has an associated subquest. These quests become available once the bulletin board in Dagsion is accessible, which typically occurs around Chapter 4. The exact timing can vary, as some characters, like Dietrich, must complete introductory city tutorials and battles before the board unlocks.
When a new quest is available, a parchment symbol will appear on the map, indicating the bulletin board's location. This symbol is gold-orange when a quest is ready to be accepted.
Obtaining the Prototype Weapons
The DLC weapon quests are relatively brief. Once accepted from the bulletin board, players must locate a specific NPC. This individual can be found in the 'streets' area of the city, northeast of the market stalls near the location of the "Monster in the Night" quest. Speaking with this NPC will reward the player with the corresponding Flame Lord's unique weapon. This process must be repeated for each of the four Flame Lords to acquire all four DLC weapons.
The four Prototype weapons are:
- Prototype I (Sword, for Dietrich)
- Prototype V (Axe, for Leda)
- Prototype XI (Bow, for Theodora)
- Prototype VII (Spear, for Cai)
While the game presents these weapons as exclusive to the Flame Lords, any character in the game can equip and use them.
These weapons are inspired by the Hero's Relics from Fire Emblem: Three Houses. Their primary downside is their significantly lower durability compared to standard weapons, meaning fewer uses of combat arts before requiring repair at a blacksmith. However, this is offset by their potential power. All four Prototype weapons can be upgraded to +2, which increases both their durability and strength. At their maximum upgrade level, these Prototype weapons surpass standard iron weapons in power.
For players who have already completed Part 1 of the game, it is recommended to replay Chapter 12 of that section to acquire the Prototype weapon. Similar to other Part 1 changes, progress only carries over to Parts 2 and 3 after the final chapter of Part 1 is completed. Replaying Chapter 12 offers a more streamlined method to obtain the weapon if Part 1 is already finished, allowing players to quickly secure it before continuing their current progression.