Who Should You Start With In Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave?

Part 1 of Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave lets you follow Cai, Dietrich, Theodora, or Leda through four distinct versions of the same period. Eshmel’s involvement alters each hero’s path, creating separate continuities with their own battles, character moments, and major revelations.

You only need to complete one Part 1 path to continue, but that does not mean you should rush ahead. Since the game lets you move freely between unlocked parts and chapters, deciding when to switch can be confusing. If you want the smoothest difficulty curve and clearest version of the story, there is a recommended order to follow.

Which Part 1 Should You Do First?

Theodora or Cai are the best characters to start with in Part 1. Cai is the best introduction to the game's structure, in that his route provides a more focused scope, but Theodora’s works better as an introduction to the wider story.

This order produces the smoothest rise in difficulty, allowing you to become familiar with the game before taking on its more demanding paths. It also presents the major story revelations in a more natural sequence.

Each path takes place across the same period, but they are not different viewpoints within one shared timeline. Instead, they represent separate continuities in which your custom character alters the fate of the respective protagonist. Events, relationships, and discoveries can therefore differ substantially between them.

This is a recommended order, not a mandatory one at all. The game is deliberately flexible, so choosing another character first will not prevent you from progressing. You could even play all four Paths concurrently, swapping between them after each chapter.

Should You Do All Four Part 1s?

You should complete all four Part 1 paths before beginning any of the Part 2 paths. The game does not force you to do this, but it produces the clearest and most complete version of the story.

Every Part 1 path contains significant events, unique scenes, and revelations that are not fully covered elsewhere. Most importantly, the four paths collectively provide historical lore and context surrounding the game’s villains. Advancing after only one path means entering Part 2 without much of the information used to explain their roles in the wider conflict.

The four paths are largely independent in gameplay terms. Keep the following in mind when moving from one to another:

• Inventories are not shared between paths.
• The vast majority of characters can be recruited on any path, though they will often have different Renown and Supportrequirements.
• Recruited characters begin a new path in their default states.
• Supports are tracked across the game rather than being restricted to an individual path.
• Achievement progress and Blessing progress also carry across paths.
• Points earned through achievements can be spent on boons that make later paths faster and easier.

The lack of a shared inventory means you should not expect equipment or supplies accumulated in one path to give you an immediate advantage in the next. Achievement boons and blessings provide the main form of lasting assistance, rewarding you for what you have already accomplished without removing each path’s independent progression.

This is another reason the recommended order works well; as the paths become more difficult, you will also accumulate more achievements and gain access to boons that can reduce the time or effort required to complete the remaining stories.

Can You Get By With Only Doing One Part 1?

Yes, you can complete only one Part 1 path and continue into Part 2. If your main priority is progressing through the game, there is no requirement to finish all four first.

The game is designed to accommodate this choice. You can follow one protagonist through Part 1, advance when the option becomes available, and return to the other paths later. Previously reached chapters remain accessible, so choosing to move forward does not permanently lock you out of unfinished Part 1 content. However, completing only one path will leave substantial gaps in your understanding of the story, and in Part 3, you won't get full access to certain characters for customisation or deployment.

Ultimately, one Part 1 is enough to continue playing, but it is not enough to understand the entire story. Players primarily interested in reaching Part 2 can safely move ahead and return later. Anyone invested in the setting, its history, or the motivations of its villains should complete all four Part 1 paths first.