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Who should get special spiral?

We're getting this question too many times, and the responses are fairly similar. I'm going to give a summary answer here; please refer people here after this gets buried in more questions.

Special spiral is good for a lot of units, but those who find it especially valuable are slow units who can use it for OHKOs, especially if they already have huge specials (which they often will if they are slow; stat points must go somewhere).

Examples of characters who are good with it:
- OHKO mages without bulk: Sonya, Lilina, Sanaki
- AoE special units, most notoriously (and rightly so) Ophelia, but any infantry can become a player phase unit now with firesweep + AoE + heavy blade (or if you're not afraid of vantage, which is likely true for someone like Laslow with good def, slaying edge allows skipping heavy blade, or wo dao or equivalent for more damage)
- Slow tanks like Lukas, Hinata, Bartre. Steady breath + spiral + ignis can create single hits that require over 100 physical bulk to survive, incinerating even armours to bits. LA Hector is the paramount example with an ignis that will hit for upwards of 40 damage before considering his high atk (also, if he's not at high HP, he will gain a charge at the start of his turn so that he can use the ignis on player phase too). Spiral instant-ignis builds are, in my opinion, the main alternative to steady stance 4.

There are other things you can do with spiral such as constant one-round aether (ex: on DC mixed tanks or Navarre or potentially even Fir with the def superboon), infantry pulsed 3CD aggressive specials on Saber with the prf, or absorb+ miracle gimmicks using infantry flash support.

I do not recommend it for units that require desperation (fast, squishy units) unless you have desperation on the weapon (ex: Kaze with starfish + spiral + iceberg)

If you want more ideas, see https://fireemblem.gamepress.gg/q-a/analyzing-special-spiral

Asked by Seeker2 weeks 3 days ago

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Answers

The answer is always wait to see when the next batch of permanent heros is.

I don't agree with the tone of some of Nilla's responses. But his mention of the Laguz is certainly something to consider. It could be a really strong choice for them come January.

Well except Tibarn sadly since he's flying.

I was also thinking maybe Jamke or Leon could use it well.
They could shoot off strong bonfires with it quite easily.

In your last post (the one you linked here) you mentionned +spd Nowi being a good user (and other fast tanks) with Aether but I find that the cooldown doesn't add up for due to the penalty of lightning breath+

Let's say you used Aether last fight on player phase, it's 6 charde cd is reduced to 4 by special spiral.
An ennemy attacks you, it goes down to 2 ( if you have Steady breath or equivalent)
You attack, it goes to 1. If you double then aether is ready but unless you have a dancer, you can't use it.
And if you didn't have special spiral, it's CD would be 2 and the first ennemy attacking would reduce the charge to 0 and eat the Aether to the face - thus rendering Special Spiral useless.

Let's say it activated on EP and it's Player phase now. 4cd with LB+ and SS3.
you attack > 3
ennemy counterattacks > 1
you attack again > aether ready, but if you don't get danced you can't use it.

Lightning breath makes for a 6CD aether. If it activates, it will be at 4CD or lower. With a breath skill, taking one hit and doubling back will activate aether.

If you want it on both phases then non-lightning breath (+ DC maybe) is necessary along with flashing blade.