No, stealing is generally not considered worthwhile in Fire Emblem: Three Houses. Its utility has been significantly diminished, making it a nearly worthless mechanic for most players.
Why Stealing Is Not Recommended in Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Unlike many previous installments in the Fire Emblem series where the "Steal" command could net valuable and even rare items, its application in Three Houses is extremely limited. The mechanics surrounding stealing have changed in a way that makes the effort rarely justify the reward.
Key Limitations of Stealing Mechanics
There are several reasons why focusing on stealing won't yield significant benefits in your playthrough:
- Limited Target Pool: Opportunities to steal are exceptionally rare. Only a very small fraction of enemies encountered throughout the game carry items that can be stolen. This means that even if you have a capable thief, chances to utilize their skill are few and far between.
- Low Value Items: When a stealable item is present, it is often a common consumable or a basic seal that can be easily acquired through other means, such as purchasing from merchants, finding them on the map, or as drops from defeated enemies. Players will rarely find unique weapons, valuable stat-boosting items, or large sums of gold through stealing.
- High Opportunity Cost: Dedicating a unit's turn and potentially putting them in harm's way just to steal a low-value item is usually not an efficient use of actions. That same turn could be used for combat, healing, support, or moving to a better strategic position, which would contribute far more to the battle's outcome.
- Specific Unit Requirement: Stealing requires a unit to have the necessary skill and be in the Thief or Assassin class line. Investing in these classes solely for the purpose of stealing is often inefficient, as their combat contributions might not outweigh the lack of valuable steal targets.
Comparative Utility of Stealing
To illustrate the diminished value, consider how stealing in Three Houses compares to its utility in other Fire Emblem titles:
| Feature | Fire Emblem: Three Houses | Previous Fire Emblem Titles (General) |
|---|---|---|
| Item Value | Mostly low-tier consumables, basic seals | Often high-tier weapons, rare stat boosters, unique items |
| Frequency | Very rare opportunities; few enemies carry items | More common strategic targets; a significant number of enemies may hold valuable items |
| Strategic Impact | Minimal; rarely affects overall strategy or resource accumulation | Can be a crucial part of resource management and unit optimization |
| Effort vs. Reward | High effort for negligible or easily obtainable items | Moderate effort can yield significant and exclusive rewards |
Practical Implications for Gameplay
Given these limitations, players typically find it much more effective to focus on core gameplay elements such as unit development, strategic combat, and efficient resource management through exploration and battle rewards. Building a unit specifically for stealing, or dedicating turns to it, will almost always be less impactful than focusing on direct combat or other support actions. The time and effort invested in attempting to steal are better spent on ensuring your units are strong, well-positioned, and making impactful moves each turn.
