I hoped to become a good mother like Lady Ethlyn when I grew up. But then...that nightmarish incident at Aed...Selphina, in a conversation with Glade
Selphina is a playable character from Fire Emblem: Thracia 776. She is a twenty-six year old knight of Leonster. She is also the daughter of Dryas and the wife of Glade.
Profile
Before Thracia 776
Before the fall of Leonster, Selphina was briefly raised alongside Leif, where she acted as an elder sister to him. She in turn looked up to Leif's mother Ethlyn as an elder sister. Selphina is also familiar with Lachesis, who had briefly stayed in Leonster with her daughter Nanna.
This connection was, however, cruelly cut short when Ethlyn was slain alongside Quan and a squadron of Leonster knights in the Aed Massacre. Leonster fell shortly after, and Selphina was separated from Leif, Nanna, and Lachesis when they fled from the country with Finn.
Fire Emblem: Thracia 776
Selphina first appears in Chapter 9, where she leads the defence of General Hannibal's mansion when it comes under attack by the Thracian army. Flanked by Cain, Alva, and Robert, she marches out to meet the foe in battle.
Leif's army eventually rendezvouses with Selphina, where she reunites with Leif and Finn. She can also talk to Carrion, whom she praises for his good work before entrusting the Elite Sword to him.
After Leif's army emerges from Dakia Forest and enters Tahra in Chapter 13, Selphina reunites with her husband Glade. The couple will discuss which of Leif's parents he resembles more, after which Glade reveals that he has bought a Brave Bow for his wife, entrusting it into her care.
Selphina then goes on to continue supporting Leif in his cause to liberate Northern Thracia from the Grannvale Empire. Retiring from her position after the new Kingdom of Thracia is established, she converts her mansion into an orphanage to take care of children who lost their parents during the war. With many of the children she cares for later becoming great heroes in their lives, Selphina comes to be called the Mother of Thracia.
Personality
Selphina is characterized as a stalwart and courageous woman, unhesitatingly taking command of a small battalion to defend General Hannibal's mansion when it is threatened by hostile forces. Leif has fond memories of her from his childhood, recalling how he always viewed her as an older sister figure in the place of Altena, whom he never met.
Selphina's strength of character is complemented by her sentimentality, which is shown through her interactions with Leif and Finn, where she vividly remembers the past and is grateful for the chance to be reunited with them. She is also known to be emotional, as can be seen when she lashes out at Finn as she thinks that he had simply abandoned Lachesis.
Selphina is also compassionate, choosing to retire from her position as a renowned warrior to convert her mansion into an orphanage to house children who had lost their parents during the war.
In-Game
Recruitment
| Name | Class | Chapter | Affiliation | Recruit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Selphina |
 Arch Knight |
9 | Player | Automatically from the start |
Base Stats
| Starting Class | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arch Knight | ||||||||||||
| Level | HP | Str | Mag | Skl | Spd | Lck | Def | Bld | Mov | LS | MS | FCM |
| 8 | 22 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 8* | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Skills | Weapon | Starting Items | ||||||||||
 Charge |  Bow - B |  Killer Bow Knight Proof | ||||||||||
*5 move while dismounted
Growth Rates
| HP | Str | Mag | Skl | Spd | Lck | Def | Bld | Mov |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50% | 25% | 10% | 40% | 35% | 55% | 15% | 10% | 1% |
Promotion Gains
| Item Required | Promoted Class | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Knight Proof
|
 Bow Knight
| ||||||
| 1 | +2 | +1 | +3 | +2 | +2 | +1 | +1 |
| Weapon Levels | |||||||
 +1
| |||||||
Support Bonus
| Character | Bonus |
|---|---|
 Carrion |
10% |
 Cain |
10% |
 Alva |
10% |
 Robert |
10% |
 Glade |
20% |
| Character | Bonus |
|---|---|
 Leif |
10% |
| Glade |
10% |
- Supports give a bonus to Hit, Critical, Avoid, and Dodge
- Supporting characters must be within a three tile radius for the support to come into effect
Overall
Selfina is an example of a unit that should be good in theory, but Thracia 776's game mechanics work against her at every turn. She joins with a respectable weapon rank, granting immediate access to powerful bows like the Brave Bow and Killer Bow, but the fundamental issue is that she has no real niche to fill.
Thracia is defined by staff utility and Warp-skipping, meaning that most chapters are trivialized without ever needing to engage in direct combat. Selfina, as a combat-only unit, contributes little to the dominant strategies. Bow Knights are naturally at their best in outdoor maps where they have high mobility, but Thracia has many indoor maps where cavalry is forced to dismount, removing her main advantage. While Selfina can still use Bows indoors, she ends up being strictly outclassed by Ronan and Xavier indoors.
Selfina's biggest claim to fame is her ability to bring the Brave Bow to the team by talking to Glade in Chapter 13. While this weapon is one of the best bows in the game, it does not actually improve Selfina's viability—it improves the viability of better units. Ronan and Xavier make much better use of it, leaving Selfina as an awkward footnote rather than an essential unit.
Selfina is a unit whose design and role do not align with Thracia's mechanics. Her class, weapon access, and lack of strong utility options leave her in a situation where she is functional, but never necessary. While she can contribute with the Brave Bow in the short term, her long-term viability is minimal, and she is quickly overshadowed by superior bow users and more useful units.
Quotes
Death Quote
This...is it... I'm sorry...Glade...Selphina's death quote in Thracia 776.
Escape Quote
Lord Leif, we mustn't linger here too long. Hurry!Selphina's escape quote in Thracia 776.
Conversations
Pre-battle
(Chapter 9)
- Selphina: My lord father! It's the Thracian army! T-They're flooding in from the south!
- Dryas: So Travant has finally noticed us... A pox on it all! With Glade in Tahra, there's no one here with any experience in battle...
- Selphina: Then leave it to me. I'll draw their attention and buy everyone time to escape.
- Dryas: Wait! General Hannibal sent word ahead. According to him, Prince Leif and a coalition of warriors from Fiana and Manster are already en route. We have to hold out until they get here...
- Selphina: Understood. If you've no objections, I'll establish a defensive perimeter. Cain! Alva! Robert! We're moving out! Follow me!
Talk with Carrion
(Chapter 9)
- Carrion: Lady Selphina, I made it back!
- Selphina: Oh, my dear Carrion! Thank you for all that you've done.
- Carrion: Think nothing of it, milady. Would that I could've done more... Ah, I must double my training if I'm to become as strong a knight as Sir Glade sometime in my natural life! I want only to aid Prince Leif, but all I've learned in his service so far is just how powerless I truly am...
- Selphina: Don't let your impatience cloud your judgment. You won't be of any use to him dead. Hmm... The time to grant you your inheritance may have come more quickly than I'd thought.
- Carrion: Inheritance? Th-This is... a fine blade, milady, but where—
- Selphina: Your mother entrusted this to me. It's known as the Elite Sword. She bade me give it to you when you had grown into a worthy knight.
- Carrion: M-Mother?!
- Selphina: She passed from this world far too young, taken by illness. A tragedy if ever there was one, that... This very blade was a favorite of your father's, and he wielded it right up until the day he died honorably in battle.
- Carrion: F-Father's own blade... that he wielded in service of House Leonster...!
- Selphina: This is your birthright, Carrion—use it with great care.
- Carrion: Y-Yes, I will! Thank you, Lady Selphina!
Talk with Leif
(Chapter 9)
- Selphina: Prince Leif! Oh, it's been too long, milord! It's me, Selphina!
- Leif: Selphina, in the flesh! Can it really be you?
- Selphina: Prince Leif... This halfway feels like a dream... When I last saw you, milord, you were but a child, a toddler who fell asleep at my knees... You've grown into such a fine young man...
- Leif: Oh, Selphina, it's enough to make me cry... I had thought you and Duke Dryas were killed trying to protect me. I never imagined I'd be able to see you again. I... never knew my mother or sister. The kinship of family was the one thing my retainers were never able to fetch for me. I saw Lachesis as a sort of mother, and you as the older sister I was never able to meet. Not that I ever showed you much gratitude for it. I remember being quite the little terror...
- Selphina: Oh, it would be terribly improper to ever say such a thing of the prince of Leonster. I'll have to take you at your word, milord. I... take it that Lady Lachesis still has yet to return?
- Leif: I'm afraid so... She... never made it back from her excursion to Isaach.
- Selphina: I see... Well, don't give up hope. It's still possible that she's alive somewhere—alive and happy. I'm sure you'll find her someday, Prince Leif. After all, the two of us were able to meet again, were we not?
Talk with Finn
(Chapter 9)
- Selphina: Sir Finn! It's been too long.
- Finn: Hold! Are you friend or enemy?
- Selphina: Have you forgotten me already, Sir Finn? It's Selphina!
- Finn: Selphina? Duke Dryas' daughter?!
- Selphina: The very same.
- Finn: You don't say... When last we met, you still wore your hair in braids...
- Selphina: I can only hope I'm more of a proper woman now than I was a decade past. Glade and I have since been wed, you see.
- Finn: Glade?! That old dog! How's he been? Ah, we've much catching up to do—you must take me to him at once!
- Selphina: Your reunion will have to wait a little longer, I'm afraid. He's away in Tahra, trying to aid the city's defenders.
- Finn: A pity... Still, if duty calls, I suppose it can't be helped.
(The following part ensues only if Leif already spoke to Selphina)
- Selphina: Hmph. You can barely hide your excitement for seeing my husband, but you can't scrape together two words for my benefit. I see you haven't changed much—no regard for the feelings of women.
- Finn: Th-That's uncalled for! I meant nothing by it...
- Selphina: Oh? But I still remember how you abandoned Lady Lachesis—left her to go off on her own. The sorrow was plain as day upon her face, but you let her walk away.
- Finn: I... I'm not sure what you mean...
- Selphina: No, I know you understand, Sir Finn—but you pretend not to!
- Finn: ...Selphina, we've just met again for the first time in a decade. There's no need to get into this now.
- Selphina: Ah... I apologize. You've the right of it. It was more than rude of me to ambush you like that after such a long absence...
- Finn: No, I... I understand. We can... talk about it later. For now, the battlefield calls.
- Selphina: ...Of course, Sir Finn.
Talk with Glade
Chapter 13
(If Leif hasn't spoken to Glade)
- Selphina: Glade, you're all right. Thank goodness...
- Glade: Selphina... You came as well?
- Selphina: Yes, I heard about Tahra and came with Lord Leif. I'm so glad I found you...
- Glade: I'm sorry I worried you. But Selphina... I have led many young men to their deaths once again. I can't help but regret and wish that I had more power...
- Selphina: No! You are the finest knight in Leonster. I am proud to be your wife. So don't blame yourself so much...
- Glade: Thank you, Selphina... I feel better after seeing you. Oh... Here, take a look at this.
- Selphina: What is this? ...Is it... Is this the legendary Hero's Bow!?
- Glade: It looks like it. I came across it by chance. I bought it for you, would you use it?
- Selphina: Of course! Thank you, Glade.
(If Leif has spoken to Glade)
- Selphina: Glade, you're all right. Thank goodness...
- Glade: Selphina... You came as well?
- Selphina: Yes, I heard about Tahra and came with Lord Leif. I'm so glad I found you...
- Glade: I see. I met the prince earlier, but I was surprised at how much he's changed. It's been 10 years since I saw him at Alster... He's already fifteen now.
- Selphina: I was also surprised when I first saw him. He's grown so much.
- Glade: Indeed, he's become a fine young man. He's starting to look like Lord Quan in his youth.
- Selphina: I thought he looked more like Lady Ethlyn. He has her eyes.
- Glade: Do you think so? I think his eyes come more from Lord Quan.
- Selphina: No, they come from Lady Ethlyn! She used to look after me like a little sister, so I remember very well!
- Glade: Whoa, there's no need to get so excited. He's their child, he looks like both of them.
- Selphina: Oh...you're right. I'm sorry. I was just remembering Lady Ethlyn, and...
- Glade: ...... She must have regretted leaving her son behind...
- Selphina: Yes... Back then...Lady Altena used to be jealous of little Lord Leif and Lady Ethlyn. They seemed so happy together... I hoped to become a good mother like Lady Ethlyn when I grew up. But then...that nightmarish incident at Aed...
- Glade: Selphina...?
- Selphina: I'm sorry... I told myself I would never cry again...
- Glade: It's all right... Oh... Here, take a look at this.
- Selphina: What is this? ...Is it... Is this the legendary Hero's Bow!?
- Glade: It looks like it. I came across it by chance. I bought it for you, would you use it?
- Selphina: Of course! Thank you, Glade.
Ending
- Selphina - Bow of Beauty (美しき弓騎士, Utsukushi yumi kishi)
- After the New Kingdom of Thracia's army had been stabilized, Selphina resigned from her post as an officer. Instead of becoming a mother, she opened her family's mansion to the many children who lost their parents in the war. The orphans she saved grew up to be great men and women: a new generation that guided Thracia into the future. Because of this, Selphina is not only remembered as a knight, but also as the "Mother of Thracia." For centuries afterward, people would invoke her name for good fortune, hoping to inherit her strength and kindness.
Non-Canon Appearances
Fire Emblem 0 (Cipher)
Selphina is illustrated in the trading card game Fire Emblem Cipher with the following cards:
Choose Your Legends Placement History
| Round | Placement | Character Version | Votes |
|---|
| CYL1 | 714 |  Thracia 776 |
59 |
| CYL2 | 728 ↓14 |
Thracia 776 |
48 ↓11 |
| CYL3 | 523 ↑205 |
Thracia 776 |
72 ↑24 |
| CYL4 | 533 ↓10 |
Thracia 776 |
56 ↓15 |
| CYL5 | 463 ↑70 |
Thracia 776 |
42 ↓14 |
| CYL6 | 423 ↑40 |
Thracia 776 |
99 ↑57 |
| CYL7 | 399 ↑24 |
Thracia 776 |
33 ↓66 |
| CYL8 | 400 ↓1 |
Thracia 776 |
42 ↑9 |
| CYL9 | 360 ↑40 |
Thracia 776 |
39 ↓3 |
Gallery
