This page explains how to recruit every character in Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes.
For the most part, you will obtain a large portion of the characters the moment you choose a house during Chapter 2. This will give you 8 characters from the chosen house (Black Eagles, Blue Lions or Golden Deer). Then, as the story progresses, a few more characters may naturally join you.
How to Recruit Characters from Other Countries¶
(1 of 4) First, obtain Strategy Resources by conquering territories.
In addition, it’s possible to recruit certain characters from other sides, by triggering Strategies prior to the main quest. First, you should acquire Strategy Resources by capturing territories on the War Map. Then, before beginning the main quest battle, spend Strategy Resources to enable the relevant Strategy. It will typically be named “Persuade (Character)”.
As the battle progresses, when it becomes possible to recruit the character, a prompt to activate the Strategy will appear. Hold down 
until the button gauge is full, to activate the Strategy. Doing so will change the mission requirement so that defeating that character will make them join you.
Post-Game Rewards¶
A handful of characters can be recruited after completing the game, via Renown bonuses. Back at the base camp, investigate your Journal and choose the third option, “Spend Renown”, then “Unlock Units”.
Obtained in Main Story¶
Prologue¶
| Character | Class | Chapter | How to Recruit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shez | Myrmidon | 0 | Joins at the start of the Chapter. |
If You Choose Black Eagles (Scarlet Blaze)¶
| Character | Class | Chapter | How to Recruit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edelgard | Fighter | 2 | Joins at the start of the Chapter. |
| Hubert | Monk | 2 | Joins at the start of the Chapter. |
| Dorothea | Monk | 2 | Joins at the start of the Chapter. |
| Ferdinand | Soldier | 2 | Joins at the start of the Chapter. |
| Bernadetta | Fighter | 2 | Joins at the start of the Chapter. |
| Caspar | Fighter | 2 | Joins at the start of the Chapter. |
| Petra | Myrmidon | 2 | Joins at the start of the Chapter. |
| Linhardt | Monk | 2 | Joins at the start of the Chapter. |
| Monica | Monk | 3 | Joins at the start of the Chapter. |
| Manuela | Priest | 4 | Joins at the start of the Chapter. |
| Jeritza | Cavalier | 4 | Joins at the start of the Chapter. |
| Constance | Mage | 4 | Activate the “Persuade Constance” Strategy during the Chapter’s Main Quest and defeat her. |
| Hapi | Mage | 4 | Activate the “Persuade Hapi” Strategy during the Chapter’s Main Quest and defeat her. |
| Ashe | Archer | 5 | Activate the “Persuade Ashe” Strategy during the Chapter’s Main Quest and defeat him. |
| Lorenz | Cavalier | 6 | Activate the “Persuade Lorenz” Strategy during the Chapter’s Main Quest and defeat him. |
| Ignatz | Archer | 6 | Activate the “Persuade Ignatz” Strategy during the Chapter’s Main Quest and defeat him. |
| Balthus | Brawler | 6 | Activate the “Persuade Balthus” Strategy during the Chapter’s Main Quest and defeat him. |
| Raphael | Grappler | 7 | Activate the “Persuade Raphael” Strategy during the Chapter’s Main Quest and defeat him. Ignatz must be present. |
| Lysithea | Warlock | 7 | Activate the “Persuade Lysithea” Strategy during the Chapter’s Main Quest and defeat her. |
| Marianne | Bishop | 7 | Activate the “Persuade Marianne” Strategy during the Chapter’s Main Quest and defeat her. |
| Mercedes | Bishop | 8 | Activate the “Persuade Mercedes” Strategy during the Chapter’s Main Quest and defeat her. Jeritza must be present. |
| Shamir | Sniper | 9 | Activate the “Persuade Shamir” Strategy during the Chapter’s Main Quest and defeat her. |
| Yuri | Trickster | 10 | Activate the “Persuade Yuri” Strategy during the Chapter’s Main Quest and defeat him. |
| Byleth | Silverheart | 10 | Please refer to dedicated guide. |
| Jeralt | Holy Knight | 10 | Joins at the end of the chapter if you recruited Byleth. |
| Leonie | Holy Knight | 12 | Activate the “Persuade Leonie” Strategy during the Chapter’s Main Quest, then escort her to safety. |
If You Choose Blue Lions (Azure Gleam)¶
| Character | Class | Chapter | How to Recruit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dimitri | Soldier | 2 | Joins at the start of the Chapter. |
| Dedue | Fighter | 2 | Joins at the start of the Chapter. |
| Felix | Myrmidon | 2 | Joins at the start of the Chapter. |
| Mercedes | Monk | 2 | Joins at the start of the Chapter. |
| Ashe | Fighter | 2 | Joins at the start of the Chapter. |
| Annette | Monk | 2 | Joins at the start of the Chapter. |
| Sylvain | Soldier | 2 | Joins at the start of the Chapter. |
| Ingrid | Soldier | 2 | Joins at the start of the Chapter. |
| Rodrigue | Cavalier | 4 | Joins at the start of the Chapter. |
| Petra | Thief | 4 | Activate the “Persuade Petra” Strategy during the Chapter’s Main Quest and defeat her. |
| Hapi | Mage | 4 | Activate the “Persuade Hapi” Strategy during the Chapter’s Main Quest and defeat her. |
| Seteth | Cavalier | 5 | Joins at the start of the Chapter. |
| Flayn | Priest | 5 | Joins at the start of the Chapter. |
| Dorothea | Mage | 5 | Activate the “Persuade Dorothea” Strategy during the Chapter’s Main Quest and defeat her. |
| Bernadetta | Archer | 6 | Activate the “Persuade Bernadetta” Strategy during the Chapter’s Main Quest and defeat her. |
| Shamir | Sniper | 9 | Activate the “Persuade Shamir” Strategy during the Chapter’s Main Quest, then rescue her from enemies. |
| Yuri | Assassin | 9 | Activate the “Persuade Yuri” Strategy during the Chapter’s Main Quest and defeat him. |
| Catherine | Swordmaster | 9 | Joins at the end of the chapter. |
| Lorenz | Paladin | 10 | Choose “Recruit them to your team” at the start of the chapter. |
| Ignatz | Sniper | 10 | Choose “Recruit them to your team” at the start of the chapter. |
| Raphael | Grappler | 10 | Choose “Recruit them to your team” at the start of the chapter. |
| Marianne | Bishop | 10 | Choose “Recruit them to your team” at the start of the chapter. |
| Balthus | War Master | 10 | Activate the “Persuade Balthus” Strategy during the Chapter’s Main Quest, then rescue him from enemies. |
| Linhardt | Dark Bishop | 11 | Activate the “Persuade Linhardt” Strategy during the Chapter’s Main Quest and defeat him. |
| Constance | Gremory | 11 | Activate the “Persuade Constance” Strategy during the Chapter’s Main Quest and defeat her. |
| Byleth | Silverheart | 12 | Please refer to dedicated guide. |
| Jeralt | Holy Knight | 12 | Joins at the end of the chapter if you recruited Byleth. |
| Jeritza | Death Knight | 13 | Activate the “Persuade Death Knight” Strategy during the Chapter’s Main Quest and defeat him. Mercedes must be present. |
If You Choose Golden Deer (Golden Wildfire)¶
| Character | Class | Chapter | How to Recruit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claude | Fighter | 2 | Joins at the start of the Chapter. |
| Lorenz | Soldier | 2 | Joins at the start of the Chapter. |
| Hilda | Fighter | 2 | Joins at the start of the Chapter. |
| Raphael | Fighter | 2 | Joins at the start of the Chapter. |
| Lysithea | Monk | 2 | Joins at the start of the Chapter. |
| Ignatz | Fighter | 2 | Joins at the start of the Chapter. |
| Marianne | Monk | 2 | Joins at the start of the Chapter. |
| Leonie | Soldier | 2 | Joins at the start of the Chapter. |
| Shamir | Archer | 4 | Joins at the start of the Chapter. |
| Linhardt | Priest | 4 | Activate the “Persuade Linhardt” Strategy during the Chapter’s Main Quest and defeat him. |
| Balthus | Brawler | 5 | Activate the “Persuade Balthus” Strategy during the Chapter’s Main Quest and defeat him. |
| Holst | Swordmaster | 5 | Joins at the end of the chapter. |
| Bernadetta | Archer | 6 | Activate the “Persuade Bernadetta” Strategy during the Chapter’s Main Quest and defeat her. |
| Petra | Thief | 7 | Activate the “Persuade Petra” Strategy during the Chapter’s Main Quest and defeat her. |
| Hapi | Warlock | 9 | Activate the “Persuade Hapi” Strategy during the Chapter’s Main Quest and defeat her. |
| Constance | Warlock | 9 | Activate the “Persuade Constance” Strategy during the Chapter’s Main Quest and defeat her. |
| Yuri | Trickster | 10 | Activate the “Persuade Yuri” Strategy during the Chapter’s Main Quest and defeat him. |
| Byleth | Silverheart | 10 | Please refer to dedicated guide. |
| Jeralt | Holy Knight | 10 | Joins at the end of the chapter if you recruited Byleth. |
| Ashe | Bow Knight | 11 | Activate the “Persuade Ashe” Strategy during the Chapter’s Main Quest and defeat him. |
| Dorothea | Gremory | 13 | Activate the “Persuade Dorothea” Strategy during the Chapter’s Main Quest, then escort her to safety. |
Obtained in Post-Game¶
| Character | Class | Chapter | How to Recruit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhea | Saint | 4+ | Unlocked with 60 Renown after completing game. |
| Sothis | Gremory | 4+ | Unlocked with 60 Renown after completing game. |
| Arval | Dark Bishop/Gremory | 4+ | Unlocked with 60 Renown after completing game with Byleth recruited. |
| Gatekeeper | Soldier | 5+ | (We’re currently looking into it.) |
Noticed this doesn't specify when Gatekeep joins so I thought I would provide an answer. They will join after the timeskip in new game plus under the following conditions: - You have completed 2 of the house's stories on the same save - Your current house is the final house you have not finished
I started with Scarlet Blaze, finished Azure Gleam, and then started up Golden Wildfire and once I hit the timeskip gatekeeper was waiting to be recruited.