Any% Route + Explanation

The current fastest semi-reliable route for any%, as well as potential optimizations if you're willing to grind out luck.

The NES version is faster than the Switch version, due to a strange delay during dialogue that only appears on the switch version. It's a pretty small difference considering the length of the game though, so it's not worth losing sleep over if you can only run on Switch.

Note: Hold A during text/combat to force max speed at all times

Time starts on the first black frame after starting a file

Turn 1-

Abel (right cav) 4 Up 5 Left (up left of the forest)
Menu -> Options (2nd from bottom) -> Animations (2nd option) -> Off
Marth 2 Up 5 Left (above forest)
Gordin 1 Left
Cain 4 Right 3 Up (end on village entrance)
Caeda 2 Left 1 Up
(Moving these three blocks the thief from moving, since he can no longer reach either of the remaining villages. In order to avoid doing this while still saving time, you must use Cain to crit the thief. This has around a 3% chance of occurring though [and you still need the rest of the map to have good luck too], and only saves around 5 seconds, so it's not super worth it unless you're grinding for WR)
Jagen 8 Left, Items -> Silver Lance -> Equip
Cursor Up, End Turn
(Any direction besides left is ok, but left wastes a bit of time waiting for the screen to scroll over.

Turn 1 EP-

Ideally Jagen kills both of the bandits he faces. It's ok if he misses an attack, but he can't leave both alive, nor can he leave either of them on full HP. It doesn't matter much if Jagen dodges here, as he only needs to dodge one attack over the course of the entire chapter to avoid death.

Turn 2-

Abel 2 Left 2 Down, javelin the bandit
(It's essential that this bandit dies here. Not killing him wastes too much time)
Marth 2 Down 5 Left
If there's a bandit alive on the tile above him, have him kill it, otherwise just wait.
Jagen 4 Down 5 Left, attack hunter with iron sword
Cursor Up, End Turn

Turn 2 EP-

If Jagen left the bandit on the fort alive, he'll attack Marth here. Marth will have no issues killing him, but it does mean that between here and turn 4 EP, he needs to dodge one attack, or he dies.
Ideally, Jagen will kill the bandit who attacks him here with a crit. It's very unlikely though, so expect him to fail to kill.

Turn 3-
Abel 2/3 Down
(It doesn't really matter which, you need to move the cursor 3 down to reach Jagen but 2 will be enough to avoid the pirates on turn 4)
Jagen 1 Down 1 Left, kill bandit with silver lance (or just equip it if he's dead)
Marth 3 Down 4 Left, toss rapier
(This can be done on turn 2 if Jagen killed both bandits on turn 1 EP, which saves a tiny bit of time since the cursor will start on Wait for Marth for one extra turn)
Cursor Up, End Turn

Turn 3 EP-

Literally nothing happens here

Turn 4-

Marth 4 Left
Jagen 2 Up 3 Left
(Note that you can move Jagen's cursor through the mountains rather than going below the bandit, which is slightly faster)
Cursor Up, End Turn

Turn 4 EP-

In an ideal world Jagen will miss the bandit that attacks him from the left. This will mean he fails to gain enough EXP for a second level up, saving a small amount of time, as well as the fact that misses are slightly faster than hits anyway.

Turn 5-

Jagen 3 Up 1 Left, attack boss with silver
(If Jagen misses, it's run over. It's decently likely he fails to hit at least one attack, which is frustrating, but there's not much that can make this more reliable while still being fast)
Marth 4 Up 2 Left, Seize
Save game (top option)
No (Bottom option)
After Anna finishes talking, input Up, Down, Left, Right, Up, A, Select

Time ends on the first black frame of the credits.

Lilio_

Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light

Nintendo Entertainment System

Switch

benchjuice

druid11

USA / NTSC

JPN / NTSC

Fire Emblem

3ds Emulation

legrandgrand

PikaSamus

JessieTheAnt