There’s no denying that Fire Emblem: Three Houses takes its character relationships further than any series entry has to date. More than ever, they’re friends and associates, not mere units on the battlefield. The player can’t help but grow close to them, as they tease out their budding talents and witness surprisingly touching support conversations.
Of the game’s colorful cast, Edelgard von Hresvelg is perhaps the most interesting and controversial of all. She’s a divisive figure, though she’s proven incredibly popular with the fanbase. If you’re looking to host a successful tea party with her, here’s a handy guide to doing so. We’ll cover Edelgard specifically and other broader tea party-related points, so that players of all experience levels can get a little something from it. Enjoy!
10 Firstly, When Can You Host Tea Parties?
For the benefit of newer players, it’s probably best to start at the beginning. Tea parties are small one-on-one events between Byleth and another student/faculty member of their choosing. They’re optional, but can help character relationships and potentially boost the Charm stat of the participants.
To unlock the option to host tea parties, the player must reach Chapter 4. At this point, Ferdinand of the Black Eagles will offer the quest Tea for Two, in which he gives Byleth a spare tea set to pass on to somebody who would appreciate it. Golden Deer student Lorenz is the intended recipient, so give him the tea set and the tea party feature will be unlocked.
9 Remember That She Can’t Be Tempted Into Joining Other Houses
This is quite an obvious point, but still one that’s worth bearing in mind for those new to Three Houses and/or tea party hosting. As players may know, their chosen house isn’t the be all and end all when it comes to students. When conditions are right, Byleth has the chance to recruit other houses’ students too.
Well, most of them. House leaders (Edelgard, Dimitri and Claude) and their closest companions (Hubert and Dedue for Edelgard and Dimitri respectively) can’t be recruited, meaning that Edelgard is unavailable for players who haven’t taken a Black Eagles route. With this knowledge, you might want to save your tea party schmoozing for other candidates!
8 There Are A Heck Of A Lot Of Tea Choices
As we’ll see a little later, Three Houses tea parties look like simple affairs, but they’re surprisingly sophisticated tests of your knowledge of your characters. The game encourages you to get to know the students and staff better, and you won’t get that much out of tea parties if you haven’t.
The first choice in these events is which type of tea to serve. Each invitee will have a preference for a particular brew, so if you really want to boost your support with them as much as you can, you’ll want to get the event off on the right foot by serving their favorite.
7 Edelgard Has Two Favorite Teas, Bergamot And Hresvelg Blend
Being royalty, it’s no surprise that fan favorite Edelgard has expensive tastes. She has two preferred teas: bergamot and the appropriately titled Hresvelg Blend. The first is a grade 4 item, while the latter is one of only two grade 5 teas (the other being Leicester Cortania).
Bergamot can be easily purchased from traders, while the Hresvelg Blend is a little more exclusive. It’s certainly worth stocking up on this high-grade tea whenever possible, though, because it’s not only Edelgard who adores it. Like the Owl Feather gift, it’s universally popular.
6 Knowing Your Students Is Super Important
Once the tea has been brewed and the fancy little cakes served, though, things take a more serious tone. It’s not just about the tea, it’s about the quality of conversations. This noble young woman may be accustomed to people being a little nervous around her, but there’s no time for that now.
At the beginning of a party, three different conversation topics will appear for Byleth to pick from. It’s for the player to decide which will interest their companion and which won’t. Sometimes, it’s quite clear which options to avoid (the introverted Bernadetta won’t want to discuss busy social events), but you don’t want to resort to guessing: incorrect choices will negatively affect the event and can lead to an abrupt ending.
5 Edelgard Likes To Talk About Warfare, The Future And…Cats
Spending time talking with students while exploring the monastery, keeping up to date with support conversations and checking out their likes and dislikes in the Units tab are all crucial habits to get into. These are the ways to ensure you’ll have impactful conversations during tea parties.
What the player has to do, then, is recognize themes in the types of topics that character prefers. In Edelgard’s case, work and warfare are important to her, so picking options like “You’re doing great work,” “Books you’ve read recently,” “A strong battalion” and “Reliable allies…” are surefire hits. She’s always looking ahead to becoming Emperor, too, so options such as “Fodlan’s future,” “Plans for the future” and “Hopes for your future” will ensure success. So too will “Cats…,” because she’s a cat person.
4 Don’t Get Tripped Up By Her Bonus Conversation Prompts
So, you’ve initiated a sparkling conversation with the Black Eagles leader and managed to maintain it three times. Whether it was homework, battle or cat talk that it for you, congratulations! Having done so well, though, you don’t want to drop the ball now.
After picking three ‘correct’ topic choices, the tea party moves on to the bonus conversation phase. Here, Edelgard will make a remark of her own, to which Byleth must respond in a manner that pleases her. Once again, it plays well to her nature that “Nod” is one of the correct responses to almost all of them, excepting when she imagines a simple life (Laugh, Praise, Sigh), discusses passing on the Imperial throne (Praise, Commend, Chat), or references Byleth’s calmness (Sigh, Disagree, Sip Tea).
3 A Perfect Tea Time With Her Will Pay Off
What exactly is a Perfect Teatime? Well, matching the tea, conversation topic and the bonus time topic earns the player the Perfect rating for that session. This unlocks a few different rewards.
For one thing, it means that your companion will stick around for as long as you wish, opening up a photoshoot option that allows the player to take some snaps of them. It also gives a nice boost to the friendship between Byleth and the student/staff member concerned. Finally, it can increase the Charm stat of both characters by a point each. Most importantly, this stat governs the Might of Battalions, a crucial new battle mechanic. A certain event involving the useful Dancer class revolves around the Charm stat too.
2 Know Which Are Her Favorite Items
While delicate little cakes, expensive tea and sophisticated conversation is the ideal afternoon for any royal lady, Edelgard is also sure to appreciate the right gift too. We’ve already mentioned the Owl Feather, which any character will appreciate, but everyone has their own preferences here too.
For Edelgard, the best gifts are the Board Game, Armored Bear Stuffy and Monarch Studies Book. Give her as many of these as possible along with the tea party, and you’ll curry her favor all the more.
1 Remember That The Black Eagles’ Story Will Split And You Might Lose Her
As fans know, there are various possible routes to take through the game. The experience for Golden Deer and Blue Lions players will be very different, while the Black Eagles path splits into distinct routes depending on whether the player chooses to side with Edelgard or the Church of Seiros.
If the player hits at least a C support level with Edelgard before 2/8 in the calendar, talking to her will open a unique dialogue option that allows the player to side with her when the time comes. Opting not to do so removes her and Hubert from the party forever, making any potential tea party schmoozing ultimately moot. Decide which path you’re going to take before committing to tea parties on either character’s behalf.
NEXT: Fire Emblem: 5 Reasons Edelgard’s Black Eagles Is The True Route In Three Houses (& 5 Reasons It Isn’t)
