Jumping into Fire Emblem: Three Houses can be overwhelming at first, but once you’ve sunk some real time into the monastery and gotten to know your students, the experience becomes deeply rewarding. With its three different houses and a world rich in detail, replayability is baked into the game’s design. But for new players or those still getting their bearings, there are several key lessons that can dramatically improve your time in the game. Here’s a deeper dive into the early-game strategies and nuances that will set you up for long-term success, especially around the monastery.

Understanding the Professor Level – Your Gateway to Doing More

Early in the game, you’re limited by the number of activity points available when exploring the monastery. These points govern everything from eating meals with students to participating in events. Increasing your Professor Level expands your capacity to do more during each exploration session. Most activities inside the monastery reward small amounts of Professor XP, but if you’re looking to climb that ladder quickly, keep your eyes peeled for glowing blue wisps scattered around. These often lead to lost items or, occasionally, pure experience boosts. Prioritize exploring thoroughly and don’t hesitate to dart off the beaten path—you never know where that next XP boost might be hiding.

Fishing is another underrated but crucial part of your routine. Not only does it yield small amounts of Professor XP, but it’s also free of activity point costs, requiring only bait. In the early game, bait is scarce, so use it wisely. Remember: you don’t need to reel in the first fish that bites. You can skip up to three fish per bait to try and snag a rarer one. Look for the bite indicators—blue is common, red is rarer, and special event days (noted on the calendar) may offer even more lucrative catches like goldfish or the elusive Goddess Messenger. Fishing on these days is a great way to both level up and earn extra funds.

Maximize the Greenhouse and Gifts to Woo Students

While often overlooked, the greenhouse offers high strategic value. Here, you can plant seeds that grow into flowers, which double as powerful gift items to improve support levels with students. You can return to harvest your crops a week later, and while the effects of different cultivation methods aren’t always clear, experimenting doesn’t hurt. Focus on flowers if your goal is student recruitment—they’re universal pleasers.

Recruitment itself can feel cryptic, but support levels appear to play a pivotal role. Instead of obsessing over stat thresholds and skill requirements, simply build relationships. Share meals, return lost items, offer gifts—these all push the needle. Tea parties are another strong option once you’ve progressed far enough. Even seemingly exclusive characters like Hilda can be recruited with enough support points.

To make the most of gifting and gardening, you’ll want access to the Eastern and Southern Merchants. These vendors unlock after completing a side quest (likely titled “Clearing the Way”) a few months into the game. They offer bait, seeds, cooking items, tea leaves, and gifts—everything you need to bolster both productivity and friendships. Their stock refreshes monthly, so if you can afford it, buy them out.

Meal Sharing, Motivation, and Monthly Strategy

Sharing a meal does more than warm the hearts of your students—it fully restores motivation if they like the dish. Always look for the blue arrows indicating favored meals. Later in the game, with more activity points at your disposal, you can fill the motivation bars of four to six students in one session. That sets you up for much more effective instruction on teaching days.

If you’re about to head into a battle-heavy month, consider cooking meals that boost stat bonuses for the entire team. A single dish can give your entire army an edge across multiple skirmishes. And don’t ignore the faith-raising choir practice—it’s an efficient way to boost white magic for your healers without using up key resources.

Class Mastery and Smart Training Tactics

Each unit begins as a Noble or Commoner and should master that initial class to unlock the HP+5 ability. It’s an early-game advantage that carries over into other classes. However, once you move into Intermediate classes, it’s more important to focus on the mastery bonuses of your chosen path. For example, Brigand nets you Death Blow (+6 Strength on initiation), Mage offers Fiendish Blow (+6 Magic), and Mercenary grants Vantage. These passive abilities can dramatically alter performance, especially in higher difficulty settings.

If you’re looking to farm class mastery efficiently, equip weak or rusted weapons and have your units fight but not kill enemies. This allows them to accrue mastery and skill XP per round of combat without ending the encounter too quickly. Make sure they can survive multiple turns and keep healing them as needed.

Authority, Battalions, and the Power of Gambits

Battalions bring stat bonuses and unique Gambits to the battlefield. These can range from AOE damage and healing to barrier-breaking effects against monstrous enemies. However, your unit’s Authority level dictates what battalions they can use. Don’t neglect this skill—it’s easy to overlook but deeply impactful. If you’re unsure what to train a student in, Authority is a safe and highly valuable fallback.

Gambits are situational but powerful. Know their range and effect, and try to pair them with high-AOE potential when going up against giant beasts. Not only do they break barriers faster, but they also contribute to overall tactical flexibility in complex fights.

Final Thoughts

There’s still so much more to explore in Three Houses, but mastering the monastery early on sets the tone for everything else. Whether you’re min-maxing your party, recruiting every student, or simply soaking in the atmosphere, there’s a wealth of mechanics to discover. Don’t be afraid to experiment, and always keep learning—from your students and from the game itself.

This guide just scratches the surface, but hopefully, it gives you a strong foundation. If you’ve got more tips or want guides on specific systems, there’s always more to dive into. Until then, enjoy your journey as a professor—and don’t forget to check the calendar.