Maddening Difficulty Guide: Differences and Tips

Fire Emblem Engage's Maddening difficulty is the hardest mode available and suited for players who seek a challenge. Learn about maddening mode differences and tips for maddening difficulty.

Maddening Difficulty Differences

Maddening Difficulty Features

Certain tutorials are skipped. You cannot save progress during battle anymore. Number of enemies increases from Hard. Enemy stats increase from Hard. Some enemies receive skills.

Unit Stat Growth is Fixed

Unlike the other difficulty modes, units in Maddening difficulty have fixed stat growths. This means that each character and class has predetermined stats every level. Note that saving and resetting will reroll stats on level up.

▶︎ Growth Rates Explained for Character Stats

More Enemies with Better Stats and Skills

Differences Between Hard and Maddening Difficulty
Empty tile	New enemy!
Hard difficulty enemy stats	Increased stats!
Hard difficulty enemy skills	More skills!

▶︎ Difficulty Level Differences

Draconic Time Crystal Usage is Limited

In Maddening difficulty, the Draconic Time Crystal only has 10 charges. This is the same as Hard difficulty, but each rewind is more crucial on Maddening. Try to use it wisely and save it to revert crucial mistakes that could end your run.

▶︎ How to Rewind

Enemy Unit AI is Better

As expected, the behavior of enemies change as well because of the improved AI. An example of this is if an enemy will deal either 0 Hit or 0 Damage to your unit, it will not attack but instead approach you to prevent a counterattack.

Maddening Difficulty Tips

Get as much EXP as possible. Adopt a more defensive playstyle. Use terrain effects to your advantage. Carefully maneuver your frontline and backline units. Keep your units in top condition.

Get as Much EXP as Possible

The strength of your units is directly tied to their levels. Try to earn as much EXP as you can by defeating all enemies and not skipping optional battles. Take note that healing units also reward EXP. If you have a unit that can wield a Staff, do not be afraid to spam healing skills.

▶︎ How to Farm EXP

Adopt a More Defensive Playstyle

Enemies in Maddening difficulty have higher stats so it is unwise to recklessly send out your units into enemy territory. Try to pick fights that you are sure to win and to ensure victory, make use of the surrounding terrain.

Use Terrain Effects to Your Advantage

Some enemies will be able to one-shot your units or at least deal heavy damage. Try to fight in terrain where your units will receive bonuses to defenses. When attacking, always try to go for Breaks to avoid counterattacks.

▶︎ Terrains and Terrain Resistance Explained

Carefully Maneuver Your Frontline and Backline Units

It is important to have your units play their roles properly in Maddening difficulty. Always position your frontline units so they will be able to protect your backline units. Have your backline units finish enemy units as fast as possible so your frontline do not suffer from too much damage.

▶︎ Best Party Composition

Keep Your Units in Top Condition

Always make sure that your units are as strong as possible. Give them the strongest equipment that you can and do not neglect Support Levels. Do not forgot to eat at Cafe Terrace before battles and use Skill Inheritance to give your units the upper hand in combat.

▶︎ How to Build Characters

Maddening Difficulty Guide and Strategies

Focus Resources on Few Units

With the limited experience on Maddening mode, we want to make sure that our resources are actually going to the right characters. Avoid allowing allies to take experience points if you're planning to bench them and never use them again on the later chapters.

EXP Farming Guide: How to Level Up Fast

Plan Out Chosen Units Ahead

With the given experience limitation, you should also take note of which units you can actually get on the later chapters. Make sure to choose your units according to this information so you can immediately pin point which units you want to invest stat growth items to and which units you want to include in your party once you reach later chapters.

Best Units for Maddening Run

Use Engage When You Can

While saving Engage Mode for the boss battle works in other difficulties, it will probably not work Maddening difficulty. Try to use Engage Mode as much as you can to end fights quickly and suffer minimal damage. Of course, it is still a good idea to have it ready when you are about to fight the boss of the stage.

▶︎ Engage Mechanic Explained

Use Healing Tiles to Farm EXP

Some tiles like Forts will heal units standing on it. Station a Bow user and lure enemies close to get some EXP easily as they will not be able to retaliate.

Be Aware of Each Unit's Role and Skills

Always play to the strengths of your units. It is best to be familiar with the skills and capabilities of your units. Take advantage of their unit types, weapon advantages, and skills to quickly dispatch enemies.

▶︎ Unit Types Explained

Use the Qi Adept's Chain Guard

The Qi Adept's Chain Guard ability will come in clutch to reduce the damage taken by your units. Framme is a Qi Adept that you will be able to recruit early in the game. Try to fit one in your party when you can!

Qi Adept Units

Framme

Jean

Seadall

Increase Support Level by Healing

Fighting is not the only way to make your units stronger. In combat, healing units increases their Support Levels which will be useful later in the game.

▶︎ How to Increase Support Level

Maddening Chapter Walkthroughs

Prologue: The Emblems

Victory Conditions
Rout the Enemy
Defeat Conditions
Alear is Defeated
1	Have Alear approach the enemy.
2	Attack the enemies.
3	Use Engage to finish the battle.

▶︎ Prologue: The Emblems Walkthrough

Chapter 1: Awake at Last

First Phase

Second Phase

Victory Conditions
Rout the Enemy
Defeat Conditions
Alear is Defeated
1	Damage enemies with Vander.
2	Finish them off with Alear.
3	Use Engage to clear all the enemies.

▶︎ Chapter 1: Awake at Last Walkthrough

Chapter 2: Queen Lumera

First Phase

Second Phase

Victory Conditions
Defeat Lumera
Defeat Conditions
Alear is Defeated
Summary
・Vander is still a key unit ・Archer can potentially one-shot Framme. ・Defeating Lumera will move you to the next phase with HP recovered.
1	Damage enemies with Vander and finish them with Framme and Clanne.
2	Do the same with the Archers.
3	Damage Lumera with Vander and use Alear's Engage Attack to deal the finishing blow and go to the next phase.
4	Have Vander, Clanne, and Alear defeat the nearby enemies.
5	Defeat the archers and restore Vander's HP with Framme and put her in a safe position.
6	Surround and defeat the spearmen and heal Fran's HP with consumables if low.
7	Press the attack with Alear and Vander to lure Lumera and use Framme's Chain Guard.
8	Continue attacking Lumera and end with Alear's Lodestar Rush and Clanne's magic attacks.

Defeat all other enemies before luring out Lumera

When luring out Lumera, use Framme's Chain Guard to reduce damage.

▶︎ Chapter 2: Queen Lumera Walkthrough

Chapter 3: Hostilities

Victory Conditions
Rout the Enemy
Defeat Conditions
Alear is Defeated
Summary
・On turn 2, reinforcements will arrive ・Slowly push forwards while having Etie deal with the flying units ・Boss will be resistant to most attacks except Clanne's magic
1	・Defeat the enemies on the right with Vander and Alear. Use Chain Guard for defense.
2	・Defeat the flying units on the right with Etie and Clanne. ・Take care of the melee enemies with Vander and Alear. ・Defeat the spearman with Boucheron and Alfred.
3	・Slowly move forwards.
4	・Defeat the enemies as you press on.
5	・Have Vander lure out the flying units on the right.
6	・Using the debris in the center, form a wall with your units.
7	・Boss is resistant to physical attacks so use magic attacks.

Be careful when luring the flying units on the rear, right side

Be careful when moving forward because when you enter the attack range of the flying units on the right side near the boss, all other units will move in to attack. Clear all other units before moving to defeat the flying units.

▶︎ Chapter 3: Hostilities Walkthrough

Fire Emblem Engage Related Guides

▶︎ Beginner's Guide to Fire Emblem Engage

All Tips and Tricks

Tier Lists and Builds
Best Units	Best Classes for Each Unit
Best Emblem Ring Pairings	Class Tier List
Best Party Composition	Best Units for Maddening Run
How to Build Characters	Emblem Tier List
Unit Guides
How to Recruit Units	Class Change: When to Promote Units
Best Gifts for All Characters	Growth Rates and Stat Caps
Every Stat Explained	How to Increase Weapon Proficiency
How to Get the Pact Ring	All Paired Endings
Romance Options	What Happens on Your Birthday?
How to Get S Rank Support	Should you Gift the Horse Manure?
Valuable Items/Farming Guides
SP Farming	EXP Farming
Gold Farming	Where to Get Master Seals
Where to Get Second Seals	How to Get the Silver Card
How to Farm Iron, Steel, and Silver Ingots	How to Farm Bane Books
Emblem Guides
Skill Inheritance	How to Farm Bond Fragments
All Synchro Skills	How to Reach Level 20 Bond Level
How to Use Emblem Rings	Bond Effects
Engage Mechanic Explained	-
Battle and Combat Guides
How to Reroll Skirmishes	How to Reroll Stats on Level Up
Should You Optimize?	Poison Mechanic Explained
Permadeath Explained	How to Open Treasure Chests and Doors
Dodge vs Avoid Explained	What Does Luck Affect?
Build Stat and Attack Speed	Follow-Up Attack Guide
How to Rewind	Exploration Guide
How to Use Auto-Battle	Break Mechanic Explained
Battle Symbols Explained	Weapon Durability
Spirits of the Fallen	Weapon Triangle Explained
How to Navigate Dark Maps	Terrains Explained
Other Guides/FAQs
Missable Items	Post Game Content
How to Unlock DLC	Lookout Ridge
Difficulty Level Differences	Maddening Difficulty Guide
Lost Items	Are There Dark Seals?
Fell Xenologue Unlock Guide	-