Othello

Othello’s life changed after meeting Reks, a runaway noble who abandoned his birth family after saving Othello from a crime punishable by death. The two fled together and eventually became inseparable partners known as the “Lunar Scales.” Othello only survived because of Reks, which lead the two to place complete trust in one another above anyone else. 

Othello and Reks first briefly appear during Chapter 13, where the pair rob a house before being spotted by Alouette. The White Lions later encounter them directly in Chapter 14, where the duo is accused of looting during riots caused by Beckett. After being apprehended, Boone can either advocate for their freedom or allow Alouette to send them to Illwish Island.

If Boone chooses to trust them, Othello and Reks later join the White Lions during the Burga arc. However, Othello’s flaws continue to surface, and the duo betrays the White Lions in Chapter 16 after being tempted by the wealth and corruption surrounding Burgan society. While much of the decision is driven by Othello, Reks ultimately follows him. Boone is once again given the opportunity to forgive them, leading to their permanent recruitment in Chapter 19: The Greater Good.

Recruitment

To recruit Othello, Boone must speak to Alouette during Chapter 14 and choose “Advocate for the bandits.” This allows Othello to temporarily join in Chapter 15 before leaving prior to Chapter 16. During Chapter 16, Boone must once again speak to Alouette and choose “Let them go free.” If both choices are made, Othello will automatically rejoin permanently at the start of Turn 2 in Chapter 19: The Greater Good. 

Unit Data

Unit Analysis

Othello is one of the many “axe bros” in the game alongside Caspian, Silvan, Riley, Beckett, and Ezra. Compared to the other axe users, Othello stands out for his exceptional bulk. His Defense is comparable to armor knights while still maintaining strong Speed and an enormous Power stat. This gives Othello a unique role as a front-line bruiser capable of both taking and dealing heavy damage. Othello’s excellent Strength allows him to reliably one-round many enemies, especially lance users due to the weapon triangle advantage improving his shaky hit rates.

Othello’s biggest weakness is his inconsistent accuracy. His low Dexterity and middling Luck can make axes unreliable at times, particularly against evasive enemies. Like most fighter archetypes, Othello also has extremely poor Resistance, which makes magic users a major threat to him throughout the game. Fortunately, his excellent HP and respectable Speed make him difficult for the enemy to double attack. While Othello is not going to be landing critical hits consistently, he excels as a dependable front-line unit capable of holding chokepoints and absorbing physical attacks. 

A unique aspect of Othello is his ability to use the Steal command due to his background as a thief. This allows him to function as a secondary utility unit capable of grabbing valuable enemy items, and his presence helps to reduce reliance on dedicated thieves like Atticus or Law. 

As a Fighter, Othello has access to both Warrior and Hero promotions. Warrior grants him additional weapon flexibility through bows, but Hero is where Othello truly distinguishes himself from the rest of the cast. Othello is arguably the best user of the Verdict Edge in the entire game. The Verdict Edge is a Hero-exclusive sword with extremely high Might, built-in critical chance, and the ability to always strike twice. While it cannot quadruple attack like a traditional brave weapon, its guaranteed double strike synergizes perfectly with Othello’s massive 60% Power growth. Access to swords also helps patch up Othello’s accuracy issues significantly and turns him into an extremely reliable enemy-phase unit capable of deleting enemies before they can retaliate. Hero’s impressive 27 Defense cap also synergizes perfectly with Othello’s natural bulk.

Overall, Othello is a highly dependable front-line unit who combines the raw power of a fighter with the durability of an armor knight. His excellent Strength, Defense, and respectable Speed make him a very reliable physical unit. While his shaky accuracy and terrible Resistance can occasionally hold him back, his Wind affinity and access to swords through Hero help patch up many of his weaknesses. Although Othello permanently joins in Chapter 19, he still has enough availability to become a major contributor throughout the mid and late game. Othello may initially appear to be just another axe user, but his unique access to Steal and exceptional synergy with the Verdict Edge allow him to stand apart from the rest of the cast. 

Comparable Units

Beckett • Vergil • Caspian • Silvan • Riley • Ezra • Harlan