This page is about the status effect Desperation. For the Tactics Drills map, see Skill Studies 5: Desperation. For the Passive skill, see Desperation.
Desperation[1] is a status effect that allows units to preform a follow-up attack before the foe can counterattack.
In essence, an afflicted unit behaves as if it possesses 
Desperation 3 and satisfies its activation requirement. For sources of this status effect, see the category page Sources of Desperation.
Skill Interaction[ | ]
Main article: Skill interaction
- "If unit initiates combat" means if the user starts combat during the player phase. The unit does not need to deal damage, nor be the first to attack.
- However, if the effect is applied after combat, the unit must also survive it to fulfill this condition.
Desperation does not guarantee the user a follow-up.- If the user can perform a follow-up, either by passing the Spd difference check or from guaranteed follow-up effects, the initial attack and follow-up will occur before the foe can perform a counterattack.
- Effects such as Vantage or Paranoia have priority over Desperation's priority changing effect.
- Desperation changes the priority, or order of attacks, and therefore can be neutralized by effects such as Hardy Bearing 3 or Caltrop Dagger+.
| Icon | Type | Example Source | Description | Sound Effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Positive |  Byleth: Fell Star's Duo Firestorm Dance 3
|
Grants the following effect for 1 turn: "If unit initiates combat, unit can make a follow-up attack before foe can counterattack." |
Sources of Desperation[ | ]
List of Weapons
List of Unrefined Weapons
| Weapon | Description |
|---|---|
| Crow's Crystal | Accelerates Special trigger (cooldown count-1). At start of turn, if unit's HP ≥ 25%, grants "unit cannot be slowed by terrain (does not apply to impassable terrain),"【Desperation】, and 【Dominance】to unit for 1 turn. At start of combat, if unit's HP ≥ 25%, grants Atk/Spd+6 to unit during combat and neutralizes effects that prevent unit's follow-up attacks. 【Desperation】 Grants the following effect for 1 turn: "If unit initiates combat, unit can make a follow-up attack before foe can counterattack." 【Dominance】 Unit deals additional damage = total penalties on foe for 1 turn. |
| Dead-Crow Tome | Accelerates Special trigger (cooldown count-1). At start of turn, if unit's HP ≥ 25%, grants Special cooldown count-1 to unit and grants Atk/Spd+6 and【Desperation】to unit and allies within 2 spaces of unit for 1 turn, and also, if unit's HP = 100% at start of turn, grants additional Special cooldown count-1 to unit. At start of combat, if unit's HP ≥ 25%, grants Atk/Spd+6 to unit, grants bonus to unit's Atk/Spd = 20% of unit's Spd at start of combat, deals damage = 20% of unit's Spd (including when dealing damage with a Special triggered before combat), and neutralizes effects that prevent unit's follow-up attacks during combat, and also, if unit's HP = 100% at start of combat, neutralizes effects that inflict "Special cooldown charge -X" on unit during combat. 【Desperation】 Grants the following effect for 1 turn: "If unit initiates combat, unit can make a follow-up attack before foe can counterattack." |
| Nabata Beacon+ | At start of turn, if unit is within 2 spaces of an ally, grants "unit cannot be slowed by terrain (does not apply to impassable terrain)" and 【Desperation】to unit for 1 turn. If unit initiates combat or is within 2 spaces of an ally, grants Atk/Spd/Def/Res+4 to unit during combat and deals damage = 10% of unit's Atk (excluding area-of-effect Specials). 【Desperation】 Grants the following effect for 1 turn: "If unit initiates combat, unit can make a follow-up attack before foe can counterattack." |
| Nabata Beacon | |
| Wind Genesis | Accelerates Special trigger (cooldown count-1). At start of turn, if unit's HP ≥ 25%, grants Atk/Spd+6 and【Desperation】to unit for 1 turn. At start of combat, if unit's HP ≥ 25%, grants Atk/Spd+6 to unit during combat and inflicts penalty on foe's Spd/Res during combat = 11 - foe's max Special cooldown count value × 2. (Minimum penalty of 3. If foe does not have a Special skill, penalty = 3.) 【Desperation】 Grants the following effect for 1 turn: "If unit initiates combat, unit can make a follow-up attack before foe can counterattack." |
List of Refined Weapons
None, currently.
List of Skill Refined Weapons
| Icon | Weapon | Refined Description |
|---|---|---|
 |
Winds of Silesse | At start of turn, if unit's HP ≥ 25%, grants Atk/Spd+6,【Desperation】, and "Special cooldown charge +1 per attack during combat (only highest value applied; does not stack)" to unit for 1 turn. At start of combat, if unit's HP ≥ 25%, grants Atk/Spd+5 to unit during combat. 【Desperation】 Grants the following effect for 1 turn: "If unit initiates combat, unit can make a follow-up attack before foe can counterattack." |
List of Assists
None, currently.
List of Specials
None, currently.
List of Passives
List of A Passives
None, currently.
List of B Passives
| Icon | Passive | Description |
|---|---|---|
 |
Firestorm Dance 3 | If Sing or Dance is used, enables【Canto (１)】on unit and grants Atk/Spd+6 and【Desperation】 to target for 1 turn. 【Canto (１)】 After an attack, Assist skill, or structure destruction, unit can move １ space(s). (Unit moves according to movement type. Once per turn. Cannot attack or assist. Only highest value applied. Does not stack. After moving, if a skill that grants another action would be triggered (like with Galeforce), Canto will trigger after the granted action. Unit's base movement has no effect on movement granted. Cannot warp (using skills like Wings of Mercy) a distance greater than unit would be able to move with normal Canto movement.) 【Desperation】 Grants the following effect for 1 turn: "If unit initiates combat, unit can make a follow-up attack before foe can counterattack." |
List of C Passives
None, currently.
List of Attuned Skills
None, currently.
List of Sacred Seals
None, currently.
List of Emblem Effects
None, currently.
List of Captain Skills
None, currently.
List of Duo Skills
| Owners | Duo Skill |
|---|---|
 Byleth: Fell Star's Duo |
Grants【Desperation】to unit and allies within 2 spaces. At start of every third turn, if Duo Skill has already been used, unit can use Duo Skill again. 【Desperation】 Grants the following effect for 1 turn: "If unit initiates combat, unit can make a follow-up attack before foe can counterattack." |
List of Harmonized Skills
| Owners | Harmonized Skill |
|---|---|
 Catria: Azure Wing Pair |
Grants the following effects to unit and allies from the same titles as unit for 1 turn: 【Resonance: Blades】,【Desperation】, and "if unit initiates combat, unit makes a guaranteed follow-up attack." 【Resonance: Blades】 Grants Atk/Spd+4 during combat for 1 turn. 【Desperation】 Grants the following effect for 1 turn: "If unit initiates combat, unit can make a follow-up attack before foe can counterattack." |
 Leif: Destined Scions |
|
 Igrene: Sworn Protectors |
Grants【Resonance: Blades】,【Treachery】, and【Desperation】to unit and allies from the same titles as unit. 【Resonance: Blades】 Grants Atk/Spd+4 during combat for 1 turn. 【Treachery】 Unit deals additional damage = total bonuses on unit for 1 turn. 【Desperation】 Grants the following effect for 1 turn: "If unit initiates combat, unit can make a follow-up attack before foe can counterattack." |
List of Items
None, currently.
List of Structures
None, currently.
In other languages[ | ]
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English (US) | Desperation |
| Japanese | 攻め立て |
| German | Verzweiflung |
| Spanish (Europe) | Arremetida |
| Spanish (Latin America) | Arremetida |
| French | Adrénaline |
| Italian | Disperazione |
| Traditional Chinese (Taiwan) | 猛攻 |
| Portuguese | Desespero |