Fire Emblem Warriors Three Hopes: Cleobulus Boss Guide

Who is Cleobulus 

Cleobulus is one of the main villains that you battle in Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes. He is a non-playable character and a member of an organization called “Those who slither in the dark”. The organization consists of members remnants of an ancient civilization called Agartha. They operate throughout Fodlan.

Under the leadership of Thales, Cleobulus wants to take over the Kingdom. There is not much information about Cleobulus available online, but his intentions are definitely not good.

Role of Cleobulus 

Now Cleobulus disguised himself as Cornelia Arnim, as we see in Chapter 16 of Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Houses. He will appear in the Crimson Flower route of this chapter. Cleobulus will also appear as a boss in Chapter 18 in the Azure Moon Route.

In Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes, he is no different. He appears as one of the bosses in Chapter 3 along with Rufus on the Blue Lions Route. 

Main Weapon

While disguised as Cornelia, Cleobulus wields the powerful staff called “Asclepius,” which is one of the strongest weapons in the game. This staff can only be used by Cornelia and, subsequently, Cleobulus. Equipping Asclepius grants Cleobulus +3 protection and the ability to restore 10% of their HP.

Class

When posing as Cornelia, Cleobulus belongs to The Gremory Class, which is exclusive to female characters and is known for its exceptional magical skills. Gremorians, like Cornelia, excel in magic attacks and have high resistance and charm. However, they lack physical defense, HP, and mobility.

Before taking on the persona of Cornelia, Cleobulus was part of the Warlock class. This advanced magic class also boasts high resistance and potent magic attacks, with slightly better movement and HP than Gremorians. Facing Cleobulus in his true form as a Warlock would be a formidable challenge.

Abilities Of Cleobulus 

Cleobulus, with his affiliation with “those who slither in the dark,” possesses several powerful abilities when he takes on the persona of Cornelia. These abilities make him a formidable enemy in the Fire Emblem games:

1. Agarthan Technology: Reduces damage taken during combat, making Cleobulus highly resilient to attacks.
2. Black Magic Uses x2: Increases the number of times he can cast black magic spells in battle.
3. Dark Magic Uses x2: Doubles the number of dark magic spells he can use during a battle.
4. Black Tomefaire: Boosts the power of his black magic attacks, granting a +5 attack when active.
5. White Magic Uses x2: Doubles the number of times white magic spells can be cast during a battle, enhancing his healing capabilities.
6. Reason Level 5: Provides increased Hit, Damage, and Avoid Rate when performing black or dark magic, making him highly accurate and potent in combat.
7. Defense +2: Grants a +2 increase to his defense, making him notably durable.
8. Poison Strike: Deals additional damage equal to 20% of the opponent’s HP at the end of combat, making him a formidable adversary.
9. Defiant Mag: Enhances his magic when his HP is low, granting a +8 boost to magic when activated.
10. Unsealable Magic: Protects Cleobulus/Cornelia from being silenced or stunned, allowing him to use his magic attacks freely without interruptions.

Spells Used By Cleobulus

Cleobulus himself did not have any spells as far as we know. But when disguised as Cornelia, he can perform two spells. Let’s look at the spells in detail below.

Death Spell

• A potent mid-range spell, typically exclusive to enemy units, including Cleobulus.
• Players can obtain and use this spell through a DLC package.
• While not as damaging as in previous Fire Emblem games, it has a high critical rate, making it deadly.
• To mitigate the damage from the Death Spell, players can raise their defense, equip certain buffs, or use shields to protect against it.

Luna Spell

• A powerful spell also seen in Three Houses and available to Cleobulus in Three Hopes.
• The Luna Spell has the unique ability to negate an opponent’s Resistance when used.
• However, using this spell prevents Cleobulus (or Cornelia) from making follow-up attacks.
• Players can take advantage of this limitation by focusing on damaging attacks and ensuring they have high defense when facing Cleobulus in the form of Cornelia.

Battalions Used By Cleobulus

Cleobulus himself did not have any battalions he could equip. However, when he is in the form of Cornelia, he can equip two battalions. Below is detailed information on these two battalions, so you’ll know how to counter Cleobulus when you face him.

Blue Lion Magic Corps Battalion

• Exclusive to the Blue Lions route in both Three Houses and Three Hopes.
• Available in Chapter 3 when facing Cleobulus, and players can also obtain it by accessing the Battalion Guild.
• Requires a high level of Authority skill to be equipped.
• Boosts the following stats when equipped:
  • Charm
  • Resilience
  • Magic
• Provides smaller boosts to Protection and Hit.
• Decreases Avoid and Strength, making it less suitable for melee users.
• Ideal for magic-focused characters like Cleobulus, as it enhances their magical capabilities.

Resonant Ice Battalion 

• A gambit that boosts the user’s attack, making them more powerful and damaging.
• Introduced in Three Houses and also available to Cleobulus in Three Hopes.
• Targets multiple enemies and can be used from a distance.
• Inflicts a “rattled” status on opponents, freezing them in place and reducing their movement.
• Players should be equipped with protection to counter the effects of the Resonant Ice Battalion.

Skill Levels For Different Weapons

Cleobulus himself does not have a good rating for various weapons. But when in the form of Cornelia, he can use certain powerful weapons to attack you. Let’s see the ratings he has for different weapons.

Weapons:

• Sword: E Rating
• Lances: E Rating
• Axe: E Rating
• Bow: E Rating
• Brawling: E Rating

Magic:

• Black Magic: A Rating
• White Magic: A Rating

Other Skills:

• Authority: A Rating
• Heavy Armor: E Rating
• Riding: E Rating
• Flying: E Rating

These skill ratings reflect Cornelia Arnim’s capabilities when Cleobulus assumes her form. Cleobulus mainly excels in magic, particularly black and white magic, with A ratings in both. His low ratings in physical weapons and armor skills make him vulnerable to melee attacks and less proficient in physical combat. Players should consider these ratings when devising strategies to face Cleobulus/Cornelia in battle.

Cleobulus Stats

First, we will talk about the stats of Cleobulus himself. Keep in mind we have used the little information available on Fire Emblem’s wiki page to put together Cleobulus’s stats.

Cleobulus Stats

Now let’s take a look at Cleobulus’s stats when he is impersonating Cornelia.

Cornelia’s Stats

We will also mention her stats in the later chapters of Three Houses to give an idea to players of what they might be facing in Three Hopes.

This concludes our detailed guide on Cleobulus. Hopefully, using our guide, you’ll be aware of the abilities and skills he has while impersonating Cornelia. It will help you fight the vicious boss more efficiently.