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[PBalfredo]

Can anyone please help me understand the leveling system in this game?

In previous western-released Fire Emblems, each character had 20 levels of their unpromoted class, they would promote by using a seal or getting to level 21, then have 20 levels in their promoted class. Effectively have 40 levels total.

The whole deal with the Second Seal confuses me. It's not like straight reclassing like in Shadow Dragon, which just changes your class but not your level. So when you use it, it takes you to level 1 on the same tier? Does it affect your total effective level cap?

The current situation is that I'm at chapter 7 and the Avatar reached level 20 as a tactician. I have a Second Seal and I see that I can change my dude into, say, a Myrmidon. That takes him into level 1 as a Myrmidon. So does that mean I can take him to level 20 as a Myrmidon, then promote him? Does he then go for another 20 levels as the promoted class, making his effective total level 60? Does using a Second Seal on a promoted class give it another 20 levels to earn? Or is there an invisible level cap?

 

["God's Beard!"]

You monster ;_;

I'm on hard mode and I haven't even played any of the DLC stuff but I'm having a hard time making room for weak units to grow. My main force takes up almost all my slots and they're all invincible. I just stick them somewhere and forget about it. I just won mission 12 in 4 turns with two units.

My main force:
Sorcerer + Sorcerer
Great Knight + Dark Knight
General + Paladin
Assassin + Taguel


other crap:
Chrom and his ho(I'm just gonna swap her out for a Dark Flier cause damn)
Anna and Nowi

 

[Ace Harding]

Can anyone please help me understand the leveling system in this game?

In previous western-released Fire Emblems, each character had 20 levels of their unpromoted class, they would promote by using a seal or getting to level 21, then have 20 levels in their promoted class. Effectively have 40 levels total.

The whole deal with the Second Seal confuses me. It's not like straight reclassing like in Shadow Dragon, which just changes your class but not your level. So when you use it, it takes you to level 1 on the same tier? Does it affect your total effective level cap?

The current situation is that I'm at chapter 7 and the Avatar reached level 20 as a tactician. I have a Second Seal and I see that I can change my dude into, say, a Myrmidon. That takes him into level 1 as a Myrmidon. So does that mean I can take him to level 20 as a Myrmidon, then promote him? Does he then go for another 20 levels as the promoted class, making his effective total level 60? Does using a Second Seal on a promoted class give it another 20 levels to earn? Or is there an invisible level cap?

As far as I can tell, there is no level cap other than the 20 per class. Pretty sure in that case that yes, you could use a Second Seal to change to a Myrmidon (lvl 1), then go up to 20, then use a Master Seal to change to say an Assassin (lvl 1), then up to 20.

But someone please correct me if that's wrong, because I'm trying to do just that with Lon-Qu.

Edit: In your case though, why not use a Master Seal on your main character before a 2nd Seal?

 

[scy]

There is no level cap (outside of the normal 20s and special case 30s) so you can theoretically grind forever until you cap all of your stats (which are determined by class and character).

When you use a Second Seal, the game tracks half of your Current Level (rounded down) and adds it to an internal counter. It uses this alongside your Current Level to determine EXP Gains. This internal counter has a cap based off difficulty (20 for Normal, 30 for Hard, and 50 for Lunatic); this just impacts EXP gains, nothing about stats or a limit to the amount of times you can reclass.

So, for instance, you go from a Level 20 Tactician to a Level 1 Myrmidon via a Second Seal. Your Current Level is 1 but your Internal Level will be 1 + (20/2) or 11. So the game treats this character as a Level 11 character when it comes to EXP gains.

 

[njean777]

I just lost Fredrick, stupid enemy with a hammer destroyed him with one hit. Now comes the time to continue or restart the chapter... :/

 

[Hero]

Just to note, I'd wait until Level 15 since that's when you get the second skill for a Promoted class.



You monster ;_;

Yeah her mom gave her the Sorcerer inherited skills otherwise I would wait until 15.

 

[SpaceDrake]

Can anyone please help me understand the leveling system in this game?

In previous western-released Fire Emblems, each character had 20 levels of their unpromoted class, they would promote by using a seal or getting to level 21, then have 20 levels in their promoted class. Effectively have 40 levels total.

The whole deal with the Second Seal confuses me. It's not like straight reclassing like in Shadow Dragon, which just changes your class but not your level. So when you use it, it takes you to level 1 on the same tier? Does it affect your total effective level cap?

The current situation is that I'm at chapter 7 and the Avatar reached level 20 as a tactician. I have a Second Seal and I see that I can change my dude into, say, a Myrmidon. That takes him into level 1 as a Myrmidon. So does that mean I can take him to level 20 as a Myrmidon, then promote him? Does he then go for another 20 levels as the promoted class, making his effective total level 60? Does using a Second Seal on a promoted class give it another 20 levels to earn? Or is there an invisible level cap?

There is no invisible level cap. A Second Seal gives you a new class and resets your level. If you use it between level 10 of a base class and level 9 of a promote, you can go to a new base class at level 1, keep the stats you've gained through level-ups (though your stats will still adjust up or down for the "bonus" stats you get as a class), and gain new skills in the new class while keeping your old ones (with a maximum of five equipped). If you use a SS on a promote at level 10 or above, you can go all the way back to a base class or just switch to a promoted class.

In short, Second Seals allow you to grind a character endlessly if you so choose. And yes, you can Master Seal a person into a new promoted class if you level them as a base class.

 

[Ace Harding]

So what is the most efficient way to level then?

I've been mostly taking people up to 15 or so (actually more like 17), then Master to 15-17, then Second. Should I wait until 20? Wouldn't that just slow down leveling without the benefit of gaining skills?

Also, did I screw up by reclassing Donnel at lvl 10 to a Mercenary? Was he going to get some awesome skill as Villager that I missed out on? For some reason I thought there weren't more skills after that and no benefit to keeping him as a Villager, but now I think I was wrong...

I just wish they'd made grinding harder/less tempting in this somehow. It's way too easy to become OP very quickly, and its still kind of fun to grind (because characters level or gain support so often) so there's no big drawback. In 30 minutes to an hour you could probably grind to a point where you'd roll through the next couple of chapters without much effort. This is on Normal though, so maybe the harder difficulties are different.

 

[The_Darkest_Red]

So, for instance, you go from a Level 20 Tactician to a Level 1 Myrmidon via a Second Seal. Your Current Level is 1 but your Internal Level will be 1 + (20/2) or 11. So the game treats this character as a Level 11 character when it comes to EXP gains.

So how would this change if you went from a Level 20 Tactician to a Level 1 Grandmaster? What would your internal level be?

 

[Draxal]

So what is the most efficient way to level then?

I've been mostly taking people up to 15 or so (actually more like 17), then Master to 15-17, then Second. Should I wait until 20? Wouldn't that just slow down leveling without the benefit of gaining skills?

Also, did I screw up by reclassing Donnel at lvl 10 to a Mercenary? Was he going to get some awesome skill as Villager that I missed out on? For some reason I thought there weren't more skills after that and no benefit to keeping him as a Villager, but now I think I was wrong...

Villager is a special class, and they get their second skills at level 15. The ability Underdog isn't a gamebreaking ability.

 

[dakkumauji]

So how would this change if you went from a Level 20 Tactician to a Level 1 Grandmaster? What would your internal level be?

Going from the basic to a promoted class via Master Seal doesn't increase your internal level. Though the game does view your level 1 Grandmaster as level 21 now.

For promoted units, the game views their level as 20 plus whatever their displayed level is.

 

[scy]

So what is the most efficient way to level then?

I've been mostly taking people up to 15 or so (actually more like 17), then Master to 15-17, then Second. Should I wait until 20? Wouldn't that just slow down leveling without the benefit of gaining skills?

Well, I guess I should've added the detail that Promoted Units are always Displayed Level + 20. That is, a Level 1 Promoted unit is Level 21. If you promoted at Level 10 or Level 20, you're still a Level 21 unit after the fact as far as EXP is concerned.

That said, there's infinite grinding so it's not a big deal. I'd suggest for your first promote to be done at 20 and then just Promote or Second Seal whenever you get the skills you need.

For the special case classes (Villager, Dancer, etc.), I just grinded to 30 because I hate myself.

Also, did I screw up by reclassing Donnel at lvl 10 to a Mercenary? Was he going to get some awesome skill as Villager that I missed out on? For some reason I thought there weren't more skills after that and no benefit to keeping him as a Villager, but now I think I was wrong...

You get skills at 1 and 10 for basic classes, 5 and 15 for Promotes, and 1 and 15 for Special Classes. So, yes, you missed a skill (Underdog).

Edit: derp

So how would this change if you went from a Level 20 Tactician to a Level 1 Grandmaster? What would your internal level be?

I just realized I probably swapped around some terminology. "Internal Level" should just be the counter from Second Sealing ;_; Promoting does nothing to this value, but a Promoted Unit's Current Level is always (Displayed Level + 20).

But in the example, you'd go from a Level 20 Tactician to a Level 1 Grandmaster. Your Current Level would be 21 but your Internal Level is 0 since that only goes up when you use a Second Seal.

Basically:

Actual Level (for EXP purposes) = Current Level + Internal Level

Really need to just figure out some consistent terminology for this.

Also, I keep forgetting that Second Sealing is trunc[(CurrentLevel - 1) / 2].

 

["God's Beard!"]

I just lost Fredrick, stupid enemy with a hammer destroyed him with one hit. Now comes the time to continue or restart the chapter... :/

How do you lose Frederick O_O He's still one of my best units.

 

[TWILT]

Cherche just died but she showed up in battle on her own so I'm not resetting. That's what you get when you let your heart win.

I don't like you.

 

[SpaceDrake]

How do you lose Frederick O_O He's still one of my best units.

njean indicated that Fred got hit by a dude with a Hammer; as an armored unit, Hammers get a huge damage bonus against him.

You get skills at 1 and 10 for basic classes, 1 and 15 for Promotes and Special Classes. So, yes, you missed a skill (Underdog).

That said, Underdog isn't really that important, especially compared to actual Merc/Hero skills, and especially since Donny is likely to murder so many dudes that he'll level sufficiently that he wouldn't get the Underdog bonus anymore :V

Also, promotes get skills at 5 and 15. Special classes get it at 1 and 15.

 

[BroggieDoge]

Fredrick is a beast. Better restart your chapter.

 

[LumpOfCole]

Villager is a special class, and they get their second skills at level 15. The ability Underdog isn't a gamebreaking ability.

Underdog is actually a bit ironic on Donnel, considering that he basically straps on a stat helmet and climbs aboard a stat rocket and shoots himself into stat land where stats grow on staties.

 

[VICI0US]

Miriel got a log for her birthday.

everyone wants a log

 

[Ace Harding]

Underdog is actually a bit ironic on Donnel, considering that he basically straps on a stat helmet and climbs aboard a stat rocket and shoots himself into stat land where stats grow on staties.

Yeah, plus I have him leveled to like 12 as a Mercenary, so he counts as 32. I don't think I'm fighting many (any?) level 32+ enemies at this point so not the most effective skill for me.

OK, well I'll start maxing characters out before using seals from now on. It would be nice if any of this was explained in the game (maybe it was?), then again its kind of fun to discover as you go...

 

[Andrew J.]

Didn't know about the birthday barrack events until today. Guess I'm gonna have to start keeping track of that, huh?

(Or I could just read this thread and let you all tell me when it's somebody's birthday.)

 

[scy]

Also, promotes get skills at 5 and 15. Special classes get it at 1 and 15.

I noticed that a bit late ;_; Oops. I should proof things better, especially when it's mechanics discussion. There's a lot of other errors too.

 

[zroid]

I just lost Fredrick, stupid enemy with a hammer destroyed him with one hit. Now comes the time to continue or restart the chapter... :/

Exactly how my Frederick died, one time, in a SpotPass challenge. Damned enemy Vaike.

I restarted though. It wasn't that hard the next time, I just completely neglected to consider the Hammer.

 

[dakkumauji]

Didn't know about the birthday barrack events until today. Guess I'm gonna have to start keeping track of that, huh?

(Or I could just read this thread and let you all tell me when it's somebody's birthday.)

I think everyone's birthday is listed when you look up the roster in the barracks.

 

[EvilMario]

Underdog is actually a bit ironic on Donnel, considering that he basically straps on a stat helmet and climbs aboard a stat rocket and shoots himself into stat land where stats grow on staties.

There's always a character(s) like that in Fire Emblem. They start off struggling to do anything, but the growths are so absurd they soon become a god.

 

[Draxal]

Underdog is actually a bit ironic on Donnel, considering that he basically straps on a stat helmet and climbs aboard a stat rocket and shoots himself into stat land where stats grow on staties.

It's pretty much worthless on every character, with the way the game throws +stat items at you in this game.

There's always a character(s) like that in Fire Emblem. They start off struggling to do anything, but the growths are so absurd they soon become a god.

Ayup, but this is a different type of fire emblem (well it's alot like Sacred Stones ... so not too different), where every character is pretty much a god.

 

[dakkumauji]

There's always a character(s) like that in Fire Emblem. They start off struggling to do anything, but the growths are so absurd they soon become a god.

They also usually appear near the end of the game, not three chapters in.

 

[njean777]

Exactly how my Frederick died, one time, in a SpotPass challenge. Damned enemy Vaike.

I restarted though. It wasn't that hard the next time, I just completely neglected to consider the Hammer.

Yeah I restarted and beat it easily. Just made sure to keep Fredrick far away from that hammer enemy. Sent chrom in instead and beat him.

 

[blackflag]

Aghhhhh I just lost

Spoiler

Maribelle

..she seemed useful. Will I regret it? How do you get replacement units?

 

[PBalfredo]

Thanks everyone, that helps clear up a lot. I love Fire Emblem, but the series has always done a poor job of conveying what's really going on with their leveling system.

I just realized I probably swapped around some terminology. "Internal Level" should just be the counter from Second Sealing ;_; Promoting does nothing to this value, but a Promoted Unit's Current Level is always (Displayed Level + 20).

But in the example, you'd go from a Level 20 Tactician to a Level 1 Grandmaster. Your Current Level would be 21 but your Internal Level is 0 since that only goes up when you use a Second Seal.

Basically:

Actual Level (for EXP purposes) = Current Level + Internal Level

Really need to just figure out some consistent terminology for this.

Also, I keep forgetting that Second Sealing is trunc[(CurrentLevel - 1) / 2].

I'm following everything except this part, the actual level vs internal level. So which gains more experience? My level 20 tactician promoted to level 1 Grandmaster, or Second Sealed to a level 1 base class (giving him an internal level of 11?)

Also are seals limited like in FE7, or should I feel free to use them?

 

[Anto]

Yep, same here. In fact, I'm really thinking I need to finish the game soon before all of this stuff starts getting into my head pre-second playthrough.

Reading too much did get me to restart at about Chapter 16. I had originally just paired whatever along and leveled as whatever, but then I began to understand the mechanics better, especially the class system. Reading up on power combos convinced me to restart so I could try out ridiculous combinations of overpowered awesomeness.

So far, so good

 

[Midou]

Aghhhhh I just lost

Spoiler

Maribelle

..she seemed useful. Will I regret it? How do you get replacement units?

You will not get replacement units, but each role has many characters who can fill it. You can also re-class similar classes into the ones you have lost. I have personally never even used the character in your spoiler, so it's not the worst thing.

 

[scy]

Just to clarify things since fixing posts via Edits isn't really the best way to do things:

Actual Level (for EXP purposes) = Current Level + Internal Level

Current Level is your Displayed Level + 20 if they're a Promoted Unit. This means that a Level 1 Promoted Unit is always Level 21, regardless of when they had Promoted:

Lord 10 -> Great Lord 1
Lord 15 -> Great Lord 1
Lord 20 -> Great Lord 1
All have Current Level of 21 at the end.

Internal Level is an ongoing counter of levels "lost" from using a Second Seal according to the following formula:

[Current Level - 1] / 2, rounded down.

This total counter is capped to 20 (Normal), 30 (Hard), or 50 (Lunatic). Unlike using Master Seals, your level DOES Matter for this:

Lord 10 -> Mercenary 1
Internal Level = (10 - 1) / 2 or 4.5 -> 4.

Lord 15 -> Mercenary 1
Internal Level = (15 - 1) / 2 or 7.

Lord 20 -> Mercenary 1
Internal Level = (20 - 1) / 2 or 9.5 -> 9.

Now, if we put this all together, lets start with a Level 20 Lord who has never used a Second Seal (so Internal Level is still 0):

Lord 20 -> Great Lord 1
Internal Level = 0, No Second Seal was used.
Actual Level = Current Level + Internal Level = 21 + 0 = 21.

Great Lord 20 -> Mercenary 1
Internal Level = (40 - 1) / 2 = 19.
Actual Level = 1 + 19 = 20.

Mercenary 20 -> Hero 1
Internal Level = 19
Actual Level = 21 + 19 = 40.

Hero 20 -> Myrmidon 1
Internal Level* = 19 + (40 - 1) / 2 = 19 + 19 = 38.
Actual Level = 1 + 38 = 39.

*If on Normal, this value would be capped at 20. If on Hard, this value would be capped at 30. Only Lunatic is fucked here.

I'm following everything except this part, the actual level vs internal level. So which gains more experience? My level 20 tactician promoted to level 1 Grandmaster, or Second Sealed to a level 1 base class (giving him an internal level of 11?)

The second one.

Tactician 20 -> Grandmaster 1
Internal Level = 0, No Second Seal used.
Actual Level = 21 + 0 = 21.

Tactician 20 -> Mercenary 1
Internal Level = (20 - 1) / 2 = 9.5 -> 9.
Actual Level = 1 + 9 = 10.

 

[chaosblade]

Cherche just died but she showed up in battle on her own so I'm not resetting. That's what you get when you let your heart win.

That's a shame. If I had one speedwings to give her she would probably be up there with Donnel as one of my best units. Right now she's just a tad slow, but otherwise insanely awesome.

 

[dakkumauji]

I'm following everything except this part, the actual level vs internal level. So which gains more experience? My level 20 tactician promoted to level 1 Grandmaster, or Second Sealed to a level 1 base class (giving him an internal level of 11?)

Also are seals limited like in FE7, or should I feel free to use them?

Just in terms of how much experience you'll gain:

Lv. 20 Tactician -> Lv. 21 Grandmaster will be a total level of 21.
Current level: 20 (since promoted) + 1 Internal level: 0 (since there was no second seal action)
Lv. 20 Tactician -> Lv. 1 Base Class will be a total level of 10.
Current level: 1 Internal level: (20-1)/2 rounded down I believe, so 9
So the Second Sealed unit till gain more exp til around level 11, where it'll gain at the same rate as the promoted unit.

Both Master Seals and Second Seals will be buyable later in the game.

 

[eighty(one)]

I just wanted to chime in - I've got a massive Vita/3DS backlog - so I finally started this game (bought the bundle Friday and a physical card on release day), my golly, the production values and everything! Magical!

Never really got into the series prior and never really played SRPGs (not my type of game genre) - but THIS game is straight up awesome. I'm a little overwhelmed, but I'm digging it so much....

and....Leon Kennedy (Troy Baker) is a VA, too!

The little nuances lie in the level of polish: like scouting a map, and it has the sphere like curvature; or the little skill sequences when you tap a characters face in their log on the level map - and the amazing cutscenes.

Sorry to gush.

Any beginner tips that will make sense?

 

[blackflag]

You will not get replacement units, but each role has many characters who can fill it. You can also re-class similar classes into the ones you have lost. I have personally never even used the character in your spoiler, so it's not the worst thing.

Sweet, just really trying to avoid restarting chapters cuz that would defeat the point of classic...it's so hard though.

 

[A.E Suggs]

I don't like you.

I don't like him either, you never let wyvern riders die especially red head ones.

 

[The_Darkest_Red]

*snip*

Thanks a lot for this, it's very much appreciated. The leveling system is the one thing I needed some extra clarification on since it gets a bit sticky with all of the terminology and possibilities (thanks to Second Seals).

Now, for one more bit of clarification, when you say the "total counter is capped" you are referring specifically to the Internal Level, right?

 

[massoluk]

Chrom approaching level 20 Great Lord. Any suggestion? Dude is already deadly as is. RNG god really shines on Chrom for me, a walking god of death.. Moreso than Donny frankly.

My Fred, on the other hands, is really on RNG God's shit list. Dude is so terribly weak.

 

[dakkumauji]

Now, for one more bit of clarification, when you say the "total counter is capped" you are referring specifically to the Internal Level, right?

Yes.

 

[The_Darkest_Red]

Yes.

Got it, thanks.

 

[LumpOfCole]

I just wanted to chime in - I've got a massive Vita/3DS backlog - so I finally started this game (bought the bundle Friday and a physical card on release day), my golly, the production values and everything! Magical!

Never really got into the series prior and never really played SRPGs (not my type of game genre) - but THIS game is straight up awesome. I'm a little overwhelmed, but I'm digging it so much....

and....Leon Kennedy (Troy Baker) is a VA, too!

The little nuances lie in the level of polish: like scouting a map, and it has the sphere like curvature; or the little skill sequences when you tap a characters face in their log on the level map - and the amazing cutscenes.

Sorry to gush.

Any beginner tips that will make sense?

You will come across a villager named Donnel. Don't finish that mission without leveling him up once to recruit him. He is a god in farmer's clothing.

 

[RiderKairuu]

Who's worth using a Second Seal on? I've just been promoting my units for the most part.

 

[scy]

Any beginner tips that will make sense?

Ignore every single mechanics post for the time being and come back later :x

Hm, the most general of things I'd advise would be to check the range on enemies. Try to keep yourself out of their attack range or, better yet, in the attack range of just one person. This way, you can swarm and kill the overextended one.

To follow-up from the above, if you'll take two attacks to kill someone, let them attack first. What I mean is, if they have 20 HP and you deal 10 Damage, you want to wait and get your first hit as a Counter. This lets you take one less hit of damage:

You Attack, They Counter -> They Attack, You Counter for the Kill.
They Attack, You Counter -> You Attack for the Kill.

Don't rely too much on Frederick early on. He's promoted so the short of it is that he's a lot higher level than what the game displays to you. He's actually a Level 21 unit so keep that in mind when he runs around killing units 15-20 levels beneath him :x There's infinite EXP in this game so this doesn't matter THAT much but, still, just a general rule of thumb.

Use Pair Up a lot. It reduces the amount of units you have on the field but the stat bonuses help. This is a great way to use Frederick, incidentally. Just have him Pair Up with someone for the +STR and +DEF he'll give that unit. Just make sure you have him as the supporting unit, not the main one (e.g., move his unit onto the one you want to use rather than the other way).

There's probably other things too but those just come to mind as some basic gameplay ones to keep in mind.

Now, for one more bit of clarification, when you say the "total counter is capped" you are referring specifically to the Internal Level, right?

I thought about editing that in for clarity but the irony of doing that when I made the post because of all the previous edits causing misinformation ... ;_;

...anyway, yeah, just the Internal Level part is capped at 20/30/50.

Edit (...): Man, I should've waited a few posts and got that EXP/Level post at the top of the page lol

 

[EvilMario]

They also usually appear near the end of the game, not three chapters in.

He basically takes the place of Ross in Sacred Stones, who is also a very early recruit with some serious advantages to raising up. Who was the 'late recruit' in FE7 that offered these sorts of bonuses? Serious question, because I can't recall.

 

[Draxal]

He basically takes the place of Ross in Sacred Stones, who is also a very early recruit with some serious advantages to raising up. Who was the 'late recruit' in FE7 that offered these sorts of bonuses? Serious question, because I can't recall.

Nino.

 

[Sallokin]

You will come across a villager named Donnel. Don't finish that mission without leveling him up once to recruit him. He is a god in farmer's clothing.

At this point Donnel is a one man army for me. He's beasting people with a freaking tree branch and dodging literally everything that comes his way. I leveled him to 21 as a villager and then reclassed him to a merc... He's just a monster.

As soon as I get his weapon proficiency up I'm giving him a forged Leif's Blade and I'm going to watch the bullion roll in.

 

[Roto13]

"I want to die a horrible, bloody death that's completely painless. ... I don't like ouchies."

Jesus, Henry.

 

[Incendiary]

I'm really confused on the aspect of Second Seals. Do you lose experience/stats/weapon proficiency when you reclass them? Or does all that carry over and only the amount of experience you get changes? I don't want to reclass with a Second Seal and make my unit weaker.

 

[The_Darkest_Red]

Man, I should've waited a few posts and got that EXP/Level post at the top of the page lol

Here you go, for everyone's benefit:

Just to clarify things since fixing posts via Edits isn't really the best way to do things:

Actual Level (for EXP purposes) = Current Level + Internal Level

Current Level is your Displayed Level + 20 if they're a Promoted Unit. This means that a Level 1 Promoted Unit is always Level 21, regardless of when they had Promoted:

Lord 10 -> Great Lord 1
Lord 15 -> Great Lord 1
Lord 20 -> Great Lord 1
All have Current Level of 21 at the end.

Internal Level is an ongoing counter of levels "lost" from using a Second Seal according to the following formula:

[Current Level - 1] / 2, rounded down.

This total counter is capped to 20 (Normal), 30 (Hard), or 50 (Lunatic). Unlike using Master Seals, your level DOES Matter for this:

Lord 10 -> Mercenary 1
Internal Level = (10 - 1) / 2 or 4.5 -> 4.

Lord 15 -> Mercenary 1
Internal Level = (15 - 1) / 2 or 7.

Lord 20 -> Mercenary 1
Internal Level = (20 - 1) / 2 or 9.5 -> 9.

Now, if we put this all together, lets start with a Level 20 Lord who has never used a Second Seal (so Internal Level is still 0):

Lord 20 -> Great Lord 1
Internal Level = 0, No Second Seal was used.
Actual Level = Current Level + Internal Level = 21 + 0 = 21.

Great Lord 20 -> Mercenary 1
Internal Level = (40 - 1) / 2 = 19.
Actual Level = 1 + 19 = 20.

Mercenary 20 -> Hero 1
Internal Level = 19
Actual Level = 21 + 19 = 40.

Hero 20 -> Myrmidon 1
Internal Level* = 19 + (40 - 1) / 2 = 19 + 19 = 38.
Actual Level = 1 + 38 = 39.

*If on Normal, this value would be capped at 20. If on Hard, this value would be capped at 30. Only Lunatic is fucked here.