one of Claude von Riegan's underrated qualities? patience.

not just the patience to see his plans come to fruition (which is usually seen as scheming, but also misconstrued as laziness/doing nothing) but patience with the people around him - allowing them to adapt and change at their own pace, and on their own terms.

patience has its tactical advantages and disadvantages, for sure - there's a reason his plans don't start to really blossom until after a five year wait - but it says something about his nature that he chooses patience and is able to actually implement it at all.

usually Claude sees right to the heart of things, be it the issues that cause conflict and suffering between/within nations, or the true nature of his allies - his enemies, too. compassionate insight is a survival tactic but it also facilitates understanding and thus, patience.

when you see Claude getting stroppy in canon it's often when he grows impatient. Marianne is hiding something. Byleth is hiding something. Rhea too. people other than him having secrets means he can't be patient because he can't tell who they are and if they're a threat or not.

that's an important tidbit because to me it indicates that Claude's efforts to be patient are indeed efforts, not just an idle passive 'kind' nature but a part of his MO from the top down - personality, strategies, relationships, all marked by this pragmatic life philosophy.

not to say that he isn't 'kind', just that Claude isn't particularly concerned with patience as a virtue but patience as a function. incorporating that across the board is a testament to his introspection and I reckon it's what keeps him on track when everything goes to hell.

patience is essential in his being a tactician and a leader, and is an invaluable part of having Claude as an ally. combined with confidence it permits him to navigate conflict in a way that aligns with his morals both on a personal scale and on a widespread one.

it becomes very obvious when you compare to Edelgard and Dimitri, who are both quite impatient, but Edelgard's is as thoroughly incorporated into her methodologies as Claude's, whereas Dimitri is very much at the mercy of his as a side-effect of something large and unchecked.

Claude's functional patience. People-watching, biding time, talking points, diplomatic juggling.

Edelgard's functional impatience. Laying tracks, pushing allies quickly towards their better potential, staging a war.

Dimitri's dysfunctional impatience... just... :(