Airman (Hawknight → Sky Lord)

Flying ranged attackers who bypass terrain with incredible mobility, trading safety for tactical superiority.

Rating: 7/10

Table of contents

  1. Overview
  2. Class Progression
    1. Advancement Levels
  3. Available Characters
  4. Statistics
    1. Stat Distribution
  5. Why Airman is 7/10
    1. The Mobility Advantage
    2. Aggressive Striking Power
    3. Strategic Flexibility
  6. Why Only 7/10 (Archer is 8/10)
    1. The Archer Weakness
    2. Cannot Open Chests
    3. Limited Usefulness
  7. Strategic Analysis
    1. When Airmen Excel
    2. When Archers Are Better
    3. The 1-2 Airman Strategy
  8. Tactical Applications
    1. The “Assassin” Strategy
    2. Terrain Bypass
    3. Flanking Maneuvers
    4. Emergency Repositioning
  9. Weaknesses & Counters
    1. Extreme Archer Vulnerability
    2. Cannot Open Chests
    3. Limited Defensive Capability
  10. Equipment Recommendations
    1. Weapon Progression
    2. Armor Progression
    3. Helm Progression
  11. Combat Strategy
    1. Standard Battle Role
    2. Typical Turn Sequence
    3. Positioning Rules
  12. Common Mistakes
    1. Mistake #1: Making All 4 Characters Airmen
    2. Mistake #2: Flying Into Archer Killzones
    3. Mistake #3: Overextending
    4. Mistake #4: Sending Airman Alone for Chest
  13. Advanced Tactics
    1. The “Bait and Switch”
    2. Elevation Control
    3. The “Assassin Chain”
    4. Coordinated Assault
  14. Trial of Toroah Performance
    1. Earth Trial - TERRIBLE
    2. Other Trials - Moderate
  15. Comparison: Airman vs Archer
    1. Stat Comparison
    2. When to Choose Airman
    3. When to Choose Archer
  16. FAQ Authors’ Consensus
    1. Jeff Chan (Atom Edge)
    2. Syonyx
  17. Final Verdict
  18. Next Steps

Overview

“Airmen class characters are great. Powerful attackers, especially potent against normal melee fighters. Excellent range, not hindered by obstacles, enemies, or even water.” - Jeff Chan

The Airman class is rated 7/10 by FAQ authors - a strong tactical choice for players who value mobility over safety. Airmen trade the Archer’s safety for unparalleled battlefield control through flight, making them excellent for aggressive players and specific tactical situations.

Class Progression 

Level 1-9          Level 10-19        Level 20+
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════
Archer ──────────> Hawknight ─────> Sky Lord

Advancement Levels

Level Class Key Improvements
1-9 Archer Ground-based ranged attacks
10-19 Hawknight Gains FLIGHT, increased stats, mobility
20+ Sky Lord Maximum flying stats, peak power

Alternative Path: At Level 10, can become Bowman instead (Archer path, rated 8/10). See Archer Class Guide for comparison.

Available Characters

Character Starting Level When Joins Recommended Path
Diego Renault 7 Chapter 1, Section 3 Either (flexible)
Kira Wulfstan 8 Chapter 2, Section 4 Archer (8/10)
Amon 9 Chapter 2, Section 2 Either (flexible)
Darius 14 Chapter 3, Section 5 Either (flexible)

Recommended Split: Make 2-3 Archers (safer, reliable) and 1-2 Airmen (mobile, aggressive). Don’t make all 4 Airmen!

Statistics

Stat Distribution

Stat Rating Notes
ATK High Strong physical damage
DEF High Better defense than Archer
AGL Average Moderate evasion
MAG DEF Average Normal magic resistance
MOVE Very High Exceptional movement (flying!)

Special Ability: FLIGHT - ignore terrain, water, enemies, obstacles

Strengths: Strong against Knights (bonus damage)

Weaknesses: Vulnerable to Archers (take bonus damage)

Restriction: Cannot open treasure chests (flying units can’t interact with ground)

Critical Weakness: Enemy archers deal bonus damage to Airmen. Single arrow can take them down if not careful!

Why Airman is 7/10

The Mobility Advantage

Flight Capability:

  • Ignore terrain - Mountains, water, walls don’t matter
  • Ignore enemies - Fly over enemy front line
  • Ignore obstacles - No pathfinding issues
  • Very High Move - Cover huge distances per turn

Tactical Applications:

  • Bypass enemy front line → attack enemy mages directly
  • Cross water/mountains (other units can’t)
  • Reach high ground instantly
  • Flank enemies from unexpected angles
  • Escape surrounded positions

“Not hindered by obstacles, enemies, or even water.” - Jeff Chan

Aggressive Striking Power

vs Knights (Bonus Damage):

  • Airmen deal extra damage to Knight-class enemies
  • Knights are common enemy type
  • Can eliminate enemy knights quickly
  • Strong against heavily-armored targets

High Attack + Defense:

  • Better stats than ground Archers
  • Can survive front-line combat (briefly)
  • Hit harder than Archers
  • More durable if caught

Strategic Flexibility

What Airmen Do Better Than Archers:

  1. Reach high-priority targets (enemy mages behind front line)
  2. Cross impassable terrain (water, mountains)
  3. Reposition quickly (escape danger, reach objectives)
  4. Flank enemies (attack from unexpected angles)
  5. Hit Knights hard (bonus damage)

Example Scenario:

Terrain Map:
[Your Army]  ← River →  [Enemy Army]
                        [Enemy Mage in back]

Archer: Must find bridge, takes 5+ turns to reach mage
Airman: Flies directly over river, reaches mage in 2 turns

Why Only 7/10 (Archer is 8/10)

The Archer Weakness

CRITICAL VULNERABILITY: Airmen are weak to Archer attacks. Enemy archers deal bonus damage!

The Problem:

  • Enemy archer shoots airman: 30-50 damage (with bonus)
  • Enemy archer shoots ground archer: 20-30 damage (normal)
  • Bonus damage makes you fragile

Practical Impact:

  • 1-2 enemy archers can focus-fire your airman
  • Airman dies quickly (2-3 hits)
  • Must constantly avoid enemy archers
  • Limits mobility advantage (can’t fly into range of enemy archers)

Contrast with Ground Archer:

  • Ground archer vs enemy archer: Equal matchup
  • Ground archer shoots enemy airman: Bonus damage
  • Ground archers counter enemy airmen
  • Your airmen get countered by enemy archers

“Excessive weakness to Archer type attacks. Single arrow can take them down if not careful.” - Jeff Chan

Cannot Open Chests

Restriction:

  • Airmen cannot open treasure chests
  • Flying = can’t interact with ground objects
  • Must bring ground unit to open chests
  • Tactical inconvenience

Practical Impact:

  • Can’t send airman alone to reach secret chest
  • Need ground unit to follow
  • Slows down chest acquisition
  • Minor but annoying limitation

Limited Usefulness

“Author personally finds Archers more useful in most instances, but would be bad to completely forego this class.” - Jeff Chan

Why Archer (8/10) > Airman (7/10):

  • Archer advantage: Safer (no archer weakness), more consistent
  • Airman advantage: Mobility, can bypass terrain
  • Verdict: Archers more reliable in general play
  • But: Airmen valuable in specific situations

Strategic Analysis

When Airmen Excel

Best Use Cases:

  1. Maps with water/mountains - Terrain bypass valuable
  2. Enemy has few archers - Weakness not exploited
  3. Need to reach distant objective - Speed critical
  4. Enemy mages behind front line - Fly over to eliminate
  5. Flanking maneuvers - Surprise attacks from sides/rear

Example Battles:

  • Battle 2.3 (Gillbaris) - Large water sections, airmen bypass
  • Battle 3.5 (Prison Fortress) - Walls and obstacles, flight useful
  • Battle 5.6 (Northern Ruins) - Mountains everywhere, airmen shine

When Archers Are Better

Archer-Preferred Situations:

  1. Enemy has many archers - Your airmen get shredded
  2. Open flat terrain - No mobility advantage
  3. Earth Trial - All enemies are archers (airmen terrible here!)
  4. Safe damage priority - Reliability over mobility
  5. General combat - Archers more consistent

Example Battles:

  • Earth Trial - All archer enemies, airmen take massive damage
  • Heaven Trial - Enemy airmen present (your archers counter them)
  • Most standard battles - Archers safer and equally effective

The 1-2 Airman Strategy

Recommended Party Composition: 2-3 Archers (ground) + 1-2 Airmen (flying)

Why This Split:

  • 2-3 Archers: Reliable ranged damage, counter enemy airmen, safe
  • 1-2 Airmen: Tactical mobility, can exploit terrain, aggressive strikes
  • Balance: Get mobility when needed without sacrificing safety

Typical Setup:

  • Diego: Airman (Hawknight → Sky Lord) - protagonist’s friend, aggressive
  • Kira: Archer (Bowman → Sniper) - reliable, safe damage
  • Amon: Archer (Bowman → Sniper) - support, consistent
  • Darius: Flexible (either path) - joins late, fill gap

Alternative:

  • Two airmen (Diego + Amon) for maximum mobility
  • Two archers (Kira + Darius) for reliable safety
  • Balanced approach

Tactical Applications

The “Assassin” Strategy

Target: Enemy Mages

  1. Round 1: Enemy mage positions behind front line (safe from ground units)
  2. Your Turn: Airman flies over enemy front line
  3. Your Action: Airman shoots enemy mage
  4. Result: Enemy mage dead before casting Phase Shift
  5. Outcome: Your party takes zero AOE damage

Why This Works:

  • Ground units need 4-5 turns to reach back line
  • Airman reaches in 1-2 turns
  • Enemy mage dies before acting
  • Prevents devastating AOE spells

Terrain Bypass

Water Sections:

  • Ground units: Must find bridge or go around (5-8 extra turns)
  • Airmen: Fly directly across (0 extra turns)
  • Reach objectives faster
  • Control key positions before enemies

Mountain Maps:

  • Ground units: Navigate slopes and paths
  • Airmen: Fly to peaks directly
  • Claim high ground instantly
  • Shoot down at enemies (range bonus)

Flanking Maneuvers

Standard Approach:

[Enemy Front Line]
[Enemy Back Line]
        ↑
   Your army approaches from front
   Enemies prepared and waiting

Airman Flanking:

[Enemy Front Line]
[Enemy Back Line] ← Airman attacks from side/rear

   Your army approaches from front (distraction)
   Airman flanks from side (they're not watching)

Result:

  • Enemies surprised
  • Can’t defend multiple directions
  • Airman eliminates back-line threats
  • Your front-line advances safely

Emergency Repositioning

If Airman In Danger:

  1. Enemy closes in on airman (surrounded)
  2. Airman flies away (ignores enemies blocking path)
  3. Repositions to safety
  4. Continues attacking next turn

Ground Unit Equivalent:

  • Ground unit surrounded = dead (can’t escape)
  • Airman surrounded = flies away (survives)
  • Mobility = escape option

Weaknesses & Counters

Extreme Archer Vulnerability

The Math:

  • Enemy archer vs your airman: 40-50 damage (with bonus)
  • Your airman HP: 90-120
  • 2-3 hits = dead airman

Enemy Focus Fire:

  • 3 enemy archers target your airman
  • 3 × 45 damage = 135 total damage
  • Airman dies instantly
  • Lost valuable unit

Mitigation:

  • Avoid enemy archer range (stay 7+ tiles away)
  • Kill enemy archers first (prioritize them)
  • Use terrain (hide behind mountains)
  • Don’t fly into archer killzones

Cannot Open Chests

Problem:

  • Airman reaches secret chest location
  • Cannot open it (flying restriction)
  • Must wait for ground unit to arrive
  • Wastes turns

Solution:

  • Always bring ground unit to maps with chests
  • Don’t rely solely on airmen for exploration
  • Send ground unit + airman together

Limited Defensive Capability

If Caught by Multiple Enemies:

  • Airmen have good stats but not invincible
  • 3-4 enemies attacking = airman overwhelmed
  • High DEF doesn’t matter vs overwhelming force
  • Still fragile when focused

Prevention:

  • Don’t overextend
  • Fly in → attack → fly out (hit-and-run)
  • Never stay in range of 3+ enemies
  • Use mobility to avoid danger

Equipment Recommendations

Weapon Progression

Chapter Weapon ATK Range Cost/Source
Ch. 1 Light Bow +3 4 110G
Ch. 2 Iron Bow +8 5 450G
Ch. 3-4 Steel Bow +15 5 1,800G
Ch. 5-6 Great Bow +22 6 6,660G
Ch. 5.5 Rune Bow +25 6 Gift (defeat Sabrina)

Airmen use same weapons as Archers (bows). See Archer Class Guide for details.

Armor Progression

Chapter Armor DEF Cost/Source
Ch. 1 Padded Leather +7 110G
Ch. 2 Chain Mail +17 450G
Ch. 3-4 Scale Mail +26 1,800G
Ch. 5-6 Kevlar +39 6,660G

Helm Progression

Chapter Helm DEF Cost/Source
Ch. 1 Light Helm +3 80G
Ch. 2 Iron Helm +7 350G
Ch. 3-4 Steel Mask +12 1,400G
Ch. 5-6 Dragon Helm +18 5,180G

Combat Strategy

Standard Battle Role

Airman Objectives:

  1. Eliminate enemy mages (prevent Phase Shift)
  2. Shoot enemy airmen (before they attack your back line)
  3. Flank enemy formation (attack from sides/rear)
  4. Control high ground (reach peaks first)
  5. Avoid enemy archers (stay out of range!)

Typical Turn Sequence

Early Battle (Rounds 1-3):

  1. Assess enemy archers - Where are they?
  2. Plot flight path - Avoid archer range
  3. Fly to priority target (enemy mage or airman)
  4. Attack (bow attack)
  5. Reposition if in danger

Mid Battle (Rounds 4-7):

  1. Continue targeting high-priority threats
  2. Use mobility to avoid concentrated fire
  3. Support ground units with flanking
  4. Control key terrain positions

Late Battle (Rounds 8+):

  1. Clean up survivors
  2. Assist allies from advantageous positions
  3. Use speed to finish fleeing enemies

Positioning Rules

DO:

  • Fly high (elevated positions)
  • Stay mobile (don’t sit still)
  • Hit-and-run tactics (attack and retreat)
  • Control map edges (flank from sides)

DON’T:

  • Fly into range of 2+ enemy archers
  • Stay still in exposed positions
  • Engage multiple enemies alone
  • Ignore enemy archer positions

Common Mistakes

Mistake #1: Making All 4 Characters Airmen

WRONG!

Temptation:

  • “Flying is awesome, make everyone airmen!”
  • Maximum mobility for entire party
  • All 4 archers become Sky Lords

Why It Fails:

  • Enemy archers shred your entire ranged force
  • All 4 vulnerable to same enemy type
  • No ground archers to counter enemy airmen
  • Earth Trial becomes nearly impossible
  • Catastrophic weakness

Solution:

  • Make 2-3 Archers (ground, safe)
  • Make 1-2 Airmen (flying, mobile)
  • Balanced approach = safer

Mistake #2: Flying Into Archer Killzones

DANGEROUS!

Common Error:

  • “I’ll fly straight to enemy mage”
  • Path goes through 3 enemy archer ranges
  • “I can take a few arrows”

Why It Fails:

  • Enemy archer 1: 45 damage
  • Enemy archer 2: 45 damage
  • Enemy archer 3: 45 damage
  • Total: 135 damage, airman dead
  • Lost valuable unit for nothing

Solution:

  • Plot flight path carefully
  • Avoid enemy archer ranges (7+ tiles away)
  • Go around if necessary
  • Better slow approach than dead airman

Mistake #3: Overextending

RISKY!

Common Pattern:

  • Fly deep into enemy formation
  • Attack enemy mage (success!)
  • Now surrounded by 5 enemies
  • Next turn: All 5 attack your airman
  • Airman dies

Why It’s Bad:

  • Mobility tempts aggressive play
  • Deep penetration = isolated
  • Isolated = focused fire = death
  • Trading airman for mage = bad trade

Solution:

  • Hit-and-run tactics
  • Fly in → Attack → Fly out
  • Never end turn surrounded
  • Maintain escape routes

Mistake #4: Sending Airman Alone for Chest

INEFFICIENT!

Common Error:

  • “Airman fastest, send to get chest”
  • Airman reaches chest
  • Cannot open it (flying restriction)
  • Must wait for ground unit
  • Wasted turns

Solution:

  • Send ground unit + airman together
  • Or send ground unit alone
  • Don’t forget airmen can’t open chests
  • Plan ahead

Advanced Tactics

The “Bait and Switch”

Setup:

  1. Ground archers position front (enemy focuses on them)
  2. Enemy commits to attacking ground archers
  3. Airman flies behind enemy formation
  4. Airman eliminates enemy back-line (mages, healers)
  5. Enemy front-line turns around (wasted turn)
  6. Your ground forces advance (enemy distracted)

Result:

  • Enemy forced to split attention
  • Your airman eliminates high-value targets
  • Ground forces advance safely

Elevation Control

Strategy:

  1. Identify highest points on map
  2. Airman flies to peak immediately (turn 1)
  3. Shoots down at enemies (range bonus)
  4. Enemies must climb to reach airman (slow)
  5. Airman controls high ground entire battle

Benefits:

  • Range bonus from elevation
  • Difficult for enemies to reach
  • Can retreat by flying down (fast)
  • Commanding tactical position

The “Assassin Chain”

Multi-Turn Strike:

  1. Turn 1: Scout enemy formation (identify mage)
  2. Turn 2: Position airman 8 tiles away (out of archer range)
  3. Turn 3: Fly 6 tiles forward (into attack range of mage)
  4. Turn 3 action: Shoot enemy mage (dead)
  5. Turn 4: Fly back to safety (before enemies react)

Result:

  • Enemy mage eliminated
  • Your airman survives
  • No damage taken

Coordinated Assault

With Ground Archers:

  1. Ground archers target enemy archers (eliminate airman’s counter)
  2. Once enemy archers dead, airman advances freely
  3. Airman flies into enemy formation (now safe)
  4. Dominates without archer threat

Sequence:

  • Rounds 1-3: Ground archers kill enemy archers
  • Rounds 4+: Airman goes wild (no counters remaining)

Trial of Toroah Performance

Earth Trial - TERRIBLE

WARNING: Earth Trial has ALL ARCHER enemies. Airmen are at extreme disadvantage!

The Problem:

  • 27 enemies, ALL archers
  • Every enemy deals bonus damage to airmen
  • Airman takes 40-50 damage per hit
  • Likely to die quickly

Solution:

  • Use ground Archers for Earth Trial
  • Ground archers counter enemy archers
  • Save airmen for other trials
  • Don’t bring airmen to Earth Trial

Other Trials - Moderate

Nova Trial:

  • Hill assault, mobility useful
  • Airman can reach top quickly
  • Good performance

Logos Trial:

  • Spiral staircase, 27 enemies
  • Flight bypasses slow climb
  • Good performance

Heaven Trial:

  • Some enemy airmen present
  • Mobility useful for 28 enemies
  • But beware enemy archers
  • Moderate performance

Airmen perform well in most Trials EXCEPT Earth Trial (avoid).

Comparison: Airman vs Archer

Stat Comparison

Stat Airman (7/10) Archer (8/10)
ATK High Average
DEF High Low
Mobility Very High (flying) Average
Safety Low (weak to archers) High (no weakness)
Terrain Ignores all Normal pathfinding
Flexibility High (mobility) Moderate
Consistency Moderate (situational) High (always useful)
Counters Enemy archers (bad) Enemy airmen (good)

When to Choose Airman

Choose Airman If:

  • ✓ You value mobility over safety
  • ✓ You play aggressively
  • ✓ You want tactical flexibility
  • ✓ You’re comfortable managing vulnerability
  • ✓ Making 1-2 airmen (not all 4)

When to Choose Archer

Choose Archer If:

  • ✓ You value safety and consistency
  • ✓ You play defensively
  • ✓ You want reliable damage
  • ✓ You don’t like vulnerability trade-offs
  • ✓ Making 2-3 archers (majority of ranged)

Recommended: Make BOTH. 2-3 Archers + 1-2 Airmen = balanced party.

FAQ Authors’ Consensus

Jeff Chan (Atom Edge)

Rating: 7/10 Quote: “Airmen class characters are great. Powerful attackers, especially potent against normal melee fighters.” Downfall: “Excessive weakness to Archer type attacks” Recommendation: “Should keep at least one character as Airman… but would be bad to completely forego this class.”

Syonyx

Rating: Strong tier Focus: Flying mobility Strengths: Strong against knights, very high move Weaknesses: Vulnerable to archers, can’t open chests Recommendation: Valuable for mobility

Final Verdict

SITUATIONALLY EXCELLENT

Why Airman is 7/10:

  • Excellent mobility and tactical flexibility
  • Strong in specific situations
  • But: Vulnerable to archers (common enemy)
  • But: Less consistent than ground Archers
  • Trade-off: Mobility for safety

Recommended Usage:

  • Make 1-2 Airmen (not all 4!)
  • Keep 2-3 ground Archers (safe, reliable)
  • Use airmen for aggressive strikes
  • Use archers for consistent damage

“Power and range not to be missed… but Archers more useful in most instances.” - Jeff Chan

Next Steps

“The sky is no longer the limit.”

Airman - The Mobile Striker

Copyright © Konami Co., Ltd. | Guide compiled from FAQs by Jeff Chan, Lancel0t, Shotgunnova, Syonyx, Richard Uyeyama, and Wolverine Inc.