Knight (Swordsman → Duelist)

The solid, reliable frontline fighter - standard physical attackers who form the backbone of your defensive line.

Rating: 6/10

Table of contents

  1. Overview
  2. Class Progression
    1. Advancement Levels
  3. Available Characters
  4. Statistics
    1. Stat Distribution
  5. Why Knight is 6/10
    1. The “Standard” Problem
    2. Outclassed by Other Classes
    3. Why Not Lower Rating?
  6. Strategic Analysis
    1. The Necessary Role
    2. The “Anvil” Strategy
    3. The Damage Absorption Role
  7. Tactical Applications
    1. Standard Frontline Formation
    2. Engagement Tactics
    3. Fighting Archers
  8. Weaknesses & Counters
    1. Limited Range
    2. No Special Abilities
    3. Vulnerability to Airmen
    4. Outpaced by Enemy Mages
  9. Equipment Recommendations
    1. Weapon Progression
    2. Armor Progression
    3. Helm Progression
  10. Common Mistakes
    1. Mistake #1: Choosing Armor Path at Level 10
    2. Mistake #2: Advancing Knights Alone
    3. Mistake #3: Using Knights as Primary Damage
    4. Mistake #4: Neglecting Equipment Upgrades
  11. Advanced Tactics
    1. The “Bait” Strategy
    2. Chokepoint Defense
    3. Protecting Priority Targets
  12. Combat Strategy
    1. Standard Battle Flow
    2. Typical Knight Turn
  13. Boss Battle Strategy
    1. Standard Boss Approach
    2. Multi-Boss Battles
  14. Trial of Toroah Performance
    1. Standard Performance Across Trials
  15. Comparison: Knight vs Other Classes
  16. FAQ Authors’ Consensus
    1. Jeff Chan (Atom Edge)
    2. Syonyx
  17. Final Verdict
  18. Next Steps

Overview

“Standard physical fighter. Possesses strong attack, sturdy defense, and good range. Basically your all-around strong class. All in all, pretty standard and unremarkable.” - Jeff Chan

The Knight class is rated 6/10 by FAQ authors - a solid but unremarkable frontline fighter. Knights aren’t bad, they’re just… standard. They do exactly what you’d expect: hit things with swords and absorb damage. Nothing more, nothing less.

Class Progression 

Level 1-9          Level 10-19        Level 20+
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════
Soldier ──────────> Swordsman ─────> Duelist

Advancement Levels

Level Class Key Improvements
1-9 Soldier Basic melee fighter, standard stats
10-19 Swordsman Improved ATK/DEF, better equipment
20+ Duelist Peak physical stats, highest armor

Alternative Path: At Level 10, can become Guardsman instead (Armor path, rated 1/10). NEVER choose Armor! See Armor Class Guide for why.

Available Characters

Character Starting Level When Joins Recommended Path
Clint Picard 5 Starting character Knight (Duelist)
Grog Drinkwater 11 Chapter 2, Section 7 Knight (Duelist)
Dolan 12 Chapter 2, Section 6 Knight (Duelist)

Keep ALL THREE as Knights (Duelist path). Never choose Armor path (utterly useless).

Statistics

Stat Distribution

Stat Rating Notes
ATK High Strong physical damage
DEF High Sturdy defense, can tank
AGL Average Moderate evasion
MAG DEF Average Normal magic resistance
MOVE Average Standard movement (3-4 tiles)

Strengths: Strong against Archers (bonus damage reduction)

Weaknesses: Vulnerable to Airmen (they counter you)

Role: Frontline tank and melee DPS

Why Knight is 6/10

The “Standard” Problem

What Knights Do Well:

  • High ATK → Deal good physical damage
  • High DEF → Absorb physical attacks
  • Reliable → Always useful in some capacity
  • Straightforward → No complexity

The Issue:

  • No special abilities - Just sword attacks
  • No magic - Physical only
  • No healing - Can’t sustain self
  • No range - Must be adjacent to attack
  • No AOE - Single-target only
  • No unique utility - Nothing special

“Basically your all-around strong class. All in all, pretty standard and unremarkable.” - Jeff Chan

Outclassed by Other Classes

Knight (6/10) vs Hero (8/10):

  • Hero = Knight + magic spells + healing
  • Knight = Just physical attacks
  • Hero does everything Knight does AND MORE

Knight (6/10) vs Archer (8/10):

  • Archer = Ranged, no counterattack risk
  • Knight = Melee, takes counterattacks
  • Archers deal damage more safely

Knight (6/10) vs Mage (10/10):

  • Mage = Phase Shift eliminates 5 enemies
  • Knight = Hits one enemy per turn
  • Mages end battles before Knights reach combat

The Verdict:

  • Knights aren’t bad
  • They’re just outperformed by almost every other class
  • Serviceable but unremarkable

Why Not Lower Rating?

Redeeming Qualities:

  1. Frontline necessity - Someone must tank front
  2. Reliable damage - Always deals decent damage
  3. No MP dependency - Never runs out of resources
  4. Simple to use - No complexity
  5. Better than Armor (1/10) - At least mobile

Rating Breakdown:

  • 1-2/10 = Terrible (Armor class)
  • 3-4/10 = Bad
  • 5/10 = Below average but usable
  • 6/10 = Average, serviceable
  • 7/10+ = Good to excellent

Strategic Analysis

The Necessary Role

Why You Need Knights Despite 6/10 Rating:

Someone Must Tank Front Line:

  • Battles have enemy melee units
  • They will advance toward your party
  • Someone must intercept them
  • If not Knights, then who?

Options:

  • Ash (Hero) - Can tank, but Game Over if he dies
  • Knights - Designed for tanking, safe to lose
  • Airmen - Fragile, shouldn’t tank
  • Mages/Priests - Terrible defense, die quickly

Verdict: Knights are best option for frontline tanking

The “Anvil” Strategy

Tactical Principle:

  • Knights = Anvil (hold front, absorb attacks)
  • Archers/Mages = Hammer (deal damage from safety)
  • Enemies caught between anvil and hammer

How It Works:

  1. Knights advance to front
  2. Enemies engage Knights (drawn to front)
  3. Archers/Mages shoot from back
  4. Enemies take damage without counterattacking archers
  5. Knights finish wounded enemies in melee

Result:

  • Knights take hits (high DEF, survive)
  • Archers/Mages deal safe damage
  • Knights enable archer/mage strategies

Knights aren’t flashy, but they enable the powerful classes (Mages, Archers) to operate safely.

The Damage Absorption Role

Knights as Damage Sponges:

  • Enemy physical attack on Knight: 15-25 damage
  • Same attack on Mage: 50-80 damage
  • Same attack on Priest: 50-80 damage
  • Same attack on Archer: 30-50 damage

Knight Durability:

  • Knights: 120-180 HP, 30-50 DEF
  • Can take 6-8 hits before dying
  • Mages can take 2-3 hits before dying
  • Knights buy time for Mages to cast spells

Tactical Applications

Standard Frontline Formation

Recommended Setup:

[Clint] [Ash] [Grog]
  [Huxley] [Eleni] [Sara]
   [Diego] [Kira] [Zohar]

Knights form front barrier
Priests/Mages in center (protected)
Archers in back (safe range)

Why This Works:

  • Knights intercept melee enemies
  • Enemies focus on Knights (high DEF)
  • Back-line deals damage safely
  • Priests heal Knights as needed
  • Classic defensive formation

Engagement Tactics

Round 1-2:

  • Knights advance toward enemy
  • Position to block enemy advance
  • Create wall enemy must go through

Round 3-5:

  • Enemies engage Knights (melee)
  • Knights counterattack (deal damage)
  • Knights take damage (absorb for team)
  • Archers/Mages eliminate enemies from behind

Round 6+:

  • Knights finish wounded enemies
  • Priests heal Knights to full
  • Advance to next enemy group
  • Repeat

Fighting Archers

Knights vs Enemy Archers:

  • Knights take reduced damage from archers (type advantage)
  • Enemy archer shoots knight: 10-15 damage (minimal)
  • Knight reaches archer: 50-60 damage (kills)
  • Knights hard-counter enemy archers

Practical Use:

  • Send Knights to engage enemy archers
  • Absorb arrow fire (barely hurts)
  • Close distance and eliminate archers
  • Protect your Mages/Airmen from archer fire

Weaknesses & Counters

Limited Range

The Reach Problem:

  • Knights must be adjacent to attack (range 1)
  • Enemies 2+ tiles away = can’t hit
  • Must spend turns moving into range
  • Slow to engage

Practical Impact:

  • Archers shoot from 4-6 tiles (3-5 turns before Knights reach)
  • Mages cast from 4-6 tiles (3-5 turns before Knights reach)
  • Knights arrive late to battles
  • Often enemies already dead (Mages killed them)

“Spells like Phase Shift and Salamander end battle so quickly, other characters may never get chance to get into fray.” - Jeff Chan (about Mages, but applies to Knights too)

No Special Abilities

What Knights Cannot Do:

  • ✗ Cast spells (no magic)
  • ✗ Heal themselves (no recovery)
  • ✗ Attack at range (melee only)
  • ✗ Hit multiple enemies (no AOE)
  • ✗ Buff allies (no support)
  • ✗ Debuff enemies (no utility)

Result:

  • One-dimensional gameplay
  • Just “move and attack”
  • No tactical depth
  • Boring but functional

Vulnerability to Airmen

Enemy Airmen vs Knights:

  • Enemy airman attacks knight: 40-60 damage (type advantage)
  • Knight attacks airman: 30-40 damage (normal)
  • Airman has range, knight doesn’t
  • Airmen counter Knights hard

Problem:

  • Enemy airmen fly over Knights
  • Attack your back line (Mages/Priests)
  • Knights can’t reach them (flying)
  • Must rely on Archers to shoot them down

Outpaced by Enemy Mages

Enemy Mages:

  • Cast Phase Shift on your Knights
  • 60-80 damage to all Knights in area
  • Knights have average MAG DEF (not good)
  • Knights get wrecked by magic

Solution:

  • Use your Archers to kill enemy Mages first
  • Knights can’t deal with magic effectively
  • Need archer/mage support

Equipment Recommendations

Weapon Progression

Chapter Weapon ATK Cost/Source
Ch. 1 Short Sword Start Starting
Ch. 1 Long Sword +4 120G
Ch. 2 Iron Sword +10 500G
Ch. 3-5 Great Sword +18 2,000G
Ch. 5-6 Mastersword +26 7,400G
Ch. 6.1 Caliburn +28 Gift (defeat Kane) - Give to Ash

Caliburn should go to Ash (Hero), not Knights. Give Masterswords to Clint/Grog/Dolan.

Armor Progression

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

Helm Progression

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

Armor Priority: Knights should get best armor first (they’re taking hits). Mages/Priests can wait.

Common Mistakes

Mistake #1: Choosing Armor Path at Level 10

WRONG!

Temptation:

  • “Armor class has even higher DEF!”
  • “More tanky = better tank?”
  • “Guardsman → Dragoon sounds cool”

Why It’s Terrible:

  • Armor class is rated 1/10 (worst in game)
  • Utterly pathetic movement (2 tiles per turn)
  • Never reaches combat (battles end before arrival)
  • High DEF doesn’t matter if you never fight
  • Completely useless

NEVER choose Armor path! Always go Swordsman → Duelist! See Armor Class Guide for full explanation of why Armor is 1/10.

Mistake #2: Advancing Knights Alone

RISKY!

Common Pattern:

  • Knights charge forward alone
  • “I’ll tank all the enemies!”
  • Leave rest of party behind (3-4 tiles back)
  • Knights surrounded by 6-8 enemies

Why It Fails:

  • 6-8 enemies × 20 damage each = 120-160 damage per round
  • Knights have 120-180 HP
  • Dead in 1-2 rounds
  • Priests too far away to heal
  • Archers/Mages can’t support (out of range)

Solution:

  • Advance as formation
  • Knights 2-3 tiles ahead
  • Priests 2-3 tiles behind Knights (healing range)
  • Archers/Mages 4-5 tiles behind (attack range)
  • Coordinated advance

Mistake #3: Using Knights as Primary Damage

INEFFICIENT!

Common Approach:

  • “Knights deal good damage, use them to kill”
  • Focus on Knight attacks
  • Neglect Mages/Archers

Why It’s Suboptimal:

  • Knight damage: 40-60 per turn (one enemy)
  • Mage Phase Shift: 60 damage × 5 enemies = 300 total
  • Archer focus fire: 25 × 4 archers = 100 damage (one enemy dead)
  • Knights are least efficient damage dealers

Solution:

  • Knights tank and finish wounded enemies
  • Mages/Archers do primary damage
  • Knights support, don’t lead offense

Mistake #4: Neglecting Equipment Upgrades

WASTEFUL!

Common Error:

  • Upgrading Mage/Archer equipment first
  • “They do more damage, prioritize them”
  • Knights using outdated armor

Why It’s Bad:

  • Knights take most hits
  • Outdated armor = take more damage
  • More damage = more healing needed
  • More healing = more MP used
  • Inefficient resource management

Solution:

  • Upgrade Knight armor FIRST
  • Reduces incoming damage (prevention)
  • Less healing needed (efficiency)
  • Then upgrade weapons for damage dealers

Advanced Tactics

The “Bait” Strategy

Using Knights as Bait:

  1. Knight advances to front alone (deliberately)
  2. Enemies focus on Knight (drawn to nearest target)
  3. Knight survives (high DEF)
  4. Archers/Mages eliminate enemies safely
  5. Priest heals Knight to full
  6. Repeat

Why It Works:

  • Enemy AI targets nearest/most threatening
  • Knight is both (front + high HP)
  • Enemies waste turns attacking Knight
  • Your damage dealers kill them safely

Chokepoint Defense

Map Control:

  1. Identify narrow passages (1-2 tiles wide)
  2. Position Knights in chokepoint
  3. Enemies must go through Knights (can’t go around)
  4. Archers/Mages shoot at enemies stuck behind front

Result:

  • Enemies bottlenecked (can’t swarm)
  • Only 1-2 enemies attack Knights per turn
  • Knights easily survive
  • Force favorable engagements

Protecting Priority Targets

Bodyguard Role:

  1. Identify priority (Eleni/Zohar mage, Huxley priest)
  2. Position Knight adjacent to priority
  3. Enemy approaching priority
  4. Knight intercepts (blocks path)

Result:

  • Enemy must go through Knight first
  • Priority target protected
  • Buys time for priority to act

Combat Strategy

Standard Battle Flow

Rounds 1-3:

  1. Knights advance (move toward enemy)
  2. Position to intercept enemy advance
  3. Form defensive wall

Rounds 4-7:

  1. Enemies engage Knights (melee combat)
  2. Knights counterattack (chip damage)
  3. Archers/Mages eliminate enemies from behind
  4. Knights finish wounded survivors

Rounds 8+:

  1. Clean up remaining enemies
  2. Knights advance to next group
  3. Repeat process

Typical Knight Turn

Option A: Engage New Enemy

  • Move adjacent to healthy enemy
  • Attack (40-60 damage)
  • Enemy counterattacks (take 15-25 damage)
  • Net: Damage dealt, minor damage taken

Option B: Finish Wounded Enemy

  • Move adjacent to wounded enemy (<40 HP)
  • Attack (40-60 damage, enemy dies)
  • No counterattack (enemy dead)
  • Net: Kill without taking damage (efficient)

Option C: Defensive Positioning

  • Move to block enemy path
  • Don’t attack (no target in range)
  • Wait for enemy to engage you
  • Counterattack when they attack

Boss Battle Strategy

Standard Boss Approach

Knight Role vs Bosses:

  1. Frontline engagement - Keep boss occupied
  2. Absorb boss attacks - High DEF tanks damage
  3. Steady chip damage - 40-60 per turn adds up
  4. Let Mages/Archers do heavy damage (more efficient)

Typical Knight Turns:

  • Turns 1-10: Attack boss each turn (40-60 damage)
  • Total damage: 400-600 over boss fight
  • Not spectacular, but consistent and reliable

Support Role:

  • Keep boss focused on Knights (not Mages)
  • Survive boss attacks (high HP/DEF)
  • Finish boss when wounded (<100 HP)

Multi-Boss Battles

Some bosses have support:

  • Boss + 4-6 elite enemies
  • Knights handle supporting enemies
  • Mages focus boss

Why This Works:

  • Knights good at dealing with standard enemies
  • Mages better at boss (high damage spells)
  • Division of labor = efficient

Trial of Toroah Performance

Standard Performance Across Trials

Knights in Trials:

  • Reliable frontline throughout
  • Consistent but not spectacular
  • Tank damage, chip away at enemies
  • Let Mages do heavy lifting

Trial-Specific:

  • Nova Trial: Standard melee enemies, Knights perform well
  • Chaos Trial: Golems have high DEF, Knights struggle (use magic)
  • Logos Trial: Long endurance battle, Knights sustained tanking valuable
  • Heaven Trial: 28 elite enemies, Knights help but Mages shine

Knights are serviceable in Trials but not stars. Essential support role.

Comparison: Knight vs Other Classes

Knight (6/10) vs Hero (8/10):

  • Both melee fighters
  • Hero has spells (major advantage)
  • Hero clearly superior

Knight (6/10) vs Archer (8/10):

  • Knight = Melee, high DEF
  • Archer = Ranged, safe damage
  • Archer more valuable tactically

Knight (6/10) vs Airman (7/10):

  • Knight = Ground tank
  • Airman = Flying striker
  • Airman more flexible

Knight (6/10) vs Priest (9/10):

  • Completely different roles
  • Priests essential (healing)
  • Knights serviceable (tanking)
  • Both needed, Priest more critical

Knight (6/10) vs Armor (1/10):

  • Knight = Mobile, useful
  • Armor = Immobile, useless
  • Knight vastly superior (always choose Knight over Armor!)

FAQ Authors’ Consensus

Jeff Chan (Atom Edge)

Rating: 6/10 Quote: “Standard physical fighter. Possesses strong attack, sturdy defense, and good range.” Assessment: “All in all, pretty standard and unremarkable.” Recommendation: “Probably best to keep all three characters in this class rather than Armor class”

Syonyx

Rating: Moderate tier Focus: Frontline physical fighters Strengths: Strong against archers Weaknesses: Vulnerable to airmen Recommendation: Solid but not exceptional

Final Verdict

SERVICEABLE FRONTLINE

Why Knight is 6/10:

  • Solid stats, reliable performance
  • But: Outclassed by almost every other class
  • But: No special abilities or utility
  • But: One-dimensional gameplay
  • Verdict: Average, serviceable, unremarkable

Why You Still Need Them:

  • Someone must tank front line
  • Knights are best option for tanking
  • Enable Mages/Archers to operate safely
  • Necessary evil

Recommended Usage:

  • Keep all 3 characters as Knights (don’t make Armor!)
  • Use as frontline tanks
  • Don’t expect them to carry battles
  • Support Mages/Archers (they’re the stars)

“Standard and unremarkable… but probably best to keep all three characters in this class rather than Armor class, due entirely to utter uselessness of Armor class.” - Jeff Chan

Next Steps

“Not flashy, but someone has to hold the line.”

Knight - The Serviceable Frontline

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