- Masters of sword and axe, Landsknechts can bear a wide range of weapons and armor in close combat.
- —Landsknecht description, Etrian Odyssey
The Landsknecht is a recurring class featured in Etrian Odyssey 1, 2, 4, and Nexus. Their weapon of choice is usually the sword; however, they are also capable of wielding Axes (EO1/2) and Rapiers (EO4/EON). They are often a Jack-of-All-Trades melee class, opting for well-balanced stats instead of a specific focus. For example, they have lower HP and DEF than a Protector, and lower ATK and SPD than a Ronin, but are well-rounded in all of those stats, making them very reliable in a wide variety of situations, rather than filling an extremely niche role.
Profile[]
Powerhouses who can deal damage when you need it most, landsknechts aren't afraid to rush into any situation and get their hands dirty, no matter how dangerous. Their physical strength comes at the cost of defense, and if you're willing to take a gamble, some of their skills can tilt the balance even further toward raw power by abandoning defense entirely. A few elemental skills make sure they can pitch in even in fights against magical enemies.
- Strengths: High offenses, good durability.
- Weaknesses: Subpar TP growth, Chaser skills need cooperation to execute.
Stat Progression[]
- Main article: Landsknecht/Stats#EO1
Level | HP | TP | STR | TEC | VIT | AGI | LUC |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 26 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 9 |
30 | 200 | 48 | 39 | 27 | 39 | 31 | 39 |
50 | 359 | 76 | 60 | 42 | 60 | 48 | 60 |
70 | 504 | 104 | 75 | 53 | 75 | 60 | 75 |
Skills[]
Note: Skills are listed in the same order that is used in the game and do not necessarily unlock one after another. See the "Requires" column to see how to unlock a skill. If that column has dashes in it the skill is accessible at level one; no other skill is needed to unlock it. Skills are maxed at level 10.
- Stat Increases and Passive Skills are passive benefits that grant bonuses without being activated.
- Search Skills are out-of-battle skills, mostly for gathering materials or controlling monster behaviour.
- Sword and Axe Skills are the Landsknechts' fighting abilities, allowing the use of those weapons for major damage.
- Extra shows skill detail or any special bonuses that are gained at certain levels.
Skill | Description | Type | Requires | Extra |
---|---|---|---|---|
HP Up | Increase maximum HP. | Stat Increase | ----- | |
TP Up | Increase maximum TP. | Stat Increase | ----- | |
ATK Up | Increase physical damage. | Stat Increase | ----- | |
DEF Up | Increase physical defense. | Stat Increase | ----- | |
Axes | Increase damage dealt with axes. | Stat Increase | ----- | |
Swords | Increase damage dealt with swords. | Stat Increase | ----- | |
2-Hit | Normal weapon attacks have a chance of hitting twice. | Passive Skill | Axes Lv5 Swords Lv5 |
|
War Cry | Increase attack power at the expense of defense. | Enhancement Skill | ATK Up Lv3 | |
Hell Cry | Abandon defense and stamina for greatly strengthened attack. | ATK Up Lv10 | ||
Arm Heal | Regain the use of bound arms. | Healing Skill | DEF Up Lv1 | |
Flee | Sacrifice HP to escape from battle to the previous floor. | Escape Skill | DEF Up Lv5 | |
Cleaver | A rushing sword slash. | Sword Skill | Swords Lv1 | |
Tornado | A whirling sword skill that strikes adjacent enemies. | Swords Lv5 | ||
Allslash | A sword skill that hits a group of enemies 2-4 times. | Swords Lv5 2-Hit Lv3 |
||
Blazer | Sword skill that follows fire magic with a flaming slash. | Swords Lv7 TP Up Lv3 |
||
Freezer | Sword skill that follows ice magic with a freezing slash. | |||
Shocker | Sword skill that follows volt magic with a shocking slash. | |||
Crush | A charging axe strike. | Axe Skill | Axes Lv1 | |
Stunner | An axe attack that puts the enemy off-balance. | Axes Lv3 | ||
Silencer | An axe skill with a chance of binding the enemy's head. | Axes Lv7 | ||
Mine | Mine for materials at item points. | Search Skill | ----- |
External Links[]
Profile[]
Landsknechts have a slight skill tree overhaul from the first game. Their elemental attacks are no longer restricted to swords now, though this also means they have to invest partially into mastery for both weapons to be able to unlock said abilities. The formerly useless Arm Heal upgrades into Recover which now removes all the Landsknecht's binds and raises their max HP accordingly. They also receive new attack skills in both the Sword and Axe trees, and a handy Charge skill to allow their supporting ailments to connect. However, in the transition to Untold, their Agility growth plummets, putting them as the second slowest class in the game, with only the Protectors being slower.
- Strengths: High offenses, good durability.
- Weaknesses: Subpar TP and Agility growth, Chaser skills need cooperation to execute.
Stat Progression[]
- Main article: Landsknecht/Stats#EOU
Level | HP | TP | STR | TEC | VIT | AGI | LUC |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 36 | 17 | 10 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 6 |
30 | 146 | 73 | 24 | 11 | 23 | 14 | 21 |
70 | 353 | 170 | 47 | 23 | 45 | 28 | 45 |
99 | 543 | 255 | 66 | 32 | 63 | 39 | 65 |
Skills[]
Skill | Description | Type | Prerequisites | Extra |
---|---|---|---|---|
Sword Mastery | Enables Sword skills and raises damage dealt with swords. | Mastery | None | |
Raging Edge | Melee cut attack to 1 enemy. | Sword | Sword Mastery Lv1 | |
Tornado | Melee cut attack to 1 enemy with splash effect. | Sword | Sword Mastery Lv3 | |
Blinding Slap | Melee cut attack, sacrificing accuracy for power. Missing blinds all enemies. | Sword | Sword Mastery Lv5 | Lv5 and 10 increase blind rate. |
Falcon Slash | Melee cut attack to multiple random enemies. Will not hit the same enemy more than once. | Sword | Sword Mastery Lv10 | Lv5 and 10 increase maximum number of enemies hit. |
Axe Mastery | Enables Axe skills and raises damage dealt with axes. | Mastery | None | Can be augmented with Grimoire Stones. |
Boomerang Axe | Ranged bash attack to 1 enemy. | Axe | Axe Mastery Lv1 | |
Head Bash | Melee bash attack to 1 enemy, may bind head. | Axe | Axe Mastery Lv3 | Lv5 and 10 raise bind rate. |
Stunning Smash | Melee bash attack to 1 enemy. Quick to activate, may stun. | Axe | Axe Mastery Lv5 | Lv5 and 10 raise stun rate. |
Power Crush | Melee line-piercing bash attack. | Axe | Axe Mastery Lv10 | |
Double Strike | Regular attacks have a chance to hit twice. | Passive | Blinding Slap Lv3 Head Bash Lv3 |
|
Fire Chaser | Performs a follow-up attack on an enemy hit by a fire attack this turn. | Sword/Axe | Tornado Lv5 Stunning Smash Lv5 |
Lv5 and 10 increase maximum number of follow-ups. |
Ice Chaser | Performs a follow-up attack on an enemy hit by an ice attack this turn. | |||
Volt Chaser | Performs a follow-up attack on an enemy hit by a volt attack this turn. | |||
DEF Up | Raises physical defense. | Stat Up | None | |
Recover | Removes binds from self and raises maximum HP. | Healing | DEF Up Lv3 | Lv5 and 10 increase number of binds removed. |
Savage Cry | Draws enemy attacks for 3 turns while decreasing all enemies' defense. | Buff | Recovery Lv3 | Lv5 and 10 increase duration. |
HP Up | Raises maximum HP. | Stat Up | None | |
TP Up | Raises maximum TP. | Stat Up | None | |
Triple Charge | Next turn, raises offenses, accuracy, and ailment success rate. | Battle | HP UpLv2 TP Up Lv2 |
Lv5 and 10 increase damage bonus. |
ATK Up | Raises physical attack. | Stat Up | None | |
War Cry | Raises ATK/lowers DEF for allies on your line for 3 turns. Consumes their HP. | Buff | ATK Up Lv3 | Lv5 and 10 increase duration, defense penalty and HP cost. |
Strike Chaser | Multiple allies will attack the user's target(s) next turn. Allies with matching weapon damage types are more likely to follow-up; allies with differing damage types will do more follow-up damage. | Battle | Triple Charge Lv3 War Cry Lv5 |
Lv5 and 10 increase follow-up rate. Triggers on each attack performed by the user. |
Mine | Allows the user to find more resources while mining. | Field | None | Can be augmented with Grimoire Stones. |
Grimoire Stones[]
Skills to generate and pass:
- Triple Charge: Synergizes with ailment-inducing attacks, like Beheading Cut and Head Pierce.
- Tornado, Falcon Slash: For Sword-wielding Dark Hunters and Protectors to grant them the ability to hit multiple enemies.
- Double Strike: For party members that use their normal attack a lot.
- Recover: Allows a party member to nearly completely unbind themselves.
Skills best used on a Landsknecht:
- Limitless (Highlander): Allows a Landsknecht to utilize either Sword or Axe skills for the situation.
- Crit Up/High Caliber (Ronin/Gunner): Land more and stronger critical hits while Double Striking.
Profile[]
Though Landsknechts still tend to specialize in either swords or axes - swords for multiple hits, axes for single, powerful blows - they've learned to use either weapon for their elemental strikes. They can still abandon all defenses to improve their offense, but now if the enemy should take advantage of this to weaken them, they have new abilities to become even stronger when critically injured.
- Strengths: High offenses, good durability.
- Weaknesses: Subpar TP growth, Chaser skills need cooperation to execute.
- Force Skill - All Out: A powerful berserker charge that slashes every enemy.
Stat Progression[]
- Main article: Landsknecht/Stats#EO2
Level | HP | TP | STR | TEC | VIT | AGI | LUC |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 45 | 20 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 |
30 | 219 | 61 | 29 | 17 | 28 | 24 | 16 |
70 | 515 | 117 | 58 | 32 | 58 | 51 | 35 |
99 | 746 | 251 | 75 | 49 | 76 | 70 | 53 |
Skills[]
Skill | Description | Type | Requires |
---|---|---|---|
HP Up | Increases maximum HP. | Stat Increase | ----- |
TP Up | Increases maximum TP. | Stat Increase | ----- |
STR Up | Increases strength. | Stat Increase | ----- |
TEC Up | Increases technique. | Stat Increase | ----- |
VIT Up | Increases vitality. | Stat Increase | ----- |
AGI Up | Increases agility. | Stat Increase | ----- |
LUC Up | Increases luck. | Stat Increase | ----- |
Esc Up | Increase chances of successfully escaping from battle. | Stat Increase | ----- |
Swords | Needed to learn sword skills. | Mastery Skill | ----- |
Axes | Needed to learn axe skills. | Mastery Skill | ----- |
Counter | Counter physical attacks from enemies. | Counter Skill | Swords Lv8 Axes Lv8 |
2-Hit | Normal weapon attacks have a chance of hitting twice. | Passive Skill | Swords Lv5 Axes Lv5 |
Cleaver | A rushing sword slash. | Sword Skill | Swords Lv1 |
Tornado | A whirling sword skill that slashes adjacent enemies. | Swords Lv3 | |
Allslash | A sword slash that hits a group of enemies 2 - 4 times. | Swords Lv5 | |
Hypercut | An extremely quick sword slash. | Swords Lv5 AGI Up Lv1 | |
Risk Cut | Sword slash that gains strength as the landsknecht loses HP. | Swords Lv7 | |
Deathaxe | A charging axe strike. | Axe Skill | Axes Lv1 |
Silencer | An axe strike with a chance of binding the enemy's head. | Axes Lv3 | |
Brawn | Slow-yet-powerful crushing blow with an axe. | Axes Lv5 STR Up Lv1 | |
Life Axe | Axe strike whose power correlates to the landsknecht's current HP. | Axes Lv5 | |
Stunner | An axe strike that puts the enemy off-balance. | Axes Lv7 | |
Blazer | Follows fire magic with a flaming sword or axe slash. | Sword/Axe Skill | Swords Lv5 Axes Lv5 |
Freezer | Follows ice magic with a freezing sword or axe slash. | ||
Shocker | Follows volt magic with a shocking sword or axe slash. | ||
War Cry | Increase attack power at the expense of defense. | Support Skill | STR Up Lv1 |
Unbound | Removes bindings from one party member. | Healing Skill | ----- |
Mine | Mine for minerals at item points. | Search Skill | ----- |
Profile[]
Landsknechts have been improved as their skills have been rearranged. No longer do their elemental Chasers require mastery in both weapons, so a Landsknecht can fully focus on either swords or axes without losing out on elemental damage. Both their sword and axe skill trees gain new skills as well, and they gain several passives that put a focus on delivering critical hits when they don't need to expend their TP.
- Strengths: Good all-rounder stats for a frontline physical attacker, and great support skills to pass through Grimoire Stones.
- Weaknesses: No good source of elemental damage outside of Chaser skills, middling Luck results in dependence on Triple Charge for ailments.
- Force Boost - Full Charge: Enables critical hits of Sword/Axe skills and guarantees critical hits of Sword/Axe skills or attacks made with Sword or Axe for 3 turns.
- Force Break - Full Gain: Powerful melee cut attack to 1 enemy.
Stat Progression[]
- Main article: Landsknecht/Stats#EO2U
Level | HP | TP | STR | TEC | VIT | AGI | LUC |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 36 | 20 | 10 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 6 |
30 | 147 | 112 | 25 | 13 | 23 | 17 | 15 |
70 | 359 | 264 | 48 | 27 | 45 | 37 | 31 |
99 | 556 | 351 | 68 | 39 | 63 | 52 | 43 |
Skills[]
Grimoire Stones[]
Skills to generate and pass:
- Triple Charge: Bind/ailment accuracy boost works incredibly well with the ailment-inflicting skills of Dark Hunters and Hexers.
- Swordbreaker: Doesn't require any weapons, so any class can utilize this skill as a support option against phys-oriented enemies.
- Tornado, Falcon Slash: Easily given to War Magi, Dark Hunters, and Protectors for greater offensive area attacks.
Skills best used on a Landsknecht:
- Elemental Sabres (Fafnir): For Sword Landsknechts, these are a good way to bestow elemental damage without investment in Chasers.
- Parry (Protector): Have the Landsknecht occasionally use their shield for defending their allies.
- Drain Bite (Dark Hunter): Allows the Landsknecht to steal life.
- Shield Rush (Protector): Decent source of multi-hitting Bash damage for Sword-wielding Landsknechts.
Profile[]
Landsknechts take a different approach to their job in Etrian Odyssey IV. This time, they have a more clearly defined role in the party, designed to get the first hit in and with every skill in their repertoire synergizing with this theme. Their signature Vanguard buff grants them priority and increased attack at the cost of defense. Their Chaser skills have been switched to Link skills, which do elemental damage on their own but also deliver additional hits whenever other party members attack the same target afterwards. Landsknechts are also proficient in Swords, Rapiers and Shields, offering them a wider variety of attack skills when attacking groups of enemies or when Link skills take too long to set up.
- Strengths: Great attack and reasonable defense, high speed with Vanguard.
- Weaknesses: Link skills require setup with Vanguard and Improved Link; subpar Luck growth; small TP pool with no means of regenerating it.
Stat Progression[]
- Main article: Landsknecht/Stats#EO4
Level | HP | TP | STR | TEC | VIT | AGI | LUC |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 48 | 26 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 4 |
35 | 240 | 92 | 37 | 22 | 33 | 28 | 17 |
70 | 438 | 160 | 64 | 39 | 59 | 50 | 31 |
99 | 583 | 190 | 81 | 53 | 76 | 68 | 42 |
Skills[]
Skill | Description | Type | Prerequisites | Extra |
---|---|---|---|---|
NOVICE | ||||
Proficiency | Enemies you hit suffer defense and evasion penalties. | Class | ----- | |
Sonic Raid | A close-range attack against 1 enemy at the turn's start. | Sword/Rapier | ----- | Affected by forges and imbues. |
Blazing Link | Melee fire attack to 1 enemy. Adds fire attack to next ally's strike. | Sword/Rapier | Sonic Raid Lv3 | Lv5 and 10 also increase follow-up strength. |
Freezing Link | Melee ice attack to 1 enemy. Adds ice attack to next ally's strike. | |||
Electric Link | Melee volt attack to 1 enemy. Adds volt attack to next ally's strike. | |||
Power Break | Melee bash attack to 1 enemy. Lowers its physical damage for 3 turns. | Shield | ----- | |
Mind Break | Melee bash attack to 1 enemy. Lowers its elemental damage for 3 turns. | Shield | Power Break Lv3 | |
Power Boost | Increases your physical attack power. | Passive | ----- | |
Vanguard | Lower your defense for 5 turns while acting first and increasing attack. | Support | ----- | |
Mineralogy | Greater chance of finding extra ore when mining. | Passive Skill | ----- | |
Bandage | Heals 1 ally's HP while navigating a dungeon. | Dungeon | ----- | |
VETERAN | ||||
Expertise | Enemies you hit suffer greater defense and evasion penalties. | Class | Proficiency | |
Double Strike | Attack an enemy twice with your equipped weapon. | Sword/Rapier | ----- | Affected by forges and imbues. |
Spiral Slice | Melee cut attack that splashes from the targeted enemy. | Sword | Double Strike Lv3 | |
Penetrate | Melee stab attack that pierces across the enemy lines. | Rapier | ||
Iron Wall | Increases your defense against physical attacks. | Passive | ----- | |
Swordbreaker | Chance of halving physical attack damage to allies on your line. | Passive | ----- | |
Improved Link | For 3 turns, more allies gain added attacks from Link skills. | Support | ----- | Lv2 to 4 and Lv8 increase follow-ups. Lv5 to 7 decrease cost instead. |
Initiative | When attacking before all enemies, your damage and accuracy increases. | Passive | Vanguard Lv2 | |
Muscular Chef | Increases STR gains from cooked food. | Sky | ----- | |
MASTER | ||||
Enlightenment | Enemies you hit suffer greater defense and evasion penalties. | Class | Expertise | |
Sword Tempest | Slow but powerful melee cut attack to 1 enemy. | Sword | Spiral Slice Lv3 | |
Swift Stab | Flurry of random, but slightly inaccurate, melee stab attacks to a line of enemies. Quick to activate. | Rapier | Penetrate Lv3 | Lv4 and 8 increase number of hits. |
Weapon Parry | Increases physical defense when two weapons are equipped. | Passive | Swordbreaker Lv3 | |
Link Mastery | Increases added attack's damage with each successive added attack. | Passive | Improved Link Lv3 |
Skill Breakdown[]
The Landsknecht is built around getting the first hit in and supporting their team from there. This is expressed through their Class skill line, which imposes a defense and evasion penalty on the enemies they attack, but it only applies for the rest of the turn after they've struck. Thus, a Landsknecht will do best investing in as many Turn Speed bonuses as they can afford. Focus on Rapiers instead of Swords for its innate speed bonus.
Their signature Vanguard self-buff offers a good attack and speed bonus at the cost of defense, but also lasts a good five turns to give them room to attack. It's best used for FOE and boss fights, but for the faster-paced random encounters, you have Sonic Raid which is a cheap single-target attack skill guaranteed to go first. Once you've unlocked Veteran-tier skills, investment in Initiative also increases the Landsknecht's own offenses to increase their first strike damage. Power Boost is also a universal physical damage boost passive that is worth investment regardless of how you build your Landsknecht, and Iron Wall and Swordbreaker are good defensive passives to take if you need to polish your Landsknecht's tankiness.
The Link skills set the Landsknechts of this game apart from their Chaser-based predecessors. The Link skill has the Landsknecht use an elemental attack first, and then subsequent attacks from the rest of their team will trigger follow-ups. Unlike Chasers, Links can follow-up off any attack, and a multi-hit skill can trigger multiple follow-ups. However, un-invested Links only give one follow-up unless augmented with Improved Link (available at level 20), which further extends the cap. With investment in Link Mastery (level 40) each successive follow-up will get stronger, reaching the full potential of Link chains. Link skills don't have any speed bonus, though, so you may need to juggle both Vanguard and Improved Link to make the most of them unless you've made your Landsknecht the fastest of your party.
If Links are not your fancy, the Landsknecht has several other physical skills that give them damage options and support. Shield skills are for a slightly slower but tankier Landsknecht — Power Break and Mind Break deal bash damage and inflict a physical or elemental attack debuff respectively, though they become obsolete once you reach Veteran-tier skills. Double Strike is a decent skill that can work off either swords or rapiers, and even gives you two opportunities to proc whatever forge effects you have. From there, the attacks split off into sword- or rapier-exclusive skills. Sword users have Spiral Slice for area damage, and cap at Sword Tempest whose speed penalty can be offset with Vanguard. Rapier users get the line-piercing Penetrate, and Swift Stab gives them multi-hit damage for bosses. If you don't want to be picky, you can wield both a Sword and Rapier, and take up Weapon Parry to give yourself a defense bonus for dual-wielding.
A Landsknecht is a well-rounded frontliner that offers plenty of good team synergy, regardless of the role you specialize towards.
Subclassing[]
Subclasses for Landsknecht[]
- Nightseeker: Subclassing them to Landsknecht further improves their offense thanks to Blade Flurry and Follow Trace, which when combined with the Landsknecht's innate Weapon Parry skill allows the Landsknecht to hit hard and take hits well. The Throw skills are not as potent due to the Landsknecht's low Luck stat, but access to Speed Boost will greatly aid the Landsknecht in doing damage during random encounters without needing to spend a turn setting up Vanguard.
- Fortress: Landsknechts come in second place when it comes to durability, right behind the Fortress, so giving a Landsknecht a Fortress subclass allows them to double as a party tank while also boasting incredible Strength and good speed. Be mindful that without the Fortress class skills, the Landsknecht's shielding ability can be limited by their small TP pool. The need to shield other party members can also divide the Landsknecht's attention and require them to dedicate fewer turns to attacking, making Link combos difficult to exploit to their fullest.
- Medic: Surprisingly, they can become pretty good emergency-healers thanks to Vanguard along with Full Heal/Revive. If you don't want to subclass Landsknecht to Medics, you can do it the other way and still obtain nice benefits - just beware of their TP which can become inconvenient when trying to use Medic skills. Stardrop works splendidly with Vanguard, Initiative, and the Landsknecht's class skills, greatly boosting the damage the rest of the party does to the target.
- Runemaster: Runemasters possess Runic Flare and Runic Guidance to amplify the Link skills of the Landsknecht, and Free Energy and TP Boost to give them increased battle stamina to offset their otherwise small TP pool. Runic Shield also works alongside Landsknechts' Swordbreaker to offer more frontline defenses. Recommended for Link Landsknechts.
- Bushi: One of the best options when it comes to raw damage, their Blood Surge and Charge along with Defiance increase your damage output to ridiculous levels, where even "Link" skills are affected. Deep Breath is also a staple for TP recovery during a protracted battle, and Endure gives Landsknechts an extra life. Very recommended if you're going for the most offensive approach.
- Imperial: Bear in mind that Vanguard bypasses the slow speed of Drive skills, allowing the Landsknecht to land a powerful strike without worry of lowered defenses. Landsknechts with this subclass have two options to choose from - utilize the entire Link skill tree while being supplemented by a stacking Power Boost and Element Boost, or focus on Drive and Edge skills to speed cooldown along while also being greatly augmented by their own class skills. Either way, should a Landsknecht opt to take up the Drive Blade, they lose on Weapon Parry but can have an extra equipment slot for shields.
Landsknecht as Subclass[]
Landsknechts are just as flexible when being a subclass option, largely due to their Vanguard buff allowing a unit to bypass their otherwise low speed of their skills, access to shields, and several passives like Power Boost and Swordbreaker to raise the strength and durability for physically-oriented classes.
- Medics, combat or support, appreciate the speed granted by Vanguard to grant timely healing and revival to party members. Combat Medics can even strengthen their attack skills which greatly benefit from going first.
- Fortresses not only get to bypass their mediocre speed, but also get to turn their shields into support weaponry via Power Break and Mind Break to help the party last longer against stronger enemies. Swordbreaker is also a handy passive that allows a Fortress to reduce incoming damage to their allies without needing a buff.
- Dual-wielding Nightseekers and Bushi take up the class to gain access to Weapon Parry and Iron Wall to get a defense bonus to offset the reduced capacity for armor. The high speed of Nightseekers also let them exploit Initiative and establish Links without spending time to set up Vanguard.
- Imperials gain access to Spiral Slice to do area damage to mobs. Vanguard also offsets the low speed of Drive Blade skills, letting them strike without worry of their lowered defenses.
Profile[]
The Landsknechts of Tharsis are the ones to answer the call to Maginia, as opposed to their cousins from Etria or High Lagaard. Maintaining their main skill set of initiative and Links, their function has not changed much as they take the charge, striking the enemy first and following up on every other companion attacking it. They have further refined their skills — they've further diversified their shield skills and can deliver very strong damage off it, and their Links are much less dependent on Improved Link to deliver results.
- Strengths: Good all-rounder stats for a frontline physical attacker. Incredibly strong with Vanguard.
- Weaknesses: Link skills require setup with Vanguard and/or Improved Link for maximum effect, limiting buff slot capacity. Subpar Luck growth, small TP pool. Lack of area attacks.
- Force Boost - Trinity: Increases attack, accuracy, and action speed for 3 turns.
- Force Break - Full Charge: Becomes immune to all hostile actions for this turn. Greatly increases attack and action speed until the end of next turn.
Stat Progression[]
- Main article: Landsknecht/Stats#EON
Level | HP | TP | STR | INT | VIT | WIS | AGI | LUC |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 56 | 40 | 16 | 13 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 10 |
30 | 110 | 82 | 34 | 28 | 35 | 30 | 21 | 22 |
70 | 223 | 170 | 72 | 61 | 74 | 65 | 66 | 46 |
99 | 332 | 254 | 108 | 92 | 112 | 98 | 100 | 72 |
130 | 481 | 370 | 158 | 135 | 163 | 144 | 146 | 105 |
Skills[]
Skill Breakdown[]
Nexus Landsknechts have hardly changed from their Tharsis iterations, but they gain a few subtle improvements to their kit. Their Proficiency and Initiative passives remain staples for their intended role. Their new Force Boost, Trinity, gives them an attack and speed boost without needing to consume a turn, and can work alongside (or as an alternative to) their signature Vanguard to let them get the first hit in. Their Force Break, Full Charge, is a little unconventional for a Force Break but gives them a turn's immunity to prepare for their next attack, which will hit with greatly increased action speed and deal over triple its usual damage.
For Link-based Landsknechts, juggling buffs is a lot less of a hassle. With Trinity now being a Vanguard that doesn't consume a turn, they can now just spend a turn to use Improved Link which raises their follow-up cap before flicking on the Force Boost to unleash their Links. Even without Improved Link, all their Link skills can deliver up to 4 follow-ups on their own, meaning they can still get their chops in before Veteran-tier skills or without needing to focus too hard on resetting Improved Link. Link Finale is a new non-elemental finisher that strengthens based on the length of their Link Chain last turn, which is great extra damage right after Improved Link expires, and Smash Link is a new passive that enables crits on Link follow-ups.
Pure physical Landsknechts have it good, too. While their sword and rapier skills remain the same, their Shield skills have been reworked into a good debuff source. Power Break now debuffs both physical and elemental ATK, and they gain new debuffs in the form of Guard Break and Speed Break, the latter of which reduces the target's action speed and lets them get the first hit in more often without needing Vanguard. The end of the Shield bash line is Full Break which normally hits as hard as the other Shield skills but deals well over double its damage on an enemy with a Break debuff, thus giving the Landsknecht competent damage of all three physical types.
They've lost a number of useful passives in the transition — most notably they no longer have Weapon Parry (whose benefits have been transferred to the Shogun) so they now have to pick between swords or rapiers rather than get the best of both worlds without drawback. Their Power Boost is exchanged for Single Devotion, a damage-boosting passive that benefits pure phys skills more than hybrid ones (20% at max for pure attacks), giving pure phys Landsknechts an edge over Links in terms of raw numbers.
Subclassing[]
Subclasses for Landsknecht[]
- Protectors may clash with the Landsknecht's offensive methods, but they do have some good offensive shield options. Shield Bash is a great area attack skill that offers another attack debuff that will stack with Power Break. HP Up and Elem DEF Up can also help extend a Landsknecht's lifespan on the battlefield, letting them be tankier even with Vanguard's defense penalty in place. Landsknechts taking this would often also eschew the Link tree; in which case their skill points can be devoted to Single Devotion for better damage output.
- Ronin have very straightforward DPS passives in the form of Phys ATK Up, Duel, and Speed Up. Speed Up in particular is of great importance to let the Landsknecht go first without needing to use Vanguard.
- Imperials pair well with Link-Focused and Stat-Break-Focused Landsknechts. Elem ATK Up is definitely a must for Linkers, and Absorber establishes some TP regeneration when using an effective Link or Drive Blade attack, contributing to stamina in drawn-out battles. HP Up also increases the Landsknecht's own durability. The Drive Blade skills combo well with Vanguard, both Force Skills, and main class passives, as well as the main class' Guard Break, easily dealing multiple thousands of damage by late game to bosses in a single swing. Full Break (main class) and Heat Shield also contribute to overall damage output and damage mitigation while the drive blade is on cooldown.
- Harbingers give Miasma Armor, which provides a speed boost that doesn't take up the Landsknecht's buff slot, and lets them easily use Improved Link at maximum efficiency. Endless Shroud becomes important for resetting Miasma Armor efficiently, and Landsknechts taking this subclass often invest in the Break debuffs which can trigger Endless Shroud. The low Luck stat of the Landsknecht impairs the effectiveness of Reap skills, though, and the other Harbinger debuffs can detract from desired DPS.
- Heroes complement Landsknechts with a variety of offensive options. Wide Bravery operates excellently with Vanguard and Initiative for crowd control, and every other Sword skill used by the Hero lets a Landsknecht have access to elemental damage without needing to invest in Links. Encourage also lets the Landsknecht offer passive healing to the party before enemies can finish off low-health stragglers, and Heroic Bonds raises action speed to go first without needing Vanguard. The Shield skills may offer good damage reduction, but conflict with their role of striking first. A Landsknecht taking this subclass would typically focus on swords, and have to forsake rapiers and associated skills.
Landsknecht as Subclass[]
Although Landsknechts no longer have their defensive passives from Legends of the Titan, their Vanguard, Proficiency and Initiative skills are still valued for the tremendous speed bonus and physical attack boosts.
- Ronin are already starved for skill points with their extensive skill tree, but Proficiency and Initiative work excellently in tandem with their high base Agility. In the right stance they will reap the benefits of those passives without any further input on their part. Ronin who focus on their stance's ultimate skills can also find value in Single Devotion to further amplify their damage.
- Survivalists have incredible base Agility to immediately reap the benefits of Proficiency and Initiative without further setup, and to offset their low base damage. A lot of Survivalist attack skills are purely stab damage so they can benefit off Single Devotion easily, and Phys DEF Up and Status DEF Up will aid their resilience.
- Gunners can abuse Vanguard with their Charge Shot skills to deal immense damage to enemies without compromising their defenses. Initiative also works well to offset their innate poor accuracy. Single Devotion is best used with their non-elemental attacks, and the combination of Vanguard, Initiative, Single Devotion on a Charge Shot can deliver devastating stab damage in one go. Phys DEF Up and shield use also helps mitigate their poor physical defense.
- Imperials also can use Vanguard to launch powerful Drive skills without compromising defenses. Since Drive Blades can also be used for Sword skills, they gain several other offensive options in between Drive attacks. Falcon Slash in particular is great for finishing off low-health enemies, and Sword Tempest's speed penalty is irrelevant on the class with the lowest Agility. Access to shields will also improve their resilience in the front lines.
- Heroes can also benefit greatly off the Landsknecht's own skills. Vanguard works well with Wide Bravery, and getting the jump on the enemy also works well with Act Breaker. Spiral Slice and Sword Tempest also vary the kinds of damage you can deal with your swords, in addition to the Hero's own skills.
Profile[]
Equipment when registered: Knife, Tweed.
Availability: From Start.
Stat Progression[]
- Main article: Landsknecht/Stats#EMD
Level | HP | TP | STR | TEC | VIT | AGI | LUC | EXP to next level | Total EXP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 45 | 30 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 100 | 0 |
30 | 228 | 221 | 120 | 63 | 37 | 121 | 95 | 25,000 | 235,000 |
50 | 254 | 247 | 182 | 88 | 57 | 144 | 115 | 30,000 | 785,000 |
70 | 274 | 267 | 203 | 108 | 67 | 164 | 135 | 30,000 | 1,385,000 |
99 | 303 | 296 | 232 | 137 | 82 | 193 | 164 | - | 2,255,000 |
Skills[]
Skill | Description | Type | Prerequisites | Lv Max | Extra |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Full Gain | A powerful cut attack that targets all enemies in the room. | Blast Skill / Weapon Skill | Report the quest Want a landsknecht manual? | 1 | Cost 3 Blast Gauge |
NOVICE (LV1) | |||||
Proficiency | When a party member attacks the same target you did this turn, their physical attack and accuracy are boosted. | Passive | None | 1 | |
Double Strike | Attack an enemy twice with your equipped weapon. | Active / Arms Skill / Sword/Rapier Skill | None | 3 | TP Cost 5 - 7 |
Vanguard | For 5 turns, act after the leader with increased physical attack strength, at the cost of physical defense. | Active / Head Skill / Can Act After Using | None | 3 | TP Cost 6 - 8. Last 6 turns at Lv3 |
Power Boost | Increases your physical attack. | Passive | None | 10 | Add +5/+1/+1/+1/+1/+1/+1/+1/+1/+2 ATK |
Iron Wall | Increases your physical defense. | Passive | None | 3 | Add +3/+1/+1 DEF |
Mineralogy | May find extra materials when gathering at a mining point. | Passive | None | 10 | |
VETERAN (LV10) | |||||
Expertise | When a party member attacks the same target you did this turn, their physical attack and accuracy are boosted. | Passive | Proficiency Lv1 | 1 | |
Spiral Slice | Cuts enemies in the three spaces in front of you. | Active / Arms Skill / Sword Skill | Double Strike Lv3 | 5 | TP Cost 7 - 11 |
Penetrate | Stab that pierces across 2 spaces. | Active / Arms Skill / Rapier Skill | |||
Initiative | When attacking first before all enemies, physical damage and accuracy is increased. | Passive | Vanguard Lv3 | 3 | |
Power Break | Melee bash attack to 1 enemy. May reduce its physical attack for 5 turns. | Active / Arms Skill / Shield Skill | Iron Wall Lv3 | 5 | TP Cost 5 - 9. Last 6 turns after Lv4 |
Mind Break | Melee bash attack to 1 enemy. May reduce its elemental attack for 8 turns. | ||||
Blazing Link | Melee fire attack. Target takes extra fire damage when attacked for 5 turns. | Active / Arms Skill / Sword/Rapier Skill | None | 8 | TP Cost 7 - 15 |
Freezing Link | Melee ice attack. Target takes extra ice damage when attacked for 5 turns. | ||||
Electric Link | Melee volt attack. Target takes extra volt damage when attacked for 5 turns. | ||||
MASTER (LV20) | |||||
Enlightenment | When a party member attacks the same target you did this turn, their physical attack and accuracy are boosted. | Passive | Expertise Lv1 | 1 | |
Sword Tempest | A powerful cut attack unleashed after one turn of gathering power. | Active / Arms Skill / Sword Skill | Spiral Slice Lv5 | 8 | TP Cost 10 - 16 |
Swift Stab | A flurry of random melee stabs which reach two spaces ahead. | Active / Arms Skill / Rapier Skill | Penetrate Lv5 | 8 | TP Cost 12 - 18 |
Improved Link | For 5 turns, any link skills used last an additional 2 turns. | Active / Head Skill | Blazing Link Lv3 Freezing Link Lv3 Electric Link Lv3 |
3 | TP Cost 8 - 10. Increase additional Link Duration. Last 6 turns at Lv3. |
Link Mastery | Extra damage due to link skills' effect is increased. | Passive | Improved Link Lv3 | 8 |
Gallery[]
External Links[]
Gallery[]
Names in other languages[]
Language | Name | Meaning |
---|---|---|
Japanese | ソードマン | Swordman |
English | Landsknecht | |
French | Lansquenet | |
German | Landsknecht | |
Spanish | Soldado | |
Italian | Militare Cavaliere (DS Europe) | |
Chinese (Simplified) | 剑士 | |
Chinese (Traditional) | 劍士 | |
Korean | 소드맨 |
v · t · eEtrian Odyssey |
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Info Monsters • Weapons • Armor • Accessories • Consumables • Items • Quests • Boost • Maps
Emerald Grove • Primitive Jungle • Azure Rainforest • Sandy Barrens • Lost Shinjuku • Claret Hollows
Landsknecht • Survivalist • Protector • Dark Hunter • Medic • Alchemist • Troubadour • Ronin • Hexer
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v · t · eEtrian Odyssey II: Heroes of Lagaard |
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Info Monsters • Weapons • Armor • Accessories • Consumables • Items • Quests • Maps • Force
Ancient Forest • Auburn Thicket • Frozen Grounds • Petal Bridge • Heavenly Keep • Forbidden Wood
Landsknecht • Survivalist • Protector • Dark Hunter • Medic • Alchemist • Troubadour • Ronin • Hexer • Gunner • War Magus • Beast
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v · t · eEtrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan |
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Info Monsters • Weapons • Armor • Items • Accessories • Usable Items • Quests • Missions • Food • Burst Skill • Subclass
Lush Woodlands • Misty Ravine • Golden Lair • Echoing Library • Forgotten Capital • Hall of DarknessWindy Plains • Scarlet Pillars • Sacred Mountains • Cloudy Stronghold Landsknecht • Nightseeker • Fortress • Sniper • Medic • Runemaster • Dancer • Arcanist • Bushi • Imperial |
v · t · eEtrian Odyssey Untold: The Millennium Girl |
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Info Monsters • Weapons • Armor • Items • Accessories • Quests • Maps • Boost • Floor Jump • Grimoire Stone
Emerald Grove • Primitive Jungle • Azure Rainforest • Sandy Barrens • Lost Shinjuku • Claret Hollows • Gladsheim
Story Characters Highlander • Frederica Irving • Simon Yorke • Raquna Sheldon • Arthur Charles • Rosa • Austin • Kupala • M.I.K.E.
Landsknecht • Survivalist • Protector • Dark Hunter • Medic • Alchemist • Troubadour • Ronin • Hexer • Highlander • Gunner
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v · t · eEtrian Odyssey 2 Untold: The Fafnir Knight |
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Info Monsters • Weapons • Armor • Items • Accessories • Quests • Maps • Force • Floor Jump • Grimoire Stone
Ancient Forest • Auburn Thicket • Frozen Grounds • Petal Bridge • Heavenly Keep • Forbidden Wood • Ginnungagap • Dark Paradise
Characters Fafnir Knight • Flavio • Arianna Caledonia • Bertrand de Gervaise • Chloe • Regina Dubois • Artelinde • Der Freischutz
Landsknecht • Survivalist • Protector • Dark Hunter • Medic • Alchemist • Troubadour • Ronin • Hexer • Gunner • War Magus • Beast • Sovereign • Fafnir • Highlander
|
v · t · eEtrian Odyssey Nexus |
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Info Missions • Quests • Weapons • Armor • Accessories • Items • Materials • Monsters • Locations • Force • Subclass
Protector • Medic • Survivalist • Ronin • Gunner • War Magus • Highlander • Sovereign • Ninja • ZodiacFarmer • Shogun • Landsknecht • Nightseeker • Arcanist • Imperial • Harbinger • Pugilist • Hero |
v · t · eEtrian Mystery Dungeon |
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Info
Monsters | Classes | Quests | Missions | Food | Blast Skill | Dungeons | Redevelopment | Characters | Locations | DLC Items
Weapons | Armor | Materials | Accessories | Usable Items | Key Items Landsknecht | Protector | Gunner | Runemaster | Medic | Dancer | Hexer | Ninja | Sovereign | Wanderer |