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Masters of sword and axe, Landsknechts can bear a wide range of weapons and armor in close combat.
Landsknecht description, Etrian Odyssey
EO1Landsknecht

The jack-of-all-trades, sword wielding warriors!

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[]

Skill Description Type Requires Extra
Sword Mastery Enables Sword skills and raises damage dealt with swords. Mastery None
Raging Edge
HD-ABindHD-STR
Melee cut attack to 1 enemy. Sword Sword Mastery Lv1
Tornado
HD-ABindHD-STR
Melee cut attack with splash damage. Sword Sword Mastery Lv3
Blinding Slash
HD-ABindHD-STRHD-LUC
Strong melee cut attack with low accuracy. Missing may blind all enemies. Sword Sword Mastery Lv5 Lv5 and 10 raise blind chance and reduce accuracy.
Falcon Slash
HD-LBindHD-STR
Melee cut attack to multiple random enemies. Sword Sword Mastery Lv10 Max 1 hit per enemy. Lv5 and 10 raise number of hits.
Hurricane
HD-ABindHD-STR
6 melee cut attacks to all enemies randomly. Disables skill usage afterwards. Sword Tornado Lv5
Falcon Slash Lv5
Axe Mastery Enables Axe skills and raises damage dealt with axes. Mastery None
Boomerang Axe
HD-ABindHD-STR
Ranged bash attack to 1 enemy. Axe Axe Mastery Lv1
Head Bash
HD-ABindHD-STRHD-LUC
Melee bash attack to 1 enemy, may bind head. Axe Axe Mastery Lv3 Lv5 and 10 raise head bind chance.
Stunning Smash
HD-ABindHD-STRHD-LUC
Quick melee bash attack to 1 enemy, may stun. Axe Axe Mastery Lv5 Lv5 and 10 raise stun rate and skill speed.
Charge Smash
HD-ABindHD-STR
Slow, powerful melee bash attack to 1 enemy. Axe Axe Mastery Lv10
Heavy Smash
HD-ABindHD-STR
Melee bash attack to 1 enemy. Each use raises the skill's damage and cost. Count is reset if Landsknecht dies. Axe Head Bash Lv5
Charge Smash Lv5
Bonus caps at +100% damage.
HP Up Increases max HP. Stat Up None
War Cry
HD-HBind
Raises offenses and lowers defenses for allies on user's line for 3 turns. Support HP Up Lv3 Lv5 and 10 increase duration but increase defense penalty.
TP Up Increases max TP. Stat Up None
Triple Charge
HD-HBind
Raises damage, accuracy, and bind/ailment success rate next turn. Charge TP Up Lv3 Lv5 and 10 increase damage boost.
Fire Chaser
HD-LBindHD-STR
Performs a follow up attack on an enemy hit with a fire attack this turn. Sword/Axe War Cry Lv3
Triple Charge Lv3
Lv5 and 10 increase max chases.
Ice Chaser
HD-LBindHD-STR
Performs a follow up attack on an enemy hit with an ice attack this turn.
Volt Chaser
HD-LBindHD-STR
Performs a follow up attack on an enemy hit with a volt attack this turn.
Phys ATK Up Increases physical ATK. Stat Up None
Fencer Increases critical rate and critical damage. Passive Phys ATK Up Lv5 Lv10 raises critical damage.
Double Strike Regular attacks have a chance to execute twice. Passive Fencer Lv5
Phys DEF Up Increases physical DEF. Stat Up None
Swordbreaker
HD-ABindHD-STR
Attack 1 enemy, lowering their physical ATK for this turn. Attack Phys DEF Up Lv5 Lv5 and 10 increase attack debuff strength.
Mine Allows the user to find more resources while mining. Gather None

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 Description Type Requires Extra
Trinity For 3 turns, increases the all ATK, hit rate, and act speed. Force Boost --
Full Charge
V-arm
Nulls attacks on user and increases all ATK/act speed until end of next turn. Force Break
NOVICE
Proficiency After attacking, raises allies' ATK/hit rate for hitting the same enemy that turn. Passive None
Falcon Slash
V-armV-str
At start of turn, attacks 1 enemy with equipped weapon. Sword/Rapier None
Blazing Link
V-armV-str
Melee/fire attack to 1 enemy, then follows up if an ally hits same target. Sword/Rapier None Lv5 and 10 increase follow-up rate. Max 4 follow-ups in a turn.
Freezing Link
V-armV-str
Melee/ice attack to 1 enemy, then follows up if an ally hits same target.
Electric Link
V-armV-str
Melee/volt attack to 1 enemy, then follows up if an ally hits same target.
Vanguard
V-head
Lowers user's DEF for 5 turns to increase physical ATK and act speed. Head None
Power Break
V-armV-str
Melee bash damage to 1 enemy. Lowers enemy ATK for 3 turns. Shield None
Mine Increases material yield from mining in the labyrinth. Gather None
Phys DEF Up Increases physical defense. Stat Up None
VETERAN
Double Strike
V-armV-str
2 attacks to 1 enemy with equipped weapon. Sword/Rapier Falcon Slash Lv2
Spiral Slice
V-armV-str
Melee cut attack to an enemy. Deals splash damage to adjacent targets. Sword Double Strike Lv3
Penetrate
V-armV-str
Melee stab attack that pierces enemy lines. Rapier
Improved Link
V-head
For 3 turns, user's Links follow up more actions and with greater success rate. Buff Burning Link Lv3
Freezing Link Lv3
Electric Link Lv3
Max 4 follow-ups per action. Lv4 increases maximum follow-ups per turn.
Smash Link May cause Link skills' follow-up attacks to become critical hits. Passive Improved Link Lv1
Guard Break
V-armV-str
Melee bash attack to 1 enemy. Lowers enemy DEF for 3 turns. Shield Power Break Lv2
Speed Break
V-armV-str
Melee bash attack to 1 enemy. Lowers enemy evasion/act speed for 3 turns. Guard Break Lv2
Initiative When attacking before all enemies, user's damage and accuracy increases. Passive None
Status DEF Up Increases bind/ailment resistance. Stat Up None
MASTER
Sword Tempest
V-armV-str
Slow but powerful melee cut to 1 enemy. Sword Spiral Slice Lv2
Swift Stab
V-armV-str
2-3 random melee stab attacks to an enemy line. Rapier Penetrate Lv2 Lv4 and 8 increase number of hits.
Link Mastery Effect of Link skills' follow-up attacks increases per activation. Passive Smash Link Lv2
Link Finale
V-armV-str
Melee attack to 1 enemy. The more Link follow-ups last turn, the stronger it is. Sword/Rapier Link Mastery Lv2
Full Break
V-armV-str
Melee bash attack to 1 enemy. Power increases if target is debuffed from at least 1 Break skill. Shield Speed Break Lv2
Single Devotion The fewer attack types associated with a hit, the greater the damage. Passive None

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


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