Second tier

Crusader

Crusader is the alternative advancement option for the Swordsman class, marrying the inherent defense and damage mitigation strategies of the Swordsman with the holy magic of the Acolyte.

While there are two general build options, they are not as strictly divided as the Knight's are. Spear builds branch out of Swordsman's Slash, compounding the Bleed status with an additional Blind status from Brilliant Strike. Holy Cross takes advantage of both, inflicting devastating damage if the enemy is Bleeding and Blinded at the same time. Spear Flurry creates an exceptional damage window for burst, instantly refreshing the Cooldowns of all of the Crusader's Spear skills.

The Shield Build sacrifices this exceptional burst potential for a balanced approach to damage and survivability. Faith, the stand-in for Shield Mastery, increases the user's physical and magical defenses. Shield Slam is the core damage skill, supplemented by Shield Boomerang to strike at enemies before they enter melee range. Both skills receive a large damage bonus from the target being Vulnerable, while Boomerang also helps to reapply the status.

The class's two "ultimate" skills mirror each other in function. Restoration is a ground based spell that heals the user and their allies over time. Grand Cross takes the opposite approach, sacrificing the Crusader's HP to deal massive damage in an area around them, while also applying the Blind and Vulnerable statuses in case any follow-up is necessary. Neither skill requires any investment in Int or Magic Attack for optimal performance, allowing the Crusader to focus on building toward stats that will be more impactful in general use.