Knights of Legend/Races and classes

There are 35 different classes in Knights of Legend. In order to give a clear orientation to the player, some easier "reference classes" are used to classify the numerous characters in the game.
 * Tactician: any class that excels in Intellect and Foresight; they include wizards and archers;
 * Scout: any class that excels in Quickness;
 * Average: any class with balanced attributes.
 * Fighter: any class that excels in Strength and Health.

The unique characteristic of Knights of Legend is the ability to anticipate enemy moves. This anticipation skill depends on Intellect and Foresight, that can be thus considered the most important attributes.

Races and icons
There are four races in Knights of Legend: Humans, Elves, Dwarves and Keldens. Human and Elf adventurers can be either males or females.


 * Male humans are divided in 12 classes; 9 of them are fighter-type, 3 are fit to be scouts or tacticians.
 * Keldens are typically fighter-type; they are sort of winged giants; there are 3 classes in the game.
 * Dwarves are typically fighter-type; they are divided in 4 classes, each of which with two different names.
 * Female humans (women) are typically intermediate between the three basic types; they are divided in 4 classes.
 * Female elvesses are typically tactician- and scout-types; they are more fit to be archers; they are divided in 6 classes.
 * Male elves are typically tactician- and scout-types; they are more fit to be wizards; they are divided in 6 classes.

There are 35 different classes, but 80 selectable character images. In this page it was chosen to assign one or more icons to any class with coherent race and similar weapons. Anyway, the player is free to assign any portrait to any character, regardless of race and gender.

Despite the fact that all female elves start the game with a bow, there is only one elvess archer icon.

Given names
The manual tells the story of some inhabitants of Ashtalarea. Occasionally, their name is told, too.
 * Male human names: Paramantathon Ul'Hi (noblesman), Eric the Masked (pirate), Nirek the Weasel (rogue)
 * Female human names: n.a.
 * Male elf names: Gurps (brekland), Glandamin (klvar), Elbaraman (king)
 * Female elf names: Callicara (queen)
 * Dwarf names: Grulden Ironheart (militia/levie)
 * Kelden names: n.a.

Character class triangle diagram
It might be difficult to get oriented with 35 different classes, and the manual is full of wrong information and flavor text.

This diagram summarizes the characteristics of all the classes in Knights of Legend.

Legend:
 * Top: classes with high anticipation attributes ; they are the most importat ones;
 * Bottom: classes with poor anticipation attributes;
 * Left: classes fit for close combat;
 * Bottom-left: classes with the poorest anticipation skills ;
 * Right: classes fit for archery and scouting.

From the diagram, note that:
 * Male humans are everywhere, except in the lower-right portion of the diagram;
 * Female humans are tipically far away from the corners;
 * Elves and Elvesses are along the right side of the diagram;
 * Dwarves and Keldens are from the lower-left to the center.

Tacticians
Character classes with the best anticipation skills, that is Intellect and Foresight, but lower Quickness, Strength and Health. They are well fit to be archers or wizards, or both at the same time.

Sorted here from the best anticipation skill.

Elvess Usip
The manual says: "Peaceful and unaggressive, they had no way to defend themselves". This is completely inaccurate (never trust a manual): Usip elves are the deadliest archers in the game.
 * Starting weapon: Elf bow

The Usip is an elvish archer. She is the best archer in the game. The Usip elvess excels in Foresight and Intellect, but lacks in Strength and body points.

Elvess Pyar
The manual says: "The Pyar are rogue elves. [...] The only elves to engage in open trade with the other peoples of Ashatalarea". This is purely flavor text.
 * Starting weapon: Elf bow

The Pyar is an elvish magician. The Pyar elvess excels in Foresight and Intellect, but lacks in Health and Strength.

Elf Pyar
The manual says: "The Pyar are rogue elves. [...] The only elves to engage in open trade with the other peoples of Ashatalarea". This is purely flavor text.
 * Starting weapon: Elf bow

The Pyar is an elvish magician. He is the best magic user in the game. The Pyar elf excels in Intellect, but lacks in Foresight and Strength.

Elf Usip
The manual says: "Peaceful and unaggressive, they had no way to defend themselves". This is completely inaccurate (never trust a manual): Usip elves are the deadliest archers in the game.
 * Starting weapon: Elf bow

The Usip is an elf archer. He is the best male archer in the game, second only to the Usip and Pyar females. The Usip elf excels in Intellect, but lacks in Strength and Health.

Human Hunter
The manual says: "...Able to take down their opponents before they had a chance to prepare a defense. It is almost as if they know what is going to happen."
 * Starting weapon: self bow
 * Second skill: long spear

He has the best foresight in the game, but lacks in strength. In a team with a character with better intellect and lower foresight, the Hunter can take advantage from what the partner could anticipate.

Tactician-scouts
Character classes that have high Intellect, Quickness and Foresight, but lower Strength and Health. Their anticipation skills are a bit lower than pure tacticians, but they have higher quickness.

Sorted here from the best anticipation skill.

Human Plainsman
The manual says: "Archers of unsurpassed skill. [...] His arrow hit my sword just above the tang. The impact forced me to drop my weapon, effectively disarming me."
 * Starting weapon: longbow
 * Second skill: longsword

The Plainsman has the best intellect among humans and excels in quickness, but lacks in strength.

Human Rogue
The Rogue excels in quickness and foresight, but lacks in strength.
 * Starting weapon: longsword

Woman Huntress
The manual says: "The women of Olanth are the equal of their male counterpart in nearly every way but size".
 * Starting weapon: longbow
 * Second skill: short spear

The Huntress excels in Quickness and Foresight, but lacks in Strength (and balance). Her greater size and low strength mean that she should wear as light as possible armor.

Elvess Klvar
The manual says: "These peaceful creatures generally choose not to use weapons of any kind, preferring to devote their efforts to arcane learning". This is completely wrong (never trust a manual): the female Klvar has top strength among elves (second only to the male Klvar), but just average intellect.
 * Starting weapon: longbow

The Klvar is an elvish melee fighter. The Klvar elvess excels in Foresight, and is below average in Strength and Health.

Elf Melod
The manual just describes the beautiful music made by these elves, but this is purely flavor text.
 * Starting weapon: longsword

The Melod is an elvish armored fighter. The Melod elf excels in Intellect, but lacks in Foresight and Body points. Because of his small size, he can wear good armor.

Male Thism, Brekland and Melod start the game equipped with swords, but they are ill-suited for close combat. Instead, they should focus on magic and train with the self bow.

Elvess Melod
The manual just describes the beautiful music made by these elves, but this is purely flavor text.
 * Starting weapon: longbow

The Melod is an elvish armored fighter. A "fighter wannabe", she is the elvess most geared toward melee combat. The Melod elvess excels in Strength, but lacks in Intellect and and Body points. Because of her small size, she can wear excellent armor.

Tactician-fighters
Character classes that have high Intellect, Strength and Health, but lower Quickness. Subsequently, they also have high Balance. Because of their good physical attributes and their above-average anticipation skills, they are some of the best melee fighters in the game.

Sorted here from the best anticipation skill.

Human Darkguard
The manual says: "A small group of men stood locked in mortal combat with a lone figure who held them all at bay with a mace, while obviously making an effort not to hurt any of them."
 * Starting weapon: mace
 * Second skill: light crossbow

The Darkguard excels in balance, having good strength and intellect, and lacks in nothing. He is above the average in all attributes, except quickness.

Although he is one of the most powerful classes in the game, he has the disadvantage of being rejected from a large number of establishments in Ashtalarea.

Human Squire
The manual says: "The Hobe became a center of learning for young men throughout Ashtalarea. [...] They taught me the meaning of honor and the value of the truth."
 * Starting weapon: broadsword
 * Second skill: self bow

The Squire excels in health, as well as balance, but his other attributes are just average. All the attributes of the Squire are slightly lower than a Darkguard, but every non-playable character will talk to him.

Kelden Cliff Guard
The Cliff Guard excels in Strength (and Balance), but lacks in Quickness.
 * Starting weapon: greatsword

Dwarf Militia-Levie
The manual says: "Dwarven soldiers are incredibly tough. They have a resistance to physical pain that is awesome to behold". It also tells the story of a dwarf named Grulden Ironheart.
 * Starting weapon: battle axe
 * Second skill: light crossbow

The Militia (Levie) excels in health, but lacks in quickness. Compared to other dwarves, he excels in Intellect, but lacks in Strength. The sum of good health and intellect makes him the best spellcaster among dwarves.

Woman Amazon
The manual talks about the weak males of this female warrior (same as for the Tigress). This is purely flavor text.
 * Starting weapon: broadsword
 * Second skill: self bow

The Amazon excels in Strength (and Balance), but lacks Quickness.

Unlike the Darkguard and the Keldens, she is welcome everywhere in Ashtalarea. Therefore, if you want a character who is seldom frozen in terror by the enemies, she might be a good choice.

Scouts
Character classes that have high Quickness, but lower Strength and Health. Their anticipation skills are slightly above the average.

Sorted here from the best anticipation skill.

Elvess Brekland
The manual just tells the tale of a Brekland elf named Gurps, who left his homeforest looking for trouble. This is purely flavor text.
 * Starting weapon: longbow

The Brekland is an elvish fighter-scout. The Brekland elvess excels in Quickness and Foresight, but lacks in Intellect and Health.

Elvess Thism
The manual says: "Uncommon courage and sense of duty".
 * Starting weapon: longbow

The Thism is an elvish scout. The Thism elvess excels in Quickness and Foresight, but lacks in Intellect and Strength. Male and female Thism have the same quickness; the main difference between sexes lies in intellect and foresight.

Elf Thism
The manual says: "Uncommon courage and sense of duty".
 * Starting weapon: longsword

The Thism is an elvish scout. The Thism elf excels in Quickness and Intellect, but lacks in Foresight and Health. Male and female Thism have the same quickness; the main difference between sexes lies in intellect and foresight.

Male Thism, Brekland and Melod start the game equipped with swords, but they are ill-suited for close combat. Instead, they should focus on magic and train with the self bow.

Elf Brekland
The manual just tells the tale of a Brekland elf named Gurps, who left his homeforest looking for trouble. This is purely flavor text.
 * Starting weapon: longsword

The Brekland is an elvish fighter-scout. The Brekland elf excels in Quickness, but lacks in Foresight and Health.

Male Thism, Brekland and Melod start the game equipped with swords, but they are ill-suited for close combat. Instead, they should focus on magic and train with the self bow.

Human Plainswoman
The manual says: "...the tanned skin of one who has spent her whole life in the outdoors. She was also an archer...". This should be a hint to her quickness and her weapon.
 * Starting weapon: longbow
 * Second skill: longsword

Actually, the Plainswoman's quickness is good indeed, but the rest of her attributes are below average, includind her bow skill. She is probably one of the less powerful classes in the game.

Average
Characters that excel at nothing, but lack nothing either. Exception: the is probably the best dwarf class.

Sorted here from the best anticipation skill.

Dwarf Trollbane-Orcbane
The manual says: "There are a few on the fringes of dwarven society. [...] Their eccentricities are tolerated because [they] bring home reports of events occurring in the surface world". This means that the Trollbane (Orcbane) is an atypical dwarf: he has below-average endurance and the top foresight in his race.
 * Starting weapon: warhammer

The Trollbane excels in foresight, but lacks in intellect. Still, his sum of foresight and intellect is the best one among dwarves. In a team with a character with better intellect and lower foresight, the Trollbane can take advantage from what the partner could anticipate.

Elf Klvar
The manual says: "These peaceful creatures generally choose not to use weapons of any kind, preferring to devote their efforts to arcane learning". This is completely wrong (never trust a manual): male Klvar have the lowest intellect and the top strength among elves. One Klvar elf is named Glandamin, but if you choose to use this name in the game, only "Gland" will be displayed.
 * Starting weapon: longsword

The Klvar is an elvish melee fighter. He is the most well-round male elf; he lacks in Health a bit.

Kelden Far Seeker
The Far Seeker excels in Strength and Health (and Body), but he lacks in Quickness. He is an average Kelden.
 * Starting weapon: greatsword
 * Second skill: longbow

His longbow skill is too low to be trained.

Human Ranger
The manual says: "A band of green-garbed hunters. [...] The rangers fought well with bow and blade. [...] The rangers tended their wounds with herbs and spells."
 * Starting weapon: broadsword
 * Second skill: longbow

The Ranger is a very average class: he excels in nothing, but lacks in nothing.

He reminds a lot the Ranger class in the Ultima series, that is a well-balanced character as well.

Human Regular
The manual says: "I have seen more impressive warriors by far, but none more dependable."
 * Starting weapon: long spear
 * Second skill: battle axe

The Regular is the most average character class in the game. His Size is above the average, therefore he should wear light armor.

Human Pirate
The manual just tells the amusing story of a pirate called Erik the Masked.
 * Starting weapon: scimitar
 * Second skill: self bow

The Pirate is very average, and lacks foresight. He is just a little bit oriented towards the fighter type.

Human Watchman
The Watchman excels in strength, but lacks in intellect. His attributes are intermediate between the Pirate/Regular and the Highwayman (see below).
 * Starting weapon: battle axe
 * Second skill: longbow

Scout-fighters
Character classes that have high Quickness, Strength and Health, but lower Intellect and Foresight. Only the have worse anticipation skills.

Sorted here from the best anticipation skill.

Kelden Rock Ranger
The Rock Ranger excels in Health, but lacks in Foresight.
 * Starting weapon: longbow

Although his quickness is slightly below average, the Rock Ranger is the fastest Kelden, and he also has great health. This allows him to fly faster and longer than any Kelden, thus making him a versatile scout.

Woman Tigress
The manual talks about the weak males of this female warrior (same as for the Amazon). This is purely flavor text.
 * Starting weapon: halberd
 * Second skill: longsword

The Tigress is average in most attributes, but lacks in Foresight. Think of her as a Rock Ranger without wings.

She starts with the top skill with the halberd, that the second best weapon in the game.

Dwarf Spiderguard-Ratguard
The manual says: "These guardians are specially trained for fast and furious skirmishes with ruthless, inhuman opponents. In any event, the guardian training emphasizes the importance of getting the first blow, because if you fail to strike first, you may not have a chance to strike at all".
 * Starting weapon: battle axe

The Spiderguard (Ratguard) excels in Quickness and Strength, but lacks in Foresight and Intellect. He should better use berserk attacks as often as possible.

Berserk Fighters
These characters are colloquially known as tanks. They have the worst anticipation skills in the game (Foresight and Intellect), therefore the slow selection of attack type, aim and dodge becomes an annoying waste of time with them. They are very slow, too. Let them always use berserk attacks.

They partially compensate the lack of anticipation by being the characters who can wear the heaviest armors without getting fatigued (i.e. without losing endurance points). They also have high strength.

Sorted here from the best anticipation skill.

Human Highwayman
The manual says: "A big man and strong, he could best most men barehanded, or split a pegged log with a single blow."
 * Starting weapon: warhammer
 * Second skill: longsword

The Highwayman excels in strength and health, but lacks in quickness, intellect and foresight.

Human Warrion
The manual describes warrions as a black-skinned guerrilla fighters in swamps. In order to live in such unhealthy environment, a warrion needs high health. They are the only class that is explicitly described as black-skinned.
 * Starting weapon: battle axe

The Warrion excels in health, but lacks in quickness, foresight and intellect.

Human Barbarian
The manual says: "At first, I thought they might be the rest of the Giant tribe, but when they came closer I saw that they were humans. My saviors laid into the Giants with a reckless courage that bordered insanity. Most were armed with greatswords and axes... [Later,] I was told they considered weapons that leave the hand cowardly."
 * Starting weapon: greatsword
 * Second skill: halberd

The Barbarian has the top strength and the worst intellect in the game, and he lacks quickness.

He starts the game skilled in two of the best weapons available. Unfortunately, he has a disadvantage: he is not welcome in the town of Thimblewald.

Dwarf Digger-Tunneler
The manual says: "Tunnelers are chosen for their small size and great strength, so they can work in narrow places that no other miners can get to".
 * Starting weapon: short spear

The Digger (Tunneler) excels in Strength and Health, but lacks in Quickness and Foresight. He can comfortably wear the heaviest armor in the game.