Heroes, Classes, and Factions - For Honor
Dominate the battlefield and send foes to meet their makers with our guide to all the heroes, classes, and factions in For Honor.
Gamers who like to get down and dirty with a mix of tense brawling and surprisingly accurate historical warriors will no doubt be interested in For Honor, the hard-hitting hack-and-slash game from the folks at Ubisoft Montreal. For Honor gives gamers the chance to duke it out in a variety of gameplay modes that see heroes slicing down soldiers, holding battlefield capture points, or even just eliminating other powerful fighters. Of course, getting the most out of the game comes down to understanding the title's various hero types and classes, which is why we're here to break down all the essential information regarding each faction's different heroes as well as their distinct weapons and play styles.
For Honor Hero Type Strengths and Weaknesses
As it stands now, For Honor features 18 different possible hero classes for players to utilize, the likes of which will align with one of four different hero types as well as one of three different factions. Of all these different options, hero types will have the most effect on how players actually play the game.
Vanguards are the more balanced hero type on offer, generally having a solid amount of both defense and offense, but not really excelling in either. These are best for beginning players or for those who prefer to provide the biggest possible help to their teammates.
Assassins are the hero type of choice for players who prefer to sneak in, deal massive damage, then slip away unnoticed. They're a good choice for players who like to help manage the battlefield, both in taking out stragglers as well as bringing in distant control points, but can come into trouble with crowds or with multiple enemy heroes.
Heavies fulfill the tank role, being able to both take and deal large amounts of damage. They're formidable warriors in just about any battle scenario, though players will have to practice careful restraint and timing in one-on-one battles. Heavies are also great at defensive actions and holding control points.
Hybrids blend elements of other hero types, meaning they can either be awful choices or perfect choices depending on the player. They can be a mix of power and versatility, such as with the Nobushi, or a mix of defense and agility, such as with the Valkyrie. As such, their strengths and weaknesses depend on the strengths and weaknesses of the hero types the class is based upon.
Since each hero class as well as each hero type finds representation within each of the game's factions, we'll outline all of the possible combinations based on the game's three factions, then detail their individual weapon or weapons and provide some flavor text via the in-game descriptions.
Knight Faction Hero Types, Classes, and Weapons
As may be expected, the Knight faction in For Honor focuses on warriors of sword and shield, often donning plate armor and driven by a divine goal. Though most of the game's knights align with the Iron Legion, some prefer to follow their own paths.
Class: Centurion
Hero Type: Hybrid
Weapon: Gladius
Description: "Some fight for warlords. They fought for an empire. Their might inspired generations of soldiers and struck fear in the heart of their enemies. They are Centurions. Their confidence radiates out to all those who follow them. With their gladius as an extension of their arm and their fist as strong as their conviction. Once the pride of a glorious dynasty, their legend is soon to be rewritten."
Class: Conqueror
Hero Type: Heavy
Weapon: Footman's Flail
Description: "In desperate times, conscripted criminals refill our ranks. Sometimes, however, you find a diamond in the rough. The most elite earn their name: Conquerors. Strong as a battering ram, resilient as a fortress gate, their flail is as dangerous to the wielder as it is to the enemy. But in the right hands it becomes... unstoppable."
Class: Gladiator
Hero Type: Assassin
Weapon: Trident and Buckler
Description: "The roar of the crowd can be intoxicating. It can give you the edge you need to defeat an opponent. It can also seal your fate should you lose favor. The arena is not a battlefield. The thrill of the fight has waned. But how will they fare in all-out war? Gladiators have risen the ranks of fighters and have run out of challengers. With their trident and shield, they charge into the fray. Their armor minimal and their bravado staggering. It is now time for gladiators to fight for something greater than themselves."
Class: Lawbringer
Hero Type: Hybrid
Weapon: Poleaxe
Description: "Where order has broken down, where cruelty and lawlessness rule, Lawbringers are justice. They go wherever they are needed, and they come prepared. Their armor has no equal, its construction a secret of their order. And they carry the most versatile weapon ever invented: the poleaxe. Pray that you do not need them. And when they arrive, pray that you have done no wrong."
Class: Peacekeeper
Hero Type: Assassin
Weapon: Sword and Dagger
Description: ""When wars end, it is the silent blade that keeps the peace. But when wars rage, a Peacekeeper's work is never done. Quick, lethal, they can win a fight before the enemy even knows they're there. Dancers of death with dual blades for dancing partners. Selected from the desperate, the humble, or the devoted. Sworn to secrecy by unbreakable oaths; what they know could destroy legends... or create them."
Class: Warden
Hero Type: Vanguard
Weapon: Longsword
Description: "The Wardens: members of an ancient order... fallen into dust. Sworn to defend the weak, masters of the longsword. Their origins lost to history; still they fight for what is right. Driven by duty, devoted to their people... but only a few may join their order."
Samurai Faction Hero Types, Classes, and Weapons
The Samurai faction, also known in-game as The Chosen, represent Eastern warriors that have been driven away from their homes after the fall of their empire.
Class: Aramusha
Hero Type: Hybrid
Weapon: Dual Katana
Description: "Some must fall from grace. But when Samurai fall, they also free themselves from their masters. Aramusha: brash enforcers for the most prestigious houses. Once noble fighters, now mercenaries. Their dual katana may have killed to satisfy their own ego, but those crimes belong to the past. They join this war not out of duty or command. They join because they are elite warriors in search of their own destiny, a destiny stained red with the blood of those in their way."
Class: Kensei
Hero Type: Vanguard
Weapon: Nodachi
Description: "Every army needs warriors whose specialty is victory. Kensei-sword saints: the guardians of our people. Every great ruler since the fall has trained as a sword saint... every one. And they are formidable. The nodachi was long thought too long too large for use in real war. They proved them wrong. Their armor is the strongest of our people... as is their will."
Class: Nobushi
Hero Type: Hybrid
Weapon: Naginata
Description: "Villages far from the safety of our castle still need protection. But how can our armies protect the people when we samurai are so few? Nobushi: elegant, aggressive fighters with the lightest of armors and the most exotic of weapons: the naginata. They seem hardly battle ready, but looks, in this case, are profoundly deceiving. They keep our wilds safe and we don't even know who they are."
Class: Orochi
Hero Type: Assassin
Weapon: Katana
Description: "We samurai are outnumbered. Each of our warriors must be the match of ten of our enemies. Each Orochi is a match for a hundred. Swift, strong, truest masters of the katana, they move like shadows with lore taken from the ninja clans. Their armor; a perfect balance of flexibility and strength. Orochi: they are the finest warriors the world has ever known."
Class: Shinobi
Hero Type: Assassin
Weapon: Kusarigama
Description: "Theirs was a secret society. Even we Samurai were not sure if they even existed or if they were just a myth... until they came out of the shadows: Shinobi. Their weapon, the kusarigama, is like no other. It echoes through our past and proves they are indeed from our blood. Trained in secret, their presence on the battlefield can be felt before they are even seen. We now know they are always close, waiting for the right moment to strike. They have now entered this war and won't leave until their job is done."
Class: Shugoki
Hero Type: Heavy
Weapon: Kanabo
Description: "We are far from home, we samurai. Each new land teaches us new things. Each new ally makes us stronger. The Shugoki: once our guardians, they have become as family. And what more fierce protectors could we ask for? The kanabo is an unreasonable weapon; clumsy, dangerous... unless you possess the strength of a demon and an unbreakable will."
Viking Faction Hero Types, Classes, and Weapons
Also known as The Warborn, the Vikings are the faction of choice for players who find a certain appeal in the fighting styles of the famous Nordic warriors.
Class: Berserker
Hero Type: Assassin
Weapon: Viking Hand Axes
Description: "The vast forests of our lands are said to be filled with the spirits of beasts. Sometimes those beasts join us on the battlefield: Berserkers. Wild, free, and utterly without fear, they fight with twin axes but their true weapon is their passion. There is an ancient riddle: what is stronger than steel? Blood is our answer; blood and fury."
Class: Highlander
Hero Type: Hybrid
Weapon: Claymore
Description: "Like the rocks that break the waves, Highlanders have weathered many storms. Ancient alliances kept their lands but their owes have come due. They join our war out of obligation but they are not to be underestimated. Their claymore is the heaviest sword ever wielded. It can cut down even the most armored warrior. The elements battering their lands have made them strong. War has made them deadly."
Class: Raider
Hero Type: Vanguard
Weapon: Long Axe
Description: "Sometimes a viking is born who carries the spark of gods: Raiders, we call them. It is a name that can summon armies. Ruthless, fearless, made for battle. The Dane Axe was the mightiest weapon of our ancestors; they wield it without mercy. The moment of a viking's death is chosen by fate. So what use have they of armor? Or of fear?"
Class: Shaman
Hero Type: Assassin
Weapon: Hatchet and Dagger
Description: "Do you hear them? They are always whispering. Just out of reach. But when the red spills, she can hear them louder. They shout excitedly when bones break. Do you hear them now? They scream of war. They scream the name of those next to die. She will use her hatchet and dagger to cut bodies down and then she will use her hands. They are louder now. The voices overwhelming. They won't stop. They won't stop until all lay dead."
Class: Valkyrie
Hero Type: Hybrid
Weapon: Spear and Shield
Description: "Valhalla: our reward for dying in battle. But what of those who die elsewhere? The Valkyries - a warrior order who have made a deal with the gods. Each one can earn glory for our fallen dead. In time, they can win a place for the deserving. But they alone decide for whom they fight. Masters of the spear and the shield, scouts, trackers, and perhaps your only hope for salvation."
Class: Warlord
Hero Type: Heavy
Weapon: Gladius and Shield
Description: "There are traditions among our people that run deep as stone. Their shields are as versatile as they are strong. Their swords are lethal. Simple. An ancient design. And a leader who does not lead the charge is no leader at all. They are called Warlords; a name that is earned: another ancient tradition. To become a Warlord means service to all who need it, for life. They are the shield of our people... and they will not fall."
It's worth remembering that these are the 18 hero types on offer in the current version of For Honor. However, it's entirely possible that Ubisoft could release new heroes in future updates, or even potentially an all-new faction. Until then, players still have plenty of heroes and hero classes to master.
