Which hero should you pick? Knight, Archer, Mage and Samurai compared

In Door Knight every hero has its own level, gold, armory and three spell schools. You can play up to four, so the choice doesn't lock you in. But your first hero is the one you learn the game with, and the four don't teach it the same way.

The Knight: learn without dying

Melee. It strikes in an arc, which hits several monsters at once when they bunch up, and it reflects projectiles, which defuses a good part of the guardians' arrow and spell rains. It is the sturdiest of the four: it forgives a bad position. Its schools (Holy, War, Earth) all point the same way: hold, hit, take it. Its special, Whirlwind, is made for hordes surrounding you.

For whom: beginners, and anyone who likes being in the middle of the fight.

The Archer: never in reach

It shoots from afar with arrows that pierce enemies in a line. In Door Knight's corridors monsters often come single file: with a good position, one arrow goes through the whole line. It is never in reach, as long as you keep moving. Its Nature, Wind and Shadow schools add control and damage over time. Its special, Volley, covers an area at range.

For whom: players who would rather manage distance than armor, and who like reading the ground.

The Mage: fragile, but devastating

Its arcane orbs explode in an area: it is the class that clears a horde fastest. The price is fragility. A Mage standing in a circle on the ground dies; a Mage moving between two casts wipes everything. Its three schools are the great classics: Fire, Ice, Lightning, with Fireball and Blizzard right from the Grimoire. Its special, Nova, is the emergency blast when surrounded.

For whom: players who already understand the ground-zone rule and want short, spectacular fights.

The Samurai: mobility

It chains katana hits and dashes through hordes with Iaijutsu Dash: the special is as much for striking as for escaping a zone that was just announced. Blade, Ki and Sakura schools. It is the most technical class: less sturdy than the Knight, more exposed than the Archer, but able to get out of situations the others cannot leave. Its weapons go from the training bokken to the nodachi.

For whom: players who love combos and pixel-perfect positioning; ideal as a second hero.

And the right pick for the arena?

The arena pits you against players of your level for 90 seconds with balanced stats: skill counts, not gear. All four classes are viable; what makes the difference is knowing your hero's ranges and special inside out. The hero you master best is the right pick.