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Spearman

The spearman is a Rank D, or beginner level, melee fighter that instantly makes any squad stronger. The spearman's primary starting magic, Lightning Spear, deals physical damage and reduces the target's action points.

Official Description
Spearmen are melee mercenaries with great attack power who have mastered the art of the long spear.

They can strike two opponents at once with their spears, so you might consider a spearman if you want a strong offensive character.

They also have relatively high HP, but for a frontline fighter they have relatively mediocre defense.

Attack Type
The spearman attacks up to two enemies in the same column at once with his spear. His attacks are not as strong as those of the viking or swordsman, but the ability to hit two foes at once makes him a lethal fore.

Lightning Spear deals damage while reducing the action points of the target. This can cause the enemy to miss a turn if it is low enough on action points. Lightning Spear requires two turns before it can be used again.

Anther spearman spell is Deadly Strike, which allows the spearman to deal more damage as his HP gets lower. Players can find books to unlock these more advanced spells.

Attributes and Upgrades
Except for atrocious magic (MAG) and magic defense (MAG DEF) scores, all of the spearman's attributes fall somewhere in the middle among Rank D mercenaries. Players can upgrade him at level 20, 50, 80, and 100 with Ashen Jewels. As he progresses, the spearman develops the second highest defense (DEF) among his rank D peers, and the rest of his attributes keep him competitive with the viking and swordsman for spot in the squad.

The high DEF of the spearman means he can mitigate some of the physical blows dealt to him, but his poor MAG DEF and middle-range HP means that magic attacks will make short work of him.

Strategy
Spearmen are available as mercenaries from level one, and their Lightning Spear ability could make them useful into the mid levels. Spearmen start out with high enough DEF to earn a spot in the front row. Be careful to heal them as soon as possible when hit by magic because their low MAG DEF is their weakness.

Players will find the value of a spearman in his attacks, which hit two enemies in a column. Stacking Lightning Spear attacks on a boss can cause it to miss a turn while still doing damage.

In the beginner levels, two spearmen and a swordsman make a formidable front line. While one Lightning Spear attack might not make a foe miss its turn, two well-timed Lightning Spear attacks can do the trick. Two spearmen can chain Lightning Spear on alternating turns since the skill requires a cool down of two rounds.

As Rank C units become available, the player gains access beast trainers. Beast trainers are slower and not quite as strong, but they have slightly better DEF and MAG DEF. The big difference is the beast trainer's ability to summon a pack of animals to damage all foes. The decision between the spearman and beast trainer is a tough call to make.