Classes

[NeonZ]

No, but given the length of the game is said to be the same as Awakening, I'm going to assume it's still 20.

Only if this game has equivalents to the Paralogue/Gaiden chapters it easily could go beyond that though.

Edited June 1, 2015 by NeonZ

[Titamon]

^ because sword masters/trueblades use swords and the class has existed since 4? (And was inserted into 11 and 12)

You're missing the point, the Hoshidan swordsman in this game look to be heavily influenced Japanese samurai tradition. From what I understand, historically the yumi was pretty important to the samurai in combat.

It also provides a nice parallel to the Nohrian Padaldin, who uses 2 weapons.

[NekoKnight]

Updated the OP to include some new classes that were revealed (the shapeshifters and Puppeteer [tentative name]).

According to the translated intro trailer that was released recently, there are over 60 classes. Let's do a run down of what we know and what other classes can be inferred. I'll put the unconfirmed classes in red. There will undoubtably be shared promotions but for the purposes of theory-crafting, I'll assume they are all unique unless stated otherwise

Dark Prince(ss)

Dark Prince(ss) Promotion

Songstress

Samurai

True Blade

Weapon Master

Pegasus Warrior

Pegasus Warrior Promotion 1

Pegasus Warrior Promotion 2

Bowman

Sniper

Bowman Promotion 2

Priest (Asama)

Priestess

Priest/Priestess Promotion 1

Priest/Priestess Promotion 2

Villager (Mozume)

Lancer

Lancer Promotion 1

Lancer Promotion 2

Spellcaster

Spellcaster Promotion 1

Spellcaster Promotion 2

Shinobi

Puppeteer

Shinobi Promotion 2

Oni

Oni Promotion 1

Oni Promotion 2

Spirit Fox

Fighter

Berserker

Hero

Mercenary

Bow Knight

Dark Mage

Sorcerer

Dark Knight
Cavalier

Paladin

Great Knight

Knight

General

Rod Knight

Strategist

Rod Knight Promotion 2 (Maid/Butler?)

Wyvern Rider

Revenant Knight

Wyvern Rider Promotion 2

Thief

Thief Promotion 1

Thief Promotion 2

Maid

Butler

Garu

I count 53 classes, under the assumption that Maids and Butlers are considered different classes (despite being functionally the same) and that Dark Prince and Dark Princess are considered the same class. Aqua and the shapeshifter may promote but I'm assuming they don't based on past games.

So what are those missing classes? Are they counting enemy only classes like Nosferatu? Special classes like Lilith? Boss classes?

Edit: Added Priest for Asama and Villager for Mozume.

Edited June 11, 2015 by NekoKnight

[DualMix]

So what are those missing classes? Are they counting enemy only classes like Nosferatu? Special classes like Lilith? Boss classes?

Potential villager with Mozune. If Amiibo classes count, then the Lord class with Marth and Lucina. Or Lodestar. Brave Hero?(Or whatever Harold's class is..) I don't see it there. Course, I could be blind.

Edited June 11, 2015 by DualMix

[Sunwoo]

This may be because my eyes are shit and I can't tell the differences in battle sprites at that quality, but is Mozune's class actually different from Oboro's lancer class then?

[NekoKnight]

Potential villager with Mozune. If Amiibo classes count, then the Lord class with Marth and Lucina. Or Lodestar. Brave Hero?(Or whatever Harold's class is..) I don't see it there. Course, I could be blind.

I just say call them Hero's because they seem identical to the Awakening Hero class (same weapons and base classes).

Good call on the Amiibo characters. I'll hold off including them until their classes are confirmed, but that could theoretically be another 4 classes. Maybe some of the Cipher card DLC will have unique classes as well.

This may be because my eyes are shit and I can't tell the differences in battle sprites at that quality, but is Mozune's class actually different from Oboro's lancer class then?

You can see her legs, unlike Oboro who wears a long skirt thing. It might just be a special sprite but who can really say.

[Sylphid]

On Maid/Butler, I would say they're promoted classes.

It would make no sense for Felicia and Joker to be able to change class to Strategist but not the other promotion of the base class, if their default class is a special class. Meanwhile, I still want to believe that Rod Knight doesn't promote to Maid/Butler. Nohr not having their unpromoted Hidden Weapon user would be kind of sad too.

My point: I'm hoping there's one more unseen base class in Nohr. One that uses hidden weapons and promotes to Maid/Butler or Strategist. And that such a class has slightly better chance of appearing than, say, a completely new Nohrian bow-user or something. It's still probably just wishful thinking

You can see her legs, unlike Oboro who wears a long skirt thing. It might just be a special sprite but who can really say.

I believe it's a custom sprite, since the skirt length is the only difference I see that could even hint at different class.

[VincentASM]

Besides looking at the promotion branches, I think you should consider the class parallels between Nohr and Hoshido too.

Songstress / Dark Prince
Myrmidon / Mercenary
Lancer / Knight
Oni / Fighter
Bowman / Thief
Spellcaster / Dark Mage
Priestess / Rod Knight
Pegasus Warrior / Wyvern Rider
Ninja / Cavalier ?
Fox Spirit / Garou

But you're right, even if every known base class got two promotions (unlikely, but possible...), that's still not 60 classes, unless Fox Spirit and Garou can promote too.

I guess Amiibo classes could count, but that almost seems like a cheat, especially if they're exclusive to those characters.

Maybe there are more odds and ends we haven't seen, like the Villager? Oh yeah, I guess Nohr probably gets its own "trainee" class.

Edited June 11, 2015 by VincentASM

[Sylphid]

Songstress / Dark Prince

Myrmidon / Mercenary

Lancer / Knight

Oni / Fighter

Bowman / Thief

Spellcaster / Dark Mage

Priestess / Rod Knight

Pegasus Warrior / Wyvern Rider

Ninja / Cavalier ?

Fox Spirit / Garou

Late realization on my part, but wow, Armorslayers, Beast Killers and similar effective weaponry are going to wreck Nohr while Hoshido only has pegasi who need to worry about them. And their one playable shapeshifter I suppose

[Bovinian]

You're missing Wyvern Rider on the Nohr list. Might want to add a tentative Wyvern Rider >> Revenant Knight (?), even though that hasn't been confirmed.

[NekoKnight]

I'm still hoping there is a base class or two that's yet to be revealed but I have a feeling that they would have shown them all by this point.

NekoKnight: No Nomads?

IS:No, u mad?

You're missing Wyvern Rider on the Nohr list. Might want to add a tentative Wyvern Rider >> Revenant Knight (?), even though that hasn't been confirmed.

Thanks, added.

[Mysterique Sign]

Aqua's supposed to be the second lead, so I'd assume she'd get a promotion as well

Oh, and Lilith's class is Star Dragon/Seiryu

On Maid/Butler, I would say they're promoted classes.
It would make no sense for Felicia and Joker to be able to change class to Strategist but not the other promotion of the base class, if their default class is a special class. Meanwhile, I still want to believe that Rod Knight doesn't promote to Maid/Butler. Nohr not having their unpromoted Hidden Weapon user would be kind of sad too.

My point: I'm hoping there's one more unseen base class in Nohr. One that uses hidden weapons and promotes to Maid/Butler or Strategist. And that such a class has slightly better chance of appearing than, say, a completely new Nohrian bow-user or something. It's still probably just wishful thinking

I believe it's a custom sprite, since the skirt length is the only difference I see that could even hint at different class.

But that would mean they'd gain Staves and Tomes but lose Concealed Weopons

Edited June 11, 2015 by Mysterique Sign

[BlueLore]

I think that Lancers are being able to promote to Weapon masters as well(maybe even the oni),Oni might also be able to promote to warriors since fighter are seemingly unable to do so this time around.

And priestess and Spellcaster could easily get a shared promotion with the sage.

[goodperson707]

^ have seen what looks like a promoted oni in the trailer i believe, it dosen't really seem to fit the Warrior type/look imo.

[BlueLore]

^ have seen what looks like a promoted oni in the trailer i believe, it dosen't really seem to fit the Warrior type/look imo.

Well Oni is obviously going to have 2 promotions and they could be warriors under a different name,I mean Onis themselves seem to be basically brigands/barbarians(or at leas their replacement) just under a new name.

[goodperson707]

^ i might having similar stats and weapons, they don't look like bow users.

[NekoKnight]

Well Oni is obviously going to have 2 promotions and they could be warriors under a different name,I mean Onis themselves seem to be basically brigands/barbarians(or at leas their replacement) just under a new name.

They might look the part but their stats are different. Oni's highest stat is defense, followed up by strength, so they are more like Knights. I could see them promoting to a Warrior parallel class. All archers are welcome in Bowshido.

[BlueLore]

They might look the part but their stats are different. Oni's highest stat is defense, followed up by strength, so they are more like Knights. I could see them promoting to a Warrior parallel class. All archers are welcome in Bowshido.

Ah didn't know about this,though I think this is a good thing,because honestly I always found Brigands too similar to fighters.

[Missiletainn]

Speaking of Oni, I wonder what the chances of the Hoshido route also having a male Oni unit in addition to Linca/Rinka is (still don't know which spelling I should be using for her name haha). A lot of the classes seem to be getting male and female representation so far and we know that male Oni do exist as they appear as enemies units at some point, so it would make sense.

[BlueLore]

Speaking of Oni, I wonder what the chances of the Hoshido route also having a male Oni unit in addition to Linca/Rinka is (still don't know which spelling I should be using for her name haha). A lot of the classes seem to be getting male and female representation so far and we know that male Oni do exist as they appear as enemies units at some point, so it would make sense.

Overall I'd say the chances for that are actually rather good.Like you said most classes seem to have at least one male and one female character,however it also looks

like both sides will have access to every class at least once(with hoshido classes being rarer for the nohr and nohr classes being rarer on the hoshido site),if this is correct,then we'll get at least one more oni(who would be male),who could also be recruited by the nohr.

Of course this is all speculation and even if you get every base class regardless of the side you choose it is possible that there is a second female oni who can be recruited by nohr,while rinka and the male one are hoshido exclusive.

[Sylphid]

But that would mean they'd gain Staves and Tomes but lose Concealed Weopons

Good point, I somehow missed that.

I guess it would be too much to hope for 2 Nohrian staff-using base classes just because I don't want to see Maid/Butler as Rod Knight promotion?

I would still like to see Nohrian base class that uses hidden weapons too.

[BlueLore]

I really hope that Thieves don't promote to bow knights.

I mean from what we've seen the mercenary seems to promote to either hero or bow knight and I always hate it if a class doesn't have at least one unique promotion(and we know already that fighter can promote to hero too).

[NekoKnight]

I really hope that Thieves don't promote to bow knights.

I mean from what we've seen the mercenary seems to promote to either hero or bow knight and I always hate it if a class doesn't have at least one unique promotion(and we know already that fighter can promote to hero too).

Mercenaries didn't have a unique promotion in Awakening either. Wouldn't it be weird if Bow Knight was a unique promotion but their "natural promotion" Hero, was shared? I do think Thieves should get something besides Bow Knight, however. I'm thinking that they made Thieves use bows so Nohr would have a basic bow using class to match Hoshido, but if they wanted to go that far, they should have just given Hoshido Nomads and Nohr Archers. Bow wielding Thieves make no sense, they should have just used hidden weapons like Ninja.

[Bovinian]

Mercenaries didn't have a unique promotion in Awakening either. Wouldn't it be weird if Bow Knight was a unique promotion but their "natural promotion" Hero, was shared? I do think Thieves should get something besides Bow Knight, however. I'm thinking that they made Thieves use bows so Nohr would have a basic bow using class to match Hoshido, but if they wanted to go that far, they should have just given Hoshido Nomads and Nohr Archers. Bow wielding Thieves make no sense, they should have just used hidden weapons like Ninja.

Didn't that kind of happen in Awakening when Thieves shared Assassin with Myrmidons but had Trickster as their unique promotion? But then again, with Anna and Gangrel being recruitable Tricksters and the lack of recruitable Assassins, maybe IS was attempting to turn it into the new "natural promotion"...

I'm 95% sure Thieves will promote into Assassins however (I can't think of a class that would better fit Zero's personality anyway), and it's likely that they will gain hidden weapons in addition to bows. I wouldn't mind Tricksters coming back as the other promotion but I'd rather have their design go back to something resembling Rogues from previous games. I didn't like the Trickster default color scheme at all...

Edited June 13, 2015 by Bovinian

[goodperson707]

^^ i don't think they would give Hoshido a nomad like class, from what we have seen the only horse classes in Hoshido are pegasi. Despite irl Japanese horse fighters, it appears so far they want non pegasi horses to be a Nohr thing. I don't think it is a coincidence that the nohrian siblings are all riders, horses seem to be a status symbol there.