The world is on the brink of destruction, and the newly created Valkyrie, Maria, is tasked with cleansing the souls of the undead in order to prevent the end of times. But being equipped with a slew of combat abilities and an iconic, Naruto running technique won’t be enough to fulfill her mission. She’s going to need a team.
As Maria sets off into the world, she encounters a handful of powerful souls with the capability of being summoned to fight with her in battle. While they all add value in their own ways, not all Einherjar are created equal. Let’s break down their individual strengths and usefulness in battle.
4/4 Cypher
When Maria first meets each Einherjar, she has to save their soul from the demonic form it has taken. Upon doing so, she asks them to join her fight by taking her hand. Cypher is the second Einherjar you encounter in the game, and the most apprehensive about joining your cause. In life, he was not a warrior, but instead a merchant, so it is understandable why he isn’t eager to pick up a weapon and battle monsters. Eventually, he sees that this is a higher calling and decides to join Maria.
Cypher wields a bow and two blades with an elemental affinity to ice. In battle, he is helpful in dispatching any weaker fire-element enemies from afar. This is especially true for some flying-type enemies as your other Einherjar might not always be able to hit them as easily. He is also helpful in slowly building up the enemy’s Elemental Weakness gauge, which when full will stun the enemy with an Elemental Crush. Aside from that, he is the weakest of the Einherjar and does better as more of a support-type character. In reality, his most useful ability is allowing you to imbue your weapon with ice, so you can dispose of those fire-element enemies yourself.
3/4 Kristopher
Unlike the other Einherjar, Kristopher’s soul is not quite fully transformed into a monster when Maria finds her. Instead, Kristopher is fighting a monster that has part of her soul, essentially fighting herself. In life, Kristopher was a warrior princess with a strong sense of duty to her people, so it is no surprise she quickly decides to join Maria as one of her loyal Einherjar.
Equipped with a powerful lance and holy-element abilities, she quickly becomes a valuable member of your team. While she is most effective against dark-element enemies, her brute strength and ability to quickly move across the battlefield make her a fearsome foe for all enemy types. She is also able to do a lot of damage upon being summoned, especially when equipped with her most powerful move, Extreme Void, which causes a spear of holy energy to explode beneath the enemy’s feet. While maybe not the most useful of Einherjar, Kristopher definitely packs a punch.
2/4 Taika
In life, she was a guardian who wanted nothing more than to help her people. Equipped with an unmatched level of power, her people feared her and ultimately sentenced her to death. After being unjustly executed by burning, her soul remained trapped and tormented by her fate until she encountered Maria. After joining the team as the fourth and final Einherjar, Taika is able to use her magic to conjure powerful fire attacks on the battlefield.
Her abilities are most effective against ice-element enemies. However, her raw power makes her incredibly useful against all enemy types. On the battlefield, she is able to cast some of the most powerful spells in the game, with one of the most destructive being Ifrit Caress. This ability has a massive AoE (area of effect), casting a wide circle of exploding flames on the battlefield, consuming anything within it. When Maria imbues her weapon with Taika’s fire, it can also cause enemies to catch fire and eventually explode once enough of the effect has built up. Taika’s immense power and versatility make her one of the best Einherjar to summon in any battle.
1/4 Eygon
The first of the Einherjar to join the team, Eygon is a fearsome warrior and Maria’s most trusted confidant. When alive, he was a knight and died honorably serving his people. When Maria first encounters him, his soul has been completely corrupted into a monstrous form. Upon freeing him, Maria sets off to find pieces of his past so that he can regain his memories and sense of self. Initially, he is a bit hesitant to pick up his sword and rejoin the fight. But after Maria explains the state of the world, he shakes off his uncertainty and takes her hand.
Eygon is equipped with lightning-charged abilities and is most effective against earth-element enemies. He is a skilled swordsman, so you will always find him jumping into the middle of the battle as he cuts down enemies. His moves are incredibly quick, and when you imbue your weapon with his ability, you’ll be able to benefit from both his speed and lightning-charged attacks. When initially summoned, Eygon casts some of the most powerful attacks in the game. This is especially true when he is equipped with Meteor Swarm, as it allows him to call down multiple lightning bolts onto the battlefield, doing massive damage to all enemies. While he might be slightly less powerful than Taika, he is the most useful Einherjar to summon in battle because of his ability to fight beside Maria, taking hits that might otherwise down his fellow Einherjar, all while doing consistently high damage.
