What is a Champion?

Greetings,

The following are notes found under some rubble in the Mystic City. They were salvaged and added to the Library.

Please handle with care,
-Historian

It is something that is kinda weird for me to answer since these would be virtues that I would expect my students to follow based on my own actions and behaviors. But the description of what a champion embodies is something that has been present in the land way before I came around. You could easily look at one of the greatest if not the greatest Angel Guards in my opinion, Junon. So this kicks me back to square one… what is a champion? A champion is someone who, regardless of circumstances, will overcome and find a way to thrive. Have you ever wondered what it takes to be a champion? It’s not just about talent or luck – it’s about the mindset, work ethic, and resilience that drives someone to succeed. So, what makes a champion? Here are some key characteristics to consider:

Passion and Purpose
Champions are driven by a deep passion and purpose. They love what they do and are motivated by more than just the prospect of fame or fortune. This passion fuels their drive and helps them stay focused, even when the going gets tough.

Dedication and Strictness
Champions don’t just talk about their goals – they work towards them every day. They are dedicated and disciplined in their training and practice, and they never let setbacks or obstacles stand in their way.

Mental Toughness
Champions have a strong mental game. They know how to handle pressure and stay composed under stress. They don’t let negative thoughts or self-doubt hold them back, and they have the mental resilience to bounce back from setbacks and failures.

Adaptability and Flexibility
Champions are flexible and adaptable. They know that no plan is foolproof and that they may need to adjust their approach in order to achieve their goals. They are open to new ideas and are willing to take calculated risks in order to achieve success.

Confidence and Self-Belief
Champions have confidence in their abilities and believe in themselves. They don’t let fear or insecurity hold them back – they embrace challenges and are willing to take on the unknown.

Resilience and Determination
Champions are determined and resilient. They don’t give up easily, and they keep pushing through even when things get tough. They have the grit and perseverance to stay the course and see their goals through to the end.

Focus and Attentiveness
Champions have the ability to stay focused and concentrate on their goals. They are able to block out distractions and stay laser-focused on the task at hand. This allows them to make the most of their time and resources, and to achieve success more quickly and efficiently.

Collaboration and Teamwork
Champions understand the value of teamwork and collaboration. They know that they can achieve more by working with others than they could on their own. They are willing to listen to others, share ideas, and support their teammates in order to reach their goals.

Leadership
Finally, champions are leaders. They inspire and motivate others, and they are able to guide their team to success. They are confident and decisive, and they have the ability to bring out the best in those around them.

Being a champion is not easy – it requires hard work, dedication, and a strong mindset. With the right mindset and work ethic, you can be a champion too.

So now that we have a definition of a champion, what tools do we employ in order to display our virtues on the battlefield? As a former Mr. Arsenal, I can tell you that we sure do use a vast variety of weapons, and I can narrow them to their specific combat styles. The two-handed weapons, the heavy sword, the spear, the ax, the glaive, the scythe and the launcher.

The Heavy Sword:

Ahhh, my personal favorite, the classics are a classic for a reason. A good ole sword can get the job done, with a decent amount of skill and power. Big tough guy in front of you? Hit ‘em hard over the head. Getting surrounded? No problem! I was never shy about using my favorite technique, the Seismic Impact! (The immovable wall of Eldeon never stood a chance). Unstoppable Force beat immovable object. Take that Knight! saying I couldn’t do it! But back to the subject, this offers a balance between all. Accuracy, Power and surround skills, and all tools that could be used at any frontline.

A Heavy Swordsman should be able to Sense Battle, a Mastery that allows them to realize how and what to do in the battle. An obvious Mastery of Advanced Two-Handed Swords. The Heavy Swordsman tries to weaken enemies with skills, before giving them the strong blows from their Two-Handed Sword. Range Skills, they have them. Surround Skills, they have them. Melee Skills, they have ‘em. Strong attacks, they have ‘em. Accuracy, they have ‘em. The Heavy Swordsman has a bit of everything. 

The Spear:

What happens if you wish to be a champion, but still hold a modicum of finesse? Fear not! The champions can employ the benefits of the spear to their fullest extent. This option offers more speed, a slight increase in range and a whirlwind, (both literally and figuratively) of skills at your disposal. Spear champions excel at speed, finesse and accuracy. And they do so with such poise and… chivalrousness? I’d be remiss to not mention a somewhat subdivision of spears the Glaives, but that is for later. 

Now a hoplite spearman is also great at fighting multiple enemies. You can call it their specialty. They train in attack speed and have a Mastery in Melee Combat. Their Mastery of Advanced Spears lets them use all sorts of attacks like Raknu Heel Strike, Battle Howl, and the version Four of Seismic Impact. It is their use of Battle Howl, and combat in the frontlines that makes them very important. They can clear out, and help change the tide of combat when surrounded by so many enemies. 

The Axe:

“But what if finesse or jack of all trades is not my thing Master Champ?”. Well then, could I interest you in pure power and critical? If the answer to that is yes, then I’m here to tell you you’re an Axe Man…. Or Axe woman! Axes forgo any finesse or subtleness and are just raw unbridled power! Some of my more brutal battles had a lot of axes involved. How could I ever forget Orc? Ork? One of them… Ikem whatever, let’s axe! Anyhow, although pretty straightforward the axes do offer versatility. Enemy is way over there? No problem! Launch that sucker at the enemy and charge at ‘em and cleave away! There’s a reason we stay physically fit, don’t we? Hell of an aggressive approach to the frontlines and get the big bad guys off your knights.

Many Axemen tend to go Berserk. They focus heavily on using their Advanced Axe Mastery to dunk on enemies, and like real Sluggers beat them to a pulp. It is all about damage with the Axe, and they will go all out in savagery at times. I’ve even done this. Axewomen or Axe men tend to focus heavily on how much critical hits and damage they can dish out. Each time I have an axe, its all about cleaving through each enemy one by one with incredible strength. 

The Launcher:

“Master Champ, I don’t think melee is my calling, I’m thinking about working from range” Well my hopeful Defender, I am here to tell you that something we champions excel at is versatility. Adapt, Improvise, Overcome! In many battlefields I found myself with only a Launcher in my hands (a lot of times I borrowed one from Chent or Arti but let’s not get into details…. Too much “weapon launching”). A champion has the strength to wield such a powerful cannon and employ it to defend the passions and purpose that you have set out your life to live by. I will not boast and say you could wield or skill better than any Bourgeois with a Launcher, but the enemy will surely have a way tougher time taking you down if they think they can focus on you.

Cannon Champions, although they have some good damage to show and need some Concentration. They are actually great at supporting their allies in the frontline. How can I support? Well using skills like Battle Scream to weaken the enemy, or Power Overflow to increase your comrades. You can use Combat Cry and Seismic Impact to fight various enemies surrounding you. Even Soundless Vacuum can be used to lower a target’s chances in combat. Bolt Wreck to me is my favorite skill to use when being a Cannon Champion. 

Cannon is a great way to fight at a distance and help, without placing yourself too much at risk. Strangely enough, many Cannon Champions tend to be great singers, have war chants or have intimidating voices. It comes from us shouting, howling and crying out. Sounds of a warrior’s chant, some even use instruments or the Cannon as a bongo.

The Scythe:

Finesse and Chivalrousness, screw that! Fear not, Master Champ gets it! Trying to look fancy isn’t all. I do like to look awesome, but it might not be all. As a Spear Champion there is another you can try, the Scythe.  The champions can employ the benefits of the spear to their fullest extent, and scythes are a symbol of it. This option offers more speed, a slight increase in range and a whirlwind, (who cares about looking fancy) of skills at your disposal. A good ole spear is great, but a Scythe that can get the job done works too. With a decent amount of speed and power. Big army in front of you? Hit ‘em all hard with a Heel Strike. Flail around hitting everything with the scythe. Speed, Power and surround skills, and all tools that could be employed at any frontline. Many even focus on getting some uniqueness to their fighting by learning stuff like Anti-Skill Shell or Energy Break.

The Glaive:

There is something new called a Glaive, not many care at all about it. What is a Glaive Master Champ? A spear! The champions can employ the benefits of the spear, glaive. This option offers more speed and a slight increase in range. Spear champions excel at speed, finesse and accuracy. And they do so with such poise and… chivalrousness? Although quite similar, a Glaive offers a “less surround skills, more single target” option for champions that decide to pursue that avenue. Both equally chivalrous and heroic.

A pikeman of the glaive from what I’ve gathered in Eldeon focuses on their Attack Speed. They used Blood Attack and many other single target focused skills. They do have a few skills they employ to help in the frontline like Raknu Heel Strike and Battle Cry. But their focus completely stems in Melee Combat Mastery and using their Mastery of Advanced Spear to use the difficult to handle Glaive. 

The “Champ Option”:

So here you are a highly driven future champion! Maybe you can’t make up your mind about which weapon will lead you to achieving your goals. Then what if I told you that you can take the approach of yours truly and use them all? This option is quite arduous and will require A LOT of training and perseverance. However, champions have the most tools available to them to allow them to succeed in this goal/task. After all, “Mr. Arsenal” is one of the few titles I was the first at. Spears, Axe, Sword and Launcher just use them all as you need. A Champion can focus on being strong in all these weapons. We Champs are always in the front of combat, we use whatever we need to fight. We are fast, strong, accurate, durable and can handle every combat scenario.

Champions have a lot of easily defined roles and responsibilities, but I am also here to tell you that this is a job that rewards creativity and it is not as simple as it seems. The harder you work, the bigger the pay off. The insurmountable amount of strength that we can muster cannot be matched and some of the greatest feats along the lands have been done by champions. Hell, a huge who’s who of defenders have had the “champion” mantle. Junon, Joshuan, myself and the list goes on. I hope the future holds many more great champions or even people that discipline themselves to push the boundaries even further. But alas I have to finish this writing at some point, so I hope this serves as inspiration and motivation for future defenders. The land will always need people that will time and again stand up to uphold the laws and beliefs of those that cannot protect themselves with pure gallantry, strength and resolution. And people like us will always answer that call… for that is the way of the Champion.

-Master Champ