Hello Dark Blood fans, I have chosen to write a guide about the crusader and all its ups and downs. I will cover every skill, and give you a break down of what to expect and how to play. I'm a level forty crusader named Syphur and my level is currently capped. I've experimented with dual skill builds so for the most part I know every skill inside and out. At least the appropriate ones. I hope you find any unanswered lurking questions about the class inside my guide, because I mean it to be thorough. Here is my recommended skill build followed by the skills information.

The crusader is a very fun class, and you will enjoy playing it, but there are some things you should know. Although listed as an easy class in the character creation screen, it is misleading. This class requires good general game knowledge, and good reaction speed. You don't have the range of an archer, or the brute force of a warrior. The game classifies you as a crusader which is normally a support-esque class. However in this game it's more of the blade dancer. There are passives and buffs that can make you tankier, but you didn't pick a defensive class like the paladin, you choose an offensive class. Here are some pros and cons to the crusader:

Pros:
-Very fast
-Great utility
-diverse skill tree
-aggressive play style
-can solo relatively well
-crits often


Cons:
-Short melee range can lead to more dangerous situations
-Getting SS ranks or higher will rarely happen
-Back attacks are really hard to do
-A bit of a learning curve at times
-have to be good at dodging

Overall you will be in the thick of things, taking aggro, and putting yourself in risky spots. You will however acquire the tools to prevent, evade, or predict those dangerous situations and turn them into an advantage. So without further ado, lets get down to the skills.

Strike:
One of the very first skills a knight gets, and one of the very first skills a crusader should cycle out of their normal rotation. Even when you get this skill maxed, and it becomes a 4 part slash, it still is the most useless skill you have. It hurts at max level, but the problem is the time, range, and opportunities it creates will never be worth it. It knocks enemies down on the final strike, instead of launching them, has pretty small range, and you have better stuff to be doing. Leave it at level 4 so you can pick up double dash attack.


Upper Slash:
Upper slash at max level(15) is a huge point sink but in my opinion it is worth it. It's great for pvp and pve. In pve any time you're fighting a rare monster, or boss, or really any one tanky, you will want this skill. At max level is does massive damage, and is a OTG knock up on a short CD with decent y-axis. At least with more range than it looks like it has. In pvp it is a crucial
tool used in almost every combo the crusader has.


Fast Evade:
This skill is a must. Max it. You will be able to roll up or down at a 3 second interval. Whether you're mid attack or standing still, this will be you're main way to survive. There will be countless times where you're mid animation and you need to move immediately.

Shield Guard:
This Skill is the bread and butter of the knight. Knights have the ability to shield cancel out of most of there skills. Which can turn a tool you have to plan out, into a reactionary one. If you get used to having this skill, bosses become easy, and certain situations that are normally troublesome become a breeze. For a set period of time, you will stand still holding out your shield, giving a 100% break chance. For now this tool is to save yourself. Later on when you get guard escape this tool becomes offensive.

Trust:
You extend your shield in front of you and dash forward a couple feet. Nothing spectacular but it is an OTG used in many pvp combos. Max level it removes defense from the target for a little bit. In theory this could make certain bosses easier as well, but considering range and usage it's not worth the point sink. I'd say leave it at level 1.

shield stun
You smash your shield out in front of you with a chance to stun. The damage will never be something to write home about and is more for pvp than for pve. As far as I know the level of the skill does not alter the chances, or the duration of the stun. Leave it at level 1 or don't pick it up at all.

Round house kick:
A three part kick that leads to a knock down. At max level is does very solid damage, with a solid CD. The problem however is it can't be canceled on the final kick. You go air born temporarily. If you do this into a crowd you often will find yourself getting hit right after. My advice is to take this skill and leave it at level 1.

Throw:
Just an average throw. It looks cool, gives you invincibility, and does ok damage when maxed, but is outclassed by flash slash in every way. I wouldn't even get a level of it. Leave it at 0.

Sliding:
This skill is a must have at level 3. You will come across traps that need to be slid under for starters. At max level slide also picks up any item you slide across with a solid Y axis to it as well. You'll be able to pick up a large group of items in one slide. Its efficient, cost
effective, and can also get you out of a tight spot.

Cry of land:
This skill is a joke. It's for parties and takes way to long for it to ever be worth it. Leave it at 0.

Electric Circle:
This is one of the most crowd clearing skills Crusaders have. You will want to max this no question. It does amazing damage, and at level 5 it will suck enemies in a good distance. It electrocutes enemies, and has solid hit stun. Just make sure to watch for any super armor attacks inbound and be ready to block/roll.

Death Circle:
This move has been a hit or miss for me at times. I'd say pick it up, and leave it at level 1. Supposedly at max level(10) it hits more times and becomes an anti gravity field. Since level 9 is the max for level 40 I have been unable to test what its like maxed. The cool down is too high to rely on it for damage, and its more for pvp than for pve because its a large OTG knock up.

Express Chop:
This will be the most mana intensive, most spammed skill, and most proficient use of a crusaders time. You thrust your sword in front of you like a fencer 13 times all in quick succession, then if you press Z you do a final 2 hit strike totaling out to 15 hits. Its a got a great reach, and you can move freely while its in activation. Any enemy hit by Express Chop will be stuck to the edge of your sword till the end of the duration. Its a great tool to group enemies up, does lots of
damage, and its 9/10 the first skill I do in any room. Max it, and if you can find a rune for it, add that too.

Double dash attack:
A lunging kick with nice speed, and even better speed when its passive is maxed. I would leave it at level 1 for the utility. Its a knock up on standing opponents and can also be used to run across the x-axis into a group of enemies.


Flash Slash:
You lunge forward into a grab, and slash the enemy several times, remaining invincible. This skill is good overall, but I'd say leave it at level 1. For pve most of the time you only ever hit 1 enemy, because the strikes are small, and for pvp its more of a combo starter than for actual damage. Sometimes I'll do this on the boss, but he will ignore the grab, I'll still be suspended mid air slashing and he will hit me. There is one technique where you express chop the boss, making him air borne, and then jump canceling into flash slash. In this circumstance he will be suspended mid air like any other enemy. Great to do in a party where other
people can bash him as well.

Escape rule:
Pick it up and leave it at level 1. I'd say max it but the benefits aren't worth the extra points. when you get knocked down, you can roll when you hit the ground. Great to get out of bad spots both in pvp and pve.

Crescent:
A very fast slash half way across the screen that hits all enemies crossed many times. I'd say leave it at level 2 so you can pick up double crescent. The damage doesn't scale well and you should use it for utility, and controlling large groups of monsters. Or getting into the crowd without getting hurt.

Double Crescent:
A continuation of crescent with one more additional slash across the screen. Amazing range in total with Crescent. Good damage, and a great tool to use when traversing large mobs. Level it as you wish. 2 is currently the highest at level 40.

Rising Strike:
A good skill to continue off of other skills such as upper slash. Good damage overall and links into double rising. Problem is you're air born and can no longer dodge or block. Leave it at level 3 so you can pick up Double rising strike, and use it with caution.

Double Rising Strike:
The follow up to rising strike. Insane damage and I'd recommend maxing it, if it weren't for the fact that sometimes the game slams the enemy down to the ground because he took too much damage, leaving you airborne for no reason. For that reason alone I'd leave it at level 1.

Guard Escape:
This is what separates the crusader from the paladin. This is the cream
of what this class is all about. When your guard is struck you have the
option of rolling backwards with invincibility, then getting super armor for the next few seconds. This skill can be abused and let you do damage to bosses or enemies when every other class has to run for the hills. When you get good with this skill, you can camp in the bosses face, block his attacks, roll back and come at him all over again. Leveling it up only decreases the cool down and you really shouldn't need it more than once every 10 seconds or so anyways. Leave it at 1, and fall in love with it.

Punishment Of The Evil Ghost:
You summon an evil giant to smash down in front of you several times why you are free to move around. Solid skill overall but I use it as a cool down filler. I can see the potential for damage, and I can see the potential for main lining it, but the problem is it requires runes, full armor sets, and a higher skill cap. At max level it does 5 smashes with a 40% total damage bonus. Then you have a skill alteration rune which gives it a vacuum and sucks all enemies into the fist smash. If all that stuff was out I'd say max it, but for now leave it at 1 and enjoy the flashiness.

Saint Sword:
You stand still and have the option of releasing 8 small swords, or charging up a couple seconds and releasing bigger swords for more damage a little further. Its a very damaging move, but you have no super armor, and the range isn't the whole room. It's best used in the middle of a large group but the problem with that is you are vulnerable to being hit out of it, which I often find happens. Overall I'd pick up the skill. Its a long cool down, but its nice when you have it up. Max it as you can.

Dragon Rising:
You jump in the air and spin many times on a forward x axis, knocking down enemies as you land. This is a perfect skill for the crusader. Very aggressive, and very fast. At max level it infuses a dragon to swirl with you and smash down at the end. At a level 40 cap it's impossible to max so I'd say leave this skill at level 1 and use it for the utility and speed.

I will start by doing a summation on all the passive defense masteries. Leave them at 0. That includes Knights spirit, Human character, and the 3 part heavy armor mastery tree. You're a crusader not a paladin and the only defense skill you should be getting that's worth the points is rising hostile. Now onto the other skills.

Power armor:
You charge up and for the next few minutes you will be able to withstand all knockdowns. Which is a lot worse than it sounds. There have been many times where being knocked down would have saved me. You don't ignore the hit, you actually get knocked back. Terrible for trap rooms where you get bounced around like a ping pong ball. Leave it at level 2, so that you can pick up shield violence.

Shield Violence:
You will want to max this. It gives you about a 5% chance to ignore damage and boosts your critical power significantly.

Stimulation:
Let me explain this very terribly worded skill to you so that you may understand it. It is an AOE debuff that makes enemies want to attack you. Those that you have pissed off will take more damage but will also hurt you for more. A double edged blade that I say don't bother picking up.

Hertia's Rage:
If you like your double dash attack max this, if you don't then don't. It's not a big impact nor is it a big point sink. Take it as you wish. It is a good surprise in pvp though I will say that.

Rising hostile:
This is one of the best buffs a crusader has. A team wide buff that cuts damage in half for the whole party. You will want this to be up as much as possible. Max it as you can.

Shining sword:
A buff that increases your attack speed. Good overall, but If i'm not mistaken it only effects your regular attacks. I know there's a rune that gives your regular attacks more range and chaos damage, making this worth it, but short of that leave this at 2 so you can pick up Maximum speed.

Maximum speed:
A very flashy buff that oozes what crusaders are about. This buff speeds up your movement along with your attacks. Letting you get around mobs faster and with less danger. Max it no question.

Explosion of fury:
This a is a 2 point skill that is fun to use and is mainly for bosses. You need to fill up a fury bar, and it reduces CDS by 66%. I'd pick it up. Have fun with it.

Flesh for bone:
Another terribly worded skill that I will explain to you. You put on a buff briefly that gives you 1-2% life steal. Sounds pretty good right? except for the fact you take 50% more damage. Be very very careful what room you use this in. In the right room you can heal upwards of 30% of your life. In the wrong room you'll get one shot. Max it for sure though. Nothing feels better than turning a bad run into a good run. It's the only skill a crusader has that heals her.

Blood sword:
This skill is also poorly translated. What it does is give your next skill bonus damage depending on how much life the monster your hitting has missing. What it forgoes to mention is the buff is practically instant. It also can be canceled into. You can do skill A->Blood sword->skill B with less than a second delay. Worth it? Mayyyybeeee for bosses. I'm still testing it out but I'm heading towards leaving it at level 0. It sounds good for pvp though.

Knife Mastery:
Not a whole lot to say here. Dump what ever remaining skill points you have left at level 40 into this. Extra attack is always nice.

Beginner Shield mastery:
The 5% break chance is ok. I didn't max it but it can't hurt too. Level it as you wish.
Intermediate Shield Mastery:
Leave this skill at 0. You will never want to have that little life. It's a crutch skill and a bad one.

Link thrust/round house kick/upper rising/sliding:
Pick up every link you have. You don't think to realize how often these will help you out. Pick them up no question.

Any skills Active or passive that I have left out are currently unobtainable and there's no reason to mention them. For those who would like to know the max skill points you get at level 40 including an insanely long pvp related quest is 177. Now onto general advice.

At the end of this Guide I will have a you tube video demonstrating how to solo The last level of quern castle on unique. You will get to see crusader game play and also how to approach rooms and in what fashion. I make no claim to be an expert player, but I feel I am good enough to have written this guide. Currently the level cap is 40 and you will want to be farming the final stage. You will wan't to get very good at it.

Take my guide and my advice with a grain of salt. Thank you for your time and I hope you enjoyed the guide and I hope you enjoy my video.