Sarafan warriors (pikemen)

Sarafan warrior pikemen
Enemies article
Sarafan warrior pikemen in Soul Reaver 2.
Introduced in	Soul Reaver 2 (2001)
Appearance(s)	Soul Reaver 2

Sarafan Warrior Pikeman were a Sarafan variant enemy encountered by Raziel in Nosgoth's early history at the climax of Soul Reaver 2. Sarafan Warrior Pikemen were armed with the Sarafan Trident.

Profile

Sarafan Warrior Pikemen were troops of the Sarafan faction, encountered by Raziel in Nosgoth's early history at the climax of Soul Reaver 2. They were clothed in a red tunic or chain mail and wore golden trimmed armor and helmets as well as purple gloves and knee-pads. They wielded long Tridents with a Sarafan symbol at the head^{[Soul Reaver 2]}.

Sarafan Pikemen were the mid-range fighters of Sarafan brotherhood, they were formidable and ruthless enemies, competent in close-quarters combat, but with a greater range than their swordsmen allies. Sarafan Pikemen wielded Tridents with which they attacked with a series of jabbing and sweeping strikes, they were quick, tough and powerful in combat as well as defensively skilled, though they were vulnerable to lunges. Pikemen were often assisted in combat by long-range Sorceresses ^{[Soul Reaver 2 manual][Soul Reaver 2 strategy guide (Prima)]}.

Sarafan Pikemen were encountered only in Nosgoth's early history, shortly after Raziel emerged from the Time streaming chamber in the Swamp. They were first seen along with other Sarafan troops in the Mountains and in nearby Uschtenheim. They would later be fought in the Swamp and nearby the Pillars and Shrine area^{[Soul Reaver 2]}.

Notes

• Sarafan Pikemen are the only one of Soul Reaver 2's Sarafan classes not seen in the Sarafan Stronghold^{[Soul Reaver 2]}.
• Though explicitly hunting Vampires, Sarafan enemies will notably attack Demons if confronted with them.^{[Soul Reaver 2]}

• Sarafan Warrior Pikemen are comparable to the mid-range fighters of the other 'hunter' factions in Soul Reaver 2, (the Vampire hunter pikemen of Vampire hunters in the history preceding Blood Omen, and the Demon hunter axemen of the Demon hunters in the Era following Blood Omen) though they were notably superior in almost all respects, surpassed only in terms of raw power by the Demon hunter axemen and their heavy axes^{[Soul Reaver 2][Soul Reaver 2 strategy guide (Prima)]}.

• Three of the final Sarafan commander bosses (Melchiah, Dumah and Turel) were armed with long Pikes, making their move-set also comparable to the Sarafan Pikemen; though the commanders had health, attack power, range and defensive capabilities far surpassing their minor comrades^{[Soul Reaver 2]}.

• Along with the Sarafan Warrior Swordsmen,Kain fights the Sarafan Warrior Pikemen in the Defiance comic, where they are armed with a plainer Trident lacking the Sarafan symbol^{[Defiance comic]}. Despite this, The Sarafan Pikemen do not appear in Legacy of Kain: Defiance, with the similarly armed pole-arm wielding Sarafan crusaders appearing instead.^[Defiance].

• The Sarafan Warriors of Soul Reaver 2 wear armor reminiscent of real-world Roman military clothing. With Defiance's Sarafan chapters taking place some years later, the armor of the Sarafan classes was evolved to a more Crusader-like style for that game.

Gallery

Sarafan Pikemen preparing for combat

Sarafan Pikemen in game

Sarafan Pikemen and Swordsmen in SR2 bonus materials

Pikemen jab

Pikemen jab

Pike swing

big swing (1)

big swing (2)

big swing (3)

generic Sarafan Warrior concept art in SR2 bonus materials

A Sarafan Pikeman in the Defiance comic

Sarafan Pikemen in the Defiance comic