Vampire hunter sorceresses, sometimes known as Vampire hunter Spell Casters were human vampire hunter enemies and part of Moebius's Mercenary Army. Encountered primarily by Raziel in Legacy of Kain: Defiance, They were the among the highest ranked of the Vampire Hunter classes seen in Defiance and were seen predominantly in Raziel's chapters in the Blood Omen era at the Cemetery and Pillars of Nosgoth - although they would also be featured later on in the story in Vorador's Mansion. They were notable for their use of magic to defend themselves and enhance their allies, which made them dangerous foes.
Profile[]
A Vampire Hunter Sorceress in game
Vampire Hunter Sorceresses were the spell casters of Moebius's Vampire hunter faction, encountered by Raziel in the Blood Omen era of Defiance.[Defiance][Defiance/4][Defiance/6][Defiance/12][Defiance strategy guide]
They were generally unarmed and were clothed in a short red dress with several brown leather patches or guards worn around the neck and on the shoulders forearms, breasts, waist, pleats, lower thighs - and with lighter brown greaves and boots on the lower legs. The exposed thighs of the were branded or marked by a curious maroon-red symbol and another distinctive spiky symbol was tattooed in black across the right eye of the sorceresses. Their hair was typically blond and worn in a ponytail held by a red band.
Like other spell casters the Sorceresses would typically avoid close combat and remain at a distance utilizing long-range projectiles, shields, teleportation and frequently enhancing their allies with boosting spells such as Amplify Damage, Regeneration and TK Shield - for this reason they were the highest priority in combat and should be targeted before the other Vampire hunter enemy classes
The Sorceresses were first encountered in the chapter Find the Path to the Pillars as Raziel returned to the Material Realm in the Blood Omen era and could later be encountered in the chapters Find the Location of Vorador's Mansion and Battle Kain.[Defiance][Defiance/4][Defiance/6][Defiance/12][Defiance strategy guide]
Abilities[]
Like other spell-casters the abilities of the Vampire Hunter sorceresses are notably used to empower and buff allies - giving other Vampire hunter units more potency and arguably making themselves a higher priority in combat. Spells used to power-up other hunter allies include:
- Amplify Damage - The caster a red spell which manifests around the weapon of an ally and allows them to cause more damage when attacking.[Defiance][Defiance manual][Defiance strategy guide]
- Regeneration - The caster summons a yellow spell which heals allies, allowing them to recover from damage inflicted.[Defiance][Defiance manual][Defiance strategy guide]
- TK Shield - The caster summons a violet spell which protects their allies from the use of Telekinetic powers.[Defiance][Defiance manual][Defiance strategy guide]
The Sorceresses also have some defensive and offensive abilities of their own, but these are rarely referred to in the same way as the ally buffs:
- Rune Shield/Glyph Shield - The caster summons a set of magical floating runes that act as a shield and absorb damage until each rune is destroyed.[Defiance][Defiance manual][Defiance strategy guide]
- Teleportation - The caster dissolves into a turquoise shape, appearing elsewhere on the battlefield.[Defiance][Defiance strategy guide]
- Radial Blast - The caster summons a sudden red circular shockwave that knocks the target back.[Defiance][Defiance strategy guide]
- Fireball - The caster fires an orange flame-like projectile at an opponent which causes damage.[Defiance][Defiance strategy guide]
Notes[]
A Sorceress protected by a rune shield
- Vampire Hunter Sorceresses are not named in game. They are however titled as such in Legacy of Kain: Defiance: Prima's Official Strategy Guide where they are classified and grouped along with other Vampire Hunter enemy types.[Defiance strategy guide] Manuals do not refer to the specific class, but do label a subset of enemies titled as "Spell Casters" and identifies their spells and abilities - this sub-class apparently includes the Vampire hunter sorceresses along with the Sarafan inquisitors, Cenobite summoners and a number of other magically attacking enemies such as Revenants and Statues.[Defiance manual] Game files label the class as "vh_caster" or "p_vh_caster".[Defiance]
- The abilities of the Sorceresses are identified in both the manual and the Prima Guide - both of which list Amplify Damage, Regeneration and TK Shield.[Defiance strategy guide][Defiance manual] They also both mention the Rune Shield ability as a "Glyph Shield" made up of "Runes" - although strictly speaking the symbols used are not true Runes which are closer to Blood script.[Defiance strategy guide][Defiance manual][1] The "Fireball", "Radial Blast" and "Teleport" abilities are also touched upon and named within the summary in the strategy guide.[Defiance][Defiance manual]
- The title "Sorceress" literally identifies a female magic user[2][3] - the same title was previously used for the similarly magically endowed Fireball using Sarafan sorceresses in Soul Reaver 2 in the Nosgoth's early history time period set centuries before the advent of the mercenary army - and they were the only magic using humans seen in that game.[Soul Reaver 2] The all female Sarafan Sorceresses were ultimately replaced in Legacy of Kain: Defiance by the all male Sarafan inquisitors. [Defiance][Defiance strategy guide]
- Like many of the Defiance Vampire hunter classifications, the design and role of the Vampire Hunter Sorceresses does not match with the roles seen previously in the Pre-Blood Omen era in Soul Reaver 2 or the Blood Omen era in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain - this may be due to time or timeline differences, but could be justified due to the undisciplined nature of the mercenary vampire hunters as a whole.[Blood Omen][Soul Reaver 2][Defiance]
- Similar to the appearance of the Sarafan crusaders, the Vampire Hunter Sorceresses are depicted in promotional materials and Bonus materials as wielding the same two pronged polearm as the Vampire hunter mercenaries whereas in the final game the Sorceresses are unarmed and rely on magic attacks rather than weaponry. Ultimately this may be due to development before the final weapons of each class were settled upon.[Defiance]
- The facial tattoo of the Sorceresses is the same as the symbol later used for the Dark Scripture - potentially implying some connection between the magic users of the Vampire Hunters and the dark magic at work in Avernus Cathedral.[Defiance][Defiance/10] The same symbol is also used as the main symbol for the Legacy of Kain Wiki.
- The Rune Shield ability of the Sorceresses bear similar symbols to those seen Telekinetic runes and the Telekinesis meter - itself derived from the Magic energy meter in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain.[Defiance][Blood Omen]
Gallery[]
See also[]
- Vampire hunters (history preceding Blood Omen)
- Sarafan sorceresses
- Sarafan inquisitors
- Cenobite summoners
References[]
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