Man-at-Arms (Darkest Dungeon II)

"A resolute defender, tempered by the merciless blows of innumerable assaults."

The Man-at-Arms is a Hero in Darkest Dungeon II.

Class Description

 * Front Rank
 * Guard
 * Durable
 * Riposte

Combat Skills

 * The Man-at-Arms will always start each run equipped with Dd2 ability crush.png Crush, Dd2 ability rampart.png Rampart, Dd2 ability defender.png Defender, Dd2 ability bolster.png Bolster, and Dd2 ability holdtheline.png Hold the Line. All other skills must be unlocked through the Shrine of Reflection before they may be equipped.

Strategy
The Man-at-Arms is essentially a tanker whose tactics mainly revolves around putting up his defenses and taking punishments to protect his more fragile teammates. With access to certain skills, the Man-at-Arms can be effective at dealing damage as well, depending on the protection he has. His entire skillset is highly flexible; allowing him to adapt to any Rank, retreat to the back to support allies or rush right to the front to attack and hold his position depending on various situations. Because of his toughness and ability to protect a certain Hero, the Man-at-Arms can become the backbone of any team composition, increasing the survival capability in combat.

- Offense: The Man-at-Arms' skillset does not have much focus on damage. Most of his offensive skills have fairly average damage output, but offer solid benefits from Combo Tokens.


 * The Man-at-Arms can use Dd2 ability strategicwithdrawal.png Strategic Withdrawal to apply Dd2 token combo.png Combo on a target, then follow up with other attacks such as Dd2 ability crush.png Crush to gain Dd2 token block.png Block or Dd2 ability rampart.png Rampart and Dd2 ability holdtheline.png Hold the Line to inflict Stun dd2.png Stun and disable a target. The Man-at-Arms synergizes well with Heroes who can inflict Dd2 token combo.png Combo to make the most out of his skills such asPortraits-jester.pngr (with upgraded Dd2 ability razorswit.png Razor's Wit and Dd2 ability fadetoblack.png Fade to Black) orPortraits-highwayman.pngayman (with Dd2 ability pointblankshot.png Point Blank Shot and upgraded Dd2 ability trackingshot.png Tracking Shot). Moreover, Dd2 ability strategicwithdrawal.png Strategic Withdrawal helps the Man-at-Arms retreat to the back and regain a decent amount of HP should he suffer too much damage from the front and be put into Deathsdoor dd2.png Death's Door condition.


 * Dd2 ability courageousabandon.png Couragous Abandon is the Man-at-Arms' strongest offensive skill, capable of ignoring Dd2 token block.png Block to maintain its damage output. Since the skill's damage is effectively doubled if the Man-at-Arms has Dd2 token block.png Block or Dd2 token blockplus.png Block+ ; it synergizes well with Dd2 ability defender.png Defender, Dd2 ability holdtheline.png Hold the Line or Dd2 ability standfast.png Stand Fast, which provide the said Tokens for a large damage bonus. Furthermore, the damage bonus for having a Dd2 token block.png Block Token and a Dd2 token blockplus.png Block+ Token stacks - having both Tokens through a combination of skills, combat items, or trinkets, can triple the damage dealt. Keep in mind that these Tokens can be expended relatively fast through enemies' attacks (especially if the Man-at-Arms has Dd2 token taunt.png Taunt from Dd2 ability retribution.png Retribution), before the Man-at-Arms has a chance to unleash Dd2 ability courageousabandon.png Couragous Abandon. Therefore, using Dd2 ability standfast.png Stand Fast is strongly recommended as it provides the Man-at-Arms with Dd2 token block.png Block or Dd2 token blockplus.png Block+ whenever he starts his turn. A Man-at-Arms' unique trinket Standard of the Ninth can also remedy the said issue by adding a chance to give him a Dd2 token blockplus.png Block+ Token whenever he is targeted by enemies. The high damage potential of Dd2 ability courageousabandon.png Couragous Abandon comes at the cost of applying a Dd2 token vulnerable.png Vulnerable Token to the Man-at-Arms and removing all of his Dd2 token block.png Block, which exposes him to greater harm. Another downside of the skill is its very strict Rank requirement, being only usable on Rank 1 against Rank 1. Thus, it does not go well with other useful skills with similarly strict requirements such asPortraits-hellion.pngon's Dd2 ability bleedout.png Bleed Out orPortraits-leper.png's Dd2 ability purge.png Purge.

- Survivability: The Man-at-Arms is particularly durable thanks to the generous amount of Block and  Block+ Tokens he can gain from many of his skills such as  Hold the Line and  Stand Fast.


 * Using Dd2 ability defender.png Defender, the Man-at-Arms can simultanously gain solid defense with Dd2 token block.png Block or Dd2 token blockplus.png Block+ and guard a vulnerable ally.


 * Dd2 ability retribution.png Retribution is also effective at protecting allies, applying Dd2 token taunt.png Taunt to the Man-at-Arms, allowing him to direct attacks to himself, while dealing damage with Dd2 token riposte.png Riposte . If this skill is to be used regularly, it is advised to upgrade it so that the Man-at-Arms can additionally gain Dd2 token block.png Block to weather more devastating attacks and avoid losing too much Icon HP dd2.png. It is worth noting that an upgraded Dd2 ability retribution.png Retribution gives the Man-at-Arms a total of 6 Tokens. After using Dd2 ability retribution.png Retribution, the Man-at-Arms can gain back a massive percentage of his Icon HP dd2.png through thePortraits-plaguedoctor.pnge Doctor's Dd2 ability indiscriminatescience.png Indiscriminate Science (up to 70% of Icon HP dd2.png provided that he manages to keep all of the said Tokens prior to being healed).

- Support: The Man-at-Arms possesses several valuable supporting skills, most of which (such as Bellow,  Bolster,  Command, etc.) would still be usable even if he stays in the back. As such, he has the option to become a back-Rank supporter.


 * The Man-at-Arms can put the enemy team at a disadvantage by using Dd2 ability bellow.png Bellow to debuff their Icon speed dd2.png, gaining the upper hand for his team. In addition, its Dd2 token riposte.png Riposte removal is very useful against enemies such as Flayer or Knight.


 * The Man-at-Arms functions quite well as a Dd2 token stress.png Stress healer. Using an upgraded Dd2 ability bolster.png Bolster, he can reduce a decent amount of Dd2 token stress.png Stress for himself and and a teammate, apply Dd2 token block.png Block to him and remove the teammate's Negative Tokens.


 * Dd2 ability command.png Command applies Dd2 token strength.png Strength and removes Dd2 token blind.png Blind from an ally. This skill is highly useful onPortraits-leper.png, as he is extremely susceptible to Dd2 token blind.png Blind effects and can make use of the Dd2 token strength.png Strength Token to raise his huge damage output.

Shrine of Reflection
The Man-at-Arms gains access to 6 abilities over 5 chapters through accessing memories in the Shrine of Reflection.

Chapter One: A Premature Promotion
"My ambition outflanked my fellow officers at soirees and mock skirmishes."
 * Unlocks Dd2 ability bellow.png Bellow

- The Man-at-Arms

"The politics of a military career are perhaps as treacherous as war itself. Though untested in combat, his acumen for advancement was unmatched. Through a dubious campaign of influence and intimidation, he had at last claimed a coveted command, and was eager to bask in the glory of the victories that were sure to come."

- The Academic

Chapter Two: A Leader of Men
"Clever repartee and a poison tongue meant nothing on the battlefield."
 * Objective: Onward To Glory!
 * Unlocks Dd2 ability standfast.png Stand Fast

- The Man-at-Arms

"Behold the conquering General, marching his men to victory!"

- The Academic

"A rout, massacre... a complete and total failure of command."

- The Academic

Chapter Three: One Eye Open
"Were they dreams or did I truly see scratches on my arms in the morning?"
 * Unlocks Dd2 ability retribution.png Retribution

- The Man-at-Arms

"Every night, the men of his regiment would interrupt his fitful convalescence. Mutilated and maimed, the spectral garrison clawed as his bedcovers, whispering hateful truths in his ears. The exhausted attendants in the field hospital would wake to the sound of panicked screaming and inglorious sobs. It was not the war that had taken his eye. It was pride."

- The Academic

Chapter Four: Ghosts of the Past
"I knew what waited for me back there, but I had no rank and they deserved rest."
 * Objective: Honour The Fallen
 * Unlocks Dd2 ability courageousabandon.png Courageous Abandon

- The Man-at-Arms

"Demoted and disgraced, he returned to the battlefield, ready to endure the wrath of his regiment and grant them some small peace."

- The Academic

"At last, he would sleep undisturbed, and perhaps find some comfort in that murky abyss of dreamless wonder."

- The Academic

Chapter Five: In the Trenches
"Someday, on some forgotten front, I'll spell contrition with my blood."
 * Unlocks Dd2 ability command.png Command and Dd2 ability strategicwithdrawal.png Strategic Withdrawal

- The Man-at-Arms

"He resolved to spend his remaining years seeking atonement in the trenches of bloody battlefields the world over. For him, there could be no respite from the horrors of war. And when, at last, he was struck down, he would die alone and unremembered. Surely he deserved no better."

- The Academic

Trivia

 * The Man-at-Arms is one of eight Heroes returning from Darkest Dungeon, and one of the first nine Heroes to be available in the sequel.
 * The predetermined name of the Man-at-Arms is Barristan, a reference to a character from the book series A Song of Ice and Fire.