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Since its release on the PS1, the Valkyrie Profile series still ranks as a favorite among JRPG fans. There hasn’t been a mainline game in the series since Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume, a title that launched in 2009 for the Nintendo DS. However, the most popular in the series are Valkyrie Profile: Lennethand Valkyrie Profile: Silmeria. Valkyrie Elysiumfeels like a spin-off and a reboot by introducing a new lead, gameplay elements, and characters. Thankfully, the new title has retained the spirit and feel of the classic originals by including the Einherjar, the souls of warriors that help Valkyrie Maria in combat.
Einherjar Explained
Like its predecessors, Valkyrie Elysium features the spirits of fallen warriors known as Einherjar. The Einherjar are souls the Valkyrie Maria can summon into battle to exploit their strengths and gain a tactical advantage by using their elemental powers and skills with a weapon. All Einherjar are unique and excellent in their way, but some players may find that they use some characters more than others.
Summoning Einherjar
As stated, the Einherjar are support characters that the Valkyrie can call into battle to help her defeat her enemies. They can also help her find ways to get passed seemingly impassable objects and obstructions. The summoned warriors will infuse the Valkyrie with elemental-based powers that include Ice, Lightning, Fire, and Holy.
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To Summon an Einherjar as support in combat, hold the L2/LT button and press the face button that the Einherjar is assigned, Triangle/Y, Circle/B, X/A, or Square/X.
4 Taika
When to recruit: Taika becomes available after completing Chapter 6. Element: Fire Magic
Taika is a fire-based Einherjar that becomes available to Maria in the final chapter (6). Naturally, she’s effective against ice-based enemies in Valkyrie Elysium. However, only one of her Einherjar attacks can cause huge damage in the game, and that’s the Burn Trap.
The Burn Trap acts like a mine tossed on the ground by Taika so the player can bait enemies into its area of attack. Unfortunately, the randomness associated with the attacks means that the results can vary. Taika’s remaining Einherjar and regular attacks are decent but hit with a lot of damage.
3 Kristopher
When to recruit: Kristopher becomes available after completing Chapter 5. Element: Holy Magic
Kristopher is a Holy-based Einherjar that becomes available after completing Chapter 5. She uses a spear weapon which gives her medium to long range in combat. She’s able to strike at a distance with Charge Blast.
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This attack spears Kristopher toward her opponent, hitting them multiple times for moderate damage. She also has a good AOE attack called Extreme Void that will stun several enemies on the battlefield, leaving Maria with some breathing room to attack freely.
2 Eygon
When to recruit: Eygon is available after completing Chapter 2. Element: Lightning Magic
Eygon is a Lightning-based fighter that becomes available after completing Chapter 2. He’s effectively the tank fighter on Maria’s team of Einherjar and wields a large sword, making him a close-range fighter. Eygon is the most powerful attacker, and he has a range of lightning attacks that can damage and stun multiple enemies with his Meteor Swarm ability.
Eygon’s Leven Slash is his best and most powerful Einherjar attack. With it, he will hit his enemies with three instant lightning-based attacks, taking advantage of his strength. His normal attacks are solid, but making sure he has Tri Slash equipped means following the Leven Slash, he can continue the assault with three more successive hits. As the first character that becomes recruitable, it’s surprising that Eygon remains one of the most effective Einherjar in the game. His strength complements the Valkyrie well, especially in close quarters.
1 Cypher
When to recruit: Cypher is available after completing Chapter 3. Element: Ice Magic
Cypher is an ice-based Einherjar that becomes available after completing Chapter 3. The character uses a bow for long-range attacks and twin daggers for close-range. Cypher is a good all-rounder with regular attacks that are excellent at interrupting enemy attacks and is one of the best characters to use and achieve an S Rank at the end of the mission. Cypher is quick and deadly, and just like Eygon one of the first Einherjar that the Valkyrie can recruit, and is invaluable to use in battle throughout the game’s story and its side quests.
Cypher’s Hyoso-Hojin is the best area of attack in the game and is perfect for staggering and damaging several enemies at a time. For attacks against powerful enemies and bosses, Cypher has Toren, which quickly unleashes two whirlwinds that hit the enemy four times without missing, causing stagger damage. With the Ice elemental buff activated, Cypher can cause incredible damage against enemies, hitting them with blizzards and ice storms.
Valkyrie Elysium is currently available on PC, PS4, and PS5.
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