Which are the best Lancers in FGO?
Ducking, dodging, weaving, and, finally, coming in for a precise, deadly attack with a polearm. This could only be the fighting style of the Lancer, one of the seven “common” classes available to summon in popular mobile game Fate/grand order. Lancer-class Servants are a varied bunch, masters of the spear, the stake, the halberd and even the beach umbrella! They’re also known for their agility, with speed and evasion skills that are second to none.
An agile, accurate, Lancer makes the perfect addition to any Chaldean Master’s team. But, with so many currently available to summon, which Lancers offer you the best bang for your Saint Quartz? Why, these ten, of course!. Every proud warrior on this list is well worth recruiting to join Chaldea’s cause.
10. Jaguar Warrior (Best Self-Buffer)
This jaguar's wit is as sharp as her claws
This cool cat is a major contender for the “Chaldea’s Best Dressed” award. She takes the field in both a fluffy jaguar onesie and a slick formal suit. This astounding versatility comes from her nature as a fusion: half Olmec jaguar god, half ordinary high-school-teacher-slash-yakuza-heiress named Taiga Fujimura. Jaguar Warrior has been known to demand both blood sacrifices and properly completed homework!
What makes Jaguar Warrior the “purr-fect” addition to your team?
- Excels in the field of self-buffing, enhancing herself in six distinct areas, including Attack strength, Critical Hit chance, and Debuff Resistance
- Adds high amounts of Critical Stars to the field and uses them to boost her own attacks
- Goes wild with a single-target Noble Phantasm so swift and accurate, it hits even Servants attempting to hide using the Evasion skill
Servant Score: 65/100 – Paw-some!
9. Artoria Pendragon Lancer (Best Debuff Negation)
Lancer Artoria charges ahead
What if King Arthur discarded her trademark sword Excalibur in favor of Rhongomyniad, a holy spear with awe-inspiring magical powers? You’d wind up with someone half human, half goddess, and all business on the battlefield! This beautiful mounted Lancer fights solely for the glory of Camelot. Although she appears confident and poised, Artoria Lancer is actually quite shy until you get to know her better.
What makes Lancer Artoria stand out from seemingly uncountable counterparts?
- Simultaneously charges her Noble Phantasm and removes all enemy-inflicted debuffs, allowing her to always release Rhongomyniad at its fullest power
- Puts her kingly command experience to use by buffing the attack of all allies simultaneously
- Pierces through even Invincible opponents with the fierce multi-targeted attack of her divine lance
Servant Score: 68/100 – Looking “sharp”
8. Vlad III EXTRA (Best Supporter)
In a rare quiet moment, Vlad reminisces about his beloved castle
Was Count Vlad “The Impaler” of Wallachia truly a vampire? Fate/grand order’s answer is yes…and no. Two versions coexist less-than-peacefully within Chaldea, with the Lancer incarnation representing his brutal deeds and bloodsucking reputation as “Count Dracula”. In battle, Lancer Vlad wields a formidable horde of stakes to pierce the hearts and bodies of his enemies.
What makes Vlad III EXTRA an ally you can really “Count” on?
- Draws enemy attention to himself while also increasing his own survivability through boosted Attack and Defense
- Enhances the Noble Phantasms of all allies with his tactical cunning
- Makes an excellent boss-killer with a single-target Noble Phantasm primarily damaging “Evil”-aligned enemies– oh, and it pierces Invincibility, too!
Servant Score: 73/100 – The definition of “scary good”
7. Jeanne d’Arc Alter Santa Lily (Best Free Lancer)
Chaldea's shining Christmas Star
From fallen saint to festive fille, this adorable Santa is determined to spread Christmas cheer to all of Chaldea. Her new identity (and lengthy name) came about when Jeanne Alter accidentally drank a youth potion brewed by mad sorcerer Gilles de Rais. The player character fills the role of “Reindeer” and accompanies Jeanne on her journey to fulfill Servants’ Christmas wishes.
What makes Jeanne d’Arc Alter Santa Lily worth celebrating?
- Pairs four-star strength with unequaled accessibility – she’s awarded to players for free after completing the “Little Santa Alter” Christmas event
- Heals allies with her “Saint’s Gift” skill and her “La Grace Fille Noel” Noble Phantasm
- Grants herself temporarily Invincibility while charging her Noble Phantasm, filling a “tank” role despite her fragile appearance
Servant Score: 80/100 – A present to all Masters
6. Leonidas I (Best Tank)
Coach Leonidas shares his wisdom
Only one man could possibly earn Servant status through defeat rather than victory – King Leonidas I of Sparta! Backed up by only 300 Spartan warriors, Leonidas sacrificed himself to prevent 100,000-strong Persian army from conquering Greece. Chaldea’s Leonidas puts the player through a punishing physical training routine in order to make them a “true warrior of Sparta”.
What makes Leonidas the pinnacle of Spartan perfection?
- Protects his allies by drawing enemy attention towards himself for multiple turns at a time
- Revives himself using the “Guts” skill after falling in battle
- Uses his famous war cry to boost the Buster Attack of all allies for three turns
- Appears early in the game at the common 2-star rarity
Servant Score: 88/100 – 2-star Rarity, 5-star Usefulness
5. Artoria Pendragon Lancer Alter (Best Farmer)
An imposing King of few words
A darker version of the King who wields Rhongomyniad, it is questionable whether this being is a person, a goddess, or a force of nature. Her spear grants control over the Wild Hunt, a collection of wind spirits, ghosts and spectral hounds. A terrifyingly antagonistic figure, this Artoria is more than worthy of her title: “King of Storms”.
What makes Artoria Lancer Alter deserving of “thunderous” applause?
- Effortlessly clears waves of multiple enemies with her defense-ignoring multi-target Noble Phantasm,
- Ranks among the hardest-hitting Lancers due to simultaneously enhancing her Buster Attack and Critical Attack damage
- Guarantees the appearance of those powerful critical hits by generating Critical Stars on the battlefield
- Boosts her allies’ attack so they can deliver high-powered hits alongside her
Servant Score: 91/100 – The perfect storm
4. Summer Tamamo-no-Mae (Best Single-Target Noble Phantasm)
Tamamo-no-mae's idea of "summer fun"
Fox spirit Tamamo-no-Mae abandons her usual Caster class to hit the beach for the summer! Dressed in a fetching bikini, she expertly fends off foes with a beach umbrella. But don’t let the sexy swimsuit fool you – she’s still the same feisty, love-obsessed “Tama,” looking for the perfect husband or wife to spirit away on a seaside honeymoon. If you’re lucky, she just might choose you!
What makes Summer Tamamo-no-Mae the ideal vacation companion?
- Destroys Male enemies with the powerful bonus damage provided by her Noble Phantasm, “Goddess’ Love Parasol”
- Temporarily removes enemies from the field by inflicting both the action-preventing Charm status and the HP-sapping Curse
- Boosts herself in six areas, including applying Invincibility, with a single skill: “Goddess Morph”
- Enhances the attack and critical star generation of male allies with her charming, seductive nature
Servant Score: 95/100 – Shot through the heart (and she’s to blame)
3. Karna (Best Multi-Target Noble Phantasm)
Karna's one-of-a-kind lance is taller than he is!
Golden-armored and dazzling, Karna cuts an impressive figure within the halls of Chaldea. The hero of the Indian epic Mahabharata definitely takes after his father, the sun god Surya. Just make sure to keep him away from his rival Arjuna, who has been summoned in the Archer class. Even when on the same side, these two just can’t seem to get along!
What makes Karna shine as brightly as the sun who fathered him?
- Obliterates entire waves of enemies with his multi-target god-slaying spear, “Vasavi Shakti”
- Stalls powerful bosses by temporarily sealing their Noble Phantasms
- Enhances his already sky-high damage via the skill “Mana Burst” – and can even pair it with “Vasavi Shakti’s” deadly strike
- Charges his own Noble Phantasm by up to 25% in a single turn
Servant Score: 95/100 – Blinded by the light
2. Cú Chulainn (Best Low-Rarity Lancer)
Cú Chulainn is known for his intimidating "battle face"
Is there any list this guy doesn’t belong on? At a three-star rarity, the “Hound of Ulster” is one of the game’s most accessible Lancers. His bone-carved, blood-red lance, Gae Bolg, strikes fear into the hearts of all his foes. Don’t worry, though – off the battlefield, he’s a laid-back fellow whose hobbies include hunting, fishing, and wearing overly bright Hawaiian shirts.
What makes Cú Chulainn the perfect choice for a new player looking to build a strong Lancer?
- Evades hit after hit with his “Protection from Arrows” skill, which blocks three attacks in a row
- Possesses a self-healing and debuff removal skill to save himself in a pinch
- Revives himself (with 1500 HP!) using a Guts skill which remains active for a whopping five turns
- Often outright kills enemies with Gae Bolg’s targeted strike, and deals massive damage even if the Instant Death status does not activate
Servant Score: 98/100 – Ever-reliable
1. Scáthach (Best Overall Lancer)
There's absolutely nothing ordinary about Scáthach!
Who could possibly top Cú Chulainn? Why, it’s none other than his very own teacher! Hailing from the shadowy fortress of Dun Scaith, this warrior woman trained countless Celtic heroes in the art of polearm combat. She’s the original owner of Gae Bolg, and, despite having passed it on to her favorite student, retains a copy for her own use while serving in Chaldea.
What makes Scáthach the absolute best of the best among Lancers?
- Packs an even more powerful version of Cu Chulainn’s Gae Bolg, dealing greater damage and stunning enemies who are not slain outright
- Pairs her student’s Evasion skill with the ability to increase the damage of her already punishing critical attacks
- Survives even the strongest of hits with a sky-high HP total of nearly 15,000
- Boosts her Noble Phantasm’s damage via strengthening her Quick Attack – but in a pinch, can also apply that boost to an ally
- Deals bonus damage when facing two common categories of enemy: the Divine (gods and demigods) and the Undead (ghosts, skeletons and zombies)
Servant Score – 100/100 – Absolutely “on point”
Keep an eye out for new and exciting Lancers throughout the coming months. Perhaps this year’s summer vacation will bring another bathing beauty to join Tamamo-no-Mae? Could other familiar faces take a leaf out of Artoria’s book and explore their alternate-classed versions? So many spearmen and women are out there simply waiting for Chaldea to recruit them!
Who is your favorite Lancer currently available in the game? Which ones are you hoping to pull in the future? What historical, mythological or literary figures would you like to see summoned as part of the Lancer class? Comment and let me know!
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