Overview
The Crusader is one of the two second classes a Swordman can take (the other is the Knight). It combines physical strength with magic drawn from faith: it can fight in melee with a spear or with a sword and shield, support its party with helpful spells, and spend its own HP to cast strong Holy attacks.
Players like it because it is flexible: it can be built almost like a mage or played as a classic tank. It is naturally strong against the Undead, and most builds lean on high VIT and defence.
Job bonuses a Crusader has gained by job level 50:
| STR | AGI | VIT | INT | DEX | LUK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| +7 | +2 | +7 | +6 | +3 | +5 |
Becoming a Crusader
A Swordman becomes a Crusader by passing a set of trials, most of them inside Prontera Castle in Prontera:
- Item collection
- Endurance test
- Written test
- Battle test
See Job Change Quests for how job changes work in general.
Builds
The iRO Wiki lists five main builds. There are enough skill points to mix parts of them.
| Build | Main stats | Idea |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Cross | STR 60-80, VIT 60-80, INT 60-80, DEX 40-60 | Grand Cross uses both ATK and MATK, so STR and INT are raised together; VIT helps when gathering many monsters, DEX shortens casting. |
| Holy Cross | STR 80-99, VIT 60-80, INT 40-60, DEX 40-60 | Repeats Holy Cross, a cheap and strong single-target skill; a two-handed spear doubles its damage. |
| AGI-Spear | STR 70-90, AGI 80-90, VIT 60-80, DEX 30-50, LUK 20-60 | Fast single-target melee with critical hits; cheap to play, and its speed later helps the Royal Guard's Vanishing Point. |
| Sacrifice | STR 40-80, VIT 70-90, DEX 40-60 | Takes the damage meant for a party member. The wiki calls it a utility more than a build: every Crusader should put at least one point into Sacrifice. |
| Shield | STR 70-90, VIT 70-90, DEX 40-60 | Hits from range with Shield Boomerang and Smite; heavier shields add damage. With a Soul Link, Shield Boomerang never misses and 182 ASPD is the ideal speed. |
Crusader skills
The Crusader has 18 skills and 132 skill points to spend, plus one quest skill. The main ones (the table is shortened):
| Icon | Skill | What it does |
|---|---|---|
 | Faith | Passive: raises Max HP and resistance to Holy attacks (10 levels). |
 | Holy Cross | Holy damage to one target, with a chance to blind it. |
 | Grand Cross | A cross forms around the Crusader and hits nearby enemies with Holy waves. |
 | Guard | Chance to block physical attacks with a shield, for 300 seconds. |
 | Shield Boomerang | Throws the shield at an enemy; damage depends on ATK and the shield. |
 | Smite | Strikes with the shield and knocks the enemy back. |
 | Shield Reflect | Sends part of the damage taken back at the attacker. |
 | Defending Aura | Cuts incoming ranged damage; also protects allies covered by Sacrifice. |
 | Sacrifice | The Crusader takes all damage aimed at one party member. |
 | Spear Quicken | For a while raises attack speed, CRIT and FLEE while using a spear. |
 | Heal | Restores a target's HP, or damages Undead targets. |
 | Peco Peco Ride | Lets the Crusader ride a Peco Peco; Cavalier Mastery reduces the 50% attack-speed penalty while riding. |
 | Shrink (quest skill) | Adds a chance to knock enemies back when Guard blocks an attack. |
Other skills: Cavalier Mastery, Cure, Demon Bane, Divine Protection, Resistant Souls and Spear Mastery. Riding is explained in Mounts.
Gear and tips
- The free Eden Group spear is a good weapon for the Crusader and its later classes.
- When gathering many monsters you will use a lot of healing items. Fresh Fish is a cheap, light choice sold by the Chef's Assistant at the Alberta docks for 250 Zeny (190 with maximum Discount).
- Before buying expensive gear, check what the Royal Guard will use later, so the money is not wasted.
Advanced classes
After rebirth the Crusader becomes a Paladin, which adds Battle Chant, Gloria Domini, Martyr's Reckoning and Rapid Smiting. The line continues as the Royal Guard (Third Classes) and the Imperial Guard (Fourth Classes).
Sources
Game pictures: © Gravity Co., Ltd. · playragnarok.com
