Overview
Vindictus: Defying Fate uses a character-locked weapon system. Each playable character wields a specific weapon type that cannot be changed or swapped to another character. The weapon defines the character's entire combat identity: their basic attack combos, precision action mechanics, active skills, and movement style. Players choose their weapon by choosing their character.
Twin swords (Lann)
Lann dual-wields a pair of swords. His twin swords enable the fastest attack speed in the roster, with combo chains that land many hits in rapid succession. The trade-off is lower damage per individual hit compared to heavier weapons.
Attack speed: Fastest in the game. Lann can output a high volume of hits in a short window.
Combo style: Long chains of quick slashes that can be extended or branched into different finishers. Lann's combos flow naturally from one attack to the next.
Precision action: Lann relies on Perfect Dodges. His double-dodge gives him extra mobility. Timing a dodge at the right moment triggers a slow-motion counter window.
Range: Short. Lann needs to be close to his target to land hits. Closing distance quickly is part of his playstyle.
Stagger contribution: Builds the stagger gauge through volume. Each hit contributes a small amount, but the high hit count adds up quickly.
Longsword and shield (Fiona)
Fiona fights with a one-handed longsword in her right hand and a shield in her left. This combination makes her the most defensively capable character in the game.
Attack speed: Moderate. Slower than Lann but faster than Karok and Delia.
Combo style: Measured sword strikes that balance offense and defense. Fiona can interrupt her attack chains to raise her shield at any time.
Precision action: Perfect Guard. Raising the shield at the exact moment of impact deflects the attack and opens a counter window. This is the defining mechanic of Fiona's gameplay.
Range: Short to medium. The longsword has slightly more reach than Lann's twin swords.
Stagger contribution: Strong per-action contribution. Each Perfect Guard counter fills the stagger gauge by a meaningful amount.
Defensive utility: Even without perfect timing, Fiona can block attacks with her shield to reduce damage. No other character has a passive block option.
Battle pillar (Karok)
Karok fights with a battle pillar, a massive stone or metal pillar that he swings with raw strength. It is the heaviest and most unconventional weapon in the game.
Attack speed: Slow. Each swing has a long wind-up and recovery. Positioning and timing are critical.
Combo style: Heavy overhead slams and wide sweeps. Each hit deals high damage and has strong stagger contribution. Karok's combos are short but impactful.
Precision action: Clash. When a boss uses a signature attack, Karok can engage it in a button-mashing strength contest. Winning a Clash massively fills the stagger gauge.
Unique mechanic: Pillar Throw: Karok can throw his battle pillar at an enemy for ranged damage. After throwing, he fights barehanded with reduced damage until he moves to retrieve the pillar.
Range: Medium. The pillar's size gives it deceptive reach despite Karok's slow movement.
Stagger contribution: The highest single-action stagger contribution of any weapon, thanks to the Clash mechanic and heavy hits.
Bastard sword (Delia)
Delia wields a large two-handed bastard sword. Her weapon strikes a middle ground between Karok's raw power and Lann's speed.
Attack speed: Moderate to slow. Faster than Karok but noticeably slower than Lann or Fiona.
Combo style: Wide, sweeping arcs that cover a large area in front of Delia. Good for hitting multiple targets and for catching bosses during lateral movement.
Precision action: Timed parry. Delia can deflect an incoming attack with precise sword timing, then follow up with a powerful counter-slash.
Range: Medium to long. The bastard sword's length gives Delia the best melee reach of the confirmed characters.
Knockback: Delia's attacks have high knockback on smaller enemies. Against bosses, this translates to extra stagger contribution.
Stagger contribution: High per-hit contribution due to the heavy nature of each swing, plus bonus contribution from successful parries.
Upcoming characters
Two additional characters have been referenced but are not yet playable:
Arisha: Confirmed in development as of October 2025. Her weapon type in Defying Fate has not been officially revealed. In the original Vindictus, Arisha used a spellsword (a magical blade that combined melee attacks with arcane abilities).
Evie: Expected based on her prominence in the original game. In the original, she used either a staff (ranged magic and healing) or a scythe (melee-magic hybrid). Her weapon for Defying Fate is unconfirmed.
Crafting and upgrades
All weapons can be created and upgraded through the weapon crafting system in Colhen's crafting workshop. Crafted weapons are permanently locked to their character. Higher-tier weapons offer improved base damage, passive stat bonuses, and sometimes altered visual appearances. The progression system also allows weapon-related upgrades through skill point allocation.