Monica is a cavalry Radiant Knight, an anti-mage support tank who shines at protecting squads from spell burst. She brings Magick Barrier (negates the next magick hit + affliction), Holy Guard (pre-hit guard that also blocks debuffs), cheap PP economy with Hache, and a solid Row Heal for sustain. Her leader effect, Resist Magick Assist, further trims incoming chip from enemy casters.
How to Recruit Monica
Clear the Cornia side quest “The Unyielding Shield” near Saint le Riche Town. After you defeat her unit, choose “Fight by Our Side” to recruit her. (You can refuse her for a material reward, but it’s generally not worth it compared with keeping a strong anti-mage.)
Class Overview: Radiant Knight (Mounted / Support Tank)
Role: Anti-mage protector with row healing and PP sustain.
Leader Effect: Resist Magick Assist (reduced damage from enemy magick assists).
Matchups: Excellent vs Witches/Wizards/status archers; comparatively weak into fliers.
Stats and Growth
Monica’s spread is tailor-made for guarding allies from spells while staying power-positive.
- AP / PP: 1 / 1 – lean, but Hache refunds +1 PP on hit to fuel passives.
- HP: B – frontline-capable for a support.
- Physical ATK / DEF: D / C – modest damage; decent physical sturdiness.
- Mag ATK / DEF: C / S – strong MAG DEF lets her anchor into casters.
- Accuracy / Evasion: D / F – don’t rely on dodging or precision damage.
- Crit / Guard Rate: F / B – some guard access; crits irrelevant.
- Initiative: C – acts mid-order; script reactive protection.
- Growth Type: Hardy / Guardian.
Skills and Abilities
Valor (Field)
- Guard Call: Deploys a sigil giving –20% damage taken to allies in range (10s). Great for boss pushes or risky caps.
Actives & Passives
- Hache (Active, 1 AP): Single-target attack; +1 PP on hit, core to keeping her defensive passives online.
- Magick Barrier (Passive, 1 PP): Negate the next magick damage to an ally and cleanse affliction, premier anti-mage tool.
- Row Heal (Active, Lv10): Restore moderate HP to a row, stabilizes after trades.
- Holy Guard (Passive, Lv15): Medium guard before a hit and prevents debuffs, especially good vs Burn/Poison arrows.
Best Equipment and Accessories
Sword: Runic Sword is a standout (boosts Mag ATK and grants a magick strike), improving heals and giving a safer damage option.
Shield: Holy Knight’s Shield heals the user on active use, pairs well with Row Heal/Hache cadence.
Armor: Mixed or phys-leaning; she already has high MAG DEF.
Accessories:
- Lapis Pendant (+1 PP): Sustains Magick Barrier/Holy Guard every engagement.
- Carnelian Pendant (+1 AP): Enables Row Heal + Hache in one clash for sustain + PP.
- Anti-affliction charm (flex): Double down vs status-heavy lanes.
Ideal Unit Placement & Team Synergy
Placement: Front-middle or mid-back so she can protect both rows and swing Row Heal efficiently.
Loves pairing with:
Armor frontlines (Hoplite/Fighter): She covers their magical weakness with Magick Barrier.
Squishy backliners (archers/casters): Holy Guard blocks nasty debuffs; Row Heal tops them off.
Mounted squads: Her cavalry mobility keeps pace during fast rotations; Guard Call fortifies pushes.
Tips and Strategy
Suggested tactic template (priority order):
- Magick Barrier (PP) → Condition: “Prioritize Armored / Ally about to be hit by magick” (erase mage burst on your tank).
- Holy Guard (PP) → Condition: “Attacked by Archer / debuff threats present” (guard + debuff prevention).
- Row Heal (1 AP) → Condition: “Row HP < 75%” (avoid overheal; stabilize after trades).
- Hache (1 AP) → Condition: “Lowest HP enemy” (chip + +1 PP to refuel defenses).
- Valor – Guard Call → Field: Pop before major engages, boss nukes, or risky objective captures.
Play notes
PP first, always. Start long fights with Hache early so you can keep Barrier/Guard up on repeat.
Mind her weakness. Radiant Knights are ineffective vs fliers, don’t park Monica into Gryphon lanes without proper coverage.
Recruitment tip. If you somehow refused her, some routes let you talk to her later; but generally, just recruit her during The Unyielding Shield and skip the shard bait.
Final Thoughts
Monica is a plug-and-play answer to caster pressure: negate the nuke, block the debuff, heal the row, and keep going. Build PP/AP economy, script Barrier → Guard → Row Heal around incoming threats, and she’ll make even spell-heavy maps feel trivial.
–
Featured image is from this YouTube video by GreyCaliber and used under Fair Use.