Each hero in For Honor has a significant of rock-paper-scissors influence in combat, considering its strengths and weaknesses against other characters. Some heroes are good to use against others while they will be useless against others. Similarly, certain heroes have a good synergy with certain characters. To be effective in the game, you must know which ones are the counters to which heroes in For Honor.
To help out with these pairings, we have prepared this guide to give you an idea of which character is strong or weak against which.
Warden
Wardens are ancient orders and protectors of the right. They are highly skilled swordsman, and their choice of weapon is the Long Sword, which is both powerful and versatile and requires skills and strength. One benefit of having this weapon is that it allows Warden to strike its opponent with force and precision during battle.
Wardens wear heavy plate armor covering their entire body, providing good defense against the enemy. This armor is designed to boost mobility and protect it from attacks.
Counter: Warden has its counters in assassins and vanguards in For Honor but fairly strong against heavy and hybrid heroes. Warden is slow compared to other heroes and is vulnerable in a fight against Kensei and Orochi.
Conqueror
Conqueror belongs to elite warrior group and is known for his strength, resilience, and unstoppable force. They carry the Flail, a powerful weapon that causes significant damage to the enemy as well as the wielder if not handled properly. Apart from their weapon, they have a distinctive armor too that gives them maximum protection on the battlefield.
Counters: Conqueror has its counters in assassins, Nobushi and Shaolin in For Honor, owing to their slow attack speed and limited mobility, but strong against vanguards and heavy heroes.
A couple of things you need to keep in mind is that the Full Block Stance and combo chains drain stamina relatively fast, which is something you need to keep in mind while choosing your battles.
Lastly, Conqueror can’t feint attacks in the traditional sense but has some extraordinary defensive capabilities and infinite offensive chains. Moreover, his Revenge Mode is incredibly threatening and allows him to go against multiple enemies at the same time.
Lawbringer
Lawbringers are highly skilled and trained soldier that enforce justice and maintain order. Their choice of weapon is the Poleaxe, a spear with axe edge. They have the perfect heavy armor with helmet that protects it from getting damage however this heavy armor reduces their speed.
Counters: Lawbringer is weak against assassins and enemies with rapid and quick attacks like Shaolin. On the other hand, he’s fairly strong against Vanguard and heavy heroes. Also, Lawbringer mostly depends on his reaction to enemy attacks. Parrying and countering are his specialty, so the harder it is to counter an attack, the less viable Lawbringer is.
Peacekeeper
Peacekeepers are known as the dancers of death due to their silent movement, quick speed, and dual lethal blade weapon that are lightweight and easy to wield. Moving on to their armor, peacekeepers have a sturdy armor allowing them to move freely in the battlefield.
Counters: Peacekeeper has its counters in vanguards, heavy and hybrid heroes and can hold up against assassins in For Honor. Before equipping her, know she has close-range attacks, so you better keep the opponent nearby. Peacekeeper has a good Dashing Thrust attack, but it also makes her vulnerable to damage, and she is also great at Stabbing, considering her blades.
However, if you somehow get stabbed, you need to back off immediately in order to prevent a follow-up stab or a Guard Break.
Centurion
The Centurion comes from a long generation of warriors and is ready to fight when it comes to an empire. Their choice of weapon is Gladius, a long Roman sword perfect for cutting, thrusting, and chopping. If you want the perfect attack, use Gladius with punches to give the enemy significant damage considering his melee nature. As far as the armor is concerned, Centurion wears a metal face mask and iconic decorative crest.
Counters: Centurion is weak against most conquerors and assassin heroes. Centurion is strong against heavy hybrids except Shaolin and Vanguards (sometimes may have a hard time against Kensi). While putting up a fight, know that Centurion are short-ranged heroes so they cannot put but against long-ranged opponents like Lawbringer and Highlander.
Also, with the barrage of attacks, Centurion can continue literally unending chains, continuously dealing damage to stamina making enemies more distressed. As most heavy and vanguards depend on heavy attacks in their combos, low stamina leaves them open to more punishes.
Gladiator
Gladiators are knights with assassin type making them a good choice for the battlefield. They use Trident and Buckler as a choice of weapon and shield. When it comes to the armor, Gladiators have minimal armor with a bronze helmet and greaves, and their right arm is covered by a manica.
Counters: Gladiator is weak to Berserker and Orochi and vanguards. They have quick dodging and attacking capability, which makes them a good choice against heavy, hybrid, and assassin opponents. Also, the unblockable toe stab Gladiator makes many enemies vulnerable to him, as he can take this opportunity to start new combos and intense mix-ups.
One helpful tip while facing vanguards is that they have good ranged attacks, and they can deal significant damage, which may help in catching the cheesy Gladiator. Also, they switch guards faster and can block most of the dodge attacks as they are blockable.
Black Prior
The last hero for Knights. BP is weak to hybrids, vanguards and Berserker. BP is strong against other assassins and heavy heroes.
Black Prior are heavy heroes with a protective shield and a sword. This choice of weapon gives the most abusing moveset. He can take away the revenge shield, spam the light bash light combo and can literally flip any hero while in all guard stance, making him safe against bost heavy and unblockable attacks. The heavy he delivers are fast and sift and has fair unblockable moves to make him very strong in a battle.
This is why heroes who depend on how many hits they land fail.
Counters: BP has its counters in hybrids and vanguards because they can quickly feint attacks and guard break in For Honor. Berserker is also viable due to the immense hyperarmor he gets and because he has an excellent heavy combo.
Raider
Raiders are Viking warriors with ruthless power and the mighty two-handed Dane Axe. This weapon helps them take down any enemy that stands in the way of the raider and his loot. As for the armor, they wear minimal armor with thick fur and few pieces of metal plates. This lightweight armor boosts their mobility during defense.
Raider easily counters heavy, vanguard and hybrids, and weak against assassins.
Despite his obvious aggressiveness, the hero has some weaknesses.
Counters: Firstly, the hero has a short range of light attacks. Moreover, the hero has relatively slower and predictable heavy attacks that skilled opponents can easily dodge.
Always remember that the hero’s unblockable attacks cost a ton of stamina, so make sure to dodge it, forcing them to either stop using it completely or use it often before running out of stamina. Lastly, after you get hit by a stun, try to dodge/parry the next attacks – you might get lucky!
Warlord
Warlords are heavy Viking heroes who have earned leadership through their blood. They carry Ulfberht sword, an ancient lethal weapon perfect to attack short-ranged targets and a shield to protect from damage. When it comes to battle, warlords are weak against heavy and vanguards, and strong against hybrids and assassins.
This hero has an immense HP pool and can take for ages. The hero is stamina-dependent which is something you can exploit. You should also try and break his guard. Lastly, the hero is Defense Stance dependent which is another thing you can exploit and use it to your advantage.
Counters: Where Warlord falls is that he does not have many combos, and almost no unblockable. The best he has is a head ram that gives just one guaranteed light, and also his parries just give a single guaranteed light. This makes damaging other heavy heroes with high HP a tiresome task.
Valkyrie
Valkyries are masters of spears and shields; their hybrid Viking nature makes them perfect opponent against vanguards (besides Shaolin) however weak against assassins and heavy opponents.
The best thing about Valk is her sweep, guaranteeing a heavy and knocking the enemy off their feet. This hero basically relies on combos, but these combos are stamina-dependent which is something you need to use to your advantage.
Counters: The biggest downfall is that her combos cannot continue if any of the attack is blocked, and this is why most assassins who dodge, or heavy using all guards are hard to be taken out. So it will have its counters in heavy blockers in For Honor.
Berserker
Berserkers are the spirits of beasts fighting free like Vikings in the battlefield with their twin axes. Their lightweight armor boosts their mobility allowing them to move freely, while the Viking Hand Axe is a lethal vicious weapon perfect to attack close-ranged enemies.
Counters: Berserker has almost no counters except Conqueror. However, due to their small short range, Berserkers struggle against enemies with long-ranged poke, if you come across such enemy close in use dash attack or simply roll away.
Berserkers have slow recovery time after blocking. So, to maximize this advantage, you should try and block his light attacks which will allow you to execute a successful Guard Break or deal a massive amount of damage.
Highlander
Higlanders are hard-headed Viking warriors with hybrid-type that can take down fiercest of warriors. They carry Claymore sword, one of the longest and heaviest swords with high-range attacks that can slash through opponent’s defenses.
Counters: Highlander is weak against counters heroes like Centurion and Lawbringer, and Assassins, and strong against heavy, hybrids and vanguard in For Honor.
Highlander has two combat stances, in defense mode his light attacks have low parry, and in offense mode it delivers heavy unblockable blows and can switch guard sides fast. The only one thing you need to know is that due to sword’s heavy weight, it gives a tough time to use it against disablers and counter attackers.
Shaman
Shamans are Viking assassins, a mixture of Berserker and Peacekeepers. She wears little armor with decorative skull belt around her waist and a dagger sheathed behind her back. Shaman carries a hatchet paired with a dagger making the attacks unpredictable and savage.
Counters: Though shaman is strong against assassins and hybrids, but she is weak against vanguards and heavy as her attacks are slow and most can be parried. However, the bleed she can cause is strong, as she will jump on and bite an enemy inflicted with bleed, healing her and damaging the enemy.
Honestly, this is the only move that actually deals decent damage. It’s just light spam for Shaman otherwise.
Jormungandr
The feral Viking warriors, Jormungandr carry the War Hammer, a large head-striking weapons that can give devastating knockbacks. Jorm is one of the strongest against all the heroes and rarely falls weak against any.
Jorm’s attacks include heavy blows stunning the opponent, fast light, and bash attacks, but these requires stamina. The light or heavy followed by a guard break, the back and guard break attacks drain enemy stamina, and the second side heavy with that huge hammer will move the strongest of the foes. Jorm has quick lightning attacks which are hard to dodge.
Counters: Jormungandr is a very well rounded hero with little weaknesses except that she can be easily parried. She will be weak against anyone who can parry heroes easily.
Kensei
Kensei is known as Sword-saint and guardian of people; this is one character that is tough to master because there are skills that make him the strongest, and the same skills make him weak if you don’t master well. Kensei carries a Nodachi, a classic long katana perfect for small-medium ranged attacks.
Counters: Kensei is weak against vanguard and heavy, and fairly strong against assassins and hybrids. One thing you need to know about this character is that it has slow attack speed and relies on chaining combos to give damage. Also, note that most of Kensei’s damage-dealing attack are overhead so make sure to avoid those.
The hero can also cancel the overhead unblockable attack into a side-attack which is something you need to bear in mind.
Shugoki
Shugoki are heavy samurais, the fierce protectors with massive wooden plates protecting their arms and torso. The Somen mask allows Shugoki to weild the Kanabo, a weapon holding even more power than the Nodachi. This is a strong character with uninterruptible attacks and incredible damage output.
Counters: Shugoki has its counters in vanguard and assassins in For Honor. On the other hand, he’s strong against heavy and hybrid. One thing to know about this character is that despite the strength, this character has slow attack speed, so there is a fair chance of dodging, and his charging attacks cannot be blocked or parried.
Do remember the Hugs Shugoki can give. It will get some health back and is hard to dodge as it has some fair tracking. Also, it can be transition from a heavy anytime, so charging and confusing opponents can be used.
Nobushi
Nobushi, the hybrid Samurais are known as the defender of villages owing to their elegant fighting strategies and interesting choice of weapon. They carry lightest armor which gives an edge in moving, but an interesting fact here is that it doesn’t let them take extra damage too. Nobushi carry Naginata, a long wooden shaft with curved blade on top.
Counters: When it comes to the battlefield, Nobushi is weak against vanguard, hybrid and heavy heroes, and fairly strong against assassins. Despite her strengths, she puts a lot of stamina at the stake while preparing for attacks. So, if you’re up against her, try to deplete her stamina.
In addition to this, she needs to inflict bleeding on opposing heroes if you wish to dish out any considerable amount of damage. As long as you don’t let her inflict bleeding on you, you should be good to go.
Orochi
Orochis are imperial assassins of the Samurai faction. They carry the shadows of death with their deadly knives and single-edged Katana. Orochi has a flexible armor made from traditional kabuto. Though, this hero can deal with massive damage, but if you’re not careful the attacks this hero is typically useless.
Counters: Orochi has its counters in vanguards, hybrid and assassins in For Honor. On the other hand, the hero does fairly well against heavy heroes. While facing him off or taking him out on the battlefield know that he relies on counter-attacks and has a limited number of close-ranged attacks with less HP.
Lastly, note that you can dodge/parry the Storm Rush and should always try to dodge the Lightning Strike.
Shinobi
Shinobi are myths and legends of samurais with magic-like ninja skills and art. They carry Kusarigama, a traditional Japanese dual weapon, perfect for close-range combat and are useful in medium-distance attacks due to its retracting ability. Out in the battlefield, Shinobis are strong against assassins, vanguards, and hybrids, while weak against heavy heroes.
Shinobis have lightning-fast attacks merged with combos and kicks that makes him the ultimate hero and a double-edged sword.
Counters: The biggest issue is that if his attacks are parried, Shinobi will be pulled and falls, allowing enemy to land two heavy attacks. Also, as he is an assassin, and will have its counters in any hero who is a specialist in close quarters combat in For Honor.
Aramusha
Aramusha were noble fighters turned mercenaries wielding dual katana. Now this is a counter specialist hero with impressive fighting techniques and quick movement. He is strong against vanguards and assassins, but weak against heavy and hybrids
Counters: One thing to note about Aramusha is that his attacks are predictable so they can be blocked and parried without damage. Still he stands a good chance against assassins as he can stun them, but cannot counter unblockables, making it useless in many scenarios. You need luck as much as skill to master this hero.
Hitokitri
The former executioner, Hitokiri are ghostly warriors wearing Japanese robe and a waist-coat decorated with white puppet heads. These warriors carry Masakari Axe, a double-edged axe that gives deadly blows in the battlefield. One thing to know about Hitokiri is that he has no specific counters, and is a strong match against all heroes.
Counters: Hitokiri is the second most powerful hero after Jormungandr, giving its opponent a tough time. Aside from the axe, Hito uses heavy kicks that can knock or even instantly kill him. If you’re fighting him, parrying is your only option to survive.
Tiandi
The loyal protectors of the kings, Tiandi are Vanguard wearing the metal cuirass giving them a protection against attacks and wielding the Dao, a single-handed Chinese saber made to take down enemies with a single slash. They are strong against heavy, hybrids, and assassins, but weak against vanguards.
Tiandi is the most mobile vanguards, his attacks include palm bash and dodge attacks. With well timed feints, he can continue long chains of dodges with low stamina cost and this gives you an element of surprise. As a vanguard himself, he has good defense as well, making him very viable in every situation.
Counters: The best counters to Tiandi is Kensi, with the side dodge heavy attack in For Honor.
Jiang Jun
Jiang Jun is a versatile heavy character that wears lamellar armor to cover its large body while showing off its majestic white beard in a traditional headwear. They are known to be the experienced Wu Lin leaders, wielding the Guandao, a long wooden polearm with blade curved on one end.
Jiang Jun’s most important ability is his Shifu Stance that allows him to dodge attacks, as well as regain stamina quickly when in the stance. This makes it impossible for most slow hitters to get to him. Also, with his swift and smooth combos, and that he can dodge attack a light or a heavy as he pleases makes it much harder for slower enemies to react and block him.
The Choke Grab allows you to deal damage to stamina and turn the odds in your favor.
Counters: Jiang Jun has its counters in heroes who are fast and can react to all Jiang Jun attacks in For Honor, as well as make space fast and get out of hairy situations to regain their stamina.
Shaolin
Shaolins come from a strong line of fierce warrior monks that have unmatched spiritual force. They wear lightweight armor and carry a simple but long-ranged staff as a weapon. In battlefield, they stand a strong chance against hybrids and vanguards but are vulnerable against heavy and assassins.
Shaolin is a fast character, and has an unpredictable moveset that are hard to counter. Most of his light attacks are lightning fast. The heavy attacks are relatively slow but he does get many unblockables, along many kicks that make it easier to break guards.
Counters: The reason he is countered by Heavy is because the lights can be easily blocked by guard stance, and can be punished. The heavy attacks can be dodged or parried. On the other hand, assassins are fast and can attack Shaolin is his hidden stance.
Nuxia
Nuxia is a skilled slayer and bodyguard. She wears a sleek metal armor and headband and wields the Hook swords. During battles, she stands a strong chance against assassins and heavy, and is weak against vanguards and hybrids.
Nuxia’s hook sword lands a guaranteed attack and cannot be blocked or parried, so the only option is to dodge it. Her combination of strikes takes down health of enemies that are even good at blocking any attack.
Counters: She can easily be stunned, and has a long recovery time from heavy attacks and after getting hit. Some of her own moves leave her vulnerable to enemies, and she always suffers against heroes with any type of bash.
Zhanhu
Zhanhu belong to the Wu Lin faction and are the true master of artillery. They are unpredictable warriors ready to slash through the opponent with it Changdao sword.
Zhanhu has a good range which allows him to take on almost every character in the roaster. The attacks are fairly fast and the zone attack is very good. The side dodge heavy and light attacks give more to Zhanhu’s arsenal.
Counters: They are one of the most balanced heroes and have their counters in assassins only in For Honor.
Heroes to Pick with Counters
| Heroes | Counterpicks |
|---|---|
| Warden | Raider |
| Conqueror | Gladiator |
| Lawbringer | Conqueror |
| Centurion | Conqueror |
| Gladiator | Peacekeeper |
| Warlord | Gladiator |
| Berserker | Conqueror |
| Highlander | Conqueror |
| Valkyrie | Gladiator |
| Kensei | Conqueror |
| Shugoki | Shinobi |
| Orochi | Warden |
| Nobushi | Shugoki |
| Shinobi | Peacekeeper |
