Knight

Armor Knights, also known as "Spear Guards" or simply "Knights" are a basic enemy seen in many games from the Castlevania series.

Overview
A common sight in horror films, moving suits of armor are bound to terrify anyone. The Armor Knight is no exception. A normally inanimate suit of armor, Armor Knights patrol Dracula's castle, guarding it from any heroes that might try and slay the Dark Lord. They can be tricky sometimes as their defensive armor can withstand a couple of hits.

Attacks
Originally, Armor Knights, while armed with spears, simply moved back and forth on platforms, making a hero's progress more difficult. In other games, they moved with the spears pointing forwards. In Super Castlevania IV, the Armor Knights that previously did not attack with their weapons showed off a new trick, where they extended and poked their spears upwards to try and stab heroes from one "level" down. Later, in Dracula X: Rondo of Blood, they also began extending their spears downward. In addition to that, they also dashed forward to try and stab heroes in their way, went into a "guard" position whenever heroes came near them, and even pulled their spear back to try and hit the hero with a lunging slash attack.

In addition, most in-game descriptions of Armor Knights claim that the spear they carry is a Naginata. While that's the claim, the spear they carry usually appears as a generic, every-day spear. In Castlevania II: Simon's Quest, they are seen carrying Tridents instead.

Poltergeist or Zombie?
One problem with the "Armor" monsters in the Castlevania game is whether they are considered poltergeists or zombies.

If the Armor Knights were a type of poltergeist, then that would mean that there is nothing underneath the armor. It infers that a spirit has taken control over the suit of armor that makes up the Armor Knight and is the cause of the animated monster. It might also explain why some suits of armor might move and others do not.

However, if the Armor Knights were a type of zombie, then that would mean that there is an undead corpse that is underneath the armor. This means that the armor itself is not enchanted, but rather being worn by a type of zombie using it to attack heroes in its path.

Some Castlevania games have stated that some armors are worn by zombies, while others are fully possessed suits of armor. The Poltergeist theory would seem most appropriate since, as when defeated, most suits of armors related to Armor Knights fall apart, revealing nothing or nobody inside them. Yet, various in-game monster descriptions claim that certain suits of armor are being worn.

Due to this uncertainty, Armor Knights and their bretheren can not be classified as either poltergeists or zombies, leaving them in a classification of their own.

Types
The Armor Knight, and his brother the Axe Armor have many armored monster cousins who will give the heroes a hard time:

Armed Armors
These armers carry various different weapons with which to attack passing heroes. These weapons are either usual melee weapons, such as swords, spears, and maces, or projectile weapons such as a crossbow. Some are almost 3 times as tall as the heroes.


 * Crossbow Armor (Crossbow Knight)
 * Final Guard
 * Great Armor
 * Hill Guard (Corner Guard)
 * Heavy Armor (Plate Lord / Mace Knight)

Elemental Armors
These 12 armors appeared only in Castlevania: Circle of the Moon, and each one was related to a different elemental aspect which was reflected in their attacks. Each armor carried swords, or came weaponless and used their elemental attributes only.

The only one of these armors that closely resembles any other armors that appear in any other Castlevania games is the Stone Armor.


 * Dark Armor
 * Devil Armor
 * Earth Armor
 * Flame Armor
 * Forest Armor
 * Holy Armor
 * Ice Armor
 * Poison Armor
 * Stone Armor
 * Thunder Armor
 * White Armor
 * Wind Armor

Magic Armors
These armors possess some kind of magical abilities that make them extremely deadly.


 * Flying Armor (Cloaked Knight)

Throwing Armors
These armors are usually carrying something with which to throw at passing heroes, whether they be inanimate or animate objects.


 * Bomber Armor
 * Owl Knight
 * Rock Armor

Appearances of Armors Armed With Spears
 



Castlevania II: Simon's Quest
The knight in Simon's Quest moves differently than the one in the original Castlevania game. It moves with its spear extended forward.

Castlevania: The Adventure
In this game, the Evil Knight appears as an armor in the background, until the player gets close. It then moves towards the player with the spear extended outward.

Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge
While the Evil Armor in Belmont's Revenge moves similar to a classic armor from the original Castlevania game, it's nature is somewhat different. It has no head (similar to Dullahan) and in its place is a fiery aura, emphasizing that this is a ghost that is inhabiting the armor's shell.