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 horro 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 simply moved back and forth on platforms, making a hero's progress more difficult. In Super Castlevania IV, the Armor Knights 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.

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.

Appearances
The normal marching and spear carrying Armor Knights appear in the following games in the Castlevania series:


 * Vampire Killer
 * Castlevania
 * Castlevania II: Simon's Quest
 * Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse
 * Castlevania Adventure
 * Super Castlevania IV
 * Akumajo Dracula X68000
 * Dracula X: Rondo of Blood
 * Castlevania: Bloodlines
 * Castlevania: Dracula X
 * Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
 * Castlevania 64
 * Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness
 * Castlevania: Circle of the Moon
 * Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance
 * Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow
 * Castlevania: Lament of Innocence
 * Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
 * Castlevania: Curse of Darkness
 * Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin