paladin181: Fighter is like warrior. A general broad-scope definition of a melee class. Specifics include knights and berserkers, etc. A Samurai would be a specialized subset of fighter. The fighter is a damage dealer and a tank. He's not GREAT at either, but pretty good. He can use virtually any weapon and armor. But he doesn't get specialist damage or tanking skills like the knight, paladin, berserker or samurai. He has some higher armor class and protection skills (ability to take a hit for a nearby companion, ability to deal powerful multiple attacks over a short time, etc).

The samurai is a specialist class. It has armor and weapon restrictions. Typically, they are a damage dealing and agility (or dexterity) tank. Against direct hits, guaranteed hits, or magic. they will be less useful over all because they will have lower HP. Attack skills typically include high damage sword techniques, low probability instant kill attacks, multiple hit combos, and attacks that can disable opponents (blind, stun, slow). He also is more likely to be able to use ranged attacks with a short bow from horseback or a long bow, though not nearly as effectively as an archer or ranger class.

The fighter is more utility, jack-of-all-trades melee class with decent damage output, decent damage absorption, and the ability to use almost any weapon or armor.

The Samurai is a damage dealer/status distributor who will fare well against most foes that can't pin him down for a lot of direct damage.

Which do you need for your party?paladin181: A samurai may carry a bo or jo. In that case, those skeletons would be in for a rude reawakening.

nightcraw1er.488: I read that as: a samurai may carry a boris Johnson (as we call him bo jo). You would really need to think about how to wield him!

mqstout: [...]
(Too many games forget samurai aren't just swords, but also bows and mounted combat.)
[...]

timppu: [...]
Also, when I think about "samurai", I see them more as peace-time nobility who just train swords and rarely use them
[...]

dtgreene: (Also, what is a cavalier? That's not a class I've encountered in any CRPG, to my knowledge.)

Darvond: Time Mage. Why deal with something as clumsy as a gil toss or swords when you can simply make the enemy your oyster and snap your fingers to try again if it all goes cross?

Orkhepaj: depends on if you want a heavy horse archer or a melee fighter

amok: "You do not become a swordsman to fight, you become a swordsman to avoid figthing" - Usagi Joyjimbo

timppu: A heavy horse can't run very fast nor far. I propose a slimmer horse whose been kept on a diet.
timppu: That is just such a samurai-thing to say!

"I could beat you if I wanted to, but right now I am too busy, sorry! Have to hurry to a hot tea party with some geishas!".

All talk...

Orkhepaj: maybe a linux horse , it is lean and fast , just don't ride on it or use it for work

timppu: Well it is still better than a windows donkey that refuses to do anything and tries to bite you in the ass any chance it gets.

Hee-haw, hee-haw!

nightcraw1er.488: Fighter is just a category. Samurai is more specialised, focusing on slicing weapons and lighter armour. A knight would also be a fighter, focusing on heavy armour and either heavy weapons or crushing weapons. So the question does not make much sense. What do you need from the character? A samurai fighting skeletons would get massacred as slicing is no good on just bone.

Maxvorstadt: Hm, interesting question: Why should slicing be no good when it comes to fight skeletons? One good cut and they fall apart! An other thing are stabbing weapons, where it really makes sense, that they don`t hurt skeletons much, since there are no organs to pierce and no blood to spill.

Maxvorstadt: Hm, interesting question: Why should slicing be no good when it comes to fight skeletons? One good cut and they fall apart! An other thing are stabbing weapons, where it really makes sense, that they don`t hurt skeletons much, since there are no organs to pierce and no blood to spill.

Maxvorstadt: Hm, interesting question: Why should slicing be no good when it comes to fight skeletons? One good cut and they fall apart! An other thing are stabbing weapons, where it really makes sense, that they don`t hurt skeletons much, since there are no organs to pierce and no blood to spill.

ASHLIIN: Those are magical skeletons, so only crushing is good against them.