As for the remainder of his build specifics, Valentine’s Rudolf has two main options he can choose from, depending on personal preference and skill availability.

Distant Storm is an interesting alternative for its +5 Attack for greater damage, but its chip damage can be somewhat unwieldy to work with.

Distant Stance is undoubtedly the best option of those currently available as it also grants a welcome +5 Res, but the original, tried-and-true Distant Counter works perfectly fine given the former’s scarce availability.

Rudolf’s inherent inability to counterattack at range makes an A skill that enables this the first priority here.

A +RES IV is recommended here in addition to the standard +ATK or +DEF to cement his magical resilience.

Although he’s generally better off specializing in melee match-ups, Valentine’s Rudolf also has the option of equipping Far Save instead to fight against ranged foes specifically however, due to his weaker Res relative to Def, this does require a hefty bit more of investment.

Sacred Seal: Deflect Magic / Form Skills / Stance Skills / Warding Breath / Steady Breath / Mystic Boost Passive C: A/R Far Save / A/D Far Save / D/R Far Save Passive B: Hardy Fighter / Crafty Fighter / Slick Fighter / Wily Fighter / Special Fighter Passive A: Distant Stance / Distant Counter / Distant Storm / Distant Def This can be through something like the Steady Breath Sacred Seal or specific units such as Thorr and Summer Hilda, in which case Rudolf’s Seal is open to any standard stat-booster. Bonfire and Sol) as Thorn Lance’s Slaying effect lets Valentine’s Rudolf activate them on each counterattack, provided he is given some type of Breath support.

For his Special, those with three-turn cooldowns are recommended (i.e.

Just be mindful of which A skill you combine with your chosen Fighter skill, as some overlap may occur - for instance, Slick Fighter goes directly against the debuff reversal effect of Atk/Def Unity, whereas Crafty Fighter + Sturdy Stance and Wily Fighter + Close Def are wholly redundant.

Of those available, Crafty Fighter, Slick Fighter, and Wily Fighter should take priority for their more generally useful bonus effects: Guard (Crafty), debuff immunity (Slick), and buff nullification (Wily).

A Fighter skill should ideally be equipped in his B slot, specifically one that guarantees Rudolf’s follow-up attack as he otherwise has no means of doing so.

Although it does come at the cost of his damage output, Close Def may be considered for maximum durability against melee threats. Atk/Def Unity is particularly standout due to its ability to effectively reverse any penalties affecting those specific stats, though Rudolf’s low Spd makes Sturdy Stance another option for protection against foes able to break through Thorn Lance. Since Valentine’s Rudolf doesn’t have to concern himself in the slightest with ranged opponents by merit of Near Save, his A skill is completely open for standard stat-enhancing options.

Enhancing either Atk or Def is recommended here to develop his innate strengths further. The Emperor of Rigel’s maximized stat distribution alongside the defensive capabilities of his Thorn Lance and melee range makes him a natural choice of Near Save ally, focusing exclusively at fighting against close-range enemies.Sacred Seal: Steady Breath / Atk/Def Form / Sturdy Stance

Passive B: Crafty Fighter / Slick Fighter / Wily Fighter Passive A: Atk/Def Unity / Sturdy Stance / Close Def

Lord of rigel fighter