Character Polls!

During Shovel Knight’s campaign, we met all of our stretch goals, including the addition of 3 more playable characters! These characters are to be chosen by you, our loyal backers! This is a big decision however, so we’ve written up a guide to help you choose! Learn more information about Shovel Knight here.

King Knight

King Knight isn’t a king, he is a king-themed knight. But that doesn’t stop him from making decrees! As the lord defender of Pridemoor Keep, he commands a formidable army of minions. Experienced with repelling invaders who dare try topple his malevolent monarchy, King Knight is a master of single combat. And because he’s dressed to the nines at almost all times, he’s always ready for a brutal coronation!

Tone

King Knight is an overconfident coward that relies on trickery and minions to do his dirty work. As such, his campaign will be full of self aggrandizing and humor!

Play Style Ideas

Build meter with a Kingly Strut, and spend meter for special moves

Cutting dash attack can propel King Knight across large gaps.

Cape Flip Reflect – Projectiles are not a problem!

Royal Decree – Spend money to issue royal decrees and cheat on the level.

Mole Knight

The shovel may rule the confines of man-made gardens, but in the wild, the titan of tunneling is the mole! Mole Knight embraces this truth wholeheartedly. With his modified drop-forged armored claws, he mockingly tears through the earth with brute strength! Mole Knight calls the subterranean Lost City his home… an ancient abandoned metropolis. Shovel Knight must pass through the Lost City, but chances are slim he won’t be challenged to see who is truly the master of digging.

Tone

Mole Knight is a self-serious badass that focuses on digging. His campaign will likely be about proving himself to be the strongest digger in the world.

Play Style Ideas

Incredibly fast while climbing and digging but somewhat slow otherwise.

Fireball projectiles.

Geomancy – Create and control dirt.

Dig Pile Warp – Can burrow into one mound of dirt and appear at another.

Mole Toss – Toss a friendly mole into the air. When it lands, it will burrow into the ground creating a dig pile.

Combine Mole Toss and Dig Pile Warp together and…

Plague Knight

Sometimes, the bomb is mightier than the sword. Deep in the recesses of his alchemical lab, Plague Knight perfects concoctions both poisonous and explosive. Toxin, disease, and death are his playgrounds. Even his comrades give Plague Knight a wide berth, because he spreads more than just the common cold. With an array of mysterious and magical bottles at his side, Plague Knight could be considered the black sheep of The Order of No Quarter.

Tone

Plague Knight is a mysterious fellow. Because he is a reclusive character, his campaign will slowly reveal his secrets and melancholy past..

Play Style Ideas

Bomb Arsenal – Multiple types of potion bombs

Bomb Jumping – Explosions can propel Plague Knight to new heights.

Invisibility – Escape into the unseen to avoid damage.

Resource Management – Break down objects to get raw resources. Use resources to create more powerful bombs.

Random Bomb – Blindly pluck a random bomb from your pouch but be prepared to think on your feet.

Polar Knight

At home in the cold, Polar Knight guards the stranded ship in the frozen south. Titanic and terrible, he is the strongest and most brutish of the Order of No Quarter. Some time in the past, Shovel Knight and Polar Knight have crossed Shovels before… and if they battle again, Polar Knight doesn’t intend on a second rematch.

Tone

Polar Knight doesn’t say much. As a warrior, he lives for battle, so his campaign will focus on how various characters react to his lonely but honorable existence.

Play Style Ideas

Slow but with strong attacks.

Dashing shoulder bash.

Earth Shaking Stomp – Shake the whole screen with your mighty foot. You might be able to knock down harmful objects and stun pesky characters from really far away!

Big Dig – Shovels away a dig pile in fell swoop!

Stay Frosty – Try to keep your cool over the course of the level.

Propeller Knight

And Propeller Knight! He commands the Enchantress’ flying machine with the cocksure attitude of a sky pirate! With his Heli-Helmet, he can zoom short distances with ease. Shovel Knight encounters Propeller Knight on top of the aircraft as it zooms through the sky; earth fights against air in a true battle of elements!

Tone

Propeller Knight is brash, melodramatic, and arrogant. His campaign will be funnier, and focus on his devil-may-care misadventures.

Play Style Ideas

Charge Jump – Hold down the jump button to charge your jump and release it to go soaring into the air! Let loose a charging jump even after walking off a ledge.

Slow Fall

Charge Fencing – Hold down attack button to unleash different lunging attacks

Charge Cancel – Cancel charge attacks into a laugh taunt and store them for later.

Specter Knight

In life, Specter Knight was a cruel and cunning warrior. And although his blood is now icy cold, he is no less formidable as a phantasm. The most begrudgingly loyal knight of the Order, Specter Knight follows the Enchantress only because she is capable of magically extending his undeath. Clutching a grim Scythe in his shriveled claws, Specter Knight commands his weapon with uncommon cunning… and his next target is Shovel Knight.

Tone

As an undead creature, Specter Knight is a serious and complex character. His macabre story will explain more about his tragic fall from grace.

Play Style Ideas

Rapid scythe attacks which all move Specter Knight forward

Scythe Toss and Teleport – Throw scythe for a damaging multi hit attack and then wait for its return or immediately teleport to its position.

Hover and Air Dash.

Fast – Can run through levels quickly.

Glass Cannon – Has lower health than other characters.

Desperation Attacks – Special attacks drain health if available. Can otherwise use special attacks infinitely if at low health.

Tinker Knight

Some knights love rushing into the glory of battle, ready to crush the skulls of their enemies! Tinker Knight is not one of those knights. He does his fighting before the battle begins, laboring on diabolical devices that do his work for him. The wrench is the tool of his trade, doubling as an engineering device and a melee weapon. Some are quick to dismiss Tinker Knight’s lethality… usually just before falling victim to one of his mechanical monstrosities!

Tone

Tinker Knight is a diligent trickster. He would likely be aloof to goings-on, instead focusing on honing his craft and defeating anyone in his way.

Play Style Ideas

Throws wrenches in an arc pattern

Fixed jump trajectory and double jump

Workbench – Spend money in level to construct limited use items.

Construct Gear Cycle – Fast moving vehicle for extra mobility.

Construct Drill – Propels Tinker Knight forward and breaks blocks for an extra melee attack.

Construct Armor – Construct a suit of armor to take a few extra hits.

Treasure Knight

Towering over most of the Order of No Quarter, Treasure Knight is a tidal terror. A loner by nature, he rules the ocean as captain of the Iron Whale, a prototype underwater vessel. With his retractable anchor cannon and impermeable diving suit, he is at home on the seafloor, where he spends his days hunting down ancient relics. Just keep your hands off his hard-earned lucre… or you’ll find yourself floating home!

Tone

Treasure Knight is greedy, so his campaign will be about coming to the surface in search of treasure, where he is drawn into the conflict. Expect him to explain the reasons for his self-imposed exile.

Play Style Ideas



Grappling Anchor – Fire anchor upwards or horizontally and reel yourself in. Jump to break free while retaining your reeling momentum.

Water Flush – Pour water out of your suit to push enemies away.

Game of Greed – Money is important to Treasure Knight, and so he will declare a game over if he hits rock bottom.

Gem Shot – Shoot projectiles at the cost of money.

The Black Knight

As the Yin to Shovel Knight’s Yang, the Black Knight calls nobody master. Clad in obsidian armor, he hounds Shovel Knight to the ends of the Earth, spoiling for a battle. The Black Knight’s skill with the ShovelBlade rivals that of Shovel Knight, or so the Black Knight hopes to prove! While Shovel Knight is confused as to why he has this mysteriously relentless doppelganger, no number of humiliating defeats by Shovel Knight could dampen the Black Knight’s spirit: he will always rise up to fight again!

Tone



The Black Knight’s persistence and obsession with Shovel Knight should fuel a light, fun-filled romp. The Black Knight would likely be chasing down Shovel Knight, but instead finding each of the Order of No Quarter.

Play Style Ideas

Shovel Knight Hard Version! – As a ShovelBlade wielder, expect the Black Knight to downthrust and dig. However, to make him different from Shovel Knight, he will be given different moves could be more complex and nuanced.

Technical Character – Charge attacks! Multi-hit combo moves! Building up rage with each hit! Expect a deep but tough experience.

The Enchantress

Of all the monsters roaming Shovel Knight’s world, none are as dangerous as the Enchantress. Cold, brilliant, and pulsing with vile power, the Enchantress is a preternatural force. Her Order of No Quarter carries out her will with ruthless might, although her origins remain shrouded in mystery. With a loyal army under her command, she is more than a match for a solitary knight with a lowly shovel… or so she assumes!

Tone

The Enchantress’ story revolves around the frighteningly cold power she displays, and some more insight into her past. Maybe the Order has rebelled, and the Enchantress has to enforce her authority!

Play Style Ideas