IMCGAMES first launched Granado Espada in Korea in 2006 and brought this version to Steam on 15 October 2017, the same game that reached the West as Sword of the New World. Its defining feature is Multiple Character Control: you run a family of characters and field three of them at once, each locked into its own stance, instead of a single avatar. Barracks begin at four character slots and grow with Quarter Slot Permits bought for Vis, the player traded currency. The Baroque flavoured Age of Exploration setting spans over 300 areas, from the Reboldoeux stone pits at level 1 up to Lucifer Castle at 130 and above.
Combat in Granado Espada rewards knowledge over reflexes. Understanding how each mechanic works (and how they interact) is what turns a struggling player into a dominant one. New here? Start with our beginner's guide for the basics.
Core Combat Mechanics
1. Multiple Character Control
You control up to three characters at once and switch between them with a keypress, and all three fight at the same time. That means a single player fields a front line, a healer and a damage dealer without needing a party, which is why Granado Espada plays more like a squad tactics game than a standard MMO. The party you take into a field zone is picked from your barracks before you leave town.
Why it matters: This is the foundation of all combat. Everything else builds on this.
2. Stances tied to the equipped weapon
A character's available stances depend entirely on what is in their hands. A Fighter holding a great sword only reaches great sword stances such as Plow Guard and Roof Guard, and the same Fighter with a rapier gets Epee Garde and Sabre Garde instead. Stances level with use, and the progression runs basic, then veteran, then Expert stances, also called Constellation stances.
Why it matters: The most underrated mechanic. Players who master this early have a massive advantage.
3. Barracks and the family roster
Everything you own belongs to a family, not to a character, and the barracks screen is where you see and rotate that roster. Each barrack holds a set of slots, you start with four character slots, and further slots come from Quarter Slot Permits bought from the item shop or from other players for Vis. Recruitable NPCs, known as RNPCs, join the same roster and often start at their own levels rather than at level 1.
Why it matters: Unlocks a new layer of gameplay depth once understood.
4. Auto hunting mode
The client ships with an active automatic hunting mode that keeps your three characters fighting a chosen area without input. It exists because the game's levelling curve and stance experience both expect very long grinding sessions, and it is a supported feature rather than a third party tool, so the intended way to level a new stance is to set the party up and let it run.
Why it matters: The tactical edge that separates average players from advanced ones.
5. Colony Wars and Faction Wars
The endgame competition is territorial. Colony Wars pit clans against each other for map colonies on a schedule, and Faction Wars run the same idea at a larger scale. Players who take part in colony battles collect items from them and gain an experience buff that carries into ordinary field hunting on other channels, so the PvP layer feeds directly back into levelling.
Why it matters: The endgame optimization mechanic. Small improvements here compound into massive gains.
How These Mechanics Combine
Understanding how mechanics interact is where real optimization happens:
Multiple Character Control + Stances tied to the equipped weapon
You control up to three characters at once and switch between them with a keypress, and all three fight at the same time. When combined with Stances tied to the equipped weapon, a character's available stances depend entirely on what is in their hands. This combination is the core of every effective build.
Barracks and the family roster + Auto hunting mode
Everything you own belongs to a family, not to a character, and the barracks screen is where you see and rotate that roster. Paired with Auto hunting mode, the client ships with an active automatic hunting mode that keeps your three characters fighting a chosen area without input. This is why the tier list favors builds that leverage both.
Colony Wars and Faction Wars as a Multiplier
The endgame competition is territorial. Colony Wars pit clans against each other for map colonies on a schedule, and Faction Wars run the same idea at a larger scale. Players who take part in colony battles collect items from them and gain an experience buff that carries into ordinary field hunting on other channels, so the PvP layer feeds directly back into levelling. This system amplifies everything else. The better your Colony Wars and Faction Wars optimization, the more your other mechanics pay off.
Combat by Build
Each build approaches combat differently:
Fighter (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key equipment: Rapier Primary mechanic: Multiple Character Control
Fighter offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Wizard (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key equipment: Great Sword Primary mechanic: Stances tied to the equipped weapon
Wizard offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Scout (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key equipment: Pistol Primary mechanic: Barracks and the family roster
Scout offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Musketeer (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key equipment: Rifle Primary mechanic: Auto hunting mode
Musketeer offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Elementalist (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key equipment: Polearm Primary mechanic: Colony Wars and Faction Wars
Elementalist offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Advanced Combat Techniques
Damage Optimization
- Match your equipment to your build's stat priorities
- Exploit Multiple Character Control for maximum damage windows
- Chain Stances tied to the equipped weapon and Barracks and the family roster for combo damage
- Use Auto hunting mode to create openings
Survivability
- Learn enemy patterns before committing to attacks
- Multiple Character Control is not optional. Fielding one character in a three slot party means a third of the damage and none of the healing, and the level curve assumes all three are working.
- Position using Multiple Character Control to control spacing
- Save defensive options for guaranteed survival, not comfort
Boss Combat
Bosses test your understanding of every mechanic. See our boss guide for fight-specific strategies.
- Phase awareness: Most bosses change behavior at health thresholds
- Patience over aggression: One extra hit per opening beats dying to greed
- Build preparation: Swap gear and equipment for specific fights when needed
Common Combat Mistakes
- Button mashing: Committed attacks have recovery frames. Mashing locks you into animations.
- Ignoring Stances tied to the equipped weapon: This mechanic exists for a reason. Players who use it take significantly less damage.
- Wrong equipment for the situation: Check our weapons guide for situational picks.
- Not learning from deaths: Every death teaches something. If you don't know why you died, you'll die the same way again.
- Overcommitting: Trading hits works in Reboldoeux Stone Pit but will get you killed in Dr. Torsche's Mansion.
More Granado Espada Guides
- Granado Espada Granado Espada Overview
- Granado Espada Best Builds
- Granado Espada Tier List
- Granado Espada Walkthrough
- Granado Espada Beginner's Guide
- Granado Espada Tips & Tricks
- Granado Espada Weapons Guide
- Granado Espada Boss Guide
- Granado Espada Maps & Locations
- Granado Espada Crafting Guide
- Granado Espada Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Granado Espada, check out these related guides:
- New World: Aeternum Combat Guide: mmo game with similar mechanics
- Lost Ark Combat Guide: mmo game with similar mechanics
- The Elder Scrolls Online Combat Guide: mmo game with similar mechanics
