Soul Calibur 6 roster and every character, from Astaroth to Zasalamel

The Soul Calibur 6 character roster features plenty of new, returning, and guest characters for you to master in a tale of souls and sword, eternally retold. You'll be able to play as Soul Calibur veteran Ivy, newcomer Groh, and even Geralt of Witcher fame. Use this Soul Calibur 6 guide to learn about each of the characters making an appearance, including DLC characters, so that you can pick out your main to stomp the competition with. Here's what you need to know about the Soul Calibur 6 character roster.

Astaroth

A hulking golem, Astaroth is the definition of the "big guy" archetype. He's slow and simple, but his attacks can do major damage, and he can absorb a good amount of hits. His weapon is the giant axe.

Azwel

Not much is known about Azwel, except that he seems to be a major antagonist in the SC6 story mode. He summons magical weapons using an ancient artifact known as Palindrome.

Cervantes

A villainous pirate cursed with supernatural powers, Cervantes is one of the first to wield the legendary weapon at the heart of the Soul Calibur mythos, Soul Edge. He fights using two swords in a swashbuckling style.

Geralt

The Soul Calibur games have a history of guest characters, from The Legend of Zelda's Link in Soul Calibur 2 (if you were playing on GameCube anyway) to Yoda and Darth Vader in Soul Calibur 4. In Soul Calibur 6, the guest spot goes to Geralt of Rivia from CD Projekt Red's Witcher games. He fights using a mixture of magic and two longswords (steel for humans, silver for monsters).

Groh

A character fresh to the series, Groh is another mystery yet to be unraveled. Is he friend or foe? Whatever his motivations, he looks pretty slick fighting with his unique, twin-bladed staff, which can separate into two swords when he so desires.

Inferno

One of the main antagonists of the series, Inferno is not so much a character as a malevolent force. He seeks death and destruction, consuming souls and lurking within the cursed blade, Soul Edge. In his bipedal form, Inferno wields this very blade, which appears as an enormous and monstrous two-handed sword.

Ivy

One of the series' most iconic characters, Ivy is a buxom woman known as much for her... what's the opposite of modesty... as well as her fighting skills. She uses a sword which can separate into segments and be used as a bladed whip.

Kilik

The very definition of a hero, Kilik is inspired partly by the ancient legend of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King. He's a fighter with a lot of flair thanks to his skill with a bo staff.

Maxi

What if Elvis, but nunchuks? That's pretty much the concept behind Maxi, one of the Soul Calibur series' most eccentric fighters. His fighting style is reminiscent of Bruce Lee, with constant movement and quick jabs from his nunchaku.

Mitsurugi

A no-nonsense samurai and mercenary, Mitsurugi is the type of wandering ronin who wanders the land eternally seeking a good fight with a worthy opponent. He fights using his katana, utilizing several samurai stances.

Nightmare

Ever been possessed by a soul-devouring sword? That's Nightmare's backstory. Though the host has changed over the years, Nightmare continues to find new bodies to control as it seeks more and more power. He wields a massive blade as big as his body, and it can do massive damage when it connects.

Raphael

A gentlemanly duelist, Raphael hails from Spain. A single attack from him won't do much damage, but his quick movements and thrusting style mean you'll need to be on your toes to watch for a follow-up. He fights with a rapier.

Seong Mi-Na

A young Korean woman, Seong Mi-Na has been a part of the Soul Calibur series since the beginning. She wields a guandao - a long staff with great reach and a bladed tip - and she swings wide to catch foes off-guard.

Siegfried

The human half of the original Nightmare, Siegfried is a knight of incredible strength and passion. Like his corrupted counterpart, Siegfried wields an enormous zweihander blade, and his fighting style is likewise all about getting in big hits moreso than speed or precision.

Sophitia

Blessed by the Greek gods, Sophitia is more than capable of holding her own against the enemies in her way. She's also the one of the few fighters to actually use a shield instead of blocking with her weapon, using it in tandem with a straight-edge short sword.

Taki

An amoral ninja and outcast among her own clan, Taki isn't afraid to get her hands dirty. Players hoping to master her style will likewise need to summon their courage, as she'll need to get in close to deal damage with her two daggers.

Talim

If the rest of this cast feels a bit too serious for you, consider Talim. A bright and bubbly personality, she is known as the Last Priestess of the Winds, and as the name might suggest, she can summon powerful gusts in battle. Primarily though, she fights using quick strikes with her bladed tonfa.

Tira

Tira is more or less a medieval, genderswapped Joker. She loves to cause mayhem and chaos, and revels in the suffering of others. Why? Because it's fun! Her fighting style is unique and tricky to master, as she wields what is essentially a bladed, steel hula hoop.

Voldo

Definitely the creepiest among Soul Calibur's roster, Voldo is a blindfolded, wheezing contortionist known as Hell's Guardian. Fitting for someone clad in bondage gear and moves like an inhuman creature. His fist weapons, comprised of blades attached in a fan-style spread, are as menacing as his unpredictable movements.

Xianghua

Along with Kilik, Xianghua is one of the Soul Calibur series' most enduring heroes. In the original story, it turned out she possessed the legendary blade known as Soul Edge all along, its power wakening so she could save the world. Whether it's this mythical weapon or just a regular creation of mortals, she always wields a Chinese-style straight sword.

Yoshimitsu

Quirky and unpredictable, Yoshimitsu has gone through many iterations across the years. The character got his start in Tekken, but isn't considered a guest character since that series is also owned by Namco and he's been crossing over between the franchises since the first Soul Calibur. Like Mitsurugi, he wields a Katana. However, his style is wild and unorthodox, even to the point where he'll stab through himself to hit his opponent.

Zasalamel

One part time manipulator, one part personification of death itself, Zasalamel is a relatively recent addition to the Soul Calibur series, having debuted in Soul Calibur 3. He's a bit larger than most of the cast, but not particularly slow like others of his stature. He uses wide slashes and grapple maneuvers with a two-handed scythe in combat.

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Sam Prell

Sam is a former News Editor here at GamesRadar. His expert words have appeared on many of the web's well-known gaming sites, including Joystiq, Penny Arcade, Destructoid, and G4 Media, among others. Sam has a serious soft spot for MOBAs, MMOs, and emo music. Forever a farm boy, forever a '90s kid.