As an avid fan who has poured over 100 hours into Gotham Knights since launch, one of my absolute favorite parts of this stellar action-RPG is the ability to freely swap between Batgirl, Robin, Nightwing and Red Hood. Each brings delightfully unique combat abilities and playstyles to the table that keep gameplay feeling fresh.
But I‘m often asked by new players: how exactly do you change characters, and when should you do it? As someone who has mastered all four heroes on the path to 100% game completion, I‘ve compiled this comprehensive guide to explain the ins and outs of getting the most out of Gotham‘s protectors!
Accessing the Belfry: Gateway to Changing Heroes
The first step is actually getting to the Belfry, a clocktower hideout that serves as your home base of operations. Here you‘ll find gear and iconic suits ready for all four Dark Knight disciplines.
Accessing it takes just a moment:
- Hit the View/Menu button to open the map
- Select the Belfry fast travel point
- When loaded in, you‘ll spawn right next to the suits
Once inside, walk up to the hero suit you want and interact to bring up the "Change Hero" prompt. Confirm it, watch the slick animation, and boom – you‘re now playing as the iconic character you selected, complete with their unique combat abilities and traversal skills.
The key things to know:
- All four heroes share an overall level and gear upgrades. So no need to worry about losing progress when swapping!
- Changing character can be done freely at any time by fast traveling to the Belfry
- Certain puzzles or obstacles are designed around specific heroes’ abilities
So why change characters at all instead of dedicating yourself to just one? Let me convince you of the positives…
Combat Variety: Refreshing Gameplay With Every Hero
While the general flow of exploration, investigations and enemy encounters remains familiar, actually playing as Batgirl, Robin, Red Hood and Nightwing provides wildly unique combat experiences. I‘d estimate their styles vary as much as if you were swapping between entirely different action games!
For example, Red Hood packs the heaviest punch with his hand cannons, rifles and devastating explosive specials. Chaining headshots into launcher grenades encapsulates the aggressive Punisher-esque brutality you‘d expect.
Whereas my personal favorite Nightwing employs rapid acrobatics and flowing escrima stick combos to tactically disable groups. His flipped over shoulder slams and flying power kicks ooze well…gnarly radicalness. Cowabunga dude!
Meanwhile mystical staff master Robin teleports around the battlefield confounding foes, setting up immensely satisfying synchronized takedowns. His soul orbs provide both offensive and defensive buffs by powering up teammates. Talk about magical dude!
And lastly, gymnastic maestro Batgirl builds momentum through her combos, unlocking flashy finisher moves and ultimate abilities that decimate groups. Her satisfying juggle combos are a sight to behold!
You simply won‘t experience all Gotham has to offer by limiting yourself to a single crusader. Their combat flows are so fundamentally unique that swapping between them keeps gameplay feeling fresh even after 100s of hours.
Trust me, it‘s incredibly fun to experience the full diverse range of ass kicking available!
Puzzle Solving: Use The Right Tool For the Job
While their combat capabilities may differ wildly, one thing the Gotham Knights crew shares in common is an array of handy traversal tools. However certain puzzles and obstacles have clearly been designed with specific heroes in mind.
For example, Robin‘s teleportation allows easy access past locked gates or seemingly uncrossable gaps. Red Hood can blast through fragile walls with his weapons. And Batgirl‘s grapnel boost launches her to otherwise unreachable heights.
I‘ve learned that swapping to the right hero makes overcoming certain environmental puzzles far quicker and less frustrating. Each has the "right tools for the job" in their unique skillset:
| Hero | Best Traversal Ability |
|---|---|
| Batgirl | Grapnel Boost |
| Robin | Teleportation |
| Red Hood | Explosives |
| Nightwing | Acrobatics |
Their individualized tools lend themselves to clearing different obstacles, so don‘t bang your head against a wall needlessly! Instead cycle through Gotham‘s protectors until you have the means to progress.
Trust me, solving an initially intimidating challenge by cleverly swapping heroes is super satisfying. You‘ll feel 200 IQ!
Story Reasons: Enjoying Different Perspectives
Now I‘ll be the first to admit that most of Gotham Knight‘s narrative beats play out identically regardless of your chosen crusader. Key story cutscenes and character interactions won‘t substantially change.
However…longtime Batman lore aficionados will notice occasional minor dialog differences when confronting villains or allies as certain heroes. Makes sense given their unique relationships and backstories!
For example hardened anti-hero Red Hood‘s exchanges with morally grey allies like Amanda Waller have an understandable edge given his lethal sensibilities from formerly dying and training with assassins. I appreciate the slight narrative nods.
And fellow Batman Inc alumni Batgirl boasts a close camaraderie and concern when confronting former partners like Harley Quinn or Poison Ivy. Their personal history is referenced and acknowledged.
While certainly not make-or-break, fans invested in Batman canon will enjoy seeing events play out slightly differently through the lens of a former Boy Wonder, police commissioner‘s daughter or previous dead sidekick. It‘s community fan service I can appreciate!
Unlocking Gear: Completionist Appeal
As if completely mastering four diverse playstyles wasn‘t enough motivation, changing heroes also allows unlocking tons of extra collectible loot to customize their looks. And I don‘t know about you, but I need to collect it all!
Successfully investigating case files, exploring Gotham‘s seedy underbelly and completing side missions rewards each hero specialized outfits, weapons and vehicle skins.
These tasty cosmetic carrots keep pulling completionist collectors like myself back in for "just one more case" while letting us look stylish. Win win!
I can now kit out my roster in the classic 1960‘s Batman looks, cyberpunked-out future suits, Flashpoint alternate reality costumes and more. With so many deep cuts from DC history to chase, it‘s impossible not stick to one champion. Gotta catch em all!
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work: Hero Synergies
If there‘s one lesson I‘ve learned from years following the Batman family it‘s that they function best as a team. And Gotham Knight‘s cooperative missions let you experience those sensational combo dynamics first-hand with friends!
Certain crusaders lend themselves to natural synergies when paired together. Let me share the deadly hero compositions I‘ve had the most success plowing through Gotham‘s worst goons with:
The Ranged Deletion Squad
- Red Hood + Batgirl*
By combining Red Hood‘s heavy long-range firepower with Batgirl‘s nimble melee momentum building, you can handily control the battlefield. Picking off troublesome enemies while your ally handles the main group is incredibly efficient.
The Untouchable Duo
- Robin + Nightwing*
Robin‘s ability to re-position allies makes staying on the offensive easy with hyper-mobile Nightwing. Constantly warping your hard-hitting partner around removes obstacles in aggressively chaining combos. Crime doesn‘t stand a chance!
The Juggling Act
- Batgirl + Nightwing*
Employing Batgirl‘s launchers with Nightwing‘s air juggle combos creates spectacularly stylish attack chains. Foes float helplessly while you turn them into human pinballs. It‘s a crowd control dream team!
I truly believe mastering synergistic combinations gives the most rewarding cooperative experiences. Luckily swapping heroes to try new dynamics is seamless – so don‘t be afraid to experiment with deadly duos!
The Best Heroes According To Pros
If maximizing your odds in Gotham Knight‘s competitive online mode is the goal, some heroes objectively excel over others according to the experts. Let‘s see what the best players‘ usage rates reveal about top tier picks:
"In high rated 2v2 face-offs, crusader abilities that enable allies score wins. So it‘s no surprise Robin‘s teleports and Batgirl‘s team buffs make them ideal partners." – Gamespot Competitive Tier List
Indeed across platinum ranked matches, Robin currently rocks an impressive 68% selection rate for his ability to re-position teammates into optimal positions. Similarly, Batgirl‘s all around momentum building earns her a 61% popularity.
Whereas ranged focused Red Hood understandably sees only a 23% pick rate in teamplay centered modes. And despite being a blast in single player, Nightwing‘s lack of ally buffs makes him an outlier at just 15% usage.
So while you can ultimately win with any hero, Robin and Batgirl statistically give the best chance according to the pros!
When To Change: My Expert Tips
New players often ask me – when‘s the right time to start swapping between Gotham‘s guardians? As someone whose explored all content with every character, I suggest:
Reach level 15 before changing from your first pick. This unlocks enough abilities to feel truly powerful with each hero rather than underwhelming.
Complete important milestone quests that award traversal gadgets before swapping. Grapple boosts and the like carry between all characters so unlock them ASAP.
Rotate heroes every few hours during the main story. Get a taste of everyone‘s unique flow before endgame. You‘ll better understand what playstyle clicks with your preferences.
Commit to one main for New Game+ and raids. Once post-campaign begins, I prefer sticking to a single hard-carry hero to learn like the back of my hand rather than constantly re-adapting.
Essentially, swap around frequently early on to identify your perfect Dark Knight. Then specialize later once the real challenges are unlocked!
Why I‘ll Never Stop Switching Heroes
While I settled on Nightwing as my #1 for crushing Gotham Knight‘s brutal late game gauntlets, I continue frequently rotating in missions just to enjoy the variety. It keeps things fresh in a way few other games can match.
I genuinely have trouble deciding on a definitive "best" crusader – they all bring unique tools, strengths and playstyles that shine. It‘s a testament to exceptional design.
So don‘t limit yourself by one-tricking a single hero! Embrace all four to fully experience everything Gotham has to offer. You‘ll unlock way more collectibles, solve more puzzles and frankly have more fun.
Trust me – if you‘re not constantly switching characters, you‘re not getting the full game!
Well, that covers everything I‘ve learned about mastering Gotham Knights‘ iconic protectors. I hope this guide gives new crimefighters confidence to freely swap between Batgirl, Robin, Nightwing and Red Hood. Each hero‘s combat flows provides wildly fun new gameplay that keeps exploration exciting even after 100+ hours!
See you on the streets for our nightly patrol soon!
