The new character creation screen, emphasizing Mikhail and the Dual Blader.

You can only create a male Mikhail, and he comes with his own hair and eyes!

An unnamed boy in a small village who possesses the spirit of light is found  by Nineheart after a long search to become the knight of light, Mikhail!

Nineheart trains Mikhail until he’s ready to be reborn as the knight of light!

Here is a video of the full tutorial!

Mikhail uses one-handed swords and has a special shield called the Soul Shield, which grows with him. It can gain experience and level up, and it is also automatically upgraded at each advancement. At the fourth advancement, it becomes the Soul Shield of Justice,and comes with potential. The first reveal will always be 6 str, 24 accuracy, and 6 attack.

Here are my fully levelled up Soul Shield of Pride (2nd job), Soul Shield of Valor (3rd job), and Soul Shield of Justice (4th job).

If you remember the Character Deck system, Mikhail’s card gives 2/3/4/5% in weapon defense. He also counts as a Cygnus.

Until level 120, Mikhail receives the extra 10% exp per level up that regular Cygnus do.

Mikhail has Blessing of the Empress, and increases it by 1 point per 5 levels. However, he can only get up to level 24 Blessing by level up. He can get to level 30 from 24 by doing quests to level up his Noble Spirit skill.

At level 120, Mikhail receives the Cygnus version of Echo of the Hero, and he can also create an Ultimate Adventurer. At level 200, he receives the full version of the skill.

I recorded myself training at Future Ereb. As you can see, Shining Blast is probably the only skill you will use when training…

Skills

Beginner

• Guardian of Light: Mikhail will be summoned and for 90 seconds, you will not be knocked back by monsters’ attacks. There is a 180 second cooldown. (Link Skill)
  • Note: your actual Mikhail character will appear above you!

First Job

• HP Increase: Increase your max HP by 20% permanently. (max level: 10)
• Soul Shield: Amplify the power of the Soul Shield to boost your defense and magic defense by 200. (max level: 15)
• Soul Agility: Permanently increase accuracy by 200, speed by 25, and jump by 20.(max level: 10)

• Soul Jump: Using the power of Soul, jump once again while in the air. As the skill level increase, the distance moved will increase. (max level: 10)

• Soul Blade: Give shape to Soul and throw it at up to 5 enemies for 340% damage. (max level: 20)

Second Job

• Physical Training: Permanently increase your STR and DEX by 30. (max level: 10)
• Sword Mastery: Permanently increase your mastery over the one-handed sword by 50% as well as your accuracy by 120. (max level: 20)
• Final Attack: There is a 40% chance to add an extra 150% damage attack when using attack skills. Must be using a sword. (prerequisite: level 3 Sword Mastery) (max level: 20)

• Sword Booster: For 200 seconds, increase the speed of your sword by 2 stages. (prerequisite: level 5 Sword Mastery) (max level: 20)

• Rage: For 180 seconds, increase the weapon attack of you and your party by 30. (max level: 20)

• Soul Driver: Use Soul’s power to attack up to 6 enemies for 145% damage 4 times. (max level: 20)

• Shining Chase: A sword of light is pointed at the enemy and is rushed towards them, hitting 400% damage on up to 6 enemies pushing them back. (max level: 20)

Third Job

• Self Recovery: Every four seconds you will recover an extra 300 HP and 90 MP. This effect works during battle. (max level: 30)
• Intention: Permanently increase your strength by 60 and increase your attacking speed by one stage. (max level: 20)
• Soul Attack: When attacking an enemy inflicted with a status, increase your damage and critical chance by 20%. (max level: 20)

• Soul Charge: For 300 seconds, charge your sword with power and increase your damage by 30%. (max level: 10)

• Soul Endure: For 180 seconds, increase your defense by 100%, and your resistance to elements and statuses by 60%. (max level: 20)

• Magic Crash: When used, there is a 100% chance that monsters around you will not be able to use buffs for 20 seconds. There is a cooldown of 60 seconds. (max level: 20)

• Soul Slash: Quickly attack up to 4 enemies in front of you for 230% damage 3 times. (max level: 20)

• Shining Buster: Release light to attack up to 6 enemies in front of you for 270% damage 3 times with a 20% chance to stun for 4 seconds. (max level: 20)

Fourth Job

• Combat Mastery : When attacking monsters, 40% defense is ignored. (max level: 10)
• Advanced Sword Mastery: Increase your mastery over the sword to 70%, as well as minimum critical damage by 15% and attack by 30. (prerequisite: level 20 Sword Mastery) (max level: 30)
• Advanced Final Attack: Increases your attack by 30, accuracy by 10%, chance to activate Final Attack to 60%, and Final Attack’s damage to 250% damage, Final Attack now hits twice. (prerequisite: level 20 Final Attack) (max level: 30)
• Advanced Soul Shield: Improve the Soul Shield and permanently decrease damage taken by 20%. (prerequisite: level 15 Soul Shield) (max level: 30)
  

• Stance: For 300 seconds, there is a 95% chance that you will not be knocked back by enemies’ attacks. (max level: 30)

• Maple Warrior: Increases you and your party’s stats by 15% for 900 seconds. (max level: 30)

• Soul Rage: For 240 seconds, concentrate your attacks on one enemy and increase your damage by 60%, critical rate by 20%, minimum critical damage by 15%. All skills will hit only one monster while this skill is active. There is a cooldown of 270 seconds. (max level: 30)

• Soul Assault: Attack an enemy in front of you for 360% damage four times with Soul imbued swords with a 40% chance to inflict Darkness on the enemy for 100 seconds which decreases their accuracy by 30%. The last hit of Soul Assault will always be a critical. (max level: 30)

• Shining Blast: Shoot a strong light in front of you to attack up to 6 enemies for 280% damage six times, with a 40% chance to stun for 6 seconds. (max level: 30)

Thanks to Fiel of Southperry for the skill icons and effects!