He walks onto the battlefield with a kite shield the size of a dinner table and a scowl that suggests he hasn't slept since the Year of the Harbinger. Vortiger—or the Black Prior for Honor players—is more than just another heavy. He is the definitive "no" button in a game that usually rewards mindless aggression. If you've ever been pancaked into the dirt because you dared to throw a light attack, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
The Ad Profundis Problem
Let's be real. The most iconic thing about this character is the Bulwark Counter. You press two buttons and suddenly the entire enemy team is flying over your shoulder like they’re part of a failed circus act. It’s "Ad Profundis" or nothing. This move is unique because it flips everything except guardbreaks. It flips deflects. It flips drop attacks. Honestly, it probably flips the laws of physics if you time it right.
Most heroes have to guess between a parry or a dodge. Black Prior just sits in his Bulwark Stance and waits for you to make a mistake. It’s an intimidating psychological tool. You aren't just fighting a guy with a sword; you're fighting your own fear of being flipped.
The skill floor is low, sure. Anyone can bash their way to a win in low-level play. But the skill ceiling? It’s massive. A high-level Black Prior is a nightmare because they don't just react; they bait. They know you want to guardbreak them out of that stance, so they’ll throw a heavy from Bulwark just as you move in. It’s a constant game of "will he or won't he" that leaves most opponents exhausted.
Why the Shield Bash is Still Tier S
People complain about the bash. They’ve complained about it since 2019. It’s fast, it drains stamina, and it pauses stamina regeneration. That last part is the kicker. If you’re out of stamina against a Black Prior for Honor veteran, you might as well put the controller down for a second and grab a drink. You’re going to be stuck in a loop of forward-dodge mixups that feel impossible to escape.
Is it "broken"? Not really. Not anymore. With the current state of the game and the introduction of characters like Afeera or the reworked Shinobi, BP feels more like a necessary anchor. He’s the guy who holds the point while three people try to gank him. He survives because his kit is designed for survival.
The Tenebris Rising bash is his bread and butter, but the real magic is in the chain pressure. You have the choice between a light finisher that has superior block—meaning it can "parry" and hit you at the same time—or a heavy finisher that is undodgeable. If you try to dodge the bash and he throws the heavy? You’re eating 28 damage. It’s a simple 50/50, but it’s one of the most effective ones in the game’s history.
The Edge Factor: Lore and Aesthetics
For Honor is a game about fashion as much as it is about fighting. If your hero looks like a pile of rusty scrap metal, are you even winning? The Black Prior leans hard into the "edgelord" aesthetic. We’re talking skulls, hoods, dark eyeliner, and more spikes than a construction site.
Vortiger’s lore is actually kind of tragic if you bother to read the orders. These were knights who served Apollyon. They did horrible things. They left and then came back to find redemption by... doing more horrible things to the Wu Lin and the Vikings. It’s that grimdark fantasy vibe that keeps people playing him. You feel like a dark paladin.
Breaking Down the Feats
If you're playing 4v4, you aren't playing Black Prior correctly if you aren't using Oathbreaker. It is arguably the most "hated" feat in the entire community. You see an enemy get Revenge after a long fight. They’re glowing gold, they have a massive shield, and they’re ready to turn the tide. You press a button, and their shield disappears. Gone. Deleted.
It feels cheap. It is cheap. But in a game where a single Revenge pop can stall a point for a minute, Oathbreaker is a strategic nuke. Couple that with Umbral Shelter—his fourth feat that gives pulsing shields to the whole team—and you have a character that can single-handedly win a breach match.
Countering the Flip
So, how do you actually beat this guy?
The biggest mistake people make is being predictable with their openers. If you keep throwing that same leaping heavy, you’re going to get flipped. Every time. To beat a Black Prior for Honor main, you have to use "empty dodges." Dodge forward and do nothing. Wait for them to try and flip or bash, then guardbreak.
He’s vulnerable to guardbreaks more than almost any other heavy because his transition into Bulwark Stance has a recovery period. If you catch him trying to go into the stance, he can’t counter-guardbreak. That’s your window.
Also, watch his stamina. BP is a hungry boy. His bashes and his stance transitions eat through his green bar quickly. If you can force him to play defensively until he’s low, his threat level drops significantly. A BP with no stamina is just a guy with a very heavy shield that he can't move very fast.
The Nuance of Superior Block Lights
Most people focus on the flip, but the superior block lights are the secret sauce. In the hands of a pro, these are better than parries. If you throw an attack and he times his light correctly, he blocks your hit and stabs you in the face with an unblockable, enhanced light. It’s infuriating.
The trick here is to feint. Feint a heavy and wait. Most BP players are "hungry" for that superior block sound effect. If they throw the light and you've feinted, you get a free light parry. That’s a massive punish.
Practical Steps for Mastery
If you're looking to pick up this hero or improve your game, don't just spam the bash. It works against bad players, but good ones will punish you. Start incorporating the Bulwark Slash into your chains. It’s unblockable and can be feinted into a guardbreak. It forces the opponent to make a choice.
- Practice the Fast Flow: You can enter Bulwark Stance immediately after any attack or block. This is vital. If you block a heavy, don't just sit there. Flow into the stance to see if they follow up with a light, then flip it.
- Manage the Feats: Use Sinister Shield (Tier 2) to help teammates. It costs a bit of your health, but giving a teammate a shield in a duel can flip the outcome of a side-point battle.
- The Bash Delay: You don't have to bash immediately when you dodge forward. Wait a split second. This "delayed bash" catches people who dodge on your initial movement.
- Anti-Gank Positioning: When you’re being ganked, don't just spam the flip. Use your external blocks. If someone attacks you from the side, you can flip them while focusing on the guy in front of you.
Black Prior remains one of the most "complete" heroes Ubisoft ever designed. He doesn't have the flashy infinite chains of the newer heroes, but he has tools for every single situation. Whether you love him or hate him (and let's be honest, if you're fighting him, you hate him), he is the gold standard for what a heavy-class hero should be in the current meta. He is the wall that doesn't break. He is the guy who says "no" to your best combo. And in a game as chaotic as this, that's incredibly valuable.
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Stop thinking of him as a shield-basher. Start thinking of him as a counter-attacker. The moment you stop being aggressive and start being calculating is the moment you truly understand why the Black Prior is a top-tier pick even years after his release. He doesn't need to chase you. He knows that eventually, you'll have to come to him. And when you do, the dirt is waiting.