Primary Positions[]
Battles within the Tower are usually carried out in teams, and a position (포지션, pojisheon) refers to the role an individual takes responsibility for in a team. Of course, it is not absolutely necessary to decide positions in a team - It is possible to battle without designating positions to individual team members. However, dividing up positions before battle gives more efficient results. Most of the names and functions of the positions are derived from the battles of the first generations of the 10 Great Families (The 10 House Heads). Therefore, the positions were originally based on battles between humans and shinhae'eo (신해어, Shinhae'eo; 神海魚; "divine sea fish"). However, this does not mean that positioning is useless in battles between humans and humans; In fact, as fights between humans have grown in importance in the Tower, current positioning practices continue to evolve to adapt to these changes. Positions can be largely organized into five different kinds.
Fisherman[]
The fisherman (낚시꾼, nahkshiggoon; or "angle fisher") is a position that that attacks opponents from above using a reel after gaining control of a base (거점, geojeom; "key location" or "center of action"), and has the most destructive power in a 1:1 situation. Basically, they carry weapons such as needles, hooks, and swords, but do not carry spears, which are heavy. There are two kinds of fishermen:
- Reel-using type (릴 사용형, reel sah'yonghyeong; "reel use type"): Uses reels a lot.
- Dueling type (대인형, daeinhyung; "fighting type"): Revels in 1:1 battle.
Basic Ranker Equipment[]
- 1~2 Medium Arms Inventories
- 1 Small Armour Inventory
- 1 20-mun Reel Inventory
Spear Keeper[]
The spear keeper (창지기, chahngjigi; "one who guards using spears") is a position that attacks the opponent using spears. Although unable to show big power in certain complex and chaotic battles, spear keepers are very useful for point attacks. Some carry needles in preparation for the possibility of chaotic battle, although most still do not. They carry caskets (관, gwahn; or "pipe" or "coffin" or "casing"), special inventories specialized for containing spears; caskets are very heavy. They are mainly divided into:
- Melee type (근접전, geunjeopjeon; "close contact fight"): Pierce with spears.
- Ranged type (원거리전, wongeorijeon; "far distance fight"): Throw spears.
Basic Ranker Equipment[]
- 1 Casket
- 1~2 Medium Armour Inventory
Scout[]
The scout (탐색꾼, tahmsaekggoon; or "explorer" or "investigator") is a position that literally scouts. They are very lightly equipped, and many fast people fit this position well. Because of this, and considering their equipment, they are not very good in terms of battle ability (Of course, this depends on the individual.). Usually, they either assist the Fisherman in capturing a base or take on the role of analyzing the enemies' movements, at the front lines. They use a special customized ball known as an observer (옵저버, opjeobeo) to read the change of shinsu, gather data, and send it to the lighthouse keeper. They are mainly divided into:
- 'Norma'l type (보통, bohtong)
- Battle-focused type (전투 중시형, jeontoo joongshihyeong; "battle-emphasized type")
Basic Ranker Equipment[]
- 2 Observers
- 1 Small Inventory
Lighthouse Keeper[]
The lighthouse keeper (등대지기, deungdaejigi) is a position that uses a scouting tool called a lighthouse (등대, deungdae). A lighthouse is an object that shines very brightly, and comes in various forms. Although there are cases in which lighthouses take on the functions of observers, in this case mobility is not good and the lighthouse becomes difficult to control. Battles in the Tower often occur in the dark, so battling without a lighthouse keeper is difficult. Usually, a lighthouse keeper forms a pair with a guide, with the lighthouse keeper providing information and the guide informing the group. They are mainly divided into:
- Battlefront type (전방형, jeonbahnghyeong; "front type"): Active near the front lines.
- Rear type (후방형, hoobahnghyeong; "back type"): Active away from the front lines.
Basic Ranker Equipment[]
- 1 Lighthouse Mainframe (본체, bonchae; or "computer desktop")
- 3~4 Small Lighthouses
- 1~2 Medium Armour Inventories
Wave Wielder[]
The wave wielder (파도잡이, pahdojahbi; "one who knows and controls waves") is a position that uses shinsu to aid allies in battle or to attack enemies. It is difficult to explain because the function of this position greatly depends on the individual. There are wave wielders who attack the enemy recklessly (In this case, there's a high probability that he/she will become a target of the enemy team.); on the other hand, there is the type of wave wielder who change the advantage of the battle by subtly changing the flow of shinsu. The required talent is a bit rare, so wave wielders that fit the above traditional definition are not that numerous, even among Rankers. Most wave wielders rely on the powers of items, but there are also some wave wielders who do not. Basically, there are two kinds of wave wielders:
- Support type (보조형, bojohyeong): Mainly supports allies
- Offensive type (타격형, tahgyeokhyeong): Mainly attacks enemies
However, this style of classification is not used much.
Basic Ranker Equipment[]
- Whatever you want. (Freedom of choice)
SIU's Perspective[]
Battling with positions is similar to sports. In any case, battles in the Tower (although violent) are close to games, positions are like conventions of the game that are traditionally followed. (This does not mean that tests are always taken with positions. From the middle~lower floors, there aren't many places where tests are taken with positions.)
Because of this, it does not mean that Alligator's official job becomes Spear Keeper just because he is called a Spear Keeper. It only means that there is a high chance of him taking on the position of Spear Keeper in a battle in a test. Of course, he can take on other positions, although that depends on his ability to play those parts ^^;;
There are a few more positions besides the above five. (Positions also vary depending on the kind of game) I'll add more later.
Source[]
Directly translated from 전투 포지션 설정 - 1 - SIU's blog and Comprehensive Info on the World of the Tower - SIU Tower of God Official Fan Cafe.
Special Positions[]
Battles within the Tower usually occur in teams, and a position refers to one's role in the team. These positions form a system that has been developed for effective battle within the Tower.
A special position (특수 포지션, teuksoo pojisheon) is one of the various positions that do not fall into the five basic battle positions. These are literally specialized positions, so in some cases one may have several special positions, and in other cases, one may have none, all depending on the person. Special positions refer to additional roles one can carry besides their primary battle position(s), so special positions can be overlapped with another position, but there is no case in which one only holds a special position. (GoDai: Maybe there could be exceptions...)
A special position is something one holds in addition to a primary battle position, so there is no specified equipment for special positions. However, there are some special positions that are advantageous if they are one's original position. (GoDai: The Korean here was really confusing... It might actually mean "There are some special positions that go especially well with one's original position"... I'll look into that.)
Guide[]
A guide (길잡이, giljahbi) is a position that literally guides the way.
Normally, they act together with the lighthouse keeper to inform the team about the way.
Besides battle, a guide is also necessary for moving between floors of the Tower through the middle area. (Normally, the middle area is used to travel from floor to floor in the Tower; the roads of the middle area are very complicated.)
Guides of higher ranking are able to make assumptions that are close to predictions.
Some races that are famous as guides include the Silver-Haired Dwarf race (은색 머리 난장이족, Eunsaek Meori Nahnjahng'eejok) which Evan is from, and the Red Witch race (붉은 마녀 종족, Boolgeun Mah'nyeo Jongjok). (GoDai: Not sure if SIU was serious... but he probably was.)
Evan Edrok and Hwaryun are some guides that appeared in the series.
"Dan" Technique User[]
(GoDai: We have no idea what "dan" means yet because SIU has not told us what the hanja, or chinese character, is. Out of the most common meanings, it could mean at least 119 different things.)
Dan technique users that appear in the series are Yu Han-Sung and Kurdan.
It is assumed that a dan technique user (단술사, dahnsoolsa; ?術士) is a position that attacks from a far distance using shinsu. Considering what Hachling seemingly did, it seems this special position that receives support from a lighthouse when attacking. It is assumed that dan technique users compress shinsu to attack the enemy.
GoDai's personal analysis of the ability[]
With Evan's permission, Kurdan leaves the room in which Yu Han-Sung and Evan are sitting, in order to take out Len, an assassin of the Jahad Family. He requests support from Hachling who has control of Kun's lighthouses. Far away in a dark cave, Yuri is told to resist attacking Len, as Kurdan will take him out instead. A disk of shinsu seems to appear over Len's head as it suddenly presses him down. Somewhere else outside where the sky is visible, Kurdan smashes down his hammer onto a blue cube-like structure which is probably a lighthouse. He repeats. Where Yuri, Len, the princesses, and Yisoo is at, a continuous hammering noise echoes through the caves. After it stops and the dust clears away, Len is seen seemingly dead.
This scene shows that dan technique users can attack other places without actually being there. How I think it goes:
- Hachling programs the coordinates of Len's exact position into a lighthouse near Kurdan.
- Just before Kurdan attacks, either he or the lighthouse creates a very flat bang of shinsu above Len's head, which has a fairly large myun and high su. (Basically a flat circle.)
- (Outside) Kurdan hammers the top of the lighthouse, but does not damage the lighthouse at all.
- (Cave) The lighthouse transfers the impact of the hammer onto the disk of shinsu, hammering Len down.
- (Outside) Kurdan continues to hammer down on the lighthouse, which is still without scratch.
- (Cave) Len is pretty much squashed flat by the disk of shinsu.
Kurdan seemingly hammers down on the LIGHTHOUSE.
Len also refers to Kurdan as a "Wave Wielder, Dan Technique User", referring to Kurdan's primary position as well. This could mean either:
- that dan technique user is a sub-position of wave wielder
- that Kurdan's use of the ability was a typical combination of the two positions.
Subjugator[]
A subjugator (부리미, boorimi; or "charmer") is a position that subjugates (부림, boorim; "to make someone into a servant") and controls shinhae'eo. Someone who can subjugate shinhae'eo is known as a subjugator, and controlling a shinhae'eo is known as subjugation. Unlike many other special position, one cannot simply become a subjugator through learning.
One can obtained information using the subjugated shinhae'eo. Also, subjugated shinhae'eo can be used in battle. The level of shinhae'eo that can be subjugated is decided by the level of the subjugator.
Subjugators that appear in the series are Sunwoo Narae (선우 나래, Seonwoo Nahrae), Yu Han-Sung, and Len.
In some cases, the subjugated shinhae'eo can be very large.
Although it is possible to carry around a subjugated shinhae'eo like Sunwoo Narae does, it is assumed that in a normal Ranker's case, shinhae'eo are compressed and stored in bowls (그릇, geureut), like Len does.
(GoDai: After searching up what "anima" means on the internet... is "anima" even the right translation? It apparently refers to some part of the soul... I would prefer subjugator.)
Lightning Technique User[]
It is understood from stat cards that a position called lightning technique user (전술사, jeonsoolsa; 電術士) exists, but its role and abilities are not well-known.
A lightning technique user that appears in the series is Lero- Ro.
There has been no information revealed about a lightning technique user's abilities. However, during a online chat, SIU did mention that Lero- Ro is a Pikachu and has the ability to give electrical properties to shinsu.
(GoDai: "Yes, a Junsulsa preaches the shocking excitement of one million volts using shinsu. The dots on their cheeks are proof of his faith. Faith strengthens as the dots become larger." - SIU)
However, none of this is confirmed for sure.
Circle Technique User[]
Yu Han-Sung and Mule Love are circle technique users that appear in the series.
A circle technique user (원술사, wonsoolsa; 圓術士) is a position that utilizes the circle technique (원술, wonsool; 圓術), a control technique that can "circulate" shinsu into a perfect circle. If you circulate shinsu into a circular shape, you can become much more powerful, even without changing the values of myun and su. (GoDai: Still the same size and concentration, but more powerful. I imagine that the circle maximizes efficiency.)
Circle technique users utilize shinsu for booby-trap-like uses, and like Love, they throw shinsu like balls or circulate their own bodies to attack.
In order to become a circle technique user, you must take a test and receive the position license at the Gustang's Research Association, so only I select few can hold the circle technique user position.
Blaze User[]
(GoDai: No one is actually sure if the "hwayeom" here is actually "blaze/flame" (火炎), but compared to dan technique user, this one is much more obvious, since there is already a common compound word that is pronounced this way.)
As with the case of lightning technique user, blaze user (화염사, hwayeomsa; probably 火炎士) is not a well-known position but was revealed through stat cards.
There are only extremely few who can be blaze users, and their physcial ability stats increase when they use their power.
A blaze user that appears in the series is Quant Blitz.
Unlike other special positions, nearly nothing is known about blaze users. However, because the "hwayeom" part of the position name strongly implies "火炎", or "flame/blaze", it can be assumed that these people have the ability to give properties of fire to shinsu, and therefore turn shinsu into fire. SIU himself once stated that turning shinsu into fire is difficult, so this would explain how only a few can become blaze users. However, this theory does not explain why blaze users' physical abilities become enhanced when they activate their special power.
Another theory assumes that blaze users are capable of using body reinforcement without using shinsu, and that this is their unique ability. However, besides explaining what is known, this theory does not explain anything else.
GoDai's personal analysis of the ability[]
There is nearly nothing known about blaze users. However, there are top 2 theories:
- Blaze Users have the ability to turn shinsu into fire, which is a very difficult thing to do.
- Blaze Users are able to reinforce their bodies without using shinsu, which would be very unique. This would enhance their physical ability.
Defender[]
Hendo Rok Bloodmadder (헨도 록 블러드메더, Hendo Lok Bleodeumehdeo), one of the 10 House Heads and the patriarch of the Hendo Family, possesses the sobriquet Longevous Turtle (장수거북, Jahngsoogeobook). The first half of the sobriquet refers to his obsession with obtaining immortality, while the second half is closely related to his position.
He takes on a very peculiar position known as defender (디펜더, deependeo), which is a position that has the role of protecting the spear keeper or lighthouse keeper. It is said that no one has ever found it easy to defeat the combo of Bloodmadder and Kun Edan, who was known to be the most powerful spear keeper in the Tower's history. (Of course, Bloodmadder can also take on any other position.)
Sources[]
Directly translated from Special Positions - SIU Tower of God Official Fan Cafe, Part II Chapter 16 Review - SIU's blog, and SIU's private blog.