Weapons can be spammed rapidly, or two magic spells can be tossed out at once. The two hand glyphs can be chained together to combo their attacks. This leads us into our third difference: combos. The more potent the spell, the heftier a magic cost it takes, although no spell takes that much MP. Whether it's a sword or a screen-clearing blast of energy, you're going to have use MP to attack. The second important difference is that each glyph is a magical spell, not a physical item. Some may be found in the stages, hidden in statues, dropped by defeated enemies, or stolen directly from enemies by absorbing the glyph as they try to attack you. For one thing, glyphs can be obtained in a number of ways. Despite some of them looking functionally like weapons, there are a few important differences that glyphs have from your regular Castlevania weapons.

Shanoa can equip three different glyphs at once: one on each hand and one on her back, with the back glyphs being distinct from her hand glyphs. Some take the form of weapons ? like axes, rapier and spears ? while others are beams of energy, fireballs, or even the ability to transform into various creatures. Instead, everything she can do is done in the form of glyphs, which are magical spells, each with its own unique element and function. Shanoa is a bit different from your usual Castlevania protagonist in that she actually has no physical weapons at all. It's up to the weakened Shanoa to defeat Albus and recover the Dominus glyphs, so that Dracula's resurrection may be stopped. Unfortunately, a member of the Order, Albus, betrays them, steals the glyphs and wipes out Shanoa's memories and emotions in the process. The Order was in the process of developing the Dominus Glyphs, a trinity of magical glyphs that only Shanoa can use and contain the power to destroy Dracula, which was previously thought to only be contained in the Vampire Killer. Shanoa is the greatest warrior of the Order, a powerful woman capable of using magical glyphs to defeat her foes. In response, various organizations have been set up to combat the potential spread of evil, including the Order of Ecclesia. The Belmont clan of vampire hunters and their legendary whip have vanished, leaving the world defenseless against the forces of evil.

Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia is set a while after the events in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

Order of ecclesia maps