Topic: Taxonomy of enemies

[TheouAegis]

If anyone actually looked at the GMK of my game, I categorized enemies into different groups. Well, some of them are a bit iffy, others seem logical enough. I'm wondering what popular consensus is on some of the enemies' types.

Skeletons
This one is pretty obvious. Includes just the skeletons themselves.
Bone Dragons
This includes Bone Pillars and Bone Dragons, as well as Bone Dragon King (but he's a boss).
Flora
I put Spores and killer plants in here - basically anything that's fungal or stationary.
Fauna
Bats, Eagles, Owls, Crows, and Spiders. This one was pretty easy.
Eyes
I gave them their own category, even though there were only two in the series that I can think of - the rolling eyes from the Game Boy games, and the floating eye from the catacombs in CV3. I'm inclined to put Buckbaird in with Lesser Demons.
Undead
This includes Zombies, Zombie Hands, Ghouls, Mummies, and Dhuron (aka Headless Pirate). This is a broad category, which is one of the reasons I have this post.
Ghosts
I included specters (from Simon's Quest) and the ever-popular Ghost (the one that chases you around and takes 2-4 hits to kill). This is another broad category which may be seen as overlapping Undead and Lesser Demons.
Lesser Demons
I put Medusa Heads, Buckbaird, Gremlins (from CV3J), Winged Demons, Gargoyles, and -- here's the reason I made this post -- Firemen. This category overlaps too much.
Chimeras
Harpies, Fishmen, and Fleamen. Yes, I put Fleamen in here since they're not technically animals and they're not technically demons and they're not ... well I don't know what they are.
Formless
Slimes and Fuzzbusters (those little things that looked like balls of dust from CV3).
Armors
Technically ghosts I guess, this category is for all the Armors.

Castlevania's enemies span too many categories. I mean, are the octopi from Metroidvanias fauna or lesser demons? Is Dhuron undead or ghost? Is the Skull Ghost from SOTN a ghost or a skeleton? Are the armors actually ghosts or magically endowed suits of armor? Are Fleamen actually human? Are Fuzzbusters just formless things or are they ghosts? Are the Firemen flaming demons, flaming ghosts, or flaming zombies? Mandrakes are flora, but what about Corpseweed and Venus Plants? And where would Marionette fit into all of this?

[Charlotte-nyo:3]

The dark octopi don't really strike me as demons, although I could see why they'd possibly be eligible for that classification. But look at some other fauna in CV, like the giant toads and such. They're often said to be influenced by the castle or demonic rituals and such and this is what makes them different from typical animals of that type, so it doesn't seem too much of a stretch to me that they're just normal octopi that have been influenced by the castle.

Dhurons (mistranslation of dullahan) look like skeletons to me.

The skull ghost is probably a ghost taking the form of a skull. They have a more ethereal quality about them due to the blue glow, while animated skeletons like the jack'o'bones or the aforementioned dhurons look more solid and concrete.

There might be a subtle hint in some game as to whether the armors are ghosts or simulacra. Like a spirit escaping an armor during a death animation in some game or something. If not then this is likely just up to interpretation.

I doubt the fleamen are human. They're probably a species of creature all their own. They could go under fauna or perhaps change the human classification (that witches and the like would go under) to "humanoid" instead.

Corpseweeds and venus weeds still fundamentally seem like they're plants with human outgrowths rather than the reverse to me. Kinda like how I wouldn't consider Amphisbaena a humanoid.

Marionettes would probably be in the same category as golems and the armors, simulacra.

[Inccubus]

Eyes
I gave them their own category, even though there were only two in the series that I can think of - the rolling eyes from the Game Boy games, and the floating eye from the catacombs in CV3. I'm inclined to put Buckbaird in with Lesser Demons.

I'd include Peeping eye in here too since the eye itself often is depicted as decidedly organic.

Lesser Demons
I put Medusa Heads, Buckbaird, Gremlins (from CV3J), Winged Demons, Gargoyles, and -- here's the reason I made this post -- Firemen. This category overlaps too much.

I wouldn't include Medusa Heads here. Medusa isn't technically a demon of any sort and neither should her spawn be. They are tricky though. I mean are they even alive? But being flying heads with snakes for hair I'd be inclined to put them in the chimera category. Also, the 'gremlins' from CV3j & SCV4 are bunnies mutated by the dark energies emanating from the castle. My theory is that the bunny in Monty Python and the Holy Grail is actually one of these.

Are the Firemen flaming demons, flaming ghosts, or flaming zombies?

I'm pretty sure I've read Japanese descriptions stating they're flaming zombies.

The dark octopi don't really strike me as demons, although I could see why they'd possibly be eligible for that classification. But look at some other fauna in CV, like the giant toads and such. They're often said to be influenced by the castle or demonic rituals and such and this is what makes them different from typical animals of that type, so it doesn't seem too much of a stretch to me that they're just normal octopi that have been influenced by the castle.

I'm almost certain that their description in SotN states they'renormal octopi warded by the castle dark magic or something of the sort.

Dhurons (mistranslation of dullahan) look like skeletons to me.

I totally agree. In SCV4 they spew some bones when they're killed, no?

The skull ghost is probably a ghost taking the form of a skull. They have a more ethereal quality about them due to the blue glow, while animated skeletons like the jack'o'bones or the aforementioned dhurons look more solid and concrete.

Agreed.

There might be a subtle hint in some game as to whether the armors are ghosts or simulacra. Like a spirit escaping an armor during a death animation in some game or something. If not then this is likely just up to interpretation.

I'm fairly certain that they are most often said to be fueled by magic.

I doubt the fleamen are human. They're probably a species of creature all their own. They could go under fauna or perhaps change the human classification (that witches and the like would go under) to "humanoid" instead.

Agreed as well. They're a sort of demi-human like goblins and trolls.

Corpseweeds and venus weeds still fundamentally seem like they're plants with human outgrowths rather than the reverse to me. Kinda like how I wouldn't consider Amphisbaena a humanoid.

Agreed.

Marionettes would probably be in the same category as golems and the armors, simulacra.

Agreed.



You can always check the Castlevania Wikia page to try to get some more insight on the nature of some of the monsters since they have lots of sources.

[Super Waffle]

Venus weeds are clearly what happens with a generic sentient plant monster eats Maria.

Haven't you guys ever read my fanfiction?

[Reinhart77]

i think a good source for "classifying" enemies is the Japanese "All About Akumajo Dracula" guide book for the game we know as Super Castlevania IV.  It places enemies into the following categories:  Skeletons, Knights, Living Things, Parts of Body, Plants, Ghosts, Dogs, Snakes, Insects, Bats, Birds, Objects, Zombies, and Rocks. 

I could see these categories being expanded upon to include all enemies that appear in any game.  Of course, some of these categories kind of mix together (a Bird is a Living Thing, isn't it?), but it's a starting point.  It's the only official reference I know of that categorizes enemies based on types. 

I organized the Bestiary for that game on the Wiki to match the order it appears in the guide.
http://castlevania.wikia.com/wiki/Super_Castlevania_IV_Bestiary

[JooohnShaft]

So what do legions count as?

[Inccubus]

If you're referring the ones from CotM, I'm pretty sure it's either a demon or a spirit.

[Charlotte-nyo:3]

If Legion is really based on the Biblical reference (and it seems pretty certain that it is), then it'd be a demon. A very weird demon, but yeah.

[Lumi Kløvstad]

If Legion is really based on the Biblical reference (and it seems pretty certain that it is), then it'd be a demon. A very weird demon, but yeah.

I'd be hard-pressed to find a "non-weird" demon.

If Legion is based off of Biblical scripture, it would actually be a conglomeration of demons possessing a singular body.
Given the Legion's appearances throughout the franchise though, I'm willing to bet they are more "inspired" by the scripture, as the games display the Legion as a gestalt entity, or in simpler language, many demons forming together and acting as a single being.

Either way, it's always fun to wail on them with whatever you have handy.

[Charlotte-nyo:3]

Well I'd count as non-weird the more traditional-looking demons like the Lesser Demons from SotN. Outside all cultural milieus they may still look weird but within a western one they're rather recognizable as demons.