Darius III

Overview

Darius III is a Berserker-class Servant appearing in the Fate series, including Fate/Grand Order and Fate/EXTELLA LINK. As the final ruler of the Achaemenid Persian Empire in the fourth century BC, he is historically recognized as the fierce rival of the Macedonian Conqueror King, Iskandar. Manifested with a massive physique, he possesses an indomitable fighting spirit, though his extreme Mad Enhancement has stripped away nearly all of his rational humanity.

Appearance

Darius III is a male warrior of imposing proportions, standing 345 centimeters tall and weighing 280 kilograms. He features a bald head, golden eyes, dark skin, and a heavily muscular build. He is shirtless, displaying defined abdominal muscles, and is adorned with armlets and various gold jewelry. In combat, he wields a pair of large axes capable of flaring with green flames.

Personality

Outside of combat, Darius III possesses a calm and composed demeanor, though an unwavering fighting spirit constantly burns within him. Once battle begins, he transforms into a destructive storm, unleashing fierce roars as he obliterates his targets. Despite losing most of his human reason to high-level Mad Enhancement, he remains surprisingly quiet and compliant toward his Master. However, his composure breaks when it comes to his desire for a rematch against Iskandar, causing him to lose restraint whenever that goal is involved.

Abilities

In battle, Darius III swings dual axes, breathes green flames, and commands skeletal infantry and cavalry to attack. His skill set includes Mad Enhancement to boost physical parameters, Disengage for resetting tactical positions, Battle Continuation for enduring mortal wounds, and Golden Rule, which stems from his immense financial resources. His Noble Phantasm, Athanatoi Ten Thousand, summons an army of ten thousand undead skeletal soldiers that merge into a massive Death War Elephant, unleashing devastating magical force and inflicting severe combat debuffs on enemy forces.

Background

Historically Artashata, Darius III became the twelfth and final king of the Achaemenid Empire of Persia. After ascending to power and eliminating the treacherous eunuch Bagoas, he sought to stabilize his realm. However, his reign was met by the eastern invasion of Macedonia's King of Conquerors, Iskandar. Despite mobilizing vast armies and riches, Darius III suffered defeats at battles such as Issus and Gaugamela, eventually falling to betrayal by his own subordinate. Within the Fate mythos, he is remembered as the relentless rival who repeatedly blocked Iskandar's path of conquest.

Relationships

His deepest connection is with his eternal rival, Iskandar, whom he seeks to fight again in a clash of armies. He also recognizes Alexander, Iskandar's younger self. To his Master, Fujimaru Ritsuka, he is exceptionally obedient and communicates primarily through gestures. He reveres his ancestor Darius I for bringing prosperity to Persia, whereas he purged the treacherous eunuch Bagoas in life. In Chaldea, he reacted with fury after being scammed by Gaius Julius Caesar, and he harbors suspicion toward Nitocris due to legends surrounding ancient treasure vaults.

Trivia

An un-madened character design exists for Darius III depicting him as a handsome dark-skinned man, and he technically holds qualifications as a Pharaoh much like Iskandar. For years after his debut in Fate/Grand Order, his voice lines consisted almost entirely of roars until full spoken dialogue was presented in a later story arc. In international player communities, his distinctive appearance and common gacha presence earned him affectionately humorous nicknames among fans.