Saber
Artoria Pendragon, often identified simply as Saber, is a primary Servant and central figure in the Fate series, including Fate/stay night and Fate/Zero. As a legendary ruler originating from Arthurian legend, she embodies the spirit of a dignified knight. Over the history of the franchise, she has appeared across multiple Servant classes and alternate forms, serving as an iconic lead character.
Overview
Artoria Pendragon, often identified simply as Saber, is a primary Servant and central figure in the Fate series, including Fate/stay night and Fate/Zero. As a legendary ruler originating from Arthurian legend, she embodies the spirit of a dignified knight. Over the history of the franchise, she has appeared across multiple Servant classes and alternate forms, serving as an iconic lead character.
Appearance
Artoria is characterized by her blonde hair featuring a prominent ahoge, often styled in a braid-bound bun or a ponytail, paired with green eyes. In battle, she typically wears silver body armor over a blue dress while carrying her sword. Outside of combat, she has been depicted wearing a white blouse with a blue skirt, a black business suit, and various alternative outfits including swimwear or black-themed attire across her alternate forms.
Personality
Artoria upholds a strict code of chivalry, valuing fairness, order, and honor above all else. She strongly dislikes underhanded tactics in battle. Despite her serious and stoic demeanor, she possesses a deep appreciation for well-crafted meals and shows genuine enthusiasm for fine food. She also conceals a softer side that enjoys stuffed animals and shows a natural talent for games of chance.
Abilities
In combat, Artoria excels using high-rank Magic Resistance and Riding abilities. Her unique skills include Intuition, which allows her to instantly perceive the best course of action during battle, and Mana Burst, which converts her magical energy into explosive physical enhancement. Her signature Noble Phantasms are Invisible Air, a bounded field of wind that renders her blade unseen, and Excalibur, a powerful holy sword capable of releasing devastating energy.
Background
Originating from the legends of Arthurian Britain, Artoria was raised to become a leader, taking up the sword of selection to rule over her kingdom. Her life was spent fighting for the defense of her land and people. Bound by her past duties and wishes, she is summoned into Holy Grail Wars as a Servant, with her legendary history branching into numerous alternate possibilities and class manifestations across different summonings.
Relationships
Artoria forms bonds with various Masters across different Holy Grail Wars, including Shirou Emiya, Rin Tohsaka, Kiritsugu Emiya, and Ritsuka Fujimaru. Her relationship with Kiritsugu was strained due to conflicting ideologies. She is persistently pursued by Gilgamesh, whom she views with strong hostility. She also shares deep ties with figures from her legend, such as her advisor Merlin and her knight Agravain.
Trivia
The name Artoria is derived from the feminine form of Artorius, a Roman name linked to the origin of Arthur. While Pendragon was historically a title associated with her father Uther, the Fate series treats it as a surname for the character. In Fate/Grand Order, variants of her have eventually been released across all seven primary Servant classes as well as extra classes.
