Hiveswap Friendsim Classpects (Part 1) (Patreon)

A while ago I started a series where I analyzed the Classpects of the Friendsim Trolls! This became a little bit of an ordeal, however, with a lot of other stuff going on at the same time, and Marvus and Ardata's Aspects not having even been revealed, so it kind of... Came to a halt!

So. May as well start properly from the beginning, right?

A few things to keep in mind about this list:

- It is, in no way, a definitive list of Classpects for the Friendsim Trolls, just my headcanons, and even then some could've gone other ways. This is just what I feel fits them for how they appear to me in Friendsim.

- When one of the characters' Class matches the Class of the Homestuck Troll with the same Blood (IE: If Bronya was a Sylph, for example), I will try to look beyond the influence of the caste and only resort to giving them that Class if it just seems really, really fitting.

- Trolls sharing a Classpect with one of the canon Homestuck characters is okay, but I'll try to give each Friendsim Troll a distinct Classpect from each other. (No doubles!)

With that in mind, let's get started!

Ardata Carmia - The Maid of Doom

Ardata isn't the easiest Troll to start with. To begin with, prior to the re-design of the Troll Call on the Hiveswap website, we weren't even aware of her True Sign. I speculated her to be Life given the ties in her route to Food and Consumption, but she was revealed to be Doom.

Which in retrospect, makes a LOT of sense. Ardata is sadistic and basically runs a snuff film livestreaming service in her basement. This definitely ties her to the 'Suffering' meaning of Doom.

As for her Class, I was heavily debating whether Witch or Maid would suit her best for a long time. Both seem to have hangups and pressures put upon them by their Aspects, and Ardata is quite manipulative. However, she manipulates you to Make the table on which she will torture someone. She Makes snuff films. She Makes new methods of torture to spice up her films. And her inner turmoil comes from society isolating her to a very specific way of acting, imposing limits she must break free from, while also visibly revelling on her sadism in other ways. Rather than wanting to bring a Change, all she wants is to free herself from the shackles imposed on her, making her, in my mind, a Maid.

Diemen Xicali - The Rogue of Hope

Diemen's Hope alignment shines through, first and foremost, in his love for hotdogs. Yes. Really. The phallic imagery regarding his favorite food are a Hope staple. Beyond that, however, Diemend deludes himself in the idea that he can live to adulthood on Alternia, without a Lusus and off the grid, like some sort of feral scavenger.

This idea of him being 'off the grid' ties him to the Outlaw Archetype, of the Stealing Classes. However, while he may seem a bit selfish at times, his willingness to open up to the Reader and share his Hot Dog eventually, the hint of romance as he tries to meet you at the middle of the hotdog in his Bad End, and using hotdogs as a coping mechanism, as well as the general delusion that he can survive on Alternia as he is, all hint towards his nature as a Rogue.

Cirava Hermod - The Heir of Hope

Everyone's favorite Thembo, is a curious character indeed. Long ago they were more prominent online, but jealousy and getting on some highbloods' bad side made rumors spread around regarding their Psionics being particularly powerful. Knowing those rumors would lead to them being put to work as an Imperial Battery, they gouged their own eye out, ruining any Highblood's chances of ever using them to power a ship.

The way Hope parses for them is obvious in their online charisma and fame, but it goes beyond with them taking action to change their future for the better, as well as the false ideas spread around their powers. Their general attitude, too, is positive towards the Reader, and they help them get some social media presence. While this positivity is broken up by their fear of being betrayed again, the worst they ever actually do is write a callout post about the Reader.

I believe Cirava is a Heir- Their easygoing nature, their willingness to give you a place to stay and pick out some new clothes, they influence a mild change in the Reader. However, one of the major reasons for this pick, is the Incident. A major change in Cirava's life, tied to the rumors spread about them, avoiding being Consumed by those false rumors, they've been through some shit already, which accounts for their attitude towards getting betrayed.

Amisia Erdehn - The Witch of Mind

Amisia is... Most definitely a Mind-y character. One of the first things the Reader realizes about her, is how she seems kinder and gentler than other Trolls. Soon, however, it becomes apparent that, while kind in some ways, she's still a Highblood who's grown to disregard those beneath her without so much as a shrug. This kinder presentation in contrast to other Highbloods, and her whole Artist Aesthetic tie into the way she presents herself, despite the fact she doesn't ACTUALLY have any artistic talent. Paired with her handing you her axe, giving you the choice of helping her behead a lowblood, and later appearing in Chahut's route trying to influence your choice, her Aspect shines through.

Her Class was a bit more obtuse, however. At first I considered her being a Maid, given she has the means to heal the MSPA Reader's wounds, but she doesn't even do any sort of first aid herself, she just offers a machine that, arguably, any other Highblood could've had. What made me think of the Witch is her practicality. She makes her paint on her own, she's ready to gather the MSPA Reader's blood, and make sure to take just enough that they can keep living and giving her more precious candy red blood. Their lack of artistry causes her frustration, but she keeps trying to find the inspiration, which could allude to her being a Witch without a Familiar.

The thing that really made me lean this way, however, is Chahut's first bad end. Amisia wants to go out on a murder spree with Chahut, her selfish attitude shining through as she insults Clown Church. And if you decide to side with her, she's effectively Changed the course of the night through her Choice, managing to manipulate another character's route entirely to follow her whim. 

Bronya Ursama - The Knight of Breath

While Bronya values the idea that there's no one in charge of the Caverns, she still takes it upon herself to be the one to 'lead' the rest. She has a drive to keep people safe, and is pretty much the Mom Friend. On top of that, she tries to keep the appearance that she's neutral when it comes to politics- Detaching herself from her involvement in the illegal, kind activities she encourages. A mixture of a role of leadership, while also doing her own thing, and trying to keep on going without much of an issue, Breath shines through in her demeanor.

Knighthood, too, seems rather straightforward with her. She attempts to serve others from her role of leadership and organize the caverns. She tries to give drive and purpose to the Jades that'd prefer doing something else, while keeping them safe. Even at the risk of death, she's bent on protecting and helping the poor little grubs that cannot defend themselves, anxious and worried as she may be of how the Drones and Outsiders may see her activities. And whether it's a rogue Lusus on a rampage or a Lanque getting in trouble in a shady party, she will go wherever she needs to go to offer her own brand of help.

Skylla Koriga - The Knight of Time

Yep, she's a Dave. I considered other options for Skylla to not have her share a Classpect with the main cast, even thinking her potentially as a Sylph, but outside of her helping you heal your wounds and trying to improve the lives of the other lowbloods around her, which could also easily parse as Knighthood, the overall archetype of the Sylph just didn't suit her. She's helpful, she fights for what she believes is right, and her association with Time comes in strongly, both from her age and imminent drafting off-world, and from her enjoyment of getting into a fight with the Lusus Thieves to serve their asses on a silver platter.

Rogue could have also been a potential Class, taking back from the thieves, romantic tension with Konyyl, and arguably some outlaw vibes given the isolated location of her Hive, and acting pretty much as a vigilante and hiring a mercenary. But I'm inclined to see her as a Knight for how she takes the initiative in both the fight and seeking Konyyl out, and presents her as a reliable figure.

Tagora Gorjek - The Thief of Space

There's various ways Space plays into Tagora's personality. You can point at the idea of Space as material goods, to start with, with much of his character being that of a sketchy swindler, the goods and money he obtains from his transaction fit the bill. On top of that, he immediately reaches out to the Reader, thinking he can make money off of them, as well as the situation he witnessed, of a thankfully harmless hit-and-run with a vehicle. Waiting for his opportunity to spring, and setting up a fake scenario to sue someone else for damages.

His attitude evokes that of a Thief easily. He works within the system, yes, but the nature of the cheater outlaw is obvious in his shady business practices. Trying to take advantage of those around him, trying to use Galekh as somewhat of a stepping stone up the corporate ladder, and being hard to earn his trust, but loyal once you manage to become associates. Blunt, to the point, no bullshitting around, and with a heavy focus in his own interests.

Vikare Ratite - The Mage of Mind

Vikare dreams of flying, but not of using a spaceship, but rather, to soar across the skies on a completely normal and average plane, which seems to not be a thing on Alternia, likely because Drones are all that is needed for things like aerial delivery. He outwardly presents as someone excited in space flight and crafts of the sort, and keeps his true passion hidden under wraps. A manner of hiding who he is, presenting himself differently whether he trusts someone or not, absolutely fits his nature as a Mindbound.

His Class is a bit more difficult to tell apart, but I believe Mage suits him perfectly. For one, he's well aware of the divide between his dreams and what the Empire wants from him, planning and scheming covertly about creating an average aircraft. An idealized vision of what he wants, a push to reach it, with the underlying frustration of what the world actually expects from him. The burden that comes with knowing his role in society, contrasted to his desires. His concern for wronging the Reader to the point of actually crying, as well as how quickly he takes offense to being thought of as a murderer for his macabre designs, show how he handles mistakes, as well as a certain stubbornness once something enters his mind, which fits the bill.

Polypa Goezee - The Sylph of Breath

Her nature as a Breathbound comes from two main places. On one hand, it's her detachment from the societal norm- Disregarding both Highbloods and Lowbloods, knowing both to be capable of really awful stuff, as well as a general detachment from other people that often leads her to do solo work, finding it hard to place her trust in others or rely on them. On top of that, her line of work in general works well for the Breath Aspect, working quickly and efficiently. Speed, movement, agility, stealth...

The Class I chose for her may come as a surprise for many, since Sylphs are usually thought of as Healers, and she's an Assassin. However, as much as she seems to try and distance herself from others, she opens up quickly and reveals a richer inner world than previously thought. Talking about her past interests, and her trauma, it's this mixture of cold and calculated, but open and kind to those she cares for that set her as a Sylph in my mind. Besides, given her Troll Call sprite, and her past, she's very used to getting wounded, and healing and recovering from these incidents fits the bill.

Zebruh Codakk - The Page of Doom

Zebruh personally hurts me as a Doom Player, as one of the biggest scumbags in Homestuck. (Don't worry, I love him as a character, but good lord he deserves a slap) I don't think I need to list why he's Doombound, with his knowledge of societal rules and limitations, and the advantage he takes of them, as well as the general suffering he causes on everyone around him.

Page seems like an obvious choice for him, though- He presents himself as an ally to Lowbloods, that he knows of their Struggle and Suffering, and as a Highblood, he can give those poor souls a better life. This presentation heavily contrasts with his actual actions, where he forces Lowbloods to Serve him, and often times harasses them into filling his Quadrants for benefits and perks, abusing his leverage as an indigo. Worse yet, the one time he seems to show interest in a Highblood, we're told by Marvus that he's blacklisted by many higher up on the social ladder because of how he tries to use them for his own benefit. Appearing as aware of social injustices, just to use his clout to exploit people in the same way, and excuse any of his shittiness when criticized.

?????? Elwurd - The Thief of Hope

Charisma, charm, being hot, Hopebound traits that Elwurd very obviously has. But beyond just her being a hot lesbian, Elwurd's constant reassurance that she's got her shit together, relationship-wise, and doesn't miss her ex in the slightest, which is an obvious lie, could also tie into the idea of make-believe and pretending to be okay.

It could also have to do with her nature as a Thief. All Trolls of a caste are somewhat influenced by the Betas' Class, and to some extent, the Alphas' as well. I said that I tried to avoid giving Trolls from a caste the same Classes, but Elwurd seems to either embrace her role as a Thief REALLY well, hiding her true nature, or is just a Thief like Vriska- Tying into the general joke of her being 'Not Vriska' in her Troll Call bullet point. As a 'rebellious teen' with relationship issues, and selling drugs, she fits the Outlaw to a T. She steals Bronya's clothes to force her to come over, even after their breakup, but is unwilling to admit she misses her, which fits the idea of a lone wolf, of struggling to open up and trying to stay on the top, and literally showcases an instance of stealing for her own benefit. She's also quick to abandon you for a woman that catches her eye without a second thought, and feels immensely betrayed if you decide to lie to her about your own exes. Ultimately, if there's ANY other Class other than Thief that could fit her, it may be Witch, having wanted to Change Bronya and make her meaner, she seems to have a thing for making good girls show their nasty side and get all Pitch with her. But even then, it's much more tenuous.

Folykl & Kuprum - The Witch of Void and Knight of Hope

Folykl Darane and Kurpum Maxlol are, at least to an extent, 4channer Archetypes. Folykl being Voidbound, she presents as a rather apathetic woman, with a general disregard for everyone else. She has Voidrot, a condition that forces her to drain energy from other people or sources to keep on living, having left her eyes hollowed out and empty. Void as Nihilism, as inaction, as the inability to do anything. As a Witch, her title could be parsed as one who Changes Nothing, which absolutely fits in with the idea of nihilism, a dejected attitude. The Witch's usually practical and goal-oriented mind simply justifies her mean outbursts and lack of action, when she sees that nothing she does will affect the bigger picture.

Kuprum is a Hopebound, and what he lacks in charm, he certainly makes up for on the dirty side of the Hope Aspect. While sharing part of the apathy and disregard for others Folykl has, Kuprum is an extremely horny goldblood, apparently spending much of his time watching Troll Hentai, and fantasizing about being used as a battery by Trizza and wrapped up in cyber-tentacles. His Moirallegiance with Folykl is also rather explicitly sexual. While his desire to serve Trizza seems to be completely tied to his fetishes and self-satisfaction, however, I think he fits the bill as a Knight. His disregard for others may taint the idea of being a passive class, and yet he faces off against a Drone in order to save Folykl without a second thought, risking his life for her despite all his mean streak and mocking attitude. Besides, Knights make the perfect Familiars for Witches.

Remele Namaaq - The Bard of Space

As an Artist, Remele's tie with Space comes to creativity and art in itself. Drawing, creation, it is all connected, even if her art specifically is a little bit... Derivative. Now, Remele's a curious girl, and at first glance making her a Bard may seem like a really strange choice- Specially considering, given her attitude in general, she seems more Active than Passive, and she makes art, and steals art from others, so wouldn't a Creator or Taker Class fit her better?

As mentioned before, I tend to be skeptical about giving characters the same Classes as the Betas with the same blood caste. In Remele's case, specifically, there's one line where she says she's really good at stealing, but she's not a thief- Which I read literally as the influence of her caste making her good at it, but it not being her true calling. No, Remele's high and mighty, inflexible attitude when it comes to her art reads to me a lot like the Bard's devotion towards something. Truly believing her art to be that good, evoking the idea of Royalty with a bit of ego of her own, and through stealing from others and then accusing them of trying to frame them, taking out the competition with smear campaigns with her own creation. Allowing the destruction of her competition, for the sake of what she truly considers good, high art. What clued me to the idea of her being a Bard in the first place, however, is her endings. They're paradoxical- She presents herself as an unpredictable Wildcard. Seemingly abandoning you in one Ending, only to come back and save you risking her own life, more directly evoking this Destructive Selflessness, and on the other going on a fun heist adventure with you, only to ditch you in the end for no apparent reason. Given all of this, I just had to go with the Bard for her.

Konyyl Okimaw - The Witch of Light

Some people were surprised to see Konyyl of all people was Lightbound- She's kind of rough and brutish, a woman of action and beating people up. She's not DUMB, but she's the Brawn to Azdaja's Brain, and people have taken to really associate Light with Knowledge and Knowledge alone. Fortune, given her exorbitant prices for mercenary work, and her and Azdaja's position as quite well known and relevant mercenaries, ties well into her nature as a Lightbound. Not to say Knowledge is not a part of it though- In her Good End, she helps MSPA Reader through a panic attack, reminiscing about the first time Azdaja went through something similar. 

I briefly considered one of the Destroyer Classes for her, and even Mage at one point, but I think Witch suits her best. The Witch's practical thinking is applied to how she knows her strength in, well, raw strength and power, and likes cutting the crap and eviscerating her targets as quickly and efficiently as possible. The very nature of her job could be considered her bringing Change... For a price. And Azdaja could fit well as her Familiar, someone who provides her with the intel she needs to deal with the jobs she takes.

Chixie Roixmr - The Maid of Mind

Chixie is stuck in a really nasty spot. As a lowblood, her options are very limited when it comes to her songs. She wants to be known, to be famous, but others often steal her songs and take the credit, and highbloods can outright kick her out of the concert lineup without a second thought. As such, she bears even with people like Zebruh, fearing that speaking her mind and trying to push him away would give him leverage to ruin her career completely. As such, she grins and bears those struggles to get any and all chances she may have to make it big. A smiling facade she puts on. Similarly, frustrated and pushed to the edge, she dons a mask and challenges a Highblood on-stage, dropping sick beats that'd make Dave jealous, while hiding her identity. These different ways to present herself, to different people and in different situations indubitably suit her Mindbound nature.

Her Class is a bit more difficult to parse, however. I originally pegged her as a Rogue, but thanks to Neurotic_Tactician, I realized she fit the archetype of the Maid quite nicely! Specifically, a very repressed Maid, with a lack of choices in her career other than accept the help of shady individuals, like Zebruh, in order to pursue her passions. I didn't even consider Maid at the start because her behavior seemed way too passive- However, her best moment comes from deciding to put on a show and calling the Highblood out in front of everyone. Learning to be more Active and fighting back against the system that drags her down is the road to happiness for Chixie, but she still has a long road ahead.

Tyzias Entykk - The Heir of Blood

Tyzias is a Bloodbound. Her tie to relationships, to bonds with others, is obvious in her concern for others living in Alternia. She wants to make the world a better place to live in, because she sees the injustices people suffer, empathy for others that many Trolls seem to lack. She even knows about, and secretly follows the Sufferer, another Hero of Blood that inspired her ideals.

Heir seems like a quite obvious choice for her too. She's trying to bring a Change to Alternia, for the good of everyone, even risking her life with forbidden texts. She passively tries to change her Matesprit's mind about these issues, and about the Hemospectrum, leaving her texts around for her to read, but unable to find the courage to pressure her into it. And she expects to eventually Change the system from within. The inheritance of the Heir, in her case, would be twofold- The moment she found out about the Sufferer's Ideals, giving her a basis with which to work on trying to better Alternia, and the point in the future she's working towards, to repair her world. Of course, given the way Alternia is in the future, it sadly seems in the end, she was consumed by Blood.

Chahut Maenad - The Seer of Hope

Chahut is a faithful and devout preacher of the Cult of the Mirthful Messiahs, heavily linking her with the Aspect of Hope. Ironic, given the Cult itself and her entire caste, has major Rage influence, the devotion she shows reflects in the counterpart Aspect to it. She is a charming preacher at that, easily riling up the others at Clown Church, and she's described as sexy at least one time in canon, and extremely often by the Fandom. Hope Players, man...

Her bloodstained clothes, her caste, her size, her eyes- Everything about her screams danger, and yet, while definitely still a Murderclown, she's been shown to be one of the most level-headed Purples out there. She seeks to spread the word of the Mirthful Messiahs, encouraging and guiding the Reader to give their all, and when they cannot bring themselves to give a speech at Clown Church, she reassures them. Adding onto that her distaste for those that don't follow the 'Good Word' close enough outside of Alternia, and her dramatic statement that she'd rather be culled than be drafted off-world with those heathens, she rubs me as a Seer. Guiding others down the faithful path she considers good, genuinely invested in honoring her faith, and with a flair for the dramatic.

Azdaja Knelax - The Prince of Mind

Finally, the last Troll from this half of the Essay! Azdaja Knelax, the self-proclaimed Prince of all Mustardbloods, in an obvious Dragon Ball reference. The Brain to Konyyl's brawn, he scouts for intel and creates plans and strategies to facilitate her side of the job. While his deduction about the Player is wrong in the Bad Ending, this tendency to analyze and deduce with the information given to him, isn't just extremely Mind-y, it's also extremely Anime.

Azdaja is... A Prince. He calls himself a Prince, it's really as blatant as it gets. Between his extremely powerful psionic powers, which make him a force to be reckoned with, to his rather egotistical attitude, he's cocksure and even a bit of a dick at times. Not to say he doesn't have good points, he knows when to apologize and when to thank the Player, and his track record seems good enough to warrant the bragging. He's a dick, but a fun dick like Vegeta after he's no longer an antagonist. Additionally, he likes Konyyl and enjoys her company, but it seems that he harbors Pale feelings for her- Either instead of Flushed, or on top of them, which is a source of embarrassment for him and potential conflict for their relationship. He tries to hide it, and while we haven't seen much about this interaction, perhaps we'll see trying to suppress and 'destroy' that side of him in the future, as the Prince he is.

And that's it for the first part of this Essay! For part two, please follow this link! 

See you soon!