Class

Player Characters have a Class which represents their training and combat style. Each class includes a suite of powers and abilities a character can access. Additionally, each class proscribes to certain principles and ideals that can impact your character's decisions and choices. Below is a brief description of each of the available character classes. As you read through them, choose one you find interesting or which most closely matches your character concept.

Class Features

Class Features are extra abilities that set your character apart from characters of other classes. These features can include everything from unique powers, benefits to enhance various aspects of your character, and the addition of bonus powers that your character can choose. For example, Paladins gain the "Lay of Hands" ability, allowing them to channel divine power into healing and assisting their allies. Rogues have the "Backstab" ability which allows them to deal more damage to opponents who are distracted or unaware of the Rogue. The Cleric can choose Divine Spheres, representing the teachings he follows and granting him extra prayers and abilities. And the Wizard gains the ability to Memorize spells, allowing him the versatility to choose which spells he wants to memorize and use in a particular day.

Some class features are gained right away at first level, while others are gained at later levels, as a character progresses in training and experience (Level will be discussed more in the Character Statistics section). Notes about your character's Class Features may be written in the "Features, Traits, and Languages" box on page 2 of the character sheet.

Philosophy & Discipline Training

Your Class grants you access to a new philosophy (in addition to the Physical and Mental granted from your Race). Philosophies represent the source of most of your character's powers and abilities and determine how your character trains and what he studies to do. The Martial Philosophy, granted to Fighters and Rogues, includes a variety of weapon and hand-to-hand combat techniques. The Divine Philosophy, granted to Clerics and Paladins, utilizies the power of gods to protect allies and overcome foes. The Eldritch Philosophy, granted to Wizards and Sorcerers, contains a multitude of spells to create anything from complex illusions to giant bolts of lightning.

Each Philosophy is broken up into Disciplines, which represent different schools of training within the philosophy. Your Class will grant access to a selection of those disciplines, in some cases granting a choice of several, and in others a specified list. Some disciplines will overlap between classes within the same philosophy, while others are unique to a specific class. For example, the Marksman Discipline (in the Martial Philosophy) focuses on Ranged Weapon combat and is available to both Fighters and Rogues. Conversely, the Savior Discipline (in the Divine Philosophy) is unique to Paladins and grants them access unique weapon and defensive abilities. When choosing disciplines (if a choice is granted), remember that disciplines determine the combat styles available to your character and the powers he may choose from.

Combat Training

Every player class grants bonuses in the form of Combat Training. These bonuses are granted by level and can be predetermined, or may be chosen from a short list. You'll find a table listing your character's combat training possibilities at the bottom of each Class page.

There are 7 different types of Combat Training, which increase your character's attacks (Melee Weapon, Ranged Weapon, or Casting) or defenses (Parry, Fortitude, Relfex, or Will), and are described in more detail below. Your character's first level bonuses will likely be predetermined and are indicated in the Class Traits box (and in the first column of the Combat Training table at the bottom of the page). Record your characters combat training in the Combat Training section on page 3 of the character sheet.

• Melee: Grants a bonus to Melee Weapon and Physical Attacks.
• Ranged: Grants a bonus to Ranged Weapon Attacks.
• Casting: Grants an bonus to all Cast Action attacks.
• Parry: Grants a bonus to Armor Class (AC) and Touch defenses.
• Fortitude: Grants a bonus to the Fortitude (Fort) defense.
• Reflex: Grants a bonus to the Reflex (Ref) defense.
• Will: Grants a bonus to the Willpower (Will) defense.

Weapon & Armor Proficiency

While your character's race grants you access to some weapons, proficiency with most equipment will be granted by your class. All weapons have a rank (between one and four) indicating how difficult they are to wield, and your class will grant proficiency in a selection of weapons of a specific rank. Sometimes you will be allowed to choose weapons with which you are proficient, while other times you will be given proficiency in all weapons of a specific group or subgroup and a specific rank. For example, Rogues gain proficiency in all Rank 3 Daggers, while Paladins may choose any six Rank 3 weapons with which to gain proficiency. Generally speaking, those classes more highly focused on weapon training will have proficiency in more and higher rank weapons.

Armor and shield proficiency is also granted by your class. Armor and shields are also given a rank (between one and ten for armor and one and three for shields), which indicates the level of training required to use them effectively. Generally speaking, the higher the rank of armor or shield that you use, the more protected you become. However, the heavier the armor (as higher rank armors tend to be) the more difficult the equipment is to use and the more it hampers your movement and abilities (putting a penalty on movement and physical active skills).

Talents & Training Points

Training Points are used to purchase Talents, small sub-classes of training that enhance a character. Your first level character will begin with 5 Training Points. Most Talents will not be purchased at First Level, but some can be. These are described in more detail in the First Level Talents section.