And now time to talk about Classes....
In the current Novus classes were more along the lines of starting packages than anything found in some other games. This idea has been refined even further, and what used to be called Classes are now called
Training Paths.
This name designates the initial direction in which the character's training was focused. And it allows for future development to either refine or diverge from that initial focus based on events that the character goes through.
The Training Paths are currently divided into 4 "Classes" which basically means 4 focal designations. We have the following:
- Casters -- These are spell users, those who focus on learning and casting spells. Each type of caster even has his own method of casting, and get penalized if they are unable to cast as they should (things like material components, verbal components, etc..)
- Cleric - These are casters who are devoted to one or more deities and whose spells reflect this. While there is a generic list of spells for the Divine School, Clerics should have access to a small list of deitiy specific spells. Novus will contain a few examples and guidelines for this.
- Druid - Casters from the School of Nature Magic. They often believe in survival of the fittest, and in protecting nature and are against wanton destruction of nature.
- Magician - Casters from the School of High Magic, they also focus on spells of illusion and conjurations.
- Mystic - Casters of the Mystic School often focus on spells that focus on themselves, bettering and exploring their minds and things that relate directly to them.
- Shaman - Often found in tribal Cultures, these are Casters from the School of Spirit Magic. They commune and traffic with the Spirit World. they believe in maintaining a balance between the natural and supernatural.
- Sorcerer- Casters from the School of Sorcery tend to treat magic as if it were another form of science.
- Warlock - Casters from the School of Black Magic, these folks often consort with the denizens of the infernal realms.
- Wizard - Casters from this School believe words have power, and they focus on such spells.
- Dual Mage - These Casters like to focus on 2 seperate schools of magic at the same time. This can lead to some interesting combinations. While they may not be quite as powerful as the other Casters, they are often more versatile
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Fighters -- These are characters who focus on combat related skills
- Archer - Focuses on ranged combat.
- Berserker - trained to work themselves into an unstoppable fury that can increase their combat prowess
- Cavalier - A mounted fighter, trained to fight mainly from horseback
- Dual Weaponist - This type of fighter trains in using a two weapon style
- Duelist - a lightly armored fighter who uses his speed to his advantage.
- Gladiator - a specialist in close quarters combat.
- Leader - a fighter trained to lead others and thus to use the group in a tactically superior manner.
- Swashbuckler - a flamboyant type of fighter whose name comes in part from the small shield (a Buckler) that they often use
- Swordsman - a fighter who focuses on combat, usually with a specific type of blade.
- Warder - a fighter that focuses on getting the most out of his shield use.
- Warrior - This is your generic fighter.
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Rogues -- These are characters are are primarily skill based, but not in the same manner as the other two Classes. I may rename this Class to "
Skilled" since Rogues are often considered a type of thief-like character
- Bounty Hunter - a character that makes his living hunting others for pay.
- Burglar - a character that focuses on getting into places he should not be for the purpose of thievery.
- Corsair - think pirate
- Highwayman (Rogue) - your generic type of robber, good in city or in the outdoors.
- Martial Artist - works to turn his mind, body and spirit into a living weapon
- Minstrel - A traveling entertainer, often able to go where others cannot
- Scout - Wilderness specialist, usually self sufficient in the outdoors
- Spy - an infiltration specialist for the purposes of gather information in hostile locales. Spys are good in urban settings
- Thief - Thieves specialist in locks and in removing traps to get into places where they should not be.
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Mixed -- This class contains everything else, especially those that mix two or more of the above Classes. It includes what my Rolemaster roots would term as semi-spellcasters since the focus on both casting and a specific set of skills both. It also includes any Training Paths that do not fit neatly into one of the above 3 Classes.
- Arcane Archer - As the Archer, but he can also magically create the missiles that he fires from his weapon.
- Bard - a magic using minstrel
- Beastmaster - he can talk to the animals, and often get them to help out a little bit, if not too dangerous
- Chi Fist - a sub-group of martial artists who learn a specific style that allows for a quasi-magical (but not spell based) number of abilities
- Elemental Guard - each group focuses on a specific element (Stormgard, Gemgard, Flamegard & Frostgard are the most well known, there may be others)
- Mage Hunter - A magic using bounty hunter who specializes in hunter other casters.
- Monk - think of them as a cross between Mystics and Martial Artists
- Paladin - A a cross between a Fighter and a Cleric, they are devoted to their religions
- Ranger - A magical using Scout, focused on surviving in nature.
- Shadowkin - While Monks focus on mind body and spirit, the Shadowkin focus on the darker aspects of Mysticism, allowing for blending in and hiding well.
- Warrior Mage - He uses his magic to enhance his combat capabilities.
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