Fighters

Fighters are those exceptionally gifted with martial prowess, able to fight with a variety of weapons and combat stances. They can hit harder, faster and more times per round than any other class using formidable warrior skills. They lack any innate magical ability, relying on brute force and trusty weapons to win the battle, though some more cunning individuals will quaff enhancing potions before combat. A few warriors frown upon such use of magic, believing it to be cowardly and dishonourable. Whatever their beliefs, few can stand for long against a skilled warrior, magic or no.

Fighters may become proficient in different armaments, learning new skills through their constant battles. No other class can match the fighter in his knowledge of weaponry. They may learn defensive skills such as flourentine and stand-off, offensive techniques like cross-slice and sword flurries and more cunning moves like eyejabbing, choking and rapid restrikes.

Fighters are drawn from every race on Krynn, though none can match the ferocity and strength of the Minotaurs. Dwarves make dependable, tough fighters, whilst Elves and their dark brethren somewhat more frail, dexterous warriors.

Members of any race may become Fighters.

Fighters can be of any alignment.

Thieves

Life is never easy for young thieves, whose trade so often flies in the face of local law and custom, and can leave them shunned by all they meet. In time, however, those who can survive long enough to gain a measure of success become true professionals and masters of their craft. Some thieves desire a certain notoriety. Success brings them not only wealth but also ultimately a kind of status. True thieves no longer live off of the wealth they steal; they take contracts from wealthy patrons and are paid handsomely for their services.

Thieves stake their reputations (and their lives) on their ability to pass even the most attentive guards without being seen or heard, and are master locksmiths able to break into most properties. Should these skills fail, however, a thief can make a deadly foe in combat. They frequently learn the use of poison, and can also learn combat techniques that can quickly immobilize or cripple their foes. If pressed, they are also masters of defensive combat, using evasion and speed to escape harm.

Every thief's ability to bypass physical obstacles, move unseen, and hamper their foes in battle makes them a valuable part of any adventuring company. With their natural deftness and small stature, Kenders have always made the best thieves, though they have little desire for actual monetary gain, preferring the thrill of acquiring new items to obtaining more boring gold. Human and Elvish thieves are also common, but each thief's personal ambition is almost certainly very different.

Humans, Elves, Wild Elves, Dark Elves, Half-Elves, Kenders and Gnomes may become Thieves.

Thieves can be of any alignment.

Rangers

Roaming the wild with stealthy tread, rangers are formidable warriors, fighting to protect the wild places of the world from destruction. Longtime friends and allies of the ancient Druids, the Rangers share their quest to restore the great Balance of Nature. The Rangers fight a tireless battle against all creatures that exist outside the natural order, from the cursed Draconians to the Undead hordes. Those who despoil the bounty of nature are also marked as their enemies, and many poachers and woodcutters have found themselves on the receiving end of a ranger's justice. The beasts of the wild see rangers as their kin, and these wardens of the wilderness walk among them without fear. Rangers are powerful masters of combat, favouring staffs, swords and whips in battle.

The rigors of their life demand that every Ranger be able to find his way and survive in the wild. As a result, the world knows no finer hunters, trackers, and woodsmen. Like their brother Druids, Rangers can attune themselves to the wilderness around them, and their faith in Habbakuk and Chislev gives them powers over plants and beasts. As a ranger grows, he may call on mighty animals to join him and fight by his side. Moving unseen through the wild, a ranger may set up deadly snares and ambushes to cripple his enemies. Only a very brave or very foolish creature would fight a ranger in the wild.

While not particularly fond of towns and cities, most rangers consider them a necessary evil and permit them to exist, provided that they do not expand too quickly into the pristine wilderness. With the coming of the Dragon Queen's Army, the rangers have become even more suspicious and wary of city-dwellers, sensing betrayal and treachery everywhere.

Humans, Wild Elves, Elves, Minotaurs and Kenders may become Rangers.

Rangers can be of good or neutral alignment.

Assassins

Moving silently, unseen in the shadows, watchful and infinitely patient until the last possible moment before striking with deadly intent, slaying with bare hands and retreating once more undetected and escaping into the night; the hallmarks of an assassin that separates the amateur from the professional. Assassins are trained in deadly unarmed combat, able to move with stunning speed, strike with hands like iron bars, and perform incredible bodily feats unknown to most people. Any common thug who kills for money may call himself an assassin, but only a few may learn the deeper secrets of the profession and ultimately choose a Wayfollow.

Each assassin is trained in a basic set of prerequisite skills for their profession, but must then select their Waypath in life which will dictate their specialized professional skills. Wayfollowing allows the assassin to register which Waypath they wish to become adept in. Once a path is chosen an assassin is pledged for life to follow that waypath, and the Elders of the profession reinforce this strongly in order to maintain control of their young students.

The Wayfollow defines an assassin; Shadow, Beast or Season. The Way of the Shadows is for assassins who train in silent, unseen killing and quiet extraction from killing zones. The Way of Seasons is for assassins who believe that mind and soul can be used in conjunction with the body to overcome adversity and accomplish what brute force alone cannot. The Way of the Beasts is for assassins who take a more straightforward approach to their art and kill using speed and sudden power.

Humans, Elves, Dark Elves, Half-Elves, Kenders and Dwarves may become Assassins.

Assassins can be of good or evil alignment.

Druids

While most clerics draw power from their faith in the Gods of Light and Dark, there are other kinds of priests who walk the World, serving other masters. The most ancient and mysterious of these are the Druids, an ancient sect of priests who worship the primal beast spirits and the mysterious Mother Nature. The Druids hold their rites at ancient stone circles lost in the deeps of the forest, far from prying eyes. Their rites and rituals are the echoes of ancient ceremonies intoned by the High Elves in ages past, and their potency has not faded. Through the power of their unwavering faith, Druids attune themselves with the world around them, utilizing the connection between all living things and the world itself. Plants, beasts, and the weather all respond to a Druid's magic, which can transform, heal, or command the forces of nature. For as long as any can remember, the Druids have taken the responsibility of their power very seriously.

No beast of field or wild will ever seek of its own will to harm a Druid, and some serve them as their eyes, ears, and protectors. The Druids work tirelessly, healing lands blighted by war or the touch of chaos, destroying creatures that disrupt the natural order, and trying to minimize or offset the damage done by civilized peoples to Nature's great bounty. Above all, the Druids work to restore the cycle of Life, Death, and Transformation, the basis of the Sacred Balance at the heart of nature.

Far from the excesses of civilization, Druids live simple lives. Some heal the sick in secluded villages still loyal to the "Old Ways," helping woodfolk with their knowledge of animals and herblore, or protecting the ancient Groves and Temples. Others wander even into the tumult of civilization, spreading their simple belief to all who will listen and offering wisdom and compassion to those who need it. Mayhap their efforts will serve to bind this world's wounds, and restore the Balance so tragically lost.

Humans, Wild Elves, Half-Elves, Gnomes and Minotaurs may become Druids.

Druids can be of neutral alignment only.

Clerics

There are primal entities that exist outside the known land of Krynn, those that wrought the world and the entire Universe in the uttermost beginning. Everything from the lowliest worm to the brightest Archon in Heaven is their handiwork. A trace of the divine will and its capacity for creation exists in all living things, and is concentrated in beings of thought and reason, the true Children of the Gods. Clerics are sensitive souls whose belief and devotion allow them to find the divine spark within them, and use its power to alter the world around them. The healing of wounds and illness is the best-known gift that clerics possess, and the most valued in this age of conflict and pestilence.

Clerics are the most defensively orientated of all the classes. Most of their prayers focus on healing or defending the faithful, with their few combat spells being far less powerful than those of mages. However, clerics are the best class by far at healing arts, and they posses an impressive area of protective magics, as well as a fair prowess in combat.

Clerics may be drawn from any race except Kenders, who lack the devotion and single-mindedness to embrace a strict faith. Clerics must choose a God to worship as they get older, worshiping at the isolated stone altar located high in the snowy mountains to gain the sign that marks them for the rest of their lives. Each God brings a different set of prayers and abilities to their Clerics, and once chosen cannot be undone (see help Gods for more information).

Humans, Half-Elves, Elves, Wild Elves, Dark Elves, Gnomes, Dwarves, Draconians and Minotaurs may become Clerics.

Clerics can be of any alignment.

Knights

These warriors have chosen the path of virtue and chivalry above all others. This dedication to their cause, as well as to their chosen God, grants them priest-like spells and healing powers. They are also formidable fighters, always questing to stamp out evil. Knights are expected to be truthful, chivalrous, humble, merciful, kind, bold, and noble of spirit. Those who forsake goodness are frowned upon, punished by their God and ultimately stripped of their abilities. All Knights live by the Oath of the Solamnics, 'Est Sularus oth Mithas', meaning 'My honour is my life'. A Knight without honour considers himself among the walking dead, little more than a shadow to vanish in disgrace. Some Knights are content to walk the land as lone defenders of justice and honour, whilst others set their hearts on a full knighthood into the ancient Solamnic Order (see Clans for more details).

Like clerics, holy Knights must devote themselves to a God, or Goddess, to continue to have their prayers answered after a time. Unlike clerics, however, the choice of focus for their worship has no influence on the blessings they can call upon, nor must they make the journey to the ancient altar. Knights are able to devote themselves to their chosen deity from anywhere and recieve their sign, but as with clerics, once chosen, it cannot be changed.

Knights wield swords and staffs into battle, rejecting more cunning weapons like daggers and whips. They are proficient in battle, less so than a true fighter, but they are far more defensively minded, able to hold enemies at bay with ease and heal themselves with potent prayers. They can bring down cleansing flames or the Wrath of the Gods upon evil creatures or guard themselves with protectorate shields.

Humans, Elves and Half-Elves may become Knights.

Knights can be of good alignment only.

Outcast Knights

Outcasts are the dreaded warriors of darkness, black knights who spurn the callings of courtesy, chivalry and mercy; they spit on the Code and the Measure of the Solamnic Knights, following their own corrupted version as they see fit. Some were once Solamnic Knights; tired of the endless petitioning, sensing greater rewards could be found elsewhere, they left of their own will. Others had little choice, banished when evidence of brutality and cruelty became obvious. They are lonely wanderers, mistrustful, pitiless to the weak, seeking only power and domination. Paladine no longer answers their prayers; they instead augment their formidable fighting skills with black arts, hurling spells and curses to bring death to their enemies.

Some outcasts were never members of the Solamnic Order. Creatures born of darkness like the Draconians were trained as Outcast Knights from birth, an evil sect bred by Takhisis herself to mirror Paladine's army.

Outcasts fight with swords and axes, favouring the brutal simplicity of a heavy blade over weapons of finesse. They can cleave opponents in half with a single mighty blow, smash shields and weapons to pieces with ease, and learn ruthless techniques to take advantage of a badly wounded enemy. They supplement these skills with spells to bring blindness, poison, curses and a deadly magical sleep. It is even rumoured some of the more sadistic Outcasts can feast upon the flesh of the fallen, gaining horrifying strength from the blood of the vanquished.

Taken from the Code of the Outcasts:
1. Demand submission from those beneath your station.
2. A ruler's authority comes only through Strength.
3. Weakness in the great is rewarded by death.
4. The weak must earn our protection and our loyalty.
5. War is the only true expression of chivalry.
6. Avenge any slight or insult, however trivial.
7. Death before dishonour.

Humans, Dark Elves, Minotaurs and Draconians may become Outcast Knights.

Outcast Knights can be of evil alignment only.

Invokers

Invokers are magi who practice complex elemental magic, and are ever-seeking new arcane knowledge. Drawing upon the power of Lunitari, the Red Moon, they wield masterful control over the six Elements: air, earth, fire, water, energy and lightning. Powerful Invokers can combine the spells of all Elements in their strategies, blocking enemies with walls of ice, roasting them with balls of fire or calling a deadly shower of meteorites. Invokers are known as masters of offensive elemental magic, though they may also protect allies with elemental shields, brew useful potions or transfer objects to distant locations instantly.

To advance in specific Element, an Invoker must spend a considerable amount of time mastering the various spells of this Element. As mastery is achieved in these lesser spells, the Invoker learns new, more powerful enchantments which, in their turn, should be mastered to advance further. The way of the Invoker requires a great amount of time and patience, but a strong Invoker is definitely one of the most undesirable enemies to have.

The other essential point is that Invokers can learn dozens of secret spells from ancient books, and you may frequently see these magi roaming across the lands while searching for spellbooks.

Humans, Half-Elves, Elves, Wild Elves, Dark Elves, Gnomes and Draconians may become Invokers.

Invokers can be of any alignment.

Transmuters

Transmuters are the most common type of magi found on Krynn, concerned with the alteration, manipulation and transforming aspects of magic. Though relatively easy to begin, it takes a hard lifetime to master the complex subtleties of the discipline of Transmutation. Transmuters are divided into two major schools, Alteration and Abjuration. Young magi must choose which they wish to study and once chosen, the path is forever set and cannot be changed.

Abjurer's use their magic to enhance and protect themselves with layers of iron, hardened skin, giant strength and unnatural speed. They can wrap a sanctifying magic about themselves and others to guard from harm, whilst melee and magical attacks may be deflected by a powerful displacement spell. It is also rumoured that more remarkable abilities are unlocked once an Abjurer reaches the heights of his talents. Abjurer's can also shift forms, becoming fierce animals to bite and slash their foes. These forms are in no way as powerful as the Alteration Transmuters.

Alteration Transmuters have mastered the art of shifting forms, able to morph their own bodies into terrifying and deadly new creatures, tearing and smashing enemies to pieces in moments. Some can even shift into strange shelled or spiked animals, entering a protective state deflecting and absorbing the most punishing of attacks. They can shift between forms with a supernatural ease, needing no magical energy to maintain their shape. Even the mightiest of warriors cannot strike with the ferocity and swiftness of a rampaging lion, or find a shield as stout as the armoured shell of a giant turtle. The Alteration Transmuter's own body is their greatest weapon.

Humans, Elves, Wild Elves, Dark Elves, Half-Elves, Gnomes and Draconians may become Transmuters.

Transmuters can be of any alignment.

Necromancers

The class of magi known as Necromancers are practitioners of death magic. Drawing power from the Black Moon, Nuitari, they can raise the dead back to unholy life, bound in servitude and forced to follow the Necromancer in all his evil deeds. They thrive on forbidden teachings, thirsty for powerful secrets, endlessly seeking a way to extend their own life beyond the boundaries of mortal existence. The darkest of all magi, their knowledge of maledictious magic is unequalled. Under the gentle yet deadly embrace of a sleeping spell, a Necromancer's victim will quickly find themselves blind, their muscles weak and shaking, hideous weeping sores eating flesh away, cursed beyond help.

A Necromancer must master his spells before the secrets of more potent magic are revealed. It takes a huge amount of time and patience before a Necromancer becomes truly versed in his art, and many never reach that stage. Liches are Necromancers who have finally discovered the secret of eternal life, and besought Lord Chemosh to grant the ultimate benediction of an undying body.

While Necromancers may raise incredibly powerful minions to fight by their side and rescue them from danger, the magi themselves are as frail as their slaves are strong. A Necromancer has little combat ability and a weakened body unused to battle. Without their deadly minions, Necromancers quickly find themselves in danger, hunted by the followers of light and Nature who abhor their unnatural magic.

Humans, Dark Elves, Draconians may become Necromancers.

Necromancers can be of evil alignment only.