Classes

Players on Dead of Night can choose any combination of 12 classes for their characters.  Each class a character has grants a certain set of skills, spells or songs that he or she can learn.  Some classes and their abilities can combine in interesting ways.  Before you choose your classes, though, you should be aware that the more classes you choose, the less skilled you will be in each area.  Don't be discouraged if you find it difficult to combine some abilities; you may find that grouping with others is a much better way of putting some skills together.


Mages

The words that could be heard coming from the robed man seemed to twist in mid air as if they hated being in this reality. There was power in those words, the apprentice realized -- if only he could harness that power, too. Abruptly, the incantations reached a climax as a strange mist formed in the center of the silver, runed circle in front of the Mage and his apprentice. The mist cleared and a figure seemingly from the depths of nightmares stood in the center. <You summoned me again?> The voice seemed to appear directly in the minds of the mage and apprentice.
"Yes," said the Mage carefully focusing his will on the creature in front of him, "I have need of your services once more...."
At this point, the apprentice lost his battle with fear and collapsed unconscious....


Mages: Known the world over as summoners of mystical creatures, hurlers of fireballs, and doers of great deeds. Mages on Dead of Night are a powerful class. They can potentially wield an astonishing number of spells, more than any other class, but tend to be physically weak and poor in hand to hand combat due to the long hours of study necessary for the magical arts. A mage with the right spells can mimic a great number of the skills of other classes. With the correct intonations, they can force a door like a warrior, heal themselves by leeching the health of others, change their shape to avoid detection, track like a ranger, and much, much more. Intelligence is of obvious importance to a mage, as is the raw will power to control the forces they deal with, especially when attempting to control the actions of summoned creatures.

To the top

Warriors

The trade negotiations were going slowly. The soldiers assigned to protect the delegation were standing around looking vaguely bored as things dragged on with them having nothing to do.
"Cheer up lads! On the way back we might run into that band of orcs we heard about."  Some of the soldiers smiled at their Commander as he tried to cheer them slightly with the promise of some action.  A huge explosion rang out behind them as the tent in which the trade meeting had been taking place suddenly exploded and the stunned soldiers saw what looked like corpses moving into the camp, slaying anything that came near them.
"You lads wanted action! Well, it looks like it's come to meet us! Double line, watch the flanks and don't let them touch you!" barked the Commander as the soldiers fell into one of their standard formations and advanced towards the attackers. 


Warriors on Dead of Night range in scope from half-orc barbarians that can barely string a sentence together to erudite cavaliers who strike with speed rather than pure brute strength. Every culture has its warriors. Guardsmen, soldiers, heroes, kings, mercenaries. All fighters and all deadly. Warriors get few skills but those they do have make slaying their foes easier. A skilled warrior can dodge or parry their opponents' strikes, disarm them, knock them over, and deliver crushing kicks. They can also smash doors open, provided the door isn't too strongly reinforced.  As warriors get older and somewhat wiser, they learn the fine art of creating weapons from raw ore, although dwarven forged weaponry is still considered to be the finest in the lands. Strength, constitution and dexterity are the most useful for Warriors as these are the more combat-oriented abilities.

To the top

Clerics

Where is that Cleric, by Conan's Blade?, thought the Commander as he hacked the arms from another of the undead monstrosities before him. His second had fallen a few minutes ago, and the magical trinkets they had been given earlier had allowed him to call for clerical aid. Risking a glance around, he spotted a young woman in flowing robes with a medallion prominently displayed around her neck, making her way through the middle of the battlefield. He could almost see the aura of power around her but the undead creatures simply ignored her as if she didn't exist. Reaching his side, the young cleric knelt down to the injured man and began a brief incantation.
"Lady Alicia, hear my prayer! This man needs your power to flow into him and make him whole again!" She repeated the same phrase over and over for a while as the scratch marks and other wounds on the fallen soldier began to close up. Moments later, he was back on his feet, standing beside the Commander, looking as healthy as he had that morning while the young cleric moved off with a smile to tend to other injured soldiers.


Clerics hold in their hands the power of life and death. They are the healers of Dead of Night, wielding curative magics, but they also wield abilities to raise the dead and tear living things apart. Just as Warriors have different characteristics, so to do Clerics. There are those whose sole purpose seems to be healing and caring for others. These are the ones who will resurrect you if you fall in battle, patch up your wounds and refresh your body when it grows tired. But there are those clerics that will summon hordes of undead servants to do their evil work, bring monsters back from the dead to serve them and tear your body asunder with a few muttered syllables. All clerics are useful in battle as they can accelerate the reactions of people in combat, create fields which will reduce damage taken, and cause opponents' bodies to seize up and no longer move. Wisdom and intelligence are important abilities for Clerics, but most clerics find themselves needed in physical battles, so strength and dexterity are also useful.

To the top

Thieves

The hour of High Moon had come and gone in the courtyard. Only a few guards remained, sleepily yawning away their remaining hours on duty. It was no surprise to the young man that none of them saw him creep around the edges of the courtyard towards the temple at the far side. Even if they had seen him, he'd have seemed nothing more than a shadow moving with whisper quietness through the darkness. Reaching the temple, he quickly rejected the main doors, glowing slightly in the night, and instead turned towards the side entrances. Chuckling silently to himself, he idly wondered why the temple placed such powerful wards on the main doors but used simplistic 5 tumbler locks on the side ones. Within a few moments, he was inside and moved with silent purpose towards his goal. He had been hired to "liberate" a certain artifact from this temple. Something about the clerics of this religion causing his employer some concern, not that he tended to get involved in the reasons himself. As long as the remuneration was large enough, he'd be fine. Ahead of him, he spotted his goal: a small golden statuette of a Goddess. This was too easy, he thought to himself as he reached for it. 


Thieves also come in all shapes and sizes, from the skilled "reclamations specialist" to the sneaky army scout. The defining characteristic they all share is their preferred method of combat. While warriors are up front and physically imposing, thieves tend to be sneakier, fighting dirtier, distracting opponents with a hurled dagger or handful of dirt and then issuing a killing blow with a stab to the back. Thieves are also skilled in avoiding detection, able to hide themselves away from sight and move stealthily around escaping notice by all except powerful psionists and the Immortals. Dexterity and wisdom are the most important abilities for thieves, although strength helps in case they are spotted attempting to "reclaim" something.

To the top

Paladins

A woman dressed from head to foot in plate armor and carrying a large broadsword at her hip walked towards the main temple hall. Guard duty is a pain, she thought to herself, but realized that she only had herself to blame. Her failure to protect the delegation properly had given her this demotion. The fact that there was nothing she could have done had no bearing on it. She had failed, but she would succeed in the future. For now though, she thought, I'm stuck in the Hall of the Goddess babysitting some priests. Resigning herself to her fate, she headed into the main hall and momentarily froze. There on the altar steps ahead of her was a small figure holding the Gold Statuette! Running forward and drawing her sword, she charged the intruder who dared profane this sanctified place. The figure drew a slim blade and took up a fighting stance, but didn't count on the Paladin's shout of fury, carrying the power of her Goddess with it. The thief was picked up and hurled solidly against a wall by the magical force of her shout and fell still on the floor. 


Paladins are the holy warriors of the churches. Powerful as the warrior, holy as the cleric, paladins bridge the two classes and enjoy some of the abilities of both, along with some unique skills of their own. All paladins have the ability to heal the pure of heart with a single touch, and they can issue combat blessings. More powerful than the simple bless spell, these blessings can increase the strength of recipients and, as the paladin grows stronger, even reduce the damage the recipient will take in combat. One of the most famous Paladin abilities is the fearsome war cry. A powerful shout of holy rage and anger towards an opponent, this shout carries with it a portion of the power of the Paladin's god, making it a devastating weapon. The war cry harms creatures that are deeply evil much more than those who are neutral or good in alignment. Paladins should have high wisdom and strength, although dexterity is also useful. They also should try to maintain a high alignment, as their skills are more powerful the purer their faith.

To the top

Psionists

"I want to know who sent him," said the high priest calmly. "Scan his mind and find out who it was." An almost painfully thin old man moved closer to the bed where the thief lay. The priests had patched him up after the paladin had finished with him, but he was still unconscious. The psionist closed his eyes and reached out with his fingers, lightly touching the thief's head. "A city. Dark. Surrounded by forest. Ruins." mumbled the old man as he dragged images from the mind of the thief. 
"Orshingal!" said the psionist in triumph. "He was hired in Orshingal."
The high priest seemed lost in thought for a while before asking "Can you gate my agent there to investigate?"
"Do not worry about me, my Lord. I have more than enough strength left." 


Psionists are the masters of the mind. Able to cloud the minds of those around them or unleash a psychic scream to stun them, they can be furious in battle. One of their most useful talents is the power to sense all things around them, even if they are hidden.  Another is the ability to rend the fabric of space with their minds, opening gateways to other locations. Unfortunately for the psionists, some creatures either simply don't have a mind to attack, or their minds are too alien for psionic assaults. Wisdom and intelligence are very important qualities for the psionist as without these, his illusions would not be as realistic, nor would he have the force of will to use his skills.

To the top

Shapeshifters

The gate closed with a silent rush of air and all was peaceful again in the ruins of Orshingal. None of the monstrous guards wandering the city noticed a small stone rolling along the road. Perhaps if they were more observant, they would have noticed that it was rolling uphill. Rolling into an abandoned building, the stone stopped, turned into a pool of liquid and spread out before reforming into the shape of a small humanoid. He reached for a small snake at his feet, touched it, and immediately changed his shape into that of the snake. The new snake slithered off to find out what he could.  A day later, no one noticed the small rabbit hopping off into the forest, changing colors like a chameleon to disappear from view.


Shapeshifters are the masters of infiltration, even more so than thieves. They are able to alter the forms of their bodies, allowing them to make hands into weapons, grow wings or even take on the shapes and abilities of other creatures. Combinations of their skills can transform the weakest shifter into a ferocious combat machine as arms become crushing talons, the skin becomes inch-thick armor plating, and the form becomes that of some huge beast!  Lycanthropes are the only creatures with this shapeshifting ability, and they seem to have no other exceptional talents.

To the top

Blackguards

As he wiped his blade in the grass, the man in gleaming black armor smiled at his handiwork laying at the side of the road. The young paladin had been foolish to think he could approach the nearby battle unnoticed, hoping to turn the tide. The dark knight's vampyric shield had been quite effective at draining the life from the paladin even as he attacked. He chuckled to himself saying, "This assignment isn't as bad as I'd expected."
He peered through the trees in search of glowing light auras, but the woods were now still, and the forest creatures had long since fled the scene of the battle. Suddenly he heard a twig snap behind him, and he dodged a mighty kick as he spun to face his assailant. He cast a quick spell of distraction, and the lithe figure in black staggered dazedly away from him, giving a feminine laugh.
"Nice work, blackguard. We must be on our toes at all times, must we not?" she called as she gazed at him winningly. He only smiled and shrugged his agreement. As the sounds of renewed combat reached their ears, they bestowed upon themselves the unholiest blessing of their wicked gods and went to join the fray.


Blackguards are the counterpart of paladins, serving their cruel gods as the paladins serve their benevolent ones; they have only recently become organized enough to enter the world as a formal guild. As Blackguards seek to upset whatever peaceful order they can find in society, their skills are more powerful the more evilly aligned they are. They share many useful skills with the warrior class but also have access to some of the darker cleric spells, as well as having a number of abilities that are uniquely their own. Intelligence and strength are some of the more important attributes for a blackguard to possess.

To the top

Bards

The battle was ferocious, already with tremendous losses on both sides. Neither side appeared to have the advantage as the clerics of Alicia fought alongside various mercenaries against the orcs, enfans, and other evil creatures arrayed before them. As the tide of battle took a turn against the clerics, they appeared to flag and begin to lose confidence. At that moment, a rich deep singing voice ran out from the center of the clerics' lines. The song seemed to inspire joy and faith in those who heard it while relieving their weariness. At the same time, their evil opponents seemed to gain a look of fear and despair. The Bards had arrived and their combat songs would help win the day.


Bards brought with them a strange new form of magic when they arrived, a number of years ago, from the continent of Shaddath. Through the use of song and music, a bard can invoke a number of effects, including pain, confidence, fear, and healing. They also possess some thief-like skills as Bards are often wanderers who occasionally need to "liberate" some things to make their way. Many songs are most effective when the bard is a member of a group, and it is here that bards excel. An adventuring band with a bard present will greatly enjoy his assistance as much as his company. Bards rely heavily on dexterity for success in combat.

To the top

Monks

The Commander looked with some amazement at the message he had just received from the rear lines. It simply read "Yes," in a steady clear hand. After a moment's hesitation, he ordered a bard to send the signal, and a piercing trumpet blast sent the troops into a hasty retreat towards the forest on either side of the battlefield.
The diminished enemy troops surged into the now-open corridor down the middle of the battlefield, coming to a sudden halt as they reached what had been the rear lines. There they were met by a group of about fifty men and women, unarmed, in plain robes of brown, black, and white, all poised for combat. When the orc chieftain laughed and ordered the charge to continue, the dark army spilled into the robed figures and began to fall soundlessly. At first it seemed to happen by magic, but the attackers soon realized that the monks were moving faster than the eye could see. The orc chieftain ordered a retreat to mid-field, but the "retreated" troops of Alicia's army had re-entered the field from both sides and from behind the enemy forces, boxing them in.
The Commander was organizing the enemy captives when he caught sight of one of the monk leaders and called out to him, relief clear on his face. The monk approached calmly, smiling slightly. "Did I not say that we could provide the resistance you required?"


For many years, monks on Dead of Night had practiced and trained with the most profound secrecy; only in recent ages have they begun accepting students from the general population. They are the masters of unarmed combat, using battle-stances and striking techniques that average mercenaries would never dream of, and their speed is the envy of fighters everywhere. Monks currently rely on a very small core of skills, but investigation into the deeper mysteries will lead to more abilities in the future. Strength and dexterity are the most critical traits needed to be a monk.

To the top

Rangers

As the clerics sifted through the wreckage after the battle, they realized they could not find the body of the wizard anywhere.
"Where is he?" asked the high priest angrily.  A figure dressed in leather stepped forward.
"We found some tracks to the north of the city. 3 orcs walking. One person on horseback. The 3 were injured in the battle, as was the horse."
"Can you find them?" asked the priest, looking impressed.
"A simple matter, my Lord." said the ranger as he headed off towards the north. 


Rangers are the forest or wilderness warriors of Dead of Night. Fighting in combat somewhat like wild animals, they possess many skills to aid them in the outdoor life. They can create armor, bows and arrows for themselves, camouflage themselves and unerringly track their prey for miles. Dexterity, strength and wisdom are the key qualities of Rangers.

To the top

Druids

The Wizard looked about wildly. He had a gateway hidden somewhere around here, but he couldn't find it. Blasted trees, he thought to himself. Blasted Rangers too. The rangers sent to find him had killed his horse and his guards before he'd immolated them. Now he was lost in this stupid forest. In front of him, one of the oak trees suddenly moved, and started walking towards him on a bed of huge roots.
STOP DEFILER, came a voice that seemed to speak of age and immense power. The wizard cursed his luck as he began to conjure a ball of flame to hurl at the tree. Before he could cast it, the tree's branches shook slightly and a mass of stinging and biting insects emerged from nowhere and swarmed at the wizard. The screams didn't last long before the insects disappeared into the forest again, leaving a clean skeleton behind. The tree shimmered and seemed to collapse in on itself, leaving an old looking man in a white robe. The man shook his head slightly and wandered off into the forest.


Druids are to rangers what clerics are to paladins. They are wilderness priests, uncomfortable in the cities but extremely powerful in natural settings.  Druids command a large number of nature-based skills and spells. They are able to take the form of a mobile tree, camouflage themselves in the wild, summon natural animals and elementals, and cause nature itself to strike at their foes. Some druids are also known to brew special potions using certain plant ingredients found all over the three continents. For a druid, intelligence is integral.

To the top

The two figures, one slim and delicate looking, the other tall and massive, turned away from the image of Pancea showing in a circle of glowing energy floating in the room with them.
"You played well, Sensi." said the woman as they left the room, slipping out of existence. "You almost defeated my worshipers this time." From nothing, the two figures emerged in the Hall of the Gods.
"Next time, you may not be so lucky, Alicia." rumbled the tall man as a grin spread over his face.
"I look forward to the challenge." Alicia said with a smile as the pair walked into the company of the other Immortals.