Soul of the Warrior

Chapter 42: Classist

Chapter 42: Classist

Monthly Experience

Calculating...

Relevant Skills Training: +800 Exp

Physical Exercise: +0 Exp

Sparring: +0 Exp

Knowledge and Understanding: +20 Exp

Life Experience: +2000 Exp

Total Monthly Exp: 2,820

Level Up! Lvl 28

Another two weeks had gone by since the first time the team had delved the Dungeon, and Reivyn had seen a tremendous increase in Experience just from the two runs. It turned out that the final hallway where they encountered the patrol of 14 Revenants was the final step before the boss room. The second floor of the Dungeon was considerably shorter than the first, yet magnitudes more dangerous.

He was concerned that he would outpace his two friends far too much if he continued getting an additional 8,000 Experience a week more, so he was able to convince them to move on to the next floor much sooner than he had expected. Teilon and Kimberly had gone with them and participated in the combat on the second floor, but due to the restrictions of them requiring their gear to be infused with mana, they only participated on the upper floors and stayed in the stairwell for the final patrol.

Reivyn saw a decrease of 2,000 Experience due to his friends joining them on the third run, and Melissa and Larissa saw a similar decrease. From a conversation with Teilon and Kimberly afterward, he learned that they had earned 4,500 Experience from the trip.

With the added participation of Erik, Teilon, and Kimberly, they each received around 4,500 experience, which amounts to 13,500 Experience - Erik didn't get any Experience the first trip besides from the normal skeletons. The two girls and I combined lost 2,000 each, which is 6,000 Experience. We somehow managed to gain an additional 7,500 experience spread between all of us. I have no idea what the calculations are, but other than for seeking Achievements, grouping up provides the most Experience. Sure, the total Experience gained would be far greater if everyone went in solo, but not everyone is able to clear the Dungeon's first floor, much less the Revenants, by themselves.

He was still at such a low level that he gained multiple Levels for each trip, but Melissa told him that would drop off a bit as he advanced into Tier 2.

"It's not a dramatic increase in Experience required to Level Up at Tier 2, but it ramps up quickly. For instance, Tier 1 Classes require the current Level times 100, all the way up to 2,900 Experience to reach the maximum Level of 30; however, to initiate the Class Change, you have to max the Experience in the maximum level out, so the full 3,000 Experience.

"Tier 2 Classes require an additional 200 times the Level, in addition to the amount required to reach max level in Tier 1. Level 1 is always a freebie in each Tier, and it's brought about by the changes the System makes to your meridians and the left over Experience from maxing out the previous Level. Tier 2 Level 2 requires 3,200 Experience, and to reach the max Level to go to Tier 3, which is Level 60 as opposed to 30, you would need 15,000 Experience at max Level.

"I was Level 22 on our first Dungeon dive, and that meant I required 7,400 Experience to Level Up. I've Leveled Up once for each Dungeon dive, but that will soon slow down as well. I'm not complaining, mind you; it's still really fast.

"This Dungeon is ridiculous for Caster Classes and anyone able to team up with Caster Classes, so I imagine almost everyone at the two Academies will make a trip out here once we return with the information on it. The System doesn't care that the Revenants are restricted due to the lack of mana density. We still get the full experience for killing them. We're basically getting the Experience reward for an entire Tier higher Dungeon."

Reivyn pulled up his Status page.

Status Name: Reivyn Class: Fighter Lvl 28 Age: 10 Health: 1190/1190 Stamina: 2200/2200 Mana: 915/915 Physical Stats Mental Stats STR: 101 INT: 91 VIT: 119 MAG: 92 DEX: 101 CLA: 34 CHA: 7 PER: 49 LUK: 8 Bloodline: Unknown 1000/10,000,000 Experience: 381/2800

Reivyn was concerned that, due to the nature of the System awarding Experience all at once when exiting the Dungeon or during the Monthly Experience Calculation, he would accidentally reach maximum Experience and accidentally initiate the Tier 2 Class Change before he was ready.

I don't know if the Class Change, once initiated, is irreversible or not. What if the System demands that I choose a new Class and doesn't let me activate the Experience Siphon? That would be terrible news. I'll go ahead and activate it to see how it works.

Reivyn mentally flipped the switch, and he felt a pull in his core as a whirlpool of experience formed in his heart.

Makes sense that the center of the Bloodline would be in the heart, Reivyn thought. He continued to examine the ability.

Experience was an intangible form of energy, so he wasn't able to see it like he could mana, despite all of his attempts at activating his Skill. It was a subtle thing, barely at the edges of his awareness, but he could feel the Experience that had permeated his body get sucked into his heart. He kept the ability active even after all of the remnant energy had been devoured, and he was happy to see that he was able to simply leave it on without even having to think about it. With nothing to absorb, the ability was inert, but he could tell that it was ready to gobble up any new Experience.

Bloodline: Unknown 1,381/10,000,000

Experience: 0/2800

Alright. Simple enough. I'll just reach Level 30, and then keep the siphoning ability active at all times until I'm ready to Tier up.

Reivyn deactivated his ability, and the waiting maw in his heart went dormant. It didn't cause any feelings of discomfort, no hunger or anything one might think about as an insatiable pull of energy, so he wasn't concerned about leaving it on at all times. If he didn't focus on it directly, it wouldn't cause any noticeable changes in his every-day life at all.

With the comfort of knowing he could delay his Tier up indefinitely at will, Reivyn turned his attention to another new addition.

Ever since he had been forced into the Fighter Class, the Class tab on his System Page had simply contained the general information about his Class, and nothing else; however, upon reaching Level 25, that had changed.

Now his Class Page was filled to the brim with possible Classes he could acquire upon reaching Tier 2. Several of them were grayed out, so he had sought Melissa once again for her counsel.

"Once someone reaches the last few Levels before reaching the next Tier, the Class Page will display the Classes that you have already unlocked, as well as the Classes you're close to unlocking.

"Classes that you almost meet the requirements to will be grayed out. The System doesn't provide the information about what needs to be done to fully unlock the Class, though. You will have to examine the Class, and, based on the context, figure out what it is that you're lacking.

"It could be anything: Stats, Skill Levels, Life Experience, or even something more intangible like reputation or affiliation with a group. You won't be able to unlock the Priest Class without being a member of a church, for instance. That includes the Paladin Class that Sir Reifold holds."

Reivyn ruminated on the information as he pulled the Class Page up.

Tier 2 Classes Available: Common: Hunter

Laborer

Mason

Miner

Story Teller

Woodsman Uncommon: Bowman

Horseman

Hunter *Wood

Laborer *Earth

Mason *Earth

Mage

Mercenary

Militiaman

Miner *Earth

Miner *Metal

Orator

Scout

Woodsman *Wood Rare: [Archer]

[Builder *Earth/Wood]

[Cavalryman]

[Dreamer]

[Fighter]

[Mage *Air]

[Mage *Darkness]

[Mage *Earth]

[Mage *Fire]

[Mage *Ice]

[Mage *Light]

[Mage *Magma]

[Mage *Metal]

[Mage *Water]

[Mage *Wood]

[Rogue]

[Politician]

[Tracker *Earth/Wood] Tier 3*: Uncommon*: Expert Hunter

Expert Laborer

Expert Mason

Expert Miner

Expert Story Teller

Expert Woodsman

Fortune Teller Rare*: Cataphract

Expert Hunter *Wood

Expert Laborer *Earth

Expert Mason *Earth

Expert Miner *Earth

Expert Miner *Metal

Expert Woodsman *Wood

Marksman

Statesman

Recon

Soldier

Soldier of Fortune

Wizard Epic*: Assassin

Chevalier

Magic Swordsman*

Shade

Sharpshooter

Veteran

Wizard *Air/Earth/Fire/Water Legendary*: Champion

Juggernaut

Reivyn had a lot of options available to him.

I doubt anyone else has the sheer number of Classes available to them upon Tiering up. Most of these can be ignored, though. No way I would ever choose a Common rarity Class, especially after the reminder from Melissa about having to have rarer Classes to even be able to continue Leveling Up.

Reivyn completely ignored the entire swathe of Common Classes and most of the Uncommon ones. He wasn't ever going to choose such a Class, but several of them caught his attention in the Uncommon rarity.

Let's start with Hunter *Wood. That makes me think it has something to do with the Wood Element Affinity.

Reivyn focused on the Class and received a pop-up notification window containing the information about the Class.

Hunter *Wood You are an expert at finding and killing game. You've delved into the intricacies of leather working, but skinning your prey is as far as your knowledge in the field goes. You have the ability to tap into the Mana that surrounds and subsumes all of Nature, bending it to your will. In addition to the normal Skill set a Hunter is equipped with, the Wood Aligned Hunter will be able to manipulate mana and use some rudimentary spells.

It's like I thought. Being able to use mana Skills inherently increases the rarity of a Lifestyle Class. Come to think of it, based on how the Classes are named, I would have realized something was up with mother's Class once I had access to this information. If it were a Lifestyle Class, it would have been Weaver *Light, instead of Light Weaver.

Thinking about it critically, the simple difference in the names has an entirely different connotation. A Weaver *Light would be a mundane Weaver with the ability to manipulate the Light Element, but a Light Weaver is one who literally weaves the Light.

With his curiosity sated, Reivyn moved on from the lesser Rarity Classes. He was determined to get a Rare Tier 3 Class eventually, but there were several Tier 2 Classes in the Rare section that piqued his interest.

Dreamer You have had an intangible connection to the ethereal realm of Dreams ever since you were young. Most dreams are what they appear on the surface, subconscious thoughts that you experience in your sleep. You, however, are able to delve beneath the surface. The Dreamer is able to experience a lucid dream at will. With practice the dreams one experiences will have a more significant connection to reality. Entering someone else's dreams are still out of reach for the Dreamer.

That one's interesting, and if I didn't already have a clear path ahead of me and didn't care about the possible consequences, I might have chosen such a Class to explore simply to see where it goes in the future.

Tracker *Earth/Wood You have the ability to sniff out and track any sort of target, be it beast or man, across any kind of terrain. Nobody on the run is safe with you on their tail, as you are not only Skilled in the ability to track and investigate, but you can use the Mana of Nature and the very Earth to assist you in your tasks. The Wood and Earth Aligned Tracker is skilled not only in recognizing tracks, trails, and scents, they're also able to conduct investigations and use mana Skills. Some simple Spells are at their disposal.

This Class sounds like it's a combination of Hunter, Woodsman, Militiaman, and a bit of Casting. From the description, there actually appears to be a lot of utility for such a Class, and I can see that anyone who goes down this route would have a lot of opportunities. It specifically says they're able to track not just beasts in the wilderness, but men and monsters, too. A Skilled Tracker could be employed by a city as an investigator or by the Army as a competent alternative to a Scout.

Reivyn already knew about the Fighter Class and the intricacies involved with the lower Tier Mage Classes. He also wasn't too interested in the other Combat Classes available in the Tier 2 range, so he moved his focus down the list to the Classes in Tier 3 that he already had access to or was close to unlocking. He could extrapolate the information in the other Classes just from their names, and focusing on them specifically wasn't necessary.

Fortune Teller You are able to barely see the threads of fate connecting one to the web of reality. You aren't able to predict the future, but you can see whether one is fated with a certain action or relationship. With higher Skill, more threads and higher clarity can be gleaned. The Fortune Teller is able to recommend whether a course of action is advisable or not. It isn't always 100% accurate, but with time and Skill, the Fortune Teller can not only accurately guide someone to a desired outcome, they can also manipulate common events.

Another interesting Class. Sure, it sounds kind of weak: Common Tier - it only shows as Uncommon because it's Tier 3 in Tier 2 - not 100% accurate and manipulate common events, but if anyone competent and/or lucky enough to encounter the right kind of opportunities goes down this path, I can see some powerful iterations at higher Tiers. Imagine someone able to manipulate extraordinary events. Or control someone's fate. I can see some interesting synergistic combinations arising out of someone who takes Dreamer/Fortune Teller as the Class build.

Then again, that would only be possible for someone who unlocks this in Tier 2. Having it listed as a Common Class is probably a way for the System to prevent such a person from arising, locking them out of Tier 4.

The Uncommon (Rare*) rarity was filled with Expert designated Lifestyle Classes. Reivyn assumed one would need to literally have Expert Level Skills to even qualify for the Classes.

The only reason I can see them as close to being unlocked is probably because of my Expert Mastery in Weapons Master and my high level Affinities. I would need to abandon my Adventuring and buckle down on working on the associated Skills to unlock any of those, and I have no intentions of doing anything of the sort.

Statesman You have inspired those around you with your words and deeds, and you have a Charisma that draws others to you. Embark on the path of the Statesman and control the lives of others through words instead of action. The Statesman can bend others to their will. It is not a nefarious mind control, but a Skilled Statesman can better argue their points and influence others to see things his way. As a champion for a cause one truly believes in, the Statesman can change the course of a nation.

Hmmm, I'm not really one for political machinations. I'm not so blind as to be led by the nose by others, but this simply isn't anything I'm interested in. Someone in a position of power, though, who becomes Skilled with such a Class could truly become a force to be reckoned with, not through the force of their own arms, but from the arms of many. I can only imagine the reason this was offered to me is because of my Inspire Skill and Charisma Stat. Both of those are explicitly stated in the description.

There wasn't really anything else of interest in the entire range of Classes that he was interested in, except for one, and it was only because it sounded similar to, but different from, the other Combat Classes.

Soldier of Fortune You are a professional Soldier, but you hold allegiance to no one. Some think the professional mercenary is beholden to money, but that isn't quite right, either. You hold allegiance to yourself. You go where the wind blows you, and fight the fights you choose. The Soldier of Fortune is more focused on individual combat as opposed to joining the ranks of his fellow brothers in arms. That isn't to say the Soldier of Fortune can't perform in an organized group, but they are more individualistic and independent. These characteristics serve them well in the life of Adventuring or selling their combat services to those who can afford it.

This Class sounds like the perfect transition for anyone discharging from the military service but wants to continue in the combat field. The specific mention of Adventuring probably makes this a popular choice, actually. I would probably need to get more Life Experience fighting as a soldier to unlock this Class, but I have no desire to do so at this point in my life.

Reivyn continued to peruse the options available to him further down the list.

Assassin You have spent time slinking in the shadows, but not to steal. You are as deadly with a blade or bow as any other competent fighter, but the darkness is your friend. Not only can you conceal yourself in the dark, but it doesn't hinder your ability to bring swift death to your foes. The Assassin can meld with the shadows and move about undetected where the common Rogue would be easily spotted. They can infiltrate hardened fortifications, and their targets aren't safe anywhere. The Assassin can operate in the pitch black of midnight just as well as the full sun of noon.

It would appear the Skill Blind Fighting is the lynchpin for this Class; as it says they aren't hindered by the dark. I would need to focus on increasing the Skill Level in order to have a chance at unlocking this Class. While I'm not interested in being a literal Assassin, I can see how the Class itself could provide some powerful boosts to combat and utility.

Chevalier You're able to fight mounted on a steed just as well as on foot. You can wield a wide variety of weapons and armor, but you aren't the vassal of a lord or lady. The Chevalier is most well known for their heavily armored combat abilities. They are able to operate with heavy plate just as well as their counterparts in more light-weight armor, and they have the Skill to utilize a wide array of weapons: Lances, Spears, Swords, and Ranged Weapons.

This sounds like an unaffiliated Knight. Going off of the words in the Class description and from what Melissa told me, one would need to swear allegiance to a lord or lady, and receive the proper recognition, to actually unlock the Knight Class. Considering Chevalier is an unattached equivalent, I'm sure there are some benefits to swearing to someone else to gain the Knight Class, but I don't know what those might be.

Magic Swordsman* You have an aptitude for Martial Combat as well as Casting. You have spent long hours honing your ability with a weapon, but you never slacked off on training your mana Skills and affinities. The Magic Swordsman is renowned for their versatility, and only the most talented of individuals are able to combine the Martial with the Magical. The Magic Swordsman chooses an Elemental Affinity to specialize in, and they are able to apply their Magic directly to their weapons, and at higher Skills, their armor. While the Magic Swordsman is unable to cast Spells in the traditional Sense, they are incredibly deadly at close range. *Synergy detected with Weapons Master Skill. Class can utilize Weapons Master instead of Swords.

This sounds right up my alley. The description paints a picture of someone doing what I'm currently doing, but with far more Skill and utility. That being said, the point of my next Class isn't to keep doing what I'm doing now, but to fully utilize my talents and open up further possibilities in the future. I'll keep my eye on this Class, and it's definitely in the running for what I'll choose - plus it's already unlocked - but I'll keep accumulating experience and Achievements and see if I can't get something more in line with my goals.

Shade You're a deadly assassin with the element of darkness at your fingertips. You're able to use the mana that shrouds the world to hide your presence and confuse your targets. The Shade is far more deadly than the mundane Assassin. Shades are able to utilize the Darkness Elemental Mana, and several superior Spells are at their disposal.

Not much different than the Assassin Class, but with this one, I would be able to properly bring my mana Skills to bear. If I had an inclination towards choosing the Assassin Class, then this one trumps that.

Sharpshooter Take aim with any ranged weapon, and strike your target from nearly any distance. You can extend the effective range of weapons beyond what others could possibly conceive. You are a terror on the battlefield. The Sharpshooter has deadly accuracy, even beyond what would normally be possible. They can strike at targets before others can even see them coming.

This Class would definitely require a much higher Aim Skill Level. Sure, my Weapons Master Skill can lift some of the load, but that Skill more affects my ability to use the weapon itself, and not necessarily the accuracy. It plays a role, for sure, but Aim is the true determining factor for ranged accuracy.

Veteran You have survived many battlefields, and many different life or death situations. You have the uncanny ability to perceive danger, and your presence is a solid rock for anyone else in your Party. The Veteran is able to soothe the nerves of others with their Aura alone. They instinctively know when danger is coming, and they know how to defeat it.

Veteran sounds like a great Class, actually. Even though the description is kind of bare-bones, the implications are amazing. This Class would be able to fully use the Sense Danger Skill, and it looks like it comes with an Aura Skill that relies on Inspire. This is much more than just a typical strong Combat Class, and it is closer to a leadership role that's also able to get down and dirty in the thick of it. This is the kind of Class that I think of when I think of the epitome of a soldier. Then again, despite how much I'm drawn to this Class, it's not for me.

Wizard *Air/Earth/Fire/Water You're able to expertly wield the four basic Elements. You can use simple Spells and complex designs of magic equally with ease across the spectrum of all the basic elements, and you're able to somewhat use others, as well. The Full-Basic-Elements-Aligned Wizard is a powerful Caster. Their Spells are no longer restricted to one Element, but they can shape each of their Spells to their desired Element, and the weaker versions can also be used with more complicated Elemental Tiers. Simple Bolt Spells no longer take up a Class Skill slot, and they have several powerful Spells available to them.

It looks like one needs to, at minimum, master the ability to free-hand cast each of the basic four Elemental Bolt Spells. I have a decent grasp on Fire and Ice - which probably counts towards Water, but I should work on that in my own time as well, just to be safe - but I'll need to figure out the mana weaves intrinsic to the other elements.

Maybe I can post a notice in the Adventurer's Guild Branch to pay for some tutoring from others who have the other Elemental Bolt Spells to learn from. Yeah, that sounds like a plan, and something I should do anyway. This is definitely the frontrunner for my next Class right now, and I should focus on trying to unlock it.

Reivyn wasn't done looking at the other Classes just because he found a strong candidate. He still had two more Classes, and they were of a higher rarity. Reivyn was surprised to see that he was somewhat close to unlocking Epic (Legendary*) rarity Tier 3 Classes.

Champion You are a bastion of light on the combat field. None can stand before you, and those that follow in your wake are bolstered by your very presence. The Champion is a master of their preferred method of combat. They can wield mana Skills in an expert display of synergy between Martial and Magical, and they lead from the front. They are able to sway the entire battlefield with their Aura, and none will break and run when a Champion leads the charge.

There's a lot of subtext in those lines: able to use the Light Element, high Battlefield Awareness Skill, Master of combat, Expert mana Skills, high Inspire Skill. If I was interested in the Magic Swordsman and Veteran Classes before, this Class puts both of those to shame. And the requirements listed between the lines are insane, at least for someone in Tier 2. I'm sure it would be a lot easier for someone to acquire Master Level in a Martial Skill plus Expert Level in mana Skills with an additional 60 Levels available for them to train in. I'm actually 100% confident I could easily unlock this Class in the future. In fact, as of right now, this is the Class that I want once I legitimately reach Tier 3.

Reivyn was truly impressed with the short description of this Class. He would likely find other Classes just as interesting and powerful in the future, but this one was a good one to choose as a goal for now. With his thoughts in order on what he would work towards one day, Reivyn read the last Class in his list.

Juggernaut You are a whirlwind of unstoppable death on the battlefield. You are a berserker that can launch a devastating assault just as easily as you can act as a level-headed bulwark to protect your companions. The Juggernaut is a steel tornado. They are able to freely wield any weapon or armor, and they can assume the role of absolute destroyer or absolute defender. Woe be to any who get in the way of the Juggernaut.

This sounds like the less magical version of Champion, but with just as much Skill and utility, just in a different way. I mean, it wouldn't also be listed as an Epic Class if it was noticeably weaker. If I thought the Veteran was the epitome of a soldier before, then that would only apply to the basic troops now. This is the epitome of a soldier: able to attack and defend in equal measure, and able to bolster morale and intimidate their foes.

Reivyn concluded his perusal of the various Classes that he had access to. He had gone through all of the ones that had any chance of being selected, and not only had he found a Class to work towards unlocking in Tier 2, but he also had an even further goal to work toward once again.

He was quickly approaching the day when he would be able to reach Tier 2, and he needed to get more Achievements under his belt if he wanted to get the best Class possible.

This week we're going to tackle the boss room of the second floor. I'm sure there's an amazing Achievement, for all of us, for successfully doing so. Next week: Solo Dungeon Delve.