Defeat a challenging enemy through the use of only magic: 0/1
The Path of Balance
Path Attribute Progression:
+2 to Strength, Agility, Intelligence, and Willpower per level
Path Ability Progression:
On adopting this path and choosing an Advanced Class, your future progression will shift to favor a balanced approach between Martial and Magical abilities every time a Class Skill Point is obtained.
Capstone Trait:
Arcane Touch
Description: After much practice and honing both your martial and magical prowess, you have become well-practiced at using spells channeled through your weapon or body, learning how to empower their effects while reducing their mana cost.
Effect: Any spell or magic-based traits that you channel through your weapon or natural body to attack a target has its effects increased by 15% and mana cost reduced by 35%. In addition, the weapon’s physical properties no longer matter when spells or traits are channeled through them, such as a metallic weapon conducting electricity.
Trial to Obtain:
Defeat a challenging enemy through the use of both skill and magic: 0/1
The Path of Skill
Path Attribute Progression:
+4 to Agility and Intelligence per level
Path Ability Progression:
On adopting this path and choosing an Advanced Class, your future progression will shift to favor more Martial abilities over Magical ones each time a Class Skill Point is obtained.
Capstone Trait:
Way of the Sword
Description: You have come a long way since you first picked up a sword with shaking hands. Now, after endless practice and battle, you wield the blade with the skill of an artist, painting it across your enemies with deadly grace while effortlessly evading their attempt to injure you.
Effect: When wielding a sword, you gain a +5% bonus to Attack Speed, Damage Dealt, Critical Strike Chance, Critical Hit Damage, Dodge, and Parry.
Trial to Obtain:
Defeat a challenging enemy through the use of only physical skill and swordsmanship: 0/1
Available Advanced Class #1:
Battle Mage
Masters of destruction, Battle Mages are living weapons that stride across the battlefield nigh unopposed. Armed with a weapon in one hand and an endless library of lethal spells in the other, these magical practitioners are best suited for mass combat where they are able to wreak havoc on all those before them. However, due to this purely offensive focus, Battle Mages often fall behind other spellcasters, gaining fewer utility-based spells or abilities.
Role: Area of Effect Damage, Single Target Damage, Support
HP Progression: Moderate
Armor: Light, Medium, Heavy
Weapon Skills: All martial weapons
Arcane Trees: Evocation, Conjuration
Class Difficulty: Low
Class Attribute Progression:
+20 to Constitution and Intelligence on adopting the Advanced Class
+4 to Constitution and Intelligence per level
Class Ability:
Battle Magic Mastery:
Thanks to their innate skill combined with tireless hours of practice, offensive magic comes easily to the Battle Mage, allowing them to master difficult spells in a fraction of the time it would take others to, as well as add additional potency to their effects.
Effect: All Spell Mastery requirements for Evocation and Conjuration spells are reduced by 2 levels, and all damage done by offensive spells are increased by 15%.
On adopting this class, you will learn the following spells:
Thunderburst
Type: Spell, Class Skill
Duration: Instant
Range: 50 feet target, 15 feet radius of effect
Arcane Tree: Conjuration
Spell Mastery: Conjuration – Level 30
Mana Cost: 600
Description: Channeling a potent blast of electricity at a point you designate, you conjure a ball of lightning at a specific point and cause it to explode, electrocuting everything around it.
Effect: Lightning explodes in a fifteen-foot radius around a target, shocking everything for 500 points of electricity damage and potentially stunning afflicted targets for up to 5 seconds.
Breath of Winter
Type: Spell, Class Skill
Duration: Instant
Range: 30-foot cone
Arcane Tree: Evocation
Spell Mastery: Evocation – Level 30
Mana Cost: 600
Description: You exhale a chilling blast of wind before you, causing everything to freeze.
Effect: A wave of pure cold extends outwards from you in a thirty-foot cone, freezing all it touches and dealing 550 points of cold damage. In addition, every afflicted target has a chance to have their movement and attack speed decreased by up to 50% for the next 10 seconds.
Lava Bolt
Type: Spell, Class Skill
Duration: Instant
Range: 100 feet to target, 20 feet radius of effect
Arcane Tree: Conjuration
Spell Mastery: Conjuration – Level 30
Mana Cost: 650
Description: You conjure an oozing sphere of lava and throw it at your target, causing it to explode in a burning conflagration of ash.
Effect: You throw a blazing fireball at your target, which on detonating deals 600 points of fire damage to all afflicted targets. In addition, every afflicted target has a chance to be [Seared], which deals an additional 25% of the fire damage inflicted over the next 3 seconds.
Available Advanced Class #2:
Kensai
Turning their magical ability towards themselves and their chosen weapon, a Kensai is a fierce martial combatant that thrives in the thick of battle. Using their powerful arcane might, they are capable of augmenting both their weapon and body instantly to adapt to the situation before them, imbuing either with a variety of potent abilities. Leaning heavily on the martial aspect of their ability, a Kensai tends to focus on passive magical abilities, eschewing the flashy or destructive nature of their other spellcasting cousins.
Role: Single Target Damage, Support, Recon, Evasion Tanking
HP Progression: Moderate
Armor: Light, Medium
Weapon Skills: All martial weapons
Arcane Trees: Abjuration, Alteration, Conjuration
Class Difficulty: Moderate
Class Adoption Bonus:
+20 to Strength and Agility
+4 to Strength and Agility per level afterward
Class Ability:
Bonded Weapon
In order to make use of their potent imbuements, a Kensai must bond with their chosen weapon, shifting a portion of their essence into it. Once completed, it becomes exceptionally potent in their hands, gaining a preternatural sharpness and speed.
Effect: In the hands of its wielder, a Bonded Weapon gains an additional +10% damage and +15% critical hit damage, while also allowing for the Kensai to further Imbue it. Note: This bond is not permanent and can be shifted to another weapon by meditating with it for an hour uninterrupted.
On adopting this class, you will learn the following Imbuements:
Keen Edge
Type: Imbuement, Class Skill
Duration: Until Cancelled
Range: Self
Arcane Tree: Alteration
Spell Mastery: Alteration – Level 30
Mana Cost: 300
Description: Channeling pure mana into your weapon, you imbue it with a mystical sharpness, causing it to glow brightly with azure energy.
Effect: For as long as the imbuement remains active, you deal an additional +50 weapon damage with every attack.
Steelskin
Type: Imbuement, Class Skill
Duration: 3 minutes or until effect ends
Range: Self
Arcane Tree: Abjuration
Spell Mastery: Abjuration – Level 30
Mana Cost: 500
Description: Focusing your magical energy inwards, you temporarily augment your very flesh, granting it the resilience of steel.
Effect: For the duration of the imbuement or until you absorb 2000 points of damage, you gain a 50% damage reduction against all physical attacks. Due to the toll this ability takes on your body, it can only be used once every ten minutes.
Quicksilver
Type: Imbuement, Class Skill
Duration: 15 seconds
Range: Self
Arcane Tree: Alteration
Spell Mastery: Alteration – Level 30
Mana Cost: 400
Description: You flood your body with mana, temporarily supercharging it with a burst of speed.
Effect: For the duration of the imbuement, you gain +50% movement and attack speed. Due to the toll this ability takes on your body, it can only be used once every ten minutes.
Available Advanced Class #3:
Spellstriker
A master in both magic and martial prowess, the Spellstriker elevates combat into an artform, seamlessly blending the two together in a stunning display of skill and ability. Capable of calling upon either physical might or raw magic in dealing with any problem, their versatility allows them to rapidly adjust to a changing battlefield and seize whatever advantage is before them.
Role: Damage, Support, Recon
HP Progression: Moderate
Armor: Light, Medium
Weapon Skills: All martial weapons
Arcane Trees: Abjuration, Alteration, Conjuration, Evocation
Class Difficulty: Moderate
Class Adoption Bonus:
+10 to Strength, Agility, Intelligence, and Willpower
+2 to Strength, Agility, Intelligence, and Willpower per level afterward
Class Ability:
Magical Strike:
Thanks to their constant use and study of magic, Spellstrikers have learned how to suffuse either their weapon or physical strike with arcane power, adding both extra potency and special effects to their attacks.
Effect: When striking at an enemy, you are able to enhance either your weapon or your body with any type of magic that you have Mastered. This magic can range from elemental strikes, such as fire or ice, or non-elemental ones such as curse or illusion magic.
On adopting this class, you will gain Mastery over Frost, Fire, and Thunder, learning the following strikes:
Frost Strike
Type: Spell, Class Skill
Duration: Instant
Arcane Tree: Evocation
Spell Mastery: Evocation - Level 30
Mana Cost: 220
Description: You channel an intense magical cold into your weapon or fist, causing it to become coated in a layer of rime and frost.
Effect: When you strike your next target, you deal Weapon Damage +170-230 points of Cold Damage. On strike, there is a chance you will [Frostbite] the target, slowing their attack speed and movement speed by 30% for the next 3 seconds. This effect only stacks once.
Fire Strike
Type: Spell, Class Skill
Duration: Instant
Arcane Tree: Evocation
Spell Mastery: Evocation - Level 30
Mana Cost: 320
Description: You channel an intense magical fire into your weapon or fist, causing it to glow red with heat.
Effect: When you strike your next target, you deal Weapon Damage +250-350 points of Fire Damage. On strike, there is a chance you will [Burn] the target, dealing an additional 75% Fire Damage inflicted over the next 5 seconds. This effect only stacks once.
Thunder Strike
Type: Spell, Class Skill
Duration: Instant
Arcane Tree: Evocation
Spell Mastery: Evocation - Level 30
Mana Cost: 290
Description: You channel an intense magical electricity into your weapon or fist, causing it to crackle with power.
Effect: When you strike your next target, you deal Weapon Damage +200-300 points of Lightning Damage. On strike there is a chance you will [Shock] the target, stunning them and preventing any action for up to 3 seconds. This effect can only occur once every 30 seconds on the same target.
“Oh, wow,” I said as I finished reading through the massive update, feeling like a man coming up for air after a long dive underwater. “Th-that was intense. There’s just so much to go over. And all the options, too.”
“Tell me about it,” Constantine stated, his voice sounding more than a little bit overwhelmed as he spoke. “And no wonder everyone figured to keep this all to their chest. It’d take them ages to explain everything.”
“No kidding,” I replied, shaking my head as I tried to unpack everything that I’d read, let alone start to figure out which of the paths and advanced classes I’d want to choose. “What were—”
“Hey, Constantine, Lyr!” Freya’s voice suddenly called out, causing us both to flinch in surprise and twist towards it as she continued to speak, eventually spotting both her and Huxley jogging towards us. “Sorry to interrupt, but we have news that can’t wait.”
“News?” I repeated as the pair joined us, it taking me a second to remember that the scout hadn’t been a part of our group but rather part of the one that had been assigned to keep an eye on Valor’s Point. “What happened?”
“They’re here,” Huxley replied simply, looking at a little dazed as he met my eye. “And it is here too. We just saw it come over the rise, along with all the rest of them. They’re all spreading out up top in the base and in front of the hill.”
“Damn,” I said, needing no further explanation of what exactly it was, the expression on the man’s face telling me all that I needed to know. “Then it looks like our day hunting their vanguards is as good as over.”
“It looks like it,” Freya replied before glancing over towards Huxley. “But that’s not all that they did.”
“No, it definitely wasn’t,” the elf said, shaking his head as he spoke, his eyes never wavering from mine. “It took them a bit of time before the bulk of their army made it over the rise. After they did though, they sent a group out knowing full well that we’d see them. A group with a white flag.
“It looks like they want to talk.”
Chapter 62
What could they possibly want to talk about? I thought we were way past that point. Especially after what we did at Khudazal, I thought, replaying Huxley’s words in my mind as we began to run northward towards Valor’s Point, splitting away from Janus and the others as we left the now-barren battlefield behind. Once again, their combined group would end up trailing us as a reserve force in case we ran into any orcs along our way, while also staying out of sight once we arrived at our destination. We’ve been fighting both the orcs and the Dread Crew for nearly a month now, even longer if you start counting after the Tower battle, and they never once made any effort to talk to us. Is it because Zhul is with them? Is he hoping that we’ll be intimidated by his army and either surrender or flee, saving him the trouble of fighting us?
Either that or try and lead us into a trap at the meeting itself, I added a second afterward, wondering if I was being an idiot even for considering meeting with the orcs in the first place. Given their wholly different culture—and by extension, concept of honor—the implied truce and safety that a white flag offered might mean something entirely different to them that it traditionally did to us. Which if it ends up being the case, we’re likely to find out about it the hard way.
But on the flip side, I wondered if there was any reason for us to keep our word and honor the orcs’ white flag, especially if it was Zhul that stepped forward to meet with us. No matter what happened in the meeting, I figured that it was almost guaranteed that the orcs would continue to press on to Aldford, leaving us with little to lose if we decided to roll the dice and attack. It would be a technically dishonorable thing to do, but I wasn’t sure if that was something that really mattered to me, especially not if
it allowed us to decapitate the orc leadership and give us a better shot at surviving this war.
Let alone winning it.
Shaking my head at the path that my thoughts were heading, I forced myself to relax and focus on something else for a time, shifting to look ahead at the horizon, my eyes scanning over the ravaged landscape.
Similar to how the plains had come to look after our stalemate with the Dread Crew, the now-burnt and ash-covered meadow we ran through was the result of the scorched earth policy that we’d adopted after losing Valor’s Point. Wanting to make sure that there was nothing for the orcs to use as they made their final push towards Aldford, we’d taken pains to burn down or destroy everything that could possibly help them wage war on us. From forests to water wells and everything else in between, we’d gritted our teeth and had done what we’d felt was necessary for our continued survival. The result of those efforts, aside from the thick ash and smoke that now seemed to permanently hang in the air, was the near-complete absence of any signs of life or even the basic ingredients to support it. If the orcs had any intention of living off the land as they pressed closer towards us, then they would be forced to work harder to do so, straining what we hoped were already their overtaxed logistics even further.
And in the case of today, that’s going to mean wasting time and effort to send out another series of warbands to scout the area and try to figure out just how much we’d managed to destroy, I thought, thinking back to our efforts so far today and how we’d managed to mousetrap several of the orcs’ vanguards that had ranged ahead of their main force by simply baiting them to attack us. Having been exceptionally eager to offer battle at the first signs of spotting resistance, the warbands had simply charged at us with barely a second thought, looking to overwhelm us with what they thought were their superior numbers.
And allowing us to prove them completely wrong about that fact when a hundred more adventurers hidden just out of sight happened to crash into them from behind faster than they could even think to react.
It wasn’t exactly a mind-bendingly clever tactic as such things were measured, but it was a simple one for our two groups to execute, while also taking advantage of the orcs’ tendency to attack first and ask questions later. Or if at all.
Which in itself might make this coming meeting a little harder, I Thought as my thoughts finally finished their circular loop through my mind and arrived back at where they had originally started. Because nothing sets the tone for a conversation like the understanding or realization that the person across from you just spent the better part of the morning killing your warriors.
Glory to the Brave (Ascend Online Book 4) Page 79
