Welcome to Gaia! ::

[ Only those of the western discipline may attain these titles. ]


Infantryman - Knight - Great Knight
---------------- Cavalier - Paladin


There are many who cherish the noble warriors who keep the peace and lay their lives on the line for the sake of justice. It is the dream of many children to be just like their chivalrous role models to protect their homes and their honor.


Their training begins as a lowly infantryman, armed with only a shield and their choice of a lance or a broadsword. Their armor is light, for the sake of mobility, as they are the first to charge into a battle. With much training, the infantryman has a choice of becoming a full fledged knight or a cavalier.


As a knight, their armor is heavier which increases their defense and resistance while at the same time eating away at their speed and evasion capabilities. The Knight is able to wield both the sword and the lance in battle, the sword worn at the hip, the lance carried in one hand, and their trusty shield in the other. Further training allows the knight to attain the highest status of the great knight. In essence, they become walking tanks. Their armor gives them further defense and resistance, while they lose even more speed and mobility. In addition to the sword and the lance, the great knight is capable of wielding axes. The knight them self is, at this point, very strong with or without their armor. Their power is not to be taken lightly. They are a fearsome foe for any to face.


If they choose to walk the path of the cavalier, the knight is given a steed on which to battle. Though they aren't limited to engaging in combat only on their horses, however, they aren't capable of leaving their horses out of battle. Their armor remains lighter than that of a knights while being thicker and more protective of their wearer than the armor of an infantry man. They are capable of wielding both the lance and the sword in battle. Their mobility is their strong point in battle, allowing these powerful fighters to move great distances to engage in combat of their foes. At the pinnacle of their training, the cavalier receives the title of paladin. Their armor becomes just a bit thicker so that they don't sacrifice their mobility. Such warriors are capable of using lances, swords, or axes. What really separates them from knights, other than their lighter armor and horses, is their ability to use healing magic to assist their allies in battle.


Strengths

Infantrymen: Mobile in battle, and their have formidable strength. Because of the low class, they are usually found in groups.

Knights / Great Knights: They posses immense power and defensive capabilities, and have the ability to use several weapons.

Cavalier / Paladin: Along with their ability to use several types of weapons, they are powerful fighters, mobile, and able to use healing magic.


Weaknesses

Infantrymen: Their defensive capabilities are only par, and their magic capabilities are low.

Knights / Great Knights: Their resistance is higher than that of the infantrymen and cavaliers, however, they still aren't able to withstand magic well. Water and electrical magic most specifically. Their speed is very low, and their evasion is even lower. Abysmal magical capabilities.

Cavalier / Paladin: Even though their magical capabilities are higher than that of their counterparts, their resistance is still on the lower end of the spectrum. Their defense is only above average.

==================================================

Ashigaru ( Foot Soldiers ) - Samurai - Kensei ( Sword Saint ) ( Eastern Exclusive )
---------------------------- Ninja - Shinobi / Kunoichi ( Eastern Exclusive )


With quick and precise movements that seem to mimic a dance, these warriors flow through battle with a grace and speed seemingly unmatched. These warriors believe that warriors walk more than just the path of war, but also the path of peace.


The ashigaru are common foot soldiers. With light armor, and a sword in hand, they move about the battle using their swift movements and powerful attacks to knock down their opponents. Ashigaru can walk the path of the samurai, or the path of the ninja.


The samurai class is comparable to the knight class, but there are many differences between two. As samurai, the fighters will actually shed the heavier armor the lower class fighters wear and gain new, lighter weight armor. This is less constricting to their movement while giving them more strength and speed. Through training, they increase their strength as well as tighten up their sword techniques. In time, a samurai will become a sword saint. They shed all of their armor and wear only their sword over their hip. In battle, their speed is seemingly godly, and they become very difficult to hit. A sword saint's skill with their weapons is incomparable, and their attacks come even faster. Faints, fades, and dodges are all a part of their style. Some have the tendency of using more elaborate dodging methods and techniques which incorporate dance moves while others use a more reserved method of doing so, only dodging incoming attacks slightly at the last possible second.


An ashigaru also has the choice to train as a ninja. They aren't combatants per say, as they usually act as scouts and spies for the higher ranking political officials. They are masters at sneaking around, scaling walls, and hiding in plain sight. They make use of various weapons, primarily small daggers, swords, and bow and arrows. A ninja will also make use of various items such as smoke screens and tear gas to give themselves the upper hand in battle. They are skilled in magical arts, with above average growth capabilities. A ninja with superior skill is know either as a shinobi ( males ) or kunoichi ( females ). Unlike ninja, they are more skilled in combat and rely on their own physical abilities and their manic rather than tricks. Their weapon of choice is the sword, which they are able to wield just as well as a high level samurai.


Strengths

Ashigaru: Well balanced fighters with speed and strength. Because of their low class, they are often found in large groups.
Samurai / Kensei: Their skill with their weapon is second to none. They are fast enough to dodge the moves lower level enemies and have an above average counter attack rate.
Ninja / Shinobi / Kunoichi: A ninja's tools allow them to gain the advantage against groups when used effective. They are stealthy and hit fast and hard.

Weaknesses:

Ashigaru: They have a low magic resistance and low defense.
Samurai / Kensei: Possess a lower defense than ashigaru because of light armor. Their magic resistance is only average, meaning a direct hit from a high level spell would damage them greatly.
Ninja / Shinobi / Kunoichi: Because of their lack of armor, their defense is abysmal. Even with though they are better at using their magic than the other classes, their resistance is only slightly above average.

I was thinking of having a couple of branch classes.

I think there should be another branch off of Archmage, so Sorcerer/Sorceress is on the chart too.

Should we have a base class? Would anyone in the RP actually be that low of a class?