Prologue – Hero
Vamir Elawenys felt his fist strike home one final time, and the Goblin King died. The Sorrow Caverns were one of the few places on the continent where someone could reliably break through to Tier 2, but the dungeon limited parties to a size of just one. Solo dungeons were not unheard of, but they were rare. Rarer still were those who could fully clear such a dungeon, as few people had the skills to fight, heal, check for traps, and all the other things one needed to do in order to successfully conquer a dungeon.
Vamir Elawenys, Hero of the Fist, was one of those rare few. And here, in the final room of the Sorrow Caverns, he had not just conquered the dungeon, but broken through to Tier 2. As the silver mist rose about him, he shook his head. His rise in Tier was fast for any race, let alone an elf, but he was still lagging behind the otherworlder who had shown him new worlds of possibilities.
You have defeated Vaax the Maneater!
You gain 127500 xp.
Tier 1 Level 50 complete.
Initiating Tier 2 ascension.
Calculating options…
New options available for Race, Class, and Profession. Advancing to new options will offer new abilities and skills, but may close off other courses of advancement due to specialization. Tier 2 Races, Classes, and Professions are generally more powerful than Tier 1, but are typically more focused on individual aspects of a Tier 1 race, class, or profession. Skills or abilities already gained are not lost, however.
Do you wish to advance to a Tier 2 Race?
Yes / No
Do you wish to advance to a Tier 2 Class?
Yes / No
Do you wish to advance to a Tier 2 Profession?
Yes / No
Tier 2 Race Options (Elf)
High Elf – The most common advancement for elves, high elves gain increased speed and accuracy with their weapons, and find arcane magic comes quicker to them.
Unlocked by: Elf race
Demontouched Avariel (Rare) – These winged elves have been touched by powers of the celestial planes. They gain the ability to fly, and have an incredible resilience to corruption from all sources. They can also unlock the ability to use Radiance in their attacks. As a Demontouched, you gain resistance to Hellfire damage.
Unlocked by: Elf race, Must have had peaceful contact with a celestial creature at or above your level, Must have had peaceful contact with a demonic creature at or above your level
Angelgraced Dark Avariel (Rare) – These winged elves are the dark cousins of the Avariel. Not inherently evil, they are, however, more willing to tap into dark powers to achieve their ends. They gain the ability to use Hellfire in their attacks. As an Angelgraced, you gain resistance to Radiance damage.
Unlocked by: Elf race, Must have had peaceful contact with a demonic creature at or above your level, Must have had peaceful contact with a celestial creature at or above your level
Demontouched Avariel Abilities:
+10 INT, +5 WIS, +5 CON
Gain +3 INT, +1 WIS, +1 CON per level, +1 Attribute Points per level
Unlock Aerial Combat as a Racial Skill
Wings – Gain the ability to fly while not carrying more than a light load
Sense Outsider – You can sense when creatures touched by other planes are near
Mixed Nature – You are affected by spells and abilities as though you were a mortal elf, a celestial creature, or a demonic creature, depending on what is most beneficial for you.
Hellfire Resistance – Take 50% less damage from Hellfire
High Elf he had expected. It was, as the Voice of the World said, the most common Tier 2 version of the Elf race. According to the Scholars, most elves who reached Tier 2 did not get any other options. Him receiving two variants of the Avariel line was entirely due to his working alongside ‘Adventurer Pureheart’ and her companions. He chose the white-winged version, since it would be better accepted in Bikar, but the [Mixed Nature] and [Hellfire Resistance] abilities were very nice, especially since, as the Hero, he would eventually be facing the demons in earnest.
Tier 2 Class Options (Monk)
Pillar of the Sky (Rare, Racial) – Few of the Avariels focus on the way of a monk, both due to their flighty nature, and because their wings are seen as a vulnerability for others to attack. Those who do, typically become this class. A Pillar of the Sky descends from above to crush those who oppose them.
Unlocked by: Avariel race, Monk class
Radiant Fist (Rare) – Monks of the Radiant Fist have mastered the ability to call upon Radiance, and infuse it into their very being. It enhances their defenses, and infuses their every attack. Their very presence acts as a ward against the undead.
Unlocked by: Monk class, having access to Radiance.
Talon of Balance (Super Rare, Racial) – An Avariel touched by demons can gain great power when a Monk’s discipline is added to the mix. Your strikes can be infused with energy to cause greater damage to either celestials, demons, or both.
Unlocked by: Monk class, Demontouched Avariel race
Talon of Balance Abilities:
+10 DEX, +10 WIS
+5 DEX, +5 WIS per level
Radiance – Take 50% less damage from Radiance. Can spend MP to infuse Radiance into all attacks.
Hellfire – Take 50% less damage from Hellfire (upgraded to Hellfire Immunity due to racial ability). Can spend MP to infuse Hellfire into all attacks.
Planar Bane – Can spend MP to infuse all attacks with Celestial Bane, Demon’s Bane, or both.
Defender of Balance – While using Planar Bane, take 50% less damage from creatures your Bane targets.
Only three choices for his class. Rare Racial, Rare, and Super Rare Racial. All three were solid choices. Pillar of the Sky was an airborne powerhouse, from the look of things, but lacked the extra promise of the other two. Radiant Fist was a little too focused for his liking, since he knew that infusing energy directly into his being would put him in serious danger if he faced anything immune to Radiance, or that fed upon it. Talon of Balance, though, called to him, and the Monk’s wisdom he strove to uphold.
And he was not disappointed by his choice. An immunity to Hellfire, resistance to Radiance, and being able to spend MP to put both energy types into his attacks was very solid. The [Planar Bane] and [Defender of Balance] abilities further increased his damage and reduced how much damage he took, whether he was facing the Demons, or Angels summoned by the Theocracy. Slightly stronger against the Demons, but they were the threat which he’d eventually be called to face, regardless.
Tier 2 Profession Options
Battleforged Warrior – A Soldier forged in battle. This is the most common advancement for Soldiers who make it to Tier 2 without having earned another profession.
Unlocked by: Soldier profession.
Vanguard Aegis (Rare) – A Soldier who fights on the front lines with such fury and discipline that there is no safer place for an ally, nor more perilous place for an enemy, than by their side.
Unlocked by: Soldier profession, must have slain over 1000 creatures while defending a comrade-in-arms.
Guardian of the Skies (Super Rare, Racial) – You are a Hero and Soldier who is no longer bound to the ground like normal mortals. Whether in the air or on the ground, your allies take heart, and your enemies despair.
Unlocked by: Hero title, Winged race, Soldier profession
Guardian of the Skies Abilities:
+10 CON, +10 WIS
+5 CON, +5 WIS per level
Aerial Defender – Reduce all damage taken by 50% while flying.
Reassuring Aura – Allies within line of sight gain a morale bonus to Defense equal to (your WIS)/2, and are immune to fear effects.
Pressuring Aura – Enemies within line of sight suffer a morale penalty to Defense equal to (your WIS)/2, and are 50% more vulnerable to fear effects. This aura does not affect enemies equal to your level or above it.
Heroic Stand – While facing enemies who either outnumber or outlevel them, all allies within line of sight regenerate 1% of their maximum HP, MP, and SP each second.
Three options for the Soldier profession, as well. One was a common, which was fair, since he hadn’t exactly done much to distinguish himself as a soldier. The Farstriders were not your typical soldiers, after all, but more like rangers and raiders. So, it was only natural his choices would not be as illustrious.
That said, there was only one choice. A Super Rare Racial that was unlocked by his Hero title? The Voice of the World might as well have only put one option in the list and been done with it. The three auras did not directly help or hinder him, but the battlefield would change dramatically, so long as people had a line of sight to him. [Heroic Stand], in particular, was something that could reshape battlefields. From his reading, the ability meant that, while the conditions were right, any allies affected by the aura would only die if someone killed them outright. Otherwise, they could rotate to the back for a moment, and in two minutes they would already be up, fully healed, and back into the fray. That… was very, very powerful when dealing with armies in the field.
You have leveled up!
You are now Tier 2, Level 1.
You have 1275500/1326000 XP to reach Level 2.
Gain …
He ignored the rest of the Voice of the World’s messages, for now. Instead, he took out a pencil and parchment, and began copying down the information on his Tier 2 options while they were still fresh in his head. The Roaming Boss had sent a messenger with that information from her ascension, after all, and so he did not have any excuse not to reciprocate. Especially since running into her was the reason he had so many excellent options to begin with.