CHAPTER 284 – A THIRD CLASS
The rest of the group looked at him blankly and for a moment, Tom thought they didn’t understand what he was referring to.
“Yes, that’s a good idea.” Michael said suddenly. “Before we commit our experience elsewhere you want to confirm if purchasing an extra class slot is the best option available.”
“Mathematically,” Keikain interjected, “I can confirm that if the titles granted give more than an attribute every two levels, it’s worth it.”
“Exactly, but I need to work out the class. It’ll take me a few minutes to select the best option. Unfortunately.” Tom shrugged. “I haven’t had a chance to do any preparation. I don’t even know what classes might be available.”
“Take your time, Tom,” Michael said immediately. “You don’t want to get something like that wrong.”
“Go.” Everlyn ordered. “Information is power and we need every advantage we can get.”
He shut his eyes and entered his system room. Once he had thought that he would stick with the two starting classes for a long time. Reality had a different idea. The way the titles and ranking points functioned demanded the opposite path. There was no reason not to grab a class immediately. The small chance of him getting a better class option if he waited was overshadowed by the benefit the awarded titles would bring, and that was before ranking points.
The question was what class he wanted to select.
They had pre-requisites, so he didn’t know which ones would be available and he had been deliberately avoiding thinking too much on this problem because it was unhealthy to obsess about those sorts of things. He had done it in the tutorial and was keen not to replicate that experience here.
“Show mythic classes that I’m eligible for.”
To his surprise, an actual option appeared.
Class: Oracle Savant: Mythical – Cost 200,000
Acquisition bonus: All newly learned oracle abilities have a significant chance to evolve up one tier and a low probability of evolving up two.
This class awards ten free attribute points and four class points per level.
Class points allow you to increase the level of precognition abilities.
Tier 4 requires 1 skill point to boost.
Tier 5 requires 2 skill points to boost.
Tier 6 requires 4 skill points to boost.
…
Tier 9 requires 32 skill points to boost.
Tom frowned at the details as his brain worked out what the class offered. There were no options to passively boost everything or to purchase new abilities like most classes out there. Everything instead went to improving existing oracle skills on a one-to-one basis. Usually that was a weakness, but in this case, having enough skill points to boost a tier six precognition ability by a level was massive.
If black dodge was eligible, a single class level would boost the skill by two. That jump in power would be noticeable. True Dreaming would obviously take more because it was so high tiered. He would require eight class levels to improve it, but Tom couldn’t imagine what an extra level in a tier nine skill would give him. Would it double or triple the spell’s effectiveness?
In addition to the ability boost even with the fates agility’s tax cost being paid in full, he would receive eight attributes points per level plus those gained from all of his titles.
Tom considered the new class further. He guessed under the revealing spotlight of logic that given its mythical rating; the output was not spectacular. What was however extraordinary was that class acquisition bonus, that couldn’t be underestimated.
If he possessed a typical oracle skill instead of the twisted and restrictive True Dream, this was the sort of class that would forge him into someone who could truly shake the foundation of Existentia. To a native it would be strong but not game breaking, but to him… a member of the competition with access to the shop Oracle Savant went to a different level. Unlike a native, there was nothing to stop him from gaining dozens of powerful oracle skills. All it would take was some grind. Add in fate investment and his title that promoted evolutions then every ability acquired would be guaranteed to evolve two tiers and possibly for some of them three. He would get a cheap tier four skill like
Strike Projection – Tier 4 – Cost 140,000 experience
Predicts an opponent’s primary strike a second in advance.
Which was a decently useful precognition ability even at level one and turn it into something far grander. Maybe even a skill like.
Battlefield Oracle – Tier 7 – Cost 2,500,000 experience
Foresee all material strikes from all opponents up to three seconds in advance.
The difference between the two enemy attack predictive spells was incredible. The higher tier one not only provided an extra two seconds of warning it applied to all enemies on the field and not just the main threat. To switch from one to another would be unimaginable to most, but that is what the class would allow. The end result would be dozens of tier six to ten hyper focused abilities that would otherwise never be achievable due to the cost. He could literally become one of the most effective oracles on Existentia within a few years.
The ranking points he could accrue with that type of power base would be fearsome. He would be both an empire destroyer and a builder. Most kingdoms would sacrifice anything for his aid.
But…
There was always a but… to make the most out of this mythical class he would need to abandon True Dreaming and then gamble on its replacements, keeping him alive long enough to realise his potential. Because the class did not help his immediate needs.
Tom’s version of True Dreaming was unique. It was not in the skill shop for purchase, which allow him to find a convenient price, but he knew the value of tiers. It was worth somewhere between five and twenty million. That was many times the sum of all the experience he had earned in Existentia to date, and he was considering abandoning it for this class.
Absently, while his subconscious weighted the benefits of the class he checked why the mythical option was available to him. The text on the wall changed at a thought.
Prerequisites of Oracle Savant.
* Own a precognition skill with a tier higher than nine.
* Successfully evolve a precognition up two tiers in a single attempt.
* Possesses a tier 10 or above impact rated trait or skill.
* Have saved your own life from certain death three times with a precognition skill.
* Have conserved thirty-two individual lives with precognition in a seven-day period.
* Have saved lives from four different species in a seven-day period.
It was the first three restrictions that were the true gate keepers because he couldn’t see how anyone eligible for this class wouldn’t have achieved the final three outcomes. After a moment’s thought, he adjusted that viewpoint. If their skill was purely directed at oneself, it was possible to achieve the first three points and not the later ones.
Oracle Savant was intended for the type of person who filled the traditional blind oracle in the cave role. The variety who was willing to dispense wisdom to all who came as opposed to the warrior who won battles because they knew what their opponents were going to do ahead of time.
The class was powerful. To the right person, someone in the competition it was a life changer.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
He knew it was wrong for him, but…
The lure of power was real… the long-term growth, the potential of Oracle Savant was extraordinary. He was tempted to waste a question, to defer the decision to DEUS instead of walking away like he knew was the right call.
“This skill is not for you Tom,” he told the sterile metal walls.
But…
A mythical class!
There would be titles on top of the other benefits, he was sure of that.
The urge.
“Don’t be greedy Tom. This is not for you.”
And those guaranteed one or two tiers of evolution on acquiring a new ability had him licking his lips. Especially the synergies with fate and his titles.
He could pretend otherwise, but…
It was wrong…
But…
His chest trembled with excitement, fear, a need for action. He looked away from the wall, indecision warring through him, but the emotions he was suffering were more than enough evidence for his logical mind.
He had no choice.
It was a waste, but… he couldn’t deny the desire.
“Should I purchase Oracle Savant?”
“No.”
The immediate, firm answer sent his spirit crashing down.
Why had he wasted the question?
He had known what the response was going to be. This was never the right class for him, not with his plan to change humanity’s fate. Not when a ticking clock to complete the ritual as soon as possible rang constantly in the background of his mind. He knew he didn’t have time to invest in a class like this, which was a long-term investment.
But he had asked, anyway, and that had been the right choice. The potential upsides of him selecting Oracle Savant were so immense that he had to waste the question. Despite how the class would have completely changed his future trajectory, Tom had been considering it, so he had been forced to check, and his doubts in the context of the decision were understandable.
It was mythical.
It would have been ridiculous not to covet it.
He licked his lips and forced down his anger at himself.
“The question was good,” he told himself, standing alone in the system room. “You had to ask it. It was the right choice to make doubly sure of your logic. Because now you know.”
That last bit was the important part.
Now he knew.
It was that simple. There was no need for regret. There was no point wondering what if. He was on a better path than that class would have provided.
Tom shook his head angrily. “Stop delaying,” he snapped at himself. It was time to see the other classes he had available. If the aim was to guarantee humanity’s future, then apparently one of the remaining options was superior to choosing a mythical class.
“Show unique and legendary classes?” He ordered, hoping that there would be no more controversial alternatives presented but knowing there would be.
Ten classes immediately sprang into existence in front of him. Tom scanned through them and sighed in relief. Most of them could be instantly discarded as unsuitable.
There were three classes that revolved around killing insects or surviving a swarm attack. Another couple that leveraged his dodge ability that he rejected because two attributes points were dedicated to agility which would cannibalise the benefit from fate’s agility.
In fact, only two options had any sort of resonance with his desired build.
Class: Ratachora Mage: Unique – Cost 35,000
The primary class of the Ratachora species which specialises in lightning, earth and healing magic.
Class acquisition bonus: Affinity in lightning is raised by 2 and earth and healing by 1 each.
If Tom took this class, it would be purely for the increase in his affinities. With all three being in the ninety’s the bonus increase offered was immense. The mathematics behind affinities were incredibly complex. Going from fifty to eighty doubled your power, eighty to ninety doubled it again, then a similar pattern repeated. Hitting an affinity of a hundred meant a magic domain near you where all spells were completely free of charge. If he had a hundred affinity in earth magic, Tom would be able to cast harnessed meteorite continually and send those balls of fiery rock at the surrounding enemies every time he completed the spell casting. There would be no downside needed for mana regeneration. It was the sort of advantage that would let someone at level zero challenge a minor god. For Tom, the acquisition bonus would enhance the damage of his lightning spells by fifty percent, thirty to earth and ten to healing. Those were not numbers to scoff at.
As a bonus for acquiring the class, it was a good one… but apart from the starting boost, acquiring it would sacrifice the slot because he would not be purchasing further levels. It only gave five attribute points, two of which were automatically cannibalised by fates agility and the class skill points were lack lustre.
The second class was similar.
Class: Breadth of Serendipity – Legendary – Cost 100,000
This class is for the gambler.
Class Acquisition bonus: Fate recharges thirty percent faster.
Benefits per level. You will be assigned one of the following outcomes. Allocation is mostly random, with beneficial outcomes weighted based on how extreme your life has been from a luck perspective. If you almost died lots or had no need for fate for the period before level up, you will receive a better outcome.
The following outcomes can be assigned.
* Nothing (Eight chances.)
* Receive two fate (Four chances.)
* Receive plus one to all attributes. (Four chances.)
* Plus twenty to fate.
* Plus five to all attributes.
* Increase fate recharge rate permanently by 1 percent.
* Increase the impact of fate permanently by 1 percent.
* Plus twenty to fate and the impact of fate is permanently boosted by 2 percent.
Once more, he would choose this primarily for the sign-on bonus and not necessary to level it. However, unlike the first class, if he went through a particularly lucky period he might grab a few levels. If the odds were not stacked in his favour a random allocation from the available options was a poor return from a class level especially when he adjusted for fate’s agility. However, if outcomes were biased, and he had a good chance of getting one of the last five items, then it would be worth leveling up.
The more he looked at it the more certain he was that he needed to buy the class.
There was no need for an oracle question. He was certain this was the class for him.
To hit rank sixteen, he only needed around sixty attribute points. That was only five and a half levels for him.
“Purchase three levels of elemental summoner, then Breadth of Serendipity, then a further level of elemental summoner and two of lightning tank.”
Trumpets went off.
Tom grinned in triumph. This was it… he was becoming more powerful. Growing toward becoming the hero that humanity needed.
With a deep breath, he looked at the wall. “Show me new and changed titles,” he ordered while praying it would be something good and something that could help the others grow stronger.
Title: Triple Classed: Receive one extra attribute point to your lowest attribute after each class level up.
* Awarded for: Obtaining a third class.
* Uncommon Title. Competition Rank: 75th, 25 Ranking points, 1,000 experience.
Tom studied the text.
He was not sure what to think about it. On one hand, he was elated that his extra class slot had given him a genuine long-term advantage. Because of it, he would obtain an extra attribute point per level between thirty-two and a hundred and twenty-eight. That was a permanent advantage that natives and others in the contribution would not be able to close. On the other hand, over seventy people had received it before him. He had known the other species had started stronger than him, but that was still shocking. Had they all done it at a hundred and twenty-eight? Or was this other people like him buying a free class slot and getting the benefit that way. Tom wished he could tell, but the interface did not give him the information needed to solve that mystery.
He guessed having met a lot of the human champion’s first hand those seventy front runners came from other species. It was a lot to take in and really reinforced humanity’s starting weakness.
Title: Legendary Class Holder: Highest attribute is 10 percent more effective.
* Awarded for: Obtaining a legendary class.
* Rare Title. Competition Rank: 63rd, 25 Ranking points, 1,000 experience.
It was another good title, and he wasn’t surprised by the number in this category. It was very much as he had expected. There would have been people starting in Existentia having already obtained the pre-requisites for a legendary class. It was, after all, a strategy that he had actively considered in the contribution store and had been relatively speaking easily achievable.
Finally, two of his other titles had been upgraded.
Title: Triple Advance (upgraded): Received 2 class points and 2 free attribute points whenever an advanced or above class reaches threshold levels of 8, 16, 32, 64 or 128
* Awarded for: Gaining three advanced or above classes.
Title: Tripled Expert (upgraded): Receive an extra class skill point per level for each expert or above classes and 8 free attribute points when a class reaches a threshold level of 32, 64, 128 or 256.
* Awarded for: Gaining three expert or above classes.
The two upgraded titles were good and would reward him with attribute points when his classes reached thirty-two. They were not a groundbreaking title like Triple Classed, but they were still good.
There was one final thing to confirm. “Show attributes.”
Classes Level – Thirty-Five
Lightning Tank: 18 (+2) - Expert
Elemental Summoner: 17 (+4) – Expert
Breadth of Serendipity: 0 - Legendary
Attributes
Strength: 127 (+6 Class, +3 Title: Strength Spring)—Rank 15 (+1)
Vitality: 151 (+6 Class, +6 Title: Vitality font)—Rank 18 (+2)
Agility: 124 (+12 Trait: Fates Agility, +3 Title: Tripled Class)—Rank 15 (+2)
Magic: 137 (+22 Class)—Rank 17 (+4)
Fate: 220 (+12 Trait: Fates Agility, +6 Title: Competition Shaker (I))
Mana Pool: Magic * 2 = 274
The upgrades were welcome. He was now officially rank sixteen and he would soon be able to cast harnessed meteorite without relying on his soul bound crystal. Even without a full three hundred mana he was close enough to that threshold that maintaining the powerful offense and defensive spell permanently was worth it. With harnessed meteorite, two lesser elementals and his golem being actively sustained he would have significant magic on the field before any battle started.