In the end, after scrolling through the list of available classes, I chose the second option. It hadn't really been a contest at all. I was a scholar at heart, or perhaps more of a warrior scholar. I wanted to learn all there was to learn, explore and discover the possibilities magic had to offer.
But being stuck in a dusty tower studying ancient tomes wasn't what I lived for. I wanted to explore and discover the world as well, unearth ancient artefacts from a dungeon, decipher forgotten magic from a lost temple.
To build on the foundation I had with Magus, I went with more hybrid classes. I had skipped Ranger initially but now, I had a second opportunity. In addition, I also went with the Aegis and Sage classes to cover my bases. The manifestation ability of the Aegis would make armor less of an issue in the short term. As for the Sage, I was interested in the potential for body enhancement. I had no idea of how resilient my spider body was and I wasn't very keen on finding our the hard way. I was curious about what spirit magic entailed.
Ranger
Requirements: [Nature Magic Affinity]
Description
The Ranger is a master of tracking and exploration Their stealth abilities make them well suited to scout without being detected. Combined with their magic, the Ranger is a tricky opponent.
Bonuses
+10 Agility, +5 Strength, +5 Vitality, +5 Endurance, +10 Wisdom, +5 Spirit
Core Skills
[Nature Magic] [Perception]
Starting Skills
[Nature Lore] [Spell Slots] [Sharpshooter]
Spells
Medium Progression
Aegis
Requirements: [Psychic Magic Affinity]
Description
The aegis is a master at shaping their magic into physical form, they are capable of creating armor and weapons out of thin air.
Bonuses
+10 Strength, +10 Agility, +5 Endurance, +5 Intelligence, +5 Mind
Core Skills
[Psychic Magic] [Psychic Manifestation]
Starting Skills
[Psychic Lore] [Spell Slots] [Manifest Weapon] [Manifest Armor]
Spells
Medium Progression
Sage
Requirements: [Spirit Magic Affinity]
Description
The Sage is a master of martial arts, their study of the energy of life itself allows them to empower their body and strikes with the power to shatter mountains.
Bonuses
+10 Strength, +10 Agility, +5 Endurance, +5 Vitality, +10 Spirit
Core Skills
[Channel Spirit] [Body Enhancement]
Starting Skills
[Sage Arts] [Spirit Techniques]
The system made it fairly easy to combine both operations into one.
System Action
Purchase Class [Ranger] at level 1 for 1 CP
Purchase Class [Aegis] at level 1 for 1 CP
Purchase Class [Sage] at level 1 for 1 CP
Cost: 3 CP, Left: 19 CP
Synthesize Class [Magus Sentinel] at level 8
Primary Class: [Magus]
Secondary Classes: [Ranger] [Aegis] [Sage]
Total Skill Slots: 25
Skill [Nature Lore] of [Ranger] is already present in [Druid]
Confirm [Y/N]
I confirmed the action and checked my status. Magus had been replaced by the new combined class. I had wondered how the system would behave when two classes had the same lore skill. It looked like the second class skipped it.
Magus Sentinel (LV 8)
[Magus] [Ranger] [Aegis] [Sage]
Core Skills
[Arcane Magic (III)]
[Nature Magic (III)]
[Psychic Magic (III)]
[Channel Spirit (I)]
[Perception (III)]
[Psychic Manifestation (I)]
[Body Enhancement (I)]
[Weapon Enhancement (III)]
Class Skills (11/25) (0 SP)
[Spell Slots (I, 5/20, 15FP)]
[Spell Strike (I, 1/20)]
[Spell Combat (I, 1/20, 5FP, OFF)]
[Sharpshooter (I, 1/20)]
[Multishot (I, 1/20)]
[Blink (I, 1/20)]
[Magic Armor (I, 1/20)]
[Manifest Weapon (I, 1/20)]
[Manifest Armor (I, 1/20)]
[Sage Arts (I, 1/20)]
[Spirit Techniques (I, 1/20)]
Enhancements (1/2)
[Damage (I)]
I already knew skills could interact between classes, I could use Metamagic with Nature or Psychic spells. Some skills apparently couldn't be in more than one class at once either.
With one success under my belt, I went on to the next class. This one would be a combination of Druid, Psychic, and the Arcanist to cover all major types of magic.
Arcanist
Requirements: [Arcane Magic Affinity]
Description
The Arcanist is a scholar of the arcane. She seeks to uncover the secrets of magic no matter the cost.
Core Skills
[Arcane Magic] [Metamagic]
Bonuses
+15 Intelligence, +10 Wisdom, +10 Spirit, +5 Mind
Starting Skills
[Arcane Lore] [Spell Slots]
Spells
Major Progression
My suspicions were confirmed when I set up the synthesis. The system wanted certain skills to be in specific classes. In this case, the Arcanist had a higher priority than Magus for them. The same skill would also be merged and the levels added if it was in multiple classes and above level one.
System Action
Purchase Class [Arcanist] at level 1 for 1 CP
Cost: 1 CP, Left: 18 CP
Synthesize Class [Sorceress] at level 8
Primary Class: [Druid]
Secondary Classes: [Psychic] [Arcanist]
Total Skill Slots: 20
Skill [Metamagic] of [Magus Sentinel] will be moved to [Sorceress]
Skill [Arcane Lore] of [Magus Sentinel] will be moved to [Sorceress]
Skill [Multicast] of [Magus Sentinel] will be moved to [Sorceress]
Skill [Spell Slots] will be merged into [Spell Slots (II, 2/40, 15FP)]
Confirm [Y/N]
I checked the new class.
Sorceress (LV 8)
[Druid] [Arcanist] [Psychic]
Core Skills
[Nature Magic (III)]
[Psychic Magic (III)]
[Arcane Magic (III)]
[Nature Bond (I)]
[Psychokinesis (I)]
[Metamagic (III)]
Class Skills (7/20) (13 SP)
[Nature Lore (II, 24/40)]
[Arcane Lore (II, 18/40)]
[Psychic Lore (I, 16/20)]
[Spell Slots (II, 2/40, 15FP)]
[Light Mastery (I, 1/20)]
[Shadow Familiar (I, 13/20)]
[Multicast (II, 1/40)]
Familiar Skills (2/4)
[Share Senses] [Spell Conduit]
Familiar Templates (1/3)
[Shadow Raven] [Shadow Spider]
Two down, one more to go. I didn't want to attempt any synthesis with Arachne as it was linked to my physical changes and I didn't know what merging it with another class would do. I wasn't really keen on testing it either.
The selection of divine aligned classes available to me was impressive. Most of them were lower tier variants of High Priestess, the path I would have needed to take if Gaia hadn't intervened personally. Interestingly, with a tier four class, I was granted access to other classes in the same line of evolution. Which meant that a class counted as all of its previous evolutions to fulfill requirements. Not a bad surprise.
One of the first that caught my eyes was the Oracle, a specialist in divination magic. With the trail having gone cold at the clearing, this class gave me hope. There was another way to find my family. Combined with the Inquisitor, a class focused on investigations, I had a lot more confidence I could find everyone before the next century. Finally, the Paladin was for when I finally found them and needed to mete out some divine justice.
Oracle
Requirements: [Seer] or [Priestess], Patron Blessing
Description
The Oracle is a seeker of truth and knowledge. Guided by their patron Deity, they can scour the past, present, and even future for information.
Core Skills
[Domain Spells] [Patron]
Bonuses
+15 Wisdom, +15 Intelligence, +10 Spirit, +10 Mind
Starting Skills
[Divination]
Spells
Minor Progression
Inquisitor
Requirements: [Priestess], Any Combat Class, [Investigation] skill, Order aligned Patron
Description
The Inquisitor is a seeker of truth and justice. With their investigative skills and the help of the patron Deity, they root out evil and corruption.
Core Skills
[Detective] [Domain Spells] [Patron]
Bonuses
+15 Wisdom, +15 Intelligence, +5 Spirit, +5 Mind, +5 Strength, +5 Endurance
Starting Skills
[Investigation] [Forensics]
Spells
Minor Progression
Paladin
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Requirements: [Priestess], Any Combat Class, Patron Blessing, Protection aligned Patron
Description
The Paladin is a defender against the forces that seek to corrupt and destroy the world. With the aid of their patron, they push back the tide no matter the odds.
Core Skills
[Domain Spells] [Patron]
Bonuses
+15 Strength, +15 Vitality, +10 Wisdom, +10 Spirit
Starting Skills
[Channel Energy] [Divine Shield]
Spells
Minor Progression
System Action
Purchase Class [Oracle] at level 1 for 1 CP
Purchase Class [Inquisitor] at level 1 for 1 CP
Purchase Class [Paladin] at level 1 for 1 CP
Cost: 3 CP, Left: 15 CP
Synthesize Class [Seer Priestess] at level 8
Primary Class: [High Priestess]
Secondary Classes: [Oracle] [Inquisitor] [Paladin]
Total Skill Slots: 35
Confirm [Y/N]
The last of my combined classes was ready.
Seer Priestess (LV 1)
Core Skills
[Domain Spells (IV)]
[Detective (I)]
[Patron (Gaia, Lolth)]
Class Skills (5/35) (42 SP)
[Channel Energy (I, 1/20)]
[Divination (I, 1/20)]
[Investigation (I, 4/30)]
[Forensics (I, 1/20)]
[Divine Shield (I, 1/20)]
Finally, it was time to spend the remaining class points to raise the level of everything. With Gestalt, I would be able to have my lower leveled classes catch up with the rest fairly easily. I started to do some mental math, with fifteen points, I could raise Priestess and Arachne up to level seven with only three points and catch them up with four.
However, there was a better way. I could raise Magus and Sorceress to level nine and get the other two classes to the same level in five points. Mathematically, I got more out of it. In addition, I could repeat the same trick by raising a pair of class by two levels and then only having to spend one point to raise the other pair instead of having to spend four points if I used a more obvious solution.
I wondered if Gaia had though of it when the perk had been designed.
System Action
Increase Class [Magus Sentinel] and [Sorceress] from level 8 to 16 for 8 CP
Increase Class [Seer Priestess] and [Arachne] from level 1 to 15 for 7 CP
Cost: 15 CP, Left: 0 CP
Confirm [Y/N]
System Log
Class [Magus Sentinel] has 24 free skill purchases
Class [Sorceress] has 13 free skill purchases
Class [Seer Priestess] has 42 free skill purchases
Class [Arachne] has 11 free skill purchases
General Skill [Mind Acceleration] moved to [Sorceress]
General Skill [Mind Partition] moved to [Sorceress]
Class Skill [Mind Constructs] unlocked for [Sorceress] at level 15
Class Skill [Cutting Thread] unlocked for [Arachne] at level 5
Class Skill [Utility Thread] unlocked for [Arachne] at level 10
Class Skill [Thread Control] unlocked for [Arachne] at level 15
I put the absurd number of free skill purchases aside. I had been messing around with the system for long enough. I would spend the rest of my resources later, before we left.
In the meantime, I had a problem to solve. I wanted somewhere to sleep that wasn't the ground where I needed to contort my legs to fit. And sleeping with Vel in a web sounded all kinds of fun.
----------------------------------------
Liscura Van-Niu
[Dark Elf] [Arachne (Rank 1)]
Rank 4 | Level 23/80
100 SP | 48 AP | 0 CP | 0 ES | 1 AS | 2 Perks
Status
Health
4'150/4'150
+135%/h + 5/s
393/m
Stamina
4'290/4'290
+140%/h
100/s
Mana
7'420/7'420
+240%/h + 5/s
596/m
Focus
90/152 used
Bound Items
[Ravri Ritual Bracer]
0/9 spells, 0/1000 MP
[Ravri Ritual Bracelet]
-
[Ravri Ritual Focus]
-
[Ravri Ritual Circlet]
-
[Amulet of Inazesa]
134/250
Equipped Items
[Lesser Bracelet of Strength]
+5 STR
[Lesser Ring of Mana]
+5 MP/s
[Lesser Ring of Health]
+5 HP/s
Spell Slots
Arcane
Nature
Psychic
Slots
Magus Sentinel
Max: 14th
52/105
0/105
0/105
90+15
Utility: 1/16
Sorceress
Max: 21th
0/178
75/178
24/178
154+24
Utility: 3/24
Divine Spells
High Priestess (Gaia)
Max: 24th
Healing (0/10) | Protection (0/10)
Knowledge (0/10) | Peace (0/10)
Animal (0/8) | Plant (0/8)
Earth (0/8)
High Priestess (Lolth)
Max: 24th
Darkness (0/10) | Twilight (0/10)
Magic (0/10) | Order (0/10)
Spider (0/8) | Arcana (0/8)
Runes (0/8)
Attributes
Strength
103+5
D
Intelligence
179
A
Agility
113
C
Wisdom
158
B
Vitality
86
C
Spirit
162
B
Endurance
92
C
Mind
126
B
Perks
[Monster Hybrid]
[Blessing of Gaia]
[Blessing of Lolth]
[Multiclass]
[Magic Affinity]
[Gestalt]
[Class Synthesis]
[Perception Domain (10 FP, ON)]
[Danger Sense]
[Magic Perception]
[Magic Projection]
[Improved Senses]
[Night Vision]
Classes (5/∞)
Magus Sentinel (LV 16)
[Magus] [Ranger] [Aegis] [Sage]
Core Skills
[Arcane Magic (III)]
[Nature Magic (III)]
[Psychic Magic (III)]
[Channel Spirit (I)]
[Perception (III)]
[Psychic Manifestation (I)]
[Body Enhancement (I)]
[Weapon Enhancement (III)]
Class Skills (11/25) (24 SP)
[Spell Slots (I, 5/20, 15FP)]
[Spell Strike (I, 1/20)]
[Spell Combat (I, 1/20, 5FP, OFF)]
[Sharpshooter (I, 1/20)]
[Multishot (I, 1/20)]
[Blink (I, 1/20)]
[Magic Armor (I, 1/20)]
[Manifest Weapon (I, 1/20)]
[Manifest Armor (I, 1/20)]
[Sage Arts (I, 1/20)]
[Spirit Techniques (I, 1/20)]
Enhancements (1/2)
[Damage (I)]
Sorceress (LV 16)
[Druid] [Arcanist] [Psychic]
Core Skills
[Nature Magic (III)]
[Psychic Magic (III)]
[Arcane Magic (III)]
[Nature Bond (I)]
[Psychokinesis (I)]
[Metamagic (III)]
Class Skills (10/20) (13 SP)
[Nature Lore (II, 24/40)]
[Arcane Lore (II, 18/40)]
[Psychic Lore (I, 16/20)]
[Spell Slots (II, 2/40, 15FP)]
[Light Mastery (I, 1/20)]
[Shadow Familiar (I, 13/20)]
[Multicast (II, 1/40)]
[Mind Acceleration (I, 20/20, 10FP)]
[Mind Partition (II, 11/40, 10FP)]
[Mind Construct (I, 1/20, 20FP, OFF)]
Familiar Skills (2/4)
[Share Senses] [Spell Conduit]
Familiar Templates (1/3)
[Shadow Raven] [Shadow Spider]
Seer Priestess (LV 15)
Core Skills
[Domain Spells (IV, 20FP)]
[Detective (I)]
[Patron (Gaia, Lolth)]
Class Skills (5/35) (42 SP)
[Channel Energy (I, 1/20)]
[Divination (I, 1/20)]
[Investigation (I, 4/30)]
[Forensics (I, 1/20)]
[Divine Shield (I, 1/20)]
Arachne (Lv 15)
Core Skills
[Arachne Form (I)]
Class Skills (6/14) (11 SP)
[Spider Thread (I, 1/20)]
[Cutting Thread (I, 1/20)]
[Utility Thread (I, 1/20)]
[Thread Control (I, 1/20)]
[Spider Climb (I, 1/20)]
[Poison Synthesis (I, 1/20)]
[Harvest Essence (I, 1/20)]
General Skills (28/42)
[Daggers (I, 15/20)]
[Light Bow (II, 6/40)]
[Light Armor (II, 23/40)]
[Dodge (II, 3/40)]
[Niu Blade Style (I, 6/20)]
[Niu Archery Style (I, 16/20)]
[Mental Warfare (I, 1/20)]
[Magic Warfare (I, 1/20)]
[Anatomy (I, 15/20)]
[Diagnosis (I, 11/20)]
[Medicine (I, 13/20)]
[Surgery (I, 3/20)]
[Herbalism (II, 22/40)]
[Alchemy (III, 17/60)]
[Tracking (II, 6/40)]
[Stealth (II, 8/40)]
[Parkour (I, 16/20]
[Foraging (II, 12/40)]
[Identify (III, 1/60)]
[Meditation (II, 5/40, 5FP, OFF)]
[Memory Enhancement (I, 18/20, 5FP)]
[Logic Enhancement (I, 20/20, 5FP)]
[Niu Sign Language (II, 14/40)]
[Elven Language (IV, 12/80)]
[English Language (V, 6/100)]
Resistances
[Poison Resistance (III, 1/60)]
[Disease Resistance (II, 3/40)]
Mutations [Arachne (Rank 1)]
Sub-Species: [Arachne Hatchling]
Legs
Armored I
+5
Pedipalps
Armored I
+5
Exoskeleton
N/A
+0
Spinnerets
N/A
+0
Venom Glands
N/A
+0