Thale's Note: I have compiled here a list of the classes present in [Ferrum Online]. These are just the classes that I can remember, so this list is probably not exhaustive. Also, classes are largely split into four groups: Fighter, Mage, Hunter, and Priest. Every class group has its advantages and disadvantages, and it is possible to change classes with little effort.

Adventurer: This is the class given to people who have received Experience but have not undergone specialized training to gain an actual class.

Bandit: Very few players actually have this class. This class is mostly for the NPCs that attack the players on the roads. Becoming a Bandit grants you the [Appraisal] ability and some weapon skills.

Merchant: This is another NPC class. All of the Merchant's skills are non-violent. Though they are completely useless in a fight, Merchants are a fundamental part of the economy, and it is a good idea to keep some in your employ to run your camp.

Fighter: This is the most common player class. If you want to hit your enemies with a sword, you'll start with the Fighter class. Fighters gain physical stats much faster than other classes, and they can use abilities that allow them to increase their physical stats.

Knight: This is the most common progression to the Fighter class. Those who want to focus on a heavy armor build and increase their weapon skills will usually become Knights.

Spellblade: Fighters that start focusing on magic really early can sometimes gain the "Spellblade" class. This class allows you to empower your attacks with magic at an early level, but you lose out on the absurd physical stats of Knights and Champions. People typically jump straight from Spellblade to Sword Saint rather than go through the Champion or Arcane Knight classes.

Berserker: Those who want to eschew the typical armor-and-sword technique can change their class to Berserker. A Berserker gains the [Rage] ability and can empower his attacks through the power of mindless rage. If you like to keep a tactical mind during your fights, I would not recommend this class.

Champion: This is the third step for Fighters who don't want to use magic. Of all classes, Champion is the simplest mechanically. Your physical stats go up, and that's it. I've actually seen a lot of builds that end at Champion, though players typically spec into Sword Saint after this class.

Arcane Knight: This is the third step for Fighters who want to use magic. An Arcane Knight can use spells like a Mage, but this class's real advantage comes from being able to use magic in conjunction with combat skills. High level Arcane Knights will typically hold a wand in one hand and a sword in the other.

Swordmaster: The title "swordmaster" typically describes a tier of warrior rather than a specific class, but it is also possible to gain the Swordmaster class. If your training causes you to focus more on the technique of fighting rather than physical stats or mana, then you can end up as this class.

Sword Saint: This is viewed as the "prestige" class for the Fighter subtype. The Sword Saint represents the mixture of physical stats, technique, and magical ability in one fighting style. In fact, the System will only grant you the Sword Saint class after you have already mastered those three aspects of fighting.

Mage: This is the typical starting class for those who want to cast spells. The primary advantage of being a Mage is the ability to sense and manipulate mana in its pure form. All other classes can cast spells, but only those of the Mage subtype can interface with mana. Typically, high-level spells can only be used by Mages. Those who cannot sense mana cannot exert the extreme level of control necessary to cast those spells.

Scribe: When a Mage reaches level 20, he can choose to take the Scribe class. A Scribe is able to gain Experience from means other than combat, such as reading certain books or solving a complicated equation.

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War Mage: Mages that focus entirely on whatever spells are most useful in combat are called War Mages. Most of the Mages in Hinnom and other colleges of magic view War Mages as vulgar or uncouth. Considering the War Mages I have met in my life, they are mostly correct. It is infrequent for a War Mage to reach the Archmage tier, because they never focus on a single school of magic for long enough to master that school.

Transmuter/Abjurer/Illusionist/Enchanter/Sorcerer: When a Mage reaches level 30, he typically specializes in one particular school of magic. An Abjurer specializes in warding magic, and a Sorcerer specializes in elemental magic. Most professional Mages fall within this category.

Necromancer: This is the class for a Mage that specializes in Necromancy. Because Necromancy is banned in most places, Necromancers are typically viewed as evil. Most Mages are more skilled in a certain school of magic, so some Mages are essentially pigeonholed into Necromancy by virtue of their own natural inclination. At least, that was the backstory of Vinzadir, the Necromancer with a heart of gold who was my character in [Ferrum Online]. Tragically, he had no talent for the socially acceptable forms of magic. Alas, poor Vinzadir.

Alchemist: This is the class for Mages that specialize in Alchemy, the magic for creating and enhancing magic items. Alchemists are some of the richest people on Ferrum, though the class is not available for players. Alchemists are the people that you talk to when you want to buy new magic items or get your current magic items upgraded.

Rector: This is the upgraded form of Scribe. Most magic teachers are Rectors. Though this is not a combat class, it would be a mistake to underestimate a Rector. They can shoot lightning out of their hands or call down a meteor just as well as any Sorcerer, they just don't gain any Experience for doing it.

Archmage: A Mage that masters a school of magic is called an Archmage. Those of this class are typically the greatest Mages of an era. There are usually anywhere from five to twenty Archmages active at any one time, and they usually all know each other. Luckily for the rest of the world, Archmages are typically professors or ancient elves who have no interest in wars or politics.

Philosopher: A Mage that masters at least five schools of magic is called a Philosopher. Before the events of [Ferrum Online], there were only five Philosophers in history, and one was Mitrikov the Great Mage. Any time a Philosopher appears, world history changes.

Hunter: This is the starter class for those who use archery in combat. Typically, those in the Hunter subtype focus on stealth and attacking enemies from far away. Hunters gain a number of abilities that increase their stealth and archery skills.

Rogue: This class is for people who want to focus more on sneaking, lockpicking, and detecting traps. The Rogue class does not grant any combat-specific abilities. Rogues typically like to achieve their goals nonviolently.

Assassin: This is a potential evolution of the Rogue class for those who wish to use their skills with sneaking and thievery to more violent ends. [Ferrum Online] had a coup de grace system, so anyone from a level 1 commoner to a level 100 hero would die instantly to a blade in the dark. Incredibly high-level Assassins can get past just about any defenses you put up, so you can never be 100% safe from them.

Night Stalker: The Hunters that want to focus on stealth over archery change to the Night Stalker class. This class is best at ambushing unsuspecting prey in the forest.

Veteran Hunter: Hunters that want to focus more on archery will take this class. Veteran Hunters gain abilities that allow them to magically enhance their arrows.

Shadow Lord: This is the final step for Hunters who want to focus on stealth. Shadow Lords gain abilities that make them so stealthy that it's like they control the shadows themselves.

Monster Slayer: This is the final step for Hunters who want to focus on archery. Monster Slayers can turn a beast into a pincushion in seconds.

Priest: This is the class for those who use Healing Magic. Becoming a Priest is easy, but staying a Priest is very difficult. The edict of nonviolence created by Nyx is incredibly hard to live by, and almost no one still has Healing Potential by the time they reach twenty years old.

Bishop: It is very difficult for a Priest to reach level 20, but if they manage to do so, they might become a Bishop if they are favored by Nyx. Bishops are able to perform Miracles that can heal large numbers of people at once, make strange things happen, or abjure evil creatures. A Miracle can be used to make a caravan appear around the corner of a dirt road or make an apple fall from a tree. If a Bishop prays for something, then Nyx might make it happen.

Cardinal: A Bishop will naturally become a Cardinal at level 40. There is no particular benefit to being a Cardinal over a Bishop; it just signifies that a Priest is particularly far along his journey. The Church of Nyx is run by a collection of eight Cardinals in the capital of Sondrith.

Living Saint: If she wants, Nyx can grant one person the title Living Saint at a time. Sondrith, Priestess of the Hero's Party, was a Living Saint. Those blessed by Nyx in such a way can use Prayer and Miracles without expending any mana.