Hex dismissed the starting class option in her list immediately.
Class: Archer
Type: Combat
Subtype: Ranged
Initial Unlocked Skills / Spells: Power Shot; Magic Arrow
Focus: Agility and Perception
Attributes per level: +2 Agility, +1 Perception, +1 Free Point.
Description: Archer is a common class specializing in ranged attacks using any stringed weapon and close-quarters combat using short blades and daggers.
Although it sounded like an easy class to master, she knew that if she didn't use her free points for intelligence and wisdom, the magic arrow spell wouldn’t be the least bit useful when she reached higher levels. And since she wanted to be magic-based, she knew the class wasn't for her.
"Archer sounds nice," Hex heard Adric mumble as he, too, checked out his class options.
"No, Adric!" Hex snapped quickly, realizing she hadn't explained what he needed to be looking for in enough detail. “He doesn’t have your knowledge,” she told herself.
“Why not?” Adric asked, more curious than anything else, “You can plainly see I’m already at tier two in archery.” He said, pointing to his status screen.
Hex quickly explained her reasoning for not choosing the Archer class and how he needed to choose a class that complemented his desired attribute allocation. She added at the end, "Actually, now that I think of it, we should check to see if we have any System recommended classes. Sometimes, newly integrated races with high starting abilities or specializations get uncommon or even rare classes. There is a slim chance some people will get a System-tailored or unique class, but that is like one in a few trillion and is usually reserved for the less common races like dragonlings and well…" She paused before saying, "Prism Vixens…” At that statement, she eagerly returned to her screen and searched to see if she had any special class options.
***
Adric had to admit he was relieved at Hex’s words; he had been worried when there were literal billions of class options to choose from as soon as he had opened the menu. The majority of the options were greyed out, which he assumed meant he didn't meet the prerequisites for them. He was sure he wasn't even the right species for classes like Amethyst Guide Sprite or Armored Antkin Warrior. The list was alphabetized, and the sheer number of options just in the A’s was staggering; he was still far from getting to the B's. He started to take Hex's advice and see if there were recommended classes. But curiosity got the better of him, and he scrolled down to see if his former profession was on the list. It was, and it wasn't greyed out! Focusing on the class name, Adric thought, “Information on Assassin class.”
Class: Assassin
Type: Stealth
Subtype: Combat
Initial Unlocked Skills / Spells: Short Blades; Stealth; Poison Creation
Focus: Agility and Perception
Attributes per level: +1 Agility, +1 Perception, +1 Vitality, +1 Free Point.
Description: Rare class specializing in stealth and subterfuge. Assassins focus on staying hidden and killing their prey without ever being noticed. They rely heavily on poisons and perfectly planned and timed attacks to cripple or kill their opponents. Although proficient in close quarters and ranged combat, they are considered weak against armored or multiple opponents. Instead, they prefer to range around the battlefield, picking off single targets or infiltrating enemy strongholds to take out high-priority targets. This class is not for beginners and has a difficult learning curve. Still, at high levels, well-trained assassins can topple kingdoms with their knowledge of subterfuge and abilities to kill undetected.
"Well, that one was a bit wordier than the common Archer class," Adric mused. Thinking about it some more, Adric realized the class didn't really speak to him like he thought it would, especially the poison creation skill and the fact there would be opponents that would be difficult to handle. Sure, he had been an assassin, but he had also been many other things. He had only done it for the most part, so he had enough money to put away to retire early. What he truly enjoyed was making and using objects with his hands that he could apply to his occupation and daily life. In his home, Adric built everything from the complex computer he used to control his security system to the security system itself. He also reveled in creating seemingly simple items like his archery equipment, holsters, harnesses, and even some of the knives he used. In Adric's mind, nothing was truly simple once you dug deep enough to understand its true nature. His example was that making a masterful recurve bow was nearly as complex as designing a circuit board; they took extremely detailed knowledge in different ways.
With that in mind, he took Hex's advice and asked the class screen if it had any recommended classes for him. He figured if he didn't like it or there were none, he would keep looking through the billions of others, thinking surely something would call to him. The name of the single recommended class option that popped up left Adric a little confused.
Growth Class: Tinker
Type: Variant
Subtype: User Defined
Initial Unlocked Skills / Spells: Tinker
Focus: User Defined
Attributes per level: +5 Free Points
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Class Perk 1: +1 Skill Point every 5 levels up to level 95.
Class Perk 2: Creations using Tinker will have a 1% chance to gain a random enhancement upon completion at level 1.
Class Restriction 1: The Tinker can only improve their abilities, skills, and spells when using their creations. Example: things they have built, designed, or heavily modified to make it no longer recognizable from its original design.
Class Restriction 2: All leveling will require 10% more experience in the following: race, class, abilities, skills, spells, and resistances.
Description: Tinker is a growth-type user-defined free creation class designed for exceptional individuals who have mastered multiple unrelated disciplines and combined them to create a singular occupation. Classes like this are difficult to properly utilize due to their open-ended nature and heavy reliance on the user’s creativity. Tinker is not recommended for beginners, the newly initiated, or any civilization that has yet to achieve inter-solar space exploration.
Adric was confused; why would he want a strictly crafting class in an apocalypse? Also, what about those restrictions? Ten percent was a lot! He thought about that, “If I take a ten percent experience hit, it would mean that even if I maintain my progression at the same speed as the average person on the planet, I would still only be at level ninety when the rest of the world was reaching one hundred, which I assume is the evolution level where attribute points are doubled. And that’s only if I strictly use my own creations…” He tapped his chin in thought, “I do get more attribute points than normal, though, and an extra skill point every five levels…but I have no idea if that's a fair trade-off."
Another thing Adric needed to understand was what space exploration had to do with a tinker? Something told him he should know the answer to that question, but it was eluding him now. Looking over at Hex to ask her about it, he saw her magic pistol, and it dawned on him. "This System isn't just filled with medieval monsters and weapons! She's a living, breathing alien that was formerly an AI, and she's carrying a freaking laser pistol!” Adric slapped his forehead, feeling like an idiot for not realizing it sooner. “Does this mean I will be able to make laser pistols? Surely not…well maybe…”
The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became of just how unique this class was, “Is this Seraph throwing me a bone? Can she read my mind and know what I want? Will this class also have combat capabilities and make me super powerful compared to the rest of the world? I mean, it does offer an extra skill point every five levels and the most attribute points I’ve seen in any of the other class options. Plus, they are all free to boot! Now that I think of it, she mentioned giving me a special class option…”
Adric read the description for Tinker several more times, trying to apply it to how he wanted to progress in his new reality. The class would allow him to not only choose his own path, but also it might enable him to continue to utilize the already impressive skill set he had honed over the years. A skill set that seemed eerily tailored for surviving a magical apocalypse.
Regardless of how excited he was about the prospect of keeping all his skills, Adric knew he should at least check the list of classes some more to make sure there wasn’t something else he wanted more. So, he dismissed the prompt for Tinker to continue searching. Before scrolling, he tried narrowing down his options by asking the class screen, “Show only rare classes that I can choose.” To his delight, the search prompt worked! Unfortunately, the list only displayed a single class, 'Assassin.' To say he was disappointed was an understatement, but Adric didn't let it faze him. Instead, he asked, "Show unique classes I can choose." Unsurprisingly, 'Tinker' was the only one displayed.
Adric sighed; he considered searching for more classes but decided against it. What made his decision was that class restriction number one didn't mention that items were the only thing he could make. The second restriction description mentioned abilities, skills, and spells, which he took to mean both in and out of combat. Also, everything seemed to stress that it was user-defined. So, it was his choice if he wanted to go a combat, crafting, or hybrid route. It did sound like taking a hybrid route was his only smart option since it would be the only way to level all his skills and abilities, but that was probably where the extra skill and attribute points came into play…
“Screw it,” Adric thought and chose Tinker as his class. The second he did, the class screen disappeared, and he felt extremely lightheaded for a few seconds, but that was about it. "Huh, that wasn't so bad," he mumbled. Then he jerked in his seat when a message obscured his interface.
Administrator Message:
Young Adric, this will be the last message you receive from me until after your first evolution.
To answer your thoughts, I have found quite a few exceptional individuals on your planet. I will provide them with unique class options, so don't think you are that special. They won't be getting this message, though. Thanks to your early integration, they will be getting a few things you will not get to keep this integration fair. Well, fair-ish anyway.
But I digress. I am pleased you chose the Tinker class. It will continue to evolve as you do instead of confining you to a specific class structure. I have seen your past, which gave me the impression this class would be appropriate for someone of your varied abilities in and out of combat. A bit of advice for the future: I would have suggested you continue searching your options to see if there was something else you might have found more appealing before choosing the class so quickly…but hey, the choice was always yours.
I look forward to seeing how you and little Hex progress in the coming apocalypse. Have fun!
-Seraph
Well, that was a little snarky and borderline insane," Adric grumbled. He felt the words 'fun' and 'apocalypse' should never be used in the same sentence. But at least the message did clear up some of his concerns regarding the class and whether or not she could read his mind. Dismissing the message, he rechecked his status screen. There was a single flashing notification that read ‘Banked Attribute Points Assigned. Received 5 free attribute points.’ Dismissing it, he looked at his status.
Status:
User Designation: Adric Cay
Species: Human (Mortal); Tier 1, Level 3
Title(s): Prepper; Progenitor; First Blood
Class: Tinker
System Credits: 0
Free Attribute Points: 8
Free Skill Points: 3
Vital Energy: 64
Physical Energy: 74
Magical Energy: 74
Attributes:
Strength: 7
Vitality: 6
Agility: 7
Perception: 5
Intelligence: 5
Wisdom: 7
Abilities (Passive / Non-Combat):
Progenitor Linguistics
Meditation; Tier 1, Level 1 [Locked]
Abilities (Active / Combat):
Archery; Tier 2, Level 1 [Locked]
Small Arms; Tier 1, Level 1 [Locked]
Skills (Passive / Non-Combat):
Deconstruction; Tier 1, Level 1 [Locked]
Skills (Active / Combat):
None
Spells (Support / Non-Combat):
None
Spells (Active / Combat):
None
Resistances:
Lightning; Tier 1, Level 1
Suppression; Tier 2, Level 1
Adric sat back and started distributing his attribute points and deciding which abilities and skills he should unlock. At least that's what he began to do, but the light sobs from the fox girl beside him on the couch suddenly distracted him. He looked over in surprise, worried the bandage had failed or there had been an injury he had missed in his haste. What he saw confused him; Hex was staring at her status screen with her hand over her mouth, choking back sobs.
Adric looked at Hex's screen in confusion, then back to her teary eyes. Not understanding what was happening, he returned to her screen and read the class option she had pulled up. While reading it, his eyes went wide, and he exclaimed, "You'll be like some kind of badass magical warrior!"