Posted by Rome on April 18, 2000 at 17:34:34:
Crusader
The crusader would be an empowerment class, but without communes. Their powers are unmatched by any class, but the time it takes to get those powers would make invokers look like a newbie class.
Their powers are based upon mastering the ones you have already, but unlike assassins and invokers, these skills cannot be mastered through simply kicking some poor sot in the head 10,000 times, or turning a fido into a shish kabob.
Briefly stated, there would be three main ‘focuses’ for the crusader, all based around one skill they gain at rank 11 (upon empowerment). These skills are resilience, pride, and purity. One would advance along the resilience chain by falling to the sword of an evil person, the though being that as one continued to fail, they would gain an internal fortitude by having faced death and come back. The skills in this focus revolve around how the crusader deals with death, and how fast he recovers from it.
The pride focus would be the opposite. Along this path one would advance by conquering the evil of the land, and by doing so gain more confidence in your own abilities. These abilities focus on flashy combat moves and tricks that would in turn foster additional confidence.
The final focus is the purity vein. This group of skills advances through time and resilience in the face of evil magic. In the beginning the first few skills require the crusader to seek out evil magic and face it, proving his worth. From then on, the crusader must maintain contact with the purer elements (in the form of his skills) and simply wait for advancements to happen. Whereas the other two skill groupings require action to advance, this one requires patience (at least after the first two skills, which would not take long to perfect).
I can just see a crusader saying… “If you strike me down, I will become more powerful than you could ever imagine…”
Here is the skill list as a newbie would see it (Or even a hero who never fought a player):
Skill of Crusader: Mace, Level 1.
Skill of Crusader: Flail, Level 1.
Skill of Crusader: Polearm, Level 1.
Skill of Crusader: Sword, Level 1.
Skill of Crusader: Staff, Level 1.
Skill of Crusader: Parry, Level 1.
Skill of Crusader: Rescue, Level 1.
Skill of Crusader: Recall, Level 1.
Skill of Crusader: Shield Block, Level 1.
Skill of Crusader: Enhanced Damage, Level 4.
Skill of Crusader: Second Attack, Level 6.
Skill of Crusader: Hand to Hand, Level 7.
Skill of Crusader: Fast Healing, Level 7.
Skill of Crusader: Disarm, Level 10.
Skill of Crusader: Charge, Level 10.
Skill of Crusader: Resilience, Level 11. *
Skill of Crusader: Purity, Level 11. *
Skill of Crusader: Pride, Level 11. *
Skill of Crusader: Third Attack, Level 13.
Skill of Crusader: Meditation, Level 14.
Skill of Crusader: Lore, Level 19.
Skill of Crusader: Pugil, Level 22.
Skill of Crusader: Fourth Attack, Level 27.
The Resilience Chain (Advances through defeat):
[11] Resilience: This skill is automatic. When the crusader is slain, this skill is checked, and depending on his skill in it he will start off with a greater amount of health (at 75% he may begin at 25%, at 100% resilience, he will start at 50% health). This skill will go up each time the crusader is slain by anything.
[20] Avenging Angel (Gained when resilience is mastered [minimum 25 deaths]): This skill is also automatic. When the crusader is slain, and angel is sent by his deity to slay the one who would dare fell the holy warrior. The angel’s strength is based on his skill in avenging angel (at 75%, perhaps an angel of similar rank to the crusader will hunt the murderer, when you reach 100%, the angel is down right wicked). Like resilience, this skill goes up each time the crusader is slain by an evil player.
[35] Phoenix (Gained when Avenging Angel is mastered [minimum 50 deaths]): The phoenix skill raises the crusader from his ashes right then and there… on the spot. He does not become a ghost, but rather becomes immune to damage for a few hours depending on his skill in phoenix (at 75% perhaps 1 hour, at 100%, ). The crusader will only regain his health to 50% per resilience, but will also gain a healthy boost to his hit and dam roll. This skill can be toggled (phoenix on/phoenix off). Again like avenging angel, this skill also goes up each time the crusader is slain by an evil player.
[40] Martyr (Gained when Phoenix is mastered [minimum 75 deaths]): The martyr skill, upon the death of the crusader, grants a full heal, and a Martyr affect (+15 hit/dam, protection from evil) to all those grouped with the crusader. This skill improves 1% with each death to an evil player.
[51] Blaze of Glory (Gained when Martyr reaches 80% [minimum 80 deaths]): The blaze of glory is a one shot skill. The crusader enters the comand ‘blaze’, then confirms it. The crusader then transforms into a fiery being of pure holy wrath. The crusader is surrounded by a pulsating white aura of this holy energy, and gains the following abilities for the next 48 hrs: Fly skill (per air forms), flyto (similar to the falcon), holy might (+50/+50 hit/dam, 50% damage reduction), swimto (per water forms), water breathing, auto-healing (once a round the crusader is healed by his holy wrath equivalent to a cure serious). Upon the expiration of the blaze of glory, the crusader’s life force is extinguished, and his constitution expires (con-death .. 48 game hrs. to live, make it count).
The Purity chain (Advances through contact with negative energy, and time):
[11] Purity : The purity skill automatically defends the crusader against negative based attacks. Each time a negative spell is cast upon the crusader, this spell is checked first to see if it is able to go through (a perfected purity skill will allow the spells to go through an average of 50% of the time). Spells such as vampiric touch, poison, plague, curse, crimson scourge, demon fire, and other similar spells are affected.
[15] Peaceful dreams (Gained when Purity is perfected): The peaceful dreaming skill will automatically protect the crusader from harmful affects when he is sleeping. If an evil player attempts to attack the crusader in any way while he is sleep, a minor angel may come to his rescue and deflect the attack, wake the crusader, attack the assailant itself, or a combination of the three (Perfected, about a 20% chance of each).
[23] Intervention (Gained when Peaceful dreams is perfected): The intervention skill allows the crusader protection from ill intended communes by calling upon his own immortal for protection. So long as the affect lasts (5-15 hrs, depending on proficiency) the crusader will enjoy a 25% chance of countering any offensive commune. (Skill improvement would have to be balanced so that it would take about 50 hrs of constant use to perfect).
[31] Blessedness (Gained when Intervention is perfected): Through extended contact with their diety, crusaders enjoy a vastly improved healing rate (perfected, will more than double the healing rate vs. simply having fast healing perfected). This skill is automatic (and will take on average another 100 hrs to perfect).
[38] Aura of Sanctity (Gained when Blessedness is perfected): This skill provides an affect which reduces the damage dealt to the crusader from evil sources (In a similar fashion to protection from evil, but to a much greater extent [on par with sanc], and takes on average 200 hrs to perfect).
[45] Truesight (Gained after aura of sanctity is perfected): This skill gives the crusader the ability to see good/evil, hidden, camo, invis, duo, dopple, and anything else they come up with (Takes an average of 300 hrs to perfect, unless helped along by an immortal).
[51] Chosen (Gained after truesight is perfected): Gives the crusader immunity to positive and negative attacks (divine, defilement, wrath, energy drain.. and so on). The crusader’s moves are fully refreshed every game hour.
The Pride Chain (Advances through victory):
[11] Pride: The pride of a crusader gives him an edge in combat, making him take extra care in placing his blows properly. This skill provides an affect that grants the crusader additional accuracy in combat (+hit) depending on his rank and ability in the skill (+2 @ 75% and rank 11, up to +20 @ 100% and hero rank). Each time the crusader slays an evil player with his pride activated, it will improve 3%.
[25] Flair (Gained after pride is perfected): A different type of defense, flair uses the ‘about body’ armor to distract an opponent in much the same way as a matador does a bull. ‘About body’ wear must have the word ‘cloak’, ‘cape’, or ‘robe’ in the name to work with this skill.
Eg. Bob’s freezing bite passes harmlessly through your long black cloak.
There is a chance that when the weapon passes through the cloak, it may be destroyed, and some attacks are more likely to cause this than others (Axes being very likely, and daggers far less so). The flair skill, as will all in the pride chain, improves with each successful kill of an evil player (2% each kill).
[33] Poise (Gained after flair is perfected): Poise in battle often means the difference between a solid hit and a glancing blow. The poise skill provides the crusader with an affect similar to pride, except it improves damage rather than hit roll (+2 @ 75% and rank 31, up to +20 @ 100% and hero rank). Each time the crusader slays and evil player, the poise skill improves.
[34] Truestrike (Gained after poise is perfected): If a blow is parried, the deity of the crusader will sometimes lend a hand and allow the strike to pass harmlessly through the parry. The continued strike may still be dodged, but will otherwise strike home. As with all previous skills in this group, it improves with victories.
Eg. Bob raises his defenses in time, but your slash passes through and continues towards your target!
Bob dodges your slash.
[37] Soulstrike (Gained after truestrike is perfected): Working in a similar fashion to deathblow, this skill will allow the crusader’s blade to strike at the heart of his foe, ignoring any magical or holy defenses (but not natural resistances). Each time the crusader slays an evildoer there is a 50% chance of this skill improving.
Eg. Your heron marked blade flares with holy light!
Your slash ***DEMOLISHES*** Bob! (Through sanc no less!)
[41] Inspiration (Gained after soulstrike is perfected): Battle worn crusaders occasionally are able to anticipate the moves of their foes, and avoid them. Whether this is from divine inspiration, or just veteran savy is unknown, but the end result is the occasional avoidance of a wayward trip, bash, or throw. Each time the crusader slays an evildoer there is a 30% chance of this skill improving.
[49] Indomitable Spirit (Gained after inspiration is perfected): Crusaders who have advanced to this point in their abilities have built up confidence in themselves beyond that of mortal men. This skill allows the crusader to continue fighting even when other men would fall unconscious. If their opponent flees, or the fight is otherwise stopped, the crusader will then realize their own mortality and pass on. Excessive damage may also cause the crusader to fall (-50% max hp’s).
The true skill list, with everything perfected:
Skill of Crusader: Mace, Level 1.
Skill of Crusader: Flail, Level 1.
Skill of Crusader: Polearm, Level 1.
Skill of Crusader: Sword, Level 1.
Skill of Crusader: Staff, Level 1.
Skill of Crusader: Parry, Level 1.
Skill of Crusader: Rescue, Level 1.
Skill of Crusader: Recall, Level 1.
Skill of Crusader: Shield Block, Level 1.
Skill of Crusader: Enhanced Damage, Level 4.
Skill of Crusader: Second Attack, Level 6.
Skill of Crusader: Hand to Hand, Level 7.
Skill of Crusader: Fast Healing, Level 7.
Skill of Crusader: Disarm, Level 10.
Skill of Crusader: Charge, Level 10.
Skill of Crusader: Resilience, Level 11. *
Skill of Crusader: Purity, Level 11.*
Skill of Crusader: Pride, Level 11.*
Skill of Crusader: Third Attack, Level 13.
Skill of Crusader: Meditation, Level 14.
Skill of Crusader: Peaceful Dreams, Level 15.* (available after an average of 40 hrs play time)
Skill of Crusader: Lore, Level 19.
Skill of Crusader: Avenging Angel, Level 20.* (available after 25 deaths)
Skill of Crusader: Pugil, Level 22.
Skill of Crusader: Intervention, Level 23.* (available after an average of 80 hrs play time)
Skill of Crusader: Flair, Level 25.* (available after 9 kills)
Skill of Crusader: Fourth Attack, Level 27.
Skill of Crusader: Phoenix, Level 30. * (available after 50 deaths)
Skill of Crusader: Blessedness, Level 31. * (available after an average of 130 hrs play time)
Skill of Crusader: Poise, Level 33.* (available after 17 kills)
Skill of Crusader: Truestrike, Level 34.* (available after 42 kills)
Skill of Crusader: Soulstrike, Level 37.* (available after 67 kills)
Skill of Crusader: Aura of Sanctity, Level 38. * (available after an average of 230 hrs play time)
Skill of Crusader: Martyr, Level 40. * (available after 75 deaths)
Skill of Crusader: Inspiration, Level 41.* (available after ~125 kills)
Skill of Crusader: Truesight, Level 45. * (available after an average of 430 hrs play time)
Skill of Crusader: Indomitable Spirit, Level 49.* (available after ~200 kills)
Skill of Crusader: Chosen, Level 50. * (available after an average of 730 hrs play time)
Skill of Crusader: Blaze of Glory, Leve
...Rome...