Player Classes

While all of the core classes are available for use in Magus Europa, there are a number of changes that need to be made in terms of flavor. Note that if you are dead set on playing a class in its traditional form, it is still possible to have your character originate from some distant lands like India, Africa, or the New World - or to have a unique backstory which justifies that.

Cleric

Clerics get their power from their faith in God. While all clerics are trained to believe that God is directly responsible for their power, it is more a matter belief than anything divine. This is evidenced by the wide variety of religions whose clerics are able to invoke this power. Most clerics explain this away by either claiming that God encompasses many views, or by claiming that their opponents are fueled by demonic powers instead of godly powers. Witch-hunters are still around, but the practice has gone out of vogue, mostly due to an increased understanding of aetheric magic. Clerics might devote themselves to the eradication of a particular foe, such as undead, demons, or lycanthropes. See the article on Religion for more information.

Fighter

Fighters come in three basic classes; nobility, street thugs, and militiamen. Nobility are generally trained in a great variety of weapons; the rapier is being slowly replaced by the short sword for dueling. Nobility are also more likely to use firearms than anyone else, mostly because of the cost. While full armor has fallen out of favor for a number of reasons, it is still used ceremonially and when going up against the occasional enemy without access to firearms. Street thugs are a different breed - larger, meaner, and more brutal in their attacks. Because there are a number of metropolitan areas thuggery has become a viable, if dangerous, way of life. Lastly there are the militiamen, farmers or laborers who are quickly trained to fight in formation and follow orders. They have less in the way of combat instincts, and aren't too hard to deal with individually. Most low level fighters tend to be militiamen.

Paladin

Paladins in the traditional settings are usually holy warriors who work in the service of God. The historic paladins from which they draw their inspiration were first encountered in the 8th century. In Magus Europa, paladins are instead pledged to either a fraternal organization (like the Freemasons) or a knightly order (like the Order of the Elephant). The motivation for paladins lies mostly in the honor of the position, especially since the paladins and knights of old have been heavily romanticized. Paladins are most often seen wearing plate armor, even though it is a less than ideal protection for the times. They are generally heavy into insignia and symbolism. Their use of clerical magics is usually learned from other paladins, and paladins are almost always devoted to God.

Ranger

Rangers fill several roles in society. They sometimes act as law enforcement, tracking down dangerous criminals. Other times, they act as guides to either hunting parties or visiting dignitaries. Because rangers tend to be away from civilization more than other classes, they are also more likely to use a bow and arrow as a ranged weapon. Rangers are also more likely to be non-human. Remember when making a ranger that most of the class features lend themselves well to being a musketeer.

Rogue

Rogues are on the rise as civilization is building itself up. Due to their versatile skill set, rogues have found employment all over Europe as spies, thieves, actors, sailors, and acrobats. The majority of pirates are rogues, though piracy has attracted a wide variety of talent. Thieves speak their own language, Thieves Cant, which they use in order to communicate. Rogues are also in heavy use by the royal courts as spies or informants.

Warlock

Warlocks are separated from wizards mostly by the source of their power. Because being a warlock entails making a pact with an other-worldly entity, warlocks are routinely put to death by religious authorities. Skilled warlocks will simply disguise themselves as wizards, as there are still few enough of those that the common person would not be able to tell the difference between the two, especially if they don't perform any magic. This has placed wizards and warlocks in an antagonistic relationship, especially because a warlock's power is not well understood. Warlocks are also more likely to make a fey pact or star pact, due to the incredible taboo that European society has placed on dealing with the infernal.

Warlord

Warlords are mostly taken from noble stock. They direct troops on the field, make war plans, and study military theory. Warlords tend to ride horses, as they give a greater view of the battle. Musketeers are trained to shoot at generals, and warlords wear full plate because at a distance it can deflect a few shots. Being a warlord is more about inspiring and commanding the troops than being down on the ground.

Wizard

Wizards, as a class, have only come into being in the last fifty years. Every year seems to bring a new advancement in what the wizards are able to do. See the page on magic for more information. Most wizards have graduated from one of the larger schools. The overlap between science and wizardry is absolute, because magic is part of the world that science is trying to understand. Wizards are seen by some as being dangerous, because new knowledge is codified in books. This means that each new wizard will have the benefit of the knowledge of all the others.

Supplemental Classes

Avenger

Avengers are typically knights, paladins, or priests. The call to glory that an avenger hears is sometimes seen as an aberrant thing, as the clergy usual take a non-combative role in fighting. A man of God who ventures out into the fray with only a sword is likely seen as delusional or narcissistic, unless he has proven himself. Avengers are also sometimes produced by monastic orders, who build up religious pride to a fever pitch. Note that England has not had a monastery since 1541.

Barbarian

Barbarians have been made obsolete by ranged warfare. While they can still be found in uncivilized regions, typically in some sort of tribal community, the only barbarians in Europe are ceremonial dwarven barbarians. A more typical "barbarian" is simply a fighter who uses an undisciplined approach based more on great energy and power than precision and footwork. Barbarians are almost uniformly uneducated, as they don't have the concentration or intelligence needed to learn.

Bard

In the old days, bards were paid a sum by the king to keep track of histories, write eulogies, and perform for the general enjoyment. Bards were brought along on quests so that they could sing of the great deeds performed, and some of them acquired a proficiency with weapons from this. Bardic tales were passed down through the generations, and some martial skill along with them. Now, most bards work as actors in a theater, using their skill with weapons to stage mock duels. It has been a recent trend for the more intelligent actors to pick up some skill in aetheric magics, as small displays of prestidigitation have proven quite popular with audiences.

Druid

Druids are born with an innate ability to connect with the natural world. They can manipulate plants, weather, and animals, and even transform into a variety of beasts. Druids themselves have been hunted to near extinction, as druidic magic was most common among pagan Celts. Druids were also seen as connected to lycanthropy due to their ability to change shape. Nowadays, the few remaining druids have benefited from the rise of wizardry; commoners are less suspicious of magic than they once were. A person can still be put to death for being a druid, but it isn't something that usually happens, even with known druids. Most druids live in solitude - some have traveled to the Americas to find some spot of land that remains relatively untouched by humans.

Invoker

Invokers fulfill the same roles as clerics. The difference lies mostly in the type of clergyman. While a cleric might be gentle and caring, tending to his flock with healing spells and helpful prayers, an invoker is more likely to yell loudly about the terrors of Hell and whip his congregation into a religious fervor.

Shaman

Shamans, like barbarians, are remnants of nomadic cultures. They are often mistaken for warlocks, due to their connection to their spirit companion, and the destruction of the tribal cultures has meant that few shamans now survive. The magic of the shaman is closely related to nature; what a wizard might call aetheric resonance. Most of the educated caste feel shamanism to be a foolish and ineffective way to practice magic, and one which relies too heavily on outside agency. Like most of the magic not done by wizards, it is strongly suspect as something demonic or sinful.

Sorcerer

Sorcerers are born into the life. The practice is strongly hereditary, both because it requires inborn talent, and because fathers are able to teach their sons. Before the rise of the aetheric sciences, sorcerers were put to death as witches or warlocks. Much of this was due to the presence of the warlocks, many of whom were making deals with demonic forces. For this reason, sorcerers and warlocks have a strong dislike for each other - at least among those who know their history. Now though, most sorcerers are able to pass themselves off as wizards, and some even study at the academies in order to increase their knowledge and power.

Swordmage

Swordmages have come about as the combination of wizardry and fencing. A swordmage will typically have a sword etched with runes or made from a special material in order to channel aetheric energy. While less adept with a blade than a fighter, and less adept with a spell than a wizard, the few swordmages are often used by companies and kingdoms for tasks that need a varied skill set. Swordmages tend to travel alone, taking on tasks and contracts only for short periods of time. Most come from noble stock, where the required education is available.

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