01-20-2011, 06:27 PM
What is the Tier system?
The Tier system is a system for differentiating power levels between classes and most of all, differentiating the difficulty between training for higher forms of power. There are a total of five tiers, with each tier comes more room for development for your character in combat and otherwise. The idea of the tier system is that the previous system was suffering from an influx of people attempting for prestige classes, forgetting what the system was for. This system was developed to address the flaws in the previous system and focus more on role playing and character development. With this system comes some new options for characters, and many more possibilities if they apply themselves to training. Ideally this system will offer more to characters and particularly if you are willing to invest the time to climb the latter of the tiers.
In order to increase through the tiers, first one must understand how tiers work. Upon character creation one selects one of the first tier classes for their character. As you role play your character you may wish to increase the depth of your character(Not just power, because arms races are not a good excuse for ranking up). You should then private message a game master on the forums or speak with them in a formal manner about beginning a storyline to increase your character through training to the second tier. This training may be to increase your current class' power, or perhaps you wish to move from your current class to a class on the tier two list. Upon selecting this class progression you will either do training all through the forums, partial forum and partial in game with game masters or something to that degree. (This training is agreed upon with you and the game masters)
It is important to remember that many abilities may be sacrificed from your character as they change to a new class in the second tier list; but in some cases not much changes. If one goes from a warrior to a bone crusher, they are still a martial character, but it one goes from berserker to commander they tend to leave behind the rabid tactics in favor of more effective tactics. The abilities that you keep and the abilities you lose should be on the terms of the game master or in many cases multiple game masters.
Then in order to increase from tier two to tier three(So on and so forth if a player ever advances to tier five, that is the final tier), you yet again must speak to game masters and if accepted go through an even longer training storyline. Progression from tier to tier will take much effort on the player's part.
***Also it is important to remember; only one character at a time for each player may be in a tier advancement storyline.
So, the long storyline posts, the intense training and evolving your character being watched over by game masters is the system of increasing through the tiers. It is always a choice though, you do not have to go through the rigors of the increasing of tiers if you do not want to, but you will just remain in the first tier.
The biggest thing to remember, game masters are trying to make sure they have players they can trust with higher amounts of power. If you are denied a tier up, please be patient and think about their suggestions to you rather than thinking you are just being excluded from a special club.
Power Levels:
This is a hot subject of anything to do with character classes getting bigger or getting a new stronger class. What exactly are power levels in this tier system, well even if you favor roll or trust fights or no fights against players at all. It is important to remember with tier increase generally comes an increase of power. Then again some people dislike the idea of power, as if it is not something you can gain from roleplaying to become a stronger character. THat is a side effect of becoming stronger right? Power?
Remember yet again, the balancing of a fight comes down to those involved in the fight and what they agree too. I cannot hash out every single class and their bonuses in every type of fight.
Let us look to felsworn, warriors and steam warriors for my first examples. The felsworn is strong, but at the second tier is not horrendously powerful. This is the beginning of their power, and their mutations. The obvious power increase is a felsworn can most of the time take on 2 or 3 tier one characters. But what differences may arise?
Say my felsworn was a warrior before becoming a felsworn, I am going to go for big claws and heavy armored demonic growths. This means I probably can go against 3 to 4 people in melee and 5 when exerting myself heavily that are tier ones.
But say I was a warlock instead, and I went to increase my fel and shadow magic abilities and chose wings. Sure I can take on 2 to 3 characters using my magics but if I am stupid enough at the second tier to go into melee like that I am not going to do too well.
Then we look to a more situational character, the steamwarrior. I am easy to kill like a tier 1 character outside my armor at least at tier 2. But of course if I am in my massive steamarmor I will be able to go toe to toe like the warrior-felsworn does against 3 to 4 enemies and I start pushing and really pushing it at 5 to 6.
What about a normal warrior? If I am a tier 2 warrior, I have worked to become tougher and stronger, more skilled than my tier 1 brothers and sisters. At tier 2 I can go toe to toe with 2 tier 1 characters with using my entire set of powers. Then I start pushing myself as I begin fight 3, and then I am seriously risking life at 4.
Power levels, more over, a character's skills and abilities they gain as they move up the tiers are agreed upon with game masters, then once a fair balanced set up path is before the character they may begin to advance to their next tier.
Power Levels Rough Estimation For Role Play:
Common = 100% the normal power level of all players currently on CotH
Elite = 150-175% the second tier is not quite double the power level of the common
Epic = 250-300% the third tier is a massive jump over the lesser tiers
Heroic = 400% the 4th and 5th tiers have the greatest leaps in power of any tier but require the most role play.
Legendary = 500%
Remember this is just a rough guess, because this is in the works. But it is easy enough to say a fifth tier character has the resources of 5 characters +1 so a total of the resources or "power" of 6 characters. Elite would be like 3 character's resources equivalent. Epic is 4, Heroic is 5, etc, etc.
REMEMBER! Anyone can die, anyone can help kill you. It does not matter if you are a 5th tier Felsworn or not, if I have 10 people team up on you, sure a few of us will die. But we will most likely take you down.
Specializing your Common Tier Characters:
What we mean by specializing in the First tier is say you are a mage. You can either be a very broad well rounded mage at the first tier and have access to most of all the spells in all the trees. Say though you wish to specialize and not use frost or arcane just to get access with more things you can do with fire spells. This does not mean you are stronger than any First tier character is just means you are playing a variant class of the mage, a pyromancer.
So if you got into a fight with a normal mage and you both are casting fire bolts, you are probably throwing them a bit farther and harder. But he can make up for it by using arcane barriers and frost armor spells as well that you are not using.
Specializing your characters is just role playing the character in their own way, you are just a variant class, but you can have fun doing it. Because this means if you like playing your variant version say if you wish to rank up to tier 2. Then you can speak to the game master about staying more on a specialized fire mage path and not even learning frost or arcane spells as you increase in rank because you want your character to stay the violent pyromancer.
*** Note you can already do this, even if this system does not go through, try just roleplaying a straight up pyromancer or beserking warrior. Don't let the system tell you that you cannot be a pissed off dwarf that gets a slight bonus from raging but suffers from lack of tactics. Don't let the system make it seem like you cannot do some of those things. Keep it within reason however.
The First Tier – The Common Tier
These are the base classes that may be played from the start of the game with no need for a post. They are all on equal levels with one another is a big thing to keep in mind, a necromancer and a mage are on the same level of power in this tier; keep in mind that the same rules from Conquest of the Horde apply; please do not use the abilities of your class in ways that are unfair and uncalled for. At this level no one is necessarily outclassing one another quite yet.
Traits of the common tier are simple, just like the old system, this tier is for all those without any higher training; it is the starting point for characters. Of course with this tier you decide in your creation of your character their class, and then when you post your character profile you put your class upon it.
Common Tier Classes:
Alchemist- Those characters that mix chemicals in many ways, to make powerful healing potions or the volatile burning oils that can be thrown at enemies. Alchemists are great allies to have, and some times, very horrible opponents to be facing.
Berserker- Berserkers are at the common tier equivalent to barbarians, nothing more, and nothing less. Whether an orcish soldier unleashing rabid fury and unable to harness it, or a dwarven drunken mad brawler; berserkers all come from the same stock.
Deathknight- (Only available to players with a level 80) These unholy champions, the Ebon Bladesmen do battle for whatever cause they serve, using dark, unholy magics in conjunction with great melee skill.
Druid- The druids are defenders of nature, they are feral shape shifters or the benign healers that study life; their abilities have many uses.
Hexer- Like the witch doctors, hexers employ the magic of the loa in their spells. Hexers chant and dance to hex targets with types of curses, or effect a small area near them with strange auras. Hexers occasionally are not only trolls on rare occasions for the same reasons as the witch doctors.
Hunter- Hunters are the wilderness stalkers or the archers that support legions of troops. Whether with a pet by their side moving through the brush or a chain armored bowman keeping an eye out for hostiles; you are all hunters at heart.
Inscriber- Inscribers are those mages that have discovered the art of rune-casting. This ability allows them to channel arcane magic through runes, whether using a deadly flurry of pre-inscribed runes or marking runes on the spot on allies' weapons, armor or even themselves to increase their power for a short time. Inscribers are no more powerful than a mage however.
Inscriber, Dark- Dark Inscribers, tap into a dark secret of the art of inscription. Runes tap into the arcane and the natural world and capture its power, but runes may also capture darker powers, like shadow and fel magics. It is these dark brothers of the normal inscriber that use magics much more similar to a warlock, and bordering necromancy, without the demon summoning or the raising of dead.
Mage- Magi are those mortals that delve into the many powers of the arcane, from pyromancers to arcanists that focus on creating portals; mages can focus in many different paths.
Mounted Warrior- Like a warrior, these characters are easy to understand, however a mounted warrior is a skilled combatant upon their trusted steed. Mounted warriors, like night elven nightsaber riders are able to out maneuver other characters attempting to catch them upon the backs of their beasts. Do not underestimate the abilities of a mounted warrior.
Necromancer- Necromancers are those spell casters that use the dark arcane arts to bring false life back into bodies. The common necromancer can only control a small number of undead, but they are on par with any warlock or mage with the choices in their spell repertoire. (However it is important to remember a necromancer at this level may only bring a single or at most two undead lesser minions to bear against their foes.)
Paladin- The warrior-priests, these men and women channel holy energy and use martial prowess to protect their people.
Priest- Priests are the users of radiant holy magic, and they vary from the common acolyte, to a battle priest that stands in a field healing soldiers under fire. Perhaps though you walk a darker path under the taint of the old gods or you just enjoy the powers of agonizing shadow, you then are a shadow priest.
Rogue- Those who focus on either subtlety or trickery generally fall into the class of rogues. Backstabbing bandits, or sly thieves all fit into this category.
Runemaster- Monk like warriors that channel arcane magic using runes through their bodies are the runemasters. Whether making their skin able to reduce the effective damage of sword or arrow; or if making their fists be able to spark with lightning, runemaster are on the same level as any other class.
Scout- Similar to hunters, but not quite the same; scouts are the forward watchers of armies, or perhaps the silent eyes of a vigilante organization. Scouts tend to have keen senses, gathering information for their allies, but in combat they tend to use whatever they learned of their opponents against them in any way they can.
Shaman- Shaman are the spiritual channelers of elemental magic. Whether a battle shaman clad in chain fighting in melee, or the elementalist repairing the war torn land, they are all shaman.
Tinker/Engineer- Those that focus upon technology and creating the better machine, or perhaps the better bomb are Tinkers and Engineers. They take paths from everything to a siege engineer building catapults, to a gnomish inventor building strange and spectacular devices.
Warlock- Warlocks are the practitioners of fel magic, whether they are demonologists, afflictionists or hellcallers; all of them are warlocks.
Warrior- Warriors are the basic skilled warriors of society, nothing very special, and everything from sell swords to guardsmen.
Witch Doctor- Practing the voodoo magic of the trolls is a strange art, but it has its advantages. Whether making strange troll brews that calm the nerves, or casting strange blasts of loa magic summoning spirit snakes or some other bizarre task. Although trolls most of the time are the witch doctors, every so often someone may find out how to use these arts, like the kurzen humans did, or the occasional orc or tauren.
The Second Tier – The Elite Tier
This tier is a step above the common, elite tier characters have increased their abilities and found ways to use their abilities in new and more interesting ways. Or perhaps they have found access to a handful of new tricks that make them superior to their common tier equivalents. It is important to remember, an elite tier character is stronger than a common tier in some way, but it does not mean he or she can stomp a group of three or four characters on their own. Unless of course a steamwarrior is suited in his steam armor, or you are fighting a nine foot tall brute of a felsworn-warrior. Some classes will be boasting more power but with negatives, felsworn cannot entire civilized communities due to their intense newfound evil; and steamwarriors are relatively easy to kill when outside their steam armor.
Warriors at this tier have grown in skill, becoming harder to kill and increasing their proficiency in weapons and armor. While warlocks, mages and necromancers have increased the limits of their spell casting abilities by a margin wide enough to say they are stronger than a single member of their class. Hexers and Witch Doctors gain more of a connection with loa spirits, their arts become more well refined than they were once before. Deathknights and paladins as anti-thesis to one another become stronger in their respective ways. Tinkers and alchemists gain access too more items they may create, or create stronger items. Elite classes are a step up, but also there are classes in the elite rank a common class could of trained to be, such as felsworn or steam warriors. These classes shall be presented below.
Elite Tier Classes:
Apothecary/Potion Doc- When an alchemist uses their abilities to make radical potions, that have risky effects or make poisons that are to be used in siege weapons, such as the blight for the forsaken, the volatile concoctions must be brewed by potion docs and apothecaries.
Assassin- Assassins are silent combatants that seek to deal lethal death blows to unaware targets. The skills of an assassin may lead into combat, as a field combatant they take advantage of foes, while as a silent stealth contender they would rather catch a foe in the dark, silent night; or the somewhat evil act of coating your blade in vile toxins to ensure the kill is more to your style.
Battlemage- The warrior-mages, these combatants are the hybrid of melee combatant and arcane channelling mage. These combatants lack most of the militant abilities of the warrior, and the potency of magi, but compensate for meeting both halfway. They are versatile but not very practical.
Beastmaster- These characters are those that have taken the path of becoming one with the beast and being the ally of beasts. Beastmasters have the most vicious animal allies, and tend to show minor traits of animals themselves.
Bone Crusher- The largest and strongest, although slowest melee warriors are the bone crushers. Bone crushers are very durable, they employ brutal smashing blows to shatter hard objects with ease, and for it is what they are good at, crushing targets smaller than they themselves.
Commander- Commanders use elite tactics and quick commands to reposition allies and themselves to ensure victories. They inspire and lead against even the most dire odds, although they are only slightly superior to normal combatants on the field, they mostly rely on their abilities as leaders to bring allies into the fight.
Dead Shot- The long shot, the sniper, cutting ticks on his rifle for every head shot. The dead shot is an elite ranged combatant whose aim is hard to escape. Everything from well versed elven archer to dwarven riflemen may take the path of the dead shot. They are normally cold and calculated, because a mere miscalculation is the difference between a miss and a kill shot.
Exemplar- Banners of war, massive totems of tribes or the unholy obelisks carried by vile demons are in the hands of only the elite exemplar. Exemplar direct their allies with the use of faction markers such as flags. Exemplars rally their allies using an almost supernatural patriotism, that is tied to a force called the Battlewind in which they may spread buffs and healing among their allies.
Felsworn- Mutated slowly by demon blood and exposure to fel magic, felsworn are on the path to demon-hood. They command fel magic and demonic toughness as they fight for their unholy causes.
Infiltrator/Spymaster- The most elite spy must have the sly intuition of a fox, the eyes of an eagle, the hearing of a mouse and the keen tongue of a snake. Their movements must be hard to detect, like a ghost and their moments when in combat they must be quick to incapacitate or kill then retreat leaving no evidence that way they may keep spying in secret. Spymasters and infiltrators both must have these traits, and they are great allies to those that would require those skills.
Ley-Walker- These arcane users have found the secrets of tapping into the ley lines to either increase the amount of spells they may cast, or empower themselves. As they grow in skill Ley-Walkers may teleport using the ley lines, traversing them quickly. Ley-Walkers are keen allies, and decisive opponents.
Lightslayer- Lightslayers are primarily forsaken, but some devious characters that particularily wish to see the church of the holy light fall may take up this dark path. Lightslayers are adept at combating users of the radiant powers of the light, using stealth and intense training against the abilities of light users gives them their advantages. These characters function much like assassins but specialize in killing light users.
Primal- Primals are those frenzied warriors that use their rage to become animalistic. Their heart and soul are tapped into by their wild insticts, letting loose the beast is a powerful ability, but difficult to control.
Ranger- Rangers are silent wanderers in the wild, who have great skill with ranged weapons or melee weapons. Striking from the wild is their favored tactic, elven rangers peak from the woods to put arrows into intruding forces, or dwarven rangers watch you from the mountainside, ice pick in hand, waiting to ambush you.
Savagekin- The druids that become the most in tune with the feral side, can at times lose themselves in the wild. Savagekin are those druids that have the greatest abilities in their feral animal forms, but they prefer being an animal over being a humanoid.
Spirit Walker- Spirit Walkers are the mystical healers, which from tauren practice have found their ways into other parts of horde society. They commune with the spirits of the dead, and utilize their knowledge to be great advisors, but their skills linking allies together and sharing healing among them or bringing back fallen comrades are very valuable techniques.
Steamwarrior- Steam armor, the ultimate form of armored combat and technology; a steamwarrior is a pilot-warrior that attunes themselves with the piloting of steam armor. Steam armor is everything from a goblin shredder, to a heavy gnomergon assault mecha, steamwarriors only have any true advantages when in their steam armor, other than that, they are normal characters.
Technomage- Those that combine the best of magic and the best of technology to make wondrous devices are the technomagi. Techmagi find themselves at home with cogs spinning and arcane channeling. A technomage in a fight may blast you with fire one moment, then shoot you with his flintlock in the next.
Techslayer- Techslayers are an odd lot. They study technology and use its weaknesses against it in order to prevent it from spreading over the world. They are firm believers that technology if left unchecked will destroy Azeroth, so they use technology to destroy technology. Other technology a techslayer may construct would nuture and protect nature from other more destructive technology.
Templar- Those who have sought out to find the most effective ways to fight darkness in the world take the mantel of templar. When channeling holy magic, the templar have found ways not only to strike down demons and undead with it in effective ways, but they may also strike down others whose souls are tainted with evil.
Warden- Tenacity, tracking skills and combat ability are all important to the law bringing wardens. Most wardens are all night elves, but variations in the practice exist in other species. Wardens use a deadly mix of stealth, martial prowess and heightened senses to find and jail or destroy the lawless.
The Third Tier – The Epic Tier
This is the tier of what people may call the “great powered specialists†or the “elite of the elite†and some others may go as far to say, “bad assesâ€Â. If you are a common tier class do not fight a tier three class, because most of the time, as in ninety percent of the time you will die. Not all classes are one hundred percent balanced at this level however. It is important to note, that say one is a third tier felsworn trying to kill a demonhunter, the demon hunter obviously has the combat advantage. Or perhaps you are a tier three warrior fighting a tier three deadshot, but cannot see where he is shooting from; you should retreat to fight another day. So epic tier characters are very powerful compared to second and third tier characters but they have much more roleplay they must engage in to get this far. Remember, every class has weaknesses, like stated above, the Epic Felsworn is very able to take on six to seven tier one characters, but a single demon hunter will most likely kill them with only exhausting half or so of their power. But an Epic Warrior is able to take on 4 to 6 people at max in melee, he is able to be wounded and driven back with much more ease by the Epic Deadshot.
The third tier is very strong compared to those tiers that come before it, so as one may guess, it takes quite some time to achieve the rank of a third tier character. Below are the third tier classes a character may have been training to be under some very specialized masters.
Epic Tier Classes:
Archmage- The archmages are those studious elite mages from the Kirin Tor whose power has surpassed the common mages; and in other cases an archmage is the sinister blood magi of the blood elven society. The powers of these great spell casters are not to be trifled with.
Archdruid- The great druids command massive power from nature. They shift into powerful animals that as a bear they may push a steamtank back with their primal force. They may also if more on the path of a damage dealing caster bring about mass entangling to a group of foes, then call upon the force of nature and gain treant allies. Archdruids are mighty, and their power should not be mistaken for tree-hugging.
Blademaster- Not many survive a stroke of a blademaster's weapon, for they are samuri-like warriors with lightweight mastercrafted long blades that do battle using speed that at times can surpass demon hunters. It is their speed, strength and skill that allow them to outclass foes, they wear less armor, but bring with them a set of near magic powers.
Demon Hunter- Cold, cursed, and very deadly; Demon hunters are a stock of people, mostly only night elves, but training of this art may pass from demon hunter to a new apprentice of any kind. Their sight detects dark magic, their skin toughened to steel; and their strength and speed allowing them to keep up with and outpace most demons. Demon hunters are warily trusted for their spattering of fel magic, but the company of one is sure to shake most of all dark servants.
Dark Ranger- Those elven rangers that were taken by the scourge, then found themselves as the forsaken may take the path of the dark ranger. Dark rangers use supernatural abilities and necrotic spells to make their abilities as a ranger suit the style of the forsaken more. The dark arrows of a dark ranger are feared justly; make sure you do not believe they are just ghosts.
Farseer- The great shaman that have tapped into the spirit world are the farseer, and their vision is threatening even in battle; but even more well suited to advising other champions. Farseers may look far and wide across the world and see things miles away, or detect the comings and going of allies. They also use this foresight in battle to deadly degrees, although not a martial combatant like the Spirit Champion, a farseer has many spells in their repertoire; unlike the low magic Spirit Champions.
High Divinist- The greatest servants of a power of faith, from the great high priests of the old gods; to the steady hand of minor archbishop healing the masses, the high divinist commands great power. Their spells are great and powerful, and moreover, their faith and resolve in their cause unshakeable.
Mountain King- Those dwarves that gain respect of their allies and the respect of their clan may aspire to be mighty thanes, and moreover Mountain Kings. Their great strength and toppling combat techniques are something to be feared. Whether rolling blow after blow with their great powerful weapons like the falling of a mountainside upon their foe, or calling titan heritage through their body to be stone skinned warriors of immense strength for a short time. Mountain Kings are the true Kings of the people of the mountains.
Priestess of the Moon- Upon great moonsabers, clad in pristine armor or clothing, they hold silvery-white longbow with a blade near their side or upon their back. Elune's grace seems to emanate from them. The Priestesses of the Moon fire searing white hot arrows that carving like sparks from the stars; they bring tranquil rains that wash over allies and heal wounds. They usurp hostiles with their goddess' abilities they are bestowed with.
Shadow Ascendant- Those who delve deep enough into the shadow arts may find themselves on a path that mostly only the forsaken ever dare tread. The path involves gathering so much shadow energy that you may take a new form, the form of shade, and be unharmed by mundane weapons and be able to drain the life of others. Shadow Ascendants are created by inherently evil magics, so even if it was for a good cause; they still may be warped and twisted by the magics that made them into a shade.
Spirit Champion- It is the act of service to the spirits that one may hear the calling of the spirit champion. Guided by ancestors, and hearing their voices allows a spirit champion to gain slight premonition in battle. Avoiding blows, and perhaps preemptively leaving their weapon in the path of a moving enemy because the spirits gave them warning; Spirit Champions are great foes, and even stronger allies.
The Fourth Tier – The Heroic Tier
Those characters that aspire to be even greater at their art if through even more training may find themselves walking past the threshold into the heroic tier. This tier is for the most epic of the epic. They have been able to surpass challenge after challenge and have survived whatever came in between each tier of their training. But once they are here they are more than they once were. These champions are the experts of what they do, and their powers some of the most deadly, or sometimes the best healers come from this lot.
A Heroic class is very powerful, tier one characters only phase them if in numbers, (this is not including any NPC mass numbers brought along for a fight) and the elite second tier characters would need a pretty reasonable force with most likely fire support from a handful tier one characters. An Epic tier character can fight a Heroic tier character and exhaust about half to two thirds of their power and be forced to retreat or will fall trying. But remember, some classes have weaknesses, tier four characters are far from invincible, but they may seem that way.
Fame and power both are things a character has achieved before coming this far, and they gain even more by achieving tier four. It is important to think about how if you are a tier three demon hunter and you have a handful of tier two allies and you are striving for their four; that perhaps that tier 3 warlock and his tier 2 necromancer and felsworn friends may attempt to stop you from achieving a higher level of power.
It is a dangerous road for those of us that attempt to get to the Heroic tier.
If one actually goes through the long process of getting to the third tier, they may advance to this tier after yet another long storyline of even more rigorous and advanced training. The only two classes that stand at this tier are the hardest classes to achieve in the entirety of Conquest of the Horde, and they have earned this position by being exactly what their tier calls for. Heroic.
Heroic Tier Classes:
Dragonsworn- The greatest champions of mortals that time after time have shown their great power and good meaning for the world may be seen by the dragons as possible dragonsworn. Once beset upon by a flight the dragonsworn if accepting the path must undergo long challenges and rituals that symbolize the virtues of the flight of dragons. But if they complete this training they become immortal by the respects of age, and unlock new abilities granted to them by their dragon masters.
Lesser Lich- Those practitioners of dark magic that undergo the horrifying ritual of endless night may warp their body and soul into the form of a lich. Storing their soul in an object known as a phylactery to become effectively immortal compared to any lesser tiered characters. The powers of a lich are many, but they are able to be defeated just like any other character may. (It is important to remember that the path to lichdom is very difficult, and will not just take trust from a game master to a player, but of the server to the player if they somehow find enough strength to head down the dark path)
*** Remember if you somehow get to this, if you die several times in a row rapidly, your phylactery will crumble to dust. And If even a 1st tier character takes your vital little object they can force you to work for them on penalty of permanent death.
The Fifth Tier – The Legendary Tier
When all else fails, they don't. The warriors and rogues, the demon hunters or steam warriors of the Legendary Tier are the champions of us all, not quite on par with lore characters, but well known and seen throughout the world. They are powerful champions whose might and magic surpasses all other tiers, but the path to become a member of the fifth tier is a long and tedious one. A character of course must of already passed from the first tier to the second, and the gone through the long process of going from the elite second tier to the epic third tier. Then if by some odd case someone forced their way through the grandiose storyline from the third tier to the fourth tier.
Then, and only then they may begin the most difficult and deadly training to aspire to be fifth tier champions. There are no classes that can be achieved at the fifth tier, but any class may climb to this height.
WAIT A SECOND!
Remember. This is a work in progress. It may never be accepted by the GM team for all I know. I built this on my own free time as a possible idea.
I WANT IT TO BE ALL REVOLVING AROUND ROLEPLAY
Believe it or not, I put rules in this for a reason, but I want the RP of it more. I do not want people to rank up for power, I want them to worry about storylines.
The Tier system is a system for differentiating power levels between classes and most of all, differentiating the difficulty between training for higher forms of power. There are a total of five tiers, with each tier comes more room for development for your character in combat and otherwise. The idea of the tier system is that the previous system was suffering from an influx of people attempting for prestige classes, forgetting what the system was for. This system was developed to address the flaws in the previous system and focus more on role playing and character development. With this system comes some new options for characters, and many more possibilities if they apply themselves to training. Ideally this system will offer more to characters and particularly if you are willing to invest the time to climb the latter of the tiers.
In order to increase through the tiers, first one must understand how tiers work. Upon character creation one selects one of the first tier classes for their character. As you role play your character you may wish to increase the depth of your character(Not just power, because arms races are not a good excuse for ranking up). You should then private message a game master on the forums or speak with them in a formal manner about beginning a storyline to increase your character through training to the second tier. This training may be to increase your current class' power, or perhaps you wish to move from your current class to a class on the tier two list. Upon selecting this class progression you will either do training all through the forums, partial forum and partial in game with game masters or something to that degree. (This training is agreed upon with you and the game masters)
It is important to remember that many abilities may be sacrificed from your character as they change to a new class in the second tier list; but in some cases not much changes. If one goes from a warrior to a bone crusher, they are still a martial character, but it one goes from berserker to commander they tend to leave behind the rabid tactics in favor of more effective tactics. The abilities that you keep and the abilities you lose should be on the terms of the game master or in many cases multiple game masters.
Then in order to increase from tier two to tier three(So on and so forth if a player ever advances to tier five, that is the final tier), you yet again must speak to game masters and if accepted go through an even longer training storyline. Progression from tier to tier will take much effort on the player's part.
***Also it is important to remember; only one character at a time for each player may be in a tier advancement storyline.
So, the long storyline posts, the intense training and evolving your character being watched over by game masters is the system of increasing through the tiers. It is always a choice though, you do not have to go through the rigors of the increasing of tiers if you do not want to, but you will just remain in the first tier.
The biggest thing to remember, game masters are trying to make sure they have players they can trust with higher amounts of power. If you are denied a tier up, please be patient and think about their suggestions to you rather than thinking you are just being excluded from a special club.
Power Levels:
This is a hot subject of anything to do with character classes getting bigger or getting a new stronger class. What exactly are power levels in this tier system, well even if you favor roll or trust fights or no fights against players at all. It is important to remember with tier increase generally comes an increase of power. Then again some people dislike the idea of power, as if it is not something you can gain from roleplaying to become a stronger character. THat is a side effect of becoming stronger right? Power?
Remember yet again, the balancing of a fight comes down to those involved in the fight and what they agree too. I cannot hash out every single class and their bonuses in every type of fight.
Let us look to felsworn, warriors and steam warriors for my first examples. The felsworn is strong, but at the second tier is not horrendously powerful. This is the beginning of their power, and their mutations. The obvious power increase is a felsworn can most of the time take on 2 or 3 tier one characters. But what differences may arise?
Say my felsworn was a warrior before becoming a felsworn, I am going to go for big claws and heavy armored demonic growths. This means I probably can go against 3 to 4 people in melee and 5 when exerting myself heavily that are tier ones.
But say I was a warlock instead, and I went to increase my fel and shadow magic abilities and chose wings. Sure I can take on 2 to 3 characters using my magics but if I am stupid enough at the second tier to go into melee like that I am not going to do too well.
Then we look to a more situational character, the steamwarrior. I am easy to kill like a tier 1 character outside my armor at least at tier 2. But of course if I am in my massive steamarmor I will be able to go toe to toe like the warrior-felsworn does against 3 to 4 enemies and I start pushing and really pushing it at 5 to 6.
What about a normal warrior? If I am a tier 2 warrior, I have worked to become tougher and stronger, more skilled than my tier 1 brothers and sisters. At tier 2 I can go toe to toe with 2 tier 1 characters with using my entire set of powers. Then I start pushing myself as I begin fight 3, and then I am seriously risking life at 4.
Power levels, more over, a character's skills and abilities they gain as they move up the tiers are agreed upon with game masters, then once a fair balanced set up path is before the character they may begin to advance to their next tier.
Power Levels Rough Estimation For Role Play:
Common = 100% the normal power level of all players currently on CotH
Elite = 150-175% the second tier is not quite double the power level of the common
Epic = 250-300% the third tier is a massive jump over the lesser tiers
Heroic = 400% the 4th and 5th tiers have the greatest leaps in power of any tier but require the most role play.
Legendary = 500%
Remember this is just a rough guess, because this is in the works. But it is easy enough to say a fifth tier character has the resources of 5 characters +1 so a total of the resources or "power" of 6 characters. Elite would be like 3 character's resources equivalent. Epic is 4, Heroic is 5, etc, etc.
REMEMBER! Anyone can die, anyone can help kill you. It does not matter if you are a 5th tier Felsworn or not, if I have 10 people team up on you, sure a few of us will die. But we will most likely take you down.
Specializing your Common Tier Characters:
What we mean by specializing in the First tier is say you are a mage. You can either be a very broad well rounded mage at the first tier and have access to most of all the spells in all the trees. Say though you wish to specialize and not use frost or arcane just to get access with more things you can do with fire spells. This does not mean you are stronger than any First tier character is just means you are playing a variant class of the mage, a pyromancer.
So if you got into a fight with a normal mage and you both are casting fire bolts, you are probably throwing them a bit farther and harder. But he can make up for it by using arcane barriers and frost armor spells as well that you are not using.
Specializing your characters is just role playing the character in their own way, you are just a variant class, but you can have fun doing it. Because this means if you like playing your variant version say if you wish to rank up to tier 2. Then you can speak to the game master about staying more on a specialized fire mage path and not even learning frost or arcane spells as you increase in rank because you want your character to stay the violent pyromancer.
*** Note you can already do this, even if this system does not go through, try just roleplaying a straight up pyromancer or beserking warrior. Don't let the system tell you that you cannot be a pissed off dwarf that gets a slight bonus from raging but suffers from lack of tactics. Don't let the system make it seem like you cannot do some of those things. Keep it within reason however.
The First Tier – The Common Tier
These are the base classes that may be played from the start of the game with no need for a post. They are all on equal levels with one another is a big thing to keep in mind, a necromancer and a mage are on the same level of power in this tier; keep in mind that the same rules from Conquest of the Horde apply; please do not use the abilities of your class in ways that are unfair and uncalled for. At this level no one is necessarily outclassing one another quite yet.
Traits of the common tier are simple, just like the old system, this tier is for all those without any higher training; it is the starting point for characters. Of course with this tier you decide in your creation of your character their class, and then when you post your character profile you put your class upon it.
Common Tier Classes:
Alchemist- Those characters that mix chemicals in many ways, to make powerful healing potions or the volatile burning oils that can be thrown at enemies. Alchemists are great allies to have, and some times, very horrible opponents to be facing.
Berserker- Berserkers are at the common tier equivalent to barbarians, nothing more, and nothing less. Whether an orcish soldier unleashing rabid fury and unable to harness it, or a dwarven drunken mad brawler; berserkers all come from the same stock.
Deathknight- (Only available to players with a level 80) These unholy champions, the Ebon Bladesmen do battle for whatever cause they serve, using dark, unholy magics in conjunction with great melee skill.
Druid- The druids are defenders of nature, they are feral shape shifters or the benign healers that study life; their abilities have many uses.
Hexer- Like the witch doctors, hexers employ the magic of the loa in their spells. Hexers chant and dance to hex targets with types of curses, or effect a small area near them with strange auras. Hexers occasionally are not only trolls on rare occasions for the same reasons as the witch doctors.
Hunter- Hunters are the wilderness stalkers or the archers that support legions of troops. Whether with a pet by their side moving through the brush or a chain armored bowman keeping an eye out for hostiles; you are all hunters at heart.
Inscriber- Inscribers are those mages that have discovered the art of rune-casting. This ability allows them to channel arcane magic through runes, whether using a deadly flurry of pre-inscribed runes or marking runes on the spot on allies' weapons, armor or even themselves to increase their power for a short time. Inscribers are no more powerful than a mage however.
Inscriber, Dark- Dark Inscribers, tap into a dark secret of the art of inscription. Runes tap into the arcane and the natural world and capture its power, but runes may also capture darker powers, like shadow and fel magics. It is these dark brothers of the normal inscriber that use magics much more similar to a warlock, and bordering necromancy, without the demon summoning or the raising of dead.
Mage- Magi are those mortals that delve into the many powers of the arcane, from pyromancers to arcanists that focus on creating portals; mages can focus in many different paths.
Mounted Warrior- Like a warrior, these characters are easy to understand, however a mounted warrior is a skilled combatant upon their trusted steed. Mounted warriors, like night elven nightsaber riders are able to out maneuver other characters attempting to catch them upon the backs of their beasts. Do not underestimate the abilities of a mounted warrior.
Necromancer- Necromancers are those spell casters that use the dark arcane arts to bring false life back into bodies. The common necromancer can only control a small number of undead, but they are on par with any warlock or mage with the choices in their spell repertoire. (However it is important to remember a necromancer at this level may only bring a single or at most two undead lesser minions to bear against their foes.)
Paladin- The warrior-priests, these men and women channel holy energy and use martial prowess to protect their people.
Priest- Priests are the users of radiant holy magic, and they vary from the common acolyte, to a battle priest that stands in a field healing soldiers under fire. Perhaps though you walk a darker path under the taint of the old gods or you just enjoy the powers of agonizing shadow, you then are a shadow priest.
Rogue- Those who focus on either subtlety or trickery generally fall into the class of rogues. Backstabbing bandits, or sly thieves all fit into this category.
Runemaster- Monk like warriors that channel arcane magic using runes through their bodies are the runemasters. Whether making their skin able to reduce the effective damage of sword or arrow; or if making their fists be able to spark with lightning, runemaster are on the same level as any other class.
Scout- Similar to hunters, but not quite the same; scouts are the forward watchers of armies, or perhaps the silent eyes of a vigilante organization. Scouts tend to have keen senses, gathering information for their allies, but in combat they tend to use whatever they learned of their opponents against them in any way they can.
Shaman- Shaman are the spiritual channelers of elemental magic. Whether a battle shaman clad in chain fighting in melee, or the elementalist repairing the war torn land, they are all shaman.
Tinker/Engineer- Those that focus upon technology and creating the better machine, or perhaps the better bomb are Tinkers and Engineers. They take paths from everything to a siege engineer building catapults, to a gnomish inventor building strange and spectacular devices.
Warlock- Warlocks are the practitioners of fel magic, whether they are demonologists, afflictionists or hellcallers; all of them are warlocks.
Warrior- Warriors are the basic skilled warriors of society, nothing very special, and everything from sell swords to guardsmen.
Witch Doctor- Practing the voodoo magic of the trolls is a strange art, but it has its advantages. Whether making strange troll brews that calm the nerves, or casting strange blasts of loa magic summoning spirit snakes or some other bizarre task. Although trolls most of the time are the witch doctors, every so often someone may find out how to use these arts, like the kurzen humans did, or the occasional orc or tauren.
The Second Tier – The Elite Tier
This tier is a step above the common, elite tier characters have increased their abilities and found ways to use their abilities in new and more interesting ways. Or perhaps they have found access to a handful of new tricks that make them superior to their common tier equivalents. It is important to remember, an elite tier character is stronger than a common tier in some way, but it does not mean he or she can stomp a group of three or four characters on their own. Unless of course a steamwarrior is suited in his steam armor, or you are fighting a nine foot tall brute of a felsworn-warrior. Some classes will be boasting more power but with negatives, felsworn cannot entire civilized communities due to their intense newfound evil; and steamwarriors are relatively easy to kill when outside their steam armor.
Warriors at this tier have grown in skill, becoming harder to kill and increasing their proficiency in weapons and armor. While warlocks, mages and necromancers have increased the limits of their spell casting abilities by a margin wide enough to say they are stronger than a single member of their class. Hexers and Witch Doctors gain more of a connection with loa spirits, their arts become more well refined than they were once before. Deathknights and paladins as anti-thesis to one another become stronger in their respective ways. Tinkers and alchemists gain access too more items they may create, or create stronger items. Elite classes are a step up, but also there are classes in the elite rank a common class could of trained to be, such as felsworn or steam warriors. These classes shall be presented below.
Elite Tier Classes:
Apothecary/Potion Doc- When an alchemist uses their abilities to make radical potions, that have risky effects or make poisons that are to be used in siege weapons, such as the blight for the forsaken, the volatile concoctions must be brewed by potion docs and apothecaries.
Assassin- Assassins are silent combatants that seek to deal lethal death blows to unaware targets. The skills of an assassin may lead into combat, as a field combatant they take advantage of foes, while as a silent stealth contender they would rather catch a foe in the dark, silent night; or the somewhat evil act of coating your blade in vile toxins to ensure the kill is more to your style.
Battlemage- The warrior-mages, these combatants are the hybrid of melee combatant and arcane channelling mage. These combatants lack most of the militant abilities of the warrior, and the potency of magi, but compensate for meeting both halfway. They are versatile but not very practical.
Beastmaster- These characters are those that have taken the path of becoming one with the beast and being the ally of beasts. Beastmasters have the most vicious animal allies, and tend to show minor traits of animals themselves.
Bone Crusher- The largest and strongest, although slowest melee warriors are the bone crushers. Bone crushers are very durable, they employ brutal smashing blows to shatter hard objects with ease, and for it is what they are good at, crushing targets smaller than they themselves.
Commander- Commanders use elite tactics and quick commands to reposition allies and themselves to ensure victories. They inspire and lead against even the most dire odds, although they are only slightly superior to normal combatants on the field, they mostly rely on their abilities as leaders to bring allies into the fight.
Dead Shot- The long shot, the sniper, cutting ticks on his rifle for every head shot. The dead shot is an elite ranged combatant whose aim is hard to escape. Everything from well versed elven archer to dwarven riflemen may take the path of the dead shot. They are normally cold and calculated, because a mere miscalculation is the difference between a miss and a kill shot.
Exemplar- Banners of war, massive totems of tribes or the unholy obelisks carried by vile demons are in the hands of only the elite exemplar. Exemplar direct their allies with the use of faction markers such as flags. Exemplars rally their allies using an almost supernatural patriotism, that is tied to a force called the Battlewind in which they may spread buffs and healing among their allies.
Felsworn- Mutated slowly by demon blood and exposure to fel magic, felsworn are on the path to demon-hood. They command fel magic and demonic toughness as they fight for their unholy causes.
Infiltrator/Spymaster- The most elite spy must have the sly intuition of a fox, the eyes of an eagle, the hearing of a mouse and the keen tongue of a snake. Their movements must be hard to detect, like a ghost and their moments when in combat they must be quick to incapacitate or kill then retreat leaving no evidence that way they may keep spying in secret. Spymasters and infiltrators both must have these traits, and they are great allies to those that would require those skills.
Ley-Walker- These arcane users have found the secrets of tapping into the ley lines to either increase the amount of spells they may cast, or empower themselves. As they grow in skill Ley-Walkers may teleport using the ley lines, traversing them quickly. Ley-Walkers are keen allies, and decisive opponents.
Lightslayer- Lightslayers are primarily forsaken, but some devious characters that particularily wish to see the church of the holy light fall may take up this dark path. Lightslayers are adept at combating users of the radiant powers of the light, using stealth and intense training against the abilities of light users gives them their advantages. These characters function much like assassins but specialize in killing light users.
Primal- Primals are those frenzied warriors that use their rage to become animalistic. Their heart and soul are tapped into by their wild insticts, letting loose the beast is a powerful ability, but difficult to control.
Ranger- Rangers are silent wanderers in the wild, who have great skill with ranged weapons or melee weapons. Striking from the wild is their favored tactic, elven rangers peak from the woods to put arrows into intruding forces, or dwarven rangers watch you from the mountainside, ice pick in hand, waiting to ambush you.
Savagekin- The druids that become the most in tune with the feral side, can at times lose themselves in the wild. Savagekin are those druids that have the greatest abilities in their feral animal forms, but they prefer being an animal over being a humanoid.
Spirit Walker- Spirit Walkers are the mystical healers, which from tauren practice have found their ways into other parts of horde society. They commune with the spirits of the dead, and utilize their knowledge to be great advisors, but their skills linking allies together and sharing healing among them or bringing back fallen comrades are very valuable techniques.
Steamwarrior- Steam armor, the ultimate form of armored combat and technology; a steamwarrior is a pilot-warrior that attunes themselves with the piloting of steam armor. Steam armor is everything from a goblin shredder, to a heavy gnomergon assault mecha, steamwarriors only have any true advantages when in their steam armor, other than that, they are normal characters.
Technomage- Those that combine the best of magic and the best of technology to make wondrous devices are the technomagi. Techmagi find themselves at home with cogs spinning and arcane channeling. A technomage in a fight may blast you with fire one moment, then shoot you with his flintlock in the next.
Techslayer- Techslayers are an odd lot. They study technology and use its weaknesses against it in order to prevent it from spreading over the world. They are firm believers that technology if left unchecked will destroy Azeroth, so they use technology to destroy technology. Other technology a techslayer may construct would nuture and protect nature from other more destructive technology.
Templar- Those who have sought out to find the most effective ways to fight darkness in the world take the mantel of templar. When channeling holy magic, the templar have found ways not only to strike down demons and undead with it in effective ways, but they may also strike down others whose souls are tainted with evil.
Warden- Tenacity, tracking skills and combat ability are all important to the law bringing wardens. Most wardens are all night elves, but variations in the practice exist in other species. Wardens use a deadly mix of stealth, martial prowess and heightened senses to find and jail or destroy the lawless.
The Third Tier – The Epic Tier
This is the tier of what people may call the “great powered specialists†or the “elite of the elite†and some others may go as far to say, “bad assesâ€Â. If you are a common tier class do not fight a tier three class, because most of the time, as in ninety percent of the time you will die. Not all classes are one hundred percent balanced at this level however. It is important to note, that say one is a third tier felsworn trying to kill a demonhunter, the demon hunter obviously has the combat advantage. Or perhaps you are a tier three warrior fighting a tier three deadshot, but cannot see where he is shooting from; you should retreat to fight another day. So epic tier characters are very powerful compared to second and third tier characters but they have much more roleplay they must engage in to get this far. Remember, every class has weaknesses, like stated above, the Epic Felsworn is very able to take on six to seven tier one characters, but a single demon hunter will most likely kill them with only exhausting half or so of their power. But an Epic Warrior is able to take on 4 to 6 people at max in melee, he is able to be wounded and driven back with much more ease by the Epic Deadshot.
The third tier is very strong compared to those tiers that come before it, so as one may guess, it takes quite some time to achieve the rank of a third tier character. Below are the third tier classes a character may have been training to be under some very specialized masters.
Epic Tier Classes:
Archmage- The archmages are those studious elite mages from the Kirin Tor whose power has surpassed the common mages; and in other cases an archmage is the sinister blood magi of the blood elven society. The powers of these great spell casters are not to be trifled with.
Archdruid- The great druids command massive power from nature. They shift into powerful animals that as a bear they may push a steamtank back with their primal force. They may also if more on the path of a damage dealing caster bring about mass entangling to a group of foes, then call upon the force of nature and gain treant allies. Archdruids are mighty, and their power should not be mistaken for tree-hugging.
Blademaster- Not many survive a stroke of a blademaster's weapon, for they are samuri-like warriors with lightweight mastercrafted long blades that do battle using speed that at times can surpass demon hunters. It is their speed, strength and skill that allow them to outclass foes, they wear less armor, but bring with them a set of near magic powers.
Demon Hunter- Cold, cursed, and very deadly; Demon hunters are a stock of people, mostly only night elves, but training of this art may pass from demon hunter to a new apprentice of any kind. Their sight detects dark magic, their skin toughened to steel; and their strength and speed allowing them to keep up with and outpace most demons. Demon hunters are warily trusted for their spattering of fel magic, but the company of one is sure to shake most of all dark servants.
Dark Ranger- Those elven rangers that were taken by the scourge, then found themselves as the forsaken may take the path of the dark ranger. Dark rangers use supernatural abilities and necrotic spells to make their abilities as a ranger suit the style of the forsaken more. The dark arrows of a dark ranger are feared justly; make sure you do not believe they are just ghosts.
Farseer- The great shaman that have tapped into the spirit world are the farseer, and their vision is threatening even in battle; but even more well suited to advising other champions. Farseers may look far and wide across the world and see things miles away, or detect the comings and going of allies. They also use this foresight in battle to deadly degrees, although not a martial combatant like the Spirit Champion, a farseer has many spells in their repertoire; unlike the low magic Spirit Champions.
High Divinist- The greatest servants of a power of faith, from the great high priests of the old gods; to the steady hand of minor archbishop healing the masses, the high divinist commands great power. Their spells are great and powerful, and moreover, their faith and resolve in their cause unshakeable.
Mountain King- Those dwarves that gain respect of their allies and the respect of their clan may aspire to be mighty thanes, and moreover Mountain Kings. Their great strength and toppling combat techniques are something to be feared. Whether rolling blow after blow with their great powerful weapons like the falling of a mountainside upon their foe, or calling titan heritage through their body to be stone skinned warriors of immense strength for a short time. Mountain Kings are the true Kings of the people of the mountains.
Priestess of the Moon- Upon great moonsabers, clad in pristine armor or clothing, they hold silvery-white longbow with a blade near their side or upon their back. Elune's grace seems to emanate from them. The Priestesses of the Moon fire searing white hot arrows that carving like sparks from the stars; they bring tranquil rains that wash over allies and heal wounds. They usurp hostiles with their goddess' abilities they are bestowed with.
Shadow Ascendant- Those who delve deep enough into the shadow arts may find themselves on a path that mostly only the forsaken ever dare tread. The path involves gathering so much shadow energy that you may take a new form, the form of shade, and be unharmed by mundane weapons and be able to drain the life of others. Shadow Ascendants are created by inherently evil magics, so even if it was for a good cause; they still may be warped and twisted by the magics that made them into a shade.
Spirit Champion- It is the act of service to the spirits that one may hear the calling of the spirit champion. Guided by ancestors, and hearing their voices allows a spirit champion to gain slight premonition in battle. Avoiding blows, and perhaps preemptively leaving their weapon in the path of a moving enemy because the spirits gave them warning; Spirit Champions are great foes, and even stronger allies.
The Fourth Tier – The Heroic Tier
Those characters that aspire to be even greater at their art if through even more training may find themselves walking past the threshold into the heroic tier. This tier is for the most epic of the epic. They have been able to surpass challenge after challenge and have survived whatever came in between each tier of their training. But once they are here they are more than they once were. These champions are the experts of what they do, and their powers some of the most deadly, or sometimes the best healers come from this lot.
A Heroic class is very powerful, tier one characters only phase them if in numbers, (this is not including any NPC mass numbers brought along for a fight) and the elite second tier characters would need a pretty reasonable force with most likely fire support from a handful tier one characters. An Epic tier character can fight a Heroic tier character and exhaust about half to two thirds of their power and be forced to retreat or will fall trying. But remember, some classes have weaknesses, tier four characters are far from invincible, but they may seem that way.
Fame and power both are things a character has achieved before coming this far, and they gain even more by achieving tier four. It is important to think about how if you are a tier three demon hunter and you have a handful of tier two allies and you are striving for their four; that perhaps that tier 3 warlock and his tier 2 necromancer and felsworn friends may attempt to stop you from achieving a higher level of power.
It is a dangerous road for those of us that attempt to get to the Heroic tier.
If one actually goes through the long process of getting to the third tier, they may advance to this tier after yet another long storyline of even more rigorous and advanced training. The only two classes that stand at this tier are the hardest classes to achieve in the entirety of Conquest of the Horde, and they have earned this position by being exactly what their tier calls for. Heroic.
Heroic Tier Classes:
Dragonsworn- The greatest champions of mortals that time after time have shown their great power and good meaning for the world may be seen by the dragons as possible dragonsworn. Once beset upon by a flight the dragonsworn if accepting the path must undergo long challenges and rituals that symbolize the virtues of the flight of dragons. But if they complete this training they become immortal by the respects of age, and unlock new abilities granted to them by their dragon masters.
Lesser Lich- Those practitioners of dark magic that undergo the horrifying ritual of endless night may warp their body and soul into the form of a lich. Storing their soul in an object known as a phylactery to become effectively immortal compared to any lesser tiered characters. The powers of a lich are many, but they are able to be defeated just like any other character may. (It is important to remember that the path to lichdom is very difficult, and will not just take trust from a game master to a player, but of the server to the player if they somehow find enough strength to head down the dark path)
*** Remember if you somehow get to this, if you die several times in a row rapidly, your phylactery will crumble to dust. And If even a 1st tier character takes your vital little object they can force you to work for them on penalty of permanent death.
The Fifth Tier – The Legendary Tier
When all else fails, they don't. The warriors and rogues, the demon hunters or steam warriors of the Legendary Tier are the champions of us all, not quite on par with lore characters, but well known and seen throughout the world. They are powerful champions whose might and magic surpasses all other tiers, but the path to become a member of the fifth tier is a long and tedious one. A character of course must of already passed from the first tier to the second, and the gone through the long process of going from the elite second tier to the epic third tier. Then if by some odd case someone forced their way through the grandiose storyline from the third tier to the fourth tier.
Then, and only then they may begin the most difficult and deadly training to aspire to be fifth tier champions. There are no classes that can be achieved at the fifth tier, but any class may climb to this height.
WAIT A SECOND!
Remember. This is a work in progress. It may never be accepted by the GM team for all I know. I built this on my own free time as a possible idea.
I WANT IT TO BE ALL REVOLVING AROUND ROLEPLAY
Believe it or not, I put rules in this for a reason, but I want the RP of it more. I do not want people to rank up for power, I want them to worry about storylines.
R" aspect of it. Sure, it is harder. But we aren't lazy, are we? You can be casual if you want, or dedicated if you wish. It seems perfectly fitting for any player's style to me.