31. The Class System

After the Trail of Words conjured Flora and Eddie two cinema seats, the movie started.

First, the movie explained all the settings of the heads up display (HUD).

Eddie advised her to allow group members to see her health, stamina, mana, and concentration bars and make them visible for herself.

"So you know when to heal someone or when you can't expect any help soon, because they are OOM, out of mana."

They starred over each other's heads where the bars had appeared.

"You are 95% dead!" Eddie exclaimed.

"And you are much too healthy, and even your mana bar is full!" Flora was equally appalled.

After Flora explained to him her training measures and philosophy, she activated friendly fire to help Eddie getting rid of all that excess health.

"This is what I call toxic femininity!" Eddie mumbled and leaned away from Flora. "Please, Trail, make the seats a bit broader. This woman might kill me otherwise."

Flora handed him two health potions for emergencies.

"Sure, this isn't poison?" Eddie asked while he checked the flasks carefully.

Flora nodded. "Yes, poisons are mainly yellow and neon green. If you want some, I have some."

Eddie laughed and shook his head.

Next, the movie explained the badges. Flora didn't know that you could see from the shape alone how powerful your opponent was. Eddies and her badge had a platin and gold circle around their level, which meant that they were unranked. Weak enemies or E rated players had only a silver circle, regular enemies, or D rated players a golden ring. Starting from C spikes protruded out of the gold circle: Two spikes for C or Soldiers, four for B or Sergeants, six for A or Bosses, and eight for S or Big Bosses.

NPC had an additional feature. They had stripes on the upper corner of their badges, which represented the recommended group size when fighting against those. Flora changed the display to a number.

"Aidan, show me Lady Mnoder's badge."

Her level was 200, and six spikes protruded from the circle. The recommended group size in the upper right corner showed a 3.

"That means she is a boss, and you should bring two friends to confront her, right?"

"Yes, Milady. The group should have roughly the same level as the enemy as well."

"You got beef with a level 200 boss?" Eddie laughed at Flora. "How did you even manage to encounter one?"

Flora told him and even showed him the technician's uniform. Alone the thought of having to wear the ugly dress dissuaded Eddie from offering his companionship in the scenario, but he gave Flora some pointers.

"Hmm. You can forget about fighting the boss directly, but when the moon is under attack, maybe she gets hurt and weakened?"

"So the key is not to let her come back to the trophy room. I might have tripped an alarm when I dismantled the place. Of course, Jake and I have to survive the first encounter with her. I have an idea for that."

"From a cinematic angle, it's Jake's job to confront her and maybe lose a hand."

"Good point!"

The movie continued to the class system.

Branches:

Warrior: Uses mainly physical attributes and specialize in combat. Example: Soldier - proficient in basic ranged and melee combat.

Mage: Uses mainly magical attributes and specializes in magic.

Example: Ice mage - Uses the power of the cold to freeze and damage his enemies.

Trickster: Uses control stats to control situations.

Example: Thief - Specializes in acquiring things they don't own and backstabbing.

Tech: Uses technological products to strengthen himself.

Example: Driver - Able to drive vehicles and to use them in combat.

Divine: Uses the powers of their gods to further their goals.

Example: Priest - Heals the believers and smites the heathens.

Nature: Uses their connection with nature to accomplish their goals.

Example: Ranger - Able to survive in the wild and care for flora and fauna.

Crafter: Uses their creative power to change the lives of everybody.

Example: Alchemist - Poisons his enemies and buffs his friends.

Social: Uses their power to enrich society or themselves.

Example: Merchant - Trades goods.

Meta: Can be combined with all classes of all branches.

Example: Pupil - Able to learn faster.

A class could belong to one or several of the main branches.

Example: Paladin - Warrior-Branch and Divine-Branch - Uses their divine powers to fight for their higher power.

"You should get a ranger boyfriend," Eddie suggested.

"Why? I don't like relationships. They consist of disagreements and compromises." Of course, Flora had explained this to Eddie before. Several times.

"Because the movie told us that they care for Flora."

Eddie slapped his knee, laughing about his own joke, while Flora groaned.

Manner of acquisition

Basic classes: Can be acquired without any prerequisites.

Example: Soldier - The military takes everyone.

Quest classes: You have to complete a quest.

Example: Pupil - Get the quest in the zone network of the Acadamy.

Hurdle classes: You must have attributes/skills or abilities on a certain level.

Example: Driver - Your ability 'driving' has to be at least 10 OV.

Advanced classes: You must have the precursor class.

Example: Fire Sword: Only eligible for swordmasters or fire mages.

Hidden classes: They are not registered in the zone network.

Example: Analyst - Legacy drops from monsters.

Apart from basic classes, the manner of acquisitions can be combined.

Example: Combat Alchemist - Requirements: complete a quest, 25 LV Alchemy, Class Alchemist, and you have to find the master.

You can combine classes if they have a relationship with each other.

Combinatory ability

Precursor class: Class that comes before a class.

Example: Hunter - Precursor for Ranger.

Successor class: Class that follows a class.

Example: Drone Driver - Successor from Driver.

Combination class: Class that has multiple precursor classes.

Example: Paladin - Knight and Priest

Umbrella class: Class that includes all classes of a specified kind. It can be acquired by getting the badges of at least five of the classes it contains.

Example: Elemental Mage - Includes icy mage, fire mage, water mage, earth mage, wind mage, metal mage, lightning mage, wood mage.

Champion class: All classes of a branch can be combined with this class.

Example: Champion of the Shield Hall - this class can link to all Warrior classes.

The combination of classes is called class-tree. As soon as you integrate a class into your class tree, it counts as 'active'.

The class without a successor class forms the trunk of the tree. Your badge displays the trunk class.

Pro-Tipp: Instead of linking a basic class, it is always possible to slot a successor instead.

Example: Paladin - Precursor classes Priest and Knight - You can link Bishop, a successor of Priest, instead of Priest itself.

"This is awesome! I planned to go just for the pirate class, but if I can combine classes, I can go for a much more complex built!"

While Eddie was excited, Flora tried to make sense of the information dump.

"Does this mean when I want to have robots like Clyde, Handy, and Forky, I have to have a tech-class?"

"No, Milady. You can learn with very few exceptions every skill and ability you want in the Cetviwos. An active class gives you bonuses for the mana-skills of your class 125% and the mana-skills of the whole branch 110%."

"Okay, but 125% is a bonus I don't want to miss. So I need a class that is a combined class of the tech and the divine branch." Flora paused. "And the tech class must have a precursor which I can substitute with ... is it drone driver? Or what class has excellent support for robots?"

"Robot Handler, Milady. The approach you described is possible, but it's not the only way. You can also learn the paladin class, and get a successor class to knight that is a combined class. Or you could even substitute a precursor class of knight."

"Great! I like mech-suits, and they are like knights armor, there sure is a class that combines them. Let's make a list of skills I want to have supported by a class and then combine them all!"

"You put the cart before the horse! That's brilliant!" Eddie exclaimed.

"Of course, I want my crafting to be top-notch. Therefore I need a class for mechanics, electronics, and design. I want strong robots and mech-suits. I want to do magic, as well. And I want pets, toaster pets preferably. I guess we already have them covered under robots, but we should keep an open mind about it. Give me all possible combinations."

"Milady, my computational power is outstanding. But even I can't calculate all possible solutions. Apart from that, there is no database of all classes because of hidden jobs. May I suggest we reduce the complexity by only combining classes of the current metagame or with positive user feedback?"

"Sure, we start with this. What is metagame?"

"The most popular and successful resources, in this case, classes, in a competitive environment."

"Sheep follow the metagame. Shepherds establish the metagame." Eddie interjected.

"Hipster! You don't like it because Aidan said the word 'popular'."

"True. But the metagame is fickle: one new patch throws everything into disarray. It's better to concentrate on what you enjoy and what you are good at."

"That makes sense. Aidan, please take my strengths and preferences into consideration as well."

Aidan promised to report back when he had created a sufficient list.

The movie continued with explaining the currencies and amenities of the Metaworld like what you have to do to change the location of your lair, transportation, trading, the auction house, the market place, shops, and hiring and finished with the quest system.

Flora had speculated based on her results of the free-running quests that the variety of moves played a role in the rating. The movie confirmed this. Speed, creativity, efficiency, and quality contributed to the final rating.

Finally, the movie was over, and Flora could turn in the Pupil quest.

Quest: Ready to learn! - Metaworld

Reward: Class Pupil.

Difficulty: D

Completion: A

Class: Pupil

Branch: Meta

Passive:

+ 5 efficiency factor for training when receiving teaching

Active:

+ 5 additional training-efficiency-modification for mana-skills of the branches of the class it is linked.

+ 5 additional training-efficiency-modification in quests issued by teachers or masters or training institutions.

"I'm sorry, Milady. The information I gave you about the pupil-class was outdated. This description differs from the one I found in the bullet boards. Luckily it works to your advantage."

Flora nodded and linked 'Pupil' to the class 'Champion of the Goddess Evailyn'.

Meanwhile, Eddie chatted with the receptionist again.

"If you are not sure which classes are suiting you, you can take the Sweeping-Blow aptitude test." Flora overheard the receptionist speaking.

Quest: Take the Sweeping-Blow aptitude test on the Cradle.

Rewards:

Bonus XP for all activities in the test

Voucher for recommended classes

Penalty: None.

Difficulty: D.

Of course, Flora accepted the quest.

"So, what are you up to now?" Eddie asked her.

"Jiu-Jitsu advancement test, Wing Tsun class, free-running, a nap, and surviving an exploding moon," Flora said. "Would you teach me a few Jiu-Jitsu moves to win against newbies? The advancement test is a tournament."

Eddie agreed, and they beamed to Flora's lair.

After they opened the door, Eddies gaped so hard that his jaw would have hit the floor if there were enough open space for it.

"I thought the Doom Moon exploded in a scenario and not in your lair?"

"I should add tidying up to my list for today." Flora mused, but was unenthusiastic about the prospect.

"Let's go to my lair. I have enough space to do some rolling."

Eddie's lair was located in a similarly depressing skyscraper as Flora's.

At least he had modified the interior. The room was not only triple the standard size but lighter and decorated with Flora's fountain and greens.

"I'd always admired the painting, and now I can have it 3D!" He explained to the happy Flora.

A few minutes later, her happiness had vanished because she found herself in an arm-bar.

"Again!"

Eddie took her by the word and defeated her repeatedly with arm-bars.

Fortunately, he wasn't stingy with advice and showed her slowly the transitions that brought her into the predicament.

Pumped up, Flora beamed to the Seven Masters Dojo.

The advancement test didn't include forms but was tournament only, but that didn't faze Flora as much as that Teacher Clowdy administered the test.

Flora one-trick-ponied herself in the second round and got then eliminated against someone who could defend against armbars.

The loss didn't matter to her because she qualified for the next Jiu-Jitsu course.

Now, her sash spotted two buttons: a cyan one for Jiu-Jitsu and a yellow one for Wing Tsun. Both had one white stripe for completing the Beginner-1 course.

After the Wing Tsun lesson, she beamed back to her lair.

This time she let the door of the training-coffin open and adjusted it that it faced the whole room. Then she bound magical push to the auto-mode in the hope that she would tidy up the floor with it. Additionally, she added a belt to the back of the coffin to prevent herself from falling out of it when the vibrations started.

In the workshop, she went straight into the jacuzzi.

"Time to look at my notification! Aidan clear the level-up messages, I look directly at the stats-pages."

The attributes looked the same as the last time, maybe one or two points higher.

Flora thought back to what she had done in the past days since she had last checked: A lot of martial arts, a crafting workshop at the garage, the scenario, bit of free-running, and visiting the academy.

She spent not much time in her mech-suit. While doing martial arts, she wore the Seven Masters Dojo uniform and at the scenario, the technician uniform. No wonder her attributes stagnated. She chuckled at the irony that what for other players probably counted as hart training netted her fewer stats than lying in the jacuzzi.

She didn't remember her former affinities, so she skipped over that part.

When she reached the mana skills, her eyes widen in shock. Refresh, reached 97, and Magical Pull even reached level 100!

"What happens when I reach level 100 in a skill?"

She glanced a the rest. Of course, mechanics and electronics had excellent growth. Hand-to-hand combat looked good, as well. Both it and free-running surpassed level 25.