Choosing Weapon Part 2

(I decide to change the terms 'arts' into 'spell'. My friends told me it would be easier as they don't have to remember the terms art and still know what it is.)

"Any other questions kids?"

"I have book mastery as my weapon mastery skill. What kind of rune is the book that we use in training have?"

"Oh, that's a bit complicated. Most book users personally modify their book. Book, Orb, and Wand compare to others book can be classified as the most complicated mage weapon. Did your sister already told you about the variety of books?"

"I only know that books user inscribe a rune for each their pages and the user can use it to gain benefit from it. One advantage of using the book is you don't have to inscribe a rune to cast your spell on the fly as they are already embedded on its pages."

"I only told her to read basic inscription title and explain how book users fight. My knowledge about book variety is too shallow and I just get a week headstart unlike you who already delve in this project for months."

"I think it would be better for me to explain what the difference on each weapon when all of the students finish choosing their weapon. I don't want to repeat myself twice. For now, just pick any book as it's only a blank book where you can train your inscription on it."

"Do I have to pay for it the book if I make a request to take it with me?"

"You don't have to pay for it. Books are a special case as a book is kinda easy and cheap to make but once you have inscribed it with some complicated rune you can't even buy it if you have money."

"Granted the material of the book can also cost you a ton but what weapon would not cost you if you decide to you dragon bone as your main material. But as all of these weapons are made of common material most of your request is going to be accepted anyway."

"Now go, choose go weapon or you would be late for my lesson."

We head to the weapon rack and decide to not use the simulation machine as there is no point in going there. I already decided on what to pick as my instrument. James choose not to use any main hand weapon, Alice can't use one and Kana's weapon is a blank book. And I assume Anna already choose her weapon a long time ago as she has a week headstart.

As we approach the weapons racks we realize that it's only a digitalized one and there's a box where you can receive the item that you choose. When I browse through the instrument section I was in awe as there's a lot of variety of instrument that not even mentioned when I read in the library. There's a ton of percussion instrument listed, violin, flute, a bagpipe, harp, etc.

I saw the one that I want from the list and pick my zither from the receiving box beside me. Why zither you ask? Well, a string-based instrument is more balance compare to others. Drum-based instrument leans more towards attacking while instrument like the flute is more fitted for hypnosis type.

My choice is either violin, harp, guitar, or zither. Violin and harp have the same problem as the flute while a guitar is too big for my taste so with the process of elimination zither it is. I took it out and the size is about 80 x 30 cm not too big and not too small. I see Kana, Alice and Anna are already finished picking their weapon of choice.

Common Zither

Weight: 0.2

Requisite: 8 int 8 dex

- Effective range 10 meters

- Amplify all sound-based spell effect by 5%

Kana is holding a book with a red cover as big as a 17-inch laptop. That one big ass book if you ask me but Anna said it would be useful for her sister as it's hard for a beginner to inscribe a rune when you have a limited space also it could help her defend some stray arrow or projectile as it's kinda thick.

I can see a couple armguard in Alice's forearm. They are a little loose as the size did not match her but she bandaged her arms a lot so it's stuffed and fit perfectly into the armguard.

"I think that's a little too big for you, Alice. Can you not find one that fits you? You'll have a hard time moving your wrist if you over bandaged it like that."

"This is a weapon rack and not an armory they only have a basic weapon. I already file a request for so she gets one for her personal use later. The one that she currently uses is mine so it's a little too big. There would not be any spar session on the first lesson so they don't prepare any armor"

I wonder what would be doing in this lesson but I decided to against to ask her as we will know in 10 minutes anyway. I mean if its something important I bet she would mention it by now and It's not like it would help to know first what will be doing as we're doing it anyway.

I look at James and saw that he still browse the weapon selection. I approach him from the back and I can see he is currently looking at the shield section with various size weight and so on. I don't know that there would be so many different types of shields.

"Are you not done yet, James?"

"Yeah, there's a lot to consider I only found out just now that there are so many types and variable that come along with it. Come here dud, help me pick one."

"What are the options?"

"They mainly categorized into physical defense and hybrid between physical and magical defense. Check out this shield stats. There's also many shield shapes and size."

I did not bother checking the weapon stats when I choose my weapon as I already sort my options when I was in the library. Most of them are a basic weapon so the difference is only a little, for example, the bass drum has 10% more effective when using sounds base offensive spell.

Heater Shield

Weight: 0.4

Requisite: 4 end 4 str

- Absorb 10% physical damage

- Max damage receive 80

Great Shield

Weight: 1

Requisite: 10 end 8 str

- Absorb 30% physical damage

- Max damage receive 155

Celtic Shield

Weight: 0.3

Requisite: 4 int 3 str 3 end

- Absorb 5% magical damage

- Absorb 5% physical damage

- Max damage receive 60

After looking at the three options he gave me I stop looking further. Most of these stats requirements vary unlike with instrument which requirement mostly consist of int and dex. It's also kinda lower compare to main hand weapon. The weight can be a burden tough as even I only have 1 weight limit if I use the great shield with 0.8 weight that would spell trouble like big time.

"Dude you can't even wield most of these. You did not meet the requirements as you have low str. You also have to consider weight as your weight limit is not that high. Sort this into one that has strength requirement lower than 3 as you have 2 str and 1 free stat if you want you can probably use it."

Round Shield

Weight: 0.1

Requisite: 2 dex 3 str 3 end

- Absorb 8% physical damage

Max damage receive 50

Coffin Shield

Weight: 0.5

Requisite: 5 end 3 str

- Absorb 15% physical damage

- Max damage receive 50

Kite Shield

Weight: 0.3

Requisite: 3 end 3 str

- Absorb 10% physical damage

- Max damage receive 60

"Well, this just becomes so much easier. Now, which one should I choose among this 3? The lightest one? Or the one with most damage absorption?"

"I think you can manage the weight as you have necromancer as your class. Your others armor should relatively on a lower side of it. And the 3 shields that are available did not that high str requirement. We should ask Mr. Carlos how to raise our weight limit."

"Or we can ask Anna. I remember she has quite a lot of weight limit when I saw her stats this morning." James said while putting a point into his strength so he can wield the shield that he choose as all of them require minimum of 3 strenght.