The 7 Paths
A path decides four things: which skills you may learn, which move [Z] fires, which tool that move grows on, and how fast your stats climb. Every hero starts on the same line at level 1.
The 7 paths
6 specialists and one generalist. A path is chosen once, at hero creation, and cannot be changed. To play another, roll another hero.
KnightHolds the line
The wall the rest of the party stands behind. Grows more health and more armour than anyone, and is the only hero who can put themself between a friend and what is coming.
[Z] Shield Wall. Haul every nearby foe onto your shield and take far less from all of them for a few seconds. The only move in the realm that puts you between a friend and what is coming for them.
A better Shield buys a wider pull, a longer stand, a deeper cut. It is the only thing a signature grows on.
AssassinEnds fights
Fast, sharp and fragile. Crits more often than anyone alive and hits harder for it, on the understanding that very little has to go wrong before it is over.
[Z] Shadowstep. Vanish. Your next strike cannot fail to crit, lands far harder than an honest one, and leaves venom in the wound.
A better Venom buys a harder strike, and real venom on it. It is the only thing a signature grows on.
ArcherOpens fights
Quick feet, a hard opening shot and a habit of not being where the blow lands. Trades a little health for crit, evasion and speed.
[Z] Hunter's Mark. Mark your quarry. Every arrow you loose bends toward it and every one of them crits, until it falls or the mark fades.
A better Quiver buys more marks, held longer, and a stronger seek. It is the only thing a signature grows on.
MageRaw power
The deepest well of mana in the realm and the damage to spend it on. Everything goes into the spell and almost nothing into the body.
[Z] Detonate. Mark a foe and give it a moment to understand. It bursts for a share of every wound it has already taken, and everything standing near it shares the blast.
A better Orb buys a bigger blast, and more stored damage released. It is the only thing a signature grows on.
NecromancerCommands an army
Never fights alone. Deep mana and a sturdier frame than the other casters, because you are usually standing behind something that used to be an enemy.
[Z] Raise the Fallen. Open the ground for a while. Anything you kill while it stands open gets back up on your side, as long as you have room for it.
A better Grave Idol buys more risen, tougher, standing longer. It is the only thing a signature grows on.
PriestKeeps others alive
The reason a party comes home. Deep mana and real staying power, bought with the smallest swing in the realm.
[Z] Group Heal. A pulse of light off your own body. It mends every friend caught in it, other heroes included, and you with them. A better tome carries it further.
A better Tome buys a stronger heal, carried further. It is the only thing a signature grows on.
FreebladeEvery road at once
No master, no mastery, and no door closed. Learns anything in the tree and can pick up any other hero’s tool, at the price of never growing quite as fast as someone who chose.
[Z] Ultimate. The adaptive one: an explosion, and at the same instant the arrow fan, the elemental wave or the whirlwind, depending on what you are holding. Alone among the seven it is a tree ability - learn it with a skill point, and rank it up.
It can carry any of the other six tools, and draws 60% of what a specialist draws from the same item.
Where every hero begins
| Stat | Every hero, level 1 | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Max healththe pool everything else protects | 30 | the pool everything else protects |
| Powerbefore any weapon | 4 | before any weapon |
| Defensebefore any armor | 1 | before any armor |
| Manaspells and signatures spend it | 100 | spells and signatures spend it |
| Crit chancea crit deals double damage | 0% | a crit deals double damage |
| Evasionthe chance a blow simply misses | 0% | the chance a blow simply misses |
| Move speedhow fast you cross the ground | 1.6 | how fast you cross the ground |
| Attack speedhow much faster you swing | 0% | how much faster you swing |
| Health mendedhealth you get back every second, in a fight as much as out of one | 0.3/s | health you get back every second, in a fight as much as out of one |
| Mana recoveredmana you get back every second | 32/s | mana you get back every second |
Identical for all 7 paths, on purpose: every growth row resolves to zero at level 1. What differs from minute one is the kit and the tree, not the numbers.
How fast each one grows
What each path gains per level, and where that leaves it. Pick a level to compare them at.
- Knight +11 per level 569
- Priest +10 per level 520
- Necromancer +9 per level 471
- Archer +7 per level 373
- Freeblade +7 per level 373
- Assassin +6 per level 324
- Mage +6 per level 324
- Assassin +2 per level and +1 every 3 levels 118
- Mage +2 per level and +1 every 3 levels 118
- Knight +2 per level 102
- Archer +2 per level 102
- Necromancer +2 per level 102
- Freeblade +2 per level and -1 every 6 levels 94
- Priest +2 per level and -1 every 3 levels 86
- Knight +1 per level and +1 every 4 levels 62
- Archer +1 per level 50
- Necromancer +1 per level 50
- Priest +1 per level 50
- Mage +1 per level and -1 every 12 levels 46
- Freeblade +1 per level and -1 every 12 levels 46
- Assassin +1 per level and -1 every 6 levels 42
- Mage +1 per level 149
- Necromancer +1 per level 149
- Priest +1 per level 149
- Knight, Assassin, Archer, Freeblade flat, no growth 100
- Assassin +5% every 8 levels 30%
- Archer +5% every 12 levels 20%
- Knight, Mage, Necromancer, Priest, Freeblade flat, no growth 0%
- Archer +3% every 12 levels 12%
- Knight, Assassin, Mage, Necromancer, Priest, Freeblade flat, no growth 0%
- Assassin +0.10 every 20 levels 1.8
- Archer +0.10 every 20 levels 1.8
- Knight, Mage, Necromancer, Priest, Freeblade flat, no growth 1.6
- Assassin +4% every 20 levels 8%
- Archer +4% every 20 levels 8%
- Knight, Mage, Necromancer, Priest, Freeblade flat, no growth 0%
- Knight +0.20/s every 3 levels and +0.10/s every 2 levels 5.9/s
- Priest +0.20/s every 3 levels and +0.10/s every 3 levels 5.1/s
- Necromancer +0.20/s every 3 levels and +0.10/s every 6 levels 4.3/s
- Archer +0.20/s every 3 levels and -0.10/s every 6 levels 2.7/s
- Freeblade +0.20/s every 3 levels and -0.10/s every 6 levels 2.7/s
- Assassin +0.20/s every 3 levels and -0.10/s every 3 levels 1.9/s
- Mage +0.20/s every 3 levels and -0.10/s every 3 levels 1.9/s
- Priest +1.6/s every 2 levels 70/s
- Mage +1.6/s every 3 levels 58/s
- Necromancer +1.6/s every 3 levels 58/s
- Knight -1.6/s every 6 levels 19/s
- Assassin -1.6/s every 6 levels 19/s
- Freeblade -1.6/s every 6 levels 19/s
- Archer flat, no growth 32/s
Growth curve only: no gear, no skill points, no elixirs. Crit and evasion run through the same ceiling a spent skill point does, so a class shortens the road to a cap and never lifts it.
Signatures and the tool they grow on
[Z] is the signature key for everyone, and what it fires depends on your path. 6 of the 7 are innate: no rank, no unlock, no skill point. They scale on the third equipment slot instead, the tool your class carries, so your big move grows by finding gear rather than by spending points.
Someone else's tool equips and does nothing, exactly as someone else's weapon is simply a weapon. It still sells. Tools drop from bosses, and the rung follows the level you killed at.
| Carried tool | Signature scale |
|---|---|
| A starter | 1.00x, so every signature reads at its authored strength for a brand new hero. |
| The best rung, the Aegis of the Unbroken | 2.84x to the class it belongs to. |
| The same item, on a Freeblade | 2.10x. Broad rather than strong. |
| Path | Signature on [Z] | Carries | Starts with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knight | Shield Wallgrows on a Shield, from a Cracked Shield | Shield | Cracked Shield |
| Assassin | Shadowstepgrows on a Venom, from a Weak Venom | Venom | Weak Venom |
| Archer | Hunter's Markgrows on a Quiver, from a Frayed Quiver | Quiver | Frayed Quiver |
| Mage | Detonategrows on a Orb, from a Dull Orb | Orb | Dull Orb |
| Necromancer | Raise the Fallengrows on a Grave Idol, from a Chipped Idol | Grave Idol | Chipped Idol |
| Priest | Group Healgrows on a Tome, from a Worn Tome | Tome | Worn Tome |
| Freeblade | Ultimategrows on a Oddments, from a Cracked Shield | Oddments | Cracked Shield |
Who can learn what
Two skill points a level, spent in one tree. Most of it is open to everybody. These are the rows that are not.
| Skill | Who can learn it |
|---|---|
| Open to every path6 rows | |
| Might +2 Power (all weapons) |
Everyone |
| Vigor +10 Max HP |
Everyone |
| Guard +1 Defense |
Everyone |
| Battle Focus Restore HP instantly. 50 mana. |
Everyone |
| Precision +5% critical hit (deals 2× damage) |
Everyone |
| Swift +Speed & faster attacks |
Everyone |
| Locked to a path19 rows | |
| Bulwark Flat damage reduction from every hit |
Knight, Freeblade |
| Bloodlust Deal more damage the lower your HP |
Knight, Freeblade |
| Whirlwind Melee spin, needs a blade. 30 mana. |
Knight, Assassin, Freeblade |
| Executioner +12% damage to enemies below 30% HP |
Assassin, Freeblade |
| Lifedrain Heal for a % of damage you deal |
Assassin, Freeblade |
| Evasion Chance to evade hits; cheaper dodge-rolls |
Archer, Freeblade |
| Hunter's Eye More damage to foes near full health |
Archer, Freeblade |
| Steady Aim More damage the longer you hold position |
Archer, Freeblade |
| Arcane Font Cheaper spells, every cast costs less mana |
Mage, Necromancer, Priest, Freeblade |
| Charge Spells hit harder the fuller your mana |
Mage, Freeblade |
| Chain Bolts jump to a second target |
Mage, Freeblade |
| Dominate A mage’s art, bring a Dread warlord OR an Elite foe below 25% HP, then [E] to bind its will to yours. |
Necromancer, Freeblade |
| Summon Thrall | Necromancer, Freeblade |
| Legion Raise one more at a time |
Necromancer, Freeblade |
| Plague Your risen spread venom on hit |
Necromancer, Freeblade |
| Undying Your risen are tougher and hit harder |
Necromancer, Freeblade |
| Absolution Your heals also cleanse poison, chill and burning |
Priest, Freeblade |
| Tithe A slice of the damage your allies deal heals them |
Priest, Freeblade |
| Ultimate | Freeblade |
A row you cannot buy is hidden from your skill panel rather than greyed out, so the tree you see is the tree you have. The Freeblade sees all of it.