What is a Character Class?

In the fantasy genre, beginning with ancient mythological tales retold for centuries around campfires, to modern storytelling retold through electronic storefronts, most stories, if not ALL stories, are about a hero. Books are often about a single hero, the main protagonist, that is, the person who Does Stuff that carries the story along. As a result of their often singular status, protagonists literally can have any skill or ability the author of their story wants them to have, and this can be supported by the internal logic of the tale being spun. To put it mildly, many protagonists are very capable.

However, this free-form, loosely defined way of doing things (while incredibly fun) isn't a very good way of running a shared game. If you are playing with your friends, you ALL want to be very capable, and also stand out in your own unique ways.

Therefore, in a role-playing game, not everybody is allowed to do everything. And that is what character classes are for. Epic Path has over a dozen character classes, and every single one of them, from the simplest to the most complex, is able to be built and played in dozens of unique and interesting ways. BUT, and here's the rub, each of them is distinctly different from the others. A fighter can be strong and powerful, but they will be strong in a very different way than a wizard will be strong. A paladin wields amazing power granted to them by their faith, while a prowler can dance through a battlefield with a deadly grace. A rogue is tricky and sneaky, while an alchemist is constantly pushing the boundaries of what their crazy "science" can do to make them more dangerous. Each character class brings its own style of play to the table, and each feels like a big damned hero to play, but none of them can truly shine until they have support from at least another character or two to help them.

What this means is that a character class is a set of in-game powers and abilities that are thematically and mechanically tied together, but feels distinctly different from the play style of any other class.

To make this even more fun, in Epic Path we have worked very hard to make each individual character class re-playable. In other words, there's not one kind of fighter; there are four predefined fighting techniques, and fighters are even allowed to define their own custom techniques if they want. Barbarians have four different miens, which each play and feel differently. Alchemists must pick and choose grand discoveries. Wizards have seven different schools, etc.

And if that still isn't enough diversity, we have rules for playing more than one character class with the same character!

So, while choosing your character class essentially means that you are not the singular protagonist in an epic novel, and thus able to perform every task needed to make the story go, it DOES mean that you will be a hero from the first session you play, and with the help of your friends, you can all do truly amazing things.

So, pick your class wisely, and get out there and play!!

Available Character Classes

Class	Primary Role	Potential Role	Important Stat(s)	Ease of design	Ease of play	Description
Alchemist	Damage	Support	INT, DEX, CON	Moderate	Moderate	Alchemists are mad-scientist types, who can use spell-like extracts, throw powerful bombs, and temporarily alter themselves with mutagens.
Barbarian	Damage	Tank	CON, STR, (WIS or CHA)	Moderate	Moderate	Barbarians are melee combatants that use their rage to deliver powerful attacks, often at the expense of their own defense.
Bard	Support	Healing	CHA, DEX, INT	Moderate	Complex	Bards are charismatic performers who provide many useful benefits to their allies, cast spells, and attack enemies with powerful blasts of sound.
Brawler	Damage	Tank	STR, CON, DEX	Simple	Moderate	Brawlers are heavy-hitting melee combatants who favor bare-handed attacks over weapons, with good damage and decent defenses.
Cleric	Healing	Support	WIS, CHA, STR	Moderate	Complex	Clerics are divine casters who can heal their allies even as they attack their enemies. They are only modest attackers, but their utility is unmatched.
Druid	Support	Healing	WIS, DEX, CON	Complex	Complex	Druids are masters of nature, who travel with a loyal animal companion, summon monsters to aid them in battle, and can transform themselves as well.
Fighter	Tank	Support	STR, CON, DEX	Complex	Moderate	Fighters can be powerful offensively, or defensively, but rarely are they masters of both. They are tremendously versatile; no two fighters are alike.
Monk	Damage	Tank	WIS, DEX, CON	Simple	Simple	Monks train in martial arts to deliver lots of rapid-fire attacks against their foes, either with unarmed strikes, or with specific weapons.
Paladin	Damage	Tank, Healer	CHA, STR, CON	Moderate	Simple	Paladins are heavily armored warriors who augment their battle prowess with divine magic, allowing them to smite their foes and bless their allies.
Partisan	Tank	Support	WIS, CON, STR	Simple	Moderate	Partisans are melee fighters at the center of a battle. They excel at defending their allies and changing the shape of the battle around them.
Prowler	Damage	Support	STR, DEX, CON	Simple	Moderate	Prowlers are highly-mobile combatants who can traipse through the battlefield, striking their foes from unexpected directions.
Ranger	Damage	Support	DEX, STR, WIS	Moderate	Simple	Rangers are master trackers who can deliver powerful attacks against a foe they have designated as their quarry.
Rogue	Damage	More Damage	DEX, (CHA, STR, or INT), CON	Moderate	Moderate	Rogues are experts at stealth and at attacking foes who are unaware of them, capitalizing on their opponent's weaknesses to achieve victory.
Sorcerer	Damage	Support	CHA, DEX, INT	Moderate	Moderate	Sorcerers cast magic through a combination of their inherited bloodline, their intuition, and their unrivaled willpower, blasting their foes with powerful spells.
Warlord	Healing	Support	CHA, (STR or DEX), CON	Simple	Moderate	Warlords command their allies to victory, granting them better positioning, tactical advantages, temporary hit points, and numerous other advantages.
Wizard	Support	Damage	INT, DEX, CON	Complex	Complex	Wizards are scholars of the arcane, studiously perfecting their magic through rigor and practice. They are powerful, but also highly versatile.