Classes (Dungeon Siege II)

The game features four primary character Classes: Fighter, Ranger, Combat Mage, and Nature Mage. Each of these classes has at least three sub-classes, which focus on specific weapons and skills to excel in their respective areas. However, they also have both advantages and disadvantages. It is highly recommended that players stay focused on leveling a character in their appropriate class, as frequently switching between classes can negatively impact their growth. Additionally, when equipping characters, it's important to choose items and accessories that provide appropriate bonuses for their class. 
For example, a fighter does not need +INT or mana regeneration bonuses, and a mage does not require +STR.
In contrast to most RPGs, players do not choose a class when creating a character in . Instead, they start performing actions related to a particular combat expertise, and their character will automatically become more proficient in that area. For instance, if a player wants to make their character an archer, they should find a bow and arrow and start shooting. If they want to be a combat mage, they should find a combat spell and start casting it. As the character advances in their chosen profession, the player will notice an increase in their skill level. It is possible to advance a character in multiple skills, but specialization in a single profession results in more powerful characters. With four character slots available, even on Mercenary difficulty, players can have a representative of each profession in their party if they wish.
While there are too many skills and powers for each class to describe them all in detail, pop-up text in the game informs players precisely what they're getting when they invest in them. It is recommended that players experiment with different skills and abilities to determine which ones suit their playstyle and complement their chosen profession. By focusing on their character's strengths and choosing appropriate equipment, players can create powerful and effective characters to take on the challenges of the game.
=Character Growth= 
In , a character's class is determined by their skill level. Using ranged weapons consistently increases a character's Ranger class level, giving access to Ranger skills. Upon leveling up, characters earn 1 skill point that can be used to purchase new skills. Some skills are only available when a character reaches skill levels of 5, 24, or 36.
Leveling up also increases certain attributes for characters, including:
* STRENGTH - increases melee weapon damage and HP
* DEXTERITY - increases ranged weapon damage
* INTELLIGENCE - increases spell damage and Mana
To achieve the best results, it is recommended to equip equipment that raises a character's attributes according to their class. For example, equipping items with +strength rating is recommended for fighters, while items with +dexterity rating is recommended for Rangers.
=Class Skills= 
 The classes in are a combination of four secondary skills: melee, ranged, natural, and combat magic.
Players have the option to decide which class to create at the beginning of the game. Classes can also be combined to create a multiclass that can harness the skills and powers of the classes they are comprised of. In the add-on, two multi-classes were added: Fist of Stone (warrior-magician of nature) and Blood Assassin (shooter-battlemage).
Each class has unique skills and special attacks. Specializing a character to excel in their field is crucial, and this guide can help with that.
== Classes ==
* Fighter
* Ranger
* Combat Mage
* Nature Mage
* Fist of Stone
* Blood Assassin
== Skills and Powers ==
In , character development is a critical aspect of the gameplay, and the Skills and Powers systems offer players various paths to customize their characters to suit their playstyle. The Skills are passive abilities that increase specific stats or attributes of the character, while the Powers are active abilities that can be used during combat.
Each class in the game has a set of Skills and Powers unique to their playstyle. Players can spend Skill points earned through leveling up to upgrade their passive abilities. The Skills have a cap of 20 points, except for in , where the cap is raised to 30 points. The Skills are unlocked at levels 1, 5, 12, 24, and 36 of the respective classes.
Powers are unlocked as players invest Skill points into their respective trees. Unlike Spells or Abilities in other RPGs, Powers do not require any mana or other resources to use, but instead, have a cooldown time that only recharges when the player damages enemies. The reload speed of Powers varies, ranging from very fast to slow, depending on the type of Power:
* Very fast: 12 seconds of battle
* Fast: 21 seconds of battle
* Normal: 35 seconds of battle
* Slow: 60 seconds of battle
In , the game's expansion pack, many of the characters' Skills and Powers have also undergone changes, offering players new and exciting ways to develop their characters.
Players should focus on investing their Skill points into their preferred tree, which will allow them to unlock new and powerful Powers. It is important to note that careful consideration should be given to which Skills and Powers a player invests in, as each class has its strengths and weaknesses. By choosing the right combination of Skills and Powers, players can create a character that is versatile and capable of handling any situation.
Overall, the Skills and Powers systems in offer players a flexible and dynamic approach to character development, making it one of the standout features of the game.
== Hero Level ==
The level of the hero, unlike the first part, is no longer hidden and also grows with the increase in the level of any class. For each level, as, for example, it was in Diablo 2, the character gets 1 free skill point. The maximum level of the hero is' 100.
Also 9 skill points (27 for all difficulties) can be obtained by completing main and secondary quests:
* Colony of Exiled Dryads: +1
* Lost Azunite Artifact: +1
* Agallan Trail: +1
* Haku Part II: +1
* Ghost Servant Part II: +1
* Arint the Mad: +2
* Arena Aman'Lu: +2
Some things may require a certain level, most often it is jewelry.
=== Experience ===
The leveling system in has undergone significant changes from its predecessor. Unlike in the first game, where experience was allocated based on how much damage each character dealt, experience is now evenly divided across the entire group, regardless of who dealt the damage. However, the amount of experience gained in a particular class is still dependent on the type of weapon or magic used at the time of the damage.
For instance, if a warrior uses the "Portal" spell and inflicts damage, the warrior will gain experience in the nature magic skill. Moreover, the size of the group does not affect the amount of experience gained by each character. Therefore, single characters will have the same level as when they travel with companions.
It is essential to note that experience gain is highly dependent on the difference between the hero's level and the enemy level. The difference should be around 5 levels in either direction. As a result, attacking creatures below level 20 as a level 25 character, or attacking creatures above level 30, would be pointless for gaining experience.
In the expansion, some spells, such as the Fist of Stone and Blood Assassin, allow XP to be split between two classes at a ratio of 70% (melee and ranged) and 30% (nature and combat).
Overall, the changes to the leveling system in offer a more balanced and fair experience for players, encouraging them to focus on teamwork rather than individual performance.
====Special Attacks====
Special attacks can be executed after filling the gauge. They have different effects and different ranges. Take note that they do level up, by levelling up certain class skills to a point. They can be recharged by attacking. Some special attack have fast recharge rate, others, usually the most powerful ones are slow.
== Trainer ==
In the Broken World expansion (version 2.30), an NPC was added to the game, which can reset all passive skills learned by the character, returning the points spent on them.
* Rolls back all skills except racial.
* Can be used by Pets.
* Can be repeated as many times as you like.
The trainer is only available in the Broken World campaign itself, and to get to it you need to raise at least level 39 and complete the original game.
=Classes=
===Fighter===
	
Battles in the frontlines and takes most of the damage. They are the hardiest class, and usually the hard hitters. They specialize in melee combat.
====Berserker====
	
Berserkers are considered to be one of the most dangerous warriors to meet in the battlefield. They jump into battle without hesitation but with frenzy and bloodlust. Thier attacks are fast and deadly, which are their main assets.
====Defender====
	
Defenders have the highest life and defense rating in all the sub-classes. They have balanced offensive and defensive capabilities. Mainly referred to as a TANK, defenders draw the attention of the enemies towards himself, taking most punishment while his allies backs him up with healing spells and buffs. They also have the highest blocking rate, thanks to thier shields. Defenders also have good HP regeneration rates.
====Heavy Warrior====
	
Heavy Warriors strike the hardest hitters and has the highest potential to stun enemies with their heavy attacks. Utilizing heavy, two-handed weapons, they have excellent crowd control capabilities.
===Ranger===
	
Masters of ranged weapons. Accuracy and range is thier main advantage although they have fair armor rating. Rangers are best for eliminating enemies at long range before reaching the party.
Ranged characters typically rely on bows, crossbows, or thrown weapons to attack enemies from the rear lines of a battle. While they may not be able to withstand as much damage as melee characters, they can make up for it with their impressive powers and high damage output. Additionally, ranged weapons don't require any ammo, so they can be used frequently without worrying about running out of arrows or bolts.
There are two primary archetypes for ranged characters: those who use crossbows and bows, and those who use thrown weapons. Crossbows and bows are the most popular choice for ranged characters, with crossbows offering greater damage but slower firing rates compared to bows, which fire more quickly but deal less damage per shot. 
The choice between the two is similar to that between one-handed and two-handed melee weapons. Generally, crossbows are preferable for dealing massive damage with percentage-damage-increase powers like Thunderous Shot or Take Aim, while bows are better for sustained damage over time. 
For our ranged character, we usually chose a crossbow, since other party members could handle normal attacks effectively. However, Thunderous Shot is a useful power for dealing massive damage and stunning enemies in a straight line, even those off-screen.
Thrown weapons, such as glaives and throwing knives, are also available to ranged characters. These weapons excel at high-speed attacks, reducing the time between throws and dealing more damage within a certain time frame. However, they are less effective for dealing single damaging shots, like Take Aim.
Skills like Bleed and Ricochet can increase the overall amount of damage, but they don't provide as much burst damage as crossbows or bows. Essentially, thrown weapons are ideal for dealing damage over time, whereas crossbows and bows are better for burst damage with some damage over time.
====Master Archer====
	
Master archers are exceptional users of bow and crossbows. They can hit enemies at a great distance, with outstanding accuracy. Their projectiles are as deadly as thier sights. Having an archer in the party is a good option, if you want some long range artillery fire.
====Blade Marksmen====
	
Blade marksmen have the sights and accuracy of master archers but they do prefer using thrown weapons instead of bows and crossbows. Although they fight in much closer range, they are still deadly nonetheless.
====Hunter====
	
Probably the most flexible ranger subclass, Hunters' strength lies on thier ability to dodge attacks and resist the harshest condition. In addition to these, hunters can wield any ranged weapon. Although hunters cant cast buffs, they are good support artillery.
===Combat Mage===
	
Proficient in death magic, curses and other spells, combat mages are great for controlling crowds, weakening them with different curses while blasting them away with offensive spells.
Curses in combat are similar to a Nature mage's embraces and wraths, except they're cast on enemies. However, they're not very useful in normal combat because enemies typically don't last long enough for the curse to have much of an effect. Additionally, setting a curse to autocast may prevent the Combat mage from casting offensive spells. Curses can be effective against bosses, though, especially when using spells like Drown or Infect to deal damage over time and increase their vulnerability to elemental damage.
Combat mages can also summon magical creatures to help in battle, but unlike the melee-oriented creatures summoned by Nature mages, Combat summons tend to use ranged combat magic. While they can provide some extra damage, melee-oriented creatures are generally more useful in a fight. If there's nothing else in the Combat magician's autocast slot, summoning a creature can still be a decent option.
====Death Mage====
	
Death Mages make heavy use of death spells and curses. They are great for weakening enemy mobs for the fighters to eliminate them quickly and/ or blast them with deadly death magic. Also, death mages can absorb the life force of enemies and heal himself or his allies. It is advisable to equip curses thier spellbook's autocast menu.
While Death Magic's Vampirism skill sounds impressive, it may not be the best option for Combat mages. It converts some of the damage dealt by death spells into health, but this may not be helpful in most situations. If the mage is only taking small amounts of damage from one or two enemies, she can simply use a healing potion or wait for a healing spell from a Nature mage. On the other hand, if the mage accidentally casts a spell into a group of enemies, she may get mobbed and knocked out before Vampirism can help her. Although it's not entirely useless, there are better ways for Combat mages to heal themselves. In our opinion, skills like lightning and fire provide extra damage, making them better choices for primary damage dealing.
====Lightning Mage====
	
Lightning mages are great if you have full offense in mind. They can deal massive amount of damage to single or multiple enemies. They can also cast curses but they do excel in dealing damage to enemies.
While the Arcing ability may not deal as much damage as Ignite, which burns over a few seconds, it is more effective in taking down smaller groups of enemies because it can damage multiple foes with a single-target spell.
====Flame Mage====
	
Flame mages specialize in dealing damage to enemies using fire damage. At higher levels they can cause the enemies to ignite, dealing continous fire damage. Flame mages are the easiest to maintain.
Starting combat mages may find fire damage a suitable option due to its diverse spell effects and high damage output. Upgrading the fire skill to Ignite will ignite enemies and inflict additional damage over time. While it may not seem significant at low levels, it can quickly increase to several hundred points of damage at rank 20. This is particularly beneficial when casting one of the Plasma Globes spells in a confined area, as they tend to ricochet and hit distant enemies before you can reach them.
===Nature Mage===
	
One with nature, Nature mages' main role is to cast healing, and support buffs for the party. They can also cast offensive nature based skills, mainly ICE-based attacks.
Nature mages have a unique playstyle that sets them apart from other classes. Unlike other classes, they don't have multiple distinct archetypes to follow, and they tend to have skill points spread across multiple abilities. To avoid over-investing in a single area of expertise, they take advantage of diminishing returns.
Once healing and ice magic are improved, nature mages can work on their buffs. They have the unique ability to cast buffs that affect all party members, increasing their defensive or offensive abilities for a good amount of time. Defensive buffs are called Embraces and can be enhanced by the Enveloping Embrace skill, while offensive buffs are called Wraths and can be affected by the Feral Wrath skill. Choosing the right buffs is important, as each character can only have two buffs maximum at any given time.
====Frost Mage====
	
Frost mages are the offensive side of the nature mage and is the direct counterpart of the Lightning mage. They can deal good damage not to mention the potential single or multiple targets. They have good crowd control capabilities too. They can freeze enemies for a brief period of time. A frozen enemy cant do anything and is vulnerable to any attack.
Nature mages can choose between offensive magic that revolves around ice effects or non-elemental damage, like Ripple. However, the ice spells have specific skills such as Arctic Mastery and Freezing. These are the spells that should be used most often. Freezing is especially useful as it temporarily freezes an enemy in place when casting normal ice spells. Stunning and freezing effects are helpful in preventing foes from attacking or moving.
====Summoner====
	
Summoners link thier powers to thier summoned creatures, powering it up to fight for them. Summoned creatures will defend thier casters all thier might. Summoned creatures can also be a big help in combat, even if they're only good for distracting enemies. It's not necessary to invest too many skill points in summoning, as they'll usually get a few ranks from skill-increasing items.
Instead, it's better to buff skills in areas that are going to be used frequently. Nonetheless, it's still worth summoning out a monster for most encounters, as they can and will engage foes in combat, taking some of the pressure off the main tanks in big free-for-alls. Even if they die, they can be summoned again.
====Support Mage====
	
Support mages main role is to buff the party and take care of the healing. A party will not survive without a healer. With exceptional buffing spells and skills that concentrate of enhancing the party's offensive and defensive capabilities, a support mage is an invaluable ally. Early on, nature mages should focus on healing spells, as they are the only party members who can heal other characters.Aquatic Affinity and Nurturing Gift are the two primary healing skills that increase the efficacy of healing spells. Points should also be invested in Natural Bond to reduce the cost of healing spells and save mana.
Category:Classes (Dungeon Siege II)
ru:Классы и навыки (Dungeon Siege II)