Rankings

## Ranking and Grading

In the New World, Weapons, Inventory Items, Wands and even the different skills mastered by Adventurers, Monsters and other Group (e.g. Intelligence, Weapon Mastery) are all given ranks according to their level.

### **Background**

Both monsters and adventurers are ranked from E to A. Monsters who are in the upper echelon of their rank have a "+" attached while those in the lower echelon have a "-" attached

The ranking system is built on the inference that a party of adventurers is taking down a single monster of the same rank. For example, if adventurers are going to hunt a rank B+ monster, two rank B+ adventurers are needed. If 10 adventurers with rank B tried to subdue the rank B+ monster, even if they were successful, there would surely be casualties. This demonstrates not only the significant differences in strength between adventurers of different ranks but also the strength of the monsters they face.

The majority of population(monsters and humans alike) 99% can be categorized between B to G, as such the strength one needs to be qualified as S rank is far to great to be achieved by an individual.

There are 3 conditions to be ranked as one out of which only one is known and it serves as the base line:

1. Able to subjugate an entire nation by himself.

## **Power Scale**

### **Rank H**

This grade is reserved for the smallest of creatures. A character's capabilities in this stat are not even worth mentioning other than to say they have enough to survive. Typically a creature this this stat is on their death bed, tiny in size, or a form of limited life that does not need a full range of functionality in order to persist.

### **Rank G**

This grade is generally reserved for children, small characters, and the injured. Your ability in this stat has not yet reached maturity or you may be physically limited to a certain capacity.

### **Rank F**

This grade is at the bottom of the stack. generally equated to base levels of human adult functionality. They have no extra training or experiences to make elements of the character with this grade anything special. As it pertains to skills, F is still lowest on the ladder.

### **Rank E**

This grade represents someone or something in training. It has acquired some of the knowledge or guidance necessary to start growing in this path of knowledge or ability. An E rank character/creature may be represented by trainee soldiers, apprentices, acolytes, bandits.

### **Rank D**

This grade represents someone fully trained. Their teachers, masters, learning materials have been mostly absorbed of their usefulness. The student is still lacking in experience however and generally begins traveling or performing more tasks independently. Common D rank entities may be Barons, soldiers, town guard, mages without battle experience.

### **Rank C**

This grade represents a veteran in their area of expertise, profession, or abilities. They have experienced and overcame hardship. They have taught themselves things and started creating their own style of doing things. Any humanoid that could be called a veteran likely has a skill/ability/or profession at this grade. Monsters of C grade tend to be leaders of their packs/herds/groups. Ex: boss goblin of group of goblins. Captain of the guards. Squad leaders. Mage leading a research party.

### **Rank B**

This grade represents the elites in their area of expertise. They were the veterans that refused to retire. They were the ones that refused to settle on 'good enough'. They were the ones that continued to hone their skills while others plateaued and gave up. There are mere 100s of B grade creatures and humanoids in the world compared to the millions that have yet to know or do anything. These individuals are like special forces.

### **Rank A**

This grade is the peak of humanity. They are similar to olympic athletes able to compete at a global level with only a handful of peers in the world(Note: this doesn't mean a olympic athletes can fight on par with them, the comparison is of fame that these humans are widely recognized and idolized by many). Your prowess and knowledge are known on a global scale.

### **Rank S**

The last grade and one without a limit. They have reached the realm of the supernatural. They can do and achieve things beyond the scope possible for humans. Think something along the lines of heroes like Hercules and Sampson among other demi god type entities.

### **Threat Levels**

For monsters of A rank and above, they are evaluated based on their ability to threaten civilizations.

#### **Rank A (aka Hazard-Class)**

* A threat that could potentially cause widespread damage to a single town or region in case of monster.
* Includes the Ranks A+, A and A-.

#### **Special-Rank A (aka Calamity-class)**

* A threat that could topple a country's government.

#### **Rank S (aka Disaster-class Threat)**

* Small nations would have no chance against such a threat, and a larger one would need to expend all its resources just to survive.

#### **Special-Rank S(aka Catastrophe-class)**

* It would require international cooperation to give the human race even a chance at survival.

## Stats

**Strength**: General muscle power. Influences effectiveness of melee and thrown weapon abilities and attacks.

**Precision**: General fine movement control of ones body like balance and moving quietly. Influences effectiveness of ranged weapons like bows and quasi firearms.

**Intelligence**: A catch all for knowledge, memory and magical prowess. May also reflect mental fortitude in the face of persuasive forces.

**Vitality**: Your bodies life force as well as the ability to withstand hardship of varying kinds. Necessary for heavier armor.

**Speed**: General quickness and agility. Dodging and covering ground. Necessary for light armors and magical protections.

## Items and Equipment

Items and equipment are important to most creatures in the world. They allow people to accomplish various tasks and overcome many hardships that would be difficult or impossible with their barehand. Mechanically, Items and Equipment have an additional purpose. The character's equipment, specifically, enables the character to perform at their best. A character's strength cannot be properly utilized without an equivalent weapon or item to channel it. Same could be said about Tools associated with skills. A carpenter without a saw will likely have a hard time completing their task.

### **Weapon Grades**

All equipment so far are classified into 1 of the 6 grades below, but equipment quality within the same grade can also differ by a lot.

#### **Normal Grade**

Normal grade equipment is typical weaponry forged by normal blacksmiths and widely available to the general public. These are the most commonly seen equipment in the market.

#### **Special Grade**

Special grade equipment is usually enchanted with some type of magic. They are considerably more expensive than Normal grade equipment (could cost 50 times as much). Widely used among adventurers.

#### **Rare Grade**

Rare grade equipment is powerful enough to raise the level of adventurers. It's difficult even for A rank adventurers to have a whole set of Rare grade equipment.

#### **Unique Grade**

Unique grade equipment is usually displayed as the advertising masterpiece in shop or passed down as family heirloom among nobles and royals. They are the best equipment available on the market, albeit extremely hard to find.

#### **Legend Grade**

Legend grade equipment is the result of unique grade equipment that contains either **Orichalcum** or **Mythril** getting exposed to highly concentrated Mana for many years and evolving into a new metal. Equipment of this grade is so powerful that "*owning one is akin to bringing a machinegun into a swordfight*". As their name implies, these are legendary works that are often sealed away from public view.

#### **God Grade**

God grade equipment, as their name implies, are a myth to most people. Imbued with godly powers, they only lend their power to those whom they deem worthy, and will transform into whatever forms suitable for their owner. Armor of this grade, when worn, allows the wearer's flesh to take on the properties of a spiritual lifeform.

### Notable Materials

There are some notable materials used in series to craft equipment with higher quality.

#### **Mythril**

The other material considered to be capable of reaching S Grade quality, it is said to be a metal infused with magic and able to take on and exude various magical properties. Magical weapons like the blazing flametongue, a sword wreathed in fire and able to send out sprays of flame with each swing, would be an example of weapons made with mythril. It is also as rare as Orichalcum.

#### **Orichalcum**

A material that can only be mined form the earth with exceptionally skills miners and/or magic users. Supposedly the material would be impossible to exist without mana present. It is highly heat resistant, durable and excellent in conducting magic, hence very suitable for producing high quality equipment. However, it is also very expensive due to its scarcity, costing more than 20 times as much as gold of the same weight. It can be forged into the hardest material currently known to the world and is virtually impossible to break. The hardness of the material coupled with its relationship with mana allows weapons made of Orichalcum to cut through practically any other material.

#### **Starletite**

Formed after exposing Mythril/Orichalcum to concentrated mana for thousands of years, this is the material spoken of only in fairytales and myth. Equipment made of Starletite, only responds to magic power from the owner it recognizes and will block out all wavelengths, even attempts to analyze it will utterly fail. Anything made of this legendary metal can be expected to be top of the line Legendary Grade goods bordering on, if not in, Gods Grade.

#### **True Ice**

True Ice is a magical matter that naturally occurs in the depths of the Ice continent. A very rare mineral, it is so cold that can never be melted. True ice can be, cut, shaped, and sculpted-- but not easily and few have the skills and tools to do the work anymore. True Ice seemingly can perform magic related to the form or tool it has been shaped. Eg: bow can magically create ice arrows out of thin air, while shield generates tall walls of ice to protect those he shelters.

* No ordinary human has been shown to use and manipulate True Ice, as contacting it can be lethal for those individuals.

### Equipment Enhancement

In a world where magic is publicly available, there are two main ways for craftsmen to enhance the equipment they made.

#### **Runecraft**

Runecraft is the art of inscribing magical letters onto objects. When a rune is carefully engraved on an object, it enchants the object. The amount of magic inscribed in an object depends on the time it takes to inscribe a rune. In other words, runes are characters magically imbued with mana.

There are 50 lesser runes, 25 middle runes, 10 upper runes, and 5 top runes, for a total of 90 runes overall. That said, many of them have been lost, and only a few are left. Exactly how many secret and divine-class runes there are is the stuff of legends. According to the dwarven runesmiths, it is not possible to carve runes and place enchantments on the same object. Runes are characters imbued with mana. Thus carved runes and enchantments are mutually repulsive.

Runes apparently were abandoned by the dwarves due to several disadvantages against Enchantment, runes require time, thus using it in full production is not cost-effective. In addition, only runesmiths are able to create and utilize runes, and the number of dwarves capable of becoming runesmiths is said to be even less than those capable of becoming magic casters.

#### **Enchantment**

Enchantment is the process of imbuing an object or creature with magical properties. It is the ability to add magic to an existing item, making it more powerful or useful. This could be anything from a magical weapon that deals extra damage to a cloak that makes the wearer invisible. Enchantment is typically achieved through the use of spells or other magical means.

Due to runecrafting is often seen as a more complex and specialized skill, requiring years of study and practice to master it is on decline and enchantment can be achieved by a skilled wizard or sorcerer with the right spells and knowledge. Though it is cost-effective in full production it requires variety of materials in contrast to runecrafing which doesn't require any special materials.