Shifting in the chair to get more comfortable, Klarion opened The Path of Power: A Comprehensive Guide to Imperial Classes Common to Rare. The leather creaked beneath him as he settled in, the heavy primer resting on his lap. He took a moment to appreciate the intimidating weight of it before he flipped it open, past the title page and what looked to be an elaborate dedication to the Emperor and the Seven Imperial Princes. After six pages, he found the introduction. He skimmed over the neat, flowing script, eagerly seeking to absorb all he could in order to make the best decision he could about the class he would be aiming to unlock.
Classes are the lifeblood of the Empire, shaping the destiny of every citizen, the text began. Within the Multiverse, a Class determines not only what one can do, but also one’s capacity to fulfill one’s chosen role. To hold a Class is to hold purpose, the text continued. To step into one’s destined role and contribute to the harmony of the Empire. From the humblest Common rarity class to the most exalted Rare Class and beyond, every path serves the greater whole.
He didn’t need the blunt words of the author to know that classes were important. The simple fact that he had to unlock one by the end of his first year at the Academy was proof enough of that. That being said, while the words reminded him of the stress he had been feeling over the need to pick a class to shoot for, a greater part of him was excited. Gaining a class meant gaining more power, which he could use to protect himself and those he cared about, and perhaps finally end the threat his enemies posed to him at the Academy. Or at least have a better chance at surviving them.
Focusing back on the text, he came to a brief passage wherein the author made mention of the different kinds of class types that one could unlock, which stood separate from the rarity of the classes themselves: Caster, Protector, Striker, Controller, Crafter, and Occupation. Given that these types must have been common knowledge within the Empire, and likely beyond, the author only gave a cursory overview of them to frame his presentation of the later chapters in the primer. What Klarion read made sense, with each mostly lining up with what he expected. Casters used magical abilities to manipulate the world around them. Protectors were those classes built around abilities to take damage and protect allies. Strikers were those who specialized in damaging abilities, though there was mention of a wide range of sub-types within them. Controllers were those with abilities that were less useful for direct offense or defense but rather supplemented the others or impacted the circumstances of whatever situation they were in. While broad descriptions, it was these four types that he expected would contain the classes he would end up picking between later in the primer itself.
Crafter and Occupation were interesting, in a way, though he had already mentally set them aside before he even read their descriptions. Crafters were those who specialized in utilizing valuable resources in order to create or repair a wide range of things, whereas the Occupation type seemed more like those classes meant to keep the bedrock of society stable. While it might be nice to lose himself in one of the larger cities of one of the Empire’s worlds, to fade into obscurity as a simple Blacksmith or a Cook specializing in making breakfast dishes, he knew that was never going to be possible in his case. Background and scion status aside, his appearance and the stats that he gained with every level would make him stand out soon enough. No, better to pick a class type that would allow him to accelerate his gain in power and strength rather than pick one that fell under Crafter or Occupation in some misguided hope he would be able to hide away.
Caster. Protector. Striker. Controller.
Those were his options.
His fingers traced the edge of the page as he turned to the next section, the parchment rustling softly. The author was now talking about Class rarity, detailing how it wasn’t just about power but about potential.
Beyond class type, the rarity of a Class plays a crucial role in determining not only the strength of one’s abilities but also the number and type of ability slots available to the class holder.
Klarion frowned. Ability slots. He’d not heard the term before, so he read further to clarify his thoughts before coming to any conclusion on what they might mean. But he already wasn’t that hopeful. He had been hoping that Classes under the System would be more like those in some of the roleplaying games he had played, where he could build up a laundry list of abilities that he could use whenever the situation required them. He would have to see what the author said, but he was not hopeful.
His fears were confirmed in the very next paragraph.
Common Classes, the book explained, tend to have fewer slots, and those slots are often limited in versatility. Ascending to the ranks of the Rare Classes, however, not only have more slots but also possess a more favorable distribution, allowing for greater strategic complexity and power, though even then, the range of options is shaped by the Class type itself.
And there it was. That bit of detail from the author meant right away that there was no way he would be picking anything less than a Rare class. The rest of the section was unclear if there was a way to hold abilities in reserve to swap out with slots in some way, but even if that was the case, it didn’t matter much. More slots meant more abilities, more ways to fight in the moments when he was not expecting to be attacked. And that was the key. He needed to maximize his odds of survival by having abilities always ready to deal with potential threats or situations he might face, which meant having more options was better.
With that thought in mind, he flipped the pages to the next chapter in the book. Though he did not expect the section to be useful, he began by skimming over the list of Common classes. As the book explained it, they were the most basic and accessible classes within the Treverorum Empire and, as such, required no special materials or Essences but only a simple ritual anyone could perform to unlock. Essentially, the classes provided just enough power and access to abilities that the majority of the population would be able to go about their lives more easily and, if necessary, be able to contribute to the common defense in times of war.
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Or at least that was what the author claimed.
Klarion’s fingers tapped against the pages as he reviewed a few of the classes to get some context for their comparison to the Uncommon and Rare classes he would be looking at next. There were more of them than he’d expected, though perhaps he shouldn’t be surprised. An Empire as vast as the one he was a part of now would have an equally large range of roles to be filled in its society. Farmer, Guard, Scout, Hunter… the list went on and on. Each was practical, purposeful, and designed to utilize abilities that would allow the class holder to fulfill that specific role in the Empire. Which made sense, really. Not everyone needed to fight for their survival on a daily basis. And the Empire did not run on battles and magic alone. It ran on food, trade, craftsmanship, and knowledge, with those able to fight ensuring that those engaged in the former were protected.
He flipped to the next section of the primer: Uncommon classes. The next step up from the Common classes, the primer made mention within the first paragraph that these classes required a few special materials, which varied based on the class, and a slightly more complicated ritual. Given that those extra materials likely had costs associated with them, it was likely that this rarity of classes was limited to richer commoners or families who saved up to give their children a better chance in life. Perhaps minor nobles who did not possess territory or a significant source of income.
From the first few classes listed in the pages that followed, it was easy to see they offered more power than the Common rarity classes, sure, but they were still limited. A step above the everyday Farmer or Guard, but not enough so to allow the class holder to rise to the level of an elite. And that was the problem and why Klarion would not be picking an Uncommon class. An Uncommon Protector class might be able to lead a band of soldiers, but he’d never be a match for the might of a Rare class of the same type. No, he needed something better, something that would allow him to gain the power that would let him face his enemies head-on.
He flipped the pages, faster now, to get to the next section, the one he really cared about. Rare classes, the book said, require Essence attunement, more special materials than Uncommon classes, and a specialized ritual chamber to unlock. These classes provide considerable power and are generally only found among the nobility of the Empire or those rare few without Imperial rank that nonetheless have sufficient wealth and influence to obtain them.
Essence attunement. From the first session of his Essence Studies class, he had thought about its importance. While secondary to unlocking a class, Klarion still got the sense that every scion at the Imperial Academy was expected to achieve attunement at least once in their first year. Combined with the material requirements and the specialized ritual chamber, he expected that the scions were collectively being guided in the direction of picking classes of this rarity. The person he had been on Earth would have hoped that scions would pursue Rare classes to better protect others and serve the Empire, but from what he had experienced so far, it was more likely it was simply that the powerful hoarded power, ensuring that those beneath them had little chance of rising.
Yes, Rare classes were different. They weren’t just another rung on the ladder — they were a leap above the Common and Uncommon classes. A clear step into the realm of true power. Sadly, they also were likely the only path open to him in terms of classes, as the primer went on to note that higher rarity classes, Epic and above, are extremely hard to obtain access to as anyone who possessed information on the extra steps to unlock them hoarded that information away from the rest of the Empire. For that reason, the description provided of classes of that level was cryptic, stating only that they required far more than significant effort or wealth to obtain. Given that Rare classes demanded Essence attunement, exotic materials, and a specialized ritual chamber, he could only imagine what it would take to unlock an Epic class or higher.
And yet, the possibility of attaining a class like that still tugged at him, whispering of power beyond imagining. An Epic class… or higher… Would that be enough to change everything for him at the Imperial Academy? To shatter the perspective that so many other scions apparently had of him and his failing House? To defy the fate that Chadwick and so many others sought to impose upon him?
But then reality set in.
Klarion shook his head, setting the thought aside. With no support, no knowledge of even a potential Epic class, and, most importantly, no time, it was better to aim for something that he could actually obtain. If the author was to be believed, even the vast majority of scions that attended places like one of the Imperial Academies typically settled for Rare classes, and they were still powerful enough to dominate the political landscape of the Empire. They had the strength to defend themselves, the influence to control their destinies. If Rare classes were good enough for them, then they would have to be good enough for him.
Besides, he had to be realistic. With all the disadvantages he had, chasing after an Epic class or more would be like reaching for the stars when he was still struggling to stand on solid ground. No, Rare was the right choice. Classes at that level would be powerful, prestigious, and, most importantly, achievable even for him. Even if it was a bit frustrating to settle.
As if he sensed the frustration Klarion would one day feel upon reading what he wrote, the author went on to extol the virtues of Rare classes as still being those that could shape history. That many had belonged to heroes of legend within the Empire, scions who had gone on to carve out their own kingdoms under the aegis of the Imperial Coreworlds. As a result of this, they were the most common among the scions and nobility of the Empire. One of them would have to be enough.
Firmly setting aside his hopes for a class beyond Rare, Klarion’s hands tightened around the primer as he read further. The author was now going further on about the importance of Essence attunement. The first hurdle he would have to overcome, he found his eyes returning to the Assessment Orb sitting so near him. He’d used it a few times already in an attempt to attune to an Essence, but it was slow, difficult work. He didn’t know for sure, but he thought he might be making some progress.
While the primer was frustratingly vague about Essence attunement, given that it was primarily focused on what it was to unlock classes and the wide range of options within the Empire, he still felt a bit more hope for the process given how it authoritatively stated that unlocking the first Essence was as much a matter of talent as it was of perseverance. Which made sense as well. After all, if it were easy to unlock an Essence, everyone would be able to obtain a Rare class.
Thankfully, if there was one thing he was learning about himself, it was that he possessed willpower and perseverance in spades. And he had a sense that, should he set his mind on a specific Essence in order to get a specific class, there would be some way to make it happen. So for now, he would see if, like the author said usually happened, a class would seize his attention as he read over the Rare options.
To his surprise, he found four that did so within the hour.
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