Outcasts

Outcasts are those who have had their lives taken away from them by the second demon war and who now lack the ability to support themselves by standard means. They have no money to start with and have poor equipment, but they bear a will to survive that is otherwise unmatched in Hypeltheon. Outcasts will be largely ineffective in their earlier levels, but the inherent ingenuity possessed by those who can survive long enough in this state will eventually see them through as well-rounded and highly individualized characters.

Outcasts do not excel at magic whatsoever as they have not undergone the rigorous mental and spiritual training necessary to wield this force effectively; as such they have no magical abilities. Unfortunately, outcasts also have little physical prowess on which to fall back. Outcasts are not proficient with weaponry, though do gain the ability to learn with whatever weapon they would like starting at level 7. The main reason for the lack of skill in battle is that outcasts were regular, non-noble people before the second demon war. In most cases they never received formal combat training and would not initially be prepared to defend themselves on the same level as would be a knight, for example. For this reason outcasts must approach many problems and obstacles from a different perspective than would another class, and often must undertake jobs that one who could hold his own would not need to concern him or herself with. As such they present a unique and interesting flavor out of all of the classes on Dark Isles, and should prove fun and challenging to use.

Outcasts are technically difficult classes to role-play, as they do not have any of the near-standard characteristics found in most classes on any RP forum, namely the ability to handle themselves well in a combat situation. To function well and appropriately as an outcast, the RPer must avoid having his or her character perform very well in combat (until later levels) and must be mindful of the poor predicament in which life has placed the outcast; this position will invariably have an effect on the outcast’s view of life, and how he or she would handle certain situations.



Skills

Level 1

• Beg: Allows the outcast to beg for money from other characters or from NPCs. Up to 100 gold can be obtained from NPCs in this manner; other characters may give as much gold as they would like, or may give nothing at all.
• Pilfer: Allows the outcast to steal items or a small amount of money from other characters or NPCs. Up to 100 gold may be stolen from both, and up to one item per use of pilfer may be stolen. How NPCs react to being burgled is up to the outcast; whether or not characters notice, and how they react is up to the ones who have been stolen from! Equipment, such as weapons and armor, may not be stolen.

Level 2

• Slink: Move about silently so as to avoid detection. While slinking, Outcasts’ footsteps essentially make no noise at all. Obviously running into something or stepping on twigs or dried leaves will still cause some noise.

Level 3

• Fade into Shadows: Not being professional combatants, outcasts often find themselves having to hide rather than stand and fight. They have grown adept at this skill, and as such will be undetectable to enemies over roughly ten feet away while hiding in shadows. Within ten feet the hiding outcast will still be very difficult to spot, even when being looked for.

Level 4

• Dodge: An outcast used to surviving on his or her own and having to escape rough situations alive will invariably have grown adept at evading basic attacks. Outcasts with the dodge ability can dodge, dip, duck, dive, or otherwise evade enemy attacks (both physical and magical, if the evade is plausible) or other incoming dangers.

Level 5

• Loot Corpse: Like merchants, outcasts know that even in the wastes of Avalon some people or creatures may still hold valuables. Outcasts have also learned through hard lessons that nothing truly belongs to those who are no longer with the living. Outcasts may search the bodies of the dead for items or equipment. An outcast can take any equipment or items an enemy carries provided that the enemy has died and has not been totally obliterated (by, say, a rather nasty spell). Outcasts can take as much as they'd like, provided they can carry it. Identical to the merchant’s loot corpse ability.

Level 7

• (A)All Weaponry: Any outcast knows that having a weapon on hand will greatly increase his or her chances of survival when out in the world. Outcasts are not weapons specialists by any means, but they take what they can find and use it to the best of their ability. As such, outcasts may use any weapon, of any type. Note that outcasts may not benefit from bonuses on weapons that are magical in nature. Outcasts may not, for example, equip an elemental staff and be able to absorb attacks. This is because outcasts lack the spiritual or mental training necessary to be able to take advantage of the magical powers inherent in these weapons.

Level 8

• Choke Hold: Most honorable combatants would consider this move to be somewhat below the belt, but outcasts must fall back on whatever means necessary to avoid getting their own throats slit. If an outcast can get behind an enemy, he or she can attempt to crush its windpipe. Outcasts who make use of choke hold generally prefer not to kill unless in self defense. Outcasts who take choke hold as their level 8 skill may not take backstab.
  
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• Backstab: In a kill or be killed world, any outcast who has lived long will tell you that it is better not to be on the receiving end of a deathblow. Especially sneaky (or fearful) outcasts will kill an enemy from behind, usually by stabbing it in the back with a dagger. This is only really done by outcasts who have relatively flexible morals. Outcasts who take backstab as their level 8 skill may not take choke hold.

Level 9

• (A)Piteous: Outcasts have had a difficult time in life, and their inability to compete fiercely with other classes on the battlefield does not make things any easier. For this reason, in public events it is often looked down upon if the outcast is taken advantage of. In duels only, any cheap shots or sneaky tactics used against the outcast will be counted against the outcast’s opponent, at the discretion of the grading judge.
  
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• (A)Loose Morals: In order to get by in life many outcasts have given up on strict interpretations of right and wrong. In duels any questionable actions or cheap shots (such as throwing sand in an opponent’s eyes) will not cause a loss in points for the outcast. The effectiveness of this skill is up to the discretion of the grading judge.

Level 10

• (A)Eyes on the Ground: Yet another ability in which the outcast takes advantage of opportunities often missed by those of other classes. For each post that does not involve the outcast taking part in combat, he or she will be awarded an additional 25 gold upon completion of the quest.
  
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• (A)A Little Off the Top: At the end of each quest, the outlaw automatically receives ten percent of each of the payments given to his or allies. So if each poster in a three-person quest would normally receive 2000 gold, the outcast would receive 2400 and the other two posters would each receive 1800. This skill is automatic because were it not, no one would want to use it because they would then be given a bad label.

Levels 20, 30, 40, & 50

• Jack of All Trades: Having no formal training in the art of combat, outcasts often look to their traveling partners for battle inspiration. After having survived for this long on their own they will have been able to have learned a simple trick or two from those they have met. Once each at levels 20, 30, 40, and 50, an outcast may choose one non-magical ability from any of the other classes’ skill lists for skills learned at level 10 or below. Elemental-based abilities may be taken. So for a jack of all trades skill an outcast could take charge shot, but not blade blight.

Starting Equipment

Weapon: Knife
Armor: Clothes

Starting Money & Items
None – outcasts are destitute and cannot initially afford the luxury of items.



Key:

(A): This is an ATTRIBUTE. Attributes are any skills that aren't attacks. Most attributes you don't have to use, they're just there. There may be some Attributes that have to be used, and they will be marked so that you're made aware of that.