Classes

[Purple Storm]

Class Preview - Guardian

- Jul 20, 2007

This week, we take a look at the walking fortress Hyboria knows as The Guardian.


Clad in heavy armor that would break the backs of lesser creatures, the guardian strides Hyboria, a walking fortress of steel, iron, and leather, wielding mighty polearms or one-handed weapons and great shields. Where others would waver or fall, knocked back by a skillful foe, the heavy plate armor of the guardian insure such hits fall aside like so many pebbles. The guardian stands tall and resolute in the face of foes, secure in the finest of armor and wielding the most deadly weapons.

Guardians are not just hulking figures in heavy armor, however. While Guardians have access to a full range of armor, from simple cloth to imposing suits of full plate armor, no fortress is complete without a way to strike back at its attackers, and guardians have an array of combat abilities that focus on their strength: letting their opponents wear themselves down trying to penetrate impenetrable steel, then striking with all the fury of a raging wind. Members of this class can choose one-handed weapons of the blunt or edged variety and pair it up with a shield, or they can forsake the shield entirely and take up one of the many polearms Hyboria's weaponsmiths offer.

As with the barbarians, one-handed weapons are used mainly for one-on-one battles and individual feats of strength, while polearms are perfect for sweeping attacks when charging into massive groupes of enemies. Guardians aren't limited to melee weapons alone, however, as they can also use thrown weapons. Higher-level guardians also gain the ability to use the deadly crossbow, for those who dare to try and attack at range. The guardian is another class that eschews spells, preferring to entrust their safety and that of their charges to solid things like steel and leather, rather than to the etheral whims of strange and terrible powers.

Guardians may be a defensively-minded class, but like all in Hyboria, those who don't learn to fight soon perish at the hands of those who do know how to fight. Guardians who choose one-handed weapons study the human body, learning how to damage it in precise ways. They learn to Exploit their opponent's vulnerabilities, as well as to Create Vulnerabilities, which leaves their foe open to devastating attacks. It begins with the lower limbs, but they soon learn to slip a blade into an opponent's chest, or bring a mace crashing down upon their head.

Their training also teaches them to exploit their greatest strength. Enemies facing the guardian frequently hurl themselves forward, flailing away at uncaring steel until exhaustion sets in. The cunning guardian learns to exploit this with a line of combos that focus on destroying their opponents stamina and inflicting wounds that leave them gasping for breath. A simple exhausting swipe might take their breath away, while an Excruciating Slash leaves their opponents unable to fight, begging for mercy, and frequently finding none. This particular style of guardian also learns how to cripple their opponent's defenses, wearing them down and inflicting Grueling Injuries, which, in turn, makes it easy for the guardian to finish them off.

There are those who forsake the path of the shield and instead focus on the spear or glaive, or one of the other fine polearms for sale in Hyboria's market. Polearm users focus mainly on wearing down groups of enemies. The backbone for this particular style of guardian is their own Multihit line, which begins with a simple Sweep of their weapon and evolves into a Flashing Arc, with Weaving Rush and Turbulent Wind combos coming as they grow stronger, ensuring a flurry of fatal blows fall on their foes. Polearm-using guardians may not carry the tremendous shield of their class kinsmen, but they make up for it with a Quickened Guard or Calculating Defense, as well as other combos that increase their ability to evade damage and defend against oncoming attacks.

The most feared ability, though, is a line of skills that knock their opponents aside, using broad, sweeping strokes that slam their foes back, taking down entire swaths of enemies with a single move. It begins simply, with a combo called Lifting Strike, but with enough toil and training, it becomes an Astouding Strike, allowing the guardian to mow down foes like a reaper in a field of grain. This flavor of guardian also relies on wearing down their opponent's ability to fight, and those facing off with this kind of guardian may survive the fusillade of incoming attacks, but fatigue settles in as their blows clatter harmlessly off the guardian's armor, and the guardian gains combos to exploit this, allowing them to Burnout their opponent's muscles and will to fight.

Indeed, like a cliff on the edge of a raging sea, the guardian stands resolute, never faltering or wavering, against Hyboria's endless supply of enemies.

[Purple Storm]

Class Preview - Barbarian

- Jul 13, 2007
This week, we take a look at one of the most savage fighters in Hyboria: the Barbarian.

Some make bargains with dark things from damned corners of the world in pursuit of power. Some commune with nature, conjuring the powers of lightning and storms. Some see a problem and reach for the biggest weapon they can find. In the world of Hyboria, this is the Barbarian.

Masters of melee combat, barbarians aren't known for their subtlety. Their survival in the dangerous world of Hyboria relies on their abilities with a diverse array of weapons. Barbarians wield everything from the usual axes and clubs—two at a time, as no true barbarian cowers behind a shield—to mighty two-handed blades that Crom himself might struggle to lift. Barbarians with a little more guile about them may also learn the ways of the bow, or have a few throwing weapons tucked here and there for when things get dicey (or when someone makes the mistake of running, as running away from a barbarian is the surest way to die tired).

Magic doesn't enter into the vocabulary of these fierce fighters. Magic, to a barbarian, is seeing what happens when you hit someone really hard, and when they disappear in a red spray, that's magic. The barbarian's skills focus entirely on damage, and doing a lot of it to their enemies with all manner of sharp and blunt objects. The barbarian also favors light, or even cloth, armor, figuring there's no sense shuffling around in lots of heavy metal when you could be burying an axe in the other guy's face.

Barbarians that choose to dual wield gain abilities that focus on putting together a lot of hits, up to ten in a combo. In their Multihit line, a simple barrage of Reckless Blows grows with the warrior. The enterprising and persistent barbarian can learn to unleash a Flurry of Steel, and that flurry becomes an Avalanche of Steel as they grow more powerful. The most powerful dual-wielding barbarians unleash Chaos Incarnate, wrecking their foes with a blur of blows, ruining all that come near. Provoking a barbarian with a weapon in each hand is foolish enough, but they also gain the ability to go berserk, and what begins as a Savage Rage grows into a Destructive Rage that makes the already formidable barbarian nigh-unstoppable.

Those that continue to follow the dual-wielding path also gain the ability to Wreck their opponents' armor at Level 24, with outright Ruining of their finery coming later on, the better to rip and tear the tender flesh beneath. Higher-level barbarians do even more damage with nasty wounds that bleed over time, and with a lot of training and experience, level 32's simple Jagged Cut becomes a Whirlwind Cut, with the most powerful members of the profession wielding the mighty combo move known as “Bloodletter.”

There is another tack, however, best summarized as “speak softly and carry a big stick, or possibly an entire tree.” This style of barbarian favors one big weapon as opposed to two smaller ones, and specializes in hitting a wide area around them, the better to clear out the teeming sea of oncoming foes so common in Hyboria.

As early as level 20, these barbarians gain access to a stun combo. Stunning Punch, Stunning Clout, and, later, Stunning Strike set up the two-handers' hard hitting damage combos. Much like the barbarian, these combos aren't subtle, with delightful names like Butcher, Mangle, Slaughter, and for the most powerful and discriminating of barbarians, Annihilate. At level 24, they gain the ability to slam their opponents back and out of the way. From the basic Power Bash to the powerful Mighty Clobber, barbarians in need of a breather—or barbarians who like to watch their enemies flail backward helplessly—will be well-satisfied.

Even dodging won't work on the experienced barbarian, as the higher levels grant them combos that ruin their opponent's ability to evade damage. A Distracting Blow can be hard enough to deal with in a melee, but the Staggering Blow leaves opponents stumbling, easy prey for the cunning barbarian and his mighty arsenal of weapons.

The barbarian, in other words, is a specialist in melee combat that enjoys two major pastimes: killing people and breaking things in a variety of fun and creative ways.

[Purple Storm]

Class Preview - Priest of Mitra

- Jul 06, 2007
This week we take a look at one of your very best friends on the battlefield -- the Priest of Mitra.

Devoting their lives to the service of their deity, the Priests of Mitra are able to draw upon immense power and wisdom. While some dedicate their lives to quiet studies and worship to Mitra, others head into the wilds of Hyboria to seek out challenges and overcome them by employing the powers and protection their deity bestow upon them.

In Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures, the Priest of Mitra is the primary healer in any group they might join. They can mean the difference between life and death, and if the latter happens they can still bend the very rules of mortality and bring their teammates back from the land of the dead.

Far from just being the one who put bandages on your wounds, the Priest of Mitra is also an able damage dealer – especially due to their potent nuke spells. But though they do master melee combat, their skills are considerably more limited in that regard.

The Priest of Mitra proves to be a versatile class, dabbling with anything from healing to damage dealing to crowd control and buffing. Their focus naturally lies in the arts of healing, where they have an extensive toolset to draw from as they progress in level and dive deeper into Mitra's powers.

Cone healing is perhaps the Priest of Mitra’s most interesting method of healing. In Age of Conan the player can fire off a cone healing spell, such as the Shroud of Purity, that places a moderate healing effect on the caster as well as placing a powerful healing effect on all friendly targets within the cone-shaped area extruding from the player. It’s certainly powerful, but it can also be quite challenging to perform correctly for an unskilled Priest of Mitra.

Of course, the Priest of Mitra also has access to team healing spells such as the Radiance spell that heals all allies around the priest. The team heals may provide lesser effect than the cone heals; but then again, they require no targeting and will affect all teammates in a wide radius around the caster. But – less effort, less gain!

When it comes to resurrecting fallen teammates, this is an ability the player obtain as early as the tenth level when he is still nothing but a simple Priest working himself through the archetype levels to become a Priest of Mitra. As he progresses in life he will gain more potent resurrection abilities that will result in greater and greater reduction of the death penalty.

On the damage side of things, the Priest of Mitra has a few tricks up his sleeve. One of the fancier things is probably the Repulse spell that will knock enemies around the caster back and send them flying through the air while dealing a fair amount of damage to them. Then you have more target specific spells, such as the Smite and Rebuke.

In extreme times of desperation, the Priest of Mitra may turn to his deity for the ultimate support. Through the Soul of Mitra spell, the Priest will ignite in holy fire, inflicting damage to anyone in his general vicinity. It will even render him almost completely immune to physical damage! It comes at a cost, though, as the Priest himself is unable to take any action while filled with the power of Mitra.

Giving strength to his teammates and improving their odds is also paramount to the Priest of Mitra. Divine Vigor will for instance increase the maximum health of the entire group, but as with many of the Priest’s buffs, the effect is propagated from him so any teammate standing too far away from him would not get the benefits of the buff.

The Priest of Mitra is slightly disadvantaged when it comes to melee fighting, even though he masters several weapons such as one-handed edged and blunt, daggers, crossbows and thrown weapons. His lack of advanced weapon combos and mastership of only cloth and light armor (though he can wield a shield) makes him a softer target.

It is therefore important for the Priest of Mitra to keep his enemies at a distance whenever possible. By using the power of Mitra he is able to affect the minds of others around him, becoming very able at crowd control. As an example, the Eye of Judgment spell will cause enemies to flee in terror, while the Condemn spell will effectively stun enemy targets.

One of his crowd control spells, Repudiate which is gained at level seventy, will hinder enemies’ movement in an area of effect. Undead monsters and even polymorphed Lich players will suffer a secondary fear effect in addition to having their movement hindered.

Speaking of player-versus-player combat, the crowd control spells are available there as well, though targets develop immunity to those spells for a period of time to avoid being, for instance, constantly stunned.

The life of a Priest of Mitra is one of devotion to his deity. Years of study into ancient manuscripts and finding ways of channeling his deity’s powers have given control of spells that can damage the bodies of his enemies and even alter their minds. But it is the Priest’s skill in healing that sets him apart, and responsibility for the lives of others can be a heavy burden to bear.

BONUS! Take a look at this short video clip showing a Priest of Mitra casting the Soul of Mitra spell on himself.

[Purple Storm]

Class Preview - Dark Templar

- May 25, 2007
This week we take a look at a powerful fighter who calls upon the forces of darkness to assist him - the Dark Templar.

In the harsh reality of Hyborian life, many people turn to higher powers – the Gods – for guidance and understanding. Some turn to Mitra seeking hope and support, while others turn to Crom for savage inspiration. Some even turn to Set in order to tap into the powers he provides, but the Dark Templar will go as far as to trade his very humanity to any dark being who will offer him a piece of the corrupted power that they possess.

By going into a pact with such a dark being – be that an evil god, a wrathful demon or any other source of twisted power – the Dark Templar is able to draw upon immense strength and vitality. This power, however, certainly comes at a price as it binds the Dark Templar into painful worship demanded by the dark entity in return for their approval.

In essence, the Dark Templar is an evil fighter. By drawing upon these powers rooted in death and darkness, they are able to stand at the forefront of battles and take punishment that may have crippled a fighter of more ordinary skill. You see, whereas other members of the soldier class usually believes more in the importance of tactical fighting styles and the mastery of weapons in order to survive a fight, the Dark Templar has no qualms about tapping into dark, supernatural powers in order to secure victory for him and his team.

Taking punishment is a big part of the Dark Templar’s job and mastering light, medium and heavy armor is crucial to his success. By being able to equip some of the most protective armor available, he is able to fulfill his role as one of the members of the group most likely to be put in the front where the enemy’s damage can be directed at him.

Of course, having traded his very humanity to the forces of evil, his greatest asset will not be man-made equipment but rather the dark powers he can call upon. At level twenty-five he will gain access to the “Drain Life” ability that will turn some of the damage he deals to his enemy’s into health for himself. The much higher-level “Blood Pact” will intensify this ability, converting all damage the Dark Templar deals into valuable health that he needs to stay alive as he stands on the forefront of the battle, taking all the punishment.

All these powers do, however, come at a high cost. Tapping into the abilities possessed by the dark beings that dwell far beyond the plane of mere mortals, is something that the Dark Templar will also struggle with notably. For the source of this immense power will demand a tribute for the effort they put into supporting him -- a pact is a pact after all!

As such, many of the Dark Templar’s abilities will have detrimental effects that can harm him. “Pestilential Body” gained at level forty, for instance, will trigger a poison that will drain the life out of enemies around him, but it will also restrict the Dark Templar’s movement as poisonous gases and toxic sludge slowly takes over his body. Other powers will outright damage him and possibly kill him as he calls upon them!

Most probably inspired by the nature of the dark forces of this world (and beyond), the Dark Templar is also quite a sadist. Whenever members of his own group – his own companions – suffer in combat, the Dark Templar will himself gain power. When others are inflicted with pain, he will receive bonuses to his abilities making him more potent!

Still, the Dark Templar is a good adventuring partner to have for any group traveling the expanses of Hyboria and who faces the challenges this dangerous world provides. If you can manage to look past his dubious ways, having a member on the team with affinity for the dark side can be a valuable thing. For instance, the Dark Templar’s “Martyrdom” ability will actually heal his companions while also damaging himself.

As those Hyborians who can suffer the pain and commit to a pact with darkness will see, the Dark Templar is, in short, a more than capable fighter. Being able to master combination moves for many edged, blunt and thrown weapons – and even crossbows – he proves himself as a fighter that can use the more earthly tools of death and at the same time having the ability to call upon the evil forces beyond Hyboria and use their destructive powers as well!

[Purple Storm]

Class Preview - Bear Shaman

- May 11, 2007
This week we take a look at one of the hardiest and most battle-capable of the healing classes -- the Bear Shaman.

Since ages long passed, certain gifted individuals – often referred to as wise men or wise women – have held a special, unbreakable bond with the spirits of nature. Within many of the primitive societies found among the hill tribes of Cimmeria, these men and women are held in particularly high regard due to their ability to call upon the powers these spirits possess. For these and many other Cimmerians – a people whose lives are greatly influenced by the creatures of nature that surrounds them – anyone who can tap into these powers are considered to be of great importance and wisdom.

Those of them who decide to leave their tribes and head into the world of great adventure, often call themselves Bear Shamans. With their ability to perform ancient rites and call upon the spirits of the bear, the Bear Shamans are a valued addition to any group of adventurers who wishes to tackle the challenges of Hyborian reality.

The Bear Shaman has received the more physical aspect of nature – while the Druid of the Storm will conjure up lightning and storms, the Bear Shaman focuses his power and energies towards himself, aligning himself through shamanistic rites with the spirit of the bear.

The Bear Shaman represents two sides of nature – Tranquility and Fury. The tranquil side of the Bear Shaman allows him to utilize powerful magic to heal himself and his friends. Tapping into the power of the wind, the Bear Shaman may heal both himself and his teammates by utilizing the very forces of nature itself. The “Renewal” spell grained at level twenty is one of many healing spells the Bear Shaman will have access to. His ability to resurrect friends who fell in the midst of a bloody battle becomes available to him at around level thirty, but the spell will become more and more potent as the Bear Shaman grows in power – allowing him to further diminish the detrimental effects of death.

In Age of Conan there is also something called “cone healing” which is basically a feature where the caster can heal everyone in front of within a certain distance. The first of these spells is “Blood Flow” received at level twenty-five. Instead of having to target specific members of your party or casting an area of effect spell, the Bear Shaman must face those he wish to heal. Far from being an observer in battles, the Bear Shaman will also have to heal himself to remedy the injuries sustained through fighting. As such, the “Blood Flow” spell will also heal the caster – although with lesser effect.

One of the furious sides of the Bear Shaman allows him to use various weapons in order to engage in melee combat. Known to be more than able fighters, the Bear Shaman will learn to master several tools of death – such as two-handed blunt weapons, two-handed edged weapons and even bows at later levels. Through practice they gain access to various melee combos that will allow them to perform violent, damage-dealing maneuvers with their weapon.

Calling upon the spirits of the bear, the Bear Shaman can boost both himself and those who travels with him. As the great transparent shape of the bear rises up behind him to transfuse the powers over to the caster, the “Spirit of the Bear” spell will increase the caster’s health. Caving into his furious nature, the Bear Shaman will gain access to the powerful “Lycanthropic Bite” spell at level eighty, a spell that will take a percentage of the melee damage the Bear Shaman does with both normal and combo moves and convert it into healing. The “Grizzled Hide” spell will increase the defense rating of all teammates, but only if they remember to stay close to the bear shaman. Moving too far away from him and the effects will disappear. This will urge teammates to stay close.

Pulling out a ferocious power from deep within his own spirit, the Bear Shaman can also cast so-called manifestations. “Enfeebling Manifestation” gained around level fifty will, for instance, continuously pulse a curse from the caster that will debuff all nearby foes.

Bear Shamans can also curse their enemies. Using “Blessed Claws” which becomes available at level seventy, two bears will rush past the caster and put a curse on the target that will not only increase the health regeneration of the caster, but will also heal anyone who attacks the caster’s target – thus making life extremely difficult for the enemy! The Bear Shaman’s ability to heal, buff and even engage in vicious close combat (not to mention ranged combat) makes this class an excellent choice for anyone who wants to explore many of the different aspects of Age of Conan at once – from melee to magic.

As an extra snack for you guys and girls, we’ve included a very short video clip showing a Bear Shaman taking advantage of the “Blessed Claws” spell. Check it out here!

PS: We would like to point out that this is still work-in-progress.

[Purple Storm]

Class Preview - Demonologist

- Mar 16, 2007
This week we take a look at those who would trade their very souls in the quest for absolute power - The Demonologist.

Of all the mages the Demonologist may be the most power hungry and twisted amongst them. Such is their pure thirst for absolute power that they are willing to trade their very souls to whichever demonic power is currently seeking to extend their influence into the affairs of man.

Through demonic pacts and sacrifices they tread a fine line between the mortal world and the depths of the demonic realms, drawing forth the power of their immortal masters at the price of the corrupting influence of that power.

The Demonologist is not as studied as other mages, and while they might have some rudimentary knowledge of the magical arts it is their ability to wield and command these ancient and sinister arts that allow them to strike down their opponents on the battlefield.

The Demonologist has two main areas of expertise, firstly in the command of demonic minions and then also a variety of fire and electrical based direct damage spells.

The demons are of course the most trusted weapon in their arsenal, with the Demonologist having the power to control and command demons summoned from the pits of the ancient, long forgotten worlds below the world. With their 'Demonic Servitude ' ability allowing them to bind a demon to their will, the Demonologist can command these minions to do their bidding and bring agony and despair to their foes.

Dripping with the eternal blood of their victims and a twisted visage that can inspire dread in even the most battle hardened of warriors, the demons are a fearsome sight on any battlefield.

The demon alone though is not what makes the Demonologist a powerful and dangerous foe. They have the ability to smite their enemies with devastating fire and electrical attacks, channelling the searing heat and magical energy of the demonic realm into potent and potentially lethal attacks.

'Flamestrike' and 'Shockstrike' are amongst the first spells the Demonologist learns to wield and these are supplemented from level 35 with the likes of the 'Firestorm' and 'Shockblast' spells.

The Demonologist can also bargain with their demonic masters to sacrifice their own health in return for yet more powerful damage through their 'Sacrifice' and 'Blood Sacrifice' spells

As with the other mage classes the Demonologist also has access to powerful abilities as the highest levels that can greatly improve the performance of their other spells and abilities. For the Demonologist this comes in the form of their 'Archfiend's Pact' spell, which while active means that Flamestrike, Shockstrike, Firestorm and Shockblast have no cool down times and the caster gains very high mana regeneration. With their Magic damage greatly increased and stacking with both 'Sacrifice' and 'Blood Sacrifice' the cost of this powerful spell is not to be taken lightly. The Demonologist pays for such a wanton display of their power with a heavy amount of damage to their own health over the course of the spell and a very high Soul Corruption penalty.

So the Demonologist treads a fine line between eternal damnation and the power that can be bestowed upon them by their demonic masters, with their constant thirst for power comes the risk of insanity and worse, but while they retain mastery of their borrowed powers they are a powerful foe. With demonic minions to do their bidding, and such power at their disposal, the Demonologist is truly a mage to be feared.

[Purple Storm]

Class Preview - Necromancer

- Mar 02, 2007
We continue our preview of the playable classes in Age of Conan with a look at the mysterious and dangerous Necromancer.

Evil and twisted Necromancers bring the cursed and the dead back from beyond the mortal realm to do their bidding. Looking down on the likes of the Demonologist for their reliance on bargaining for power, the Necromancer requires no such crutch, relying instead on his own mastery of death to dispose of his enemies.

The true power of the Necromancer is two fold, with a mastery of unholy magic, the Necromancer animates the dead and corrupts the living, while this is complimented by their ability to marshal the freezing winds of death itself and deal devastatingly cold attacks on those who would cross their path. Thus the icy touch of death is instilled in everything the Necromancer does and they have a wide variety of spells and foul magics to call upon.

Spells like ‘Flesh to Worms’ and ‘Pestilential Blast’ deal painful and disturbing unholy damage to their targets while ‘Gelid Bones’ and ‘Ice Strike’ use deathly cold to deal their damage. The stench of death itself provides the Necromancer with this tainted arsenal and their ability to manipulate it to their benefit is unsurpassed.

Not content with simply smiting their foes the Necromancer can also use their dark arts to boost their allies. Spells like ‘Runed Flesh’ allow the Necromancer\s team to absorb some damage, while ‘Bone Ward’ increases the Necromancers defences.

Lastly, but by no means least, the Necromancer can also command the dead themselves. Tearing the corpses of the fallen from the ground and animating them to their own evil intentions the Necromancer can summon forth a series of twisted cadavers to do their foul bidding.

With the ability to summon expendable foot soldiers called Undead Minions, through to raising magically adept Deathless Acolytes, the Necromancer can ensure that these rotting and malicious puppets of flesh are at hand to deal with any enemies that get too close.

Like much of the magic in Age of Conan the abilities of this mage are greatly enhanced by their later abilities, for example the pinnacle of their powers - Loathsome Teachings, that is available only at level 80, provides a boost to their ‘Ice Strike’ and ‘Glacial Storm’ spells while active, triggering an additional Freeze effect. Likewise their ‘Pestilential Blast’ and ‘Blasphemous Ruin’ spells benefit from an additional ‘Gangrenous Touch’ effect. It also benefits the amount of health returned when their Lifeleech spell is cast and any attacks against the Necromancer while it is active have a chance of applying a healing effect on the caster. At the same time the ability grants additional cold and unholy damage to the caster's team.

Their mastery over death itself means that Necromancers are amongst the most feared practitioners of magic you are likely to meet on the battlefield. Their icy grasp and command of undead mean that they are a threat taken lightly at your own risk!

[Purple Storm]

Class Preview - Herald of Xotli

- Feb 16, 2007
We continue our preview of the playable classes in Age of Conan with a look at the demonic and fearsome Herald of Xotli.

Some of those who meddle in the demonic arts are either too weak-minded or venture too far down the path of demonology to remain untainted for long. The Heralds are those who with an insatiable lust for power regardless of the cost have bargained with the demon god Xotli and paid the ultimate price.

They become a host to true demonic forces, allowing their very flesh and blood to be twisted and shaped to the purposes of their master.

The arcane and twisted pacts that have allowed the Herald to call upon the power of Xotli mean that they are powerful and dreaded foes in combat. Whereas other priests or students of the demonic arts can call upon the servants or blessing of their respective deities the Herald actually transforms themselves into a walking incarnation of Xotli’s wrath.

In battle, the Herald transforms into a demon, preferring to melee opponents and feel the enemy's flesh tear rather than rely on spells, although they retain a powerful arsenal of spells to call upon as needed. With their frenzied appearance and blood soaked muscles rippling with demonic strength the Herald becomes one of the most fearsome sights on the battlefield.

While many of the Herald’s abilities concentrate on strengthening themselves and their allies they can also call upon the primordial forces of fire and brimstone, hewn from the demonic depths, to smite their foes.

‘Hellfire Breath’, that the Herald can cast from level 25 onwards, deals instant fire damage to enemies in a cone in front of the caster. Likewise from 55 onwards, their ‘Hellflare’ spell blasts the enemies around the caster with an intense searing wall of heat, lowering their damage output and causing them to take more damage from physical attacks.

When combined with spells like their ‘Inferno Curse’ these attacks can be even more lethal. 'Inferno Curse' is available from level 40 onwards and allows the Herald to curse enemies in his near vicinity so that they take increased damage from fire based attacks.

So while the demonic flames might be their specialty the Herald is usually in the thick of the action and uses spells like ‘The Exultation of Xotli’, which is available from level 45 onwards, to increase their melee damage for a short period of time but with a period of reduced damage for a short while afterwards.

At higher levels the Herald gets access to the ability to not just strike fear in their opponents but can actually force them to run away in terror through their ‘Dread Visage’ ability. So the Herald is not only a fearsome foe at close quarters on the battlefield but their demonic powers can actually instill dread and make even the most hardened of opponents flee from them in stark fear.

[Purple Storm]

Class Preview - Lich

- Feb 09, 2007
This week the dark and menacing Lich class falls under our spotlight as we continue our previews of the classes available in Age of Conan.

Of all the mages the Lich is perhaps the most feared by the ordinary travellers. Where the Necromancer animates the dead, the Lich actually embraces and joins the dead, becoming one with the foul and decaying undead they can channel great power from by their sacrifice of parts of their mortal soul and body.

A Lich is a mage who has moved beyond merely summoning the dead and instead chooses to make the darkest of pacts with the undead. They allow themselves to be one with those who have passed from the mortal realm and can merge their own flesh and blood with that of the dead.

By fusing with the bones of the dead, the Lich gains impressive physical strength and resilience. In this form the Lich prefers to wade into battle and club enemies to death, although retains access to their full array of spells.

When using Champion of Death for example, that the Lich gets access to from level 20, The Lich inhabits the form of a powerful undead warrior, increasing health, attack rating and their unholy magic rating.

Calling forth dark and menacing clouds laden with the foul black reek of pestilence and disease the Lich can easily inspire dread on the battlefield.

The power of the undead is not just called upon to help the Lich defeat their foes, it can also protect. Pact of Dead Flesh for example, that is available from level 25 onwards, protects the caster's team against damage, absorbing the first X points of damage from each hit. There is a maximum amount of damage that can be absorbed before it fails though.

At Higher levels the Lich gets access to powerful and ancient magics like ‘Flesh of the Wight’ and ‘Acheronian Abomination’, the latter allows the Lich to literally take the physical form of an ancient Acheronian warrior. Twisting in pain that might cripple those not used to dealing in such foul arts, the Lich’s skin becomes re-enforced with the thick leathery, puss ridden hide of these powerful undead incarnations, his convulsing face masked by the ornately carved and distinctive helms that mark the source of these evil beings.

The Lich’s muscles and bones are infused with the ancient strength and malice that is breed by centuries of undead anguish and can then be unleashed upon their foes.

These spells Increase the amount of damage absorbed each hit by spells such as Pact of Dead Flesh. The caster also gains additional unholy damage on melee attacks, and attackers have a chance of being afflicted with a damage over time curse when they attack the caster or getting extra healing from foes that attack them. These are examples of where casters spells at the higher levels also increase the effectiveness of their other spells.

The Lich is a dread inducing and fearsome foe whose dark pacts with the undead give them a wide variety of options in battle, whether it is defending their allies or striking out against their enemies.

[Purple Storm]

Class Preview - Druid of the Storm

- Feb 02, 2007
This week we take a deeper look into another of the classes available in Age of Conan - The Druid of the Storm.

Primal and resourceful, these priests of the shamanistic arts are masters of the world around them, at one with nature.

Their understanding of the world around them also means that they have an almost endless knowledge of natural healing remedies that can keep their allies standing in battle. Not just a healer they can utilise ancient arts, runes and charms passed down by their forefathers to protect and keep allies safe from harm

While obviously adept at protecting their allies makes them respected travelling companions, these Druids are actually more feared for what they can call forth from nature.

Masterfully in touch with the elements themselves, the Druid of the Storm can control and call upon the power of weather to hinder and attack their foes, calling down lightning and creating storms.

They can use the power of wind to throw their enemies back, and harness the raw energy of lightning to burn their foes, or call forth the bitter winds of winter to bite their opponents with the extreme cold that only nature can summon forth.

As an example their defining ability at level 80 is called ‘Eye of the Storm’ and calls forth a great hurricane down upon the Druid themselves that acts as natural shield, a wall of wind that not only keeps attackers at bay but charges the air around the caster with such electrical energy that it can augment the Druids lightning spells.

‘Eye of the Storm’ thus grants the Druid vastly improved defence against ranged attacks but has the down side that it is almost impossible to move. It increases electrical magic damage and the radius of effect for their lightning based spells. Enemies attacking the caster have a chance of being knocked back while the druids themselves become immune to most knockback effects.

Far from being ‘just a healer’ these Shaman are powerful and dangerous foes to cross on the battlefield.

[Purple Storm]

Class Preview - Scion of Set

- Jan 19, 2007
This week we start taking a look at some of the classes in Age of Conan in a little more detail. First up for this weeks update we travel to the desert lands of Stygia to find out more about the Scion of Set from the Priest Archetype.

Dedicated to the god Set, the Scions are often considered fanatics whose dedication to their god reaches devotion that many would confuse for insanity. The snake god offers the constant promise of power beyond mortal means and demands nothing short of total commitment in return.

While well schooled in the healing arts the true power of the Scion of Set comes from their being blessed by the snake god. This grants them with the ability to inflict damaging poisons upon their enemies and call upon the poisonous powers of Set to augment their allies' attacks with the venom of the snake god or curse their foes.

When they are faced with the enemy at close quarters they prefer to wield their sacrificial and ceremonial daggers and are certainly no slouches at cutting and stabbing their foes in cruel and very intentional ways!

Lets take a look at an example of the Scion's special magical skills and how they interact with each other.

One of the very basic abilities that all Scion's learn is known as 'Venom Strike', available from level 20 once they have chosen to follow the path of Set. This is a simple and straightforward poison based attack that they can call upon.

However as the Scion grows in power and knowledge they learn abilities that will augment and mean that using 'Venom Strike' provides them with extra effects and bonuses.

'Devour Essence' for example is first learned at level 55 (and can be improved upon at level 70) adds a mana restore element to 'Venom Strike' granting the Scion a moderate amount of mana back every time 'Venom Strike' lands. You also have spells like 'Set's Writhing Hate' moving towards their later dark arts that can learned at level 70 provides a poison damage boost to the Scion every time they use 'Venom Strike'

Those who truly show their unyielding commitment to Set and reach level 80 are rewarded with the ability to channel their god and become an 'Avatar of Set'.

With the power of their god cursing their very blood, the Scion becomes a giant snake, striking fear into their foes and temporarily giving them a powerful boost to their abilities.

This most powerful of ancient magic's increases the caster's magic poison damage and grants bonus poison damage to the caster's team. It also increases the amount of retributive damage from their 'Shroud of Snakes' spell line and causes the caster to actually be healed from poison damage, while continuously inflicts instant poison damage to enemies near the caster.

Like all Hyborian magic such power must be used carefully and soul corruption is always a risk, even for those as dedicated as the Scion. The art of using magic in Age of Conan revolves around timing the use of these powerful abilities so that you can inflict maximum pain on your opponents but avoid leaving yourself vulnerable to their retribution!

[Purple Storm]

Class Preview - Conqueror

- Aug 03, 2007

This week, we take a look at the inspirational frontline fighter in the world of Conan: The Conqueror.


The Conqueror is the heart and soul of any party in Hyboria. Conquerors fill two roles, first, as an impressive fighter on the front lines soaking up the damage and dishing out damage of their own, and second, as an inspirational presence that makes the party prevail where it would normally falter. All foes that get within the conqueror's reach fall before their weapons, and all friends that stand nearby find themselves heartened, ready and eager to carry on the fight. A party without a conqueror may be mighty indeed, but a party with a conqueror becomes a band of heroes with almost legendary abilities.

To protect themselves from the dangerous world outside, conquerors have access to everything from the flimsiest of cloth armor to the stoutest heavy armor, but do not gain access to shields. Conquerors tend to be a bit more offensively-minded as a class, preferring to either dual-wield two one-handed weapons or to use a single large weapon to smite their foes. Unlike the barbarian—which focuses on putting out as much damage as possible in a short amount of time—conquerors are a bit more conservative. Their combat training focuses primarily on effects that help the group as a whole, though they remain fierce and deadly opponents in a one on one fight.

Conquerors wielding two-handed weapons make for tremendous fighters in their own right, and there's always the matter of that huge sword they're carrying, but they also gain a number of combos making them even harder to defeat. Some lower their foes' ability to inflict damage, while the powerful Dancing Steel combos make it easier for the conqueror to dodge and, if the timing is right, they can counterattack instantly when attacked with a melee weapon. Conquerors also learn to unleash multiple hits via their ferocious Furious Strikes, starting with a Hail of Furious Strikes and ending with a Barrage of Furious Strikes from the strongest conquerers. They also learn to knock their foes aside with Concussive attacks, making an opening for the advance, or knocking away a troublesome foe. Conquerors can also sound a Heroic Call, inspiring all of their fellows to strike harder at the enemies troubling them.

Those who opt for two weapons rather than one are no less vicious. Dual-wielding conquerors have twice the weaponry, but they also have several unique combos of their own. A Rallying Strike, and its stronger variations, lowers the amount of damage the group takes should an attack slip their their guard. These conquerors also gain abilities that hurt their opponents over time, be it one opponent—via Hewing, Hacking, Flaying, Carving, or Rending them) or be it whoever happens to be unfortunate enough to step into range of their Rhythm of War combo. Dual-wielding conquerors can also make it harder for their opponents to block and resist damage, Breaching their defenses and leaving them open to more deadly strikes.

The conqueror isn't just a deadly fighter, however. Rather than a magician's spells, the conqueror has beneficial auras that surround them, and all friends within range of these auras benefit. Conqueror auras can be either purely offensive—contributing to the damage and destruction sowed by their associates—or augmentative, providing a multitude of various benefits that keep the party fighting and make them fight better. Conquerors can have a single combative aura and a single augmentative aura running simultaneously.

Their Campaign Season aura increases the overall damage of the conqueror's fellows, while the Fire Weave aura grants bonus fire damage to all melee and ranged attacks of the caster's team, while occasionally inflicting instant fire damage on their targets. Other elemental auras include the Hoarfrost aura, which adds a chilling effect to any of their melee or ranged attacks, while the Tempest aura channels the power of the storms into the party members, damaging all foes who come near.

Augmentative auras include Triumph, which improves the attacking abilities of the party, as well as Sanctuary, which increases their resistance to magical damage should any rogue magicians be foolish enough to attack. The Inspiration aura is especially critical, replenishing the stamina of the group at an increased rate, while Focus does the same for magic users and their mana. Rally, the ultimate in this series of Auras, does slightly less stamina and mana regeneration, but does both at the same time, for when all members of the party require one last push for a particularly troublesome foe.

While an inspiring leader and a benefit to their team, the conqueror is also a ferocious fighter in their own right that's not to be trifled with, especially as conquerors are usually surrounded by several of their biggest and meanest friends.

[UncleRighteous]

Thanks for linkin this stuff drae, won't have to actually go look for it now.