Classes

Classes are a function that exists within the Grand Design that governs Innworld.

Overview

All those that Think—Feel. From Feeling do we Act. It is in Action that we Level. All those who Think have a Class. And it is in that Class which we find destiny.
From The Book of Levels as told by Klbkch to Erin Solstice

A class refers to a person's profession or vocation, and determines the type of Skills received through levelling. Classes can be obtained through performing actions associated with the class, seen with Erin Solstice who obtained the [Innkeeper] class after cleaning up an abandoned inn, or by other individuals with the authority to do so, like an [Emperor] giving someone the [General] class.

In the present day, the majority of people reach Level 20 in at least one class over the course of their lives. Fewer individuals manage to reach Level 30, with a handful in each town and up to a few dozen in a city. Level 40 is regarded as a true mark of accomplishment. People who are Level 50 are world-famous national assets . Individuals who achieve Level 60 are considered capable of shaking the world.

There is a hierarchy among classes. In the case of classes that are able to influence people, the best ones are capable of influencing even entire kingdoms; among those are royal classes, such as [King], [Queen], [Princess], etc.

Classes are based on what a person pursues. In Erin's case, as she considered chess only as a game, she did not receive the [Tactician] class. Furthermore, Skills and classes reflect a person's passions. For instance, Pisces Jealnet is a [Necromancer] who is fascinated by and studies bones; as such, he only has bone-related Skills, and does not possess any Skills for zombies or Draug.

Every class has unique 'pools' to draw from, such as <Religion> classes drawing from faith for Miracles instead of mana for Spells.

Classes tagged with <Religion> have some unique privileges within the system. They are protected from [Appraisal], and can hear the levelling announcement while awake. Also, levels, Skills, and spells are awarded by their deity instead of the Grand Design, if there is an entity meeting the requirements.

Leveling

Leveling comes from learning and performing deeds. Those who do not challenge themselves, or lack passion will fail to level Certain races are unable to level, such as Dragons and Djinni, To gain the ability to level, a species must complete the Trials of Levelling.

Leveling occurs the moment the person qualifies for them. However, the announcements can only be heard when asleep, unless the person is physically unable to sleep, like an undead, or they possess a <Faith> or <Miracle> class..

It is easier for a person with one class to level than it is for someone with multiple classes. Every tenth level is referred to as a capstone level, and is when a rare Skill is obtained. The higher a person's level, it becomes exponentially harder to level, even more so when closer to a capstone level, with [Mage Lord] Ascoden claiming that it's "easier to get from Level 40 to Level 46 than it is to gain one level for a capstone. To level up to a capstone at earlier levels requires a small change of perspective, such as learning a new form of blades or challenging a great foe. However, at Level 50 and beyond, leveling to the next capstone requires a life-changing experience, such as a great loss or a new goal.

Counter-Leveling

A lower-level foe, growing exponentially against impossible odds.
Chapter 7.13 K

Counter-leveling occurs when lower-leveled individuals face incredibly difficult odds, leading to rapid leveling such as when King Raelt Leysars dueled the much higher-leveled Flos Reimarch, leveling multiple times and consolidating his two classes in the span of a few minutes.

Counter-leveling can also be a tactic [Strategists] apply during war, as seen during the Liscor-Hectval war when Olesm sent hundreds of Antinium against insurmountable odds, knowing that the survivors will likely earn large amounts of levels.

Skills

Not everybody with the same class gets the same Skills. It depends on what the person needs and desires for the system to decide which Skills to hand out.

Rare Skills are bestowed every ten levels.

Class Changes

It is possible for classes to improve and receive a different name later on. One reason for a change could be due to a specialization in a certain field. A [Warrior], for instance, might decide to solely focus on using a specific weapon, like a spear, which might result in them becoming a [Spearmaster] after reaching a high enough level. Another reason could be a simple advancement, one example would be a [Tactician] becoming a [Strategist]. Conversely, a person's class might never change, no matter how high it is. Additionally, classes can change depending on the individual's circumstances, or physical characteristics, such as a [Warrior] becoming a [Wounded Warrior] after receiving a permanent disability, or a [Spearmaster] becoming a [Peerless Spearmaster] after reaching a certain amount of renown or respect in their class.

Known Changes:

Specialization:

• [Tactician] → [Leader] or [General]
• [Warrior] → [Spearmaster], [Swordslayer], [Knight], [Vanguard], [General], [Bannerman]/[Bannerlady]
• [Skeleton Warrior] → [Skeleton Knight]
• [Lord] → [King], [Queen]
• [Bandit] → [Bandit Lord]
• [Scout] → [Veteran Scout]
• [Cook] → [Rocksoup Cook] → [Eternal Rocksoup Cook]
• [Mage] → [Elementalist] → [Cryomancer]/[Ice Mage] (This is only one of the many paths a mage may take)
• [Kicker] → [Football Player]
• [Tracking Sergeant] → [Goblinfriend Bug-Captain]
• [Survivor] → [Underworld Survivor]
• [Necromancer] → [Ossific Necromancer] → [Deathbane Necromancer]

Advancement:

• [Tactician] → [Strategist] (Usually either at Level 30 [Tactician] or Level 20 [Tactician] combined a military rank like a Level 10 [Sergeant]) → [Grandmaster Strategist]
• [Queen] → [Supreme Matriarch]
• [Carer] → [Governess]
• [Flailmaster] → [Iron Tempest] → [Steel Tempest] → [Steelforged Whirlwind] (Note: it is unconfirmed whether [Steel Tempest] is an advancement of [Iron Tempest], or whether this is a continuity error]
• [Innkeeper] → [Magical Innkeeper]
• [Goth] → [Midnight Goth]
• [Acolyte] → [Priest]
• [Vanguard of the Spear] → [Spearmaster]
• [Coach] → [Famed Coach] → [World-Renowned Coach]
• [Warrior] → [Veteran Warrior] → [Exemplar Warrior]
• [Magic Paint Shaman] → [Shaman of the Old Ways]

Losing Classes and Levels:

Classes can be removed and given. It can be done by a [King] or other [Ruler]-type class. A notable class removal and change was when [Emperor] Laken removed Prost's [Farmer], [Builder], and [Trader] classes by making him a [Steward]. [Slavers] are also able to remove the [Slave] class from legally emancipated slaves.

It is possible to lose a class, if one no longer qualify for it or does something that goes against the class. For example the [Hero] class can be lost if the person doesn't act like one, as this class is reliant on public perception and knowing what made one lose it can be difficult. Lyonette briefly lost her [Princess] class due to not acting like one while working at The Wandering Inn, though it was restored after she revaluated what a [Princess] was.

A [King] that no longer consider himself a [King], stops acting as a [King] and people stop thinking about him as a [King], can lose the class with all the skills associated with it. If one were to again qualify for the class one can regain the lost levels and skills.

It is also possible to experience a class change in place of losing of a class. A [King] who abdicates his throne loses his [King] class, but can gain a [Former King]-type of class. This change can also result in the loss of certain Skills.

||Revival|| mechanics are another way to lose levels. In most cases, resurrection costs ten levels overall.

Finally, if a class advances to a far superior one such as [Dragonslayer], it may have its level decrease by about ten, being an opportunity to gain a better capstone, and there is no evidence that this decrease in levels also removes any Skills unlike the other reasons to lose levels.

Horror Ranks

Horror Ranks are classes which may be gained by doing the most terrible of deeds. They cannot be earned any other way. They are not real classes either, as they are born of despair and filth.

It is also possible to lose a class and its skills by obtaining and leveling up a Horror Rank. While one does not lose their class and skills from the start, as the Horror Rank increases in level, one's class levels will decrease and skills will be lost, until the class is completely lost. It is currently unknown if losing the Horror Ranks will restore one's class levels and skills, or not.

Class Consolidation

Someone who can’t make their hobby synergize with their job—or make a secondary class inform their main one—is just uncreative. Every single class synergizes. [Knitter] synergizes with [Swordsman]. [Mage] informs [Cook]—it works. Level up, Ksmvr. Your passion is worth more than doing things ‘optimally'.
Colthei on class consolidations.

It is possible for classes to merge and consolidate into a hybrid class. For instance, a [Warrior] and a [Strategist] class can merge to form a [Commander] class. As attested by Colth the Supporter, class consolidations are dictated by passion, as someone who advances their secondary class far enough will be able to merge it with their main class.

Usually, class consolidations will have the secondary classes removed, while adding their Skills to the new class. In rare cases, a consolidation will not merge the classes into a hybrid class, but list them in a "comma class", such as General Dioname's [Timekeeper General, Wyrmsworn Champion] class.

Examples of Consolidations:

• [Warrior] + [Strategist] = [Commander]
• [Commander] + [Strategist] = [Eleleu Strategos]
• [Warrior] + [Rider] = [Dragoon]
• [Leader] + [Scavenger] + [Tinkerer] = [Chieftain]
• (Royal classes, such as [Lord], [Princess])
• [Princess] + [Warrior] + [Barmaid] + [Beast Tamer] + [Carer] + [Tactician] = [Worldly Princess]
• [King] + [Duelist] = [King of Challenges]
• [Gardener] + [Beast Tamer] + [Mage] = [Druid]
• [Eternal Rocksoup Cook] + [Herdmistress of the Land] = [Stonesoup Herdmistress of the Greatland]
• [Chieftain] + [Big Eater] + [Beast Tamer] = [Chieftain of the Maw]

Limits and Consequences

Ryoka has speculated that there is a hard level cap or soft cap of 100. That theory has been supported by Klbkch's review of several hundred individuals with high levels, whose cumulative level rarely approaches one hundred. Furthermore, that research has shown that individuals with more than two well-leveled classes rarely surpass Level 30. However, according to Ser Dalius, some individuals have surpassed one hundred in combined levels across all their classes, even having known some of them. People with higher levels spread out over a number of classes will find it increasingly difficult to level in any one.

People have become narrow-minded in certain areas due to the system. If one does something without having a class in that area, one already expects to be a failure in it. Gaining classes and Skills can also decrease true mastery and understanding of certain Skills and concepts. For example, most nations buy trebuchets from places that manufacture them like Drath Archipelago or Minos. However, even with trebuchets, they are unable to replicate them based on the fact that they don't have people with the [Engineer] class. This often leads to overestimating people with higher levels as a result, or leading to a lack of motivation.

Healing potions have been stated to be a reason as to why people's levels are lower in the modern age.

List of Classes

See here.

Trivia

• The Book of Levels, originally written nearly a thousand years ago, is considered to be essential to the education of any child, which teaches them the essence of leveling.
• Some people worship levels instead of Gods. In some places leveling is preached and those with the highest level are even worshiped. Also, some speculate that each person has a maximum level , and when that level is reached, then they have also reached the end of their life.
• People receive better-than-average Skills at every ten levels.
• In Izril, there are approximately a thousand people over Level 30. Their Skills become in such high demand that they earn much more money than anyone else. Anyone with a class that involves managing land or selling or buying goods can earn thousands of gold coins each month.
  • Almost everyone reaches Level 20 before they die. An exception to the rule are [Mages] who rarely reach even Level 20, which stems from a lack of a centralized education.
  • Those who manage to reach Level 30 usually need decades to do so.
• In regards to the leveling speed, Selys once stated that if she had started training with the sword at a young age, she would have likely been now a Level 12 [Warrior]. However, if she were to start pursuing the path only now, when she is already in her early twenties, it would probably take her ten years to reach Level 20. That said, if she were a soldier fighting on the front lines, it would perhaps only take a year or two, which, of course, would be much more dangerous.
• Classes don't always start from Level 1. For instance, Erin received the [Singer] class at Level 6, while Selys started her [Heiress] class at Level 4. Additionally, even if someone does not qualify for their capstone level, they can continue to accumulate experience and level beyond the capstone, though they will not gain the level-ups.
• Some classes dictate the way people look. [Mages], for instance, tend to look younger and thinner, while [Farm Workers] will have a stronger build. That isn't to say that one's appearance keeps changing with every class one receives. The deciding factor is usually which class was gained first. But it may just be a consequence of the lifestyle of the people who have those classes (since [Farmers] work the fields and [Mages] burn calories when using magic). That said, some classes can bring drastic changes to a person which overrule their previous appearance, this can be achieved through Skills like when Garia gained [Weight Control] or some physical changes intrinsic to the class, like Yvlon's [Silversteel Armsmistress] giving her metallic arms. Lady Wuvren's [Eternal Beauty] class allows her to shift her age back and forth
• Most people don’t gain their classes until they turn fourteen.
• The Time of Grandeur is a term used by the nobility of Izril and Terandria to refer to Level 50. It is also referred to as the Greatest Capstone.
• In the present day, adventurers are considered Gold-rank around Level 30. In Nerrhavia's time, the average Silver-rank adventurer was Level 30 with artifacts, while the benchmark for Gold-ranks was Level 50.
• No one has reached Level 100 in any class, with the closest being the Mage of Magic's End, a Level 93 [Mage]. It is the last level that can be reached.
• <Rebirth> classes are available to people who have been resurrected.
• The highest leveled [Innkeeper] in history was Level 73.