The character generator offers you eight professions from which to choose. Your character's profession reflects the fact that your early training and apprenticeship have molded your thought patterns and thus affect your ability to develop certain skills and capabilities. Being a member of any one profession does not prevent you from developing all the available skills. In Gemstone III, any character can develop any skill. However, your profession determines how quickly you can develop each skill, and how much effort, in the form of training points, this requires.
The professions in Gemstone III are divided into three Circles. These are: Element Circle, Spirit Circle and Non-Circle (also called Arms Circle). The first two, Element and Spirit, are the magic-using circles. They both concentrate on the manipulation of mana. Mana is one of the basic forces of the universe, and it is the power that underlies all magic. Element Circlists use the forces of nature - fire, water, earth, air, electricity, acid and plasma - to manipulate mana. Spirit Circlists tap the powers of mana through an intermediary - either local spirits or greater ones, even gods. Non-circle characters rarely use magic at all. Their elements are steel and mithril, and their spirits come in a flask.
The professions vary based on their degree of specialization within a circle. Some professions are pure circles. Wizards are pure circle elementalists. Clerics and Empaths are pure circle spiritualists. Some other professions are skilled in two circles. Sorcerers are multi-circlists, as they can harness both the elements and the spirits, though to a lesser degree than the pure members of each circle. Similarly, rangers and bards are partial circlists, combining some skills within a magic circle with skill at arms. Here are the eight professions:
Warrior -- Warriors focus on combat. They learn weapon skills and wear heavy
armor types more easily than any other class. They are also very skilled
at maneuvering in combat to gain an advantage on their foes. Because they
devote the majority of their lives to physical combat, they have great
difficulty in learning spells and operating magical devices.
Non-Circle. Prime requisites are Constitution and Strength.
Rogue -- Specialists in maneuvering and manipulation, rogues have an easy
time learning many skills, such as hiding, lockpicking, disarming traps,
climbing, perception and ambushing. With all of these skills, rogues make
excellent scouts, thieves and hunters. They are fairly adept with weapons
and heavier armor, second only to fighters. They may also learn how to use
spells and magical devices more easily than do fighters.
Non-Circle. Prime requisites are Reflexes and Agility.
Wizard -- The masters of the elements, wizards are pure circle elementalists.
They have a wide variety of spells for attack, defense, and utility purposes.
Excellent at acquiring knowledge of magical lore and the use of magical
devices, wizards are among the poorest in weapon skills. Most armor will
also affect the wizard's ability to cast spells.
Pure Element Circle. Prime requisites are Aura and Intelligence.
Cleric -- Clerics are pure circle spiritualists. Some are simple monks or
priests, others are crusaders, devoted to preserving life whether by use of
their spells or by dint of arms. A cleric's spells allow them to commune
with deities, resurrect the dead, protect themselves and their comrades, and
banish the undead. Clerics can gain skill at arms, but they must devote more
time and energy to it than non-circlists. Heavier armor will effect how well
they use spells.
Pure Spirit Circle. Prime requisites are Wisdom and Logic.
Empath -- Empaths are pure circle spiritualists. They can transfer wounds
from others to their own bodies. They then use their recuperative powers
to heal themselves. They are rewarded by the gods and their patients as well
for such selflessness. Their spells concentrate on self-healing, but they
also have access to other spells more useful in combat. It is difficult, but
not impossible for empaths to gain skill in weapons and armor, though heavier
armor types will affect how well they cast spells.
Pure Spirit Circle. Prime requisites are Wisdom and Logic.
Sorcerer -- Sorcerers are multi-circlists who rely on both Elements and
Spirit. They concentrate on spells of disruption and destruction. While this
is a difficult profession to learn early on, sorcerers have the potential to
be extremely powerful and deadly. They can not, however, learn as many
utility and defensive spells as do wizards or clerics.
Multi-Circlist. Prime requisites are Aura and Wisdom.
Ranger -- Partial spirit circlists, rangers combine skill at arms with
spells. While they can only throw spells of limited power, their magic
enhances their considerable skill with weapons. Ranger spells are especially
potent outdoors, as many deal with manipulating nature. They are also fairly
adept at learning to maneuver and use devices, both magical and mundane. One
of the most versatile professions, rangers have a flexibility that few can
match. Heavy armor will restrict their spells.
Partial Spirit Circlist. Prime requisites are Wisdom and Constitution.
Bard -- Bards are partial elemental circlists, combining magic and weapons.
Their song spells allow them to enhance not only their own skills in combat
, but those of all in their party. Bards are also masters of lore, adept at
revealing the secrets of magic items. Nearly as versatile as rangers, bards
are somewhat more adept at magic, but less so at physical skills, such as
combat or maneuvering. Most armor will restrict their spellcasting
abilities.
Partial Element Circlist. Prime requisites are Aura and Logic.
Continue on to the Race Selection Table.
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If you have problems, comments, questions, or complaints about the GemStone III pages you can send mail to Nora Melton (ntm@tamcon.com) aka Wanton Destruction.
Last modified 19 December 1995.