A Guide for the New Cleric
As with any class, when first entering Elanthia the new player will
know almost nothing about the game, and even less about the specifics of their class. I am
not a Lord, but I do know a good sized amount about Elanthia, and enough to give a
newcomer a good grasp of the game. I've broken this Guide up into 3 sections: Making a
character, everyday actions, and Rezzing. If you see an inaccuracy, or have a suggestion
for the improvement, please find me in the game, or send mail to GS_Derek@prodigy.com.
Section 1 - Making a character
One of the hardest parts of GemStone is rolling up a viable character.
Creating a character can be basically broken up into 3 sections: Obtaining good rolls,
assigning your rolls, and training.
Obtaining good rolls
The most difficult part of creating a character is getting a good set
of rolls. The best way to get a good set of rolls is to set certain criteria as standards,
and then keep rolling until you get stats that fit your standards. You will get ten rolls
to place in your stats. They are weighted rolls which mean that each roll is within a
range of numbers, such as between 50 and 90 or something like that. A perfect score is
700, and basically impossible to get. The first three rolls can be up to 90, the next
three can be up to 70, the next three up to 50, and the last roll is any number. If you
plan on playing GemStone for a long time, its worth you while to spend a long time in the
Character Manager getting a good character. Some high standards to set would be a combined
score of 640 or above, and no roll below 45. You would also want a few in the 80 or above
range.
Assigning rolls
After you've got an acceptable set of rolls, you need to figure out
where to put them in your stats. The ten stats are: Constitution (CO), Dexterity (DE),
Discipline (DI), Logic (LO), Intelligence (IN), Strength (ST), Reflex (RE), Charisma (CH),
Wisdom (WI), and Aura (AU). The two prime stats for a Cleric are Logic, and Wisdom. Aura
is very important for a cleric, because every cleric must have at least 8 spirit points to
be able to resurrect all the adventurer's in the lands. Most people place their highest
roll in Wisdom, then in Aura. After those two, it varies. To help you decide which stats
to place where I'll give you an introduction to what each stat does.
Constitution contributes to the amount of Physical training points you
receive in training, as well as a large part of determining your starting health points.
Dexterity contributes to your physical training points, and effects your encumbrance,
aimed attacks, and adds to your AS for some types of attacks. Discipline increases mental
training points, as well as a few other things. Logic increases mental training points,
and determines how much experience you can hold. Intelligence contributes to the amount of
mental training points you receive, and also determines how fast you can absorb experience
(this becomes important when you start getting 700 EXP for a rezz). Strength adds to your
Physical training points, and effects encumbrance, and AS. Reflex helps increase physical
training points, and helps you avoid critters attacks. Charisma gets you better prices in
merchant shops in town, and this is often where people place their low stat. Wisdom is
important because it determines how much mana you receive per level. A high wisdom will
give you about 3 mana per level, and this is very important for spell casters because they
need all the mana they can get! Wisdom also adds to your mental training points and helps
your AS for any warding attacks. Aura determines how many spirit points you receive, and
how well you can use wands and scrolls(check the wand stuff!). A rezzer must have 8 spirit
points, but the majority have 9 or 10. Most of your rolls could be placed almost anywhere,
and it is totally up to you to decide.
Training your character
This is one of the easier parts of making a character, but also the
most important... A character is nothing if they aren't trained properly. To start, every
player should train in shields, armor, and a weapon type. Most people in Elanthia use
edged blades, but others are popular too. Ranged weapons (bows) are not implemented in the
game and cannot be used. A cleric must also train in mana sharing. By level 12 (when you
learn the raise dead spell) you must have a bonus of 102 in mana sharing. If you have less
than this, some of your rezzes will fail. If a rezz fails, you not only lose the mana and
spirit, but the dead person loses another deed as well. A Cleric should also train in
first aid. many of your patients will be bleeding and empaths usually don't come unless
absolutely necessary. You should train in the Cleric spell circle every level until you
get spell 318. At the same time, you should be picking up a major spiritual spell as often
as possible, so you can learn the transference spell at level 25. After that, we generally
concentrate on learning the Word of Return spell. Other things I suggest training in, but
are not essential, are trading, perception, physical training, climbing, swimming, and
another type of magic (wands or scrolls). Trading will get you better prices both at town
shops, and at automated merchant events. Perception helps you see people hiding, and
stealing from you as well as some other things. Physical training gives you more health
points, and I recommend maxing out you health as soon as possible. Climbing and Swimming
are good things to have a few ranks in to help you with field rezzes, and is generally a
good skill to have. Its always helpful to have wand or scroll skill. If you choose wands,
you must also train in spell aiming, which is the reason I prefer scrolls. The last skill
I train in every level is Combat Maneuvers. This will help you with aimed attacks, as well
as attacks in general.
Section 2: Everyday actions
This is a very broad topic, and most of it will be picked up as you go
along. Parts of this section include: Hunting, and Etiquette.
Hunting
Hunting is the best way to advance in your early years. The best and
most efficient way to hunt is in a group. The benefits of a group include having people to
talk to, people to make sure you don't die, or help you if you do, a group will cast
defense on its members, and kill things faster. The downside to a group is sharing the
experience from a monster, but the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
Etiquette
The easiest way to die is to have poor etiquette. Cleric's and empaths
have to put up with the rudest and most obnoxious people. If you have a short fuse you
probably don't have a good future as a Cleric. Here are the rules to live by for
etiquette:
1)Do *not* yell in caps, or use more that 2 or 4 "!"
2)Treat lords and lady's with respect.
3)Tip pickers, healers, and rezzers whenever possible.
4)Don't kill anyone
5)Never attack a creature someone else is attacking
6)Don't do anything that would be unacceptable in modern society, GS is
much the same.
Section 3: Resurrecting
This is the clerics most important skill, and the one that makes them
so darn popular! Resurrecting, or rezzing, is a dangerous task and complicated task. When
you come across a body, the first thing you do is cast spell 305, Preservation (unless
another cleric is already there and taking control of the situation). Next, get the body
to a safe place if you're not already at one. Do a DIAGNOSE {person} FULL to see what
injuries the person has. Have them healed, or tend their bleeding parts. APPRAISE
{person}. Use the formula {targets max spirit}*.75 then round down. Check to make sure you
have at least one more spirit point than the number needed. Cast raise dead at the person,
and remind them to get healed if they are tended. That is how you resurrect a person.
Remember, it is necessary to have a bonus of 102 in mana sharing for your rezzes to work
correctly. Also, be sure to have lots of deeds, If you rezz someone without the necessary
spirit you will die, and depart immediately. I have seen many clerics have their
characters be taken for good because they didn't have enough deeds.