Special Fighter Types
Champions (SC)
Champions have special items that allow them to serve various roles in a hunt. They train the Fell blade which allows for an improved Atkus and Darkus bonus when attacking a beast from the back. When attacking directly at the back of an enemy, the full bonus of the Fell is used, but when attacking at a 45 degree angle against an enemy's back, only half the bonus is used. Fell bladers generally prefer to use only as much of the Fell's bonus as is necessary to hit an enemy because of the vast amount of balance consumed when the full bonus is used.
Champions can train with Toomeria to increase their ability to store Earthpower, the source of energy used to power many of their tools. Unlike Rangers, Champions do not have a trainer that increases their ability to regenerate their energy. Thus, it can take a very long time for a Champion to recover their Earthpower energy after using their tools.
One of the Champion's tools, the stone girdle, can be used to turn to stone. In this form the Champion cannot move or attack, but gains a vast amount of defense and (with enough training) health. A minimum training of 30 lessons with Corsetta is required to use this ability, and continued training will increase the duration and amount of health added. There is no health bonus at the minimum training of 30 lessons, a Champion must train beyond that to see any. The health bonus (if any) acts as sort of a temporary health buffer. It increases the Champion's maximum health and then heals a portion of it (call the healed amount the "buffer" health). When the duration ends the Champion's health returns to the amount that was had just before the girdle was used, unless the Champion was damaged enough during it that the buffer health was lost. A Champion can cancel the ability before the duration has expired to regain the ability to move, but will suffer damage by doing so (and, of course, lose the bonuses). A significant amount of Earthpower energy is consumed when using this ability.
Another tool, the lava cloak, engulfs the user in flames, spreading to anyone that touches them. It can be very devastating when used against a large group of monsters, because the monsters will be continually bumping into each other, keeping the flames going by spreading them around. Training with Vala Loack determines the amount of damage the flames cause when touched. Unlike the girdle, the lava cloak can be used without any training, but will deal negligible damage. The lava cloak consumes a bit more Earthpower energy than the stone girdle when used.
Champions also can gain four special stones: Atkite, Dethite, Darkite, and Balthite which increase Atkus, Detha, Darkus and Balthus respectively, once the Champion trains to use them. These bonuses are only gained when the respective stone is held, and only one stone can be held at a time. Additionally, holding any of these stones decreases the rate at which Earthpower energy is regained, so a Champion may sometimes want to unequip them to recover faster. There are five trainers available to teach a Champion to use these stones, Channel Master and one trainer for each of the four stones. Channel Master training determines how strong the stones can become when held. Training with the Fell blade teaches a Champion a little of what Channel Master teaches, although Channel Master himself will not recognise it. Champions must train with an individual stone trainer for one fourth as many lessons as they have trained with Channel Master (plus what they've learned from their Fell blade training) in order to use the full bonuses of their training with Channel Master in a particular stone. A Champion can /reflect on a stone to see whether their training in it is above, below, or equal to the amount necessary to receive the full bonuses of their training with Channel Master. A Champion can also focus a small amount of their Earthpower energy into one of these stone, which will increase its strength for a brief period of time. The advantage of training to use these stones is that they grant the ability to shift stats to adapt to different situations. Another advantage is that while the Atkite stone increases the amount of balance consumed by swings in the same way that Atkus does, Atkite can be unequipped when the accuracy it provides isn't needed. Thus, training in Atkite allows for a source of accuracy that circumvents some of the drawbacks that come when training with Atkus (at a price), since Atkus training always affects the balance consumed by one's swing, whether the full accuracy is needed or not.
Rangers (SC)
A ranger can learn creature movements and gain combat bonuses against learned creatures. Befriending and Morphing are also down the path of learning creatures. However there are several other skills rangers possess. Rangers can also track creatures they've learned. In addition to these creature based abilities, rangers can run faster than normal exiles using the Heartwood Charm, as well as use the Shieldstone. Although use of the Shieldstone is not unique to rangers, rangers gain the most from it considering their spirit pools are replenished faster and are easily added to (with training).
Blood Mages (SC)
The Blood Mage is an offshoot of the blood blader. Blood bladers use their blood Histia and spirit Spirtus to augment their Atkus and Darkus. Because of the secrecy around the blood blade itself no public organization exists to help exiles learn to become an effective blood blader. The Blood Bladers have also had to develop their own fighting style, to be covered in depth.
The Blood Mage's weapon of choice is the Blood blade which is a situational tool. Once a blood blader becomes a blood mage, the blood blade's true potential is unlocked. It can be used to disable a creature's defenses for a limited period of time. It can also be used to damage the creature long after it has been struck with the blade by making the creature bleed profusely.
Turmoil: The Blood Blader Controversy
Because the rank investment in the Blood Blade is lower than training a fighter with equivalent Atkus and Darkus, many fighters believe this style needs to be weakened because of the game unbalancing that happens when a stronger fighters are passed over for heals because a BBer is fallen, or misses hits because the BBer kills the monster before every fighter has had a chance to hit. This they feel devalues them.
Monks (T)
The Monk isn't actually a fighter type or subclass. Non-fighters can train to be one. They train with Bracis and can purchase bracers according to their skill level. Because this type is open to others there is a maximum amount of Bracis one can train.
*Since Monks can be trained, they are included here.
