A Brief Overview

   There are nine core attributes that provide the fundamental basis of all active avatars: wisdom, intelligence, luck, strength, dexterity, constitution, charisma, stamina, and, magix.

   These nine attributes are known as the Nine Aspects of Power. Those aspects comprise the three parts of a character's persona: Mind, Body, and Soul. 

The Races of Epimetheus and their Gods

   There are 27 different Races in Epimetheus; each one unique in culture, appearance, specialized abilities, attributes as well as habitats and languages. There are nine races for each major alignment: good, neutral, and evil.

   In addition to the major Races of Epimetheus, there are 15 subraces; five in each alignment. These 42 playable Races offer the player an endless variety of ways to make their avatar unique and personal. Multiple appearance features should add to the custom-ability of an avatar.

However, the Races are not categorized in the game by alignment. Players are encouraged to modify their alignment through in-game activities. They are grouped into four life-expectancy-based categories: Men, Monsters, Fairie, and God-born. Providing some opportunities for back-story and timelines as well as an interesting dynamic.

Men are made up of the races: Amazonians, Centaur, Dwarves, Hill Giants, Humans, Merpeople, Rock Trolls, and Trolls. Men are the shortest-lived of all the races but are extremely influential in the physical plane. Monsters are borne from the underworld and their spark, while greater, does not carry the same influence as that of men. Arachna, Draconian, Goblin, Harpy, Hobgoblin, Imp, Lycan, Night Gnome, Ogre, Orc, Sasquatch, and Vampire are all Monsters born of the dark. However, Dryad, Elf, Entel, Faun, Ginsa, Gnome, Golum, Nixie, Nymph, Pixie, and Sphynx are all borne of the plane of divinity and are known as the Fairie. Finally, there are the children of the Gods, known as God-borne or God-blood. They are the Cyclops, Nephalim, Orbles, Seraphim, and the mighty Titans.

   Each alignment is led by a God. Within each alignment, there are three Demigods and each Demigod leads three Deities (see religion matrix). Making the grand total of 3 Gods, 9 Demigods, and 27 Deities! Each Demigod is the head of a denomination of the religion of their Godhead. And each Deity offers a specialized sect of that denomination. With the general religions of each God, the denominations of the Demigods, and the specialized sects offered by each Deity there are 39 different forms of faith, each with its own bonuses.

   The three Gods will be played by Game Moderators and used to balance the game through bonuses and natural disasters. However, the Deities and Demigods are roles that a player can fill should they locate, vanquish, and assume the mantle of said Immortal. 

Religion Matrix

   Deities, Demigods, and Gods (the Immortals) work in a parallel system that we call the Spiritual Plane. In fact, they are the only conduits by which our physical plane has any connection. They gain their power or influence directly from the peoples of  Epimetheus while gaining their abilities and attributes from their station.

   This means that donations, sacrifices, worship, and idol-ism of the Gods by the peoples of Epimetheus directly impacts the influence that their Gods have on them. It, in turn, creates a relationship of interdependence between the Gods and the other players. As a consequence, destroying enemy temples, alters, and statues will impact their religious benefits but might incite a fervent, angry response by an entire faith.

As an Immortal, players have the ability to influence things like crops, livestock, weather and may create natural catastrophes. They can also imbue powerful enchantments or bestow great attribute bonuses to their subjects. However, with limited influence based on the favor of the peoples of Epimetheus, they will want to use their influence wisely.

 Combat or Trade focus?

   In Epimetheus, there are 12 combat Classes. Each of them have specialized Classes, or subclasses. The Classes offer a very unique playing approach to combat. Knights are bound by honor and so can be forced into combat by their benefactors or by the actions of others. While Magicians are primarily focused on searching out new spells, and lessons to advance their power. Sorcerers are usually drawn into large battles due to their innate magic while Martial Artists try to spread their style across the lands, creating dojos as their ability grows.

   The 57 subclasses offer variants of their respective Class. These numerous subclasses are our way of removing a desire to cross-class avatars. In addition, it helps to reduce Team E’s need to create countless functionalities and in-game interactions.

   Each Class has a Guild Headquarters, as well as several Guildhalls and each subclass has numerous Guildhalls also, but only a Class may have a Guild Headquarters. Players may build a new Guildhall, but must first have a petition signed by a required number of avatars in that subclass or the parenting Class to requisition a guildhall license. (note: the only class that can build the guildhall structure is a Builder with an appropriate floor-plan).

   Choosing a combat Class/subclass as a Profession identifies that the player is looking for a combat/adventure style game. Choosing a combat Class/subclass defines the avatar’s primary role and should change the HUD display to one that befits that Class.

   As with any game, each Class/subclass will have its own benefits and drawbacks. While some will offer bonuses, others will offer restrictions; some are restricted by Race whilst still others are faith dependent. Class might be best offered as the first choice of creating an avatar.

     Players who choose a Trade as a major Profession are going to be the entrepreneurs, industrialists, and farmers of the game. They will build the economic infrastructure of Epimetheus. Avatars with a combat Profession will provide the games consumer market.

   As a thought, it seems like the various Trades and specializations offer opportunities to incorporate mini-games that are playable on hand-held devices; allowing players to grow their avatars from said devices. This is one more way to not only differentiate Epimetheus from other MMOs but also to immerse the players and create greater player investment.

 These Specializations are neccessary to produce the highest end goods the game has to offer. All objects in the game, outside NPC Trade Hubs, are going to be produced by players and therefore a natural economy should develop and fluctuate with minimal influence from the moderators. Every item will begin as a raw resource and many will require the handling of many professions to complete.

   As an example, a Brother of Water (Druid Specialty) has a unique connection with all water elemental's and has fantastic water spell potential. They are the authority in that element drawing energy from ley lines of elemental power. Their abilities are intensified in biomes where water is prevalent as well as close proximity to ley lines.

   A notable subclass is that of the Prince/Princess. Choosing this subclass directly involves the avatar into the politics of the factions, families, fiefdoms, and kingdoms of the lands. The goal of any family of royal blood is to rule a people and expand their holdings. While marked as a combat Class their primary talents lie in boosting the stats and skills of others as well as surrounding themselves with loyal and powerful players. If played properly they will be afforded the opportunity to run a territory in which they become involved in civic duties changing them over to an appropriate management style HUD.

   However, choosing a combat Class as your avatar’s major Profession is not a requisite to playing. In fact, it is this unique ability to choose a Trade as an avatars Profession that differentiates it from all other MMOs. Choosing a Trade as a major profession alters much of the avatars HUD, offering a unique, interactive approach to each Trade. Each Trade offers a set of three specialized fields of study.

   Like Classes, Trades may have a Guild Headquarters, but specializations may not. Both Trades and specializations may have guildhalls though. Many Guild Headquarters will likely develop with branches housed within that address the three specializations of that Class as Guilds seek to promote the growth of their Professions.

More on Professions

Class Breakdown

   The greatest bulk of work still needs to be done on the design aspect is in the fleshing out of the skill matrix's, as well as the crafting matrices and mercantilism features. Each trade and class will be designed in such a way that they are unique in approach to the game and how the player will fit into the overall economy and story-line of the game. 

   As you can see by the break down (see 'Class Breakdown') there is an ample amount of combat Professions to choose from, allowing for many different approaches to the game as well as a diverse population of players. There are twelve primary Classes each with their own unique skill sets. And each Class, aside from Miscellaneous which is comprised of specialized classes only, has specializations where a player can focus more acutely on a specific set of skills, thereby making them more powerful in that specialty.

   A Hunter (Archer Specialty) while specializing in the use of all things archery also has the ability to track wildlife and races of men. They are the experts in the field of providing exotic meats for the chefs of the kingdoms. In addition, they can focus on a target with an unusual intensity, a handy skill for taking down the more elusive foes in bigger scale battles.

   Herbalists specialize in all aspects of potions and chemistry. They are the experts in all things alchemy. The Apothecary skill branch focuses on potions to heal, fortify, boost and cure. While the Alchemist focuses on industrial aspects of chemistry. Alchemists are responsible for making black powder and make many of the powdered dyes used by a Tailor. This Trade needs extensive fleshing out and much research needs to be done to keep the recipes accurate while still adding some imagination and magical fictitious aspects as well.

   Breeders will likely be one of the greater demanded Trades in each server’s early life. Combat Classes are going to desire faster transportation, greater carrying capacity, and pets that customize their game style. This trade allows industrious players to profit from that need. With a Breeder’s Livestock skill tree many industrial players will also lean on the ‘wares’ of this Trade.

  Builder; being an industrial player myself, I have enjoyed working on this skill tree. I anticipate that much of what is listed so far will be altered when designing the actual skill tree, as most of what you can see listed are the objects that that Builder creates more so than the skills needed to produce that object.

 Objects are created independently as a breakdown schematic, allowing for the dissemination of items and thereby establishing a need for object generation for varying trades. A messy process at times, but once refined and complete the end result will be phenomenal. 

   In addition, there are some specialties listed (Mechanic, Engineer and Ship Builder) that might transfer to other Trades or might even warrant an all-new Trade.