7.0.1 In the context of the game, what is a class and a role?
Classes will be based on traditional High Fantasy classes that we've all seen in various MMOGs, MUDs, paper & pencil games, and novels.
They also provide a way to group like skills and abilities. Each class has a primary role they perform, but they also have a secondary role that can and will vary wildly. Our goal is to make each class in a job distinct in style, abilities, and feel, yet still do the job as well as another class in that job.
Roles are higher level and part of our approach to ensure each class has a part to play in casual, group, and raid situations. In the past, issues dealing with hybrids vs. specialists, especially in the elder game, have been problematic. Our approach with Vanguard will be to better define core roles and to make sure we have different, interesting classes-- they'll be important in most scenarios, regardless of level, setting, or casual/group/raid areas.
7.0.2 How many classes will there be?
Quite a variety, Vanguard features classes which are restricted based upon which race you are, and we have a long list of races to support: Dwarf, Kurashasa, High Elf, Dark Elf, Wood Elf, Gnome, Goblin, Half Elf, Half Giant, Halfling, Kojan Human, Thestra Human, Qalia Human, Mordebi Human, Orc, Raki, Vulmane, Thestra Barbarian, Qalia Barbarian.
The classes currently announced are:
Protective Fighters
Dread Knight
Inquisitor
Paladin
Warrior
Offensive Fighters
Bard
Berserker
Monk
Ranger
Rogue
Healers
Blood Mage
Cleric
Disciple
Shaman
Arcane Casters
Druid
Necromancer
Psionicist
Sorcerer
Classes are subject to change until release.
7.0.3 How does choosing classes work?
First, it's important to point out that Vanguard is a 'multi-sphere' game, where at any given time your character actually has three classes: adventuring, crafting, and diplomacy. Also our primary goal isn’t to create a perfect, balanced class system.
At character creation, the emphasis will be on choosing your name, race, and gender. This will determine where you start out in the world. You will also pick your class for each sphere.
Once you are in the world, for a certain number of levels (to be determined -- not too many, but not too few), you will be able to visit guild masters and change either class in the three spheres in order to get a better feeling for the way they play.
At any time during this process, or at the end, you can commit to each class in each sphere; you will also commit to certain attributes. After that, there's no going back for that character.
Once a class in each sphere is chosen, it's important to note that you do not possess the capabilities of both spheres simultaneously; rather, you choose which sphere you are going to play at various locations and then are committed to that sphere until you return to such a location. Locations will typically be cities, villages, outposts and the like.
7.0.4 Will there be traditional High Fantasy classes?
Absolutely. We are also committed to expanding class selection to include several new and exciting character types.
7.0.5 How will you deal with the hybrid vs. specialist issues?
By defining core roles that each class needs to fit into, so we don't run into the hybrid/specialist problems we've seen in other games. Every class has a primary role it needs to fill and they can fill it very well
7.0.6 Will there be multi-classing?
No.
7.0.7 Will one class be able to solo better than another?
Possibly, but it will be situational. Again, going back to the system of roles, each class needs to serve a purpose in casual, group, and raid scenarios. As stated above, every class has a primary role it needs to fill and they can fill it very well.
7.0.8 Will there be crafting (non hack-n-slash gameplay)?
Yes, and it's integral to the game. Many players have wanted to craft exclusively, yet still interact with the world, and we believe we have developed a system that meets that goal.
7.0.9 How will crafting work?
"Crafting will be a lot more involved, interactive, and exciting than traditional MMOG harvesting work. We feel strongly that crafting should be a lot more than click-click-click, or setting a harvesting device to extract materials while you go off to actually do something fun. It should involve skills and decisions on the part of the player that ultimately affect the final result achived.
There are three "Spheres" in Vanguard: Adventuring, Crafting. and Diplomacy. The Crafting Sphere-- being independent of the Adventuring Sphere--allows you to broaden your character in the game. The Crafting Sphere has several parts.
In the Crafting Sphere, you have both Harvesting Classes and Crafting Professions. Both of these reside in the Crafting Sphere, but are entirely independent of each other: if you want to do crafting you don’t have to harvest The Harvesting Sphere will contain classes, which you will select upon character creation.
The Harvester Classes currently planned (but not promised):
Foreman - focused on maintaining group stats and resource quality
Reaper - Focused on group buffs and resource quantity
Prospector - Focused on resource integrity and the predicting of detrimental obstacles
Gleaner- Focused on harvesting byproducts of resources
Notice that none of these are resource-specific. That is because you can harvest any type of resources you wish; manipulating the resources into items falls under the Crafting Professions category.
Crafting Professions currently planned (but not promised):
Herbalist : Potions and infusion
Blacksmith : Metal weapons, armor, vehicular and structural components
Woodcrafter : Wooden Structures, vehicles, furniture and weapon/armor components
Stonecrafter : Jewelry, structural, furniture, focus items
Outfitter : cloth and leather armor and armor components and bags
The interesting logic behind these Harvesting Classes is that they complement each other very well, which will encourage people to group while harvesting. Why would you want to group to go harvest resources? The designers have given this a lot of thought, and made it so that IF you are grouped with complementing harvesting classes, you will receive a bonus to your harvesting. This includes the possibility of increasing your chances to both harvest more efficiently as well as harvest rarer resources.
Keep in mind that grouping is more than just getting a bonus to harvesting. Harvesting and Crafting Classes have roles, just like Adventuring Classes. Some activities will require you to group with other harvesting classes, just like certain monsters require more than one person to kill. There will be interdependence, but it will not be required to advance in game."
7.0.10 How will crafting affect the economy?
Crafters and adventurers can not only co-exist, but they can be interdependent. This will allow multiple types of play styles and preferences to exist in the same game-world, making things more interesting and robust, especially when it comes to a player-driven economy.
7.0.11 How will crafting affect dropped loot?
Some dropped loot will be materials for crafters; some materials for crafters will only be attainable by crafters; and there will still be special complete treasure found by adventurers the old fashioned way.
7.0.12 I think elsewhere in the FAQ it hinted that the most powerful items in the game would be crafted from rare dropped components, so both adventuring and crafting are necessary to make the most powerful items. Correct me if I'm wrong.
That's pretty accurate. A good percentage of the components crafters will need to make these powerful items are found out in the field. In other words, they might drop off a boss mob in the depths of a dungeon or they might be found in the depths of a dungeon, to be harvested from there, by the right people, with the right tools.
Bottom line: Some of the phat loot will be dropped complete from mobs or as quest rewards. Another big percentage will be dropped as components either from mobs, quest rewards, or from harvesting (which isn't necessarily in your back yard with the birds singing on a nice sunny day).
We hope this not only avoids concerns, but that it also creates interdependence between the crafting and adventuring spheres. We foresee a lot of adventurers returning to towns to sell their components, or allowing their friend to use the components they received adventuring to make useful items (of both spheres). We also foresee a lot of harvesters grouping with adventurers to guard them as they fight their way down to that rare vein of mithril that spawned in the depths of a nasty dungeon. Or working together to remove that cave-in blocking the way to the boss mob, the rare harvesting spawn, or both :)
7.0.13 Can you tell me more about areas where I would be harvesting as a Harvester, my ability to defend myself, etc.?
You will still have the ability to defend yourself to some degree (see elsewhere in the FAQ).
7.0.14 Will Crafters be able to mark the items they craft?
Items you craft will likely bear your maker’s mark in some form.
7.0.15 Assuming you can still perform "reasonably altho nowhere close to optimal" when you enter combat in trading sphere ... Will you be able to, say, gather herbs at a "reasonably altho nowhere close to optimal" rate if you are in combat gear? Or is this a case of "that option is not available, please go back to town and change your sphere" game restriction ?
Unlikely you'll be able to harvest as an adventurer. The defending yourself as a crafter is there becuase of aggro mobs. We are currently not planning on having aggro harvesting components :)
7.0.16 If I am a high level warrior gathering and am attacked by mobs, can I still use my fighting abilities to defend myself (although possibly at a big disadvantage due to only wearing crafter gear and using a crafters tool as a weapon)?
Yes, you will have defensive abilities commensurate with your level so you are not pwned immediately (though we still recommend having some adventurers around).