Clerics, Bards & Healers – What Do Ya Do With ‘Em?

For those players of Hero’s Journey who have ever considered a character other than a warrior, gearknight or combat monster, game developer Stephanie Shaver provides a primer on some of the other classes one may run across in the world of Elantha – namely, Bards, Clerics and Healers.

Historically, in the real world, bards were a class of Celtic druids (bardagh) whose function it was to preserve the history of the tribe in the form of epic poetry, call the king of the tribe to account when necessary, and occasionally,  curse somebody in the form of a biting satirical song that would be sung for centuries.  In the world of HJ, bards function as mediators and go-betweens. They have the power to manipulate opponents in various ways, and have the ability of “loresinging” – reciting the secret history of select magical objects.

Clerics correspond to the real world’s priests, bishops and other officers of the historical medieval Church. They are the representatives and servants of the gods, and are the ones through whom gods communicate with mortals. While healing was originally one of their functions during the tabletop days of RP games, they have, in the cyberage, been endowed with more supernatural abilities. This includes mending the “Broken” (a form of post-traumatic stress in which Mind, Body and Spirit have come apart) and raising the dead.

Healers, of course are the physicians of Elantria. Originally hidden away by the aristocracy of the Ilvari, healing magic became widely disseminated after Shay Willowdaughter broke ties with the Yondolaen family.  Because their skills are necessary to keep combatants battle-ready, they are found on the field of combat as often as the warrior classes. The Healers of Elantria do not take wounds upon themselves, but can channel their health into another. Advanced healers even have some resurrection abilities of their own, though these are not as powerful as those of Clergy.

The great thing about many RP games is that one is not confined to a single role. When slaying monsters becomes old hat, you might consider trying one of the other classes.

For those players of Hero’s Journey who have ever considered a character other than a warrior, gearknight or combat monster, game developer Stephanie Shaver provides a primer on some of the other classes one may run across in the world of Elantha – namely, Bards, Clerics and Healers.

Historically, in the real world, bards were a class of Celtic druids (bardagh) whose function it was to preserve the history of the tribe in the form of epic poetry, call the king of the tribe to account when necessary, and occasionally,  curse somebody in the form of a biting satirical song that would be sung for centuries.  In the world of HJ, bards function as mediators and go-betweens. They have the power to manipulate opponents in various ways, and have the ability of “loresinging” – reciting the secret history of select magical objects.

Clerics correspond to the real world’s priests, bishops and other officers of the historical medieval Church. They are the representatives and servants of the gods, and are the ones through whom gods communicate with mortals. While healing was originally one of their functions during the tabletop days of RP games, they have, in the cyberage, been endowed with more supernatural abilities. This includes mending the “Broken” (a form of post-traumatic stress in which Mind, Body and Spirit have come apart) and raising the dead.

Healers, of course are the physicians of Elantria. Originally hidden away by the aristocracy of the Ilvari, healing magic became widely disseminated after Shay Willowdaughter broke ties with the Yondolaen family.  Because their skills are necessary to keep combatants battle-ready, they are found on the field of combat as often as the warrior classes. The Healers of Elantria do not take wounds upon themselves, but can channel their health into another. Advanced healers even have some resurrection abilities of their own, though these are not as powerful as those of Clergy.

The great thing about many RP games is that one is not confined to a single role. When slaying monsters becomes old hat, you might consider trying one of the other classes.