Vocations
You choose one of five vocations when you create a character. A vocation decides which spells you may learn and where you begin on the passive tree. It does not lock you out of anything else. Every item class can be equipped by anyone who meets the level requirement, and the whole tree is open to everyone.
| Vocation | Style | Natural defence |
|---|---|---|
| Knight | Melee, shields and two-handers, taunts, big area strikes | Armour, block, life |
| Paladin | Ranged and holy; bows need no ammunition | Evasion, with some life and mana |
| Sorcerer | Fire, lightning and death spells, fast and fragile | Energy shield, mana |
| Druid | Earth and cold spells, healing, nature | Energy shield, resistances |
| Monk | Fast martial strikes, virtues and harmony, healing | Evasion, speed |
Your first damage spell is available at level 1: Lesser Front Sweep for a knight, Lesser Ethereal Spear for a paladin, Buzz for a sorcerer, Mud Attack for a druid and Swift Jab for a monk. The full list of each vocation arrives by level 45. See Spells by vocation.
Starting points on the tree. The five starts sit around a ring: Knight, Monk, Paladin, Druid, Sorcerer. Neighbours share defences, so a knight reaches monk evasion nodes cheaply and a druid reaches sorcerer energy-shield nodes cheaply. Walking to a far start costs points, not permission. See The passive tree.
Ascendancies. Each vocation offers two ascendancy paths, ten in all, such as Bastion and Warlord for knights. See Ascendancies.
Choosing. Pick the vocation whose first spells and weapons look fun. Hybrids are possible later through the tree and through gear, and a respec costs only gold (Passive points and respec).
See also: The Wrackline and Gullrest Camp, The three defences.