1.37 – Gearing Up

Turned out there was quite a lot they could do with their guild credits. The guild offered an assortment of things to purchase aside from the basics of food and lodging. From general skills they could add to their class, some basic crafting recipes, to a selection of lower-grade consumables, the offerings the guild provided were far more than Rika had first expected.

Marieta was rather apologetic as Rika looked over the information her Oracle fed to Chryson. She insisted that more would become available at a higher guild rank, and that for the best the guild could offer, they’d need to go to a larger settlement. Even what Marieta called the “meager” offerings in Canyon Falls were almost too much. It took Rika and Erik most of the morning to sort through everything and narrow their choices down to what seemed most useful for the one thousand credits they had at their disposal.

There was a bit of a discussion between Rika and Erik about how they should best spend the credits. They soon agreed to spend them as a party, ensuring their overall best chance of success. Rika had brought it up because, honestly, most of what was on offer was either of too little interest to her personally, or well outside what she was currently willing to spend for a single item, anyway.

The short list they came up with started with a sling for Erik and general skill training to use it effectively. Chryson assured Rika that any class could use any piece of equipment, but having a skill provided too many benefits to forgo. Together, the sling and the skill training would cost most of their credits, seven hundred altogether.

One skill that caught Rika’s attention was Wilderness Survival. The skill had been part of Kriztan’s class, and it had come in handy when they’d needed to track the goblins. And when they’d needed to find a camp. It was a tempting purchase, despite providing little utility for the upcoming stage of their quest.

• Wilderness Survival I – Provides basic skills for surviving away from civilization. Track prey, craft snares, and thrive on nature’s bounty.

Perhaps the thing that interested her most about it was the implication that she could learn general skills from other classes. Too bad it cost six hundred guild credits. Rika deemed Erik’s Ranged Weapon Proficiency for his sling to be a higher priority. Still, she asked Marieta about the skills.

“Oh, right now you can only purchase a selection of common general skills. As you increase your rank, you can add class features and skills as well. With a high enough rank and enough credits, you can even upgrade skills you already possess,” Marieta said. “Although you might have trouble with that, Rika. The higher your class rarity, the harder it is to find compatible skills. You’d have to go to a regional main hall if you wanted to have any hope of upgrading one of your core class skills.”

Still, learning that she could shortcut her skill advancement with resources was important information. It also explained both how wealthy powerhouses like her father—Maximilian, she corrected herself for the hundredth time—maintained their edge, and why they went to the trouble of keeping a demesne. She’d have to look into paths forward for her skills at some future time. Their most pressing need was dealing with the goblin warboss awaiting them at their destination.

There were also several pieces of gear that looked tempting, but Rika decided to hold off. There was a smith in town, and she had the coin she’d taken from Vilmos and Kriztan. Better to spread their expenses across their different sources of funding. Besides, most of the gear was out of their price range if they wanted to get more than a couple items. A pair of plated vambraces, for example, would cost eight hundred fifty credits. A far more expensive investment than Erik’s hundred credit sling.

No, what interested Rika the most was all the consumables on offer. She’d seen firsthand how effective they could be. Both during her Trial, and then again when she faced down the war party. Although Marieta regretfully informed Rika that they didn’t have infusion gems available for novice-ranked members, the guild could provide a variety of other potions and tinctures.

Most enticing for Rika was a consumable called a Draught of Heroism. It boosted both her Might and Resilience by a flat amount for thirty minutes, and they only cost fifty credits apiece. The guild had an equally tempting potion for Erik, the Essence of Clear Mind. This one boosted Magic and Control, however.

“I still don’t have any skills that benefit from Control, even if it’s my second highest stat,” Erik said when he turned down the idea of purchasing some. “They have a Brilliance Extract, though. It’s more expensive, but much more useful for me.”

The Brilliance Extract was one hundred credits to the fifty they’d spend for the Essence of Clear Mind. Thinking back on how much tougher the Stonewall Tincture had made her, Rika could see why. Still, she’d take the flat boost, especially now that Erik could also stack his own Might buff on her.

They settled on the sling and its corresponding proficiency, two Draughts of Heroism, and a single Brilliance Extract. Rika wanted to use the remaining hundred credits for healing poultices, but Erik pointed out he could craft some with his herbalism skill.

• Leather Sling – (Common) A small pouch with two attached cords, crafted from leather. A basic, but deceptively deadly ranged weapon.
  Scaling: Finesse, D

• Skill Gem: Ranged Weapon Proficiency I (Sling) – Acquire Skill. Single Use.

• Draught of Heroism (x2) – Applies small increase to Might and Resilience. 30 minute duration.

• Brilliance Extract – Applies major additional Magic scaling to active skills. 30 minute duration.

Erik learned the skill for his weapon, and they left the guild hall. While Rika headed toward the back of the canyon to see the smithy, Erik left to gather herbs for healing poultices. On her way back, Rika pulled up Erik’s stats and skills to check what his advancements had given him.

Name: Erik

Class: Healer (Basic, Common)

Level: 17 (Grade I)

Affiliation: Adventuring Guild – Novice

• Primary Stats

  • Might – 3

  • Finesse – 3

  • Resilience – 17

  • Magic – 44

    
    Stolen story; please report.
    

  • Control – 42

  • Ward – 24

• Class Features

  • Innocuous Warding II – Perceived threat to enemies is further reduced by Ward.
    The Healer’s craft is honored by friend and foe alike. Give life, and fear not the attention of your foes.

  • Chirurgeon’s Touch II – Wound status effects have their duration and severity halved by Healer’s active Healing skills.
    The Healer’s touch is effective against every sort of debilitation. Go forth, and provide for those who need you most.

  • Enduring Heal I – Healing skills now apply a heal-over-time effect. Intensity based on Magic, duration based on Control. Heal over time skills now gain increased scaling from Magic. (Minor regeneration)
    Let your brightness linger, and your presence soothe. For the afflicted, offer yourself as a boon.

• Class Skills

  • Quick Heal II – Heal a moderate amount of damage to a single target. 12 second cooldown.
    A precise cure, precisely when it’s needed.

  • Mend II – Heal a large amount of damage over time. 12 second duration, 21 second cooldown.
    Life takes time. Give it the chance, and it will flourish.

• • Bolster Might I – Target gains minor Might for 30 seconds. Two minute cooldown.
    Lend the strength of your conviction to your allies to provide them strength of arm.

• General Skills

  • Armor Proficiency II (Light) – Small bonus to Resilience and Ward scaling applied to Light armor.

  • Basic Weapons II (Staff) – Small bonus to Might scaling applied to staffs.

  • Ranged Weapon Proficiency I (Sling)

  • Herbalism II – Small increase to the potency of herbal preparations. Scales with Control.

As she walked, Rika considered Erik’s stats and skills. Both the sling and his staff were basically useless to him. They’d scale with Might and Finesse, and Erik hadn’t gained a single point in either of those stats since she’d met him. Hopefully, that would change at some point. She couldn’t imagine being stuck with any of her stats that low, and honestly, useless.

His new Bolster Might skill was certainly a boon, though. It was his first real step into a broader support role rather than just being a healer. While the skill description didn’t specify what increase was, Rika recalled from her own stats that it was a full five points. Two and a half levels at her current growth, and likely to only grow as Erik did.

Erik certainly was coming into his own as a Support. He’d kept her on her feet and fighting through what she’d have called impossible odds had anyone bothered to seek her opinion, and he’d done it without too much difficulty. They made a good team, and she was glad to have him along for this last push.