Empath

Empath Type Spiritual/Mental Pure Spell Circles Minor Spiritual, Major Spiritual, Empath Base Prime Requisites Wisdom, Influence Mana Statistics Wisdom, Influence

Physical Skills Skill Cost Ranks Two Weapon Combat 12 / 12 1 Armor Use 15 / 0 1 Shield Use 13 / 0 1 Combat Maneuvers 12 / 8 1 Edged Weapons 6 / 2 1 Blunt Weapons 6 / 2 1 Two-Handed Weapons 13 / 3 1 Ranged Weapons 14 / 3 1 Thrown Weapons 9 / 3 1 Polearm Weapons 14 / 3 1 Brawling 10 / 2 1 Ambush 15 / 15 1 Multi Opponent Combat 15 / 10 1 Physical Fitness 2 / 0 3 Dodging 20 / 20 1

Magical Skills Skill Cost Ranks Arcane Symbols 0 / 2 2 Magic Item Use 0 / 2 2 Spell Aiming 3 / 1 2 Harness Power 0 / 4 3 Elemental Mana Control 0 / 12 1 Mental Mana Control 0 / 3 2 Spirit Mana Control 0 / 3 2 Spell Research 0 / 8 3 Elemental Lore 0 / 20 1 Spiritual Lore 0 / 6 2 Sorcerous Lore 0 / 12 1 Mental Lore 0 / 6 2

General Skills Skill Cost Ranks Survival 3 / 2 2 Disarming Traps 2 / 6 1 Picking Locks 2 / 4 2 Stalking and Hiding 5 / 4 1 Perception 0 / 3 2 Climbing 4 / 0 1 Swimming 3 / 0 1 First Aid 1 / 0 3 Trading 0 / 3 2 Pickpocketing 3 / 3 1

The Empath profession is a hybrid pure spellcasting profession, drawing on both the Mental and Spiritual spheres of magic, and possessing the natural ability to transfer wounds from other adventurers.

Empaths have access to the Minor Spiritual, Major Spiritual and Empath Base spell circles, the latter containing spells designed to heal wounds and scars on the empath's own body.

Training Styles

Pure healing

The first of the three common training styles of Empaths is the healer style. This style emphasizes training in skills which enable the empath to better heal or perform rescues, rather than to do combat. Depending on how much devotion is put towards this training style, the empath may be entirely incapable of combat or defending him or herself in a combat situation. Othertimes, the empath may be combat ready, but not excellent in such situations.

Important skills for the healer training style:

• Training First Aid 2 or 3 times per level
• Training in Mental Lore, Transformation 1 time per level or more
• Training Harness Power 1 or more times per level for increased mana
• Training heavily in spells to reach Transference (225) and Spirit Guide (130) early
• Training in Physical Fitness 2 or even 3 times per level to increase maximum health early on, after which Physical Fitness training slows to 1x or ceases entirely

Pure casting

The second common training style is the pure caster. These empaths will be able to heal as well, but are less suited for it, and instead have increased combat abilities in the magical field. These empaths will most likely use Bone Shatter (1106), Empathic Assault (1110) or Fire Spirit (111) as their primary attack spells, and usually will wield a runestaff. (See Nilandia's Empath training suggestions (saved post)).

Important skills for the pure caster training style:

• Training in core magical skills to increase runestaff defense
• Training in Mental Lore, Manipulation to increase the effectiveness of Bone Shatter (1106).
• Training in Spell Aiming to increase bolt AS for Empathic Assault (1110) and Fire Spirit (111)
• Further lore training in either Mental Lores for Empathic Assault (1110), or Spiritual Lore, Summoning for Fire Spirit (111)
• Maintaining 1x Empath spell training to boost Empath Spell CS

Weapon swinging

The final common training style is that semi style weapon swinger. These empaths will rely heavily on weapons, oftentimes specializing in heavier types such as polearms or two handed weapons (see Tsalim's two-handed empath guide). This weapon combat may or may not be supplemented with offensive magic spells. Training in peripheral magical skills is usually kept to a minimum to spend more on skills that will aid in combat. This style is most often the least effective healers, however, they are not bad at it, just not as good as the other types.

Important skills for the semi swinger training style:

• Training 1 time per level in a weapon skill of choice
• Depending on chosen weapon style, training in Shield Use may also be an option
• Maintaining a 1 time per level training in Empath spells to increase offensive AS from Empath spells
• Training heavily in the Major Spiritual circle early on, to learn Bravery (211) and Heroism (215) quickly
• Training to fit into higher armors is an option for this training style, due to the less regular use of spells

Professional Highlights

TRANSFER

Empaths naturally gain the unique ability to transfer wounds from others to themselves as they level, so that they can then heal them.

Heal (1101), Limb Repair (1102), System Repair (1103), Head Repair (1104), Organ Repair (1105),

Limb Scar Repair (1111), System Scar Repair (1112), Head Scar Repair (1113), and Organ Scar Repair (1114)

These nine spells offer Empaths the unique ability to heal any physical wound or scar or blood loss that they may incur. Training in Spiritual Lore, Blessings gives a chance for a scar to be healed when a minor wound is cured. Note that moderate and major wounds and scars cost an extra 5 mana (and 5 spell training ranks) to heal, and healing them simply reduces their severity.

Heal/Harm (1101)

When cast at a target, the Heal spell turns into a damage spell, drawing blood from the target. This is a boon for low-level empaths or as a finishing spell.

Bone Shatter (1106)

The primary hunting spell of most empaths, this spell offers high crit death potential, high damage rates, and an instant death effect increased by training in Mental Lore, Manipulation. At lower levels there is a massive TD pushdown which aids the less experiences empath. Boneshatter wands, slender ivory wands, can be made through Alchemy.

Empathic Assault (1110)

This spell is made lethal with training in various Mental lores. The initial attack is a bolt, and the subsequent waves are TD-based.

Wither (1115)

Wither is a particularly lethal spell. It attacks an area of the target until it is destroyed. If it manages to wither the first area, it will move to an adjacent area if the spell has not yet expired.

Troll's Blood (1125)

A strong spell which gives benefits to both the caster and his or her party. At every 20 second interval, which can be reduced by training, the caster and his or her party will have some blood loss healed, a single minor wound healed (but only on every other interval) and if stunned, have a chance to break the stun.

Empath Casting Strength

Casting strength is important for many empathic combat spells, including Bone Shatter (1106) and Wither (1115). Empath Casting strength is calculated as follows:

(Level * 3) + round(Empath Base Bonus) + ceiling(Minor Spiritual Bonus) + ceiling(Major Spiritual Bonus) + round(Wisdom Bonus)

Where:

Empath Base Bonus is equal to

Ranks to and including current level = * 1

Ranks 1-20 above current level = * .75

Ranks 21-60 above current level = * .5

Ranks 61-100 above current level = * .25

Ranks 101 - ? above current level = * .125

And:

Minor Spiritual and Major Spiritual Bonus are equal to

Ranks to and including 2/3 current level = * .333

Ranks from 2/3 - current level = * .1

Ranks above current level = * .05

Mana

Mana is calculated for Empaths as follows:

Max = trunc[(WIS Bonus + INF Bonus) / 4] + Harness Power Bonus

Empath Statistic Growth Rates

For more information see the page on statistic growth rates.

Empath Stat Growth Rates

Profession	Strength	Constitution	Dexterity	Agility	Discipline	Aura	Logic	Intuition	Wisdom	Influence
Empath	10	20	15	15	25	20	25	20	30	25

Note: The table above is the baseline statistic growth rates. These values are actually modified for every race in GemStone IV, including humans.

See Also

• A beginner's guide to playing an empath (work-in-progress)
• Armor Use
• List of combat maneuvers available to empaths
• Empath Design Direction - 11/14/2007
• Empath training suggestions (saved post)