Empath

Empath Type Spiritual/Mental Pure Spell Circles Empath Base Minor Spiritual Major Spiritual 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

Empaths have the natural ability to transfer wounds from others to their own bodies. They then use their recuperative powers drawn from the spiritual realm of magic to heal themselves. They are rewarded by the gods and their patients as well for such selflessness. Their primary spells concentrate on self-healing, but they also have access to other spells more useful in combat. It is difficult, but not impossible for Empaths to gain skill in weapons and armor, though heavier armor types may adversely affect their ability to cast spells.

Professional Highlights

Empathic Healing

All empaths receive the TRANSFER ability, allowing them to take wounds from others onto themselves. They may then use healing spells from the Empath Base circle to heal their own wounds and scars, learning to heal more severe injuries as they gain experience (by level 18, an empath can heal every type of injury).

Once they have learned the appropriate healing spells, they can also use the CURE ability to target specific injuries on themselves.

At level 25, empaths learn the group spell Troll's Blood (1125), which heals blood loss and minor wounds for free over time.

At level 50, empaths learn the spell Regeneration (1150), a once-per-day ability that fully heals all injuries instantly, then repeatedly over 30 seconds.

Attack Spells

Empaths do not receive the same variety of direct attack and disabling spells as other pure spellcasting professions, but their attack magic is very potent against specific types of enemies.

The primary hunting spell of most empath is Bone Shatter (1106), a direct attack warding spell with a high chance of critical effects against creatures with internal skeletons. At lower levels, there is a massive TD pushdown which aids the less experienced empath.

The hybrid bolt/warding attack Empathic Assault (1110) relies on training in Spell Aiming and Mental Lore, Telepathy to be effective.

Wither (1115) is a high-level attack option that can be very lethal when used by empaths with exceptional casting strength and deep training in Spiritual Lore, Summoning.

Empaths also have access to the spells Fire Spirit (111) and Web (118) from the Minor Spiritual circle, both requiring training in Spell Aiming.

Training Styles

Balanced spellcaster

Balanced spellcasters pick up a wide variety of magical skills, and can be excellent healers and rescuers. They are not as efficient as either pure warders or weapon swingers in combat, but still have enough tools to hunt well in many different environments.

Important skills for a balanced training style:

• Training in core magical skills to increase runestaff defense
• Training Physical Fitness 2 or even 3 times per level early on to increase maximum health for healing, after which it may taper off
• Training Harness Power at least once per level for increased mana
• Training in Spell Aiming for Empathic Assault (1110), Fire Spirit (111), and Web (118)
• Training in Mental Lore, Transformation to reduce the time it takes to heal
• Research spells to reach Transference (225) and Spirit Guide (130) early for rescues

Further information: Empath training suggestions (saved post)

Pure warding caster

These empaths specialize in offensive warding spells like Bone Shatter (1106), and usually wield a runestaff. They will need to be selective in what they hunt, as not all creatures are vulnerable to empathic warding spells. Against the right targets, their spells can be extremely deadly.

Important skills for the warding caster training style:

• Training in core magical skills to increase runestaff defense
• Training Harness Power at least once per level for increased mana
• Training very heavily in Empath Base to increase casting strength (CS), with a target of raising the number of spell ranks to at least 21 above character level

The reason for training spell ranks to (level + 21) is that the first 21 ranks give +16 CS, while every rank thereafter gives only gives +0.5 CS due to diminishing returns.

Weapon swinging

These empaths will rely heavily on weapons, oftentimes specializing in heavier types such as polearms or two handed weapons. Melee 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.

Important skills for the swinging training style:

• Training once per level in a weapon skill of choice
• Depending on chosen weapon style, training in Shield Use may also be an option
• Training Physical Fitness at least 2 times per level to increase maximum health and stamina
• 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
• Training in Combat Maneuvers as often as possible

Further information: Tsalim's two-handed empath guide

Available Combat Maneuvers

• Combat Movement
• Combat Mastery
• Cunning Defense
• Dirtkick
• Disarm Weapon
• Feint
• Multi-Fire
• Precision
• Side by Side (prereq: Combat Movement at rank 2)
• Subdual Strike
• Trip
• Unarmed Specialist

Empath Casting Strength

Casting strength for empathic warding spells, such as Bone Shatter (1106) and Wither (1115), is calculated as follows:

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

WIS and INF bonuses are calculated according to level 0 stats (INFO START).

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.

Resources

• Empath Guild
• A beginner's guide to playing an empath
• Empathic Linking (saved posts) - 03/05/2015
• Empath Design Direction - 11/14/2007
• Empath training suggestions (saved post)
• Tsalim's two-handed empath guide
• Ellie's (very old) Empath Guide

Officials Folders

• Main folder
• Announcements
• Developer's Corner
• Banter
• Spells
• Guild Discussions
• So You Want to be an Empath?
• Roleplaying an Empath
• General Discussion
• Hunting Strategies