Empath
Empaths are one of the four pure professions, and are hybrid mental and spiritual casters. They possess the ability to take the wounds and health loss from other characters onto themselves, where they can then heal it. As such, the primary purpose of Empaths is as healers, however, they are not limited to this. They currently have access to the Minor Spiritual and Major Spiritual circles, as well as the Empath Spell circle, which consists primarily of healing and utility spells, although a few offensive spells exist as well. Of all the existing professions in Gemstone, Empaths are the most incomplete. This is due to the fact that they currently do not embody their hybrid status appropriately. In their intended form, empaths will lose access to the Major Spiritual circle, and gain access to the Minor Mental circle, which does not exist yet. Additionally, the Empath's mana stats will change from Wisdom stat only to the average of the Wisdom and Influence stats, similar to the set up of Sorcerers.
Training Styles
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 Transferance (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
The second common training style is the pure caster. These empaths will most likely 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.
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), as well as First Aid to increase instant death rates
- 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, Spirit Summoning for Fire Spirit (111)
- Maintaining 1x Empath spell training to boost Empath Spell CS
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. 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.
- Bone Shatter (1106)
- The primary hunting spell of most empaths, at higher levels, this spell offers high crit death potential, high damage rates, and an instant death effect increased by training in First Aid.
- 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.
- Empathic Dispel (1140)
- An extremely potent dispelling ability, which can remove between two to more than six or seven spells from the target. These spells include any sort that is in any way mental or spiritually based, including spells from the Minor Spiritual, Major Spiritual, Sorcery, Ranger, Paladin, Cleric, Empath, and Bard spell circles and in the future, the Minor Mental, Major Mental, Monk and Savant circles. The only circles immune to this are the Wizard circle, Minor Elemental, and Major Elemental circles.