(12-16-2014, 04:30 PM)Warren Castille Wrote:(12-16-2014, 04:25 PM)Ashren Snow Wrote: All classes have special abilities that could only be explained as using Aether. Gladiator is able to produce a magical barrier that causes them to take less damage (Ramparts, Sentinel) or are able to cause massive aetheric explosions from their swords (Rage of Halone, Circle of Scorn). Likewise Pugilist can do similar things with Arm of the Destroyer, and it's Pugilist who gets Fist of Earth and Fist of Wind, two abilities clearly fueled by Aether if for no other reason than their obvious showy and somewhat spell-like appearance.
The way I see it, Aether is just a tool of the Adventurer, as much a part of their training and skill as wielding a sword or a staff.
No one's surprised to see me posting this, I bet.
That's all arguably subjective, though. Gladiator is based around training with a sword and shield: Rampart and Sentinel could be waved away as tightening up your defenses to protect against specific attacks or dangers. The color burst effects on attacks could be video-game components of flashy attacks to make it interesting to look at. Fists of Wind and Earth could arguably be acknowledged as the beginnings of a fighter's chakra beginning to open in accordance with the Monk storyline. After all, we never see pugilist enemies using those stances.
Aether is a tool that not everyone is able to channel to the capacity as the MSQ Heroes. That's why aetheryte travel isn't readily available to everyone in the land, otherwise trade caravans would cease to exist.
I don't even need to post my opinion anymore because Warren, once again, did it for me. I don't take game skills literally as they appear; they are, after all, meant to be representations of something else more times than not as well as something to appeal to the "ooo, flashy skill" side of us when we actually play the game instead of roleplaying it.
I guess I sort of did anyways just now... but it didn't need to be dragged out at least!
In any case, none of my characters are job classes nor do any of them use magical/aether abilities.
K'nahli Yohko is a very, regular archer. Though young, she's talented since she has spent a long time dedicating her free time to training as the bow is her passion, but she won't be firing two arrows simultaneously at a target that isn't a massive creature where range and accuracy are not a concern.
Andre Winter isn't a "gladiator" as we know the term outside of the class name, but he uses a sword and shield and was training to join the Sultansworn one day as his father had hoped for him, he never got around to seeing that through though due to an unfortunate incident.
Alex Hawthorn is a mercenary whom wields a large axe. He's powerful and very talented but he doesn't use super amazing attacks, nor does he throw tomahawks or anything of the kind. I would like for him to be a sword wielder too on less-than-frequent occasions, so instead of making a new character come Heavenward, I may simply give the Dark Knight class to him since it seems rather fitting for a number of reasons.
Lulani Manani is a young and silly, little lalafel whom wields a sword and shield but is very inexperienced and clumsy. He is not much of a force to be reckoned with.
Tayo Thorne is more of an NPC character than anything, but he used to be a lancer in his day and worked as a mercenary before settling down to a simple life where he earns his coin through carpentry. Nothing special to his fighting style either.
![[Image: ecec20e41f.png]](https://puu.sh/xvMxb/ecec20e41f.png)
Characters: Andre Winter (Hy'ur) / K'nahli Yohko (Miqo'te)
