IWDEE classes

Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition

WORD OF EXPLANATION:
Most classes have "subclasses" to them. Those subclasses retain core abilities of the main class, but add and remove some skills to tailor character to player's liking.
Each character can remain "Pure" class, without choosing a subclass. In some cases, pure class is more versatile than the subclass specialization. Clerics are encouraged to subclass as they don't lose anything and gain few small abilities that are signature to their god (god of thunders give his clerics ability to hurl lightnings).

Only one class choice can be made for the character - Ranger who subclasses into Archer, cannot also specialize into Beast Master, nor can he level up as a regular Ranger.





Classes.

Barbarian 

Barbarians - as the name suggests - are melee warriors who, unlike knightly warriors and paladins, take their prowess in combat from rage. When enraged, barbarians are immune to most debuffs and they gain more health points and Strength. Rage-driven barbarians are deadly foes, however in their bloodlust they forgoes the need of defending themself, making them an easy target for those brave enough to attack them

Once Barbarian's rage is spent, he becomes exhausted for some time and his battle-effectiveness is lowered. 

Barbarians don't wear heavy armours, they make up for it with their great condition, but in long battles they might not be able to hold the line as long as his better-protected counterparts.

Bard

Bards are more than just adventurous musicians - their wide range of skills makes them useful addition to any group. They can hold their own in hand-to-hand combat. They can cast spells. They can open locks and their knowledge of legends and artefacts is unmatched. However their versatility, makes bards less capable in each task than a dedicated specialist - like a fighter, wizard or thief.

Bards bring a unique skill to the field however - their music - used to buff companion skills.

Bards don't wear heavy armours and are restricted to simple martial weapons. Their primary role is support, which they can abandon for more pro-active role if given situation requires it.

Subclass: Bard - Blade.

Blades give up on most of their singing skills and focus on their combat abilities - becoming a sword dancers, capable of short, but overpowered skills turning them into meat grinders.

Subclass Bard - Jester

Instead of buffing their own allies, Jester's skills are used to mock and enthral enemies, turning him from a supporting class, into a crowd controller. 

Subclass Bard - Skald

Storytellers of the barbaric clans, Skalds lack finesse of their more civilized counterparts, but their skills are focused on not only being a better all-round fighter (not relying on short-lasting "dances" of a Blade), but also buffing with his heroic songs those who fight next to him.

Cleric

Clerics are battle-priests capable of casting powerful healing, defensive and crowd-controlling spells, while still retaining ability to fight in the front line. Clerics can wear the heaviest of armours, making them resilient foes, however they lack damage-dealing abilities of other heavy-armoured fighters. Clerics serving their deities receive different bonuses and special spells iconic for the god they serve.

Cleric subclasses:
Priest of Talos (choatic-evil god) - Summoning Lightning
Priest of Helm (lawful neutral god) - Seeing through Illusions
Priest of Lathander (neutral good god) - Strong combat self-buff
Priest of Tyr (lawful good god) - Remove debuffs from allies, combat self-buff
Priest of Tempus (true neutral god) - combat self-buff and combat group buff.

Druid

Just like Clerics serve Gods, Druids serve Nature. Attuned to the voices of animals, plants and even elements themselves, Druids - just like Clerics - are masters of healing, defensive and crowd controlling spells. They are slightly better healers than Clerics, but don't wear heavy armours and aren't as capable in hand-to-hand combat unless they shape-shift into a powerful animals - while transformed however, they lose ability to cast spells. 

Subclass Druid - Totemic druid

Totemic druids create a link between themselves and their spirit animal and can summon it to fight for the druid. As a trade-off, totemic druids cannot shapeshift into other forms.

Subclass: Druid - Shapeshifter.

Shapeshifters become masters of changing form, gaining access to transformations more powerful than regular druids, however, due to nature of their specialization Shapeshifters cannot wear any armour - making their humanoid form very fragile.

Subclass: Druid - Avenger

Avengers aren't just defenders of Nature, they are actively fighting with those who harmed the balance. To aid them, Nature grand her powerful lightning-based spells. However, due to using electric-based spells, Avengers cannot wear any metallic armours and suffer penalties to Strength and Constitution. 

Fighter

Fighters are warriors of all walks of life - knights, mercenaries, soldiers and freedom fighters, but they are all united in the dedication to their skills of wielding weapons with unmatched finesse.

Fighters are typically front-line warriors, however some can specialize in using powerful crossbows or bows. Their heavy armour and high Condition makes them some of the toughest classes out there. Their only weakness is lack of defence against spells - while facing wizards, fighters must close the distance and interrupt spellcasting, otherwise they are in mortal danger.

Subclass: Warrior - Berserker

Berserkers - just like Barbarians depend on rage to aid them in combat. However Berserker never ignores his training, even while in combat. It makes him more deadly than a Barbarian, but also doesn't grant as many bonuses as blind anger of a Barbaric rage.

Subclass: Warrior - Wizard Slayer

Wizard Slayers specialize in killing spellcasters - their long training gave them unique anti-magic aura that has a chance to neutralize spells used against them. Sadly, this great ability has equally powerful downside - Wizard Slayer cannot himself use any magical artefacts like cloaks, belts, rings and necklaces. It leaves them at great disadvantage compared to all enemies who aren't wizards.

Sublass: Fighter - Kensai

Kensai are the the embodiment of sword masters. They forgo typical training of a warrior to focus physical and spiritual energy on unifying with a blade. Their training gives them ability to use their Ki to increase damage done with their swords, they are also more nimble than regular fighters. Kensai however don't wear any armour and cannot equip gauntlets- as they need maximum freedom to utilize their holy blades. 

Mage

Mages, or Wizards - are the master of the Arcane magic. They wear no armour and rely on their allies to keep them from harm. Almost defenceless at early levels, Mages grow in power to become most potent damage-dealers in the end-game... if they live long enough.

Mages cast their spells using knowledge they gathered over the years of studies.

Monk

Using only simplest of weapons, or no weapons at all, monks are martial artists capable of dealing great harm to their foes. Their legendary speed and reflexes grant them many advantages in combat, including deflecting arrows and lightning movement. As they grow in power, monks become almost magical creatures, able to ignore poisons, diseases and mind-controlling spells, they also stop relying on any weapons - as their bodies are becoming more deadly than any blades.

Monks, of course, wear no armour to speak of as their speed is their greatest defence. Once on high enough level, they are comparable to fighters when considering survivability.

Subclass: Monk - Dark Moon Monk

Disciples of the Dark Moon increase their survivability by adding simple illusion spells into their skill set, making them nothing more than a blur in the eye of the enemy. Dark Moon Monks serve as great assassins, for quick and powerful hit-and-run attacks, however once their spells run out, they are slightly more vulnerable than "pure" Monks.

Subclass - Monk: Sun Soul Monk

Sunsoul Monks augment their martial skills with fire-based abilities. Making their special attacks deal fire damage. Their fighting style is less defensive than regular Monks or those who serve Dark Moon, but their damage output is higher - especially when dealing with creatures that are weak against fire (icetrolls for example).

Paladin

Paladins are the Holy Warriors, who augment their martial training with divine powers. While they can't match Fighters in weapon prowess, they are unchallenged when dealing with evil creatures and posses limited access to healing and protective spells. They can, of course, wear all heavy armours, shields and weapons.

Subclass - Paladin: Cavalier 

Cavaliers are paladins trained in art of destruction of demons, devils and dragons. Their training made them almost completely immune to fear, poisons and mind-controlling spells, furthermore, they can protect their allies from fear as well.  Cavaliers however are unable to use range weapons, as their fighting style is focused on meeting evil head on.

Subclass: Paladin - Undead Hunter

Some paladins focused their training on dealing with the plague of undead. They give up their healing abilities, in return gaining powerful buff against every type of undead enemies and become immune to some forms of necromatic magic.

Subclass: Paladin - Inquisitor

Idea behind profession of an Inquisitor is similar to the one behind Wizard Slayers - Inquisitors are Paladins trained in fighting against wizards and see through their illusions. Inquisitors abandon all spells they could learn, healing abilities and power used to slay undead for set of spells designed to dispel magic and give them an edge in fighting rogue wizards.

Subclass: Paladin - Blackguard

Like fallen angels becoming demons, same fallen Paladins become Blackguards. Those evil knights - just as they were before, are powerful melee fighters, but now instead of utilizing divine power, they use necromantic magic and poisons. Blackguards, of course lose their bonuses to fighting evil and heal others.

Ranger

Rangers are hunters, scouts and nimble warriors in their own right, able to wear any type of armour. Unlike Warrior and Paladins who, in melee combat, feel comfortable with shields or two-handed weapons, Rangers prefer using two one-handed blades to deal as much damage as possible. Their closeness to nature grants them limited access to Druid spells, and their hunting experience gives them ability to utilize stealth similar to Thief's.

Rangers have an unique ability called Racial Enemy - for example Trolls, Giants or Undead, granting Ranger bonuses while fighting their chosen enemy.

Subclass - Ranger: Archer

Archers are, what is says on the box - Archers. They give up their prowess in hand-to-hand combat, instead focusing on becoming deadly marksmen in their chosen range weapon. As they level up, Archers become snipers of uncanny aim, even if their connection to nature weakens as they dedicate themselves to their archery training. Archers also can only wear leather armours.

Subclass - Ranger: Stalker

Stalkers are experts of tracking and hiding. Ambushing it's prey, Stalkers use backstabbing - typical for Thieves -  as well as their Ranger abilities to eliminate the foe before he can fight back. They also get access to few spells that make them faster and more resilient enemies - however, Stalkers must limit the armour they wear to leather.

Subclass - Ranger: Beast Master

Beast Masters use their bond with animals to summon them on the battlefield - on higher levels, the swarm of beasts can overrun enemies with sheer numbers, while Beast Master remain safe in the second line (which he has to, as Beast Master are forbidden to use any metal weapons or armours).

Sorcerer

Sorcerers, just like Mages, wield arcane power. What comes to Mages as a result of years of studies however, is a mater of raw talent of Sorcerers. It is said that in their blood flows blood of Red Dragons that grant them power to use arcane magic without years of training. Sorcerers are outcasts, and often considered dangerous - and for good reasons - those who gained great power easily, are equally easy to abuse it.

Major difference between Mages and Sorcerers is that Mages - thanks to their long training - have access to bigger variety of spells, while Sorceres wield less types of spells but can cast them more often.

Both classes can't wear any armour heavier than cloth and use only simple weapons.

Subclass - Sorcerer: Dragon Disciple 

Those Sorcerers who decide to explore their heritage might, in fact, find traces of draconic blood within them. Those who choose to unleash the power hidden within them become Dragon Disciples.

While remaining Sorcerers, they devote time to study means to bring out their potential of their draconic ancestors - as Disciples grow in power, their skin turns into hard scales, they gain immunity to flames and are even able to breath fire! Sadly, their arcane studies suffer in the process, as they poses even less spells than "pure" Sorcerers.

Thief

Thieves are tricksters, spies, vagabonds or rogues. Not all Thieves are evil, but their set of skills lends itself to breaking the law and avoiding consequences.

Thieves are a must in every group of adventurers - they can open doors and locks, find and disarm traps, pick pockets, scout ahead in stealth and attack enemies with powerful backstab attacks.

Thieves can also specialize in archery, which keeps them out of harm's way - as they can only wear leather armour.

Subclass - Thief: Assassin

Assassins are thieves specializing in deadly attacks. Their backstab ability is more powerful than regular Thieves and they can apply poison to their blades to maximalize damage output in the shortest time possible. Assassins however are less skilled in Thieves group utilities (opening locks, disarming traps, sneaking).

Subclass - Thief: Bounty Hunter

Bounty Hunters as Thieves specializing in setting up their own traps on the ground, preparing a deadly ambush on unsuspecting enemies. Once again, their training in creating and setting up traps diminishes (slightly) their thieving skills.

Subclass - Thief: Swashbuckler

Thieves who often find themselves in the middle of a tavern brawl (or at the front line of a battle) might consider becoming Swashbucklers. Those cocky fighters depend on their speed in dealing damage and avoid being hit. While not as hardy as Fighters or Paladins, Swashbucklers can successfully take their place while defending mages or healers and are especially effective with two weapons. Downside to their face-to-face fighting style is lack of backstab abilities and sneak attacks - but Swashbuckler laughs at those cheap tricks, he can beat anyone in a duel without resorting to cheating!

Subclass: Thief - Shadowdancer

Shadowdancers are mysterious and sinister thieves who learned the art of blending with shadows and becoming one of them. Their signature ability let them simply vanish without a trace and move through Shadow Plane. Their backstab ability is however less deadly than pure Thieves' and they also have less points to spend on their utility skills (opening locks, disarming traps and so on..)

Wild Mage

While Sorcerers were considered dangerous and unpredictable, Wild Mages are in a completely different category of potential danger to everything around them (and themselves). Wild Mages tap to the source of unpredictable magic, while it provides them with more power than regular Mages or Wizards have, it can also spectacularly backfire. 

Each spell Wild Mages performs has 5% to cause surge of Wild Magic, turning even a simple spell into something completely unpredictable.

Wild Magic spell cause a random result - ranging from helpful effects - like summoning demon to fight for the Wild Mage, neutral effects: like changing cloth colour, summoning squirrels or giving everyone a hiccup, all the way to disastrous - like summoning fireball to Wild Mage's location, removing his gold or even changing his gender!