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Advancement Paths: Traditions!
In the last few days, we’ve talked about character traits and enemy tactics and how they help you individualize your character. We’re going to discuss each of the remaining character advancement paths in the coming week, including racial traditions, specialized training, and all-new spells and arts. Each of these areas allow you to make interesting choices to suit your character and play style.
Today, we’ll provide more detail on racial traditions and how they’ll affect your character.
Traditions
Traditions are one of the advancement paths that help you to build a unique identity in EverQuest II. As players learn the background and lore of their chosen race, they begin to unlock certain bonuses. This starts with race-specific titles and leads to a choice of racial abilities. By the time they’ve reached level 50, every character will gain access to four racial traditions to help tailor their character to their preferred play style and distinguish themselves from other members of their race.
Racial traditions take many forms, but are generally activated abilities that can be used on demand to greatly improve your character for a short period of time.
When it's time to choose a new tradition, you will be presented with a list of ten options with detailed explanations of how each choice would affect your character. You can pick any one tradition from the list and enjoy its benefits immediately.
Here are some of the racial traditions:
Barbarian
Teachings of Tundra Jack – Life in the harsh outdoors has increased your powers of observation. By following the Teachings of Tundra Jack, your character enjoys enhanced tracking of prey.
Gnome
Confusing Babble – Gnomes aren’t the most durable denizens of Norrath, so it’s often useful to talk their way out of a bad situation. With a timely burst of perplexing chatter, you’re able to soothe angry creatures and lower their hatred toward you as they stop to figure out what you’re yapping about.
Dark Elf
Shadow Shroud – The world is a dangerous place and life as a dark elf is never easy. By slowing your breathing and freezing in place, you are able to hide and escape detection by most foes.
Erudite
Ward of Glyphs – Years of arcane study have imbued the erudites with an innate defense against magical damage. By steeling your mind, you can call a protective ward into existence and guard yourself against harmful spells.
Dwarf
Vital Provisions – Living in a world of magic has its advantages. Over the centuries as other races focused on developing talents in lesser areas, the dwarves learned an ability that truly matters – summoning Ale.
Half Elf
Dual Breed – The mixed heritage of the half elves gives them some benefits from both their parent races. During a battle, you may concentrate and increase both your stamina and magical power for a period of time.
Halfling
Light on our Feet – As if having naturally good looks and great personality wasn’t enough, halflings also possess other talents. A lifetime of dancing and clean living has made some halflings especially nimble, allowing them to easily dodge an adversary’s blows for a short time.
Next week we will detail our Training system, which allows you to specialize your character by choosing one of your core abilities to enhance.