Energy Eater
141 – Subclasses

"What do you mean, subclasses?" I asked with a frown.

"I mean just that. The System just told me I can now pick my subclass," Riley replied.

"That why you run?" Rex asked, as the rodenti was approaching. He was worried something was wrong once the witch started running. The rodenti huffed. 

"You knew about this, Rex."

Michael turned to our companion. "Yes. All rodenti know. Tier 2, you work, get a subclass."

"Hold on, I'm still not getting it. How do we get subclasses? System?" I spoke up requesting some more information.

[To acquire a subclass, a user must be at tier 2 and perform enough tasks that are unrelated to user's main class to warrant the creation of a subclass.]

The System stopped talking, but Riley responded. "Yeah, you can share that."

[User Riley has given the permission for System to share some personal information about the subclasses available to user Riley. Due to the work performed by user Riley on the mushroom farm, two subclasses became available. The first is the botanist subclass. This will allow user Riley to receive skills related to botany, the growth of plants, and other flora-based abilities that are not focused on combat. Alternatively, user Riley can choose the option to take the Circle Carver subclass. It is a subclass that will assist user in the making of spell circles that are carved on various objects and can be accessed by anyone. The specifics about the skills and the attributes that would come with those classes can only be shared by user Riley themselves.]

"Wait, attributes?" Michael asked. "We get more attributes with the subclass?"

[That is correct,] the System replied. [Subclasses also have their own levels and give attributes when the level increases. However, Subclasses may not give attribute points every level. In addition, Subclasses do not give any extra bonus attribute point that can be freely distributed by a user.]

"And memory?" Astrid asked.

[When gaining a subclass, user will receive one point in memory. However, this specific point in memory is related to the fact that one of user's skills must belong to the subclass. If not, user loses access to the subclass. Aside from it, it is possible to acquire extra memory slots through one's subclass.]

"What do you mean, loses access?" Riley frowned.

[It means that user will be unable to gain levels for the subclass. However, it is possible to gain skills related to the subclass when the main class levels up.]

"Okay, hang on," I spoke up. "You are saying that subclasses can also level? So if I stay with a Subclass, I'm getting more levels? How does that work?" 

The two rodenti who were fighting charged at each other. The staffs clashed in the middle, but both of them pulled back almost as if they were worried that they had hurt their opponent, or maybe even hurt themselves.

[That is correct. Subclasses have levels just like main classes. However, there are some differences and limitations between a subclass and a main class. For starters, a subclass can never be of a higher tier than the main class. Currently, users are on tier 2. Meaning that subclasses cannot go beyond tier 2. Subclasses do not take particles to improve. Instead, they are utilizing a minor amount of particles that functions as a bridge between parts of the System. Particles that have, as their main job, the function of passing along commands to other parts of the System and other parts of user's body. Such particles, while vital to the proper functioning of System, are not constantly used to its fullest.]

The elderly rodenti barked a few orders, telling them to continue attacking, and they did just that. Still hesitating, of course. But trying to do their best for the fight.

[If a specific particle is responsible for passing along a command to trigger a skill, for instance, it doesn't mean that said particle will be active when user is fighting or performing physical work. In said cases, the particles cannot be removed from their current task while at the same time being unable to function at 100% effectiveness all the time. There are a large number of such particles all across user's bodies. As no user would be utilizing 100% of System at all times. Because of that, the function of a subclass was created. As a way to utilize the extra bandwidth available to such particles in order to assist user with tasks that are less frequent than those represented by user's main class.]

"Couldn't that extra bandwidth or whatever you call it be used to make me stronger?" Michael asked. "Just like if it was an extra point in body or something."

While I liked the idea of a subclass more than the idea of just having more attributes, I had to admit that it was a valid question. It was a bit strange to think that there was a part of the System that was working on making us stronger in such a roundabout way.

[This happens due to the fact that the amount of processing power available on the particles is not enough to increase user's attributes. In addition, the particles cannot be assigned to be placed together as it would be required to increase user's attribute. All of the related particles are placed in different parts of user's body. That's why secondary class is unable to give a more significant boost and can only function in an occasional setting.]

The smaller rodenti spun the staff in a circular motion, trying to go for the head, but the bigger one ducked under it, slamming the tip of the staff against the stomach of their opponent.

"But…" Astrid frowned for a moment and gestured for everybody to put their hands together. We all did so and the Husk Carver sent a message through everyone's System.

Astrid: If that's the case, then wouldn't it be possible for a subclass to become stronger than the main class? If you decide to pick some class that you like more than the main class.

[That is not entirely correct. Subclass can never be as powerful as a main class. However, this does not mean that a subclass cannot become the main class. If user is very focused on increasing the power of the subclass and only attempts to utilize the powers present on the subclass. Then, once user tiers up, the option to grow acquire a new class that is more related to the subclass than it is to the main class is possible.]

"Okay, but how do they level up?" Riley asked. It made sense that they wanted to know that kind of thing. After all, they were the only ones who could actually start using something like that.

[Like the main class, subclasses do not take any particles to level up. Instead, they behave more like skills in order to level up. To grow, user must utilize the powers related to the subclass, improve techniques, and use skills that will be available through the class.]

Just as the small rodenti pulled back, clutching their stomach, the bigger rodenti stopped fighting and moved forward, asking if their friend was okay. 

"And how do skills come into play?" I asked.

[System requires some clarification. What does user mean by 'skills coming into play?']

"I mean, how do we get skills for the subclass? Will they come as we level up the main class or do we need to level up the subclass?"

[There are three ways to acquire skills for the subclass. First, when the subclass levels up, just like what happens with the main class you are able to receive between 1 and three skills at the very least once every five levels. In addition, when leveling up the main class, it is also possible that a subclass skill will present itself. This would not change the limit of skills that are presented, meaning that if a subclass skill can have, at most, two skills for the main class to choose from.]

The other elderly rodenti shouted a few orders, and the smaller one slammed the staff across the face of the bigger rodenti. Causing them to tumble to the side. 

[The same can happen when the subclass levels up. One of the skills offered could be for the main class instead. However, keep in mind that there will never be a situation where leveling up the subclass will only offer skills for the main class. In the same vein. There will never be a situation where once user levels up the main class, only skills related to the subclass will be offered. There is a possibility, however, that hybrid skills that could function for both main class and subclass to be offered on either level up.]

We all nodded, understanding that explanation and the final third option was something that, in hindsight, was already expected.

[The third way to acquire skills for the subclass is by consuming particles that can prove beneficial to the subclass. For instance, let's pretend there is a subclass called The Candle Maker. If user consumes particle infused bees' wax, skill related to that class can be acquired.]

We were all sort of expecting that the System would do something like this. After all, it was very System-like to say that part of the way to gain more power was simply to consume things.

"And just to confirm, we get the subclasses by doing things that go against our main class?" I asked.

[That is not entirely correct. Users will acquire a subclass once they work with something that is not necessarily related to the main class. The action does not have to go against the main class as users stated you simply have to do has to be something that has little to nothing to do with the main class.]

The bigger rodenti one grew angry at the sudden strike and shifted to the smaller rodenti, lunging at them. 

Everybody stopped for a moment just to think about what was being said. I honestly couldn't think of any other question about it. Not any question that the System was likely to answer, anyway. Sure, I still wasn't entirely sure how it would level up this extra class, but there wasn't much we could do about that since it was more something that we would need to practice and learn with time. But more than that, I had a feeling that Riley was really excited about getting their own subclass, which meant that we should just hold off and help them out.

"Okay, I'm talking with the System here and apparently both classes would be really good for me," Riley spoke up after a couple of minutes. We all nodded and waited for them to continue. "The first, the botanist would let me grow herbs quicker, extract more out of plants in general and even allow me to understand the effects of mixtures I was going to make. Those are the three skills that it's offering. On the other hand, the Circle Carver class feels very underwhelming right now. But there seems to be a lot of potential."

We all nodded and continued to wait. It was obvious Riley had something specific in mind when they started speaking. 

"Basically, right now it will just help me make pieces of magic on things. You know, like the spell circles that I carved in the mushroom farm. Small things like that. But something tells me that later on I might be able to do some very powerful things with this. I mean, what if I can make spell circles that turn a rock into a bomb? Or if I can make a spell circle that is a trap or heck, even something in an arrow that we could fire and it explodes in contact? All that sounds possible according to those skills."

They paused, reading something on their System then continued the explanation, "Because they're basically telling me, I would be able to recognize the materials that I would need to make spell circles work and know the type of how much each spell circle could withstand. The last skill is the one that would let me understand how to pass along spells and minor skills into spell circles. But again it's a tier one class. Yeah, it's going to be a bit powerful but we can't expect too much from it, you know?"

We all nodded again, but Riley looked up, waiting for something.

"Do you want our opinion?" I asked. 

"Please. I'm struggling, a little bit here."

"Technically speaking, you don't need a subclass to do either one of those things, right? I mean, you already know how to mess with herbs and stuff and you can make spell circles even without that skill. Am I wrong?" Michael asked and Riley shook their head.

The Archer smiled then asked, "Okay then, which one of the two do you feel is less important for you to actually know?"

Riley paused and turned towards him. "What do you mean by that? I'm going to know about both of them."

"I mean, you're saying that as a botanist to you the skill is going to tell you the effects of mixtures, right? So you yourself don't really have to learn how to predict those effects. Maybe you need right now but in the future, the skill is going to take care of it for you. And we already know that the System can help keep track of some stuff, so if you make a mixture once and figure out what it does, you never have to think about it again. The System will always give you the information," Michael explained. 

"You're not wrong, but that does feel a bit iffy," Riley crossed their arms. 

"That's how things are. So, which one of those two subclasses feels like the one you want to learn the least? More about plants or about spell circles."

It seemed like the battle between the two rodenti in the arena was no longer about training. They were just beating each other up as both rodenti were angrily snarling at each other, barely even using the staff. Punching and kicking more than anything. 

Riley paused and said, "The botanist one of course. I already know my way around herbs and I don't need the class to help me figure those things out. Helping plants grow it's not really useful if we are on the move. You know, I can't exactly travel around hauling a pot of dirt."

Astrid tapped Riley's shoulder, her large hand almost making the thin bones vanish underneath. "Have answer."

Riley turned to Astrid and nodded. "Yeah. It's kind of stupid, now that I think about it. I should get the botanist one. That way I can keep learning about spell circles and nothing is going to stop the System from offering me a new type of subclass later on, right?"

[That is correct. Subclasses are never locked onto a certain path. If in the future user wishes to take a subclass unrelated to the initial subclass, user will still retain all the acquired skills and attributes from the original subclass. Some skills might not be fully available if they require a specific object or a specific skill to function together. However, aside from it, there are no limitations to the next step of said skills. User Riley can pick botany now, only to change it to a spell circle once class reaches tier 2.]

"Speaking of tier, how does it get to tier two? Is it the same level? We need to get to 20?" I asked. 

[That is correct. Although the reasoning for the level 20 requirement is not the same as the reasoning for the main class to reach level 20.]

"Why is that then?" Michael asked.

[For simplicity's sake. It is easier for both System and user if the classes all reach a new tier on the same levels. So, both the main and the subclasses will always tier up on the same levels. Meaning that subclasses also need to go to level 20 to become tier 2 and then level 40 to become Tier 3. Just like the main class.]

The elderly rodenti jumped into the arena and stopped both of them using his staff. He gave them a nod and told them to shake hands. Which they did, releasing some of the tension that was created in the fight. 

Having decided what they wanted to do, Riley took the botanist class with the intention of learning more about spell circles before taking a class towards it. They were also hoping that a couple of the skills they got from that subclass would be able to assist us in the future. And while they were doing that, the rest of us were all thinking about the things we could do to unlock our own subclasses. 

That was too much of a game changer not to take advantage of. But it also created another issue. This subclass thing was not something that was exclusive to us. Everybody else should have one since Rex also knew about it. Which also likely meant that Eaters also had subclasses. And I could only imagine the type of horrible skills they would get once they started to really specialize.