Beastfighters are melee-oriented fighters that specialize in Unarmed fighting. As they gain levels, Beastfighters' to-hit and damage ratings rise greatly whilst fighting unarmed. While they share this trait with Monks, Beastfighters receive severe penalties when fighting with weapons; thus, unlike Monks, Beastfighters pretty much need to fight unarmed. Also, while Monks get more increases on the number of faces on the damage die when fighting unarmed, Beastfighters get more generous increases to final damage scores.
The life of a Beastfighter is generally a simple one: sell all weapons and shields found, don't bother with magic, and just punch most enemies encountered. While Beastfighters might have some difficulties in the early game, once they have advanced many levels, their performance in melee combat becomes awesome; by level 20-25, they should have little trouble tearing apart even steel golems with their bare hands. While they are generally inept with magic (unless they acquire Concentration as well as Literacy), Beastfighters can take advantage of their typically high Dexterity scores to use missiles to soften up more hazardous foes.
As far as race-class combinations go, Orcs tend to make outstanding Beastfighters as they have the Find weakness skill—critical for Beastfighters, especially since they have trouble fighting with slaying weapons—and superior physical attributes. Dark Elves also make surprisingly good Beastfighters—they possess Find Weakness as well, and start out the game wearing quite above-average spider shell armor, which mitigates their low Toughness somewhat. Gnomes and Humans advance levels quickly, so these can also become surprisingly good Beastfighters. As for Trolls, though their stellar starting attributes give them the best prospects in the early game, their very slow leveling means they may not fare as well in the late game.
Basic Information[]
Base/Typical Stats[]
The base stats for adult male Beastfighters are tabulated below; female characters will have approximately -1 Strength and +1 Dex, and young characters have slightly less Strength, Learning and Willpower. These stats were generated using the method described on the Talk:Archer page, except with star sign factored in. Variations of +/- 5 to each stat will usually exist; or even more if the question system is skipped.
Beastfighters tend towards excellent Dexterity, Toughness and Strength scores. These are balanced by small penalties to Willpower, Charisma, Mana and Appearance.
Race | St | Le | Wi | Dx | To | Ch | Ap | Ma | Pe |
Human | 17 | 14 | 10 | 16 | 17 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 13 |
Troll | 31 | 6 | 8 | 13 | 30 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 9 |
High Elf | 17 | 15 | 9 | 24 | 13 | 9 | 14 | 13 | 18 |
Gray Elf | 17 | 15 | 10 | 22 | 12 | 7 | 18 | 15 | 18 |
Dark Elf | 15 | 12 | 12 | 24 | 15 | 6 | 12 | 16 | 17 |
Dwarf | 20 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 22 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 14 |
Gnome | 15 | 13 | 9 | 19 | 19 | 11 | 10 | 14 | 14 |
Hurthling | 10 | 12 | 10 | 24 | 20 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 13 |
Orc | 24 | 9 | 10 | 16 | 22 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 10 |
Drakeling | 22 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 22 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 12 |
Mist Elf | 14 | 18 | 10 | 22 | 12 | 7 | 22 | 19 | 21 |
Ratling | 17 | 12 | 10 | 21 | 22 | 6 | 5 | 10 | 17 |
Starting Skills[]
Skill | Typical Value | Typical Modifier | Available Ingame? |
Athletics | 45 | 4d5 | No |
Dodge | 45 | 4d5 | No |
Healing | 45 | 4d4 | Yes |
Herbalism | 45 | 4d4 | Yes |
Stealth | 45 | 4d5 | Yes |
Survival | 25 | 4d4 | No |
Swimming | 45 | 4d5 | Yes |
Crowning Gifts[]
- Boots of the divine messenger
- Bracers of war
- Cloak of Oman
- Nature's Companion (double chance)
- Preserver
No weapons for Beastfighters, unsurprisingly (unless they are granted a racial crowning gift). Beastfighters do get some very coveted crowning gifts, including the bracers of war, Preserver and Nature's Companion. The boots may also be quite desirable, especially since Beastfighters' level 18 class power gives a suitable alternative to seven league boots anyway.
HP, PP, To-hit Growth by Level[]
HP: High
PP: Low
Melee to-hit: High
Ranged to-hit: Low
Special Abilities[]
Class Abilities[]
- Unarmed fighting: Beastfighters get significant bonuses to to-hit and damage in unarmed combat each time they level up. Unlike with Monks, becoming burdened or worse does not negate these bonuses.
- Ineptness with weapons: Beastfighters' total to-hit and +damage are divided by 4-5 while they are using melee weapons or shields. In addition, they lose their increased unarmed to-hit and damage bonuses while using a shield. When using a melee weapon or shield, their ranged to-hit and damage bonuses from fighting in tactics settings other than normal are reduced.
- Martial arts bonuses: Beastfighters get increases in speed and DV upon raising certain numbers of levels.
- Illiteracy: Like Barbarians, Beastfighters always start out illiterate regardless of starting Learning score. The only exceptions are those who are educated in Literacy as part of their race, i.e., High, Gray and Mist Elves.
- Heir gift: vigilant thick furs of protection (typical stats: (-1, -1) [+0, +6])
Unarmed Fighting and Martial Arts Bonuses[]
Level | To-hit | Damage | DV | Speed |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
+1 | 1d4 | +0 | +0 |
2 | +2 | 1d4+1 | +0 | +1 |
3 | +3 | 1d6+1 | +1 | +1 |
4 | +4 | 1d6+3 | +1 | +2 |
5 | +5 | 1d6+3 | +1 | +2 |
6 | +6 | 1d8+4 | +2 | +3 |
7 | +7 | 1d8+4 | +2 | +3 |
8 | +8 | 1d8+6 | +2 | +4 |
9 | +9 | 1d10+6 | +3 | +4 |
10 | +10 | 1d10+7 | +3 | +5 |
11 | +11 | 1d10+7 | +3 | +5 |
12 | +12 | 1d12+9 | +4 | +6 |
13 | +13 | 1d12+9 | +4 | +6 |
14 | +14 | 1d12+10 | +4 | +7 |
15 | +15 | 1d14+10 | +5 | +7 |
16 | +16 | 1d14+12 | +5 | +8 |
17 | +17 | 1d14+12 | +5 | +8 |
18 | +18 | 1d16+13 | +6 | +9 |
19 | +19 | 1d16+13 | +6 | +9 |
20 | +20 | 1d16+15 | +6 | +10 |
21 | +21 | 1d18+15 | +7 | +10 |
22 | +22 | 1d18+16 | +7 | +11 |
23 | +23 | 1d18+16 | +7 | +11 |
24 | +24 | 1d20+18 | +8 | +12 |
25 | +25 | 1d20+18 | +8 | +12 |
26 | +26 | 1d20+19 | +8 | +13 |
27 | +27 | 1d22+19 | +9 | +13 |
28 | +28 | 1d22+21 | +9 | +14 |
29 | +29 | 1d22+21 | +9 | +14 |
30 | +30 | 1d24+22 | +10 | +15 |
31 | +31 | 1d24+22 | +10 | +15 |
32 | +32 | 1d24+24 | +10 | +16 |
33 | +33 | 1d26+24 | +11 | +16 |
34 | +34 | 1d26+25 | +11 | +17 |
35 | +35 | 1d26+25 | +11 | +17 |
36 | +36 | 1d28+27 | +12 | +18 |
37 | +37 | 1d28+27 | +12 | +18 |
38 | +38 | 1d28+28 | +12 | +19 |
39 | +39 |
1d30+28 |
+13 | +19 |
40 | +40 | 1d30+30 | +13 | +20 |
41 | +41 | 1d30+30 | +13 | +20 |
42 | +42 | 1d32+31 | +14 | +21 |
43 | +43 | 1d32+31 | +14 | +21 |
44 | +44 | 1d32+33 | +14 | +22 |
45 | +45 | 1d34+33 | +15 | +22 |
46 | +46 | 1d34+34 | +15 | +23 |
47 | +47 | 1d34+34 | +15 | +23 |
48 | +48 | 1d36+36 | +16 | +24 |
49 | +49 | 1d36+36 | +16 | +24 |
50 | +50 | 1d36+37 | +16 | +25 |
Class Powers[]
- Level 6: Gains poison resistance
- Level 12: Gains stun resistance
- Level 18: Base movement energy cost is reduced to 700. This stacks with the effects of seven league boots.
- Level 25: Gains the power to summon 2d2 cave bears and silver wolves, for the cost of one Mana point. This also trains Mana, though (similarly to necromancy).
- Level 32: Can swap position with hostile monsters (using the ':s' command)
- Level 40: Landing a critical hit on an opponent has a small chance to stun them. This seems to work on any opponent—including balors and their master.
- Level 50: Gains +6 to both Strength and Toughness
Starting Gear[]
Among their other starting items, all Beastfighters bring a lot of food to the Drakalor Chain: several pieces of fresh meat, apple(s) and melon(s).
Human | Troll | High Elf | Grey Elf | Dark Elf | Dwarf |
Gnome | Hurthling | Orc | Drakeling | Mist Elf | Ratling |