Building a group

With the selection of primary and secondary classes, the specialization in certain skills determines the role of a character in group combat. A solo player will use a wide range of melee attacks, ranged attacks and healing skills, but groups work best with strict task-sharing.

In a well-built group, close-combat fighters — such as warriors and knights — should be in the front to stop enemies from breaking through to the mages and priests, who are likely to be vulnerable to physical attacks. The frontline should distract enemies with attacks and skills and deal as much damage as possible with swords and axes. The ranged combatants — such as mages and, sometimes, scouts — should do damage with volleys of arrows and fire from the second line of defense. Scouts can help in the front line if the need be. Priests can join in combat, but mostly, they should be busy healing the frontline fighters and keeping them alive. Rogues are mostly on the move. Rogues can deal a lot of damage but must stay alert to evade incoming attacks; in this position, you don’t have a chance to make the same mistake twice.

Tactics

A proven method for defeating a group of strong enemies is to lure strong single fighters out of that group with well-directed taunts or ranged attacks. If the main push is then stopped by the front line of a well-organized group, it usually doesn’t take long for the group’s enemies to meet their demise.

Combat groups can repeat this again and again, but it’s not always easy to separate leaders from the guards. In this case, the best tactic is to keep the most dangerous enemy busy until his guards die. Character classes such as knight or scout are best-suited for this task, because they can keep an enemy in place and delay a fight by distracting their opponents with one or two well-directed attacks. The game of attack, root and retreat has to be kept up long enough for the main group to get its hands free to finish the fight.

The fruits of victory

Defeating dangerous monsters means experience and fame for the victors, but it also may mean interesting loot, such as bear skin and other hunting trophies, rune stones, tools, clothing, and weapons and armor — which in some cases may have special properties. Furthermore, from time to time, glowing magical spheres will emerge from fallen enemies. The spheres grant the adventurer various special powers for certain periods of time.

Death

When an adventurer loses a battle and dies, Ayvenas summons him to his realm. After a short time, the recently deceased reappears alive and well at one of the holy stone circles. They can never remember the voyage through the realm of the dead, and they are generally quite dizzy and weak and so should rest a while. It is a good idea to use this recovery time to check armor and weapons and visit the local blacksmith for repairs.

Priests familiar with the Ritual of Resurrection can help shorten the voyage through the realm of Ayvenas and can alleviate the effects of death. For groups exploring ancient catacombs deep underground, it is very important to have a Priest with this skill so that dead adventurers can be resurrected on location.