Spellsword

The Spellsword is a very playable class at the beginning of the game. High weapon skills provide survivability in combat, but will hamper character development to the highest possible levels. Having all six schools of magic as Major and Minor skills will make for quick advancement if time is taken to develop the skills. The plate armor restriction will tend to make the Spellsword rely on magical protections, but the 1.5x for spell points means the character will either need to find/make items or rest frequently until skills are developed to the point of relatively cheap casting costs.

SPELLSWORD
PRIMARY SKILLS: Axe, Long Blade, Blunt Weapon		ADVANTAGES: 1.5x Intelligence in Spell Points DISADVANTATES: No Plate, No Tower Shield
MAJOR SKILLS: Destruction, Illusion, Alteration
MINOR SKILLS: Restoration, Thaumaturgy, Mysticism, Short Blade, Hand-to-Hand, Archery
HP/LEVEL: 12	Increased: STR, WIL, AGI Decreased: SPD, PER	STARTING SPELLS: Shock, Slowfall, Chameleon

Battlemage

The starting weapons skills and higher hit points give the Battlemage more survivability than the Mage in early combat situations. Having two weapons as primary skills will slow development to highest levels because the character will have to switch weapons often in order to develop both skills. But if the character runs around without a shield switching weapons is a simple matter. The high Hand-to-Hand skill is handy, but counterbalanced by the armor restrictions. The wise player will build END quickly in order to gain more hit points and will train some of the more useful magic skills.

BATTLEMAGE
PRIMARY SKILLS: Destruction, Long Blade, Axe		ADVANTAGES: 1.75 x Intelligence in Spell Points DISADVANTATES: Leather only, No Tower or Kite Shield
MAJOR SKILLS: Thaumaturgy, Alteration, Hand-to-Hand
MINOR SKILLS: Illusion, Mysticism, Restoration, Archery, Short Blade, Blunt Weapon
HP/LEVEL: 10	Increased: INT, WIL Decreased: END, PER	STARTING SPELLS: Shock, Slowfall, Buoyancy

Sorcerer

The 3x spell points makes the sorcerer a formidable spell caster, but the inability to regenerate spell points means the character must rely on other methods of replenishing magica.

After joining the Mages Guild, speaking to anyone in the guildhall will automatically replenish the PC’s magica reserves. “Restore Power” potions, hostile magic, and aborted Destruction-based spells from items will all provide more ammunition.

Since the ability to absorb spells is a percentage chance based on the average of INT and WIL, absorption of hostile magic is by no means certain. In the beginning dungeon there are only three spell-using creatures (unless you can generate an Orc Shaman as a random monster). Out of three times through that dungeon I was unable to absorb even one of their spells (even with completely empty magica reserves) and got crispy-crittered twice.

The sorcerer demands a very cautious playing style.

SORCERER
PRIMARY SKILLS: Mysticism, Alteration, Thaumaturgy		ADVANTAGES: 3x Intelligence in Spell Points, Spell Absorption DISADVANTATES: Cannot regenerate Spell Points, No Plate, No shields
MAJOR SKILLS: Destruction, Restoration, Illusion
MINOR SKILLS: Medical, Short Blade, Blunt Weapon, Dragonish, Daedric, Dodging
HP/LEVEL: 6	Increased: INT, WIL Decreased: STR, AGI, END, SPD	STARTING SPELLS: Lock, Shock, Heal, Buoyancy, Slowfall