Newly-created characters start with no character class, and a relative progression rate of 1.0 in all skills. After acquiring a sufficient total amount of experience in skills appropriate to a particular class (e.g. weapon skills for Fighter classes, energetic magic skills for Mage classes, etc.), a character may choose to adopt a particular character class. Further experience in appropriate primary class areas allows a character to adopt secondary and tertiary classes -- for example, a character who meets the experience requirements for both Fighter and Mage may become a Ranger. Character class progression is not reversible; a Gladiator may become a Berserker, Champion, Paladin or Swashbuckler by attaining enough experience in an appropriate set of skills, or may choose to remain a Gladiator, but cannot demote himself back to Fighter.

Note: tertiary classes inherit all special abilities of any secondary classes whose requirements represent a subset of theirs. For example, the Berserker class (level-3 Fighter) inherits melee resistance from the Gladiator class (level-2 Fighter), whilst the Ninja class (level-1 Fighter, Mage and Rogue) inherits the perception bonuses of the Ranger class (level-1 Fighter and Mage), the sneak attack bonus of the Cutthroat class (level-1 Fighter and Rogue), and the improved prices of the Trickster class (level-1 Mage and Rogue).

Table I: Requirements and Special Abilities of Character Classes
Class
 F
 M
 H
 R
 Special
Fighter
 1
 -
 -
 -
 None
Mage
 -
 1
 -
 -
 None
Healer
 -
 -
 1
 -
 None
Rogue
 -
 -
 -
 1
 None
Gladiator
 2
 -
 -
 -
 Increased resistance to damage from melee attacks
Wizard
 -
 2
 -
 -
 Rapid MP regeneration
Medic
 -
 -
 2
 -
 Bonus to first aid
Scout
 -
 -
 -
 2
 Reduced food requirements
Ranger
 1
 1
 -
 -
 Reduced perception penalties from terrain opacity or weather conditions
Crusader
 1
 -
 1
 -
 Bonuses in combat against one monster type (player's choice)
Cutthroat
 1
 -
 -
 1
 Bonus damage when attacking unwary target
Sage
 -
 1
 1
 -
 Improved ability to identify items
Trickster
 -
 1
 -
 1
 Improved buying and selling prices in shops
Pilgrim
 -
 -
 1
 1
 Faster travel outdoors
Berserker
 3
 -
 -
 -
 Faster melee attacks
Warlock
 -
 3
 -
 -
 Opponents receive morale penalties
Thaumaturge
 -
 -
 3
 -
 Can *sometimes* raise the dead
Spy
 -
 -
 -
 3
 Can determine a monster's statistics just by looking at it
Champion
 2
 1
 -
 -
 Allies receive morale bonuses
Paladin
 2
 -
 1
 -
 Increased resistance to mental attacks
Swashbuckler
 2
 -
 -
 1
 Can occasionally catch hostile missiles out of the air
Mystic
 1
 2
 -
 -
 Automatically senses the presence of nearby magical items and creatures
Monk
 1
 -
 2
 -
 Increased resistance to poison and disease
Assassin
 1
 -
 -
 2
 Reduced accuracy penalties for targeted attacks
Sorceror
 -
 2
 1
 -
 Rapid HP regeneration
Conjurer
 -
 2
 -
 1
 All summoning spells have reduced casting and maintenance costs
Enchanter
 -
 1
 2
 -
 Bonus to power of created scrolls
Illusionist
 -
 1
 -
 2
 Learns Psychomancy at a rate of 3.0; casts Psychomancy-based spells with lower MP cost
Friar
 -
 -
 2
 1
 Increased resistance to necromantic attacks
Missionary
 -
 -
 1
 2
 Character's hostile words and actions cause less hostility than normal
Druid
 1
 1
 1
 -
 Receives bonuses in combat when outdoors
Ninja
 1
 1
 -
 1
 Reduced penalties in darkness or when blinded
Inquisitor
 1
 -
 1
 1
 Increased resistance to energetic magic
Alchemist
 -
 1
 1
 1
 Bonus to power of created potions

Table II: Skill Progression Rates for Character Classes
Class
 Melee
 Missile
 Vital
 Energetic
 Physical
 Stealth
 Tools
 Conversation
Fighter
 1.5
 1.2
 0.7
 0.5
 0.6
 0.8
 1.0
 1.0
Mage
 0.5
 0.7
 1.0
 1.5
 1.2
 1.0
 1.2
 0.8
Healer
 0.8
 0.5
 1.5
 1.0
 1.0
 1.0
 1.0
 1.2
Rogue
 1.0
 1.2
 0.6
 0.8
 1.0
 1.5
 1.2
 1.2
Gladiator
 2.0
 1.5
 0.5
 0.3
 0.4
 0.6
 1.0
 0.9
Wizard
 0.3
 0.4
 1.2
 2.0
 1.5
 1.0
 1.4
 0.6
Medic
 0.6
 0.3
 2.0
 1.0
 1.2
 0.8
 0.8
 1.3
Scout
 1.0
 1.4
 0.5
 0.7
 1.2
 1.6
 1.5
 1.5
Ranger
 1.5
 1.5
 0.8
 1.2
 1.3
 1.3
 1.2
 1.0
Crusader
 1.6
 1.0
 1.3
 0.7
 1.0
 0.6
 0.9
 1.3
Cutthroat
 1.5
 1.5
 0.7
 0.7
 0.9
 1.6
 1.2
 1.0
Sage
 0.5
 0.3
 1.5
 1.5
 1.5
 1.0
 1.3
 1.0
Trickster
 0.9
 1.2
 0.8
 1.2
 1.5
 1.4
 1.5
 1.6
Pilgrim
 1.0
 1.0
 1.6
 1.0
 1.1
 1.3
 1.1
 1.4
Berserker
 3.0
 1.8
 0.2
 0.1
 0.2
 0.3
 0.8
 0.7
Warlock
 0.1
 0.2
 1.4
 3.0
 1.6
 1.0
 1.5
 0.4
Thaumaturge
 0.5
 0.1
 3.0
 1.2
 1.5
 0.6
 0.7
 1.5
Spy
 1.0
 1.5
 0.4
 0.6
 1.6
 2.5
 2.0
 2.5
Champion
 2.2
 1.8
 0.7
 1.6
 1.3
 0.8
 1.0
 1.2
Paladin
 2.4
 1.5
 1.5
 0.8
 1.0
 0.5
 0.7
 1.8
Swashbuckler
 2.2
 2.0
 0.4
 0.5
 1.2
 0.9
 1.2
 1.6
Mystic
 1.5
 1.0
 0.9
 2.4
 1.4
 1.0
 1.0
 0.6
Monk
 1.6
 0.8
 2.2
 1.0
 1.1
 1.3
 0.8
 1.0
Assassin
 1.8
 2.5
 0.3
 0.5
 0.9
 2.0
 2.2
 0.9
Sorceror
 0.2
 0.3
 1.9
 2.5
 1.3
 0.7
 1.1
 0.5
Conjurer
 0.3
 0.5
 1.0
 2.4
 1.6
 1.1
 1.3
 1.4
Enchanter
 0.3
 0.2
 2.3
 1.7
 1.8
 0.9
 1.2
 1.0
Illusionist
 0.5
 0.9
 0.6
 2.0
 2.0
 1.5
 1.7
 1.9
Friar
 0.9
 1.1
 2.5
 1.2
 1.6
 1.5
 1.3
 1.4
Missionary
 1.0
 1.4
 1.8
 0.9
 1.5
 1.2
 1.4
 2.0
Druid
 1.5
 1.2
 1.7
 1.7
 1.7
 1.3
 0.8
 0.7
Ninja
 1.7
 2.0
 0.3
 1.9
 2.2
 1.8
 1.6
 0.5
Inquisitor
 1.5
 1.9
 1.6
 0.1
 1.9
 1.6
 0.8
 1.5
Alchemist
 0.5
 0.7
 1.6
 1.6
 2.5
 1.2
 2.5
 0.5