This is a guide for the RPG Class series that I have been working on. The series takes inspiration from a variety of RPGs that I'm familiar with, and it serves as a big source of improvement as well as enjoyment for me. I figured I'd make this journal to organize and expand on all the bits of general information provided in the descriptions of each picture. On a side note, I've been tweaking a lot of the older pictures in the series- as well as some descriptions- and I'll probably continue to do that as I progress through the series, as I want to maintain the same level of quality throughout the project.

Class List:

Basic Classes:

Novice
Warrior
Mage
Archer
Rogue
Scholar
Mercenary
Knight
Magic Knight
Cavalier
Priest
Shaman
Battle Mage
Gunner
Shadow
Saboteur
Monk
Poet
Craftsman

Advanced Classes:

Berserker
Fire Sage
Water Sage
Sniper
Assassin
Tactician
Hero
Guardian
Spellblade
Templar
Paladin
Bishop
Necromancer
Sorcerer
Crusader
Marksman
Ninja
Bandit
Trickster
Yudansha
Bard
Machinist
Demon Warrior
Wind Sage
Earth Sage
Ranger
Ronin
Medic
Maverick
Vanguard
Dark Knight
Druid
Arcanist
War Mage

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So what sort of RPG would these classes be in? I haven't thought much about that, since I'm not actually making a game. But in my head, when thinking about this question, I think of Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, one of my favorite games. In terms of setting, I think that would be the closest match as well.
There are a few different aspects to the classes that imply some consistent game mechanics. I'd like to expand on some of the major ones- characters, parties, classes, stats, elements, status effects, weapons, combos, terrain, range and positioning, targeting, and items.

Characters
The pictures for the classes have been drawn with a character creation aspect in mind. You would have some control of your character's strengths and weaknesses beyond those of your class. Additionally, you would be able to choose the gender and race of your class, both of which would have no impact on your abilities or class choices. The races are humans, elves, dark elves, and beastfolk (with varying levels of animal characteristics).

Parties
Characters fight in a party, and they fight against other parties. The abilities of each class were devised with a party of five in mind, although four or six would work as well.

Classes
All characters start out as Novices. As they grow, they can choose one of five basic classes: Warrior, Mage, Archer, Rogue, and Scholar. After gaining experience, they can become a more powerful advanced class.
There are also alternative basic classes, which are offshoots of the five main basic classes. These serve slightly different roles from the main ones and act as segue to different advanced classes.
Some advanced classes can be accessed by multiple basic classes. The preceding class has a slight impact on the advanced class's stat distribution.

Stats
There are 11 numerical stats that each character possesses- Health, Mana, Attack, Magic, Defense, Resistance, Speed, Accuracy, Evasion, Critical Hit Rate, and Luck.

Health - The amount of damage a character can take before they fall in battle.
Mana - Your character's capacity to use magic and skills.
Attack - Physical attack power. Targets Defense.
Magic - Magical attack power. Targets Resistance.
Defense - Reduces damage taken from physical attacks.
Resistance - Reduces damage taken from magical attacks.
Speed - Determines how fast your character moves.
Accuracy - Determines the odds of your attack connecting with the target.
Evasion - Determines the odds of avoiding an opponent's attack.
Critical Hit Rate - Determines the odds of your attack dealing increased damage.
Luck - Increases the chances of luck based skills succeeding. Also slightly affects accuracy, evasion, and critical hit rate.

There are two blanket terms I use that each refer to two stats:
Agility - Speed and Evasion
Dexterity - Accuracy and Critical Hit Rate

In addition to the numerical stats, each character possesses certain levels of resistance/weakness to individual elements and status effects. These levels exist in a scale of nine degrees, ranging from immunity to full vulnerability. These levels cannot change through experience, but they can be altered temporarily using skills.

Elements
Many attacks and classes are associated with certain elements. Elemental attacks and skills are affected by the target's weakness or resistance to that particular element. There are a total of eight elements- Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Ice, Lightning, Dark, and Light. The first six are considered base elements, while Dark and Light are considered divine elements.

Status Effects
Like elements, many classes make use of status effects. The success rate of status effects is affected by Accuracy, Luck, and in the case of magic-based skills, Magic. It is also affected by the target's evasion and their resistance or weakness to the particular status effect. A character can be subject to multiple status effects, but all status effects wear off over time.

Berserk - Increases attack, but prevents the use of skills.
Blind- Reduces accuracy and critical hit rate to a fourth of their original stats.
Confuse - Causes attacks and skills to target a random ally or enemy.
Curse - Causes random status effects and stat drops.
Doom - Calls forth the reaper to either instantly kill or deal major damage to an enemy. Takes a little time for the effect to kick in.
Freeze - Reduces speed and evasion to a fourth of their original stats. Prevents the target from performing combos.
Halt - Prevents the target from taking an action until it wears off. Also reduces evasion to zero. Wears off more quickly than other status effects.
Haunt - Increases susceptibility to status effects and may paralyze with fear. Cannot be dispelled.
Immobilize - Prevents the target from moving, but still allows them to attack and use certain skills. Reduces evasion to a fourth of its original stat.
Paralyze - May prevent the target from taking an action.
Petrify - Doubles defense, but prevents the target from taking any action. Lasts longer than other status effects.
Poison - Steadily damages the target. There are multiple degrees of poison.
Silence - Prevents the target from using magic or skills that require a voice.
Sleep - Prevents the target from taking an action until they're attacked or until it wears off. Also reduces evasion to zero.

Weapons
Some classes have multiple options for their weapon of choice. For a few classes, this can offer distinct advantages depending on the situation. However, in most cases it serves only as an aesthetic preference. As there are many weapon types and each class uses them in their own way, I won't get into the specific qualities of each weapon. That said, there are a few broad rules of thumb regarding weapon choices.
- Heavy weapons slightly hinder speed, but offer extra power, while light weapons do the opposite.
- Melee weapons are generally stronger than ranged weapons.
- Bows lose their effectiveness at close range.
- Bows are effective against flying classes.
- Lances are somewhat effective against mounted classes.
- Staves offer extra mana and magic power, while maces increase the chances of inflicting status effects.
- Scrolls increase the health of summoned creatures or spirits.

Combos
Combos are a string of attacks performed in one action. Combos can usually only be performed by using certain skills, although a character equipped with two weapons can perform two-hit combos regularly. Each attack becomes weaker as the combo's length increases. Stats are applied to individual attacks in a combo, rather than the combo itself. For example, in a two-hit combo, one attack might connect and the other might miss.

Terrain
Several classes make use of the environment. Of course, since I'm not working with a concrete setting, I can't really expand on all the different sorts of terrain there might be. But I'd like to give a little info on some of the terrain I've established when designing the different classes.

Plain Terrain - Slightly increases the speed of mounted classes.
Forested Terrain - Slightly increases evasion.
Desert Terrain - Slightly lowers speed and accuracy.
Watery Terrain - Slightly lowers speed. Increases the power of water-based skills.
Rocky Terrain - Slightly lowers speed. Increases the power of earth-based skills.
Snowy Terrain - Slightly lowers speed. Increases the power of ice-based skills.

There are a few general rules regarding terrain-
All rogue-type classes are immune to any terrain's speed penalties, while mounted classes are generally more vulnerable to them.
All archer-type classes are immune to any terrain's accuracy penalties.
Flying classes are not affected by terrain.

Range and Positioning
Positioning and Range play a role in battle, but I haven't developed the extent of these aspects since it would imply whether I'm aiming for a turn based, real-time or tactics based game, which is something I want to avoid. Characters are allowed at least some sort of movement on the battlefield. Ranged attackers can hit an opponent regardless of positioning, but a melee attacker must approach an opponent to hit them.

Targeting
Targeting is an important function in many RPGs, so I feel like it's a concept that needs to be addressed. However, it tends to work differently depending on the style of the game. For example, in a traditional turn based RPG, you have to select a target in order to perform an action. However, in a real time RPG, targeting might not be a factor at all. It's a tricky thing to make mention of targeting while still leaving room for imagination. There are two points I can make on how targeting would work in the game this series would take place in. The first is that targeting does play a large role. If you want to land a single-target attack or skill, you will want to have a target. Now, whether or not targeting is a necessary function, as in a turn based RPG, I will leave open to interpretation. The second point is that an ally can attack another ally if and only if that ally is the specific target. In a similar manner, an ally can buff or heal an enemy if they are the main target, but an enemy won't be buffed or healed if they weren't specifically targeted.

Items
Items can be used during battle. A party has an inventory that is shared between all party members. The inventory can only store a limited amount of items, and each item takes up a different amount of space; generally, high quality items take up more space.

There are two item types:

Curative - Items that restore either health or mana (or both), as well as status restoring items and items that revive a fallen ally. Generally, mana restoring items take up more space than health restoring items.

Offensive - Items that deal damage to an opponent.