Geronimo

Ironbreakers: "To strike an Ironbreaker is to strike an anvil. You are more likely to re-shape your weapon than to move him… and heavens forbid one lands on you..."
- High King Thorgrim Grudgebearer

The Ironbreaker is the quintessential dwarf – gruff, quarrelsome and taciturn. He is also your best friend on the field of battle, as any blow struck against his allies is a Grudge that is guaranteed to be repaid in kind. Equipped with his famed gromril armor, and practicing his elite weapon craft, he is a steadfast defender. This dwarf is proof against even the most powerful attacks, standing by his allies and ensuring their safety amidst the swirling chaos of battle. It is said that there are few warriors in the world who can boast they are as tough as an Ironbreaker, and none that can prove it.

The Ironbreaker Specialty
Nobody holds a grudge like a Dwarf, and no dwarf is dwarfier than the Ironbreaker. Every blow struck against him or his allies serves to fuel his ardor. This in turn influences his every action – the greater the grudge born against a particular foe, the greater the effect of the Ironbreaker’s attacks. The means by which the Ironbreaker exacts justice vary according to his choice of attacks, but one thing is constant: The only escape from his vengeance is death!

Playing as an Ironbreaker
As an Ironbreaker, your goal is to get between your friends and your foes and use your defensive abilities to absorb and deflect attacks. If you can’t immediately claim a foe’s attention, your grudge bonuses begin to make you a problem foes can’t ignore as you grow more and more potent in your defense of your allies. Obviously, Ironbreakers truly shine in groups but even solo they are quite capable as long as they can get close enough to wear down foes with their axe or hammer.

Fighting Ironbreakers
Fighting an Ironbreaker calls for some tough choices: do you try to wear away the anvil or do you attack his friends and hope that the anvil doesn’t fall on your head? The best approach is probably to remove the Ironbreaker through magic and ranged attacks, aiming to eliminate him before he can bring his power to bear. Barring that, a concentrated melee attack on the Ironbreaker may be your only hope to avoid creating an indestructible melee monster that knows your name and holds a grudge for a very long time.

The Ironbreaker Look:
#Fully armored in heavy Gromril armor (shiny and ornate)
# Uses large heavy duty shields (elaborate and well crafted)
# Wields an axe or a hammer (also in the fancy dwarfen style)


Hammerer: “Never tell a Hammerer that it’s the hammer doing all the work. They have views on that sort of nonsense… the kind of views that also involve your kneecaps …”
- Sveltbar, Veteran Ironbreaker

“Take a rock, say as tall as a dwarf, and roll it down a mountain side. Now imagine it with a beard and a hammer, and you’ve almost got the idea of a Hammerer.”
- Johondor, Dwarf Storyteller

When it comes to heavy blunt objects size matters, and that thought is the driving force behind the Hammerer’s choice of weapons. His job is to bash things good and solid, and in keeping with a Dwarf’s nature he’s selected the best tool for the job: the great hammer. With weapon firmly in hand there are few more deadly melee opponents to be found on any field of battle, and fewer still that can hope to match the Hammerer’s combination of skill, tenacity, and sheer momentum. Though he is not so well protected as the more defensive Ironbreaker, this limitation is offset by the killing power he wields.

Hammerer Specialty
The Hammerer is aptly named on account of his owning a very, very big hammer. While some will tell you that it’s size that matters, any Dwarf will tell you it’s how you swing it that really counts. When a Hammerer gets going there's just no stopping him, and the longer the fight lasts the stronger and faster he becomes. Momentum builds as the Hammerer attacks, and as it accumulates he can strike stronger and stronger blows. However, his most powerful blows can start to slow him down, reducing his momentum upon impact. For the Hammer, the devastating power of these blows makes this loss of momentum a price worth paying. As long as there are more foes to fight, he can begin to build up his momentum again.

Playing as a Hammerer
As a Hammerer your job is relatively simple: Hit things hard! Your strength will grow the longer the fight runs, so your best tactics put you in battle quickly and focus on dropping a single foe. However, it’s important that you plan ahead within the fight. When your enemy falls to your hammer you must keep your momentum going or risk losing it. This means you must always be on the lookout for another target to engage even as you break out of your current fight. Playing a Hammerer is straightforward but challenging – place the right blows at the right time on the right target and you will emerge victorious.

Fighting the Hammerer
A Hammerer can be a deadly and daunting foe, but as with any enemy he has his vulnerabilities. Being a Dwarf, he is tough and reasonably well armored. However, his primary concern is offense which presents you with the option of matching it with the same. Deploying a tank against him may also be a good choice, especially one whose specialization will help avoid the Hammerer’s powerful but deliberate attacks. In either case, you must try to break the Hammerer’s momentum through cleaver tactics and agile movement or he will tear your group members apart one after another.




Hammerer Look
# Well armored in medium weight armor (decorated with dwarfen motifs)
# Wears imposing and elaborate open face helms (with continuing dwarfen motifs)
# Wields a massive great hammer (powerfully designed and decorated)


Runepriest: This is the las’ time I’m goin’ to say this – runes are NO’ magic! Magic is fer silly buggers in robes and poin’y ‘ats! Do you see a poin’y ‘at on me lad?”
– Grumhilde, Venerable Rune Sage



Dwarfs don’t go in for magic. Like so many things embraced by humans and their allies it’s just much too new-fangled and unreliable, at least from the Dwarfen point of view. Now runes on the other hand, that’s a whole different story. Runes have an old power. Their carving is a ritual so refined that the results are as expected as rocks rolling down hill. The keepers of this art are the Runepriests, adepts and sages who spend their lives learning the language of runes. With their craft they can create effects of stunning power, accosting their foes with the power of the earth itself. They can also harden their allies against the most damaging of attacks, and heal their wounds.

Runepriest Specialty
In a world where magic is commonplace, it may seem that the Runepriest’s powers are unremarkable. However, his runes offer something unique and powerful – the ability to bind a rune to an object or creature to await a trigger which will unleash its power. A rune-marked blade burns as it strikes, a rune-marked breastplate hardens against a killing blow, and rune-marked flesh awaits only a word of command before releasing its healing energies. By marking his allies prior to battle, the Runepriest is free to join the fight where and when he is needed, be it shaping further runes of power, or entering the thick of the fight with rune staff in hand. It is important to note that runes retain their power even after the Runepriest expires.

Playing as a Runepriest
Preparation is critical to your success as a Runepriest, as is developing a keen sense of timing and coordination. You can use your runes to protect your friends and enhance their powers (even placing some of the runes’ effects under the subject’s control), but their strength wanes quickly upon use and you must be ready to reinforce them as needed. Advance preparation makes it easier for you to split your attention between supporting your friends, and assaulting your foes. This division of duty is absolutely necessary in battle. Focusing purely on offense will leave your group mates without support after a short time. Conversely, playing purely a support role will rob your group of a rune-enhanced warrior of significant power.

Fighting Runepriests
A Runepriest can be a difficult foe to defeat. The powerful runes he can lay on himself and his equipment can make him a mighty warrior who is exceptionally difficult to slay. However, his abilities are primarily defensive or supporting in nature. In a group environment, it is wiser to leave the Runepriest for later and go after the heavy damage dealers or tanks first. They pose a more direct threat and, if ignored, are likely to tear you apart before you are able to work through the Runepriest’s defenses and healing powers.




Rune Priest Look
# Well armored in medium, rune-inscribed armor
# Wields an ornately carved rune staff
# Marks all his equipment with runes of power and protection


Engineer: “Alright lad, now just pull here, twist, ratchet it down like so – don’t forget to keep counting here, because you’ve got to get to the last bit before you get to five – and then throw it.”
– Grom Goldcrank, Journeyman Engineer




An explosion is the ultimate form of mechanical advantage, so it’s no big surprise that the skills of the Dwarf Engineer extend well along these lines. From guns to grenades, he is a deadly ranged combatant who will pelt you with lead from afar and blast you to bits as you close in. He excels when fighting multiple opponents, as many of his explosive attacks are capable of devastating enemies who pack too closely together. The Engineer offers an outstanding blend of flexible firepower which makes him a truly deadly and clever combatant.

Engineer Specialty
The only thing more deadly than a simple bomb is a complicated one, or at least that’s the way an Engineer sees things. Using nothing more than the odds and ends they have at hand, Engineers can create a broad variety of useful objects with various purposes and functions. Some of them are even safe enough to give to others. From grenades of various types to mechanical weapon upgrades, the engineer and his allies can use these devices to significantly enhance or supplement their own combat power.

Playing as an Engineer
As an Engineer, the heart of your job is to rain destruction on the heads of your enemies. Like other ranged combatants, you prefer to avoid the frontline. However, unlike most other ranged classes, you reach the peak of your power at a relatively short range. You must maneuver wisely, positioning yourself so that you can strike at your target without exposing yourself to their attacks. You are a capable melee fighter, and you can strike at extended range, but your best attacks – grenades, blunderbusses, artillery bombardment, and more – require a closer position.

Fighting the Engineer
Perhaps the best way to deal with an Engineer is to fight him from afar. If you can effectively out damage him at long range he will be at a serious disadvantage. If you must get in close, be prepared to kill him quickly. Unlike most other ranged attackers, the Engineer loses little in terms of effectiveness in close quarters. He is certainly more vulnerable than a career designed to engage in melee, but this vulnerability does not make him easy meat.





Engineer Look
# Encased in light weight armor (loaded for bear with tools and widgets)
# Armed to the teeth with guns and grenades (and assorted other gadgets)
# Wields spanners and engineering hammers in melee

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