I wanted to come up with a Warrior variant with some of the good features of Amazons -- decent role playing aspect, challenging from the very start to the first dot and beyond, and restrictions that become less harsh with time. While there are some truly excellent Warrior classes, many fail to go beyond a hack and slash mentality, or delve deep into the sorcery end of things.

Revision 2: new Summary of rules is provided at the end, several points clarified, small changes to the shrine hunt and gargoyle hunt to avoid getting 'stuck', full plate and towers banned, more freedom to use Bastard swords, and opening up the class to the rogue and sorcerer classes]

Class: Warrior is typical, but Rogues and Sorcerers may now be Goths
Tag: (GOTH)

Background: At the end of the period of the Dark Lord of Terror's first reign, several nations banded together under the Gothic flag to oppose and defeat him. In the current reign of terror, several tribes and individuals with Gothic roots again take up the fight...

Features: The Gothic warrior seeks to train himself to become master of all forms of combat, to strengthen his body and hone his mind. The restrictions and play will change with time, ultimately leading to a Warrior with few remaining restrictions, but with some nice high level quests and challenges.

Gothic Characteristics:
1. Excellence in Combat
2. Love of Change
3. Love of Nature
4. Disturbed Imagination
5. Obstinacy or Rigidity
6. Generosity
Note: these six characteristics are based on John Ruskin's "The Nature of Gothic," in describing, of all things, Victorian Architecture. The Gothic period began in France in the 1200's, in the height of the Middle Ages, as the Dark Ages were becoming a faded memory and Europe was moving towards the Crusade period. It had tremendous effects on architecture and art, as well as the art of war. Long before this, Germanic tribes known as Goths or Vizigoths were keen warriors and helped defeat the Roman Empire and bring on the Dark Ages. )

There are two types of Goths, who get along very well but choose slightly different paths. The typical Goth, sometimes called the Ostrogoth, prefers a neutral to +light radius, and covets the Royal Circlet and Dreamflange. The Vizigoth prefers a touch of stealth and mystery, and proudly wears the Gotterdamerung and Doombringer. (more on this below) Finding a Gothic Stormshield is special, see Gothic Master below.

|| Optional Quests || Gothic Orders || Warrior Quest ||

Training and Restrictions: There are 8 phases in the Goth's training Unless otherwise specified, goals completely early (except killing Diablo) do not have to be re-done for new quests.

I. Gothic Initiate
Although not of common birth, blood alone does not decide who shall lead. Even future kings must learn how the commoners live, fight, and die. The first test is in some ways the harshest, for if the Initiate fails, he may not become a Gothic Leader.

Wpns: Club, Dagger, Short Sword, Short/Long/Hunter Bow
Armor: Rags, Cloak, Cape, Robe, Cap; Buckler
Spells: any may be read (if able), but none used yet
Restrictions: no potions/scrolls yet, nor magic items
Note- Speed/Haste weapons, and Warrior, Soldier, Lord, Knight, Master, Champion, and King weapons are restricted. See the later stages for when these are lifted (order is more RPG than by item quality). Crown is also special.
Purpose: to learn both caution and patience
Goal: Clear levels 1 and 2 of church, and kill the Butcher Holy Bolt must also be learned to progress to Seeker
Special: If the Initiate should die, his career is over before it begins
Tips: Pepin may be visited as needed, and the bow is a good bet for Butcher

II. Gothic Seeker
The seeker must learn the role of a proper combination of faith, pride, and self-reliance. The Holy Bolt and blunt weapons must be mastered.

Wpns: any blunts found
Armor: light armor, no mail or plate; all caps; buckler, small & large shield Spells: Heal, Heal Other, Holy Bolt, Town Portal may be used (others may be learned)
Scrolls: Any spell that can be cast may be used from a scroll at any time. Spells which are never 'cast' may be used freely (ID, res, etc.)
Restrictions: potions and magic items may now be used. Fine and sharp weapons allowed. Adria and Griswold may not be visited. Repair your own gear, horde blue pots. At least 1 pt to magic per lvlup.
Goal: Skeleton King Leoric must be killed using holy bolts ONLY. Two other skeleton bosses must first be killed using holy bolts. Three of the four following shrines must be found: Abandoned, Quiet, Creepy, Eerie
Tip: Do not take on what you're not ready for. Use the opportunity to learn spells

III. Gothic Protector
The value of defense cannot be ignored. The protector learns to use armor and shield to his advantage, as well as defensive magiks, and tactics.

Wpns: 1H sword (up to Broad Sword)
Armor: light armor, mail, and breast plate; all but full/great helm; shield (up to Kite) reqd
Spells: Telekinesis, Fire Wall, Phasing, Mana Shield *must* be learned to progress and may now be used
Restrictions: townsfolk may be visited freely from now on. at least 1pt to Dex per lvlup
Goal: The protector must find or buy the spells listed above, and use at least once in a dangerous situation. He must find (not buy) magical mail (ring, chain, scale, splint). He must also kill Nightwing the Cold, the Gargoyle boss on dlvl 7 (Special: Foulwing has slain Dreadwing the Electric, who was boss of both familiars and Winged Demon. He may be slain and used either to satisfy the gargoyle requirement for Protector, OR Soldier, but not both. This was added to avoid getting 'stuck' when you can't find a certain boss)
Special: the 'Protector' may be used and is highly valued in this stage If the Holy Defender shield is found, he may use it to shield bash and kill a boss to pass this stage early. This is taken as a sign of divine favor.
Tip: the cats are the realm of the protector, and their libraries his friend try hard to find or get +magic items, for learning spells

IV. Gothic Soldier
Sometimes the best defense is a good offense. Just how good will now be learned. The Gothic fascination with Gargoyles becomes more evident in this phase

Wpns: any 2H wpn (including bow). (Since he likes to master different weapons, an axe or maul is strongly preferred over sword this phase)
Armor: light armor, any mail, breast and regular plate; all helms but great helm and crown; no shield
Spells: Charged Bolt, Lightning, Firebolt, Flame Wave, Flash may now be used as well
Restrictions: At least +1 pt STR per lvlup. Out of +to-hit/+dmg weapons, this is the first title that allows a military, with "Soldiers" weapons now allowed in addition to Fine and Sharp. Normal Goths tend to avoid vampire weapons, while Dark Goths tend to avoid 'Blood' (a preference, not firm rule)
Goal: learning to hit and to hit hard is crucial. To progress, the Soldier must -- i) find any Gold piece of jewelry. The first one found will be worn until a Knight ii) a +damage axe must be found or bought (eg Gore, Savage, Soldier...), such that his max dmg is >=60 (on char. screen). He will likely be using this weapon. iii) Kill Goldblight of the Flame [Blood Claw, dlvl 10] and Viletouch [Death Wing, 12] (If Foulwing and Nightwing were both slain, only one of these new bosses must be slain to 'progress', but do not fail to check for them in new deeper games until they too have tasted your sword or axe) If possible, lighting and fire should be a key part of those kills, respectively
Special: a unique axe or maul is ideal, if one if _found_ by the Soldier _during_ this quest, he may pass this stage early as long as one of the 2 winged bosses is killed

V. Gothic Crusader
Now comes the time to enter the depths of Hell itself, and to put together the skills he has learned. He will learn to use and face greater magiks and the power of mythical beasts.

Wpns: special for quest monsters, otherwise, any (Bastard Sword now allowed)
Armor: up to Field Plate (ie not Gothic or Full); all helms; shields up to Kite Crown is special. Typically, only the King wears a crown (royal), but if a Crusader or greater kills a Hell boss who drops a crown, he may choose to wear it (considered a victor's crown, not royal crown). However, if he does, it commits him to taking on the Champion Quest.
Spells: Fireball, Chain Lightning, Elemental, Blood Star
Restrictions: A Goth must be a Crusader or higher to use Warrior's weapons At least +1 pt per level to Vit
Special: Dark Goths may now wear Gotterdamerung and Doombringer. Normal Goths may already wield Dreamflange, and can eventually wear the Royal Circlet.
Goals: to round out his training there are several goals to this key stage They center on using the right weapon for the job, and gaining resistances and magic i) kill two witch or magistrate bosses with a magic bow (Lust counts, RV/BJ do not) ii) kill a fire or lightning demon with a 2H weapon iii) kill two drake or knight bosses with 1H wpn and shield iv) develop resistances of at least 40% all with your equipment v) carry gear (equipped or in backpack) giving a +40 magic boost Finally, when these are accomplished, kill Lazarus and company, with 'style'
Tip: goal (v) need not be simulaneous with (iv), but one gold item must be worn

VI. Gothic Master
Finally, the Goth is ready to face Diablo and bring down the Lord of Terror. Additionally, he has earned the right to wear Gothic Plate and Shield.

Wpns: any
Armor: Gothic Plate now allowed and preferred (only Full Plate illegal)
Shield: Gothic Shields now allowed and preferred (Towers illegal)
Spells: Bone Spirit, Guardian, Golem, Teleport may now be used
Restrictions: Master's weapons are reserved for Goth Master or higher ranks
Special: Should the *Gothic* version of Stormshield be found at any stage by the Goth (when he is ON the level it is dropped), he is most highly favored. If he has the natural strength to wield it (80 STR), no matter his current title, he immediately carries out this phase, but instead of Gothic Master is called "Esteemed Goth"
Uniques: As there is no unique Gothic plate, treat the Demonspike Coat as Gothic for this Variant.
Goal: find a set of Gothic plate and shield, and kill Diablo wearing it The first dot must be a full clear of lvl 16. It need not be solo, but if done coop, one of the four quadrants _must_ be cleared by the Knight himself. A Serpent, Drake or Dragon item must be _found_ by the Goth, and should be worn in the battle against Diablo. Such beasts are fascinating to the Goth. On this and subsequent title dots, Diablo must be killed with 'style' (below)

VI. Gothic Knight
Finally, after getting his dot, the title of Knight is earned. Having been fully exposed to magic and the benefits of to-hit, knowledge, and resistance, is able to choose for himself what rings and amulet to wear.

Wpns and Armor: same as Master (full plate and tower only items disallowed) Again, the Gothic Plate and Shield are highly favored.
Spells: any
Restrictions: Knight's weapons are reserved for Goth Knight or higher ranks Speed weapons are likewise reserved.
Purpose: Now a veteran of combat and potential leader, the Goth must prove himself worthy of the task. Nightmare difficulty is not a phase to be rushed through or played just once. It is a proving grounds, source of spells and shrines, and elixirs.
Goals: i) max dexterity (60)
ii) kill the Butcher with your bare hands (NM) ii) be able to cast a lvl 10 holy bolt, and lvl 1 teleport, use this to kill Leo on NM
iii) clear the church and cats (NM) without return to town
iv) kill one of the gargoyle class bosses on NM difficulty
v) finally, kill Diablo on NM for second dot

VII. Gothic Lord
Just one step now from becoming King, there remain but a few tasks of honor.

Wpns, Armor, Spells: as Knight
Restrictions: Lord's weapons are reserved for Goth Lord or higher ranks. Likewise Speed and Haste weapons are reserved for Lord and King ranks.
Purpose: Several traditional Gothic Characteristics must now be demonstrated, chiefly love of nature, honor, and generosity.
Goals: i) max vitality (100)
ii) put together an outfit, including Gothic Plate and Shield, with whatever jewels and weapons and suffixes of nature, to have 500 hp
iii) help a deserving female (rogue) get her second dot
iv) donate 50,000 gold from a game on Hell difficulty to Pippin or a Cleric
v) slay one of the gargoyle-type bosses on Hell difficulty, or clear a whole lvl for each of the four winged demons
vi) go hand to hand with Diablo and emerge victorious to become Gothic King

VIII. Gothic King

Wpns, Helms: any
Armor: The King of Goths must uphold the highest standards. Although he could choose to wear Full Plate and Tower Shields he will not do so. Usually, the King alone wear crowns - see Crusader for special case.
Restrictions: the honorable king is no longer bound by restrictions, although many prefer to wear a Gold and a Dragon's jewel, and a well worn suit of Gothic armor. The Gothic King alone can use King's weapons.

Miscellanceous Guidelines:
* If at all possible, he will not leave a Gothic object on the ground, but lovingly repair it, and if potentially good, take to town to be given to another Goth or offered to Griswold so another may use. Optionally, sales of such items may be donated to a player, Pepin, or Gillian.

* Killing with style - the first time Lazarus is killed, for the title of Master, and for the title dots against Diablo, the Goth must do the deed with flair or style. No set weapon or tactic, but something he will remember. Maybe bashed to death with a Gothic shield, pure magic kill, using an axe and no armor, ginsu'd with a 2H speed weapon, or something more creative. The minions of hell, when any survivors sit around and tell what happened, should cringe when they hear of this.

* Level 12 - should be visited during games in hell section whenever possible, by taking the stairs from 13. There are several good reasons:
- Deathwing, the prime leader of your prime enemy, dwells there
- Lionskull, Witchfire and Windspawn may be holding a great Awesome Gothic Plate that belongs to you. Viperflame also resides on 12.
- Best gold jewels in the game come from dlvl 12 and 13, including Hvns and Perf

* Ostrogoths vs Vizigoths: Among the Goth Federation were a group who tended to be recluses and strong preference for the night and darkness. They were known as Vizigoths. They only joined the fight against Diablo when one of their leaders, the Vizier, was corrupted by Diablo. The Vizigoths (sometimes called the Dark Goths) had these characteristics:
- Vampire weapons not only allowed, but favored
- A love of relative darkness, with -40% l.r. if possible
- The only ones willing to wield Doombringer, Gottdamerung, but will not wear the Royal Circlet or Celestial Axe/Bow/Star.
- Bone Spirit and Blood Star may be used at any time
- The traitorous Vizier must be slain before he may become Gothic Lord
- The are loners, NOT evil. Coop fine with Ostrogoths and all others. Instead think of Batman as the Vizigoth type, a a noble and good but dark hero

Optional Quests:
The Gothic Tribulation Quest -
After becoming a Knight, and every 5 lvls afterwards, the Goth may undergo a special quest to prove his valor and increase his endurance. In this, he faces several of his worst Nightmares..
- The Black Plague: a level full of Black Deaths must be cleared; no shield or magic
- The Pagan Goat Bane: a full clear of all Goats in the cats, and using _1_ Goat Shrine
- The Lava Pits: a full clear of all dogs and winged demons in the cats, including or plus Plaguewrath and one winged boss
- Witch Fever: a full lvl of each type of jujuqueen must be killed, as follows: Succubus by shield bash; Snow Witches by fire; Hell Spawn by magic/lightning; and Soulies by 2H wpn. Do you dare do this with 0% resists? Titles depend on difficulty: Gothic Hunter, Hero, Legend on Normal, NM, Hell

The Trial of Corruption and the Gothic Dreadjudge -
When a Goth finds an item of corruption, it is no trivial matter. It is taken by some in the community as a foul omen, and his honor is questioned. Others believe this is pure superstition, but there is just one way to find out and to exonerate himself - the Gothic Streak. Below the title of Master few take notice, and usual BNM streak rules apply- dive into dungeon wielding just the corruption item and after you die, it must be retreived successfully. For a Goth Master or later, he must equip the corruption item, then any Gothic Shield and/or Plate (if the item is not armor), along with his jewels. Difficulty level should be the same one the corruption item is found in. He must enter the church and dive, not swinging a weapon or casting magic other than pots or healing (strictly optional), unless a creature is blocking his path to the stairs. He must recover all his items after he dies, or face being shunned and stripped of rank by his community. If he succeeds he is held fully innocent. If the Goth makes it to the chamber of Lazarus, the nature of the quest takes a turn. He may attack Laz and the other bosses, and go after Diablo using the corrupt and Gothic gear. Clearly, no trips to town at any point during this trial. (If the found item *IS* Gothic, he has no choice but to go after Diablo, but may wield a weapon of his choice, appropriate for his rank) Once Laz is dead, his guilt is proven false. He can now cast spells, including Telekinesis, and may press on to Diablo. If successful, he receives an immediate promotion and the title 'Gothic Dreadjudge'. No more will smirches on his honor be given any credence, the father of corruption and lies, Dreadjudge the Magistrate, becomes his mortal enemy, and once he slays Dreadjudge he becomes a Gothmog. (should this foe be slain IN the game where the trial occurs, he receives two promotions, Gothic Commander, and is called the Supreme Gothic Dreadjudge).

Gothic Champion -
There is more to being King that combat ability or age. To fight, one must fight. But to actually lead, requires a leader. Thus the toughest struggle in a combat sense is not the ultimate test, nor does a simple third dot make a Goth a King. Along this road, some choose to prove themselves among the most proficient in melee, and seek an appointment as the King's Champion. As such, it requires brawn, might, and armor. As such, only Gothic Knights, and Lords may attempt this quest, and they must have STR and VIT of at least 80, and max DEX of 60. The sole goal is to go 3@30, defeating Diablo on Hell difficulty. The quest must be done solo, with Restarts in Town allowed. A "Champion" is called when the King's Page, Wirt, announces an opening and provides a weapon suitable for the task, a Champion's weapon. This should be bought by the Knight, and used along with his best Gothic Plate and Shield, and a Great Helm or Crown found by the Goth himself, will comprise his gear for the quest. Should the Champion (for that is what he is tentatively called) succeed, he may keep the title and the use of the weapon. If he levels up early, it is no disgrace, but he is intead called Guard, and may never use Champion items. If he fails in his attempt, he will never be more than a Knight!

Gothic Raid -
This is meant for four variant warriors, not just Goths. Character lvls may vary widely. At least one should have good teleport capabilities. It is a timed game to kill as many bosses as possible. Each goes to one of the four entrances, and at the word 'Go' have 15 minutes to kill all bosses in their section. Anyone done early may help out in another section. The items kept/recovered in the Raid include all unique items, plus any items special for the variant types (Snobs=uniques, Goths= Gothic plate and shield, Cleric/Pal=potentially good blunts, etc) If possible with the player mix, take the section where your most hated enemies dwell, whether BD's, gargoyles, demons... Cavaliers, Pirates, Paladins, SNOBs, as well as Goths should find a Raid quite in-character, although each will have a different reason for it :P

Gothmog - a Quest for Mastery of Gothic Wizardry
- Named after the Captain of Balrogs himself, a master of melee/magic attack, this quest is not unlike the Amazon Spellbinder series. A Gothic Knight or higer who has maxed Magic (50) is eligible to attempt the quest.
- In some lands, only Gothmogs (those ON the quest as well as those who have been successful) are allowed to use the following items: TC, Naj's Light Plate, Dreamflange, Wizardspike, Aquinara's Hatchet, Mindcry, as well as Dragon's and 'of Wizardry' jewels. (ie, this is an optional rule if you want to 'earn' this magelike gear)
- Hell is entered, with magic being the mode of operation. Diablo must be killed, as well as any Balrog-class creatures. If a Balrog boss is met, the Goth should exchange blow for blow, and spell for spell with the fire demon. (This is the only time a weapon is used to do damage)
- Normal, NM or Hell difficulty may be chosen, with titles received: Gothmog, Gothmog Elite, Gothmog Commander.

Gothic Gargoyle Crusade -
Sometimes fate dictates the coronation of a new king just slightly early, when dire circumstances arise. An aspiring Lord should be at least 32, with VIT at least 85,and completed some of the required tasks. A team of such Goth Lords must take arms against a Gargoyle invasion, and slay every boss in the dungeon. One or more shall come up from 5, and one more more down from 13 and 12, to surround Nightwing (7), Goldblight (10) and Viletouch (12). If one is found and slain, the mission is an auspicious success. No levels need be cleared _except_ on those where a Goth falls. Press on then, in spite of Hellish difficulty, to face Diablo. The Goth Lords will suit up in their very highest hp gear, to reach or come near 500 hp. Any so brave and strong as to defeat Diablo do that day become reigning Kings... This cooperative quest is one of high honor, and it was what was was in store for a pair of brave Goths visiting Tristam one night. Drasca~(Goth) and Gilmere(Goth) were accompanied by Charis`Cobrago and Graus[Goth] for a victorious double coronation. Soon after, Drasca led ChariSumatra and Fyre[Goth] on a similar crusade, with Sumatra leveling up on 16 to max vit and reach 502 hp.

Gothic Ambassador -
a single title, for those who have done four quests of other classes. Here is a partial list of other classes, and some samples of what they would do, since a full list would be both impractical and too restraining. General guidelines: some classes have rather different item restrictions, but no quests. Do a Hell clear on your highest comfortable difficulty setting. For others with a defining quest, see if you can do it with their rules, without breaking any of yours :) If you're daring, instead of a full Hell clear, do a 'enter the church, no visits to town, need not kill everything' game to kill Diablo. Two really good sets of 4 (even if you've never heard of the class before) are: - Viking, MAR, Ninja, Ranger - Demoniac, Mage Knight, Cavalier, Death Knight There is a whole separate page on Warrior Quests for the Ambassador-to-be.

Gothic Orders -
(by Morgane/Graus[Goth] - the first Vizigoth King) After Gothic Knight, the Goth may voluntarily choose a single Knightly Order to Join. Qualifying for a Knightly order not only gains added distinction for the Goth among his peers, but also imbues him with additional traits and abilities.

1. The Sanguine Knights are legendary for their toughness and steadfast refusal of retreat. A Sanguine Knight can be relied upon to hold ground at any cost. The nearly exclusive use of the Blood Sword is a trademark of their order. (Morgane)

Rules/effects: In action a Sanguine Knight never gives ground and operates under the same restrictions as a Holy Avenger in this regard. An exception may be made if a multiplayer party is trying a quick raid, or trying to divert monsters, or while the Knight is performing an ambassador quest. A Sanguine Knight strongly prefers to dispatch his foes by means of force, therefore he also forgoes the use of offensive spellcraft. The Sanguine Knight operates under the same strictures as a Ranger or Moor in this regard. In return for these sacrifices, the Knight may wear Full Plates and Tower Shields, although a Gothic Shield is still very preferable because of its emblem. A jewel and one other item with an animal or +life suffix must also be worn. Great value is placed on AC, hitpoints, resistance, and strength by this order. It is also customary for a Sanguine Goth to wield a sword with a Blood suffix except against opponents who flee hand to hand combat, such as Advocates, Witches, and Hidden. A Sanguine Knight blessed with a Helm of Spirits may wield any sword he wishes.

To qualify for the Sanguine Knights, the Goth must kill Lazarus with a Dagger, then leave it on the altar.

2. The Order of the Dragon are a famous order of military priests. Not content to aid in the struggle against evil from the safety of a monastery, these Warrior-priests are as well known for their skill in the healing arts, as they are for their skill on the battlefield. (Morgane)

Rules/effects: A Knight in this holy order sheds no blood, and so only uses blunt weapons. A +mana (Dragon) jewel is always worn as a symbol of the order; often this is the only jewel the Knight owns as the Order encourages Benedictine doctrine. The Order of the Dragon also does not tolerate reckless use of spiritual power. Because of this, the use of mass destruction spells such as Chain Lightning, Flamewave, and indeed any spell that may effect a general area must never be used. No value is placed on deception either; if a shield is used it is a Gothic or smaller one. This makes sure the lineage of the knight is evident. Similarly, -lightradius items and the sort of sneaky tactics they inspire are never used. Indeed, the holy Knights of this order should be seen as a beacon of hope on the field of battle. The Knights of this order also seek to help other adventurers any way they can by casting Heal Other on the wounded and by giving assistance to unfortunate travellers. A knight enrolled in the Order of the Dragon has great regard for the spell Holy Bolt and will use it as often as is practical, especially to clear out the Cathedral.

To qualify for the Order of the Dragon, a Gothic Knight must renounce his possessions, and then purify the Cathedral on Nightmare difficulty. If the Knight already possesses a Dragon Jewel he may retain it. When he is finished, he may reclaim his arms and armour. If he accepts the Benedictine truth, he must honourably dispose of his surplus equipment by giving it to another Goth, or depositing it in the churchyard at games end.

3. The Order of the Lapidary Wyrm is comprised of Goths whose homeland has been saved by the Legendary Blue Wyrm of Kronos. (Rumored to have been sent by Set) (Lapidary Wyrm Order by Charis)

Rules/effects: Their attire has a distinct blue hue to it (at least a two resist lightning items worn at any given time), and they train hard to use lightning based spells. Although they may use fire spells, they will avoid this if a lightning spell would work. Snakes and serpent items are highly favored, as well as +spell level items, to increase their magical ability. It was the Blue Wyrm of Kronos that brought the knowledge of 'Flash' to their order. Bows of Shock, Lightning Weapons, etc. are also favorites. Just as the Wyrm is strong in magic, offense, and defense, the Lapidary Goths stress versatility. They are equally happy in Church, seeking Enchanted Shrines, the Catabombs fighting Gargoyles, the Caves spewing lightning, and Hell bringing down the dark minions. (As long as a Gothic Shield is used, some go as far as wearing Sparking Mail even at high levels.)

4. The Obsidian Defense League fosters exceptional protection services to worthy adventurers on quests. They tend to focus on the ability to take high amounts of damage, teleportation for rapid aid. They will never wear less than two obsidian items, a trademark of the league. The ability to dish out damage is likewise important, and the use of Civerb's Cudgel through at least Nightmare difficulty is quite common, as is the use of Slaughter weapons. ODL members have been known to shun the use of several light colored gems, including amber and diamond. The Obsidian Lord is the mascot of the ODL, and should never be killed! (founded by ChariSponge, a Goth-Garg-Bloodguard-LoL)

- Other orders which add distinctiveess are sought! More comments from Morgane/Graus on Gothic Orders: (ziamorg@home.com) "The idea behind these orders is to add challenge to the Goth just as normal restrictions are lifted. The high contrast in the nature of the first two organizations above is also intentional. Since these orders are voluntary, it's up to the player to join. The secondary effect is to encourage multiplayer Goth parties. I view the Visigoth as a sort of order already, and in multiplay they make great harassment scouts, although I do have a knightly order in development for them. Any input on these Knightly orders, my comments on your rules changes, and really, just about any Diablo subject will be well received." Comments by Charis: Excellent idea! I would like to see other Gothic Knights send their suggestions for new orders. Another optional thought - visit a King who is a member of an existing order to receive both a task and a gift of an item appropriate for the order.

- The Quest of Essentials: from time to time each of these orders like to get down to basics, and do a run through the whole dungeon, with absolutely as minimal gear as necessary, using only defining elements of their order (eg: a blood weapon and animal jewel; a Gothic shield and dragon's jewel; or a lightning weapon and snake or serpent's jewel) to complete the run.

GOTH Rules Summary

Armor, Spells, Items, etc. are NEW ones allowed. Previously allowed ones may of course be used as well. Spells may be read at any time, but only used when listed.

GOTH Lady and GOTH Mage Differences

Note the Mage in some ways has it easier with spell power, but some aspects are harder.
Getting 400 hp to become King may be difficult, but an example setup would be:
Gothic Plate any/lion, Helm of Whale, Tiger Gothic Shield, jewels of lion and hvn+titan, or
a pair of zods. Alternately Schaefer's Hammer (+50hp), Gotter and Stormshield may be very useful.

Comments from Charis - Design Goals and Dual Classes
* Have something similar to the Amazon for Warriors, but with a smaller number of specific bosses to hunt
* Have restrictions to make first dot a challenge
* Make 3@30 possible, but not easy
* Mechanisms for restrictions to disappear at high levels
- Warrior trying for dots will have less than normal AC, restrictions on jewelry items making DEX less than perfect, no speed or haste weapons for first dot, and some trouble finding resists. But...
- The Gothic King may do (almost) anything other high level warriors can
* The Goth should get along fine with other classes
* Dual classes should be possible, including: GOTH-SNOB (using DSC/SS),
GOTH-BAR (yikes, about as tough as AMZ-BAR; Holy Bolt would be the only spell-like attack used, if any); SAVAGE-GOTH; GOTH-CLERIC or GOTH-PAL

Special thanks to Graus[Goth] (Morgane), for being an early adopter and first Vizigoth King! (and for the Vizigoth as Batman-kind of goodguy analogy!) Shortly after, Charis`Cobrago became the first Ostrogoth King, and Pioneer of the Lapidary Wyrm Order.

Key Changes in Revision 2:
- Goth Lady and Goth Mage added
- Summary Table Added
- Seeker: 3 of 4 shrines now needed, not 3 of 3 (too many got 'stuck')
- Protector/Soldier: Foulwing is considered the Boss of Winged Demons, since there is none. He is now a 'wildcard' that can be used if one of the three Gargolye bosses cannot be found. (Goth progresses, but must still at some point kill each Garg boss)
- Gargoyle Crusade Quest added
- King's series restrictions were clarifed. Yes of course Warrior's is not better than Soldier, and Knight is better than Lord, but the permission is by their rank in society, not the weapon ilvl.
- Slightly increased emphasis given to coop and dlvl 12
- Full Plate and Tower Shield are shunned, Bastard Sword is not.
Vizigoths who like Doombringer often prefer Bastards. Ostrogoths and those who realize that what the world considers second-rate (Gothic Plate and Shield, Broad Swords) may in fact be superior, tend to love the Broad Sword.

Warrior Quest
Below are some guidelines for the Gothic Ambassador Quest, although other variants who want to do something similar may find it useful... It's basically a means for one class to "wear the moccassins" of another :) The Goth seeks to improve tactical skills, and to understand his comrades on the battle field, which leads him to carry out this optional quest to give him a feel for other Warriors.

Gothic Ambassador: a single title, for those who have done four quests of other classes. Here is a partial list of other classes, and some samples of what they would do, since a full list would be both impractical and too restraining. General guidelines: some classes have rather different item restrictions, but no quests. Do a Hell clear on your highest comfortable difficulty setting. For others with a defining quest, see if you can do it with their rules, without breaking any of yours :) If you're daring, instead of a full Hell clear, do a 'enter the church, no visits to town, need not kill everything' game to kill Diablo. Two really good sets of 4 (even if you've never heard of the class before) are: - Viking, MAR, Ninja, Ranger, and - Demoniac, Mage Knight, Cavalier, Death Knight

Warrior classes with item restrictions:
Viking- Axe and maul, no plate mail. No shield. No crown unless king. Jewel- no +hp or resists (!) Spells- NONE except town portal.

Paladin - very much a way of mind too. see their list for pref/suff Generally religious and high 'quality' items. The only spells and scrolls: Healing, Heal Other, Holy Bolt, Resurrect, Identify and Town Portal

Swashbuckler - (sabre, scimitar, blade, falchion, short sword, dagger) Armor- only up to Studded leather, no spell casting.

Elitist - unique items and perfect amulet only, non-common spells only

Pirate - Armor: up to Splint Mail and Breast plate. up to Small Shield Swords weaker than a claymore, blunt only club or spiked club. Bows up to Composite. Helm: any ok, crown preferred. Items: must be 'of ...' or "xyz's" (ownership) or a rare gem (not Obs) Magic: Town Portal, Telekinesis, Phasing, Teleport

Martial Artist - karate only, no weapons, no shields. No Mail or Plate. Helm- Cap, Skull Cap, Crown only. Jewels are fine. Magic: TK, HO, Phase/Teleport, Heal, Infravision, MS, SC, TP, Golem.

Ninja - (natural for Vizigoths, but good for Ostrogoths wanting to experience combat in darkness): -80 light radius required. Equipment must be either resistance or of night/dark/vampire/zodiac/stars/moon. Great Sword is preferred weapon, or a -lr 1H (but no shield unless you HAVE to wear -lr shield to reach -80). Spells: Healing, Heal Other, Mana Shield, Teleport, Telekinetesis, Flash, Bone Spirit, Stone Curse, Phasing; Apoc,ID.

Ranger - Use a Bow, any armor/helm. Offensive spells only allowed vs adjacent creatures.

Gnoll - love steel and strength. Prefer blunt, no shield, as much +str as possible, preferably at least +50.

GFP/Sumo - Items and attitude, no real quests. A few varieties:
- Health Nut - with max vitality and lots of +vit/+hp items, get to over 600 hp, and coop with a loose cannon mage. Never complain if sprayed.
- Damage sponge - load up on -dfe (-20 preferred) and resists and do a full clear of hell with your fists :P

Variants with quests to try: (simplified here, see their rules...)

Cavalier- up to chain, no full/great helm, weapon of swiftness, maximize DEX, teleport spell req'd (for telekill and rapid movement) Do a full game, no town, as FAST as possible, including the following:
* Teleport into butch room and kill him inside room
* Kill Leo before he gets a swing off
* Kill Lazarus before his speech is finished (if not, you must instead clear all of lvl 15, for your 'sloth')
* Kill Gorash on his original spot, or before he has moved more than a single step
* optional, if you are strong enough: teleport into Diablo lair, without throwing any switches. If you can't kill, teleport out and use a more typical TK approach.

Barbarian - NO magic items, spells/scrolls, or even town portal They have several quests, but the top ones to consider (pick one):
- Barbarian Defiler: Start at level 1 and walk through level 8. Drop one mana potion at every shrine as you clear the level. Walk up the stairs on level 9.
- Barbarian Ravager: Killing all the witches in hell barehanded. You may return to town
- Barbarian Lord: Starting on level 13 and without returning to surface killing Diablo (you don't have to kill everything)
- Barbarian King: Full clear of the game without returing to town. (very tough!)

Samurai - up to Splint Mail, Great sword, a combo request reflecting the Discovery of Purpose and 'Acceptance' quests would be as follows:
- leave equipment in town for this game. Go down to church. find a shrine and pray, then cast a purifying Fire Wall, and die in it...
- Equip a 2H sword, a "Stars" item, Splint Mail, and a helm
- Fight down to lvl 15. On entering 15, you will receive a new Mortal Foe. All mortal foes on the level must be slain with the 2H sword. Even in subsequent games, you will feel destiny leading you to kill these beasts.

Holy Avenger - equipment not too restrictive, except use of blunt weapons, and +light radius (Vizigoths CAN do this to learn other side, like Ostrogoths can do Ninja.) Key point: no retreat for the game, ie you can never leave room or line of sight of opponent, or backup through a door for a better position.
Death Knight - same no retreat rule, but -lr required, at least 30% prefers plate, bastard swords. likes bone spirit and blood star (a full blue globe of the latter must be used, if known, against bosses) Gorash is a required kill.

Savage - take on The Blood Feast, if you dare.
- Start a new game, leaving all equip and pots in town. equip just ONE weapon, with strong preference to using a "Blood" weapon ("Savage" good too)
- Start in hell lvls and seek to kill all knights (sworn enemy of Savages)
- If there are no knights, the staircase down must be sought out immediately.
- No spells may be used during Blood Feast.
- When you die, return to town and pick up your equipment. Go back to the spot where you died and retrieve your sword, and check to see how many knights you have killed.
- Optional: keep trying until you become "Grand Slayer" -- killing 100 knights

Executioner - do something similar to their Ruler of Axes quest, on NM or Hell diff
- Use only an Axe and Spells, do a full clear of Hell

Mage Knight - a fellow warrior who knows the great value of magic spells I would recommend the following quest, which ties in element of the MGKT rules, Master Magician, Quest for Strength and Marathon quests. Diff should be *NM*
- Equip: as much +magic/+mana including at least 2 such jewels Plate up to field, or your Gothic Plate *if* it gives +all/+magic Wpn: any sword or staff, only blunt is Dreamflange. Shield: up to large or your Gothic shield *if* +all/+magic. No -magic uniques, no bows.
- Defeat dungeon lvls 7-10 using only spells: CB, FBolt, Lightning, Heal, Inferno
- Defeat any 4 bosses on lvl 13-15 using only spells from staff(s)
- Any elixirs found, and up to 25,000 Gold, should be given to Adria (drop)
- When ready to enter lvl 16, strip off all equip except jewels, then descend Pentagram. Run all over the level, gathering an unholy number of blood knights to you. Then go to one of the corners (N,E,S, or W) and make a stand, kill as many as you can with only magic! If you die before killing 20, round up some more and repeat.
- Re-equip, and Kill Diablo using Magic only

Tyrite - one armed warrior. 1H weapon, and only 1 ring. No shield. They *love* when they can drop a creature in a single blow. So Max your STR and choose a nice weapon before trying this. At least one of EVERY type of monster faced in Hell must be killed in a single blow in that game, on highest difficulty you can manage this. (NM) (Note: CC, lvl 33 Warrior with Max Str plus 50Str, crit hit >600pts)

Exorcist - kill any and all of the following enemies found in a Hell diff game:
- Black Deaths, dlvls 3-5. Hidden-types: dlvl 2-10. Balrog types: dlvl 12-15
- Bosses: Soulpus and Rotfeast Zombies are on lvl 2, Goretongue (Rotting Corpse) and Rotcarnage (Ghoul) are on lvl 3. Warpskull (Hidden) is on 3, Windspawn(Vortex Lord), Gorefeast and Blackskull (Balrog) is on 13.
- Optional: defile (touch and FireWall) one goat shrine, and one cauldron

Demoniac - Broadsword, one Gold jewel, and the dreaded "Quest of Retribution"
- All demon bosses in Hell must be killed, saving the boss until his posse is dead. Otherwise, hurry down to 16
- Before killing anything on lvl 16, TK switches and awaken Diablo.
- *ALL* creatures on the lvl must be killed before his eyes, (ie with Diablo on screen). Teleport, spells, are fine. Restart in town if you must. When Gorash is found, don't kill him. He will die JUST before Diablo himself does :)
- If Apoc is possible from scroll or staff, give Diablo a little taste of his own medicine.
- High dmg and blood weapon are helpful, as are fireballs.

Acknowledgements: Thanks to Graus[Goth] (Morgane), for giving me the idea to do this, with Graus' Viking adventure, posted on the Beach.