EverQuest character development

EverQuest is a class-based MMO. At character creation, players choose one of 19 races and 24 adventure classes. Any race can be any class (with some conditions). Five starting cities are provided, each with its own beginner experience. Hair and facial features are chosen during character creation, but can be changed later by visiting a Barber Shop in the game world.

Each character may advance through 90 levels of experience in his chosen adventure class, and 90 levels in a tradeskill class that is chosen after creation. Characters are customized by earning up to 300 Alternate Advancement Points during the course of gameplay, which are used to purchase achievement abilities. Each adventure class has four trees of achievement abilities to invest in.

Each adventure class accumulates more than 20 distinct abilities. A common mechanic is used for physical combat (Combat Arts) and spellcasting (Spells) - all such abilities draw from the character's Power resource, which must be recharged between battles. Most spells and combat arts can be upgraded through eight tiers of improvement, with the lowest tier granted automatically upon gaining each adventure level. Spell upgrades are obtained just like equipment upgrades - as loot, quest rewards, or produced through crafting. An optional system called Heroic Opportunities grants bonus effects when players combine their abilities in specific ways.

Every character can have a Tradeskill Class in addition to their Adventuring Class. The player specializes in one of 9 Tradeskill Classes (excluding the 2 secondary tradeskilling skills, adorning and tinkering) as his character advances in tradeskill levels. When crafting an item, the player reacts to unanticipated crafting events by using crafting skills, such that the crafting process is superficially similar to combat.