Royal Guardian
by BelShanaar

Class: Warrior
Tag: RG

Background

Once there were great men who protected kings and maintained peace, order, and justice in the world. These men were known as the Royal Guardians, the finest fighters humankind ever saw. Once they were many, but there now are few willing to carry the great sword, and accept the responsibilities of the Royal Guardians. Still, the tradition lives, and many young warriors embark on the ancient path. Few survive to join the ranks of the Royal Guardians.

These great warriors were renowned for their prowess in battle with their great swords. After the sin war, their weapons were placed in a dungeon by Diablo. It is the dream of every aspiring Royal Guardian to find a sword to call his own, and with it to slay Diablo. Only one other item has any importance to the Royal Guardian; the Royal Guardian would always use a staff of holy bolt on undead kings. For many of them were once great kings corrupted by darkness, and it would not do for the Royal Guardian to desecrate their corpse, cursed as it may be.

The Royal Guardian was no stranger to the ways of magic, and always carried a single amulet to protect him. He knew many spells, and sacrificed the brute strength of the barbarian warrior to pursue knowledge. Eventually, his prowess in arms would exceed his fellow warriors, and his magical abilities made him greater still. Truly powerful Royal Guardians could absorb the life force of the enemy, making their magical abilities and stamina nearly unstoppable.

These warriors sought only the proudest of armours and helms, though they would seek enchanted weapons above all else, so as to distinguish themselves. Those items cursed by Diablo were to be avoided at all costs, as were cowardly one handed great swords. Daggers as the weapons of assassins and thieves were never to be used.

Every Royal Guardian would receive a gift from an elder Royal Guardian. Any gift from outside of the order was to be graciously refused. Upon obtaining royal rank, they would receive a single ring to wear and aid them in their travels. Upon obtaining the status of Royal Champion, they were given one more ring. These warriors only associated with the pure of heart, and protected the rights of others. Occasionally they would seek the blessing of the Gods. Upon obtaining the rank of Royal Guardian, they sought to claim medals and honors for further valiant behavior.

Every great Royal Guardian began as a humble warrior. He first slew a terrible demon to gain status as a master warrior. A successful mission against the undead or similar evil won him his errantry. To become a knight, the aspiring knight errant would find a great sword. To join the ranks of royalty, he would slay a weak evil lord and his minions. To obtain champion status, he would seek out a greater evil lord and his minions to slay. To obtain the rank of Royal Guardian, he would find a greater evil still and slay it. One soldier once slew the army of Diablo, and finally the dark lord himself.

Rules

Base Magic stat must reach 20 before Strength may be increased.

A Royal Guardian will not play a game with known cheaters, so as to not corrupt himself.

Every Royal Guardian may receive one gift, once, from one other Royal Guardian.

Items

Armour & Helms
Royal Guardians must use heaviest armour and helm available, unless it is not enchanted. RG's may use any acceptable unique despite this.

Jewelry
Only Amulets may have resistances, and any worn amulet must have resistances. Non-resistant amulets may not be worn. Rings may not be worn initially.

On obtaining Royal Knighthood, one resistance ring may be worn. On obtaining the rank of Royal Champion, another resistance ring may be added. (If these rings don't have resistance they can't be used.)

Shields
No shields are to be used, ever.

Weapons
No weapons other than swords may be used, and never daggers. The heaviest magical sword available must be used, unless a Great Sword is available.
A Great Sword must be used to slay Diablo himself.

A Staff of Holy Bolt must be used to slay Leoric. However, the Holy Bolt spell must be a learned spell for the staff to be used. The staff is to be dropped where Leoric falls after its use.

Enchantments
Enchanted items are always preferred to the mundane, even if the enchanted item is an inferior base item. However, a Great Sword is preferable to even a magical weapon, even if the Great Sword is non-magical.

No cursed items, including -LR, may be used.

Royal Guardians may not use any +mana item, or item of vampires, of the bat, of blood, or of the leach at first.

On obtaining the rank of Royal Knight, +Magic items may be used. Rank of Royal Champion allows use of items of the leech, and of the bat. Royal Guardian status removes all remaining restrictions for these items.

Uniques
No uniques with cursed effects may be used.
The Grandfather sword, as a one-handed sword, violates the tradition of the order, and thus its use is banned.

Spells

The following spells may be used: Firebolt, Charged Bolt, Holy Bolt, Healing, Heal Other Town Portal, Lightning, Firewall, Flash, Mana Shield, Fireball, Guardian, Teleport. May use Infravision, and Identity scrolls. Other books and scrolls may not be sold for money, though they may be given away to others.

Ranks

- Warrior - No deeds done
- Master Warrior - Slew Butcher in Melee
- Knight Errant - Slew King Leoric
- Knight - Found (non-cursed) Great Sword
- Royal Knight - Slew Diablo on Normal
- Royal Champion - Slew Diablo on Nightmare
- Royal Guardian - Slew Diablo on Hell

Honors are given to those who obtain the rank of Royal Guardian and are to be listed in one's profile. These are given for acts of valor. Upon receiving these honors, they are introduced into cumulatively more prestigious orders.

Orders

One must be a Royal Guardian to receive these honors, but they may be honored for previous acts of valour.

- Gold Order - Clear normal hell with no spells.
- Crimson Order - Clear Level 15 Normal of a Snow/Spawn/Soulie Infestation.
- Silver Order - Clear Level 15 Nightmare of a Snow/Spawn/Soulie Infestation.
- White Order - Clear Level 15 Hell with of a Snow/Spawn/Soulie Infestation.