Peasant/Vengeful
by Syntari

Class: Druid
Tag: None.

Introduction

Surely, in your trips through Act I, you've noticed the houses. All abandoned, some even ransacked and burned. Doesn't this make you suspicious? After all, the Rogues lived in the monastery, not houses in the countryside. The Vengeful is a simple man from the lands around the monastery, driven to fight back when the demons invaded the land and drove him from his home. Unfortunately for him, the simple peasant has few abilities to compare to the skills of professional warriors from the northern Barbarian lands, or the elemental destruction summoned forth by the likes of the Sorceress. In fact, the only applicable skills he may have is a passable proficiency with some simple weapons, and a striking determination. We can only hope that will be enough.

Items

Item restrictions are difficult. The peasant is skilled only in the use of a few implements, and has used few of those in actual combat. He is, however, very willing to learn, and can develop his abilities with unfamiliar weapons, given the right circumstances and some time. He cannot, however, use magical versions of a restricted weapon, or use it without consciously making an effort toward its unrestriction.

In order to develop his skill with a new weapon, the peasant must find an average sample of this weapon, and practice with it. It begins with finding a normal quality (or superior) version of a restricted item. Using this exclusively as his weapon, he must clear one area (i.e., the Blood Moor), and defeat a boss monster without dying.

While naturally-unrestricted weapons are allowed in exceptional or elite versions, items such as a Mace and a Flanged Mace require subtly different tactics. Once he has mastered a normal version, he must defeat only a boss using the exceptional (but it still must be nonmagical). It should be pointed out that the peasant cannot visit and earlier act or difficulty to do this. (This should make mastering normal weapons difficult, but elites may be entirely masochistic.)

Basic Weapons
The following items are unrestricted: Axe, Hand Axe, Short Bow, Dagger, Club, War Hammer, Scythe, Spear, Trident (or pitchfork), and their exceptional/elite versions.

Armor follows different rules. Even though the peasant is accustomed only to light clothing, he can learn to move in heavy armor, albeit with more effort than a trained soldier. For all armors above Studded Leather, the peasant requires 1.5x the strength requirement. The same rule applies for helms above Cap, boots above Heavy, and gloves above Heavy. While some belts designed for combat are heavy, they are not as prohibitive to movement as joint-encompassing armor.

Enchantments
Magic enchantments are unrestricted. While the peasant has little experience with such, they do not require special training to use. If anything, the peasant views powerful magic with a sort of nervousness akin to a BAR whose quest cannot continue without the use of the stone circle's portal. Even if he does not enjoy using enchanted items, the peasant views them as an evil necessary to vanquish the greater evil that has begun to spread.

Skills

Restrictions are heavy, to say the least. The peasant may very well have a been a farmer or hunter of some similarity to the Druid, but the exotic skills of the Barbarians' cousins are beyond the use of others. This, actually, restricts the Vengeful from using any Elemental or Shapeshifting skills, and precious few Summoning abilities.

The only abilities comparable to the Druid's semi-magic are the peasant's companions. Many of the people living in the barely-settled wilderness of the first act keep pets for protection or defense. The likes of trained birds and dogs are not unusual. Some have even trained hawks and other birds of prey to help in the hunt, and dogs for that purpose are commonplace.

Raven is allowed at any level, but only one summoned at a time. Spirit and Dire Wolves are allowed, but only 1 wolf in Normal, 2 in Nightmare, and 3 in Hell difficulty. Grizzly can be pumped for the damage bonus, but cannot be summoned.

The peasant can, however, use all spells cast from items containing charges of these.

Quests

1) Andariel
The peasant sought originally only to cleanse his home of the demons, but by the time Andariel is vanquished, it is clear that the larger world of Sanctuary needs him. The peasant must set off with Warriv to develop his skills and vanquish the trio of Prime Evils, for the good of all.