Shadowbane has one of the most in-depth character creation and development systems in the world of online gaming. The process begins simply; determine what Race and gender you want your avatar to be, then choose one out of up to four Base Classes; Fighter, Healer, Mage, and Rogue. Once your avatar reaches 10th level, it promotes into one of more than twenty Professions, with the choice limited by race and Base Class. An Elf Mage, for instance, could promote into a Wizard, a Necromancer, a Channeler, or even an Assassin! A Human Rogue could also promote to an Assassin. These characters, while both Assassins, have very different styles and capabilities, based on the powers and abilities they acquired from their Base Class. The Rogue-born Assassin, for example, has access to special dagger attacks and can wear light armor, while the Mage-based Assassin can blast his enemy with magical spells!
Character Development and diversity does not stop there. After an avatar has taken on a Profession and learned the ways of combat, they can take on up to four Disciplines to customize their powers and capabilities. Each Discipline represents an elite order or special group, offering special areas of expertise for characters to pursue. Disciplines offer a limited multi-classing in Shadowbane; Some Disciplines focus on specific styles or types of combat, while others represent mastery of a particular school of magic or even inborn supernatural abilities! From elite Elvish sword masters to Werewolves, Shadowbane offers dozens of distinct Disciplines that allow players to fine tune their characters to an unprecedented degree.