So far only Elly has requested to take the role of the spirit with four classes, Maria is fine with that as well but I wanted to explore more options first.

"Before I agree to that, Elly, can you indulge my curiosity first? I wanted to think about making a spirit that would essentially be a 'buff bot'. But considering how weak even the best buffs were you showed me a while back... Are buffs stackable? For example, could we give everyone a class with [Guard Order] and get a workable defense that way?"

"Sorta. You can't stack buffs of the same name. In that case, only the one with the higher skill level takes effect, even if the actual effect may be weaker. But nothing stops you from stacking different buffs that affect the same stat. If you really want to build a dedicated buff-spewing spirit... well, you're limited to non-magic, as you know. Chloe already has [Battle Order]-like skills, so we shouldn't waste energy on the order category... We could math that out but I don't think it is worth it yet. The spirit won't be able to do anything else due to upkeep costs and the effect will be low. You need a much higher leveled spirit before it makes sense if you ask me."

"Sorry, that math has to be done. We have the time to do that at least. Can you, please? Assume we dump all four classes on maximizing party-wide buffs."

"Fine, give me a minute..."

Everyone patiently waits for Elly to finish. Or maybe impatiently, "While we wait on Elly, does either of you have any other idea, Lucia or Maria?"

Lucia shakes her head, "Nothing special. Just an attacker or maybe a scout. No matter what we do, spirits with their 30% penalty to HP are too frail, magic is out as well..."

Maria answers, "No, I think we should give Elly's idea a try."

"Has she told you which class she had her eyes on?"

"I think it was called Trick Shot. Honestly, I'm not sure what the point is."

"The name tells me little what it does. Well, we're waiting anyway so it can't hurt to have a look right now."

Why is the level 15 skill known, did we see that class somewhere? I don't think so. Maybe Elly saw it on someone in the fortress? Or did the class menu break and it now shows all skills? No, other classes still only show the first two skills. Ah, doesn't matter.

Lucia asks, "So what is the point? She doesn't have guns. Does she want to swap over?"

Maria answers, "I'm not sure what exactly she had planned, my lord. But it did involve arrows and not guns."

"I guess it would work with bows and not just guns. The skills explicitly mention non-magical projectiles, not specifically gun bullets or arrows or something. But then she doesn't really have the greatest MAG so the chance for status effects would be on the low side. At least she would have an easier time hitting a mobile target once we reach the level for [Homing Projectile]. But just that doesn't sound like that much of a plan... Didn't she say more than that?"

"Ah, sorry, no."

While I try to figure that out, Elly has finished her homework, "Best I can do at our level even with 4 classes is about +12 to all stats and another +9 to defenses, both for the group, and then the spirit can't do much else because it needs almost all of its SP just for upkeep. Seriously, if you want such a buff bot you should wait until us spirits are of a higher level. Like level 15 and one or two more classes so we can add another buff and maybe another passive or two to further strengthen the other support skills."

"Yeah, that is basically nothing. Well, if buffs don't work out, plan B would be research into non-magical area damage. We had minor success with that when you created multiple arrows and fired them simultaneously. Of course, that was before the update that attached an SP cost to your arrow creation."

"I mean if you only care about exp generation you could go for a spirit with a high skill level in [Intimidate] and high CHA. When the skill is high enough compared to the target's total level it inflicts damage at no cost, and that is ideal for the low-level flood monsters."

Lucia objects, "That skill would also affect our own soldiers, they could break formation and then all monsters can storm the fortress. That's too risky."

"If it weren't for that, the created spirit would probably be completely useless for any actual fighting we need to do in the dungeon and to get to the artifact. Or die of boredom sitting on the wall 24/7 just staring at the flood."

Elly sounds disappointed, "Yeah, that's true, you two..."

Maria says, "So if that doesn't work, Elly, can you explain what you had in mind? Jared was considering it but he needs to know the full picture."

"Was he? Oh, perfect! So first I need the Bullseye and Trick Shot classes. I saw you looked at the latter while I did the calculations. In addition to them, I need a specific elite class. Normally spirits can't get elite classes but the skill [Elite Summoning] would allow one such class per spirit. I've reason to believe that your Summoner gives either that or [Summon Expertise] at level 15. If it is the latter we could try to look for another class with [Elite Summoning]."

"Let me quickly check these skills."

And the other.

"Yeah, eventually we need both. But what makes you think one of them must be on the Summoner class?"

"It is no guarantee, there are a few more options but in general a class keeps within its theme so whatever it gives should improve your summon skills in one form or another. Be it giving you more MP, making the spirits stronger, increasing the class limit or making it cheaper in some way. But I have an educated guess. Back then when we looked for the [Summon Spirit] skill we found only Caller, Invoker and Summoner as options at all. I assume that Invoker would lead to the [Invocation] skill our lich friend put on the Binder class. I guess between Caller and Summoner one would focus more on the quantity of active spirits and the other more on quality of a few spirits."

"If I remember correctly, Caller had only 32 MP per level, Summoner has 40 and the [Mana Boost] passive. Why don't we quickly check what Caller's level 5 skill is..."

This is a whole skill just for a +2 to the cap, while on Dread Lord's [Legion of Doom] it was a +1 just as a minor portion of a skill with three more effects. It really is a cheat.

"With that, it is indeed possible that Summoner goes for quality, or at least a lot of classes per spirit at once, while Caller increases the cap of how many spirits you can own and then it wants you to switch between them in short succession."

"Yeah, that's how I see it, too."

"Anyway, what exactly are you up to there? I don't see the value of Trick Shot yet."

"Not by itself, but combined with the other two classes."

"And the elite."

Ah, I always forget that we couldn't scout the level 5 skills of elite classes because spirits can't take them yet.

Elly continues, "The idea is simply the answer to the only question that matters: explosions? And the answer is yes. Lots of them."

"What? Take an arrow, add explosion and burning status effect, then split it and home them at the same target?"

"Precisely. And for single targets, I can just split a stun arrow and leave the damage dealing to the rest of the party."

30 SP to create an arrow, 30 SP for the shot itself, 50 SP for the burning effect, 150 SP to add the explosive trait and 50 SP for the multi-shot. Yikes, 310 SP and gunpowder for one such combination, and then it only inflicts 3 hits worth half of the average of three stats with a chance for a pseudo-crit thanks to burning. That much effort for 150% of the average stat as damage before defense? With a spell, I would have the same area and 110% MAG elemental damage at the cost of 175 MP.

"And where do you get the gunpowder for the [Explosive Shot]? We don't have that kind of materials just lying around."

"I should be able to create it by spending 30 SP since it is a part of a weapon I have training in. Kinda."

"Okay, so just a guess."

So that rises the cost to 340 SP for up to 150% damage and a status. Kinda poor.

I can focus on one stat, can hit different elemental weaknesses, have reduced cost and don't need to invest a full 3 classes to get started with area damage. Maybe magic is broken after all.

"Is there a base class with a similar skill so we can test that before we plan to waste your only elite class on just a guess?"

"I guessed you'd say that. Would that suffice?"

So assuming she can create the jar, that makes it 230 SP for 120% damage but no status, less area and poorer range. Currently, she would have maybe five uses.

And the [Healing Flask] is useless, [Undead] will just prevent the healing.

Hmm, maybe as an army spirit if it works. Like a small troop of grenadiers.

"So you can either create the needed bottles for 30 SP which makes this pseudo magic just twice as expensive - or the whole class is a waste of space?"

"Yeah, those are effects that are just more efficiently handled with real magic but alas, as a spirit I can never use spells. In contrast, single target DPS is better handled via non-magical means."

Lucia says, "Even if it is less efficient, it should still generate more exp from the flood than mere single target damage."

"Is that the best standalone area attack skill you've found, Elly?"

"It is not exactly the best but outside of elite classes, non-magical area attacks have very little passives or modifiers they can profit from. At least as far as I've found. The [Fire Bomb] or whatever else I can take as an interim solution would eventually just get replaced with the explosive shots. So the more important question is what else do I have left once the skill is obsolete, and among the options I found, the heal skill looks the most useful for long-term."

"Okay, we'll do it as follows. I give you that Alchemist class, then you go to a front gate and check if you can use the [Fire Bomb] skill. If so, you get the other 2 classes you wanted after we have the Summon Master title. If not... we'll think of something else. I'm not willing to commit all of your classes to the idea until we have a positive result on that test. Any objections?"

Elly sounds happy, "Works for me."

Lucia answers, "Nah, I'm okay with that."

Maria shakes her head, "None, my lord, though I'd like to get an additional class as well."

"Sorry, Maria, that will have to wait. We just can't afford it at the moment. Though once we have the Spirit Master title you can at least get a second race, so you don't exactly gain nothing."

"I... understand."

For the moment, I take the upkeep cost for Maria on me, Lucia takes care of Elly. And with that, I can now finalize the class decision for Elly. One alchemical archer spirit coming right up.

Elly leaves the room, "Well, I'm off then. Cya."

"Yeah, and please bring back good news."

Now, what should we do with the third spirit in case it fails...

Wait, why didn't we just test if she can create a bottle right away? Ah, too late now...

Maria asks, "Can we go over race options for when you have gained the title?"

"Yeah, sure, let's do that."

3QGN73

Coming up with non-magical area attacks was harder than it should've been...