Preliminary Combat Tier List (Alectai)
Alectai
Speaks Words of Wisdom... On occasion
Preliminary Combat Tier List
Relax! It's just a bit of friendly quantification!
One of the great headaches with the baseline of Orthstirr Cultivation being so... Fluid in nature is that it's difficult to eyeball the Threat Rating of a given entity. Fortunately, as there are no formal numbers, we have the freedom to make them up ourselvesRelax! It's just a bit of friendly quantification!
Enclosed are my current Best Guesses as to how the combat tiers shake out.
Mortal-class
The level expected of a human being who doesn't perform any cultivation what-so-ever. Generally has a total dice pool not exceeding 10, and only 1 to 2 endurance points. Rarely--if ever--has anything that could qualify as a Trick. Mortal-class foes are only threats to established experts either in overwhelming numbers, or when augmented by actual Cultivators.
Examples: Troll-Men, Men-at-Arms
Novice-class
Cultivators who have some power, but don't see fit to translate that into combat ability. Relatively uncommon, as few will stay in the Novice-class for long, but it can show up when attacking someone's base of operations, and while they're weak and inexperienced, they can't be entirely dismissed, as if they commit their full dice pool to an attack, they might very well manage to tilt an otherwise even battle. Generally has a total dice pool not exceeding 20 dice, and no more than 4 Endurance. Might have one or two notable Tricks.
Examples: Pages, Norse Women and Children, Sergeant-at-Arms
Warmain-class
Cultivators who have gained a comfortable familiarity with their craft, and can be trusted to meaningfully contribute to greater conflicts. This is the level of amateur Raiders and junior Squires, and each is likely to pose a threat even to higher ranked Cultivators, to the point where this is the first rank that genuinely contributes to a faction's war potential. Generally has a total dice pool not exceeding 40 dice, and around 5-6 Endurance. Will definitely have one potent Trick up their sleeves and a coherent battle strategy, though will rarely have something potent to fall back on if that falls through for any reason.
Examples: Junior Squires, Typical Raid-Ready Norseman. Weaker Monsters.
Adept-class
Cultivators who have seen the proverbial elephant and come back in one piece, an Adept is a survivor of at least one modest campaign, and can rest easy knowing that they can secure their home against most kinds of threats. While not exceptional in any particular sense, an Adept has sanded the worst of the sharp-edges off of their technique, and gained the confidence of a warrior--even if they decide not to advance further. Generally has a total dice pool not exceeding 70 dice, and between 7-9 Endurance. Has further refined their primary battle strategy and developed the rudiments of secondary options if their favored choice isn't viable for some reason.
Examples: Junior Stonesons, Many Errants, Most Adult Norsemen who haven't made war their trade
Expert-class
Cultivators who have risen above the levels of their peers and gained a measure of renown, Experts can challenge Monsters, serve as strongpoints in war, and are often the peak of what can be called 'Deniable' assets in the various intrigues of Europe. While far from unassailable, an Expert is a genuine threat to all but the very pinnacle fighters. Many elite orders will seek to gain the allegiance of an Expert, as they serve as the mailed fist of Europe's forces. Generally has a total dice pool not exceeding 110 dice, with anywhere from 10-11 Endurance. Has a fully mature combat strategy, and several offramps to handle difficult situations comfortably. Are almost never considered Trivial Opponents.
Examples: Senior Squires and Knights up to the 5th Decade, Senior Stonesons, presumably Varangian Guard, experienced Thanes
Master-class
Cultivators who have beaten the odds again and again, reaching a level of power that lesser folk can only dream of. They have often forgotten more about warfare than ordinary people have ever learned, and refined their tactics and strength of will over and over again in the hottest of furnaces. A true Master is one to be feared, and are usually considered to be the peak of what is considered 'Possible' to the majority of the populace, as most regions will require a few Masters as security against the work of monsters or hostile factions. Generally has less than 160 combat dice in their pool, with somewhere between 12-14 Endurance. Are usually completely unassailable within their home ground, and can likely make short work of single Experts in a fight.
Examples: Junior Ironbrothers, Knights up to the Eighth Decade, Presumably Varangian Veterans. Thanes with a great amount of territory to control.
Champion-Class
There are Masters, and then there are those who the Masters look up to, a Champion is the strong right hand of Kings and Warlords, challenged by few, and bested by fewer still. They have the right to demand nearly any price for their service, and the presence of a Champion in any territory can be expected to deter all but the most determined of foes. A proper Champion has no discernable weaknesses, either having mastered their specialty to such a degree that evading it is nigh impossible, or having mastered a diverse set of abilities to claim victory in any scenario. Generally does not exceed 220 combat dice in their pool, though degrees of Endurance vary at this level, and is largely irrelevant, because for any Champion to sustain all but the most glancing of injuries risks being outright destroyed at the level of power being displayed here.
Examples: Knights up to the 11th Decade, Greater Monsters, Senior Ironbrothers
Heroic-Class
The absolute pinnacle of the Secular World, those who backstop entire nations--or forces with similar influence. A Hero is a force of nature given form, and nothing short of another Hero can hope to bring one down. Specific details are currently unknown, but it takes some truly outrageous nonsense to rise above 'Mere' Mastery to reach the Heroic-class.
Examples: Steelfathers, Knights above the Eleventh Decade. Legendary Monsters.
????-Class and Beyond
Higher tiers than Heroic-Class exist, but for whatever reason, they seem to concern themselves with Other Affairs beyond the Secular World. No concrete examples of Beyond Heroic Class have been confirmed--though it is likely that Atilla is in this range, as are Crucifix Knights (Those who have reached the Fifteenth Decade) and presumably elite Einherjar
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