This is quite difficult, and usually costly. What I suggest is asking a paladin for some leather armor out of rock trolls until you can afford the 3 gold for a set of half plate, or ask around to see if anyone has a spare set of heavy plate. Always get heavy plate; it will save your life. As for weapons, ask around for a broadsword, which is a heavy edge. If no one has any, then grab a short sword from goblins, and use that until you can afford a broadsword. It costs a little over 5 silver when haggled. Get a helm and a set of mail gloves when you can, which will cost yet another 5 silver or so.

DO NOT BUY ANYTHING BESIDE HEADGEAR, HAND GEAR, AND ONE OTHER PIECE OF ARMOR!

Any armor that is able to cover the chest will do at first. Later on, you will want half plate. Then, much later, you will want to get even better armor. As for a shield, pick up a target shield from goblins outside the west gate. It will be good enough until you get 20 ranks in shield (which is your minimum), and then you can decide whether or not to keep using shields or not.

Now, since no one will be there to help you when you start up, I'll quickly write about statistics, experience, and spells.

You can find out what gives you what in statistics in other books, but here I'll give you one of the suggested methods to train, and which stats are more important to us then others. I personally recommend getting your strength and stamina up to 12, your discipline up to 12, wisdom at 11, intelligence up to 10, and the rest no lower then 9. Our mind is extremely helpful to us, strength and stamina are just for fighting, but what is most important, seemingly, is discipline. Charisma is important, but should be kept around agility and reflex. Agility and reflex aren't important at first; you're going to get hit either way. Don't ignore them, but until 5th or 7th circle, you shouldn't have to train them much at all. Keep getting strength and stamina primarily until you can swing a broadsword once without getting tired, raise your mental stats to about the same level as your strength and stamina, and by that time, you're ready to increase in reflex, agility, and charisma.

From personal experience, I'm just going to say, train in many weapons! At least one edge, one blunt, and one ranged weapon. Around circle ten or fifteen, choose edged or blunt, and primarily train in that and ranged, while only switching to the other every now and then.

As for spells, here they are:

Courage - This is probably the single best spell in Elanthia. It will increase your stamina for a short, or long, period of time. It works best with groups, especially large, is easy to cast, and saves many lives! Minimum prep: 10

Halt - Though near impossible to cast, it can make prevent someone from moving. If you aren't good enough, the spell will turn back on you, halting you for a short period of time. This spell was mostly made to stop pickpockets. Minimum prep: 12

Smite Foe - Thought by many to be the most powerful offensive spell in all of Elanthia, you call upon the gods to throw a magical hammer that can not be stopped by armor of the creature. This can not be cast upon any of the seven races. Minimum prep: 12

Smite Shield - Our second offensive spell, this does exactly what it says, destroying the armor of the creature you cast it upon. It is hard to cast, and also the vitality of the creature affects the spell; but if there is no armor left on the creature, it will destroy its body quite nastily. Minimum prep: 5

Anti Stun - A little misleading in its name. It does not prevent stuns, but shortens the time in which you will remain stunned. Each stun decreases the length of the remaining spell; but again, it's extremely helpful. Minimum prep: 6

Banner of Truce - A uniquely defensive aspect of paladins. We have the ability to make the entire room unable to fight. Bards come close to possessing this, but their chant doesn't always work, and moon mages can only cast this upon one thing at a time. This affects the entire room, creatures included, and therefor is a must have. Minimum prep: 12

Divine Armor - This spell calls upon the gods to make your armor extremely tough. It will make every part of your armor better, except it will also add a lot more hindrance. This is usually used when you want to get hit, but not hurt, or you want to hit someone else, even if it doesn't hurt him as much. Minimum prep: 14

Bond Weapon - This spell lets a weapon or a shield return to your hand if dropped. Not much to it, and rarely useful. Minimum prep: 7

Heroic Strength - Paladins often drag the dead to spots where they can be taken care of, but sometimes they are too heavy for us to move. This spell is something called a held mana spell. You harness mana (at least 4 in this case) and hold it, which is hard for a long while. Every 4 held mana will increase your strength by 1, though once the spell is gone, your strength returns to normal. Minimum prep: None, though you need to hold 4 mana to cast it.

Righteous Wrath - This spell calls the wrath of the gods to help you, making your sword arm stronger, though if you try to put too much power in, you will only strike air. Minimum prep: 10

Trothfang's Rally - This spell calls upon Everild's dark side, Trothfang. He will balance your group if you are leading a group, though sense Trothfang IS a darker face, he does make you (the paladin that casts this) bleed more if you are bleeding; if not, nothing happens. This will save your group many times! Minimum prep: 8

Sentinel's Resolve - This is a spell that is the most defensive around. It's probably our hardest spell to cast, but it highly hampers one's offense, while making defense much better! This will nearly stop any offensive spell, along with any attack. Minimum prep: 6

These, except the last five, are in the order that I suggest you get them. That will take up all your spell slots, including the one you get at 15th, but the last five can be put in anywhere after Banner of Truce. Other paladins will provide other selections, but it's up to you again, though some spells can't be learned until you're circle 10 or 15.

This guide is enough to get you through a long while. I hope it helps!

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Last Revised 2/12/2000