What are the energies of Solaris?
The energies are separated into three functional groups; basic, normal, and epic. The sole basic energy is Plasma, known as the basic building block of all the other energies. The normal energies are Divine, Infernal, Ki, and Psionic, and are the energies that are specialized by most characters. The epic energies are Chaos, Cie, and Eather, and can only be specialized by certain characters.

What is “Favored Energy”?
At character creation, a character must pick his favored energy, or the one he wishes to specialize in and focus with the exclusion of all others. He must choose from one of the four normal energies: Divine, Infernal, Ki, and Psionic. If a character decides he made the wrong choice, he will have an opportunity at Level 10 to cancel his choice and replace it with another energy, but after that, any character wishing to change his favored energy will have to pay credits for the operation at the Solaris Central Laboratory. When making an energy attack, the character may only use his favored energy. When creating Special Abilities for the character that will be energy-based, it must make sense with his favored energy.

How do I know how in-tune I am with energy?
Vitality is the Primary Vital Statistic responsible for everything energy. Firstly, it determines the damage dealt with energy attacks, so every point of vitality will add to the power of energy attacks. Secondly, a small amount of vitality is required in order to unlock the ability for energy to inflict status effects, which is what sets them apart from the other forces. Thirdly, it is taken into consideration when determining a character’s resistance to energy attacks, so it is even useful if you just want a little defense against energy users. Lastly, some items may require a certain level of base vitality in order to be used, as vitality measures a character’s ability to utilize technology.

What is an Energy Burn effect?
Getting hit with a force attack in general can leave a little bit of a sting, but energy attacks can leave an effect along with its damage that can prove to be very detrimental; however, only energy attacks thrown by someone properly trained in its use will carry this added effect. A character with 50 base vitality (not total, so bonus vitality doesn’t count) will dish out the Energy Burn effect specific to the type of energy every time an energy attack connects, and the Energy Burn is intensified if the wielder has at least 100 vitality. Each effect generally lasts for a single round, so if you are stuck by one of these effects, in the round that you take the hit, you also suffer from that effect, but there are several exceptions to the duration of an Energy Burn effect. It is easy for even a physical classified job class character to pick up a few points of vitality here and there to get to 50 at a reasonably low level, and throwing a quick energy attack at the beginning of battle or when you’re just not quite in melee range could mean quite a bit more if your opponent will suffer some bonus effects from it. The intensified effects of having 100 vitality sure look nice as well, but it is likely that only high level characters and those who devote themselves fully to energy will achieve such a height.

What job class should I pick to specialize in the energy forces?
The first is the energist. The energist has the greatest energy proficiency, meaning his Mind SVS grants him the greatest amount of damage when using energy forces. He also is allowed to choose a second favored energy, giving him two options when using energy-based attacks and giving him two free status ailments in the form of his favored energies’ Energy Burn effects. This allows for a little bit more malleability that is impossible for other classes.

The second is the cleric. The cleric has a respectable energy proficiency so he is able to give out some punishment with energy attacks as well, but he also has the greatest option for armor types, giving him a lot of choice when it comes to how he wishes to be protected. Also, his ability to heal and uplift his teammates with energy makes him one of the best healers and supporters in all of Solaris.

The third is the monk. The monk relies heavily on his energy capabilities as well as his physical power and is able to meld the two into a unique fighting style. With the capability to dish out both physical and energy damage, he is more able to pierce an enemy’s defenses by attacking the lesser of these damage reductions.

The last is the paladin. The paladin is the quintessential hybrid character with the high physical damage output and defenses of a physical character mixed with the ability to not only specialize in his energy capabilities, but to even heal and bolster himself and allies with the power he receives from it.