Focusing on the race I wanted to play, I stepped forward, towards the female orc. The screen changed and there was now a mirror and in it, I was able to see myself, only that I was now wearing the guise of an orc and had a variety of sliders and dials to adjust the look of my new character.

Looking over the sliders, I started to play around with them, looking what changed with which slider, not quite focusing on the overall appearance, merely testing them. After a few minutes of that, I mentally took a step back and almost fell over, laughing, at the hideous abomination I had created. For a moment, my gaze dropped to the next slider I had yet to use and I realised it was one of the most infamous sliders in all character-generators. It was the boob-slider.

After maxing it out, I needed a moment to collect myself after looking at the abomination I had created, a misshapen thing that could only be improved with an axe, by letting it rest in pieces.

After using the “Reset”-Button, I started to seriously design my character, trying to get her as monstrously cute as possible, not too tall, not too muscular, merely a cute orcette that you wanted to pet, only to be ripped to shreds by her.

A little deliberation was needed for my fur and hair-colour. Tan fur with a blonde mane of hair looked quite cool, reminding me of a lion, albeit a male one. A little manipulation got me red fur with orange stripes, reminiscent of flickering flames but I was not too convinced. Lastly, I checked what the character would look like with purely black fur and short, black har, making it look like both were the same, giving the character a relatively uniform look. After an almost random decision, I went with the black fur and added dark, almost slate-coloured, grey skin beneath it.

Once that was done, I went to the eyes, looking through the available colours. With a little manipulation, I managed to get the green eyes look almost human which had an incredibly uncanny effect, to see the clearly inhuman being look at me with those eyes. While it might be fun to give others the willies, I decided against it, going with a nice, slightly glowing, silver, contrasting nicely with the fur and skin.

Another feature I wanted were fangs, or rather tusks, sticking out from the lower jaw, not too large but well defined and as sharp looking as I could manage. I doubted that the sharpness gave an actual bonus, but it looked wicked in the mirror.

Nodding to myself, I went over the rest of the body, adjusting things just a little, before finishing up.

All together, I was happy with the look and thought it was what I had been going for, disturbingly cute, especially when the thought brought a smile to my face, showing off not only the sharp tusks but also the rest of my quite impressive chompers.

After confirming that I liked the look and dismissing a warning that altering it after character-creation was only possible using real money, I went on to class-selection.

Once again, I was on a white expanse, only that I was surrounded by visions of my character, each clad in what might very well be endgame-gear of the particular class, giving players something to work towards.

I was almost certain what I wanted to pick, but wanted to see the different options in person, so to speak.

Picking one figure at random, I focused on it, causing it to step forward and a blue window opened, telling me what I was looking at.

Adept

Adepts, or, as some call them, Warmages, are the martial expression of those who seek arcane knowledge. Clad in heavy, enchanted armour, they are a terror on the Battlefield, using magical power to supplement martial might.

Adepts have an impressive defensive strength, allowing them to weather any storm. They focus on Endurance and Intelligence.

The image of me was clad in massive plate armour, holding a one-handed, straight sword in her right hand and a shield in the left hand. After stepping forward, the sword started to glow with blue symbols, which echoed on the shield and armour, only there, they were glowing in metallic silver. The description made it sound like a magic-tank, rather interesting, but not quite what I wanted.

Just like I had done with the races, I went to the one on the Adept’s right side, causing the Adept to step back and another figure to come forward.

Warlock

Those who use the power of the arcane in conjunction with light armour and heavy weapons call themselves warlocks. What they lack in staying power, they make up for with their massive, magically augmented weapons, allowing them to turn into terrifying foes on the field of battle.

Warlocks combine heavy weapons and arcane magic, cleaving into their enemies with abandon. They focus on Strength and Intelligence.

I had to admit, I was impressed. The Warlock looked awesome, as she stepped forward. Her armour wasn’t massive, mainly leather with just a little metal covering vital points, and looked tight enough to accentuate the character’s body without going the way of the chainmail-bikini. But what she lacked in metal armour, she made up for in weapon. I was quite sure that the weapon was about as realistic as the rest of the game, not very much, but the massive sword, almost as big as the character with a blade wide enough that I wondered if I would get some sort of cover-bonus from it, looked just awesome. In addition, it was covered in symbols and enveloped in a glowing aura, making me wonder what havoc one might cause with such a thing.

Still grinning, I shook my head and focused on the next figure.

Wizard

Those who seek arcane knowledge above all else are the wizards. They see their purpose in pushing back the boundaries of what is possible and when they are called to battle, they use enchanted equipment, summoned minions or raw, arcane magic to strike down their foes.

Wizards work with everything magical, their focus is Intelligence and Dexterity.

The description was slightly shorter but the animation made up for it. The “Wizard-Me” stepped forward, dressed in dark grey, almost black, robes, a dagger in one hand and a tome in the other. After stopping, she raised the tome, causing it to open and the pages to flutter about while it glowed with the blue symbols I had seen before, only that now, the symbols were also mirrored behind her on a larger scale, giving the impression that something big was happening.

Sadly, I had no intention of playing a caster in Irminsul, I wanted to mix it up in melee, I wanted to see how well I would do in full-dive mode. For casters, it was almost easier to play with peripherals, using a mouse to easily direct your spells, instead of having to literally launch them by hand.

Turning right, the spectacle ended and another “Me” stepped forward.

Elementalist

Elementalists often use a single element to augment their physical bodies, drawing upon the raging fury of fire, the stoic strength of earth, the graceful flow of water or the unpredictable capriciousness of air. Their chosen element is paramount to their abilities, making the path of each elementalist unique.

Elementalists merge strong martial abilities with their chosen element, becoming juggernauts on the battlefield. They focus on Vitality and Intuition.

I wasn’t quite sure what elementalist-me was wearing, it was hard to see because of how awesome she was. No, not really, but her armour was completely covered in flowing water, letting me only see little of it. But from the description, I could guess that it was another tank, even if the choice of weapon, a trident, was a little strange, but fitting for some sort of water-user.

Still, not what I wanted, so I looked further right.

Monk

Those who seek balance between the elements become monks, their search for enlightenment guided by the balance of the four elements. Their internal balance and mastery of martial arts allows them to carry out impossible feats, striking fear into their foes.

A Monk's strength is the harmony between the physical body and their elemental abilities, thus they focus on Agility and Intuition.

I almost fell over laughing, there was something completely ridiculous about my mighty, black furred orc wearing a white martial arts-gi. Instantly, I knew that it was not a class I wanted to play, no matter how cool the flames swirling around her staff were or that the staff was formed like a dragon.Neither would the water flowing over her arms and the wind playing around her legs change my decision. It was just a non-starter.

Further to the right, the next figure stepped forward.

Sorcerer

Sorcerers are the ultimate symbol of elemental destruction, their spells inspired by wildfires, tornadoes, earthquakes and tsunamis. Nature’s wrath in hand, they cause their enemies to tremble as the earth beneath them shakes, only to break them with surges of flames or winds strong enough to shred the flesh from their bones.

As the epitome of large-scale destruction, their magic is well-suited to annihilate large groups of enemies. They focus on Intuition and Willpower.

The Sorcerer that stepped forward was wearing a soft looking tunic and pants, decorated with elaborate patterns that seemed to resemble expressions of the elements. At first, I thought it wasn’t terribly impressive, until she raised the scepter she was holding and a flaming tornado manifested behind her. That changed it from not too impressive to quite impressive. Still, I didn’t want a caster.

Thus, I went to the next one to the right.

Barbarian

These mighty warriors might be the most physically imposing figures of all. They train their bodies to the maximum, relying on a combination of sheer physical force, primal rage and simple savagery when doing battle. They are the epitome of physicality, overcoming all odds with overwhelming might.

Barbarians are skilled close combat fighters, able to fight on long after others gave up. They focus on Strength and Vitality.

Barbarian Me might just be what the doctor ordered. She was clad in leather armour, similar to the Warlock, but in her hands was an axe that looked like it could cleave through everything. When she stepped forward, she gave off a mighty roar and a flickering, red aura surrounded her, giving her a quite imposing vibe.

Still, I wanted to see the rest of the classes. With a slight effort, I turned further right, to the next class.

Ranger

The rangers of the world are those who seek nature, the predators of the primal world, stalking prey with a combination of physical skill and primal magic. They often bond with an bestial partner, covering the others back on the hunt.

They are skilled when it comes to sudden, swift attacks, focusing on Agility and Intuition.

The me that stepped forward was also clad in leather armour, but in her hands was a bow and a quiver hung on her hips. I quickly moved on to the next class, I was just no fan of pet-classes.

Druid

The druids seek balance in all things. They employ the primal magic of nature, to help or to hinder. When a druid speaks, the natural world listens and obeys.

Druids are skilled magic users, harnessing the circle of life and the fury of storms. Their focus is Intuition and Dexterity.

Druid-Me was wearing a robe, looking like it was made from some natural fibre and the dagger in her hand looked like it was made from some dark rock, maybe obsidian, judging by the glint it gave off. After stepping forward, thorny vines rose behind her, giving her an imposing backdrop, but still, I didn’t want to play a spellcaster or healer. So, off to the right I went.

Fighter

Fighters are often the backbone of an army, serving as Officers and Generals or they are take up the mantle of a valiant knight, riding their warhorses into battle in service of their country or cause. They inspire their fellow men, leading them into battle.

Fighters are skilled in close combat, but they truly shine when commanding their forces. They focus on Endurance and Charisma

While Fighter-Me looked rather similar to other versions of me that had been clad in heavy armour, just that her shield was shaped differently, a little smaller and more like a teardrop, and she was carrying a long spear or lance, I wasn’t quite sure what the difference would be. It was long and pointy, probably a good weapon to be used from horseback. In addition to spear and shield, she had a long-handled hammer with a relatively small head hanging at her side. When stepping forward, she banged her spear on her shield before pointing into the distance with it.

The description sounded interesting, but I couldn’t see myself as the knight in shining armour, but maybe I could play the “Black Knight”-stereotype up. It was worth considering.

Grinning, I looked further right, curious what would be next.

Scout

An army needs to know where it is going, and scouts are the ones finding out. They employ stealthy tactics to gather information, allowing their fellows to attack to the best effect. Sometimes, that means scouting the wilderness, at other times, it means scouting the estates of their foes.

They are skilled at gathering information and finding enemy weak points, allowing strikes for massive damage. They focus on Agility and Dexterity.

At Scout-Me, I had to laugh. I had noticed it when reading on the homepage, there was no “Rogue” or “Assassin” or “Thief” class in the game, maybe because it was strange to have a class that would normally be instantly hauled in by the guards. Instead, they had named them “Scout”, hiding the shady dealing underneath.

Still, the soft, black leather armour, combined with two curved and sharp-looking daggers and a crossbow on her back made for an imposing figure. When stepping forward, she gave a curt nod, before examining her blades.

I turned and the Scout retreated, showing me what was next in line.

Bard

Not all wars are fought on a battlefield. Bards influence the events, long before the battle-lines are drawn, using the power of the spoken word. But even during battle, their powers motivate their allies or distract and discourage their foes.

Bards are skilled manipulators, adept at misdirection and subterfuge, focusing on Intelligence and Charisma.

It was another straight No. Bard-Me looked terribly out of place in her fine clothes, looking like they were made for a diplomat or some other sort of courtier. When stepping forward, she suddenly slipped a dagger from her sleeve before making it vanish while smiling. It was certainly not my type of class, sneaking around, generally playing the social predation-game and that was before we got to the idea of singing on the battlefield, I could have all that in high school, just with more backstabbing.

Templar

When a Deity or the temple that serves them needs a problem terminally solved, the solution often involves a templar. These holy warriors stride into battle clad into the divine power of their God, smiting those who don't follow the will of their Lord.

A Templar’s strength is the combination of Martial Might and Divine Power, as they focus on Strength and Charisma.

Ah, the Irminsul-version of the Paladin, breaking heads in the name of God. Well, not God-God but the local variants, still, I wasn’t about to roll some holy-roller, even if their armour looked quite cool, but just a little too shiny for me, even if the massive maul had some draw, especially when she raised it above her head and it started glowing with golden light, as if she was about to bring down some mighty whoop-ass on some unbeliever.

Turning, I wanted to see what was to the right of the Templar.

Cleric

Clerics are the wandering preachers, spreading the word of their Deity into every corner of the world. Sadly, the roads they travel and the areas they visit are not always safe so they are able to defend themselves or others. They mostly work on an individual, personal level.

Clerics focus on personal defense, their magic suited to help or hinder individual targets. They focus on Charisma and Intuition.

So, Templar-light? Less martial and more holy, but still a mix, wearing chainmail, a mace and shield, ready to bring their God to people one bashed head at a time? For her, the shield was glowing with silver light, cladding her into an armour of light.

Shaking my head, I looked to the right, to the last class I had yet to look at.

Priest

Priests preach for the glory of their Deity, motivating the masses in rousing prayers. They project Divine Power over large areas, evoking miracles for their Deity. Depending on the Deity they serve, those miracles can range from abjuring the undead, healing the wounded to even smiting their foes.

A Priest’s strength lies in their large-scale Divine Magic and they focus on Charisma and Intelligence.

So, holy-roller combined with spellcaster or healer? No, I was not convinced, not even when he held up a scepter and golden light spread over a large area and some strange, choral voices sounded in the background.

This one was harder, there were a few classes that sounded incredibly cool and I had to pick just one, even if I would be able to add a second class at a later time, I wanted to pick the right one.