As a Mercenary the player can learn unequalled mastery of weapons and become experienced in handling every one of the 150 weapons in Gothic II. As the player practises with each weapon, they will become more proficient and gradually be able to use a greater array of devastating implements before graduating as a fully fledged Dragon Hunter. Players will become masters at both a stunning collection of melee weapons such as the Dragon Slayer Sword, Orc Sword and the Torturing Axe alongside a vast selection of long-range weapons including the Battle and Dragon Hunters Crossbows.

Should the player find the use of cold steel distasteful, a wonderous array of arcane power can be bent to their will as a Mage. Magicians in Gothic II are able to cast a phenomenal variety of powerful magic on affecting themselves, the enemy and their environment. As the player casts spells his skill at magery will improve, unlocking access to greater circles of magic. All Mages aspire to the legendary Sixth Circle of Magic, allowing them to summon malevolent Demons, bring forth an entire army of sinister Undead or perform the Veil Of Death, a curse able to instantly snuff out the life force of an enemy. In addition, Magicians can brew a much wider variety of potions than the other professions and even use this as a way to make a good living.

Many players might find the singular choice of arcane power or brute force too focused, and for them, the path of the Paladin lies open. Wielding steel and flame a Paladin can learn both a powerful, but limited, range of magic and the ability to heft all but the largest weapons. Though they can never be as powerful as a Mage or Mercenary at their respective disciplines, Paladins have the added advantage of being able to walk freely amongst the folk of the city of Khorinis and have a great many friends there willing to help them solve any problems they may have. Paladins will also be able to customise the weapons they have to create a stronger and more powerful arsenal with which to battle evil. Both Paladins and Magicians can also gain the ability to shapeshift into a variety of animal forms for short periods of time in order to pass unnoticed.

Such is the incredible attention to detail within Gothic II, that every character class has its own friends and foes on the island of Myrtana. The Mercenaries have a long-running feud with the Paladins, whilst everyone remains frightened of the Magicians as a result of their immense magical power. As players begin interacting with the characters within Gothic II, they will have to quickly learn that all characters are highly intelligent and anger and fear runs deeply within Myrtana's splintered society.

Class Dragonhunter

Gothic II will be released in the UK in Q1 2003 on PC CD Rom with an ELSPA rating of 15+.

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