A fantasy RPG inspired by beloved classics such as Dragon Age: Origins, Neverwinter Nights 2, and even a smidge of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (time travelling!), The Waylanders is a party-based experience set in the Celtic and Medieval eras featuring innovative and technical combat to make it stand out all on its own.

Real-time combat with a tactical pause option, The Waylanders can be played from the classic isometric, top-down view but can also be shifted into third person perspective. Featuring unique character creation and a massive 36 character classes based on six basic classes and 30 more advanced ones means every play style imaginable can be accommodated. Its most innovative offering, is the introduction of formations whereby characters will combine into offensive formations allowing for deep combat tactics and enabling players to play the game their own way.

In The Waylanders, you lead a party of 5 characters, utilizing over 800 different skills, to overcome challenges and defeat your enemies.

With multiple races, classes, and backgrounds to choose from, The Waylanders offers a wide range of customization options.

Players creating their character in The Waylanders have six base classes to choose from: Warrior, Guardian, Rogue, Ranger, Sorcerer, and Healer. Each base class will have a variety of specializations available at later levels, giving a wide range of options for multiple playthroughs. 

Formations are a new RPG gameplay element introduced in The Waylanders, granting special attacks, abilities, and transformations based on the class makeup of the player character and their accompanying companions. This video also shows just a few of the formation abilities available including the three shown in the video: Golem Transformation, Spear Rush, and Conclave.

In addition to to their class, players can pick their race (Human, Mourian, Half-Formorian, Werewolf) and select from a variety of backgrounds (Celtic Soldier, Celtic Druid, Egyptian, Mourian Diplomat, Mourian Protector, Dogs of Ares Mercenary, Alpha Wolf, and Slave). 

See below for a list of class, race, and background descriptions.

Base Player Classes:

• Warrior: Strong and reckless, Warriors inflict devastating damage with two heavy weapons. Shunning defense, they are merciless at close range, cutting down their enemies or flinging them across the battlefield. Warriors can also throw their opponents across the field of battle
  • Features: Dual Wielding, Heavy Weapons, Short Range, Melee
• Guardian: A selfless defender and champion, Guardians shield their friends in battle. Fighting on the front lines with a sword and shield, they draw the attention of their enemies, exposing vulnerable flanks. 
  • Features: Shield, Heavy Weapons, Tank, Melee
• Rogue: Clever Rogues are masters of trickery, evasion, and assassination. They weaken and confuse their foes before finishing them off with lethal close-range attacks. If you like quiet assassinations, disappearing and reappearing at will, or just stabbing things, you’ll want to try this class. 
  • Features: Daggers, Damage Over Time, Trickery, Evasion, Critical Damage
• Ranger: Rangers are lethal sharpshooters with a loyal animal companion. Rangers excel at long-range combat, using their bows to inflict critical damage on foes' hidden weaknesses. 
  • Features: Long-Range Weapons, Pets, Critical Damage
• Sorcerer: Mysterious and powerful, Sorcerers wreak magickal havoc across the battlefield. Reality is a sorcerer's plaything, and they can bend it to teleport in and out of battle at will. Use lethal spells on individual enemies, cast incantations that cause havoc across large swaths of the battlefield, and bend reality to get yourself out of the way of attacking enemies.
  • Features: Destruction Magick, Area Spells, Teleporting
• Healer: Healers call upon the aid of the spirits of the earth in order to provide your companions with defensive or offensive buffs, or use those same spirits to debuff your enemies. The Healer is the beating heart of any party. 
  • Features: Healing, Buffs, Debuffs

Player Races:

• Human: Humans are the most common and diverse race in Brigantia. The Celts are the main human race represented in The Waylanders, but as the seat of a thriving empire with trade routes that extend well beyond the continent of Europe, Brigantia has always been home to people of many different beliefs, nationalities, races, and ethnicities.
• Mourian: The Mourians are an immortal race with dark skin, golden eyes, and a penchant for both fate-based magicks and intellectual pursuits. After centuries living amongst humans and other surface-dwellers, most Mourians have grown tired of mortal affairs, and have developed thriving communities of their own in the Underworld and the Medulas.
• Werewolf: Descendants of the god Lug, werewolves do not transform humans with a bite, or change shape with the phases of the moon. Some appear almost human with lupine characteristics. Some are indistinguishable from wolves, but with human intelligence. The majority, however, are fearsome half-human beasts, ferocious in battle, and dangerous foes.
• Half-Fomorian: The Fomorians are a race of monstrous immortal giants who once ruled Ireland. When the Tuatha came to power, they banished the Fomorians to a small corner of the Mourian Underworld. The Fomorians have been in exile for thousands of years, biding their time until they have an opportunity to retake their ancestral home. Half-Fomorians are the offspring of these titans: less monstrous in appearance, but just as fearsome.

Player Backgrounds

Background options depend on the race and class you choose. Some combinations allow different origins/backgrounds, others are limited to a specific one.

• Celtic Druid: As a Celtic druid, you are deeply ensconced in the Celtic culture. Born with a natural aptitude for magick, you were sent to the druidic circle in Dumbriga as a child to develop your skills. The other druids at the circle are your main family and cultural touchstones, and the trees, stones, birds, and the sea are as alive and important to you as people. 
• Celtic Soldier: The Celtic soldier has been training in the ways of combat since they were a teen. They grew up in the Celtic culture and faith, but spent their early adulthood traveling around the world as a mercenary. During that time, they gained knowledge about other cultures and fighting styles that has made them more open to different ideas, good at cross-cultural negotiations, and very valuable on the battlefield. They’re now an honored, decorated member of King Ith’s personal guard. 
• Egyptian: Since the beginning of time, Brigantia has been deeply connected to Egypt. The two societies have traded goods and culture for as long as anyone can remember, and many Egyptians reside in Brigantia. Queen Escota herself was born in Egypt, and openly follows the Egyptian religion. A few years ago, the queen's son, Prince Lugaid met you in Egypt, and offered you a position in his entourage. You have been traveling with him ever since, as a trusted advisor and friend. 
• Dogs of Ares Mercenary: As a teenager, Prince Lugaid of Brigantia was sent to Scythia to study their advanced combat tactics. You were his instructor. You believe strongly in the glory of battle and are one the best skirmishers in the world, specializing in the Greek spear-and-shield fighting style, as well as the bow. This is your first time ever visiting Brigantia, and you may find their ways rather odd and difficult to understand compared to your own. It doesn't bother you much. In your experience, most problems can be solved with close observation and, when necessary, a little bloodshed.
• Alpha Wolf: You are the leader of a powerful pack of merchants and traders. This will be your first journey out of your family's lands, and you hope to meet your ancestor, Lug. Werewolves don't prize the same qualities as other races do. You may not be as strong, tough, or smart as your packmates, but your speed is second to none. 
• Mourian Diplomat: The elders have been grooming you for Mourian leadership since a young age. Studies and travel consumed your early adulthood, and you have spent the last few years traveling with the Celts, learning about the world and teaching them about yours. This particular trip will be the first time you meet the Mourian Seer, and you hope to make a good impression on her.  You have a great deal of experience winning debates and are knowledgeable about cultures besides your own, but your devotion to intellectual pursuits have left you weaker and more frail than your famously sturdy people. 
• Mourian Protector: You have always been concerned with the protection of others, you have learned all the arts that allow you to be a great bodyguard. You have served as a defense for every diplomat they have sent you with, no matter how dangerous fate was and you have never failed. This time you will have the highest honor, being the guardian of La Vidente, leader and guide of your town and you hope to see on your return the great capital of the Underworld, which you never visited.
• Slave: You grew up as a slave in the Mourian underground, with little knowledge of the outside world. You look human enough to most people, if a little tall. As a mercenary of the Mourians, you've fought on their side in various conflicts throughout your life. You arrive in Brigantia as their bodyguard, but also as a warning: your masters remember what the Tuatha did. Your Fomorian blood has given you strength, durability, and a tireless will.

Key Features:

• Real time combat with tactical pause, character creation and 36 classes (6 basic and 30 advanced)
• Played from top-down isometric perspective that can be shifted to third person perspective
• Inspired by RPG classics Dragon Age and Neverwinter Nights 2
• 12 different combat formations (2 per class) where players fuse characters to provide varied and technical combat options

The Waylanders is in development for PC, coming to Steam Early Access this summer.