Adventurers are extraordinary people, driven by a thirst for excitement into a life that others would never dare lead. They are heroes, compelled to explore the dark places of the world and take on the challenges that lesser women and men can’t stand against.

Class is the primary definition of what your character can do. It’s more than a profession; it’s your character’s calling. Class shapes the way you think about the world and interact with it and your relationship with other people and powers of the universe. A fighter, for example, might view the world in pragmatic terms of strategy and maneuvering, and see themself as just a pawn in a much larger game. A monk, by contrast, might see themself as a willing servant in a spirit’s unfolding plan or a conflict brewing among various spirits. While the fighter has contacts in a mercenary company or army, the monk might know a number of priests and devotees who share their spiritual views.

Your class gives you a variety of special features, such as a fighter’s mastery of weapons and armor, and a prodigy’s advanced bending. At low levels, your class gives you only two or three features, but as you advance in level you gain more and your existing features often improve. Each class entry in this chapter includes a table summarizing the benefits you gain at every level, and a detailed explanation of each one.

Adventurers sometimes advance in more than one class. A rogue might switch direction in life and swear the oath of a guardian. An artisan might discover latent chibending abilities and dabble in the prodigy class while continuing to advance their craft. Some aim to combine martial mastery with bending training and advance as fighters and sages simultaneously. Optional rules for combining classes in this way, called multiclassing, appear in chapter 6.

Twelve classes--listed in the Classes table-- are found in this world and define the spectrum of typical adventurers.