So remember that blog post I did about that one game? You know, the one featuring all the different types of characters, between magic, melee, ranged, and back? (I think that was it.) It had four stats (I think) for each type, and 27 classes (I think)? Maybe vaguely you do?
I'd have to un-bury it from my archives, but it's there if you binge back far enough. It was a while ago, not sure how long ago, but at least a month or two if not more.
...Well. Anyway. The point is, today, I developed a game very similar to that one, but distinctly different.
It's akin to the difference between Alfeim (spelling?) Online, and...Gun Gale Online. With this game being GGO: similar base mechanics, but different.
It's basically a nearly identical game, only...different. In this case, three types of classes, with six each (that sounds familiar...), but...in this case, each class is ranged.
We've got Gunmen, Bowmen, and Miscellaneous weapon users. This system has FIVE stats: Speed, Accuracy, Reload (because everyone uses ranged weaponry), Defense, and Strength/Power. They can have none (defense-only; 0), low (1), some (2), mid (3), good (4), or high (5) values, and the average for each class is, naturally, 15. (5 stats, 3 is middle, soyeah.) Now, for the purposes of this system: speed is not only firing speed, but also movement speed, meaning faster speed means not only fast movement, but also fast rate of fire. Accuracy, similarly, pulls double-weight for range: relative to their weapon type, higher accuracy classes can hit targets from longer away. (Not all high-accuracy is equal: there's a difference between high accuracy with a knife and high accuracy with a sniper rifle.)
Reload speaks for itself, in that it is how fast the class reloads after emptying their ammo, whatever ammo they use. (Guns have clip size. For bows, it mostly refers to the speed at which they draw their arrows, with the exception of the repeating crossbow. Javeliners can carry one "instant" throw, a second "rapid" throw, and three "reserve" throws before reloading. Jugglers have a number of objects they can simultaneously juggle, and that's how many they can instantly throw; after throwing them all, they need to reload. All other miscellaneous classes work like the archer, only with throwers, bombers, and ninjas having two shots rather than one.)
Defense actually pulls triple-duty: it overlaps with speed in that it deals with evade, since you can't be dealt damage if you can't be hit. Defense also covers stealth and hiding capabilities, since you can't be hit if your opponent can't see where you are. (Well, short of them firing blindly and getting lucky, anyway.) Then it covers things like body armor and general toughness to kill. Then, strength/power is how strong the class's weapons are. Since this is a competitive system, guns don't beat all; ranking does. So a high-powered javelin beats a somewhat-powerful gunfighter in raw damage.
Technically, each class has a melee option, but like GGO, it's crazy and nobody does it; everyone uses ranged weapons unless in emergencies.
Let's start with Gunmen.
The six gunmen classes are: Gunslingers, Gunfighters, Guards, SWAT, Snipers, and Duelists.
Gunslingers(W) are your stereotypical Western: they are quickdraw masters, who rely on hitting all threats and eliminating them before they need to reload and before the enemy gets the chance to attack.
As such, they've got High speed (5) and High Accuracy (5). However, they hold only some ability to reload--this is actually a patch from "low" (so, 2). Worse, they have no defense (0), and power-wise, they're middle-of-the-road (3), but ultimately, they are a threat because of that speed and accuracy. They mostly use revolvers, but some use rifles. Heaven help you if you encounter someone of the class skilled enough to use a SHOTGUN, though. Sure, their reload sucks, but doesn't matter if they hit you with ten pellets at nigh-impossible range. (Total: 15.)
Their melee weapon is a bayonet: not very strong for anything.
Gunfighters(W) are, basically, gunslingers on steroids. Think run-and-gun and you've got them. Gun-fu, Matrix-esque moves are common place, since the gun fighter is a class built around dashing out of cover, delivering a hail of bullets, and ducking back behind cover, with little regards to accuracy. So basically, they have high speed (5), but low accuracy (1). (Shotguns are much more common for this class as a result, though they are optimized for quicker weapons like sub-machine guns.) Because they need to get out of cover fast, they hold mid reload skills (3), and their ease of use for cover gives them some (2) defense, too. Their power is average (3), giving them an overall ranking of 14. This gives them a stat penalty over others, but that's because they're by far the easiest class to use. If they were harder, their reload would be upgraded to 'good'.
Their melee weapon is brass knuckles: good for a solid punch, not very useful otherwise.
Guards(M) are basically police officers, geared towards urban combat. They are basically a more defensive version of the gunfighter: only somewhat skilled at speed (2), having mid accuracy (3), good reload (4), some defense (2), and good power (4). Basically, they focus on covering themselves and making slow, progressive movements rather than rapid dashes. They're stationary targets, increasing vulnerability, but very good at defending their station, dealing lots of damage at a relatively high rate. They are considered the most "average" of the classes, balanced, yet not particularly well-used, because they are mostly good for support. (Total: 15.)
Their melee weapon is a taser: deals virtually no damage, but actually is very useful for its stun capabilities.
SWAT(W) are basically the tank/offense version of guards: they're very low in speed (1), only have mid levels of accuracy (3), being only somewhat skilled in reload (2), but having good defense (4), AND high power. They pack a mean punch, and their defenses are hard to penetrate. They pay for this by being slow in just about every other regard, but they're still valuable strike team members. (Total: 15.)
Their melee weapon is a baton: good chance of temporarily stunning a target, deals decent damage, and is easy to use. Add in their shielding, and they'd be a decent melee class if not for their utter lack of speed.
Snipers(M) are the hardest class to master, but the one with the most reward. Their firing speed is abysmally low (1), but their high accuracy makes up for it (5). They've got low reload skills (1), but their stealth gives them High defense (5), and they're one of the easiest to OHKO players with their high power (5)...and you might have noticed that's a total of 17, for good reason. Snipers are ridiculously hard to aim with, but have the highest proficiency of any class at ALL weapons they can use: shotguns? Beat gunslingers and duelists. Pistols? Beat everyone. Rifles? Their specialty.
Their melee weapon is a combat knife: very useful to have, especially for a stealth-based class.
Duelists(M) are like a hybrid of gunslingers and snipers: they're of the mentality of one fight, one bullet. They are, quite literally, duelists. As in, they fight best against single opponents, faring poorly against groups. (With exceptions--see below.) They're low in speed (1), but have good accuracy and precision, aiming their shots (4). They only are somewhat-skilled at reloading (2), yet are surprisingly tough, having a mid-skilled rating in defense (3). Given their high power (5), and they are specialists in giving good damage to single targets...and that's just with a weapon like a PISTOL. Duelists can accurately wield shotguns to gunslinger levels (almost, anyway), only dealing FAR more damage with them. They can also snipe with rifles. Fairly impressive, for a total of 15.
What makes Duelists interesting, though, is their melee weapon: a rapier. They use an actual, proper, sword, as their melee weapon, which means if you want to be a gunmen focused on melee, duelists are THE choice you want to make. They may not move fast, but they're good at deflecting projectiles out of the air (one of only TWO classes which can do that, even!), and once they're in range (which they can get in fairly easily), bam, it's over.
You might notice the little M and W symbols. That's because they loosely represent whether the class is Magical or the class is Warrior based. ALL attacks are ranged, but they still take inspiration from one of the two more than the other one. That's true for Bowmen, too.
Speaking of which, the six bowmen classes are: Repeating Crossbowmen, Arbalesters, Longbowmen, Compact Bowmen, Woodsmen, and Yeomen.
The Repeating Crossbowmen(W) are exactly what they sound like: crossbows that fire multiple shots before needing to be reloaded. As such, they are a high-speed (5) weapon. However, they only have some accuracy (2), and an extremely low reload (1). They only hold some defense (2), but at least they have high power (5). These guys are a mid-way point between guards and gunfighters: good at both offense and defense, yet holding a crippling long reload time, which makes them incredibly vulnerable to attack. (15.)
Their melee weapon is a stake. As in, wooden stake, thing you drive through vampires. Not very useful.
The Arbalesters(W) are basically a slower, but stronger, version of the repeating crossbowmen: Low speed (1), same somewhat-skilled accuracy (2), being a little better by having some reload (2), having very good defense (4), and featuring high power (5). You might notice something: they only have 14. This is because while they may not be easy to use, they are still considered one of the two strongest bowmen classes, thanks to their overall strength being more than enough.
Their melee weapon is a wristblade: VERY effective weapon, making them the equivalent of the SWAT for archers: good to use if not for their low speed.
Longbowmen(M) are basically the snipers of archers: They have some speed (2), high accuracy (5), mid-speed reload (3), some defense (2), and some power (2). They hit from afar, basically making shots that should be impossible.
Their melee weapon is a dagger.
Compact Bowmen(W) are basically the only archers that can come close to matching the crossbows in close-quarter combat: they are among the fastest bowmen with good speed (4), and have mid-skilled accuracy (3). What makes them really effective is their tie for fastest reload time of good (4), though they pay for it with low defense (1). They may only have a mid-powered attack, but that's the highest of the bows.
Compact Bowmen are unique among classes in that they don't get a melee weapon. Instead, they get a horse to ride on. This is good for trampling enemies (melee) and for running away, though it's not so good for shooting on: when shooting from a horse, their stats become 5 for speed, and 1 for accuracy/reload/defense/power, making it POSSIBLE, but IMPRACTICAL, to do hit-and-run.
Woodsmen(M) are survivalists: they only have mid-speed (3), mid-accuracy (3), and mid-reload (3), but they blend into their surroundings, giving them high defense (5). They have low power (1), so they're not that strong, but they're considered the most balanced bowmen class, and are also the most widely used, in part because of the below. (15.)
Their melee weapon is an ax: VERY good for dealing extreme damage. While they can't cut projectiles down, they can set up ambushes RIDICULOUSLY well, and them being of reasonable speed means that they are THE archery class to use if you want to be a melee-oriented bowmen.
Yeomen(M) are basically normal archers, who are just really, really skilled: Good firing speed (4), good accuracy (4), good reload (4), all at the cost of merely having no defense whatsoever (0) and only holding low power (1). They're basically highly-accurate machine guns of bowmen.
Then, we get into the miscellaneous classes. These six are basically the six 'rogue' classes, as the above each had three warrior and three mage classes, so you won't see me put a symbol next to them.
Anyway, the miscellaneous classes are: Ninja, Juggler, Bomber, Javeliner (flows better than 'javelin thrower' to me), Thrower, and Blowdarter.
Ninjas are undoubtedly the most popular class. Before receiving a nerf, they had a ridiculous 19 points. Even now, they have the "perfect balance" build of Middle-everything: mid speed, mid accuracy, mid reload, mid defense, and mid power, for 15 total. They are considered a little bit of a broken class, even WITH the nerf, because while their shuriken (their special weapon) may not have great range, they're an extremely versatile class.
Also, their melee weapon is a katana. They are the OTHER class capable of cutting down projectiles, which, understandably, makes them THE undisputed miscellaneous class to be if you want to focus on a melee build. Stealthy, fast, deadly attackers with some neat tricks.
Jugglers aren't far behind, though: they have high attack speed (5), albeit at the cost of low accuracy (1). They're basically the gunfighters of miscellaneous weaponry, but have High reload (5). They do suffer severe penalties in the form of no defense (0) and low power (1), which you might note gives them an abysmal stat rating of only 12. Why are they so underpowered compared to all the others?
Simple: because they have THE most ridiculously strong ability of any class: the ability to equip ANY class's equipment, even non-miscellaneous classes! Furthermore, they can JUGGLE any miscellaneous class's weaponry. This is not some juggle-balls that throw goofball effects. This is someone who can juggle shuriken, javelins (albeit not well), darts, knives (their default), swords, axes, and even BOMBS.
As such, Jugglers are also unique among classes in that they have no predefined set weaponry of their own, be it primary or melee. They just use whatever they fancy.
Bombers are also a popular class, too: they throw bombs with some speed (2), some accuracy (2), have mid-level skills at reloading (3), mid-level defense (3), and high power (5). They make stuff go boom, at a fairly rapid rate at that. Having basically an infinite supply of grenades of various types does that. Smoke bomb, flash bomb, big bomb, you get the idea. They throw lots of bombs and they have the BEST area control of any class, because their bombs can do plenty. Acid bombs, magma bombs, teleportation bombs...the list goes on and on. (15)
Their melee weapon is a small, one-handed mallet: pretty useless, though it can be used to bat their bombs even further. (This technique can only be used by a skilled player, though, who can deploy a bomb, switch to melee, and swing, in the split seconds it requires.)
Javeliners aren't so popular, being a fairly under-appreciated class: they are the power class, since a javelin through your chest is a whole lot more lethal than a knife stuck in your vest. As such, they have low speed (1), mid-skilled accuracy (3), low reload (1), but have very high defense (5), tanking blows while also dishing out the damage (5). This total of 15 makes them relatively underpowered, but they still see use.
Their melee weapon is...the same as their default weapon; they use their javelin as a stabbing spear. This is pretty devastating at close range, but other melee-oriented classes (ninja, woodsman, duelist, and to lesser extents Arbalester and SWAT) all can easily beat the javelin.
Throwers on the other hand have a stat point advantage over the other miscellaneous classes, and as a result, are frequently played, in part thanks to their utility. They have mid-level speed (3), good accuracy (4), mid-level skills at reloading (3), some defense (2), and good power (4)...for a total of 16. What makes them ALSO be so good is that they can throw any type of melee weapon: their default is knives, but axes and swords can also be utilized, also any blunt object like a club, hammer, or such. They don't have the same ability of a juggler to handle ANY weapon, but they do hold the ability to use weapons that can feasibly be thrown. (This list covers most of them.)
They get to choose what melee weapon they use, among their throwing weapon options. The main reason the class gets to be this strong is because it is basically a much, much slower version of the broken Juggler class, so any incentive to make people choose this class is worth it.
Last, but not least, are blowdarters: they have some speed (2), high accuracy (5), some reload skills (2), are good at blending in thus have defense (4), and some power behind them (2), particularly given that they are one of THE best classes for debuffs: sleeping tranq darts, poison darts, the like. They're flexible, they're stealthy, they're not too shabby in most stats, basically an all-around useful class, rounded out at 15 points.
Their melee weapon is a syringe. Said syringe can deliver a variety of things...including one-hit kills, if the player is stealthy enough to inject a lethal dose.
I really like the balance I've built for the game, along with its fictional backstory and balance. In my mind, it's already been released as an MMORPG!
I'd have to un-bury it from my archives, but it's there if you binge back far enough. It was a while ago, not sure how long ago, but at least a month or two if not more.
...Well. Anyway. The point is, today, I developed a game very similar to that one, but distinctly different.
It's akin to the difference between Alfeim (spelling?) Online, and...Gun Gale Online. With this game being GGO: similar base mechanics, but different.
It's basically a nearly identical game, only...different. In this case, three types of classes, with six each (that sounds familiar...), but...in this case, each class is ranged.
We've got Gunmen, Bowmen, and Miscellaneous weapon users. This system has FIVE stats: Speed, Accuracy, Reload (because everyone uses ranged weaponry), Defense, and Strength/Power. They can have none (defense-only; 0), low (1), some (2), mid (3), good (4), or high (5) values, and the average for each class is, naturally, 15. (5 stats, 3 is middle, soyeah.) Now, for the purposes of this system: speed is not only firing speed, but also movement speed, meaning faster speed means not only fast movement, but also fast rate of fire. Accuracy, similarly, pulls double-weight for range: relative to their weapon type, higher accuracy classes can hit targets from longer away. (Not all high-accuracy is equal: there's a difference between high accuracy with a knife and high accuracy with a sniper rifle.)
Reload speaks for itself, in that it is how fast the class reloads after emptying their ammo, whatever ammo they use. (Guns have clip size. For bows, it mostly refers to the speed at which they draw their arrows, with the exception of the repeating crossbow. Javeliners can carry one "instant" throw, a second "rapid" throw, and three "reserve" throws before reloading. Jugglers have a number of objects they can simultaneously juggle, and that's how many they can instantly throw; after throwing them all, they need to reload. All other miscellaneous classes work like the archer, only with throwers, bombers, and ninjas having two shots rather than one.)
Defense actually pulls triple-duty: it overlaps with speed in that it deals with evade, since you can't be dealt damage if you can't be hit. Defense also covers stealth and hiding capabilities, since you can't be hit if your opponent can't see where you are. (Well, short of them firing blindly and getting lucky, anyway.) Then it covers things like body armor and general toughness to kill. Then, strength/power is how strong the class's weapons are. Since this is a competitive system, guns don't beat all; ranking does. So a high-powered javelin beats a somewhat-powerful gunfighter in raw damage.
Technically, each class has a melee option, but like GGO, it's crazy and nobody does it; everyone uses ranged weapons unless in emergencies.
Let's start with Gunmen.
The six gunmen classes are: Gunslingers, Gunfighters, Guards, SWAT, Snipers, and Duelists.
Gunslingers(W) are your stereotypical Western: they are quickdraw masters, who rely on hitting all threats and eliminating them before they need to reload and before the enemy gets the chance to attack.
As such, they've got High speed (5) and High Accuracy (5). However, they hold only some ability to reload--this is actually a patch from "low" (so, 2). Worse, they have no defense (0), and power-wise, they're middle-of-the-road (3), but ultimately, they are a threat because of that speed and accuracy. They mostly use revolvers, but some use rifles. Heaven help you if you encounter someone of the class skilled enough to use a SHOTGUN, though. Sure, their reload sucks, but doesn't matter if they hit you with ten pellets at nigh-impossible range. (Total: 15.)
Their melee weapon is a bayonet: not very strong for anything.
Gunfighters(W) are, basically, gunslingers on steroids. Think run-and-gun and you've got them. Gun-fu, Matrix-esque moves are common place, since the gun fighter is a class built around dashing out of cover, delivering a hail of bullets, and ducking back behind cover, with little regards to accuracy. So basically, they have high speed (5), but low accuracy (1). (Shotguns are much more common for this class as a result, though they are optimized for quicker weapons like sub-machine guns.) Because they need to get out of cover fast, they hold mid reload skills (3), and their ease of use for cover gives them some (2) defense, too. Their power is average (3), giving them an overall ranking of 14. This gives them a stat penalty over others, but that's because they're by far the easiest class to use. If they were harder, their reload would be upgraded to 'good'.
Their melee weapon is brass knuckles: good for a solid punch, not very useful otherwise.
Guards(M) are basically police officers, geared towards urban combat. They are basically a more defensive version of the gunfighter: only somewhat skilled at speed (2), having mid accuracy (3), good reload (4), some defense (2), and good power (4). Basically, they focus on covering themselves and making slow, progressive movements rather than rapid dashes. They're stationary targets, increasing vulnerability, but very good at defending their station, dealing lots of damage at a relatively high rate. They are considered the most "average" of the classes, balanced, yet not particularly well-used, because they are mostly good for support. (Total: 15.)
Their melee weapon is a taser: deals virtually no damage, but actually is very useful for its stun capabilities.
SWAT(W) are basically the tank/offense version of guards: they're very low in speed (1), only have mid levels of accuracy (3), being only somewhat skilled in reload (2), but having good defense (4), AND high power. They pack a mean punch, and their defenses are hard to penetrate. They pay for this by being slow in just about every other regard, but they're still valuable strike team members. (Total: 15.)
Their melee weapon is a baton: good chance of temporarily stunning a target, deals decent damage, and is easy to use. Add in their shielding, and they'd be a decent melee class if not for their utter lack of speed.
Snipers(M) are the hardest class to master, but the one with the most reward. Their firing speed is abysmally low (1), but their high accuracy makes up for it (5). They've got low reload skills (1), but their stealth gives them High defense (5), and they're one of the easiest to OHKO players with their high power (5)...and you might have noticed that's a total of 17, for good reason. Snipers are ridiculously hard to aim with, but have the highest proficiency of any class at ALL weapons they can use: shotguns? Beat gunslingers and duelists. Pistols? Beat everyone. Rifles? Their specialty.
Their melee weapon is a combat knife: very useful to have, especially for a stealth-based class.
Duelists(M) are like a hybrid of gunslingers and snipers: they're of the mentality of one fight, one bullet. They are, quite literally, duelists. As in, they fight best against single opponents, faring poorly against groups. (With exceptions--see below.) They're low in speed (1), but have good accuracy and precision, aiming their shots (4). They only are somewhat-skilled at reloading (2), yet are surprisingly tough, having a mid-skilled rating in defense (3). Given their high power (5), and they are specialists in giving good damage to single targets...and that's just with a weapon like a PISTOL. Duelists can accurately wield shotguns to gunslinger levels (almost, anyway), only dealing FAR more damage with them. They can also snipe with rifles. Fairly impressive, for a total of 15.
What makes Duelists interesting, though, is their melee weapon: a rapier. They use an actual, proper, sword, as their melee weapon, which means if you want to be a gunmen focused on melee, duelists are THE choice you want to make. They may not move fast, but they're good at deflecting projectiles out of the air (one of only TWO classes which can do that, even!), and once they're in range (which they can get in fairly easily), bam, it's over.
You might notice the little M and W symbols. That's because they loosely represent whether the class is Magical or the class is Warrior based. ALL attacks are ranged, but they still take inspiration from one of the two more than the other one. That's true for Bowmen, too.
Speaking of which, the six bowmen classes are: Repeating Crossbowmen, Arbalesters, Longbowmen, Compact Bowmen, Woodsmen, and Yeomen.
The Repeating Crossbowmen(W) are exactly what they sound like: crossbows that fire multiple shots before needing to be reloaded. As such, they are a high-speed (5) weapon. However, they only have some accuracy (2), and an extremely low reload (1). They only hold some defense (2), but at least they have high power (5). These guys are a mid-way point between guards and gunfighters: good at both offense and defense, yet holding a crippling long reload time, which makes them incredibly vulnerable to attack. (15.)
Their melee weapon is a stake. As in, wooden stake, thing you drive through vampires. Not very useful.
The Arbalesters(W) are basically a slower, but stronger, version of the repeating crossbowmen: Low speed (1), same somewhat-skilled accuracy (2), being a little better by having some reload (2), having very good defense (4), and featuring high power (5). You might notice something: they only have 14. This is because while they may not be easy to use, they are still considered one of the two strongest bowmen classes, thanks to their overall strength being more than enough.
Their melee weapon is a wristblade: VERY effective weapon, making them the equivalent of the SWAT for archers: good to use if not for their low speed.
Longbowmen(M) are basically the snipers of archers: They have some speed (2), high accuracy (5), mid-speed reload (3), some defense (2), and some power (2). They hit from afar, basically making shots that should be impossible.
Their melee weapon is a dagger.
Compact Bowmen(W) are basically the only archers that can come close to matching the crossbows in close-quarter combat: they are among the fastest bowmen with good speed (4), and have mid-skilled accuracy (3). What makes them really effective is their tie for fastest reload time of good (4), though they pay for it with low defense (1). They may only have a mid-powered attack, but that's the highest of the bows.
Compact Bowmen are unique among classes in that they don't get a melee weapon. Instead, they get a horse to ride on. This is good for trampling enemies (melee) and for running away, though it's not so good for shooting on: when shooting from a horse, their stats become 5 for speed, and 1 for accuracy/reload/defense/power, making it POSSIBLE, but IMPRACTICAL, to do hit-and-run.
Woodsmen(M) are survivalists: they only have mid-speed (3), mid-accuracy (3), and mid-reload (3), but they blend into their surroundings, giving them high defense (5). They have low power (1), so they're not that strong, but they're considered the most balanced bowmen class, and are also the most widely used, in part because of the below. (15.)
Their melee weapon is an ax: VERY good for dealing extreme damage. While they can't cut projectiles down, they can set up ambushes RIDICULOUSLY well, and them being of reasonable speed means that they are THE archery class to use if you want to be a melee-oriented bowmen.
Yeomen(M) are basically normal archers, who are just really, really skilled: Good firing speed (4), good accuracy (4), good reload (4), all at the cost of merely having no defense whatsoever (0) and only holding low power (1). They're basically highly-accurate machine guns of bowmen.
Then, we get into the miscellaneous classes. These six are basically the six 'rogue' classes, as the above each had three warrior and three mage classes, so you won't see me put a symbol next to them.
Anyway, the miscellaneous classes are: Ninja, Juggler, Bomber, Javeliner (flows better than 'javelin thrower' to me), Thrower, and Blowdarter.
Ninjas are undoubtedly the most popular class. Before receiving a nerf, they had a ridiculous 19 points. Even now, they have the "perfect balance" build of Middle-everything: mid speed, mid accuracy, mid reload, mid defense, and mid power, for 15 total. They are considered a little bit of a broken class, even WITH the nerf, because while their shuriken (their special weapon) may not have great range, they're an extremely versatile class.
Also, their melee weapon is a katana. They are the OTHER class capable of cutting down projectiles, which, understandably, makes them THE undisputed miscellaneous class to be if you want to focus on a melee build. Stealthy, fast, deadly attackers with some neat tricks.
Jugglers aren't far behind, though: they have high attack speed (5), albeit at the cost of low accuracy (1). They're basically the gunfighters of miscellaneous weaponry, but have High reload (5). They do suffer severe penalties in the form of no defense (0) and low power (1), which you might note gives them an abysmal stat rating of only 12. Why are they so underpowered compared to all the others?
Simple: because they have THE most ridiculously strong ability of any class: the ability to equip ANY class's equipment, even non-miscellaneous classes! Furthermore, they can JUGGLE any miscellaneous class's weaponry. This is not some juggle-balls that throw goofball effects. This is someone who can juggle shuriken, javelins (albeit not well), darts, knives (their default), swords, axes, and even BOMBS.
As such, Jugglers are also unique among classes in that they have no predefined set weaponry of their own, be it primary or melee. They just use whatever they fancy.
Bombers are also a popular class, too: they throw bombs with some speed (2), some accuracy (2), have mid-level skills at reloading (3), mid-level defense (3), and high power (5). They make stuff go boom, at a fairly rapid rate at that. Having basically an infinite supply of grenades of various types does that. Smoke bomb, flash bomb, big bomb, you get the idea. They throw lots of bombs and they have the BEST area control of any class, because their bombs can do plenty. Acid bombs, magma bombs, teleportation bombs...the list goes on and on. (15)
Their melee weapon is a small, one-handed mallet: pretty useless, though it can be used to bat their bombs even further. (This technique can only be used by a skilled player, though, who can deploy a bomb, switch to melee, and swing, in the split seconds it requires.)
Javeliners aren't so popular, being a fairly under-appreciated class: they are the power class, since a javelin through your chest is a whole lot more lethal than a knife stuck in your vest. As such, they have low speed (1), mid-skilled accuracy (3), low reload (1), but have very high defense (5), tanking blows while also dishing out the damage (5). This total of 15 makes them relatively underpowered, but they still see use.
Their melee weapon is...the same as their default weapon; they use their javelin as a stabbing spear. This is pretty devastating at close range, but other melee-oriented classes (ninja, woodsman, duelist, and to lesser extents Arbalester and SWAT) all can easily beat the javelin.
Throwers on the other hand have a stat point advantage over the other miscellaneous classes, and as a result, are frequently played, in part thanks to their utility. They have mid-level speed (3), good accuracy (4), mid-level skills at reloading (3), some defense (2), and good power (4)...for a total of 16. What makes them ALSO be so good is that they can throw any type of melee weapon: their default is knives, but axes and swords can also be utilized, also any blunt object like a club, hammer, or such. They don't have the same ability of a juggler to handle ANY weapon, but they do hold the ability to use weapons that can feasibly be thrown. (This list covers most of them.)
They get to choose what melee weapon they use, among their throwing weapon options. The main reason the class gets to be this strong is because it is basically a much, much slower version of the broken Juggler class, so any incentive to make people choose this class is worth it.
Last, but not least, are blowdarters: they have some speed (2), high accuracy (5), some reload skills (2), are good at blending in thus have defense (4), and some power behind them (2), particularly given that they are one of THE best classes for debuffs: sleeping tranq darts, poison darts, the like. They're flexible, they're stealthy, they're not too shabby in most stats, basically an all-around useful class, rounded out at 15 points.
Their melee weapon is a syringe. Said syringe can deliver a variety of things...including one-hit kills, if the player is stealthy enough to inject a lethal dose.
I really like the balance I've built for the game, along with its fictional backstory and balance. In my mind, it's already been released as an MMORPG!
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