Professions & Guilds
AO uses profession paths, guild identity, skill requirements, reputation, contracts, and ranks instead of a simple character-level treadmill.
Independent Runners
Rogue
The shadows are your home. You find comfort in alleyways making swift deals — and if the deal goes badly, taking out your enemy before they know what happened.
Primary stats: DEX, INT
Trainer: Sable, Under-Market Contact — The Under-Market
Kalis has no official rogue guild. The Under-Market remembers who can keep a secret, carry a message, and leave no trace.
Core skills
Ranks
- Cutpurse
Stealth 5, Hiding 5 - Shade
Stealth 15, Backstab 10 - Knife
Stealth 25, Daggers 20 - Shadowblade
Stealth 40, Backstab 35 - Nightblade
Stealth 60, Deadlock 30
Kalis Provisioners' Union
Chef
Make exotic items for your patrons and help your team with healing cakes and battle buffs.
Primary stats: WIS, INT
Trainer: Mara the Provisioner — The Common Hall
Cooks, brewers, and quartermasters keep Kalis fed through shortages, rationing, and war preparation.
Core skills
Ranks
- Kitchen Hand
Cooking 5 - Cook
Cooking 15, Bake 10 - Chef
Cooking 30, Distill 15 - Master Chef
Cooking 50, Alchemy 25 - Grand Cuisinier
Cooking 70, Brew 50
The Sanctified Hospice
Priest
Keepers of sanctioned rites, spiritual protection, curses, resurrection, and the mysteries Kalismor fears most.
Primary stats: WIS, INT
Trainer: Sister Elian of the Hospice — The Market of Kalis — Eastern Row
Priests are tolerated because the wounded still need healing. Their sanctioned rites are watched closely by the Inquisition of Iron.
Core skills
Ranks
- Acolyte
Healing 5, First Aid 5 - Initiate
Healing 15, Cure 10 - Curate
Healing 30, Prayercraft 15 - Vicar
Healing 50, Resurrection 20 - High Priest
Healing 70, Spellcraft 40
Licensed Battlefield Menders
Mender
Necessary exceptions to Kalismor's ban on magic, Menders bind flesh, set bone, stop blood loss, and keep soldiers and citizens alive.
Primary stats: WIS, CON
Trainer: Vessa Marrowhand — The Market of Kalis — Eastern Row
Magic is forbidden in Kalismor, except where the realm cannot afford purity. Menders work under licenses the Iron Compact can revoke.
Core skills
Ranks
- Stitchhand
First Aid 5, Healing 5 - Field Mender
Triage 15, Stitching 10 - Woundbearer
Woundbearing 25, Bloodbinding 15 - Fleshweaver
Fleshweaving 40, Bonebinding 30 - Master Mender
Fleshweaving 60, Woundbearing 45
Licensed Surveyors
Ranger
The way of the land. Rangers understand trees, water, air, herbs, roads, trails, and hidden signs.
Primary stats: DEX, WIS
Trainer: Rook of the Green Road — The Guild District
Trackers, hunters, and scouts who know the roads beyond Kalis better than the people who rule them.
Core skills
Ranks
- Scout
Archery 5, Track 5 - Tracker
Archery 15, Track 15 - Strider
Archery 25, Traps 20 - Warden
Archery 40, Track 35 - Pathfinder
Archery 60, Poison Arrow 30
The Free Company Charter
Mercenary
A lone gunner or small-company fighter with no fixed allegiance — welcomed everywhere, protected nowhere.
Primary stats: STR, DEX
Trainer: Captain Vey — The Guild District
Mercenaries sell competence, not allegiance. The charter records who has earned the right to call themselves reliable.
Core skills
Ranks
- Sellsword
Swords 5 - Soldier
Swords 15, Strike 10 - Veteran
Swords 25, Evasion 20 - Elite
Swords 40, Mutilate 25 - Warlord
Swords 60, Critical Slam 40
Kalis Animal Handlers
Beast Master
The way of animals: work with them, train them, ride them, and call on pets to assist in battle.
Primary stats: WIS, CHA
Trainer: Haran the Kennelkeeper — The Guild District
Handlers, tamers, and riders who understand that an animal is neither tool nor ornament.
Core skills
Ranks
- Handler
Beast Mastery 5, Tame 5 - Tamer
Beast Mastery 15, Tame 15 - Beastkeeper
Beast Mastery 30, Animal Training 15 - Beastlord
Beast Mastery 50, Pack Call 25 - Archon of Beasts
Beast Mastery 75, Animal Frenzy 30
The Ironbound Guard
Guard
Sworn defenders trained to protect their lord and enforce the order of the realm.
Primary stats: STR, CON
Trainer: Sergeant Maelor — The Gatehouse of Kalis
The elite protectors of the Palace of Iron. Service brings authority, scrutiny, and the cost of enforcing Pryden's order.
Core skills
Ranks
- Watchman
Swords 5, Shield 5 - Guardsman
Swords 15, Shield 15 - Sergeant
Swords 25, Shield Bash 15 - Captain
Swords 40, Shield Block 30 - Commander
Swords 60, Critical Slam 40
Licensed River and Coastal Crews
Pirate / Sailor
The open ocean is your home. Sailors and pirates navigate difficult waters, ships, ports, fishing grounds, and supply routes.
Primary stats: DEX, STR
Trainer: Old Tessa of the Crews — The Common Hall
Kalis calls them crews when it needs supplies and pirates when it needs blame.
Core skills
Ranks
- Deckhand
Navigation 5, Swimming 5 - Sailor
Navigation 15, Fishing 10 - Bosun
Navigation 25, Ship Building 15 - First Mate
Navigation 40, Ship Building 30 - Captain
Navigation 60, Ship Building 50
The Licensed Trade Union
Merchant
Merchants specialize in crafting, trade, gathering, stores, prices, and turning coin into influence.
Primary stats: INT, CHA
Trainer: Varric the Factor — The Market of Kalis — Western Row
The trade houses turn scarcity into coin, coin into influence, and influence into survival.
Core skills
Ranks
- Peddler
Trading 5 - Trader
Trading 15, Haggle 10 - Merchant
Trading 25, Appraise 20 - Magnate
Trading 40, Marketeering 25 - Guildmaster
Trading 60, Marketeering 50