[@Archmage MC]
Both please, Arch! c:

[@shylarah]
It's 3am! ;-; But you're lucky I'm an insomniac- let's go!

OK, benchmarking is a somewhat unique design but it's based on systems like Skyrim. Benchmarking is a cut-away from traditional MMOs which work entirely on character level. I.E. in normal MMOs, you pick a class (say ranger) and as you play the game, your level increases and you unlock more ranger abilities.

Pariah is different because there are no classes, no definitions of what makes a mage or a tank. Thus, we need something else for levelling. Benchmarking is this something else. It works like things do in real life. You don't become a better swordsman by becoming a more experienced person, you become a better swordsman by using a sword. Benchmarking works by specific experience. Abilities aren't unlocked by levelling up your character, abilities are gained by levelling up skills via the achievement system. The achievement system rewards work - if you kill 100 monsters with a sword, you're a better swordsman. Alternatively, if you kill 100 skeletons, you become proficient at killing skeletons. This allows players to spec as they please.

There's another end to this, of course. Benchmarking works with nearly every skill you think deserves to belong in a medieval fantasy world. In fact, you can become a high level player without killing a single mob. This is done by speccing into non-combat skills like baking, farming or annoying your precious Co-GM at 3am >.>

So spec into what you want to, within limit, of course! c:

Right, do real world skills carry over? Yes and no. Pariah isn't like a game. It doesn't have buttons to press. It's another world and to do something, you need to know how to do it. So yes, if you're a good dancer in real life it'll carry over but you won't have abilities as they require levels.

Virtual history is just a description of what your character has been up to since the game's release. Not a lore description of your character you dirty roleplayer :P

The character we have uses dance to kill. Your character could technically just use dance to make money in game.

But yeah, I think that's everything! Anything else?