Classes and Types of Focus
Classes and Types of Focus¶
written by Amethyst Silver
Not counting advanced techniques, there are three classes of focus, centered around the three base types of kni.
The illusion class has minor illusion, major illusion, and physical illusion. Each illusion taking more energy and concentration to keep. Minor illusions are small, confined to a very small roughly 2ft range from the focus point, but are very simple and easy to maintain. Major illusions scale concentration and energy cost with size, and thus abide by no such arbitrary restriction. Physical illusion is the ability to make something appear, and even be able to interact with other objects. It takes a lot of concentration to maintain, but energy cost scales with size like major illusions. Monklike kni typically find this class to be the most natural class to specialize in.
The life class has grow, vine, and heal. The grow focus allows the focuser to accelerate the growth of a focused plant, granted the plant has the nutrients and water required to do so. Vine allows the focuser to grow vines in a focused area. Most of the time, pre-existing plants and soil is not a requirement. The heal focus is the most important of the life class, and is taught to all kni in schools. Heal focus allows the focuser to transfer energy between types, allowing a kni to heal his or herself, another kni, or a human's wounds. However, for humans, the wound must be washed before closing, or you risk infection. Given enough time and energy, a kni can completely heal even lost limbs or nearly mortal wounds. For humans, it is much more restrictive, limiting more to only being able to close wounds. Humanlike kni typically find this class to be the most natural class to specialize in.
The combat class consists of shield, sword, spear, and blackfire. The shield focus typically creates a translucent purple shield attached to the focuser's focused arm, but can take many shapes in practice. The shield's strength is directly connected to the focuser's available willpower. If the focuser runs out of energy, the shield shatters and fades away. The sword focus is similar to the shield focus, and is often used in tandem with it, but its shape is much more standardized. It appears most often as a translucent purple short sword, but some opt to focus it as a greatsword, holding it with both hands. Similarly to shield focus, it is susceptible to shattering and fading away if the focuser runs out of energy. Spear focus has two forms: pre-thrown at nearly the speed of sound, and stationary as a held weapon. However, few rely on spear focus as a main weapon. The spear focus, like the other two focuses, appears as a translucent purple spear about 4ft long and is susceptible to shattering and fading when out of energy. Blackfire is a restricted focus, not taught in schools. It appears as a dark flame that takes fuel and light energy to burn hotter and faster than typical fire. Its speed and heat makes it a very dangerous focus. Replica kni are almost always specialists in this class.
The form focus is a focus that only replica kni can use. Replica kni can see a living thing, internalize it, and alter their energy-matter makeup to take its form. However, this transformation is not complete. They can never mask their cool-white glowing irises, which ends up being a giveaway of a replica kni.
Among the focus classes are advanced focuses that don't fit into a singular class. Using advanced focuses feels like taking your energy into your own hands, and telling it exactly what to do. Of these, we know of rift, direct rift, feel energies, hide energy, and alloying. There have been advanced focuses in the past that the techniques for have since been lost to time, giving them legendary status, like focus binding.