In sharp contrast to previous EO games, where each class had their own unique stat growths, EO5 now has four different races that have their own base stats, which are then slightly modified by specializations. In addition, each race has their own selection of small-but-useful racial passives and Union skills.
I'm not really smart enough to discuss the deeper implications of the race system on a game design and balance level, so let's just talk about them.
Earthrun
Earthrun Classes: Fencer, Dragoon, Cestus, Reaper
Earthruns, like humans in a lot of other games with race systems, are a middle-of-the-road, phys-oriented race. Highest HP, decent STR, highest VIT, and, strangely enough, highest LUC. Their TP, INT, and WIS are all pretty bad--and by bad, I mean they have the lowest TP of any race. While Cesti can usually deal with this since their skills generally don't cost too much relative to their max TP, the other three classes tend to have pretty serious TP issues throughout most of the game.
Earthrun Race Skills:
- Level 1: Grace of the Earth, Fishing, Woodland Search Skills
- Level 5: Organizational Skills, Woodland Gathering Skills, Animal Husbandry
- Level 10: Martial Arts, Serving Power, Armor Mastery
- Level 15: Body Improvement, Athletic Training, Self Study
- Level 20: The Earth's Favor, Anatomy, Gourmet
- Level 1: Blessed Light. Requires 1 person. Restores 15% to 30% of all party members' max HP. Heal depends on user level.
- Level 5: Basic Resuscitation. Requires 2 people. Revives one dead party member. Healing power depends on user levels--scales from 1 to 270.
- Level 10: Tri-Shield. Requires 3 people. Nullifies the first three enemy attacks for one turn.
- Level 15: Black Mist. Requires 4 people. Doubles the chance of inflicting ailments (excluding stun and instant death) and binds for one turn.
- Level 20: Indomitable Spirit. Requires 5 people. Nullifies all ailments and binds for one turn. In addition, all party members have a 50% chance to survive fatal damage at 10% HP.
Lunarian
Lunarian Classes: Warlock, Necromancer
Lunarians are the spellcasting race. That is basically all they're good for. They have the best TP and INT of any race, decent WIS and AGI, and bad HP, STR, VIT, and AGI. They cannot survive hits on the frontline, not helped by the fact that neither of their innate races can wear armor heavier than clothes. They can take magic hits a bit better than Earthrun and Therians, at least. Their LUC also means that they can make for decent disable inflictors--which is pretty important, since that's a large part of Warlock Spec 1, and Necromancers overall.
Lunarian Race Skills:
- Level 1: Grace of the Moon, Chop, Sense Mana
- Level 5: Anatomy, Night Vision, Gourmet
- Level 10: Bestow Mana, Serving Power, Barrier of Selflessness
- Level 15: Body Improvement, Athletic Training, Self Study
- Level 20: The Moon's Favor, Animal Husbandry, Concentration
- Level 1: Enchant. Requires 1 person. Gives all party members' normal attacks fire+ice+volt element for one turn.
- Level 5: Paradigm Shift. Requires 2 people. Attempts to transfer one party member's ailments/binds to one enemy, with a 50% base chance.
- Level 10: Curse Magic. Requires 3 people. For one turn, when any party members deal fire/ice/volt damage, they have a chance of inflicting a random ailment on their target. Base chance is unknown.
- Level 15: Triple Magic. Requires 4 people. Deals ranged INT-based fire damage, ice damage, and volt damage (each element is a separate instance of damage) to all enemies. Damage scales from 100% to 200% per hit, based on user level.
- Level 20: Chain Blast. Requires 5 people. Deals ranged INT-based almighty damage to all enemies. Attempts to bind hit targets' head, arms, and legs, with a 150% base chance. Damage scales from 100% to 300%, based on user level. All secondary Union targets (everyone but the initiator) are left with 40% Union after use.
Therian
Therian Classes: Hound, Masurao
Therians are the physical damage race--they have the highest STR and AGI of the races. Their TP's also quite a bit better than Earthruns, but it still doesn't really stack up to Lunarians or Brownies. Their LUC isn't garbage, but it's also not terribly optimal for inflicting stuff. Unfortunately, their defenses can be pretty lacking. While they do have the second highest HP of the races, they also have mediocre VIT, and the worst WIS of the races, meaning they really do not take magic hits well. Their defense problems are at least somewhat mitigated by Masuraos being able to wear heavy armor (although that doesn't help a lot with magic), and Hounds being best put in back row anyway.
Therian Race Skills:
- Level 1: Grace of the Battlefield, Hunting Skills, Mine
- Level 5: Acrobatics, Vigilance, Feats of Strength
- Level 10: Woodland Search Skills, Fishing, Mind's Eye
- Level 15: Body Improvement, Athletic Training, Self Study
- Level 20: The Battlefield's Favor, Armor Mastery, Organizational Skills
- Level 1: Giant Swing. Requires 1 person. Deals melee STR-based damage to all enemies. Damage scales from 100% to 250% based on user level.
- Level 5: Spirit Bond. Requires 3 people. For one turn, when any party members deal cut/stab/bash damage, they have a chance of inflicting a random bind on their target. Base chance is unknown.
- Level 10: Attack Heal. Requires 3 people. For one turn, when the initiator deals damage, all party members recover 30% of whatever damage they deal.
- Level 15: Triple Attack. Requires 4 people. Deals ranged STR-based cut+stab+bash damage to one enemy. Damage scales from 200% to 450% based on user level. All secondary Union targets (everyone but the initiator) are left with 40% Union after use.
- Level 20: Simultaneous Attack. Requires 5 people. Each party member attacks every enemy with their equipped weapon. Each attack attempts to inflict stun, with a 200% base chance. Damage scales from 100% to 190% per hit, based on user level.
Brownie
Brownie Classes: Shaman, Herbalist
Brownies are... Um... The support race. Kind of. I guess. Their stats are all over the place--their HP's just a little better than Lunarians, their TP is just a little worse than Lunarians, they have the absolute worst STR of any race, their INT's just a little shy of Lunarians, their VIT's actually pretty good (better than Therians, anyway), they have the absolute best WIS of the races (matters a lot more for Herbalists since healing uses WIS), AGI that's actually not too far from Earthrun, and absolute fucking garbage LUC.
Brownie Race Skills:
- Level 1: Grace of the Wind, Take, Animal Husbandry
- Level 5: Serving Power, Fishing, Knowledge of Medicinal Plants
- Level 10: Organizational Skills, Barrier of Selflessness, Acrobatics
- Level 15: Body Improvement, Athletic Training, Self Study
- Level 20: The Wind's Favor, Haggling, Gourmet
- Level 1: Defense Order. Requires 2 people. Reduces all damage taken by all party members by 50% for one turn.
- Level 5: Fast as Lightning. Requires 3 people. All party members will act before all enemies for one turn.
- Level 10: Taboo Method. Requires 3 people. All buffs and debuffs on all party members and enemies are forced to last for one more turn.
- Level 15: Hygieia's Cup. Requires 4 people. Fully restores all party members' HP, purges all ailments and binds, and revives all dead party members at full HP.
- Level 20: Aegis Shield. Requires 5 people. Nullifies all attacks against party members for one turn.
Race Skills
Grace of the Earth/Moon/Battlefield/Wind
Can be learned by: All races (Level 1)
When a character uses a Basic skill, they have a chance (feels like it's anywhere from 10% to 25%) to restore ((TPCost / 5) + 1) of whatever TP they used on the skill.
Fishing
Can be learned by: Earthrun (Level 1), Therian (Level 10), Brownie (Level 5)
Enables the use of fishing points in Labyrinths.
Woodland Search Skills
Can be learned by: Earthrun (Level 1), Therian (Level 10)
Required for certain Adventure Episodes. Increases the user's AGI.
Organizational Skills
Can be learned by: Earthrun (Level 5), Therian (Level 20), Brownie (Level 10)
Increases the party's max inventory space by 5 for every party member that knows Organizational Skills. Increases the user's VIT.
Woodland Gathering Skills
Can be learned by: Earthrun (Level 5)
Lets the user find extra materials (and gold items) from Take, Chop, and Mine points.
Animal Husbandry
Can be learned by: Earthrun (Level 5), Lunarian (Level 20), Brownie (Level 1)
Required for certain Adventure Episodes, and for the chicken pseudo-quest on 1F.
Martial Arts
Can be learned by: Earthrun (Level 10)
Increases the user's resistance to all bind types by 10%.
Serving Power
Can be learned by: Earthrun (Level 10), Lunarian (Level 10), Brownie (Level 5)
Increases the user's resistance to ailments (excluding instant death and stun) by 10%.
Armor Mastery
Can be learned by: Earthrun (Level 10), Therian (Level 20)
Increases the user's resistance to cut/stab/bash damage by 5%.
Body Improvement
Can be learned by: All races (Level 15)
Increases the user's STR and VIT.
Athletic Training
Can be learned by: All races (Level 15)
Increases the user's AGI and LUC.
Self Study
Can be learned by: All races (Level 15)
Increases the user's INT and WIS.
The Earth's/Moon's/Battlefield's/Wind's Favor
Can be learned by: All races (Level 20)
When a character uses a Master skill, they have a chance (feels like it's anywhere from 10% to 25%) to restore ((TPCost / 5) + 1) of whatever TP they used on the skill.
Anatomy
Can be learned by: Earthrun (Level 20), Lunarian (Level 5)
Increases enemy drop rates by 10% for each party member that knows Anatomy. Increases the user's INT.
Gourmet
Can be learned by: Earthrun (Level 20), Lunarian (Level 5), Brownie (Level 20)
Doubles the amount of HP and TP restored by food items.
Chop
Can be learned by: Lunarian (Level 1)
Lets the user find extra materials (and gold items) from Chop points.
Sense Mana
Can be learned by: Lunarian (Level 1)
Required for certain Adventure Episodes. Increases the user's INT.
Night Vision
Can be learned by: Lunarian (Level 5)
Required for certain Adventure Episodes. Increases the user's non-base accuracy by 30.
Bestow Mana
Can be learned by: Lunarian (Level 10)
Increases the damage of Jar items by 30%. Increases the user's INT.
Barrier of Selflessness
Can be learned by: Lunarian (Level 10), Brownie (Level 10)
Increases the user's resistance to fire/ice/volt by 5%.
Concentration
Can be learned by: Lunarian (Level 20)
Gives the user a chance to nullify sleep. The chance scales from 15% to 40%, based on the user's level.
Hunting Skills
Can be learned by: Therian (Level 1)
Required for certain events and Adventure Episodes. Increases the user's STR.
Mine
Can be learned by: Therian (Level 1)
Lets the user find extra materials (and gold items) from Mine points.
Acrobatics
Can be learned by: Therian (Level 5), Brownie (Level 10)
Affects certain Adventure Episodes. Increases the user's non-base evasion by 30.
Vigilance
Can be learned by: Therian (Level 5)
Increases the preemptive attack rate by 30% for each character that knows Vigilance. Increases the user's WIS.
Feats of Strength
Can be learned by: Therian (Level 5)
Required for and affects certain Adventure Episodes. Increases the user's STR.
Mind's Eye
Can be learned by: Therian (Level 10)
Gives the user a chance to nullify blind. The chance scales from 15% to 40%, based on the user's level.
Take
Can be learned by: Brownie (Level 1)
Lets the user find extra materials (and gold items) from Take points.
Knowledge of Medicinal Plants
Can be learned by: Brownie (Level 5)
Increases the restoration power of healing items by 50%.
Haggling
Can be learned by: Brownie (Level 20)
Reduces the price of items in Ceric's shop by 5%. Does not stack with other instances of Haggling in the party! Increases the user's WIS.
Innate Union Skills
Analyze
Requires: 1 person
Adds one enemy's information to the Monstrous Codex.
Double Attack
Requires: 2 people
Both participants attack one enemy twice with their equipped weapons. Double Attack is melee range, regardless of the user's equipped weapon. Damage scales from 150% to 400% per hit, based on the user's level. The secondary participant is left with 40% Union after use.
Flee
Requires: 3 people
If the battle is not unescapable (ie. boss fights), immediately ends the battle and returns the party to the last used stairs or Geomagnetic Pole.
Magic Heal
Requires: 4 people
Restores all party members' TP. The restoration amount is ((MaxTP * 0.03) + 6).
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