Castles and Classes: The Different Type of Characters in Kent Ridge Crescent

Pictured: average view from Level 8 at Kuok Foundation House

CourseReg curses, winding spells cast by lecturers, and potioneers conjuring up feasts in the Comm Hall. Welcome to the magical realm of Kent Ridge Crescent. If you are a young paladin embarking on your four-year quest to obtain the Degree of Employability, the following guide may be useful to you. On your adventure, there are many different types of people you may meet, and in this game, it doesn’t hurt to know those in your party.

The Cleric: Found in the School of Computing

If your computer has an issue, the Computing Cleric’s divine magic will be channelled to repair it for you. With their training in ancient programming languages, their capabilities are endless. In their satchels lies their most important weapon: a gaming laptop with a light-up, RGB keyboard. 

Your typical Cleric is well-versed in many aspects of the Online realm, and is often highly skilled in at least one video game. Their Wisdom is hard-earned, and they are often found slaving away over the tasks set for them by their professors. Their class allows many paths of pursuit, such as strengthening the defenses of online platforms or learning to command the wily spirits of Artificial Intelligence. 

There is a tale that in their school, clerics-in-training had to write their magical code by hand, and a single letter off would get them sent away. Know that a Cleric is detail-oriented when they have to be, lest they face the Bugs. Many mortals can restart their computers, but it takes a true Cleric to fully wield everything a laptop can do. 

The Bard: Found in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Easily spotted due to their fashionable robes, the Boisterous Bard is capable of magic unknown to many. Their jewelry and outfits point to their control over the Aesthetics, but more than that, the Bard is known for their ability to weave magic through words. 

As Bards from the lands of the Central Library, they are known for their vast repertoires of knowledge in the arts and social sciences. They are used to the rigour of writing three thousand word scrolls to be submitted to their professors, and poring over thick tomes of readings for their tutorials. Though they seem very free, Bards put in a lot of time and effort into class participation, making the difficult seem easy. 

Bards thrive on stories, and are quick to share any they find of interest to you. They have a wide range of specialties, from the study of the lands (Geography) to the study of fables (English Literature) to the study of the very words we speak now (Communications, Linguistics). Your Bard can talk about anything: past, present and future. 

The life of any party, your Bards are multi-talented. They are usually as quick with their wit as they are with a smile. Many Bards show inclination towards other arts as well, such as music and painting. But the songs they sing and the speeches they speak can rally even the meekest to do something courageous. 

The Monk: Found in the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (YST)

Very little is known about the mystical Monks found in YST. But every night, they make their presence known through hints of their musical instruments as they practice. They are as devoted to their instruments as a knight is to their sword. They spend hours with their instruments, honing their skill with dedication even the writer cannot fathom. Their skill is like magic, allowing for beautiful music to flow effortlessly from their bodies. 

Like the Bards’ uniforms of dangling keychains and large charms, the Monks too have their own uniform. They are usually dressed in mysterious Concert Black, so that their weapon is the only thing that everyone sees. Monks are powerful enough on their own, but once a guild of Monks unite (known in the prophecies as an Orchestra), they can summon an arcane power so strong that tens and hundreds of people are entranced by the tunes they create. 

Some truly gifted Monks are blessed with a power known as Perfect Pitch, allowing them to be in tune with the notes of the universe and sense anything slightly out-of-tune. Their rigorous training and mental discipline work together to stun anyone in their sights.

The Artificer: Found in the College of Design and Engineering

In the tavern–or as we call it here–the Comm Hall, you are likely to stumble into an Artificer at almost every table. There are plenty of them in Raffles Hall, but do not be fooled. The Artificer is known for their versatility, but there are many things in which they specialise. 

Artificers can specialise in plenty, such as the engineering of healing potions (Biomedical Engineering),the creation of grand spires and temples (Architecture), or the mixing and creation of potions (Chemical Engineering). Artificers in Kent Ridge Crescent spend hours in their school, with the many practical sessions and lectures they have. However, their work pays off, as wonderful works spawn from their masterful hands. 

This class is known to be ingenious and inventive, with their training guiding them to learn foundational skills so they may one day be able to channel their arcane power to craft something wonderful. Their knowledge allows them to see ordinary objects and understand the deep amount of work and expertise taken to craft them. Though what they do is magical, Artificers see what they do as mundane knowledge. 

Artificers also have quick travel points enabled, with a pathway from Raffles Hall leading straight to their school. Additionally, their power-up potions come in many forms: coffee, tea or any type of energy drink.

Pictured: D2 at 9pm on a Tuesday

The Artificers are the most common class you encounter in Kent Ridge Crescent, and there are many more unique classes unmentioned here. But even so, what matters in Kent Ridge Crescent is our unity under the Guild of the Phoenix. We all work and live together, and hopefully, as we finish quests and travel to far-off places such as the superstitious Supper Stretch, we stick together and help each other.  May this guide aid you to slay the Dragons of Procrastination, the Spirits of Loneliness and obtain the Gem of A Happy Hall Life. From your friendly Bard, I wish you good luck, fellow traveller! 

(All Art is from the Black Sword Hack guide, drawn by Goran Gligovic. All edits were made by the writer. Sorry, Mister Gligovic, for ruining your art.)