Regarding character classes, there are two main feat-trees to every character class. For example, the Guardian class has the "Juggernaut" feat tree, and the "Tempest" feat tree. The Juggernaut line is the one-handed weapon plus shield tree, and the Tempest line is the polearm tree. Also available to every class is an archetype-specific feat-tree, which consists of feats and abilities that augment existing feats and abilities, or offer new ones to use. They're called "General" abilities, but as said earlier, they're archetype-specific, i.e. general Rogue skills, general, Soldier skills, general Priest skills, and general Mage skills. The good news about the feat-trees in Age of Conan, is that you're not restricted to one feat-tree if you begin by putting feat points in to the root feat of a feat tree. If you like, you can invest points in the alternate feat-tree to round your character off and truly diversify your character. Even you stay within the one feat-tree, Age of Conan offers diversity within a specific build-type, with different feats and abilities on offer in the same tree. Basically, you can make your character a "specialist" of sorts, or a bit of an all-rounder. There does not appear to be any "must have" feats or abilities, but what ever you pick up, it's going to help. Not choosing a specific feat or ability or not investing a certain amount of feat points in it certainly won't be a hindrance to the player, because as earlier mentioned, there is plenty of opportunity for the player to invest in the other feat-trees (be it "General" or the alternate feat-tree) to augment, enhance, or simply to round-off the build looked for. As a player, you would be hard-pressed, even from specific class to specific class, to find another player with the exact same character build as you, so Funcom must be applauded for offering players the chance to experiment, tinker, and mould their character(s) the way they want. Say goodbye to the cookie-cutter!
PvP is simple enough to explain: crush your enemies, and be rewarded for it; be defeated by your enemies, and suffer greatly for it. Okay, so perhaps it's not that dramatic, but it's enough for even the keen PvPer to quiver at the loins over. Age of Conan offers players a PvP progression system, PvP levels one to 20. Defeating another player character will grant you PvP experience, or "PxP" as it is known in-game. Defeating a player character evenly matched with your or higher in level to you will grant you more PxP than defeating a player character lower than you. Dying in PvP will result in a PxP loss, and the loss is quite hefty, so as a PvPer in Age of Conan, you'll want to be on your guard and giving it your all to win your fights to avoid losing all of that hard-earned PxP. To keep track of your PvP progression, a small section on the character sheet indicates to the player what PvP level they are, how much PxP they have, how many kills the player has inflicted, and how many defeats the player has suffered. Progressing through the PvP levels will offer the player PvP rewards, such as items with PvP-specific stats, PvP-only abilities, and so forth. It has been indicated, however, that a player is going to work very hard to earn these rewards, and to reach PvP level 20 is going to take a lot of butchering, so don't expect a cake-walk, by any means!
