Character Close-Up

BioWare is known for creating living, breathing worlds full of fascinating characters and letting players roam and explore at their leisure. This is exactly what you find in Jade Empire™. Of course, the most important character in this blockbuster is the one you choose to play.

There are six choices of playable characters (if you buy the Limited Edition there is a seventh warrior, the Chi master Monk Zeng). Each hero has a unique combination of fighting styles and abilities, along with certain strengths and weaknesses. Do you want toughness, speed, magic, or all three?

When selecting a character, choose a starting style to complement your playing style. If you prefer to craft your own character, you may select a warrior and apply ability points to various skills and attributes. You also get the opportunity to further shape your Jade Empire persona every time your character levels up. Here is a brief synopsis of each role you can choose:

Furious Ming
Furious Ming represents the quintessential light and fast martial artist. He may not be the strongest, but he attacks quickly and with surgical precision. The starting combat styles for Ming are Thousand Cuts and Heavenly Wave. Though the name of the former style suggests proficiency with bladed weapons, its title refers to a flurry of light strikes against a foe in favor of slower, heavy attacks. Heavenly Wave, the support style to Thousand Cuts, inflicts no damage to enemies, instead manipulating their Chi and slowing them.

Furious? Maybe "brooding."

Lu the Prodigy
Lu the Prodigy, like his female counterpart, Wu the Lotus Blossom, has balanced skills. He is neither the fastest nor the strongest adversary, but he is adept at both physical and magical combat. His Legendary Strike is the stuff of lore. Most warriors crossing paths with this wandering master are unable to block his mighty fists and lethal kicks. He also knows the Heavenly Wave support style.

Radiant Jen Zi
The nimble Radiant Jen Zi shares common traits with Furious Ming. Do not let her petite stature fool you—her ability to maintain Focus in battle coupled with her flurry of rapid punches is enough to take down the hardiest of challengers. She begins her quest with Thousand Cuts and Heavenly Wave styles.

Scholar Ling
As her name suggests, Scholar Ling prefers mind over matter. She relies on channeling her Chi to amplify standard physical attacks and unleash devastating magical assaults. Her secondary Heavenly Wave style is complementary to her primary command of Leaping Tiger—a fighting style so primal in nature that practitioners of the art seemingly sprout claws in the heat of battle.

Tiger Shen
Tiger Shen is the quintessential brawler. He has the strength to use the heaviest weapons and the skill to smash them down upon even the fastest opponents. Strong strikes and blocks make him both an unstoppable force and an immovable object. His White Demon style is considered boorish and clumsy by some, but used effectively there is no match to its power.

Behold Tiger Shen.

Wu the Lotus Blossom
Wu the Lotus Blossom represents a balanced and sensible approach to combat. She is both fast and powerful, but is not overly skilled in either category. Her true strength is adaptability, and she excels equally in defense and offense, in melee and magic. The starting combat style for Wu is the same as Lu's (Legendary Strike and Heavenly Wave), offering a mix of attacks and Chi abilities that ensure she is never caught off-guard.

The deadly Lotus Blossom.

Now that you know the various characters available to you, get into Jade Empire and start your own epic journey!

By Bobby Stein