Viking
Axes / Scale Armor / No spells
Mr. hit hard. He equips axes and does the most physical damage, by far. It doesn't get much simpler than that. He also hits rather frequent (3 attack rating per level), and can wear scale armor (which is good enough for second place in your party). As you would expect, he can't cast any spells. No problem, he'll often take out smaller enemies in only one hit!

Rogue
Swords / Scale Armor / No spells
Mr. lucky. The rogue actually has three things going for him: his extremely high luck factor makes it easy for him to run away from battles. Secondly, that high luck also helps your party with preemptive attacks (and avoiding ambushes) as long as he leads your party. Finally, he also gets 5 magic resistance per level, way higher than anybody else. He's just good at avoiding trouble! He can use swords, so he'll help out on offense. And since he can use scale armor and has above average evasion, he's able to stay alive at the front of your party just long enough for a heal. He's got a lot going for him, but he can't cast spells. One other minor bonus: the level design of this game let's him 'steal' some extra powerful items ahead of time.

Monk
No weapons / No armor / All indirect spells
Mr. fury of fists. This guy does twice the attacks he gets from his attack rating, and he even gets 4 of those every level! On average, he hits less hard than the Viking, but due to all the attacks, throwing a couple of TMPR spells on him will make him do more damage in the long run. The Monk is all about the long fight: he even has access to all the indirect spells in the game, making him able to buff your teammates and curse your opponents to your advantage. He can't cast as many spells per day as dedicated casters, though, so think ahead. He also doesn't wear any armor, but luckily gains an armor bonus per level.

Ninja
Swords / Cloth armor / Both direct black spells
Ms. pwnage. The Ninja delights in beating up her opponents. She uses swords and even gains 4 attack rating per level. On top of that, she has access to direct black spells, helping her nuke 'em to pieces. And if that's not enough, she has the highest evasion rate in the game, helping avoid attacks. He only real weakness is that she has low armor, so make sure she hits before being hit back. You can have her lead your party, but high armor ratings (like the Paladin's) are better defense in the long run.

Cleric
Hammers / Scale armor + shield / Both indirect white spells + one direct white spell
Ms. protector. Want to make sure you win every fight? The Cleric has all the tools needed to stay alive as long as she has some magic to spend. She has access to all the indirect white spells, which is mostly for defensive buffing. And she can cast CURE spells to keep folks alive (but she doesn't have the HEAL spell, like the Priest). She even has the ability to wear scale armor and shields! As you would expect, she's not very good at killing enemies. No problem, she makes friends easily.


Warlock
Staves / Scale armor / Both direct black spells + one indirect black spell
Ms. nukage. The Warlock specializes in direct damage spells and can cast a lot! If you know which elements work against which enemy, the Warlock can blaze through this game. She even wears scale armor. Sound overpowered? Once her magic is spent, her staff won't do much damage. And boss fights, with their tremendous hit-points, and after a long trip through a dungeon, might have her feeling powerless. But no matter, smart use of inns and houses will keep her fresh and 'productive'.

Sage
Staves / Cloth armor / All spells
Mr. magic. So you like casting spells? The Sage has access to all spells, helping your party fill any holes. Need a character that can heal -and- nuke? Want multiple TMPR spells but also the ability to nuke undead? The Sage is your answer. His spells also have slightly more power than other casters. What he doesn't do is fight well: staves and cloth armor is all he can equip.

Fool
Staves / Cloth armor / No spells
Mr. so you're looking for a challenge. The third (fourth?) leg of your party, the Fool doesn't bring anything to the table. Want a character dedicated to using potions and helping with running away? The Fool is there for players who want to make the game harder. Good luck with having him still alive by the end of the game!

Paladin
Hammers / Plate armor + shields / Both direct white spells
Mr. tank. The knight in shiny plate armor, he'll protect your class from physical attacks like no other. He also can cast direct white spells, healing your party and protecting them from magic. He even has above average luck and magic resistance, the guy's blessed! He's not that much of a damage dealer: he hits more often and slightly harder than the Cleric, but that's not saying much.

Ranger
Swords / Scale armor + shields / All spells
Mr. all-round. You want a hybrid? The Ranger brings a lot to the table, but nothing especially spicy. He uses swords, wears scale armor and shields (pretty good as a leader), and none of his stats are low. One of his best features is having access to all spells. He won't be able to cast many per day, but he'll do fine as your only healer, nuker or buffer if you think ahead.

Wizard
Swords / Cloth armor / Both indirect black spells + one direct black spell
Mr. tricky. My personal favorite, he's got all the indirect black spells you need. Buff your team to super strength and curse your opponents into puppies. He also has access to the direct black spells which hit one target. On top of that, he can use swords, so the Wizard is also good at taking out single enemies. Multiple enemies? You can confuse, stun, and poison them! He can't take much of a beating though.

Priest
Staves / cloth armor / Both direct white spells + one indirect white spell
Mr. heals on wheels. You'll never need a healing potion with this guy around. Plenty of HEALs and CUREs to throw around, but also HOLY spells to damage undead and some indirect spells to help in longer fights. His staff doesn't pack a punch, though, neither will his cloth armor keep him alive long. But healing is great, isn't it?