Culture guilds
Culture guilds are a special type of open guilds that can be joined by anyone of proper race. There are eight culture guilds:
- Civilized city dwellers
- Cult of the devourer
- Hive
- Little people's league
- Nomads of the wild
- Slumdogs of Czardom
- Clan of the mountainfolk
- Wanderers
Each of these guilds is open for a specific group of races. Some races may choose which culture guild they join as they qualify for more than one. You may only belong to one culture guild at a time. Thri-kreens, cancuns and chitines are able to join the Hive guild in addition to another culture guild.
Culture guilds do not grant skills, spells or stat bonuses as you gain levels in them. Instead they provide 2 ability points per level, spent on abilities that change your character in various ways. Abilities usually cost 1–3 ability points and may have other restrictions, such as a specific race or gender. Some abilities require other abilities as prerequisites. Each culture guild has its own set of around 30 abilities, themed around the races that can join.
Boons of the ancestors
Boons are special items linked to culture guilds. They can drop randomly from any monster in the game and grant additional ability points in your culture guild. You can use up to 4 boons per reincarnation. Each boon is tied to a specific race and you can only use boons matching your own race. Reincarnating wipes all used boons — they must be re-acquired — so spend them wisely. Unused boons save like any other normal item.
There is also a special type of boon that resets your chosen abilities in your current culture guild, letting you re-pick them. This reset boon does not remove your boons like a reincarnation does, so the points are reusable.