Subclassing is a game mechanic introduced in Etrian Odyssey III: The Drowned City, and also available in Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan and Etrian Odyssey Nexus. Subclassing gives limited access to a second class for any unit, granting a more varied moveset and opportunities for class hybridization. In all games, this mechanic only becomes available with story progression, typically at the plot's mid-point. A subclass can only be removed by Resting at the Explorers Guild, after which you can assign a different one to the same character if you so choose.
In EO3, subclassing is unlocked after completing the 2nd Stratum and reaching the Deep City. It allows for almost complete access to a secondary class' skills, with the sole exception of their class passive; this includes weapon mastery skills, which means that a class can gain access to alternate weaponry and shields from their secondary class if they made any investment in the relevant mastery skills. You also gain 5 bonus skill points to ease into the new skill tree. Subclassing can't be done from the Explorers Guild, instead it's done from the Celestial Palace.
In EO4, subclassing is unlocked midway through the 3rd Stratum by defeating Kibagami. Unlike in EO3, subclassing exempts both the class skill and Sky skill, and your subclass's skills are capped at half the usual maximum. Since there are no weapon mastery skills, taking on a subclass allows a character to also wield their subclass's specialty weapons (and shields if applicable). With a subclass, you can wield two weapons, at the cost of an armor slot; your normal attack and skills will still be dictated by the main weapon, and the secondary weapon will only factor for weapon-dependent skills. This also means that characters can use a wider variety of skills without needing to switch. The character also gains 5 bonus skill points to ease into their new skill tree. Subclassing is done from the Explorers Guild.
In Nexus, subclassing works in largely the same way as it did in EO4. It is unlocked by acquiring the Book of Arts from the Undersea Grotto. The character gains the skills of their subclass of choice with halved maximum skill levels, but cannot gain access to the subclass's unique gathering skill or Force skills. When taking up a subclass, the player has the option of giving them a title befitting their new role, or settling with the default "class-subclass" display for that character. This title can be changed freely under the "Change Title" option without needing to Rest.
For more information see Classes (Etrian Odyssey III), Classes (Etrian Odyssey IV), and Classes (EON).
| v · t · eEtrian Odyssey III: The Drowned City |
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Info Monsters • Weapons • Armor • Accessories • Consumables • Items • Quests • Missions • Subclass • Seafaring • Limit Skill
Waterfall Wood • Undersea Grotto • Molten Caves • Abyssal Shrine • Porcelain Forest • Cyclopean Haunt
Sovereign • Gladiator • Hoplite • Buccaneer • Ninja • Monk • Zodiac • Wildling • Arbalist • Farmer • Shogun • Yggdroid |
| v · t · eEtrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan |
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Info Monsters • Weapons • Armor • Items • Accessories • Usable Items • Quests • Missions • Food • Burst Skill • Subclass
Lush Woodlands • Misty Ravine • Golden Lair • Echoing Library • Forgotten Capital • Hall of DarknessWindy Plains • Scarlet Pillars • Sacred Mountains • Cloudy Stronghold Landsknecht • Nightseeker • Fortress • Sniper • Medic • Runemaster • Dancer • Arcanist • Bushi • Imperial |
| v · t · eEtrian Odyssey Nexus |
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Info Missions • Quests • Weapons • Armor • Accessories • Items • Materials • Monsters • Locations • Force • Subclass
Protector • Medic • Survivalist • Ronin • Gunner • War Magus • Highlander • Sovereign • Ninja • ZodiacFarmer • Shogun • Landsknecht • Nightseeker • Arcanist • Imperial • Harbinger • Pugilist • Hero |