After 28 years, the pioneering MMO Tibia will finally introduce a fifth playable character class. The new class, Monk, will be the second melee character type to join the original vocations of Knight, Sorcerer, Druid, and Paladin. This marks a significant shift for a game launched in 1997, which has maintained the same four classes until now, with no prior indications of a fifth class being considered viable.

“This is bigger than GTA 6,” remarked a top comment on a Reddit post announcing the change.

The Monk is designed as a damage dealer, similar to Tibia’s existing classes, but will also serve in secondary roles as a Tank and Healer. Unique to the class, the Monk can accumulate a resource called Harmony through their spells, which can then be utilized to enhance damage and healing capabilities. This class introduces a distinctive mechanic—Serene—which increases their power when they are not close to allies and are in the presence of less than five enemies, solidifying their role as a secondary tank capable of isolated control over small groups.

Playtesting for the Monk will begin on February 25, with an official launch scheduled for the year’s second quarter. CipSoft has stated, “Of course, there will be a lot of content available for this vocation right from the start. Powerful spells, mighty robes, devastating weapons, and enchanting realms.”

“Overall, we consider the addition of a new vocation to be an opportunity to revive the sense of discovery that has always been part of Tibia. It’s a chance to explore the nuances of a new class, experiment with new strategies, and adjust to new team configurations,” stated Niadus, the developer leading the Monk’s creation.

For more information, including the full announcement, you can visit Tibia’s official site. You may recall Tibia’s notable past events, such as introducing sound effects after many years and its infamous door that initially required a player to reach level 999 to unlock.