From the sides and the edges of the Pyramid, we have the following classes and their general fields of excellence.

Class	Might	Elemental	Self	Path
Knight	++
Sorcerer		++
Cleric			++
Angel				++
Archer	+	+
Paladin	+		+
Thief	+			+
Druid		+	+
Shaman		+		+
Bard			+	+

Path stands for Path of Life, of which the two best known examples are Light and Dark.
Tertiary classes such as Monk, Ranger, Pirate, Sage, Seer and Warrior, as well as magical creatures such as Dragon and Unicorn, may be available for hire to aid in specific quests.

Class	First promotion	Second promotion
Knight	Champion	First Knight
Sorcerer	Wizard	Archmage
Cleric	Priest	High Priest
Angel	Soul Warden	Archangel / Prince of Darkness
Archer	Marksman	Elite Archer
Paladin	Crusader	Templar
Thief	Trickster Mage	Master Thief / Assassin
Druid	Thaumaturge	Great Druid
Shaman	Witch	Shaman Lord / Speaker of the Dead
Bard	Minstrel	Loremaster / Warmonger

Angels, Thieves, Shamans and Bards have to take a path (Light or Dark) at their second promotion.

Magic	Fire	Air	Water	Earth	Spirit	Mind	Body	Light	Dark
Knight	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Sorcerer	G	G	G	G	-	-	-	-	-
Cleric	-	-	-	-	G	G	G	-	-
Angel	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	G	G
Archer	M	M	M	M	-	-	-	-	-
Paladin	-	-	-	-	M	M	M	-	-
Thief	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	M	M
Druid	M	M	M	M	M	M	M	-	-
Shaman	M	M	M	M	-	-	-	M	M
Bard	-	-	-	-	M	M	M	M	M

Angels, Thieves, Shamans and Bards will loose all spellcasting abilities of the opposite path at their second promotion. Grandmastery can only be attained after the second promotion. Sorcerers, Clerics, Angels and Druids can become expert at all their magic skills before their first promotion, and master before their second. Archers, Paladins, Thieves, Shamans and Bards can become expert at their magic skills only after their first promtion, and master after their second.
Note that the Thief is somewhat different from the one in MM7. She is now a secondary class and can learn magic of the path of life, instead of just a little elemental magic as a more might-oriented tertiary class.

Combat

Sword

Axe

Staff

Spear

Dagger

Mace

Music

Bow

Leather

Chain

Plate

Shield

Knight

G

M

E

G

E

M

-

E

E

M

G

M

Sorcerer

-

-

G

-

E

-

-

N

E

-

-

-

Cleric

-

E

N

-

-

M

E

E

E

E

-

M

Angel

M

-

-

-

E

-

M

N

E

M

E

E

Archer

E

E

N

M

E

-

-

G

M

G

-

-

Paladin

M

E

N

E

E

G

N

E

E

E

M

G

Thief

M

-

-

-

G

E

-

M

G

E

-

N

Druid

-

-

N

N

M

E

E

N

E

-

-

E

Shaman

-

G

N

E

E

-

-

N

E

-

-

-

Bard

E

-

M

-

-

-

G

N

M

E

-

-

Grandmastery can only be attained after the second promotion.

Miscellaneous

Disarm Trap

Percep tion

Mer chant

Medita tion

Body building

Identify Item

Repair

Identify Monster

Arms master

Alche my

Diplo macy

Stealth

Knight

N

N

N

-

G

-

M

-

G

-

E

-

Sorcerer

-

E

-

M

-

G

E

-

-

M

-

E

Cleric

-

E

M

E

N

E

M

E

-

E

G

N

Angel

E

M

-

M

M

-

N

G

N

-

M

-

Archer

M

M

N

E

E

-

E

-

M

-

-

E

Paladin

-

N

E

E

M

-

G

-

E

-

E

-

Thief

G

E

N

-

E

M

-

-

E

N

-

G

Druid

-

E

E

G

-

E

N

E

N

G

N

M

Shaman

-

G

E

M

M

-

-

M

N

E

-

-

Bard

E

N

G

N

E

M

E

M

E

-

E

-

Grandmastery can only be attained after the second promotion.