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 Earthdawn® 2nd Edition Rule Clarifications

Magic and Spells

Dispel Magic
Question: Dispel magic now cannot be used to dispel talents and other forms of magic. This contradicts a chapter in Magic: Manual of Mystic Secrets. Is that right?

With Dispel Magic, we changed the effects of the spell rather than the way magic works. As a first circle spell, years of play and some specific playtesting had come to show that the spell was unbalancing. Expect to see a much higher circle version of the spell that has the talent dispelling capabilities of the old first circle Dispel Magic in first edition in an upcoming release titled Dangerous Goods.

Ethereal Darkness
Question: The Nethermantic spell Ethereal Darkness (p. 176) says its casting dificulty is 2, but it also says that the spell can be centered on a character or object. Is the difficulty still 2 when used on people or thread-items?

If the spell is cast on a place, the casting difficulty is 2. If the spell is cast on a target who is willing, the difficulty is their spell defense. If the spell is cast on an unwilling target, the difficulty is their spell defense plus 5.


Multiple Disciplines

Question: The cost and requirements for multiple disciplines has really increased! Why?

A Discipline is more than what a character does, it's what a character is. It defines the way a character looks on the world, the way they think, the way they act. It's an essential part of their pattern.

To actively change the way you think is a difficult thing. Starting a second discipline isn't as simple as deciding that I don't want to be just a Cavalryman, now I want to be an Archer too. Certainly, some people can combine the different, and sometimes conflicting, methods of thought: one that wishes to see things as arcs and targets, and the other that paramount importance on the bond between Namegiver and steed. But most people can't, moreso, most people wouldn't want to try. Now, we recognize that the player's characters aren't most people, so there are rules that make it possible to have multiple disciplines... but the rules now more correctly represent the difficulties that a multiple disciplined character faces.

Question: Paying for multiple disciplines. The first rank of your new discipline talents costs a ton, but what does the second rank in your First Circle Talents cost you?

The second and subsequent ranks of first circle talents in a character's second discipline costs are determined by the first column of the Second Discipline Talent Rank Cost Table. For example:

Rank 2 for the First Circle Talents of your new Discipline costs 500
Rank 3 for the First Circle Talents of your new Discipline costs 800
Rank 4 for the First Circle Talents of your new Discipline costs 1300
...and so on.

Question: If you were a Fifth Circle Thief before you multi-disciplined to Scout, could you ever get to be a Sixth Circle Scout, or would you be stuck due to the fact their Talents aren't different at Fifth Circle?

In the case where BOTH talents in a circle in a character's second discipline overlap with the previous discipline, the character may still continue to advance in both disciplines. Thieves get Lock Pick at first circle, and Trap Initiative at third. Scouts get both at fifth. If one or both of these talents were already at rank 6 when the character was ready to advance to sixth circle scout, she could go ahead and advance. If the character needed to increase the rank of one of these talents to 6, then she could do that as well – however she would have to pay the legend point cost for advancing it in her second discipline rather than her first.


Talents

Avoid Blow
Question: The Avoid Blow Talent uses the wording 'once per every attack directed at him per round' – should this read once each attack, or once per round?

A character may use the Avoid Blow Talent once per each melee, missile, thrown, or unarmed attack directed at him in a round. The Avoid Blow Skill may only be used once per round.

Battle Shout
Question: The Battle Shout Talent effects only one person, but the skill effects many. Is this the right way around?

Yes, that is correct. Please note, however, that the talent causes the person affected by it to have a Step penalty equal to the rank of the talent, where the skill causes a -1 Step penalty, regardless of the rank of the skill.

Charge
Question: Does the movement for charge (as a Talent or Combat Option) require a Full Move in the same action as the Melee Weapons test, and does it have to be in a straight line?

Yes, a charge requires a full move. While the full doesn't have to be in a perfectly straight line, it does need to be in a mostly straight line (to build up the momentum). This means that without the Wheeling Attack talent, a character may only perform a charge every other round. If the character makes a full movent towards the enemy, then they may use their mount's strength in a Mounted Melee Attack, as with a charge.

Question: Is it impossible to make a Split-Movement Charge attack, unless you are a Cavalryman using Wheeling Attack?

If the character does not make a full movement towards the enemy and charge, then they may use the rules for splitting movement when performing a Mounted Melee Attack. So, yes, it is also impossible to make a split movement charge without the Wheeling Attack talent. This is one of several reasons why Wheeling Attack was moved to a higher circle for cavalrymen.

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