12 November 2013

Earthdawn: Part 28 - Comparison of 1E and 3E Part 2: Core Talents

This is the twenty-eighth part in an ongoing series about Earthdawn. Introduction and Index.

Below is a list of all the Talents found in the 1E core book and the 3E Player's Guide. The list was compiled from both sources to note new Talents, not just missing ones, that may have been pulled from another source (1E Earthdawn Companion, or Denizens of Earthdawn), or never appeared in 1E at all.

Right now it is just a list, though if there is a desire for it (which means leave a comment to that effect) I can add some commentary and thoughts on the changes between editions. 

Abate Curse - Now uses Willpower instead of Perception. It works on any item, not just weapons. The range has increased to Rank, instead of 3 yards. The difficulty is based on the curse itself, rather than the Spell Defense of the weapon.

Acrobatic Strike - Now a Simple action (rather than Standard) that does not require Karma, but also no longer includes an attack. Now requires an activation roll against opponents and does not work if Knocked Down, or their movement is constrained.

Air Dance - Changed from double the Initiative, to an Excellent Result on Initiative.

Air Sailing - Discrete ranks have been removed. Difficulty increased. 

Air Speaking - Now a Simple Action (rather than Standard). Costs Strain. Works on anyone, not just Elementalists. 

Animal Bond - No longer targets the higher of Spell and Social Defense, just Social Defense. Now requires increasing Result Levels to improve attitude. No longer has Rank requirements for loyalty. 

Animal Companion Durability - Talent new in 3E. It is functionally the same as Durability (Mount)/Mount Durability, but can be used one any animal loyal to the adept.

Animal Possession - Test is now against Spell Defense, instead of Willpower Step. The adept now suffers damage and an unwilling animal is allowed more resistance. There is more structure around what is and is not allowed during the possession.

Animal Training - Now has attitude minimum of friendly to teach tricks. Now targets just Social Defense, instead of higher of Spell and Social Defense. Now has a maximum number of tricks. 

Anticipate Blow - No longer incompatible with Air Dance. Now requires a Reserved Action to interrupt to gain the Attack Test bonus.

Arcane Mutterings - Success requirements have gone down from Good to Average. Now Harries target(s). Good result has same effect in both editions. Now the Harried penalty applies to Social Defense as well, instead of the Talent providing a bonus to other social interaction Tests.

Armor Mount - Now a Sixth instead of Tenth Circle Talent. Now uses Willpower instead of Toughness. 

Astral Sight - This has been expanded significantly. Let's leave it at that for now.

Avoid Blow - Can now be used a number of times per round equal to the adept's rank, instead of just once. Now requires a Good Result to succeed against ranged attacks. Failure no longer means you fall down.

Bank Shot - No longer requires line of sight on the previous action and can now destroy throwing weapons on a Pathetic Result.

Battle Bellow - Now has an effective distance for offensive uses and a reduced distance for bolstering allies. Now must either intimidate enemies or bolster allies, it cannot do both/the latter with a Good Result. No longer requires direct involvement in combat. Penalty now Result Level, instead of Rank. Bonus to allies no longer to Battle Shout Tests; instead it is a bonus to Social Defense equal to the Result Level. Duration is now in Rank rounds, instead of one round.

Battle Shout - Now has an effective range. Now targets only one character. No longer requires direct involvement in combat. Now requires only an Average Result, instead of a Good Result. Effectiveness of Battle Shout now decreases with each use on the same target.

Blade Juggle - Now a Journeyman, instead of Ninth Circle, Talent. Difficulty is based on the size of the largest weapon, instead of the number of weapons. Size now limited to one-handed weapon sizes. Blades are struck on any failed attack, not just if the blades made a difference. They can only strike close combat attackers. May now use blades for Throwing Weapon attacks.

Blood Share - Now works on any loyal creature, not just a mount. No longer costs a Karma to use on other characters.

Book Memory - Now memorizes at a rate of Rank pages a minute, instead of round. No longer requires memorizing the book in one sitting and lacks the prohibition on other actions. Time it lasts is now Rank months, instead of a year and a day. 

Book Recall - Difficulty has changed. Now recalls the entire book, instead of a page per Result Level. Duration is now Rank hours, instead of 24 hours, and no longer a prohibition regarding using Book Recall again. Book can now be restored to Book Memory, if desired. Now a penalty upon a Pathetic Result.

Borrow Sense - Now requires a Good Result, instead of increasing the Spell Defense by 5, to use on an unwilling animal. Now offers some example benefits.

Call Animal Companion - Similar to Call Mount, but for animal companions. Journeyman Talent instead of Ninth Circle. Range is Rank x 100 yards instead of Test Result x 50 yards. Now requires a Test against animal's Spell Defense.

Call Arrow - Renamed "Call Missile". Now costs Strain. Now works on all missile and throwing weapons, not just arrows. Range now Rank x 10 yards, instead of 100 yards. 

Called Shot - Renamed "Impressive Shot". Now affects all onlookers, not Rank number. Now improves Interaction Tests, instead of giving a penalty to Action Tests.

Cat's Paw - Removed and replaced with Silent Walk where relevant. Cat's Paw requires a Good Result to detect the adept, rather than the Average Result that Silent Walk requires.

Charge - Can now be used every turn, instead of every other turn (the off turns must be spent building momentum).

Claw Frenzy - Renamed "Frenzy". No longer requires Claw Shape. Now costs Strain. Additional attacks are now contingent on successful preceding attacks. Now a prohibition on other additional attack Talents while active.

Claw Shape - Step Number reduced by 3.

Climbing - Climbing rate has changed from Rank +3 to Rank yards per round.

Cobra Strike - Initiative penalties now apply. Instead of adding Rank to an Attack Test, it prevents active defense (except for Spirit Dodge).

Cold Purify - Now Tests against the higher of Spell Defense and Poison Step, instead of just Poison Step. No longer limited to only healing damage caused by poison (probably due to bookkeeping).

Conceal Weapon - Renamed "Conceal Object". Now has limitations on the size of items concealed and how many may be concealed. Item size no longer gives a penalty, but determines what kind of search it will offer concealment from. No longer gives an Initiative bonus, but grants surprise.

Conversation - Now a Talent instead of just a skill. Talent has duration in hours. Now has a maximum number of targets equal to Rank.

Creature Analysis - No changes.

Crushing Blow - Now costs Strain. No longer requires Battle Shout. Successful Battle Shout no longer grants bonus damage.

Dead Fall - Now generates a Disbelief Difficulty, instead of Testing against the highest Spell Defense. No longer explicitly allows of the effect to be maintained.

Detect Trap - No changes.

Detect Weapon - Alertness granted from success no longer has a time limit.

Direction Arrow - Now requires Karma and 2 Strain, instead of 4 Strain. Result Levels no longer reduce Strain.

Direction Sense - Talent new in 3E. Direction Arrow without archery trappings.

Disarm - Two-handed weapons now require an additional Result Level.

Disarm Mechanical Trap - Renamed to "Disarm Trap". Now includes penalty for a Pathetic Result and limit on how many times it can be used on the same trap without a success.

Disguise - This Talent has been removed.

Disguise Self - Range of increase/decrease changed from 25% to 50%. No longer considered an illusion (with Sensing and Disbelief).

Distract - Talent new to 3E.

Dominate Beast - Includes rules for competing domination effects.

Down Strike - Step reduced from Str + Rank + 3 to Str + Rank. Now requires 1 yard of height, instead of 2. No longer requires Adept to scream like a bird of prey.

Durability - Thief benefits increased to 6/5 from 5/4.

Durability (Mount) - Renamed "Mount Durability".

Eagle Eye - Moved to Warden tier. 

Earth Skin - No longer requires Wood Skin. Duration changed from 24 hours to Test Result hours. No longer improves Death Rating.

Elemental Hold - Ranged reduced from 40 yards to 20 yards. No longer requires Elemental Tongues. Now allows for the elemental to break free and to prolong the effect. Provision added for re-using (note, not prolonging) the Talent.

Elemental Tongues - Now requires Karma and costs Strain. Now allows communication with wood elementals. Now requires a Test to learn a language. Now includes duration of Rank minutes.

Emotion Song - Time required reduced from 30 minutes to 10 minutes. Now includes a maximum number of people that can be affected and a limit on how long the Adept may perform. Provision for Pathetic Result added.

Empathic Command - No changes.

Empathic Sense - Now allows for gathering a general sense of a person, not just attuning to them. Meditation time required increased from 3 minutes to 30 minutes. Blood Magic Damage required for each character attuned. Arc reduced from 90 degrees to 60 degrees.

Endure Cold - Now Warden tier. 

Engaging Banter - No longer works in combat. Duration now in minutes, not rounds. Now Harries and gives a Perception Test penalty to the target, instead of a -1 to Action Tests and Defenses. Provisions for using Talent again are different (fundamentally different assumptions).

Enhanced Matrix - No changes.

Evaluate - No longer restricted to t'skrang. Can no longer replace Social Defense with Evaluate Step when haggling or trading. Effect added for a Good Result.

Evidence Analysis - Difficulty increases for each day, not just a flat +1 for over a day old. More explicit instructions regarding questions (such as, a number questions based on Result Level are explicitly asked). 

False Sight - Now adds a flat Rank modifier to the Disbelief Difficulty of illusions, instead of requiring a Test against the affected targets to gain the bonus. No longer has a duration.

Fast Hand - Now uses Dexterity. Now limits movement to two items. No longer a specific restriction on how far apart the targets may be. Now creates a Difficulty, instead of Testing against Spell Defense + number of objects moved. 

Fearsome Charge - Requirements to affect witnesses have increased from Average and Good to Excellent and Extraordinary. Now limits the number of characters that may be affected.

Fence - Replaced with Haggle

Fireblood - No changes.

Fire Heal - Time requirements reduced. Minimum Recovery Tests reduced from two to one. Difficulty has changed. Provisions for a Pathetic Result have been included.

First Impression - No longer requires Karma. Now improves attitude instead of adding to Charisma Tests.

Flame Arrow - Strain reduced from 2 to 1. Step reduced from Rank + Willpower + 3 to Rank + Willpower. 

Forge Armor - Eighth Circle, instead of Eleventh Circle, Talent. Now costs 2 Strain. Now requires Physical + Mystic Armor Ratings days, instead of one month. Difficulty now Physical + Mystic Armor Ratings + 9, instead of Physical + Mystic Armor Ratings. Maximum forgings now also limited by half (rounded up) of initial armor values. Price now based on level of increase, instead of Circle of Weaponsmith.

Forge Blade - Renamed to "Forge Weapon". Now costs Strain. Time changed from 1 week to days equal to the weapon's size. Difficulty changed from Damage Step to Damage Step + 9. Failed attempts no longer count for how many times it may affect a weapon. Now a maximum additional Steps equal to the weapon's Size. Now a duration for how long the effects last. Pricing has changed. May no longer affect Thread Items. 

Frighten - No longer takes one round to setup. Now has provision to end the effect.

Frighten Animal Servants - Renamed "Frighten Animals". Now has maximum number of targets. Difficulty now increases for more than one animal. Now has provision to end the effect.

Gliding Stride - Total vertical distance has been reduced. Now costs Strain for Talent use, not just vertical movement. Reduces total distance fallen, instead of providing armor against falling damage. 

Graceful Exit - No changes.

Great Leap - Now costs Strain. 

Haggle - Now has a provision for one transaction per merchant on any day. Now also includes Fence.

Heal Animal Servant - Renamed "Heal Animal Companion".

Heartening Laugh - No changes.

Hold Thread - Now costs Strain. Now explicit that you can only hold one Thread. A failed Test now allows the magician to lose the spell, rather than just being forced to cast it.

Hypnotize - Now costs Strain. Characters may only be affected by one Hypnotize at a time now.

Improve Blade - The closest analogs are the Infuse Weapon and Infuse Blade Talents at Warden tier.

Impress - Talent new to 3E

Incite Mob - Now Warden tier. Provision added for Pathetic Results.

Incite Stampede - Now Warden tier. Provision added for Pathetic Results.

Item History - No longer Thread Rank of Key Knowledges no longer limited by Talent Rank. Removed references to Pattern Knowledge.

Karma Ritual - The mechanics of this system are pretty different, though still recognizable.

Lasting Impression - Difficulty now increases for additional targets. Duration reduced from a year and a day to weeks equal to Rank. No longer limits the number of targets.

Leadership - Talent new to 3E.

Life Check - No changes.

Lifesight - Range has been doubled. Lifesight now has a duration in rounds, instead of a minimum time of a minute.

Lion Heart - Now has a prohibition against the use of Resist Taunt with Lion Heart.

Lip Reading - Now lasts for minutes equal to the Test Result, instead of Rank minutes. No longer has a maximum range as long as you can see the target.

Lizard Leap - Removed in 3E.

Lock Pick - Renamed "Lock Picking". Added effect on a Pathetic Result.

Lock Sense - Removed in 3E.

Long Shot - Talent new to 3E.

Maneuver - No changes.

Melee Weapons - No changes.

Memorize Image - Moved to Warden tier.

Metal Ward - Now Warden tier. Now requires Karma. Not longer costs Strain. Step now Rank + Perception instead of Rank + Perception + 5. Duration now in rounds instead of hours.

Mimic Voice - Now based on Charisma, instead of Perception. Tests against Social Defense, instead of Spell Defense. Duration now Rank hours, instead of 24 hours. Now creates a Detection Difficulty, instead of testing against Social Defense to fool listeners. No longer affected by multiple listeners. No longer has provisions about physical evidence that the voice is being mimicked.

Mind WaveNow Warden tier. Now requires Karma. Not longer costs Strain. Step now Rank + Willpower instead of Rank + Willpower + 5. No longer requires higher Initiative Result. The range is now two yards instead of one yard. Level of inaction is now more significant. Willpower Test to resist each turn now allowed. Can now be used in combat.

Momentum Attack - No longer applies to Melee Weapons Tests only. Now requires Good Result, not Extraordinary Result. Now specifically limited to once a round.

Mount Attack - Fundamentally different mechanics. Now improves attack instead of damage.

Mystic Aim - Now works with any ranged combat Test, not just Missile Weapons Tests.

Orbiting Spy - Now requires success on a Test to conjure the spirit (Difficulty 6). Now has more explicit instructions.

Parry - Talent new to 3E.

Performance - Talent new to 3E.

Picking Pockets - Now Tests against Physical Defense, not Spell Defense. Detection is now based on Perception, not Willpower.

Poison Resistance - Now also reduced the Effect Step in addition to the Difficulty of the poison.

Power Mask - No longer ork only. Now requires Karma. No longer costs Strain. Duration now hours, instead of days. No longer makes user appear downtrodden.

Read and Write Language - Now includes Theran on the list of languages.

Read and Write Magic - No longer limits on reading and writing magical script (does not include spells).

Research - Now a Talent in addition to being a skill.

Reshape Object - Now Warden tier. Difficulty may now be based on Physical Armor, Spell Defense, or 6 (whichever is highest), instead of just Physical Armor, or Barrier Rating or Spell Defense if the object is magical. Now requires 10 minutes and may require higher Result levels if a more intricate object is desired.

Resist Taunt - Now works against anything targeting Social Defense, not just Interaction Tests. Limit changed from once per opponent to Rank times per turn.

Riposte - No longer requires Karma. Now requires Good Result on Riposte Test to make counterattack and all attack benefits (e.g. Armor-Defeating Hits) require one Result Level higher. Now cannot be used if Blindsided or Surprised. Can now use Rank times per round, instead of once - can still only counterattack once a round.

Safe Path - No changes

Search - Talent new in 3E.

Second Attack - No longer has prohibition against use with other Talents that give additional attacks.

Second Shot - New Talent in 3E. The same as Second Attack, except for ranged combat.

Second Weapon - Weapons may now be the same size.

Sense Poison - Sealed poison now requires a Good Success, instead of increasing the Difficulty by +5.

Shield Charge - Knockdown Difficulty now increased by Rank, instead of +7. Now the shield no longer protects when used in this way.

Silent Walk - Movement rate now halved.

Slough Blame - Now costs 1 Strain instead of 2. Difficulty now increases for each additional character involved.

Speak Language - No longer requires Karma. Now includes Theran in the list of languages.

Spellcasting - No changes.

Spell Matrix - No changes.

Spirit Dodge - More elaboration on functionality.

Spirit Hold - Step reduced to Rank + Willpower from Rank + Willpower + 5. Increases range from 10 yards to 20 yards. Provision added for re-using (note, not prolonging) the Talent.

Spirit Mount - Can now sink two feet, instead of six inches, into the ground. Statistics of the mount have changed.

Spirit Strike - Now Warden tier. Now allowed without some form of astral sensing, though with a -5 penalty to the Attack Test. Now has a minimum Difficulty of 6. 

Spirit Talk - Now costs Strain. 

Spot Armor Flaw - Now requires Karma. Now reduces Result Level necessary for an Armor-Defeating Hit, instead of increasing damage.

Sprint - Now requires Karma. Movement rate adjusted to new movement rates. No longer doubles for running. Cannot be used with other movement-enhancing Talents.

Steel Thought - Now costs Strain. Now acts as an active defense for Spell Defense, instead of replacing Mystic Armor. No longer has a duration.

Steely Stare - Duration now in minutes, not rounds. Provisions added to resist the effect with a Willpower Test and that it ends if attacked.

Stopping Aim - Now works with any ranged weapon. Provision added that adept cannot perform other Standard Actions while this Talent is in use.

Summon - Now Fifth Circle instead of Tenth or Eleventh Circle. Now requires Karma. No longer costs Strain. No longer requires weaving a thread. No longer requires a one hour ritual. 

Sure Mount - No longer helps gain control of a mount.

Surprise Strike - No longer requires Karma. Now costs Strain. Step now based on Strength, not Dexterity. Now replaces Strength Step for a Damage Test, not used in place of an Attack Test and adds +7 Steps to damage. Now requires target to be Surprised, instead of one use per target in a combat.

Swift Kick - No changes.

Swing Attack - Talent new in 3E.

Tactics - Now a Talent in addition to being a skill. Attitude requirement for troops is now Friendly, instead of Loyal. May be offensive or defense, instead of just offensive. Test is made against enemy commander (if there is one), instead of highest opposing Social Defense. Bonus for offense can be to Attack or Damage. Bonus for defense can be to any one Defense. Bonus now based on Result Level, not Rank. Number of troops that can be commanded is Rank x 20, instead of Rank x 5. Provision added for Pathetic Result. Now has a duration of Rank minutes. Now only works on NPCs.

Taunt - Now a Simple, instead of Standard, Action. Penalty now equal to Result Level, instead of Rank.

Temper Other - Now has a prohibition against suffering from any current damage. Now minimum Difficulty of 6. Specifically can only be affected by one Temper Self or Other at a time.

Temper SelfNow has a prohibition against suffering from any current damage. Now minimum Difficulty of 6. Specifically can only be affected by one Temper Self or Other at a time.

Temperature - Dimensions affected changed to Rank yards in any dimension, rather that a fixed 10 x 10 x 8 ft. Spell Defense higher of the room's Spell Defense, or the highest of the targets in the room, instead of just the room. Specifies how long it takes for the room to revert to original temperature (1 round).

Thread Weaving - Swordmasters now have Weapon Weaving, instead of Blade Weaving.

Throwing Weapons - No changes.

Tiger Spring - No changes.

Tracking - Difficulty now based on lowest Dexterity of group, instead of target's Spell Defense. Day old trail now increases the Difficulty by +2, instead of +3. If it is a week old, or more, now add +3 to the Difficulty per week, instead of a flat +10. Weather obscuring tracks now requires a Good Result. May now be used to counter other Tracking attempts.

Trap Initiative - No longer additional rules and costs for use in combat.

Trick Riding - No changes.

True Shot - No changes.

True Sight - No longer costs Strain. Functionally the same rules.

Unarmed Combat - No changes.

Unshakable Earth - Removed.

Versatility - Prohibitions changed slightly to allow for Talent Options (now just for Discipline Talents). Additional prohibitions for Talents learned this way, then learned through an additional Discipline.

Warp Missile - Now Warden tier. Now has a maximum range of Rank x 20 yards.

Weapon History - Replaced by Item History.

Wheeling Attack - Now costs Strain. Functionality modified. No longer usable with missile weapons.

Wheeling Defense - Now reduces movement and lasts for one round, instead of Test Result rounds.

Willforce - Now costs Strain. Slightly more restrictions now on when it may be used for resistance.

Wind Catcher - Test to direct fall became slightly easier/no changes (depending on 3E or 3ER).

Winning Smile - Provision added for gender preference. Duration now Rank hours, instead of 24 hours. Bonus now applies to Interaction Tests, not all Tests against Social Defense. Now can only be used once per target each day, instead of three times.

Wood Skin - Now Requires Karma. Duration now Rank hours, instead of 24 hours. 

Wound Balance - Provision for supporting your own weight added.

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