EARTHDAWN Rules Clarifications
This page deals with clarifications to the current rules, not additions or unofficial changes. For these, I suggest posting the information to the list and/or placing it on the Earthdawn ftp site. To get your name in the credits for this page, send your rules clarifications for Earthdawn to James Flowers
Table of Contents
Can Dispel Magic be used to dispel a Talent?
After much discussion on the list about what and how dispel magic affects talents it was eventually revealed that it could only dispel talents with a duration (e.g. Woodskin, Temper Self) and not those of permanent or instant duration (e.g. Spellcasting, Great Leap, Durability).
Versatility Talent
For a detailed discussion of Versatility, click here to read David Henry's Versatility FAQ.
Does the maximum karma value by race apply to each discipline, or is it the total for the character? For example, does a Windling Beastmaster/Archer have up to 60 Karma points in each discipline, or 60 total to be divided amidst disciplines?
The Maximum Number of Karma for each race applies to the character, not the Discipline. Also, multiple discipline characters only gain one increase to their maximum number of Karma points.
What is the effect of the Icy Surface spell (Elementalist, Circle 2)?
The effect test is the caster's Willforce.
Karma on spell effects
At high Circles, spellcasters get the ability to spend Karma on Willpower or Willforce tests only. This means spell effects (using Willforce) ARE allowed to use karma.
Levitate spell
The range of 100 yards for the Levitate spell means that it can be used against a target up to 100 yards away, it DOES NOT mean that the spell levitates the target up 100 yards. Each use of the spell levitates the target *10 FEET*. Future printings of the Earthdawn rulebook will have a corrected version of this spell.
"Missing Talents" from the Earthdawn rulebook
All of the following "missing talents" are in the Earthdawn Companion sourecbook.
Talent Discipline
Animal Posession Beastmasters
Frighten Animal Servants Cavalryman
Heal Animal Servant Cavalryman
Metal Ward Elementalist
Called Shot Swordmaster
Bank Shot Thief
Lip Reading Thief
Orbiting Spy Wizard
All of the following "missing talents" are errors. The particular discipline does not get the talent mentioned.
Talent Discipline
Hypnotise Illusionist
Avoid Blow Troubador
Poison Resistance Warrior
Spirit Strike Skyraider
Spell Crystal Lock
Spell crystal lock keeps a spell's effect going for a year and a day. This effect is for a single casting of the spell. Use the spell crystal lock for the casting of the spell, rather than a spell casting talent.
Woodskin
This talent merely increases your Death Rating (DR) and Unconsciousness Rating (UR). If your woodskin were dispelled and you were above your 'real' DR/UR, you would die/pass out. The points from woodskin are *not* ablative armor or free damage points.
When a spellcaster multidisciplines to another spellcasting discipline, can he learn all the Spell Matrices available to the new Discipline?
No, according to The Adept's Way. However, if the new discipline teaches more of a particular type of spell matrix than the original discipline, then the adept could learn the extra matrix when it becomes available to the new discipline. Example: Wizards can learn 3 Spell Matrices through their discipline. If a Wizard were to multidiscipline to Elementalist, then she would be able to learn a 4th Spell Matrix when a 4th matrix becomes available to Elementalists, at Fourth Circle.
Horror Ability Damage Shift
An explanation of Damage Shift step by step:1) Horror and adepts get into battle
2) At any time during battle, Horror may spend 1 Karma to activate Damage Shift. This does not require a test of any kind.
3) If the Horror suffers damage at any time during the next five rounds, it may make a Damage Shift test against the Spell Defense of any target within LOS. If this test is successful, all the damage is shifted to the target. The Horror does not take the damage first, then shift, the damage is automatically shifted from the Horror to the target.
Note: The Horror may spend 1 Karma on any Damage Shift test, as usual.
Training - Talent Rank increases
When the rulebook states a character must meditate for 8 hours per rank talent rank being purchased, this does not mean 8 hours *times* the rank being purchased. A character increasing his Melee Weapons talent rank from 4 to 5 only needs 8 hours of meditation. If he were increasing his Melee Weapons talent rank from 4 to 6, he would need 16 hours of meditation.
Can a magician be interrupted while casting a spell?
No. Magicians cast the spell at the moment that they make the Spellcasting test. They do not require the entire round to cast the spell. Since each character performs their actions at their Initiative, if a magician is struck before their Initiave, the magician can still continue to make his Spellcasting test.
Can a magician be interrupted while weaving threads to a spell?
No. For the same reasons as detailed above ("Can a magician be interrupted while casting a spell?"), a magician can't be interrupted while weaving threads to a spell.
Does the Nethermancer Talent Spirit Hold affect Horrors?
Yes, but it requires a Good or better success to work
Does a character giving ground receive +1 to PD per 3 feet yielded, or +[Melee Weapons Rank] per 3 feet?
The former.
In the talent description for Air Dance it says that the character's Initiative step is replaced by the Air Dance step. Does this mean that armour penalties have no effect?
Unless otherwise stated (as in Cobra Strike) armour penalties apply to initiative steps.
When used in combat, do spells with a range of Touch require that the caster hit the target's Physical Defense before making a Spellcasting test against Spell Defense?
No. You only need to hit Spell Defense.
The spell Shield Mist gives the caster an extra Avoid Blow. How many times can these extra Avoid Blow tests be made per round?
Shield mist is equivelent to the avoid blow talent and can only be used once per round. (Note: this contradicts a previous clarification, but Lou Prosperi believes this is the correct ruling.)
What armour is used to defend against this spell...?
This table shows which armour protects against each spell given in the main rulebook and Companion.
Why would Air Sailors ever use Melee Weapons or Unarmed Combat, given that they have Acrobatic Strike as a discipline talent?
Two main reasons: Firstly, Acrobatic Strike requires room to do acrobatics. In tight quarters, such as in a narrow corridor or when fighting in ranks, it can't be performed. Secondly, Acrobatic Strike sends you spinning all over everywhere to avoid damage. If you're mounted on a horse, balancing perilously on a cliffface, or hanging on a rope, there isn't much you can do with it.
Can Great Leap be used to jump straight up without moving horizontally?
No. You can only leap vertically a distance equal to one-half of the distance travelled horizontally.
What is the Durability bonus for this discipline?
ED Companion
Air Sailor: 6/5
Scout: 6/5
Horrors
Horror Stalker: 6/5
Magic: A Manual of Mystic Secrets
Shaman: 4/3
Denizens of Earthdawn Vol. I
Boatman: 6/5
Journeyman: 6/5
Wind-Dancer: 6/5
Windmaster: 9/7
Wind Scout: 6/5
Woodsman: 6/5
Denizens of Earthdawn Vol. II
Liberator: 7/6
Outcast Warrior: 9/7
Purifier: 6/5
Traveled Scholar: 6/5
Credits
The rules clarifications in this document were provided by: Dougal Campbell (dougal@magellan.iquest.com)
Craig Wright (cwright@postoffice.utas.edu.au)
Adam Getchell (acgetche@engr.ucdavis.edu)
Louis Prosperi (FASALou@aol.com) [from the list and the Earthdawn Journal]
Carlton Anderson (csander@clark.net)
David Henry (dhenry@plains.nodak.edu)
Greg Gorden (ggorden@teleport.com)
Graeme Lindsell (lindsell@rschp1.anu.edu.au)
"Rusty" Neal (R.Neal@az05.bull.com)
Phil Moore (MOOREP@MARSHALL.EDU)
Douglas L. Vandenburgh (piglet@prairienet.org)
The Strands EarthDawn Page (Jeff Sheen)
Author: Graeme Lindsell
Author: Chris Ryan
Last Updated 22 April 1997