PR EVIEW VOLUME FIVE

On Individual Rules
The trolls raid the dwarfs; the dwarfs dislike the elves. The elves have no patience with humans, and the humans war with each other. But everyone hates the Therans. OldBarsaivianProverb
To sweeten the wait for the release of the first two EarthdawnThirdEdition core rulebooks, the Players Guide and the Gamemasters Guide , we are featuring a handful of previews over the next weeks. In each installment, we look at a major aspect of the Earthdawn game system and detail how things have changed with the new edition. In this last fifth preview, we look at a number of rules from all over the books that have received some attention; either for a clarity revision or that have undergone actual changes. do not stack up as fast, because each time youre Overwhelmed just adds a single 1 penalty onto Harried. Finally, the rules for Mounted Combat have been rewritten completely. They have been modified to improve and simplify the use of the Cavalryman, and are supported with more examples and an overview of different options and tactics now available.

Spells

Action Dice

We changed the Step System, completely removing the D4 and D20 dice, and replacing the Steps with more homogenous combinations of other die types. For example, Step 10 is now 2D8 instead of D10+D6. For the game, this means possible results dont spread as much; your results will be closer to the Step Number on average, becoming more stable. Because of this, the Result Level Table was adjusted to provide the same likelihood of Good, Excellent, and Extraordinary Results, though the changes are actually smaller than one might think from reading thisusually only different by one or two.

Spells now come with a new characteristic: Area of Effect. This allows you to quickly determine in what area a spell takes effect. With the introduction of the hex-based battlemap option, EarthdawnThirdEdition provides all the ranges and areas in hexes as well as in yardsat least for spells, where this seems necessary (dont worryCall Forth the Maelstrom or City in A Bottle do not devastate twenty billion hexes!). Spells have been revised and worded more clearly in many cases, but have not changed as much as with other areas of the rules, as spell effects are already variable and versatile. In addition, new key words highlight spells that are Illusions or other elemental types (Fire, Air, etc.).

There has also been a revision of Actions. Now there are Standard, Simple, Free, and Sustained Actions, and the talent characteristics define what a talent uses. The former Action: Yes becomes Action: Standard (or sometimes Action: Sustained), Action: No becomes either Action: Simple or Action: Free. The difference between Simple and Free Actions is that you can use Free Actions outside of your turn (Avoid Blow, Tiger Spring, etc.it becomes really obvious in actual play) and that Free Actions represent some Actions that are part of other actions (Crushing Blow, for example, is part of an attack action and the Damage Test). Among other aspects of the combat system, some Combat Options have been revised. For example, there are now two options for delaying your characters action: you can either Reserve or Delay it. The difference is that one allows you to intervene and stop another character from acting, while the other only allows you to act after them. Some previously optional Combat Options are now standard, such as Jumping Up and Splitting Movement. Overwhelmed also becomes a standard rule, because EarthdawnThirdEditionmakes extensive use of the Harried modifier as an effect for talents or spells. So, instead of confusing you with a large number of different bonuses or penalties, many abilities now just make a target Harried. For example, if you use the Running or Splitting Movement options, your character is Harried. You do not have to keep more modifiers in mind, and they

Actions

Combat

Creatures do not award a fixed amount of Legend Points but are ranked by Circle, allowing the gamemaster to determine a Legend Award appropriate for his game. This is the way gamemasters were supposed to determine Awards anyway, but you now get a clearer impression of whats eligible to throw at your players at a glance. For example, a creature listing Legend Award: Third Circle tells you that this creature is an ideal opponent for one Third Circle player character. Likewise, a creature listing Legend Award: Fifth Circle (1 per 2 PC) or Legend Award: Tenth Circle (Group) tells you the creature is intended to be used against more than one character of those Circles (there are more guidelines given in the book, of course). The creature design system is now also supported by better guidelines and tables on what stats a creature should have to face characters of a give Circle (and vice versa).

Creatures

The Cutting Room Floor

You have seen that some optional rules have now become standard, and that some new rules have been added. In addition, some of the rules of previous editions are now gone. Prominent examples include Random Roll character generation, the Rule of Three, and Learning Talents from Higher Circles. Some optional rules are redundant with other rule changes (Failed Thread Weaving Tests, for example). Other rules have been modified to reflect the changes in EarthdawnThirdEdition(Initiative-based Movement, for example), or to make them work more smoothly. The Players Guide has a list of all the optional rules featured in the book, allowing you to keep an easy overview of what is used in your campaign.
V O L U M E F I V E | On Individual R ule s

Megana has a Dexterity Step of 7 and Rank 3 with the Melee Weapons talent. This gives Megana a Melee Weapons Step of 10 (7 +3=10). Looking up this Step Number on the Step/Action Dice Table, Megana notes that she rolls 2D8 Action Dice when making a Melee Weapons Test. When Megana hits an opponent in combat, she uses Step 12, which is the result of adding her broadswords Damage Step of 5 to her Strength Step of 7.
Increasing or decreasing the Step Number changes the Action Dice rolled. Adding +1 Step to Step 10 puts you on Step 11, which resolves to D10+D8. Subtracting 2 Steps from Step 8 puts you on Step 6, which resolves to a D10 Action Die. The Step Number corresponding to an Action Dice combination equals the average roll for that combination of Action Dice, taking into account the chances of rolling one or more Bonus Dice (see below). For example, the average result of a D10 roll is 6 (Step 6 uses a D10). The average result of a D8+D6 roll is 9 (Step 9 uses both a D8 and a D6).

When an adept uses Karma on an action, he spends a Karma Point. Unless noted otherwise, this allows him to roll an additional D6 when performing the action. The result of the Karma dice is added to the result of the other dice rolled for the Action Test. Karma dice can be re-rolled as Bonus Dice. Although all characters use the same Karma dice of Step 4/D6, special circumstances, magic, or even Horror-taint can increase their Karma Step later in the game. Adepts cannot use Karma on just any Action Test; they can only use Karma on talents that allow the use of Karma. As they progress to higher Circles, adepts are allowed to spend Karma Points on other actions as well.

STEP/AcTioN DicE TABlE Step Number 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 Action Dice D6 D8 D10 D12 2D6 D8+D6 2D8 D10+D8 2D10 D12+D10 2D12 D12+2D6 D12+D8+D6 D12+2D8 D12+D10+D8 D12+2D10 2D12+D10 3D12 2D12+2D6 2D12+D8+D6 2D12+2D8 2D12+D10+D8 2D12+2D10 3D12+D10 4D12 3D12+2D6 3D12+D8+D6 3D12+2D8 3D12+D10+D8 3D12+2D10 4D12+D10 5D12 5D12+2D6 5D12+D8+D6 5D12+2D8 5D12+D10+D8 5D12+2D10

Action Tests
henever a character attempts to take an action such as casting a spell, swinging a sword at an opponent, tracking a Horror, or flirting with a barmaid, the gamemaster or the player rolls dice to determine the actions outcome. These dice rolls are called Action Tests. To make an Action Test, the player or gamemaster rolls the appropriate Action Dice and adds the individual die results together to determine the test result.

Bonus Dice

When you roll the highest possible number on an Action Die, you immediately get to roll another die of the same typethis is a Bonus Die. Add the result of the Bonus Die roll to the result of any Action Dice already rolled to determine the test result. If you roll the maximum on a Bonus Die, you roll another Bonus Die of the same type. This continues for as long as you continue to roll the maximum possible result for the Bonus Die.

Bonuses and Penalties

A player rolling for Poohrt, a windling Thief character, rolls a D8 and a D6 Action Dice (a Step 9 Action Test). The results are an 8 and a 6, the highest numbers possible on each die, respectively. He gets two Bonus Die rolls. On his D8 Bonus Die he rolls a 2, and then a 6 on his D6 Bonus Diethis entitles him to another D6 Bonus Die for which he rolls a 3. Adding together the final rolls gives the player a total of 25 for his Action Test result (8 + 6 + 2 + 6 + 3 = 25).

Steps below 4 arent usually rolled during an Earthdawn game, as they are generally too small to create usable results for an epic game. If, for any reason, you do need to roll dice at those Steps, use the following table. Total any Bonus Die rolls before subtracting the modifier from the result. Regardless of modifiers, the minimum result is 1.

Steps 1, 2, and 3

Test results may be modified by a bonus or a penalty, indicated in the rules where appropriate. As a general rule, the modifier is applied to the Step Number of the Action Test before the Action Dice are rolled. For example, a character using the Aggressive Attack combat option adds +3 Steps to his Attack and Damage Steps. A character who is Harried subtracts 2 Steps from all of his Action Test Steps. Regardless of modifiers, the minimum Step Number is 1. However, this method can slow down game play while players recalculate Step Numbers and Action Dice on the fly. If the gamemaster feels that it would be beneficial to the game, he may instead apply temporary or one-time modifiers to the test result after the dice are rolled. As per the above example, the Aggressive Attack combat option would add +3 to the characters Attack and Damage test results. A test result is interpreted or used in several ways. In most cases, the test result is compared to a Difficulty Number. If the result is at least equal to this number, the test succeeds (see below for more information on Difficulty Numbers).

Test Results

Karma

STEPS 1, 2, AND 3 Step Number 1 2 3 Action Dice D63 D62 D61

All adepts, as well as some of the more powerful creatures of the world, are able to tap into the magical energy of the world in order to enhance their use of magic and magical abilities. This magical energy is known as Karma. The use of Karma is simulated through Karma Points and Karma dice.
C H A P T e R 2 | Game C once pt s

Effect Tests

Sometimes the test result simply represents a value, which is not compared against a Difficulty Number. The most common examples of these tests are Recovery Tests, in which the

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effects of supernatural weather, such as the Death Rain spell, p.161. Each round, the cloaks wearer makes an Effect Test against the higher of the creators or the weathers Spell Defense. If successful, he is unaffected by the weather that round.

spirit, which glides into the targets mind. During the spells duration, any time the target fails a mental Skill or Talent Test (except for Spellcasting or Thread Weaving Tests), the spirit allows him a second chance. The target makes an Effect Test in place of the Skill or Talent Test. If this test fails, the action fails.

Whirlwind

Threads: 2 Weaving: 12 / 18 Casting: 6; TSD (see text) Range: 24 yards (12 hexes) Duration: Rank + 6 rounds Area of Effect: 4-yard (2-hex) radius from center Effect: WIL + 9/Physical ir. This spell creates a spinning turbulent column of air. The magician makes whirling motions with his fingers, then makes a Spellcasting (6) Test. If successful, he forms a swirling pillar of wind, 4 yards (2 hexes) high, which spins wildly around him. Each round, the magician may concentrate to direct the whirlwind against one or more characters in range. The magician makes a Spellcasting Test against the highest Spell Defense among all characters in the area of effect. If successful, his Effect Test determines how much damage is inflicted. If the magician ceases to concentrate, the wind dissipates and the spell ends.

Wither Away

Threads: 5 Weaving: 11 / 21 Casting: TSD Range: Touch Duration: Rank months Effect: WIL/Mystic his spell causes a character to slowly wither away to the point of death. The magician utters a dire prophecy about the target, then touches him and makes a Spellcasting Test against the targets Spell Defense. If successful, his Effect Test determines the number of pounds of weight the target loses each month. This continues until the spell ends or the character dies. The spell may only be dispelled or removed with talents or spells that affect curses. If the targets weight sinks below 50 percent of his racial average, he becomes weak and dizzy and is considered Harried while in this condition. If the targets weight drops below 25 percent of his racial average, he takes Effect Step damage each month, in addition to the weight loss.

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Whisper Through the Night

Threads: 1 Weaving: 11 / 18 Casting: TSD Range: 10 yards (5 hexes) Duration: Rank + 1 rounds Effect: WIL + 6 his spell forces a previously-summoned ally spirit to answer questions truthfully. The magician makes a Spellcasting Test against the spirits Spell Defense. If successful, he makes an Effect Test against the spirits Willpower Step. If successful, each Result Level achieved allows him to ask one question, which the spirit must answer truthfully to the best of its ability (though it can tell half-truths). Each question takes at least one round to ask. If the spell ends before the magician asks all the questions he is allowed, he loses the opportunity to ask any remaining questions.

Winds of Deflection

Threads: 1 Weaving: 8 / 15 Casting: TSD (see text) Range: Self Duration: Rank + 5 rounds Effect: WIL + 6 ir. This spell creates a wall of swirling wind strong enough to deflect physical attacks. The magician makes whooshing noises and makes a Spellcasting Test against his natural Spell Defense. If successful, a wave of roiling and surging air surrounds him. The magician makes an Effect Test against each physical Attack Test made against him during the spells duration. If successful, the attack has no effect, otherwise, it affects the magician as normal. The swirling wind does not block attacks that cannot be resisted by Physical Armor, such as from certain spells and creature powers.

Threads: 3 Weaving: 8 / 19 Casting: TSD Range: 24 yards (12 hexes) Duration: 1 round Effect: WIL + 8/Mystic his feared spell atrophies legs, arms, wings, and tails. The magician points at one of the victims limbs and whispers wither, then makes a Spellcasting Test against the targets Spell Defense. If successful, his Effect Test determines how much damage is inflicted. If the target suffers a Wound, his limb shrivels and weakens as the muscle wastes away. The target is considered Harried in any round he uses that limb for any Action Tests. Additionally, if an arm is withered, he cannot carry an object weighing more than 2 pounds in or on that arm, including weapons or shields. If a leg or wing is withered, the appropriate Movement Rate is halved. If both legs or wings are withered, the target cannot use the appropriate form of movement, which usually means he is Knocked Down (no Knockdown Test is made), allowing only to crawl. The Wound remains with the target until the limb is restored. Only powerful healing magic, such as the Reverse Withering spell (see the Players Companion), will allow full use of the limb to be regained.

Wither Limb

Wizard Mark

Wit Friend

Threads: 2 Weaving: 8 / 19 Casting: TSD Range: Touch Duration: Rank + 10 minutes Effect: WIL + 5 his spell summons a spirit to assist with mental activities. The magician taps the targets head and makes a Spellcasting Test against the targets Spell Defense. If successful, he summons a

Threads: 2 Weaving: 6 / 15 Casting: TSD Range: Touch Duration: Rank + 1 hours Effect: Places astral mark on target his spell places a symbol or mark on the targets astral pattern. The magician makes a Spellcasting Test against the targets Spell Defense. If successful, a mark is placed on the targets astral imprint, visible to anyone using astral sight (such as the Astral Sight talent, p. 61) and which can serve to brand the target for a crime or other offense. It also serves as a link between the magician and the target, acting as a weaker version of a Horror Mark. As such, it allows the magician to cast spells on the target while he is within the magicians line of sight, as if the magician was touching the subject. The marks design is personal to the magician. Rumors suggest that a Horror may have taught Namegivers this spell, so its use is often regarded with suspicion.

C H A P T E R 1 2 | Spell s

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