1st vs. 2nd

[Wolf]

Wow, while reading through my 1st Edition Earthdawn sourcebook I came across something interesting.  The first time this appeared in 2nd Edition, I thought it was a change from the way it had been, but now I see that nothing really changed, except that now I know my GM let me get away with something and the GM ruined his own opportunity to screw me for a change, instead of the other way around ... since I'm famous (infamous?) for doing that to my Players.  Ahhh ... I see the confusion on your faces already ... it's not pretty stop it.  Let me explain.  No.  There is too much.  Let me sum up.

 

Casting Raw Magic (ED 155)

     Look in the lower right hand corner of this page under the Warping and Damage section and you will find the following text:  "The gamemaster makes a Warping Test against the basic Spell Defense of the magician."  I think Togashi Akiro escaped a horrible fate, just barely.  "Because Warping is an internal process, items, spells, and armor that normally increase the magician's Spell Defense do not protect against Warping."  On a side note, I believe that Discipline bonuses do count because they are part of the discipline which actively forms the basis for much of your pattern, an internal process.  The same wording is found in the latest edition of Earthdawn on page 152 in the upper right hand corner of the page.

 

     Joe, looks like you were SOL from the word go.  I got away with it, but only due to an oversight.  Sorry bro.

 

Passions' Blessings,

 

Wolf

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[Wolf]

BTW, for those of you unfamiliar with the company that is now doing Earthdawn here are some links that may or may not be useful to you:

 

Living Room Games

Earthdawn Forum hosted by LRG

 

Passions' Blessings,

 

Wolf

 

 

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[Wolf]

One of the things that you'll notice as a big difference that meant something to me is book durability.

 

The first edition earthdawn main book was a hardcover book and I am happy to say that I actually still have that book.  It doesn't look good but the pages aren't falling out of it, just the cover of the spine is gone, the main cover is still intact though quite worn I admit.  By contrast, I don't think the 2nd edition main book came in a hardcover version, but I really wish it had, because my softcover main book has pages falling out all over the place.  Not important to the game, mechanics-wise at least but important to me as a gamer.

 

Passions' Blessings,

 

Wolf

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[Wolf]

Learning New Spells:

• First Edition (ED 151)
• Must learn new spells from another magician or from a grimoire other than his own.  Can learn spells of any Circle, even those higher than his Discipline Circle, though may not be able to cast them.
• Use the Read and Write Magic Talent to make a Test vs. Learning Difficulty of the spell.  If learning from a teacher, may make a Spellcasting Test vs. the Learning Difficulty and if successful add teacher's Rank in Thread Weaving to the Result of the Read and Write Magic test, increasing likelihood of success.
• May only use the Read Write Magic talent once per day to learn spells, unless sacrifice available Recovery Tests; for each Recovery Test sacrificed may make one additional Read and Write Magic Test per day.
• Second Edition (ED2 147)
• Each time a character advances to a new Circle they also learn a number of new spell levels equal to twice the new Circle without a Legend Point cost.  Dal, has just advanced to the 5th circle and so gets 10 levels worth of spells.  Dal chooses to get one 5th circle spell (5 spell levels), one 2nd circle spell (2 spell levels) and one 3rd circle spell (3 spell levels).  You can learn spells of any Circle, even those higher than your own Discipline Circle, although you may not be able to cast them.
• Each new spell copied into a magician's Grimoire (outside of training for a new Circle) costs a number of Legend Points equal to 100 x the circle of the spell.
• Generally, magicians will charge 50 silver per circle of spell learned, although higher prices for rare spells are not unheard of.
• May only use Read and Write magic talent once per day to learn spells, unless you sacrifice available Recovery Tests; for each Recovery Test sacrificed may make one additional Read and Write Magic Test per day.  It takes one hour hour per spell circle to copy a spell into a Grimoire (5th circle spell takes 2.5 hours).

I actually like the 2nd Edition way better, costs the magician more to climb up the ladder to power.  And since their spells at 5th circle on take on whole new levels of ability, I think it's worth it.  Of course I haven't actually played a magician in 2nd Edition from first on up ... but I think it's still a better way, you earn what you learn.

Passions' Blessings,

Wolf
"How do you recognize a hero?  Simple.  When you've heard stories of his bravery, tales of his adventures, and songs of his courage, that's how you know someone is a hero."
                   - Geril, troubadour

 

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