Karma Ritual

Rank

This talent allows characters to replenish their store of Karma Points. Each time characters perform the ritual, they can purchase a number of Karma Points equal to their rank in Karma Ritual. Each ritual must be performed at dawn, takes 30 minutes to complete and can only be performed once per day.

Restore KARMA Points

Self

Permanent

YES

NO

NO

ALL

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Melee Weapons

DEX + Rank

A character uses the Melee Weapons talent to hit a target using a hand-held weapon. The character makes a Melee Weapons Test against the Physical Defense of the target. A successful test means the attack hits the target.

Melee ATTACK

Self

1 Round

YES

NO

NO

Guard

Horror Stalker

Lancer

Liberator

Pathfinder

Pattern Knight

Sky Raider

Warrior

Weaponsmith

ALL Others as Optional Talent at Journeyman Level

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Surprise Strike

DEX + Rank

A Pathfinder can take advantage of the element of surprise when using Surprise Strike. Surprise Strike may only be used to make a single melee attack on any one target in an encounter, and each time it is used the opponent must have been previously unaware of the presence of the Pathfinder. However, the strike does not have to be made from the target's rear hexes. The Surprise Strike step is used in place of the character's normal Attack Step. If the Surprise Strike is successful, the Pathfinder adds a number of steps to her Damage Test equal to her talent rank. The Karma dice required is applied only to the Attack Test, not the Damage Test.

(+) DAMAGE

Self

1 Round

YES

YES

NO

Pathfinder

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Lock Mastery

Rank

This talent allows a character to enhance her ability to "pick" locks and to sense the presence of hidden locks and/or traps placed on locks. To pick a lock, the Pathfinder first determines her Lock Pick step by adding her Lock Mastery step to her Dexterity step and then makes a Lock Pick Test vs. the lock's Difficulty Number (or Spell Defense, whichever is higher). A successful test means the lock opens. The character need not utilize a set of lock picks, but use of such a set increases the Lock Pick step by +2. A character may attempt to open any one lock no more than twice. If a character attempts and fails to open a lock the maximum number of times allowed, she may not try to pick the lock again until she gains another rank in Lock Mastery.

To sense ordinary or magical traps placed on locks, or traps that are triggered by someone opening a lock the character first determines her Lock Sense step by adding her Lock Mastery step to her Perception step. The character then makes a Lock Sense Test vs. the lock's, or trap's, Difficulty Number or Spell Defense, whichever is higher. The character's Lock Sense step is also used when making a Perception Test to detect hidden locks like those found on secret doors. Only one hidden lock or lock trap can be sensed with each use of Lock Mastery (the undetected lock or trap within range with the lowest Difficulty Number/Spell Defense).

(+) LOCK PICK Effectiveness

& DETECTION

1 Hex

1 Round

YES

NO

1

Pathfinder

Pathfinder

Durability

Rank

This talent increases the Death and Unconcsciousness Ratings of a character. For each rank in Durability which characters achieve, their Death Ratings are increased by an amount equal to their Toughness step at the time. The character's Unconsciousness Rating is also increased by an amount equal to its Toughness step - 1. If the character's Toughness step later increases, it will not change the Death Rating or Unconsciousness Rating increases which the character has already received; only those increases to come.

(+) DEATH & UNCON Rating

Touch

Permanent

NO

NO

NO

ALL

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Shadow Walk

DEX + Rank

This talent allows a Pathfinder to move silently and elusively in darkness or in shadow. The character makes a Shadow Walk Test and uses the result as the Difficulty Number for test by any opponent attempting to detect the character. The patch of darkness or shadow which the character is attempting to hide in must be large enough to hide her entire body, otherwise the character is visible as normal. When moving, it is possible to maintain the effects of Shadow Walk when slipping from shadow to shadow as long as each shadow on the route is not separated from another shadow by more than 3 feet and each shadow is large enough to hide the character's entire body.

HIDE

Self

(Rank) Minutes

NO

NO

1

Pathfinder

Pathfinder

Sprint

Rank

This talent allows the Pathfinder to outrun her foes. The character may increase her Combat Movement Rate by a number of hexes equal to her talent rank. The character's Full Movement Rate is increased by a number of hexes equal to twice her talent rank.

(+) MOVEMENT Rate

Self

1 Round

NO

NO

1

Pathfinder

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Ethereal Darkness

WIL + Rank

Using this talent, the Pathfinder draws a bit of darkness from astral space to aid her. The character  first makes an Ethereal Darkness Test to determine the Spell Defense of the darkness. A sphere of darkness centered around the character is then created with a radius in hexes no greater than the character's talent rank. The radius may be less, however, if the character wishes. The darkness gives all figures a -5 step modifier to all actions requiring light sight (Heat Sight is unaffected and Low-Light Vision suffers only a -2 modifier). The Pathfinder herself is unaffected. Ordinary light does not penetrate Ethereal Darkness. Characters who wish to banish the darkness with magical light must defeat the Spell Defense of the Ethereal Darkness.

Create DARKNESS

Self

(Rank) Rounds

YES

NO

1

Pathfinder

--

Threadweaving

PER + Rank

Characters use Thread Weaving talent to create and weave magical threads. Characters can only have a number of threads active equal to their Thread Weaving Rank. The process of weaving a thread is described in the Earthdawn Companion. This talent also gives characters a limited version of the Astral Sense talent. The astral sight provided by Thread Weaving allows characters only enough vision to see threads and patterns.

Manipulate THREADS

Varies

Varies

YES

NO

NO

ALL

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Trap Mastery

Rank

This talent allows a Pathfinder to enhance her ability to disarm physical traps, sense the presence of physical traps and react more quickly to traps which have been triggered. To disarm a physical trap, the Pathfinder first determines her Disarm Trap step by adding her Trap Mastery step to her Dexterity step. The character then makes a Disarm Trap Test vs. the trap's Difficulty Number (or Spell Defense, whichever is higher). A successful test means the trap is disarmed, but failure means the trap is triggered.

To sense a physical trap the character first determines her Trap Sense step by adding her Trap Mastery step to her Perception step. The character then makes a Trap Sense Test vs. the trap's Difficulty Number or Spell Defense, whichever is higher. Only one trap can be sensed with each use of Trap Mastery (the trap within range with the lowest Difficulty Number/Spell Defense).

Finally, if the Pathfinder is in range of the effects of a trap which has been triggered, add a number of steps to her Initiative step equal to her talent rank when making a Trap Initiative Test vs. the trap's Initiative.

Disarm TRAPS

& DETECTION

& (+) INITIATIVE

DISARM = Touch

DETECT = (Rank) Hexes

INITIATIVE = Self

DISARM =   1 Round

DETECT = (Rank) Minutes

INITIATIVE = Permanent

YES

NO

1

Pathfinder

Pathfinder

Sleep Sand

WIL + Rank

This talent allows the Pathfinder to put her opponent's to sleep. The character first gathers a handful of sand or dirt and magically transforms them into tiny crystals which cause living figures touched by them to fall asleep. This process takes the Pathfinder one round. On the following round the character must blow the crystals off of his open hand and onto his targets or fall asleep himself. When blown off of the character's hand, the Sleep Sand billows out in front of the character and engulfs a cylindrical-shaped area one hex in diameter and extending directly away from the character for a number of hexes equal to her talent rank. The character makes a Sleep Test and compares the result to the Spell Defense of any figure(s) inside the area of effect. All figures, friend or foe, with Spell Defenses lower than the Sleep Test result immediately fall to the ground asleep. Sleeping figures are entitled to one Willpower Test vs. the Sleep Test result each round they are asleep. Targets wake when they take damage, the talent expires or is dispelled. Also, sleeping targets can be awakened by other figures who spend one round shaking them awake.

Ranged ATTACK (Area)

Varies

(Rank) Rounds

YES

YES

2

Pathfinder

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Conceal Weapon

PER + Rank

A Pathfinder uses this talent to hide a weapon somewhere upon her body. The character makes a Conceal Weapons Test and subtracts the size of the weapon from the result. This number becomes the Difficulty Number for any attempts to detect the presence of the concealed weapon. As long as the weapon remains concealed, use of this talent gives the character an Initiative bonus equal to his talent rank when drawing and striking with a concealed weapon.

ILLUSION

Self

(Rank) Hours

YES

NO

1

Pathfinder

--

Second Weapon

DEX + Rank

The Second Weapon talent allows the Pathfinder to attack with two different weapons in the same round. To use this talent, the character holds one weapon in each hand. The Second Weapon must be at least one size smaller than the character's primary weapon and she must be able to wield the Second Weapon in one hand. When attacking using the Second Weapon talent, the character uses her Second Weapon step in place of her normal Melee Weapons step and reduces the Damage Test step of the Second Weapon by -2 steps.

(+) # of ATTACKS / Round

Self

1 Round

NO

NO

1

Pathfinder

Pathfinder

Keen Sense

PER + Rank + 10

A Pathfinder using the Keen Sense talent is able to greatly enhance her own senses of smell and hearing. At any time the character is in a situation in which she needs to smell or hear something, she substitutes her Keen Sense step for her normal Perception step when making a Perception Test. Note that this talent does not aid the character when trying to detect anything with her other senses (e.g., sight, taste and touch).

(+) PERCEPTION

Self

Permanent

NO

NO

NO

Pathfinder

--

Poison Mastery

Rank

The Poison Mastery talent helps the Pathfinder resist the effects of poison, enables her to sense the presence of poison, and to cure characters who have been poisoned. When resisting poison, a character uses his Poison Resistance step (TOU + Rank) rather than his Toughness Step. A character may also make a Poison Resistance Test in place of one Recovery Test. Reduce the Difficulty Number by -1 for each successive test to resist that same dose of poison.

The sensing ability granted by this talent allows the character to detect the presence of poison in food, drink and the air. The character makes a Sense Poison Test (PER + Rank) against the poison's Spell Defense; in the case of a poison stinger or poisoned weapon, she rolls against the Spell Defense of the creature or character. If the Pathfinder is successful, she detects the presence of poison anywhere within range of the talent. On a Good success she can also sense the direction the poison can be found in, while on an Excellent success she can tell the exact distance to the poison as well. Increase the Difficulty Number by +5 for any poison which is naturally stored inside a creature or is being carried inside a sealed container.

Finally, a Pathfinder wishing to remove poison from an affected character makes a Cure Poison Test (WIL + Rank) against the poison's Spell Defense. If the character achieves an Excellent Success, the Poison is removed from the affected character immediately. A Good success removes the poison in one minute and an Average success removes the poison in one day.

(+) POISON Resistance

& DETECTION

& HEAL

RESIST = Self

DETECT = (Rank) Hexes

CURE = Touch

1 Round

NO

NO

1

Pathfinder

--

Disguise

PER + Rank

The Disguise talent allows a Pathfinder to magically alter her appearance. The disguised character must be formed as a Name-giver, but can weigh up to twice the character's weight. However, the disguised character must weigh at least half of her own weight. The character may also not vary the height, width or length of any part of her body by more than 25 percent. For example, a human trying to disguise herself as a t'skrang would have a very short tail. To Disguise herself, the character makes a Disguise Test. The result of this test is Difficulty Number for any foe attempting to sense the truth behind the disguise.

ILLUSION

Self

(Rank) Hours

YES

YES

NO

Pathfinder

--

Gain Surprise

WIL + Rank

An even mix of stealth and magic enables the character to get the jump on opponents. The Pathfinder makes a Gain Surprise Test against the target's Spell Defense. Success gives the character the advantage of surprise against the target, whose knowledge of the character's presence is literally suppressed. Other opponents can still see the character as easily as before, and those whose Initiative is better than the character's can warn the target character, negating the advantage of surprise.

Gain SURPRISE

(Rank) Hexes

1 Round

NO

NO

1

Pathfinder

Pathfinder

Ward Mastery

Rank

This talent allows a Pathfinder to enhance her ability to disarm magical traps (or wards) and sense the presence of magical traps. To disarm a magical trap / ward, the Pathfinder first determines her Disarm Ward step by adding her Ward Mastery step to her Willpower step. The character then makes a Disarm Ward Test vs. the trap's Difficulty Number (or Spell Defense, whichever is higher). A successful test means the trap is disarmed, but failure means the trap is triggered.

To sense the presence of a ward the character first determines her Ward Sense step by adding her Ward Mastery step to her Perception step. The character then makes a Ward Sense Test vs. the ward's Difficulty Number or Spell Defense, whichever is higher. Only one ward can be sensed with each use of Ward Mastery (the ward within range with the lowest Difficulty Number/Spell Defense).

Disarm WARDS

& DETECTION

DISARM = Touch

DETECT = (Rank) Hexes

DISARM =   1 Round

DETECT = (Rank) Minutes

YES

NO

1

Pathfinder

Pathfinder

Cobra Strike

DEX + Rank

The Cobra Strike talent allows a character to make incredibly quick attacks the first time she faces an opponent. The Pathfinder makes a Cobra Strike Test instead of a standard Initiative Test for the first round in which she faces a foe. The magic powering Cobra Strike enables the character to ignore negative modifiers to her Initiative caused by her armor or her shield. The character may also add number of steps equal to her talent rank to one Attack Test made in the same round as she has used Cobra Strike if she is able to achieve a higher Initiative roll than her opponent. Cobra Strike cannot be used with other talents which augment Initiative.

(+) INITIATIVE

& (+) ATTACK Test Effectiveness

Self

1 Round

NO

NO

2

Pathfinder

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Shadow Dance

DEX + Rank + 5

A Pathfinder using Shadow Dance is able to move so elusively that she becomes as difficult to hit as a shadow. The character makes a Shadow Dance Test and substitutes the result for her normal Physical Defense.

(+) Physical DEFENSE

Self

1 Round

NO

NO

NO

Pathfinder

--

Multi-Strike

DEX + Rank

A character uses Multi-Strike to make more than one melee attack in a round. Multi-Strike is used instead of Melee Weapons, Close Combat or Unarmed Combat to make the attack(s). A character may make a number of attacks equal to his Dexterity Step - 3. Each Multi-Strike attack costs one point of Strain. A character may make all of her available Multi-Strike attacks in a round even if one or more of them misses.

(+) # of ATTACKS / Round

Self

1 Round

YES

NO

Varies

Guard

Pathfinder

Pattern Knight

Purifier

Sky Raider

Swordmaster

Warrior

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Garrote

DEX + Rank

A Pathfinder uses Garrote to silently kill an opponent. However, to use Garrote, the Pathfinder must first have maneuvered to the hex directly behind his target, the target must be unaware of her presence and the Pathfinder must achieve an armor-defeating hit with a Garrote Attack Test vs. the opponent's Physical Defense. If all of these conditions are satisfied, the target takes an amount of damage equal to its Death Rating + the result of the Garrote Attack Test.

Melee ATTACK

Touch

1 Round

YES

NO

2

Pathfinder

Pathfinder

Spirit Strike

WIL + Rank

This talent allows a character in Physical Space to strike an opponent in Astral Space. The character must first be able to detect the presence of his Astral opponent with Astral Sight or Threadweaving talent. The character makes a Spirit Strike Attack Test vs. the opponent's Spell Defense. If successful, the weapon hits the target and does normal damage. The opponent's Physical Armor Rating protects. Defensive talents like Avoid Blow and Riposte cannot be used against Spirit Strike.

Attack ASTRAL Opponent

Self

1 Round

YES

NO

1

Archer

Beastmaster

Guard

Liberator

Lancer

Pathfinder

Pattern Knight

Purifier

Ranger

Sky Raider

Swordmaster

Warrior

Weaponsmith

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