Hello Legionnaires, this is MaxLiao from Legion of Myth and today I am going to provide you a
general, 10,000 foot overview regarding Adepts and Disciplines in the Earthdawn role-playing game
Please pardon my camera and the chroma key effect. There's something going on
But I still wanted to record this today, so please pardon the video. If it bothers you
just listen to what I have to say and look away.
There are four or five editions of Earthdawn -- depending on how you consider 3rd Edition
Revised and Red Brick editions of the game -- and you may be wondering what edition of
Earthdawn I'll be discussing.
Well, the Discipline concept really hasn't changed much between the first and fourth
editions of the game -- (and I couldn't care less how the Pathfinder and Savage Worlds
editions handle Adepts and Disciplines, because those games aren't Earthdawn to me) -- so
nearly everything I discuss here will be good across the editions.
Okay…
I know some will argue that the later editions of Earthdawn may have become a little more...
lenient or... open-minded as to what constitutes playing within the vision of the Discipline,
but I personally believe that the core concept of what a Discipline is remains the same across
ALL editions -- while also allowing for both variations on a theme and staying true to
what makes each Discipline unique.
So, usually I like to start with what something IS before I get into what something IS NOT,
but in this case I really feel the need to hammer home what Disciplines are NOT; and
that is: Disciplines are NOT simply character classes, professions or archetypes from other
game systems.
Disciplines in Earthdawn go much deeper than, "I use a sword and wear armor" or "I
pick pockets and burglarize joints."
As in nearly every tabletop RPG, anyone can pick up a sword and swing it.
How well you fare in combat with that sword is usually a matter of natural ability -- (your
attributes) -- training and experience, situational awareness... and some luck.
This is true in Earthdawn as well.
Any character can spend weeks, months and years of training in the use of a sword as
a skill.
Said character can even join an adventuring troupe to become a swordsman of some renown.
In fact, in Earthdawn, many non-Adepts -- and Adepts of Disciplines who don't specialize
in swordsmanship -- do take the time to train in melee combat, because it is so integral
to the life of an adventurer.
Never underestimate the seasoned or skilled veteran, even if he isn't a Disciplined Adept.
So, what is a Discipline?
If a Discipline isn't merely a profession or character class, what separates the Disciplined
Adept from a skilled character -- one who may be an experienced front line soldier in
a Theran Legion?
First and foremost, a Discipline represents more than just training.
As mentioned before, the skilled character learns the art of swordsmanship over time.
Practice, along with natural aptitude, determine the extent of the character's ability with
a sword.
Every maneuver is examined, coached, learned, and practiced within the rules of the mundane,
physical world.
A Discipline on the other hand, is a particular mindset, a lifestyle -- as I think every edition
of the game states: "A Discipline is a metaphor for how the Adept lives his life and sees
the world."
The Adept doesn't simply learn what it means to be a Swordmaster; but literally lives and
breathes the lifestyle of the Swordmaster Discipline.
In role-playing terms, the Adept is the personification, the living embodiment of the Discipline's
metaphor.
Well…
... that sounds fairly limiting, so there must be some advantage to being an Adept over
a skilled character, else why do it?
Okay, I have to get this out of the way -- role-playing an Adept is not nearly as limiting as some
people like to believe.
But I'll discuss that more specifically in future videos where I breakdown the individual
Disciplines.
For now, let's keep this generalized and generic.
So, in no particular order here are the advantages to being an Adept:
First, instead of mundane skills bound to the realm of reality, an Adept uses magical
talents which can -- and often do -- break the laws of reality.
In Earthdawn, Talents are the magically powered skills an Adept uses to personify the metaphor
of the Discipline.
True, for many Adepts, the low Circle Talents of their chosen Discipline seem to be little
more than skills.
As stated previously, anyone can learn how to use a sword, so what makes the Swordmaster
so special?
Well, notwithstanding the Talents a swordmaster will attain upon elevating to higher Circles,
even the lowest Circle Swordmaster can empower her talents with Karma.
"Adepts use Karma to enhance their magical Talents."
In mechanical terms this means the Swordmaster rolls an additional die to increase the possibility
of success for the action.
Not even the most skilled grizzled veteran can add karma dice to a skill check.
Only an Adept using a Talent can do that.
Now let's not get ahead of ourselves.
Karma, especially at low circles, is limited.
The Adept will need to be judicious about its use or the Adept will find he has no Karma remaining.
So, how does the Adept replenish Karma?
Well, that's fairly simple in terms of game mechanics, but so important in the context
of Adepts, Disciplines and role-playing a Disciplined Adept in Earthdawn.
Karma is replenished by the Adept through a 30 minute meditative ritual -- where the
Adept mentally, spiritually, and physically maintains a connection to the deeper metaphor
of the Discipline. The Swordmaster, for example, engages in imaginary swordplay.
Over the course of the 30 minute ritual she becomes more and more vocal and acrobatic.
At the completion of the ritual she finds herself fully in tune with her Discipline,
and her magical-Talent-improving Karma is restored.
So, not only are these Talents powered by magic, as long as the Adept maintains the
focus of the Discipline, talents improve quicker than skills.
Raising a skill is the culmination of time and practice, raising a Talent indicates a
deeper understanding and connection to the Discipline from which it derives.
It takes weeks of training, as well as the cost of the trainer, to raise a skill.
It takes 8 hours to raise a Talent.
Next, Adepts have an attribute called Durability.
In previous editions Durability was a Talent the Adept would take and raise like any other,
but in 4th edition this is now a passive ability that every Adept gets.
When the Adept raises to a new Circle within his Discipline, the character's Durability
increases both the Death and Unconsciousness Ratings -- the Hit Points -- of the character.
Lastly, Adepts have an ability called Thread Weaving.
The breadth and width of Thread Weaving could be, and probably will be, a video in
and of itself, but in the simplest terms…
Thread Weaving allows the Adept to bind to magic items -- to be able to use the full
power of a magic sword, where a non-Adept simply uses it as an everyday, common, garden
variety sword.
Thread Weaving even allows an Adept to bind himself to the other players in a group -- to
increase the group's overall capability.
I really have to be careful to not go into too much detail here, but know that Thread
Weaving is incredibly powerful and versatile.
And a seemingly minor change to Thread Weaving in 4th edition has had a major impact on my
games.
All of that is well beyond the scope of this episode, but know that all Adepts have access
to the Thread Weaving Talent.
The last thing I want to mention about Adepts and Disciplines is in regard to personal visions
and Discipline Violations.
Understand that there is no one way to be a Beastmaster; there is no one way to be a
Warrior.
It is up to the player to forge his own path within the Discipline by creating a personal
vision of what the Discipline's metaphor means to the character.
When I create my Discipline-specific episodes I'll have a segment specifically titled,
"Variations on a Theme."
Variation on a Theme will be where I discuss alternative methodologies and visions within
the Discipline that GMs and players may consider.
These variations will not inherently violate the core values -- the metaphor -- of the
Discipline, while showing that Disciplines are not so hardlined as to make every Adept
the same cookie cutter character.
With that said…
While there are near infinite ways to fit within a Discipline's broad doctrine, there
are not truly infinite ways to do so.
It is not possible to be a pacifist Warrior, a Nethermancer who fears the dark, or a Beastmaster
who loathes animals.
As far as I am aware, later editions of Earthdawn have not re-introduced the idea of Discipline
Violations and Talent Crises that existed in the 1st edition's Adepts Way supplement
-- and I'm saddened by this
Discipline Violations are the one or two -- sometimes a small few -- actions the character must
avoid to remain true to the Discipline.
If one of these violations occurs, depending on the severity of the violation, the Adept
loses connection to the Discipline and thus loses a number of dice when trying to perform
his magical Talents.
For example: No matter the Beastmaster's personal vision, she may never bring deceit
into her relationship with an animal.
A Beastmaster Adept who tricks her animals into sacrificing their lives, or sells them
into slavery for cruel masters, can no longer rely on the power of her bond with animals
or her strength of will.
So, there you have it.
The generic, broad stroke definition of what a Discipline is, and what it means to be an
Adept, in the Earthdawn role-playing game.
Coming soon will be Discipline-specific episodes.
Where I discuss the Archer, the Swordmaster, the Elementalist, so on and so forth
Each in greater detail.
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I may even be on there on occasion. Discussing more Earthdawn or RPG topics.
All right, that is it for me this episode. I really do appreciate you watching.
I hope you have a WONDERFUL day!
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