Earthdawn 4E: Anatomy of a Discipline 19 - Illusionist Part 1, Spells

This is the nineteenth 4E Anatomy of a Discipline, an ongoing series about Earthdawn Fourth Edition. Introduction and Index.

Everything contained here is the work of a fan and not associated with FASA Games.

The spell selection for Illusionists is a little eclectic. They have a smattering of buff, damage, and debuff spells for combat - many of which have above normal numbers, but also have the downside of being an illusion. However, their biggest area of expertise is outside of combat operating in social situations and through trickery, particularly illusions and mind magic. The nature of their illusion magic also means they have access to some spells which find loopholes in reality as we know it, generally through spatial manipulation.

During development of Earthdawn Fourth Edition, one thing was very clear: the mechanics for illusions needed help. A complete listing of the problems is a fool's errand, because they are endemic to every aspect of the mechanics. To resolve this, it was burned to the ground and entirely rebuilt.

The first part, perhaps the most important, was looking at how illusions functioned within the setting and the various roles they play. It became clear quite a bit of confusion could be prevented from putting the effects previously known as illusions into three different categories.

Mind-affecting spells are the first category. They are no longer associated with illusions and these kinds of spells are available to multiple spellcasting disciplines; Illusionists just happen to get the lion's share. These are typified by a static effect step and have a rather specific effect. The distinction between these spells and illusions can be subtle, but these spells do not adapt to a situation and the target is likely going to know what happened when the duration wears off.

Figments are the second category and are a subset of illusions, though not really referred to as such. They are designed to fool the senses temporarily, but nothing more. While these can be convincing, but interaction with them will immediately reveal them to be fake. They are nothing more than images and sound; quite realistic, but clearly just figments. This is what most Illusionists want you to think is the extent of their powers. There are no special mechanics around these effects.

True illusions are where things get complicated and developing the metaphysics became important. These effects don't create images, scents, and sounds like a figment, instead they compel the observer to believe these things exist. The illusion uses the observers' feedback to actively adapt and continue compelling them to believe. In many ways, true illusions break the laws of magic as Wizards understand them. Illusionists, however, have learned to exploit this flexibility to create spatial distortions, among other stranger effects. While they utilize this magic, it is poorly understood.

The strength of a true illusions comes from the fact the observer can interact with it, which leads to its credibility. However, it's ability to adapt to intense scrutiny is limited and an observer can penetrate the illusion. This is the sensing test, which was carried forward from previous editions. The scope of sensing tests was expanded and is left largely to GM discretion since there is no point in trying to plan for every way a player may interact with an illusion.

Disbelief tests were done away with for most illusions (more on this later). At best, they make the process more complicated, but generally just serve as a source of frustration - there is something strange about having to make a roll and pay Strain to see if you can disbelieve something. This was to discourage people from disbelieving everything, since it was an easier test, but also part of why the system didn't work. There is also a cumulative bonus to sensing tests if others have passed and are trying to help so you are not left with a situation where everyone has left the illusionary box except for one character who has gone unconscious from failed disbelief tests.

Illusions which cause damage are a little different. Since the interplay of the true/false spells was part of the fun for many players, this was maintained. To keep the theme of simplifying the mechanics, these spells can be disbelieved. The system is simple: do you disbelieve the spell? If yes, you are successful, no test. If it's an illusion, nothing happens to you - hooray! However, if the spell is real, it's bad news. As an aside: you cannot disbelieve a spell an ally is casting on you which you know to be real just to artificially lower your Mystic Defense and get extra successes - your character knows it is real.

The goal was to create some simple, unified systems which are easy to use and adjudicate in play. Along these lines, the difficulties for sensing tests are no longer based on a table, unless they are dictated by the effect test of the spell. Instead, they are just based on a table - all illusions of the same circle have the same sensing difficulty. Which, if you are curious, is Circle+15. This is similar to streamlining dispel difficulties (Circle+10), thread weaving difficulties (Circle+4), and reattuning-on-the-fly difficulties (Circle+9).

One request which was made clear by fans and shared by the developers was to have more Illusionist spells which were copies of the effects of other disciplines. Not all spells are suitable for this conversion, but there were a number of spells brought over towards this end.

First Circle

Assuring Touch: A nice buff against fear effects, giving a bonus to pretty much everything required to resist them. With 0 threads it can be cast in combat if necessary, and the ability to extend the duration into minutes makes this something most Illusionists should keep in their back pocket. <>

Best Face: If you or your group intend on engaging in impersonation shenanigans, this is pretty much a must. <>

Cloak: The odds are reasonable your group will include someone with Stealthy Stride (it could even be you!). If so, this is a solid boost to said character(s) with a default duration in minutes and the ability to extend it to multiple targets. It seems strange this is actually the new first circle spell, but here it is. 

Disaster: The magical equivalent to "your shoe is untied". Best used to either get the jump on some opponents, or to make a getaway. Since it has 0 threads, this is a solid choice for always inhabiting a Standard Matrix since you never know when it is going to be useful. <>

Encrypt: Not necessarily for every spellcaster, but definitely for anyone involved with intrigue; the ability to make text gibberish can vary from invaluable to useless depending on the campaign. <>

Ephemeral Bolt: One half of the basic attack spell for Illusionists. You are going to want this along with its true counterpart. The good news is both of these 0 thread spells fit into the same spell matrix. The even better news is if a target is affected by this spell they get penalties to Willpower tests until the end of the next round, making them even more susceptible to your tricksy ways. <>

Fun With Doors: For the Wile E. Coyote effects alone, this spell feels like a must. The two threads means you are going to need to plan your usage in advance. This spell plays very well into the themes of the Illusionist and how they effectively use their magic. <>

Monstrous Mantle: A 0 thread buff spell which improves attack, damage, and defense. It can be extended to additional targets for a thread, but cannot have the duration extended into minutes. This spell is powerful, but is also an illusion and is susceptible to a variety of sensing tests. <>

Send Message: Again, characters involved with intrigue or any sensitive social interactions will consider this a must. While it does allow for secret communication, if you are expecting a fight there are better choices. <>

True Ephemeral Bolt: The other half of the Illusionist's basic combat spell. This has lower damage than its illusory counterpart, but targets get penalties to sensing tests. <>

Trust: The ultimate fast-talking spell - Illusionists should not leave home without it. Keep in mind you do not want to use this spell on someone you will be dealing with again in the future: targets are aware something was done to them and don't particularly appreciate it. <>

Unseen Voices: Like Fun With Doors, this spell plays into the strengths of an Illusionist. This is less a case of "Will it come up?" and more of "How can I make this useful?". <>

Second Circle

Blindness: It has 1 thread, which can limit its use in combat (except against solo enemies), but with a duration in minutes it has significantly more applications outside of combat, particularly since they are likely to be making less sensing tests outside of combat. <>

Displace Image: For 1 thread, this spell makes the target effectively immune non-area attacks as long as the caster concentrates. And the attackers fail their sensing tests. Stopping concentration means attackers gain cumulative bonuses to their sensing tests, so the effects won't last a whole lot longer. This is a potent spell when used in the right situations, though probably isn't for every situation. <>

Innocent Activity: This particular spell lets the target get away with all of those things you want to do with people around but the GM looks at you incredulously when proposed. This is a spell every Illusionist should at least consider (and probably have). The odds are good this will come up and the ability stretch the duration into minutes increases the versatility. <>

Mind Fog: And if things ever go wrong, this is the spell which can help. It has some use in combat, but the thread and cumulative bonus to the Willpower test limit this usefulness. It is great for bypassing obstacles in the form of people. Another spell every Illusionist should consider. <>

Phantom Flame: One of the few damaging spells available to Illusionists, this replicates a Wizard spell which does damage over two rounds (or more with additional threads). It has one thread, but benefits even more from any additional extra threads because of the duration. The downside is the sensing test which can negate the additional rounds. Particularly combat focused Illusionists will probably want this spell for some added versatility. <>

See the Unseen: It is hard to argue with a bonus to finding hidden things. The default duration for this spell is in minutes and is a contender for a spell which the Illusionist always has active. <>

Third Circle

And Then I Woke Up: A bonus against illusions. If you encounter them, this is may be worth considering. However, if you are the only spellcasting slinging sensing tests, this may not be worth it. <>

Blinding Glare: This can be a great way to significantly hinder a large number of opponents who are menacing you. This can also be a great way to make your friends rather angry. On the whole, this has the most value when used outside of combat to dazzle obstacles and make a getaway. <>

Fog of Jeer: A debilitating area of effect spell. This is particularly effective when used against the support section of the opposition. They tend to be bunched up, away from your allies, and have little to gain from adopting an aggressive attack stance. <>

Nobody Here: Stationary invisibility. Great for getting up to no good and particularly effective for setting up an ambush. This spell is similar to Innocent Activity, but comes with its own advantages and disadvantages. The primary disadvantage is it doesn't play as well with others interacting with the illusion and the targets interacting with the environment. The benefits are a longer duration by default, more targets, and no one knows the targets are even present. <>

Phantom Warrior: This is an interesting buff spell. It provides a bonus to Physical Defense and a penalty to opponent's active defenses (Avoid Blow and Riposte). The bonuses are good (3), even for 1 thread, but it becomes significantly better when an extra thread is woven to affect likely all of your allies. The penalties to sensing tests (the active defenses) give this better than average longevity. <>

Fourth Circle

Clarion Call: With three threads, this isn't likely to be used during an action scene. However, in the right (or wrong, depending on where you sit) hands, this can be a very useful tool. Like many of the spells in an Illusionists toolkit, this is best when used to bypass problems, or find interesting solutions. <>

Great Weapon: No threads and it causes opponents of the target to become Harried. This is effective against solo opponents as well as hordes. As with all of their buff spells, this is an illusion and affected by sensing tests. A downside is additional threads only include one additional target. <>

Notice Not: Similar to Nobody Here, this spell provides effective invisibility to a target. The upside is it allows the target to move freely and interact with the world, however it only affects one target as a default. <>

Phantom Lightning: Another illusory version of a different discipline's combat spell. Very similar to an Elementalist's Lightning Bolt, this is worth considering for Illusionists who want more variety in their damaging spells. Since it is competing with Phantom Flame for a spot, both are 1 thread spells with comparable damage. Phantom Lightning wins out in target rich environments, while Phantom Flame is more useful against tougher opposition. <>

Stop Right There: This is a great spell if you want to capture someone alive or prevent them from giving chase. It has a single thread, so it may require a little advance planning, but it can also be extended to more than one target. It isn't as great for use in combat to beat someone up, but sometimes one turn is all you really need. <>

Suffocation: It has three threads, which is a lot. However, it is also a long range area of effect spell which deals Mystic damage, inflicts harried, and halves movement. This is one of the few area control spells in an Illusionist's arsenal, but it is a potent one. <>

Unmask: If you are involved in a game with a significant amount of intrigue and subterfuge (possibly other Illusionists), this may be pretty useful for a Scooby-Doo style reveal. For more exploration oriented games, it isn't likely to come up. <>

Fifth Circle

Bond of Silence: Like many of the Illusionist spells, this is about finding the right opportunity - failing that, making one. Preventing someone from talking about a particular topic is powerful in that right situation. Situations like taking someone captive, forcing them to lead you to their base of operations, and preventing them from revealing they have been captured. Not that this has specifically come up, or anything. <>

Eye of Truth: If you have And Then I Woke Up, you should consider this spell as it works on your allies as well. As you well know, Illusionists can be really obnoxious to deal with. <>

Illusion: Every Illusionist should probably have this spell simply because of the versatility it offers. <>

Phantom Fireball: A new entry into the "Phantom" series. This one comes from the Elementalist and is a area effect ranged attack which also inflicts blindness. At one thread, this is in the same category as the other two spells. It has the lowest base damage, but will likely affect the most targets.

Presto!: You know the trick with a stage magician and their hat? It's like that - reach into your hat and your hand comes out some other opening. The variety of uses for this is wide... well, okay, mostly planting or stealing things. Just don't let anyone see or it can end prematurely. <>

Switch: Just the kind of shenanigans in which an Illusionist specializes - switching appearances with someone else. This tends to accompany some kind of caper, or is the herald for events descending into chaos. Regardless, it rarely goes well for the other end of the equation. <>

Sixth Circle

Astral Shadow: As you get to be higher Circle, more and more opponents will have access to astral detection, which can foul up standard sneaky techniques. This spells helps with the problem by concealing the target. While it won't protect you if you have been noticed, it is generally good to go unnoticed by anything lurking in astral space. <>

Chosen Path: When someone is given a choice in which way to go, this spell makes the choice an illusion by having only one option. The most obvious use is to prevent someone from following you, but it can also be useful in a caper to divert people either away from somewhere or towards somewhere. <>

Flying Carpet: It's a flying carpet and does pretty much what is advertised. Which is why every Illusionist should have this spell. <>

Illusory Missiles: An area effect damage spell with good damage (WIL+8), good range (40 yards), and a good area (6-yard radius). It does have 2 threads to go along with all of that and this illusion can be in the same spell matrix as its real counterpart. <>

Memory Scribe: You get to change someone's memory - one fact per success. Unless you are only doing hardcore kaer crawling (in which case, why are you playing an Illusionist?), odds are going you will want this spell. And probably abuse it. The downside is you have to touch the target. <>

True Missiles: The real counterpart to Illusory Missiles. It does less damage (WIL+4), but also gives a penalty to the next sensing test. <>

True Switch: You actually change locations with someone and they don't have to be willing. It can be used with an ally as a shortcut into hard to reach places - make them do all of the hard work, swap places, then have them do it all over again - or to put your captor in the prison, or your rival on the wrong side of the lava. <>

Seventh Circle

Dancing Dragon: Summon an inky black illusory dragon! It has the advantage of looking an awful lot like a Nethermancer spell and is pretty dangerous, attacking with your Spellcasting Step and doing Illusionist Circle + 8 damage. With four threads it is pretty intensive, but it is likely to occupy a lot of attention after its arrival. <>

Silent Stampede: Improved sneaking for your entire group and even for those characters who are stereotypically terrible at it (e.g. obsidiman Warrior or troll Sky Raider). This spell actually can affect a large number of people, which makes it perfect for rescuing hostages and prisoners. <>

Stampede: This is a good crowd control spell for two threads. It has a decent range (40 yards) and causes Rank targets to become harried. One of the biggest advantages is it can be cast in the same space as your allies, since it isn't a general area effect. <>

Twisted Tongues: If there is someone you want to embarrass horribly in a social setting, this is one of the best options available. The ability to reduce someone to uttering only gibberish for a few minutes is very useful in the right situation. It's use outside of a social/intrigue style game is limited, but that goes for many of the Illusionist spells. <>

Vertigo: This single thread spell is great for lockdown on a single (or few with extra threads) target. The initial effect isn't terribly strong, -2 to all action tests, but it scales with successes and can give some large penalties with a good roll. Of particular note is the penalty doesn't have an associated type (blindness, harried, etc.) or any resistance on subsequent rounds, which means it can stack easily. <>

Walk Through: Another example of the spatial manipulation of which Illusionists are capable. The ability to go directly through a wall is almost certainly going to be useful at some point. <>

Eighth Circle

Face Lift: For two threads, this is a fairly crippling spell which is useful in a number of different situations, from combat to social. The price is a little steep for a combat debuff, as it only inflicts full darkness penalties (which is still good), but this can also neutralize a Troubadour and their social talents. <>

Form Exchange: I consider this to be the final spell in the Switch and True Switch line as this combines both of the spells. You trade places and appearances with the target, which makes for a seamless deception. The amount of trouble this spell can and has caused is likely immeasurable. <>

Other Place: Want to know how to sneak an army into a keep, or empty the entire treasury? This is the spell. There is a lot of setup required to make good use of this spell. It connects two places and must be cast at each of them, which means the Illusionist has to be present at both locations within two hours. Still, this is amazing for the right situation. <>

Rebel Limb: Have you ever wondered about the answer to the age old question, "Why are you hitting yourself?" This spell may hold the answers. For one thread, you can take control of a target's limb. You have it do pretty much whatever you want. Why wouldn't you want this spell? <>

Shadow Spell: If you deal with spellcasting opponents frequently, this may be a spell for you. At two threads it takes a while to setup, but it can cripple an opposing spellcaster, particularly if they rely on damaging spells quite a bit. It doesn't do much against spellcasters who traffic primarily in buffs for their allies, however. <>

Stench: One of the best lockdown spells available. For two threads, this effectively shuts down everyone in a four-yard radius until they can pass a sensing test. Be careful, however, as the spell is indiscriminate and will affect your allies as well. Given the secondary effects, they aren't likely to be terribly happy about needing to bathe immediately. Not recommended for areas with nice rugs. <>

Earthdawn 4E: Anatomy of a Discipline 18 - Elementalist Part 2, Talents

This is the eighteenth 4E Anatomy of a Discipline, an ongoing series about Earthdawn Fourth Edition. Introduction and Index.

Everything contained here is the work of a fan and not associated with FASA Games.

A great deal of the flavor for a spellcaster comes from their spell selection and Elementalist is no exception. However, one of the goals for Earthdawn Fourth Edition (ED4) was to make talents more relevant to spellcasting disciplines. To do this, the discipline talents and talent options were evaluated for how appropriate they are and how useful they are.

For Elementalists, this focus is on the world around them and on being tough (for a spellcaster). Naturally, this is in addition to the talents for spellcasting. Air Speaking, Cold Purify, and Temperature were all removed from their discipline talents for various reasons. Air Speaking isn't necessarily for everyone, particularly since this is not a very social discipline. Cold Purify has been improved, but it puts them in the default role as a healer and their spells already emphasize this enough. Temperature was simply removed as a talent entirely.

To fill in these holes, Awareness was added for their connection to the greater world through the elements and Wood Skin both emphasizes their toughness and adds an elemental talent. Hold Thread and Willforce are both now a standard part of the curriculum for core spellcasting disciplines.

Talent options have been redeveloped to emphasize their connection to the elements, things, and the world, rather than people, in addition to their continuing arcane studies. The tend to lag behind some of their more studious peers in the latter category due to their interest in the empirical rather than the abstract.

Towards this end, Haggle, Read and Write Language, and Speak Language were all removed; they were simply too Namegiver-centric. All of the trap handling is gone - while it wasn't entirely out of place, there were better and more appropriate uses of their talent options. Spot Armor Flaw was also removed since it no longer interacts well with the mechanics of spells (if it ever did) and Parry was effectively replaced by Avoid Blow, as the former no longer exists.

To make up for these they gain access to a lot of spellcasting-related talents, which really plays up the whole spellcasting thing: Banish, Dispel Magic, and Tenacious Weave. These are all new talents to meant to expand the scope of spellcasting, and make it more interactive with talents as a whole. Part of a larger push to give spellcasters more reasons to care about their talents and not just their spells. Also giving them better talents in the first place. They also gained Climbing, Navigation, Safe Path, and Wilderness Survival as a part of their outdoorsman collection. Fireblood makes up the last addition and it plays into their tough, elemental theme and combines well with Fire Heal. Elementalists have a lot of Recovery Tests. A whole lot. Which is good for how many of their spells work.

The Elementalist is a tough and versatile discipline which can leverage their development into a number of different areas. They are at their strongest when working behind the scenes and supporting their allies. If the idea of a straightforward spellcaster who interested in results appeals to you, this may be a good match.

Novice

First Circle

• Awareness
• Elementalism
• Patterncraft
• Spellcasting
• Wood Skin

Abilities

• Durability 3

Second Circle

• Fire Heal

Third Circle

• Elemental Tongues

Abilities

• Karma: Recovery Tests

Fourth Circle

• Elemental Hold

Journeyman

Fifth Circle

• Summon [Elemental Spirits]

Abilities

• Fire and Ice: 1 Strain and a successful Elementalism test against the targets Mystic Defense or Difficulty 6 to create a small flame or freeze water.
• Karma: Spend a karma point to target an additional ally with a spell you are casting.

Sixth Circle

• Willforce

Seventh Circle

• Earth Skin

Eighth Circle

• Hold Thread

Elementalists have a few different areas from their discipline talents. They have all of the spellcasting basics (Hold Thread, Patterncraft, Spellcasting, and Willforce) and are also a summoning discipline (Elemental Hold, Elemental Tongues, and Summon). These two areas form the backbone of the discipline and are their core competencies. Though reduced in overall power and accessibility in ED4, summoning is still a useful and versatile ability.

Beyond those two areas, they have a connection to the world and the elements. To support this, they have Awareness and three elementally themed talents, Earth Skin, Fire Heal, and Wood Skin. Those three talents make them incredibly tough for a spellcaster, and Fire Heal can provide extra Recovery Tests to support spells which allow the caster to spend their own to heal the target.

Their karma ability for Recovery Tests also adds to how tough they are (for spellcasters). While their unique spellcasting karma ability makes them excellent support casters. It allows Elementalists to put have a little more versatility when it comes to casting buff or healing spells - potentially saving an extra thread and the associated time. The Journeyman ability is unchanged as there was nothing particularly wrong with it.

• Air Speaking - Characters looking to emphasize their connection to the elements, or provide some clandestine communication may want to consider this.
• Arcane Mutterings - In contrast, those Elementalists who want to go in a more mystical direction, or simply want to contribute in a rather unique fashion to social encounters.
• Astral Sight - This will definitely be one of the most popular talent options because of the versatility it offers. Mystically inclined adepts should consider this a must.
• Avoid Blow - Given their relative toughness, this may not be a must if you can mostly stay out of harm's way. If you are willing to invest in improving it every circle, it is worth considering.
• Climbing - Those looking to really get in touch with nature, such as by harvesting True elements in hard to reach places, may want this talent.
• Item History - Someone in your group should have this; even if someone already has it, there isn't generally harm in having two people with the capabilities.
• Standard Matrix - Even with the two free spell matrices, this is probably going to be the first talent option selected.
• Tracking - Another talent for those Elementalists who want to get closer to nature. However, if there is another character in the group with this talent, you can probably pass.
• Wilderness Survival - These spellcasters have a number of spells which can improve this talent significantly and it is always a good idea to have at least one person with it.
• Wind Catcher - This is another choice for Elementalists to develop their elemental theme. Also, for characters who like to engage in some daring-do.

Outside of actually playing and figuring out which talents will best fit your character, play style, and the campaign you are a part, there are a few different generic "builds" which can help show off themes and different decisions.

The builds I will be looking at are the hermit, the mystic, the purist, and the jack-of-all-trades.

Hermits are about a connection to nature. They are probably going to want Climbing, Standard Matrix, Tracking and Wilderness Survival. Their talents can make them stand-ins for Scouts when it comes to exploring. Self-sufficiency and pragmatism are key to this character.

The mystic is a spellcaster who views the elements as the building blocks to the world. There is still a connection, but it is a means to an end rather the end itself. Their talent selections will include Arcane Mutterings, Astral Sight, Item History, and Standard Matrix. Even though they are the most "cerebral" build here, as Elementalists they will still be very hands-on and more inclined to empirical evidence rather than elaborate theories.

In contrast, the purist seeks a deeper connection with the elements themselves. Towards these ends, they will want Air Speaking, Avoid Blow, Standard Matrix, and Wind Catcher. This is an eclectic selection of talents, but this is going to be an eclectic character. They may not have the most effective answer at all times, but they will likely have interesting answers.

Of course, the jack-of-all-trades wants to be mostly be effective. Astral Sight, Avoid Blow, and Standard Matrix will be their must haves. For their final talent option, Item History and Wilderness Survival are likely the most use, though based on need and direction, any of the other options can be useful.

• Banish - Sometimes its easiest to sweep things (like spirits) under the rug. If you traffic with them a lot, this is perhaps something to consider.
• Cold Purify - Characters who play more of a support role will almost certainly want this talent. Its ability to mitigate the effects of poison and Wounds are extremely helpful.
• Dispel Magic - If you deal with a considerably number of spellcasters, this will help take the wind out of their sails.
• Enhanced Matrix - Probably the first talent option selected.
• Fireblood - Elementalists who find themselves in the thick of combat may want to consider this talent.
• Gliding Stride - Something of the other side of Fireblood, this is a great way to stay out of trouble.
• Navigation - If you are fulfilling the role of the pathfinder for your group, this should probably get consideration.
• Safe Path -  Similar to Navigation, if it has fallen to you to keep you group out of trouble in the wilderness, this is going to help a lot.
• Steel Thought - With their rather high Mystic Defense, this talent may not always be useful. The target numbers may be too high to depend on Steel Thought, particularly with the (effective) requirement of continually improving the talent. This being said, it is still a very good selection for nearly everyone.
• Tenacious Weave - If you find yourself on the receiving end of Dispel Magic, this is the talent which will help with your problem.

With the new tier, hermits round out their outdoorsy talents. They will want Enhanced Matrix, Gliding Stride, Navigation, and Safe Path. While it may seem an odd inclusion, the additional mobility from Gliding Stride will help this character when exploring their surroundings.

Mystics will likely want to invest in Banish, Dispel Magic, Enhanced Matrix, and Tenacious Weave. These selections are going to be particularly useful against opposing spellcasters provide a counterpoint to the entirely physical spell selection.

Continuing with their trend, purists will want Cold Purify, Enhanced Matrix, Fireblood, and Steel Thought. This is a very defensive set of selections, but plays up their elemental themes and makes an already resilient character even more so.

The jack-of-all-trades will most likely maximize their effectiveness with Cold Purify, Dispel Magic, Enhanced Matrix, and Steel Thought. None of these talents are critical, so they can be freely swapped out of something more useful to a particular campaign; Fireblood and Gliding Stride are the two most likely.

For a discussion over the general themes of the Elementalist how they can function in game, see the Third Edition Anatomy of an Elementalist.

Wield

Wield, by Gillian Fraser and John Wick of John Wick Presents, is a game where the heroes of the story are not the people, but the items which use them.

Given the authors, it should come as no surprise the premise of this game turns a classic fantasy trope and turns it upside down. Each player has two characters they control, one is a "hero" who has come into the possession of an intelligent (and presumably ancient) magical item. The other is their actual character, the intelligent magical item. It a setup Wraith players will find familiar, the mortal and item pairings are controlled by different players, and each has their own agenda.

While it may seem like this is something of an arrangement between equals, it is not. The items (called vatcha, in a nod to one of Wick's recent games, Houses of the Blooded) start off holding all of the cards. They only begin to give up complete control of the relationship when their hero needs the item's powers. The more powers the vatcha gives to the hero wielding them, the less control they have.

Creating vatcha is a simple process. Each has:

• Up to three sets of powers. These are referred to as domains and cover from Air and Animal to Creation and Darkness. There isn't any particular reason to choose less than three.
• A goal and the steps to achieve said goal. The examples range from killing a particular god, to finding the true ruler of a kingdom, and destroying another vatcha.
• History with the other vatcha in the group. This process will be familiar to most Fate players, as you pass your sheet around and others write how the two items are connected.
• A suitably epic way to be destroyed. Think the One Ring territory.

The heroes are all created by the GM (referred to as Fate). This helps to remove any real connection between players and a particular hero. While it may not always be true, to many vatcha heroes are simply a disposable means to an end. The system does a good job (perhaps too good at times) of reinforcing this notion and it plays into the control dynamic.

Creating heroes is also an easy task. Which is good, because there will need to be a stack of them. Each has:

• A note card.
• A background.
• A destiny.
• A personality trait.

Whenever you (the player) get a hero, you add a personality trait to it. This is relevant, because then one dies, all of the surviving heroes (and the new guy) get shuffled and redistributed. All of this works towards the setup where there aren't likely to be any strong connections between a player and their hero. There are some concessions in the text for either the GM playing all of the heroes, taking the basic premise to its extreme, or keeping heroes with one player and making them tougher - allowing a for more of a "true" relationship to build.

The system for vatcha powers, like pretty much everything in the game, is simple and straightforward. Each domain has ten powers, measured from ranks 1 to 10 and getting progressively more powerful. They are described with their effect and how they work in combat (note: some powers clearly are not meant to be used in combat). Giving a hero access to a particular power - it simply happens and they can use it. There is a catch: as mentioned above, the more power the vatcha gives to the hero, the more control it gives up and the more the hero learns about the vatcha. This includes eventually how to destroy it.

Whenever the vatcha wants to force the hero to take a certain course of action, they test their control versus the hero's control. Winner gets to do what they want. This creates an interesting system of carefully doling out power to the hero, giving them only what they need to complete your goals while keeping them on as tight of a leash as possible.

There are a couple of problems, which are not insurmountable. The first is with the powers - not all are created equal. In particular, Creation 10 allows you do do absolutely anything, but the hero dies and doesn't come back. As a vatcha, who cares? Even giving the hero just the one power, even rank 10, still gives the vatcha 6 control to the hero's 4, meaning the vatcha has the edge in forcing this to happen.

The second has to do with opposition. While this isn't an PvP game, there is a certain expectation the various vatcha will be working at cross purposes at times, leading to conflict. If all of the players play nice with each other, there needs to be credible opposition against them. Within the context of the game, this probably means other vatcha. The idea of bringing NPC vatcha into the game isn't actually discussed.

In the end, this is a fun game which should give a unique experience for everyone. The setup means it can easily be played in a single session, or over the course of a few games. If you are looking for something with low commitment and offers something different, this is definitely worth giving a second look.

Earthdawn 4E: Anatomy of a Discipline 18 - Elementalist Part 1, Spells

This is the eighteenth 4E Anatomy of a Discipline, an ongoing series about Earthdawn Fourth Edition. Introduction and Index.

Everything contained here is the work of a fan and not associated with FASA Games.

Elementalists are possibly the best support spellcasters around. Outside of combat, they have a variety of effects, but are particularly strong when it comes to travel and healing. Their access to healing spells, inside and outside of combat, is unparalleled. Within combat, damage isn't their thing. All of their spells are physical, which tends to be the highest armor value. However, their ability to improve their allies is excellent and their area control and denial effects are numerous. Even their damaging spells tend to have secondary effects which benefit the rest of their group.

There are new features for Elementalists in Earthdawn Fourth Edition (ED4), one of which includes spells which have different effects for each element, making it in effect five different similar spells. These spells can frequently all be available from the same spell matrix, which allows greater versatility when planning. The spells individually tend to be less powerful than their counterparts for the circle, but such is the price for flexibility. In truth, each discipline got some variation on this concept: illusions and their true counterparts can share a spell matrix for Illusionists and a summon and the binding counterpart do the same for Nethermancers. Wizards are the only discipline who lose out on this arrangement at a basic level, but true to nature they figure out some different ways to work around their comparative limitation.

As well, there is a new class of spell: binding. These are buff spells which provide a variety of different bonuses, but generally only one character may benefit at a time. They are powerful for their circle and can provide unique abilities, but there is often a cost associated with using them generally in the form of a required or proscribed action. While these are not unique to Elementalists, Nethermancers have them as well, each discipline has a unique flavor and mechanical feel to how they are implemented.

First Circle

Air Armor: This is one of the core spells every starting Elementalist should take. At 0 threads, it can be cast easily in combat; particularly with the ability to have Spellcasting rank additional targets with an extra thread. However, the ability to increase the duration to minutes with an extra thread makes this a spell which is probably going to see play for a very long time. The magnitude of the duration was decreased from minutes to rounds, but with the introduction of extra threads (which can return the duration to minutes), this doesn't result in an changes at low circles. Higher circles will see the effectiveness increase as extra threads can improve the armor bonus.

Crunch Climb: A boost to climbing is always welcome, particularly in low circle groups and those who don't have a character who can climb. Adding Spellcasting Rank additional targets with an extra thread means the entire group can easily benefit in a pinch. Beyond the effects from extra threads (which includes scaling), there were no changes to this spell.

Earth Darts: Another of the core spells every Elementalist should take and one which may very well see use throughout the adept's career. The damage isn't terribly impressive (a mere WIL+2), but the physical armor reducing effect should have nearly everyone excited. With extra threads which can increase the armor penalty and/or add additional targets and the duration of the penalty increasing with additional successes, this is a staple combat and support spell. Earth Darts was the spell from ED4 used to showcase changes to the magic system, and the spell I originally used to sell the new framework. It is particularly good for this task given how iconic it is and how equally terrible it was. Every spellcasting discipline from the Player's Guide needs a basic offensive spell with 0 threads at first circle - this was a basic requirement for redevelopment. This way spellcasters have something to do every round if they want, with the option to have a bigger effect for more time. Additionally, these spells should do something other than just damage - they should be interesting. Damage is largely the realm of combat disciplines, while spellcasters offer ways to shape and control the conflict. Towards these ends, the spell got a lot of work done between the editions: it lost a thread, lost some damage, gained an additional effect, and gained some range. Additionally, it has a lot of different ways it can be modified with extra threads. With the thread reduction naturally came a damage reduction. Though with the addition of the penalty to physical armor, it should have a net increase in the damage output for the group. This spell was also a test bed for the new framework which underpins the math for the vast majority of spells, which gives a more consistent range of power across circles and disciplines. There is also the potential to see other elemental darts in the future.

Flameweapon: This spell has always been neat (how cool is it to have a flaming weapon?), but the threads and potential Strain cost meant it could have seen more play. Now, it no longer damages the target and has 0 threads, and with the ability to add Spellcasting Rank additional targets with a single extra thread, it becomes significantly more attractive as a buff for your group. While I consider this to be one of the core spells for this circle, it is never going to be the first pick since it isn't likely to be cast every round and competes with other very attractive spells. There were a few key changes to this spell to improve how useful it is. The first was reducing the threads from 2 to 0. The benefit it granted was not worth the time to cast the spell as many conflicts will be nearing a close before anyone can really taste the extra ~4 damage. Next, the possible damage from rolling well was removed. It was far too punitive for a basic spell which doesn't offer much power, particularly since rolling well is supposed to be fun. The last addition of an extra thread to effectively allow it to be cast on your entire group gave more flexibility in its use based on the situation.

Heat Food: Without a doubt, the most important spell for this circle. Spells which improve healing are less common now and with extra threads this will remain one of the better healing abilities. The amount of healing granted from this spell was pulled back quite a bit from the higher circles; instead of Spellcasting rank, it now offers a static bonus. This was part of an overall push to rein in healing across the board; only two of the Player's Guide spellcasters still have healing spells at all. Extra threads still allow the healing provided to scale, but at a slower rate and one which benefits characters who are advancing as an Elementalist, rather than just picking up the spell.

Purify Earth and Purify Water: These two spells can share a spell matrix. However, since they are unlikely to be clutch to an action scene, this isn't going to be relevant terribly often. They are neat utility spells, particularly if you are traveling to horrible and dangerous places, like the Badlands. Beyond sharing a spell matrix, these spells were not changed. The reason for allowing a shared matrix is simple: if you want one, you want the other and it is almost silly to have them separate. Each is powerful enough on its own to warrant a different spell at first circle, but not to require the resources of two spells.

Resist Element: This is a collection of five different spells (one for each element) which can all live in the same spell matrix. Some are naturally going to be more useful than others (fire v. wood), but their relative inexpense can make them a useful part of your toolbox at higher circles. These spells started as just Resist Cold and Resist Fire, but there is no reason to not extend them to the other elements as well. Given how specific they are in application, it only makes sense to allow them to share a single spell matrix.

Shelter: I would never classify this as a core spell, but the ability to create temporary shelter should not be overlooked. Particularly if the shelter can eventually take the form of a tree house. This is a new spell which started its life with the humble notation: "new wood spell here". There was an effort to have elemental diversity and ensure there was a good selection of utility spells. Originally, this spell had extra threads for "Awesome Tree Fortiness", but they were cut since it was hard to convey what exactly this meant or give any good guidelines on what each thread would provide.

Snuff: It puts out fires, which can be amazingly handy. On the other hand, it may never come up, unless you set a lot of things on fire. While the function of this spell remains the same, it saw some significant revisions. Specifically, it was moved from third to first circle and lose two threads. Given the basic nature of the spell (it puts out fires), it was silly to have it at a higher circle. Also, the number of threads was curiously high given the function and the time frame in which it would be useful. Assuming it isn't in a spell matrix, it would be an additional turn to reattune the spell on the fly on top of the two threads. Which is a lot for a spell which snuffs fires.

Waterproof: Similar to Snuff, but the odds are much higher you will need to waterproof a container at some point. This spell should probably be in every Elementalists' toolkit. It may be surprising to note this spell is new to ED4 given the basic functionality. There isn't anything in particular more to say.

Second Circle

Air Mattress: Another healing spell, which is always good. This one doesn't heal as much as Heat Food, but it does reduce the amount of time required for a full rest each night. Two basic changes to this spell reduced the required time from eight to six hours of sleep and they no longer have to be uninterrupted. The latter change was to allow for watches and use of the spell at the same time. One of the thread effects reduces the amount of time necessary for a full night sleep, which was introduced to help differentiate this spell from Heat Food, a more powerful and lower circle healing spell. The reduction in time required was to allow some access to one of the potential benefits of the spell, but if utilized to reduce resting time to a minimum there is still a cost.

Fingers of Wind: One of the better utility spells available and something every Elementalist should consider for their toolkit. The range on this spell was reduced as default, but can be increased with extra threads (20 yards as a default is pretty far for the effect). Establishing the effect portion of the spell was simplified by removing the test in favor of a flat step and eliminating allocating attributes; they all go to dexterity and there is a default weight. All of this speeds things up in play and removes the need to consult the attribute table. Additional lifting capacity can be accessed through extra threads, which makes everything tidy in play.

Icy Surface: A good and early area denial/control effect. The effect step is on the low side (WIL), which means this is going to be most useful against large numbers of lower-powered foes. Though with 0 threads and an effect step which improves on additional successes, there is considerable upside. This spell saw the duration and area affected reduced quite a bit; the former from minutes to rounds and the latter from 100-square-yards to 60-square-yards. These changes were made because they were fairly obscene and put many higher circle area control and denial spells to shame. However, the Effect step now increases with additional successes, which increases it's ability to control the area, and the area can be expanded with extra threads.

Mantle of the Woodland Hunter: This spell is pretty amazing if you are hunting something in the woods, with bonuses to find the quarry and movement. With 0 threads and a low reattuning difficulty, it can even be cast in a pinch. However, only use this when serious about the hunt itself as the downside (getting distracted from the hunt) triggers a penalty for the rest of the day. Originally the plan was to have five Mantle spells, one for each element. However given the lack of wood spells and the excess of earth spells, a second wood Mantle was developed. The original form of this spell was rather different, allowing movement through trees and some other different functions. These were ultimately cut and the direction moved to the current form as the mechanics weren't coming together quite right - too many different effects and with varying degrees of power. There is a good chance the parts cut from the original version may see the light of day once more, though the precise form is as of yet unknown.

Shield Willow: If there are characters using shields in your group, they will almost certainly appreciate this bonus to their Physical and Mystic Defense. The default duration is in minutes, which makes it easy to maintain. Given the changes to how shields function in ED4, this spell was effectively rebuilt. Bonuses were changed from armor to defense values. They were also increased and the number of threads decreased as this fits within the new framework. Finally, the increase to Shatter Threshold was eliminated since it seemed not every game used those rules. Better to provide bonuses which will actually provide universal benefits.

Slow Weapon: A 0 thread penalty to damage. The downside is they must have a weapon. If you know you are facing adepts, particularly if you don't actually want to kill them, this spell may be worth considering. There was a significant conceptual change for this spell which actually echoed through many of the Elementalist effects: removing specific references to metal equipment (generally punitive) in favor of general effects which don't require special adjudication. Towards that end, this spell lost references to metal and is now an air spell - changing the density of the air around the weapon to reduce it's damage. This spell also saw a reduction in threads (from one to zero) and an increase in effect (from -3 to -4), which means it should be much more useful in combat..

Third Circle

Ice Mace and Chain: In previous editions, this was the combat spell for Elementalists. While it is still pretty much the same spell, the damage has been reduced (WIL+2) to bring it in line with the rest of the spells. You still either do good damage, or inflict Harried. This is in competition with Earth Darts for the best basic combat spell. To be honest, Ice Mace and Chain lost quite a bit of power from the previous editions. Which is a good thing, because it was significantly more powerful than any other combat spell. It was important to keep it at 0 threads, which means the damage was reduced from WIL+5 to WIL+2. The range increased and it retained the Harried effect (with the possibility to increase the duration with additional successes). These changes bring it in line with other combat spells, rather than leaving them far behind.

Lightning Bolt: 1 thread for WIL+6 is good, but an additional target for each additional success makes this a killer spell for groups of enemies. This spell truly comes into its own with an Enhanced Matrix. It also got something of a boost in ED4 - the damage was slightly increased and the range doubled. However, it lost the ability to ignore metal armor (see Slow Weapon for details), but gained additional targets on additional successes. This makes it a considerably more interesting spell in the end.

Mantle of the Reflecting Pool: This is a strange spell, but an excellent way to interrogate a target without them ever realizing what happened. The spell works best if there is a character with Conversation in your group. One of the five new Mantle spells, this one was designated as a "utility" spell. While Elementalists are not social characters, they are excellent support characters. These two played into the form of this spell and increased the utility of Conversation, which can often fall behind the more time efficient First Impression. We wanted to include more ways to gather information, but methods which are different and interesting. Evidence Analysis is hard to beat for physical information, but there aren't many good ways to get information from someone. This does so without them truly realizing it and takes advantage of the real phenomenon of mirroring to build a rapport. 

Plant Feast: This classic spell hasn't been really changed, just updated. It is something every Elementalist should have for what it can do to resource management. The only notable change to this spell is the significant reduction in Effect step, though the practical result of this is minimal given the typical size of adventuring group and how it can be increased through additional successes and extra threads. The reason for the reduction is to try and keep it from getting so quickly out of hand, particularly once Willforce gets into the picture.

Thrive: Similar to Plant Feast, Thrive still has the same effect and is worth picking up at some point for the community relations. The only change to the base spell is in applying limits to how frequently it can be used. It has been used to ridiculous ends in the past and this only serves to curb the worst of them. Particularly with the introduction of additional successes and extra threads.

Winds of Deflection: 0 threads for a bonus to Avoid Blow and the ability to use it against Surprise and Blindside attacks. The downside is it is going to take a combat action to bring this online. If you are frequently the target of physical attacks, this may very well be the first spell you cast in a fight. Like so many other spells which replaced talents, this now enhances it instead. The number of threads was reduced due to this change (from one to zero) and it also provides the ability to be used against Blindside and Surprise attacks, since a wall of wind doesn't much care. This also serves to differentiate it from other, similar effects which other spellcasting disciplines possess.

Fourth Circle

Air Blast: An area effect control spell for 0 threads with a good effect step. This doesn't have the area denial effects of Icy Surface (only one round and doesn't impede movement), but is going to affect much more powerful opponents. The odds are you will only need one of these spells at a time, but both are good depending on the circumstances. While the basic function of this spell remains the same (knocking people down), the details have changed quite a bit. Gone is the effect arc and increasing width of targets, replaced with a broad line of effect. In part because it was a somewhat absurdly large area and also because it was difficult for some to visualize without a battle map. The Effect step has also been reduced from WIL+9 to WIL+5. However, this was done to reduce the number of threads from one to zero, as these kinds of control effects are always best if they don't require a round to prepare. The Effect step also increases with additional successes. In all, the goal was to make the spell a useful tool which is significantly more accessible when needed.

Blizzard Sphere: Like Icy Surface, this is an area control and denial spell, but it has teeth. It has a range, area, damage, duration, and reduces movement. Which is to be expected from a spell with 2 threads. While not likely to be an everyday spell, it is excellent at what it does. There were three notable changes to the basic effect of this spell. The first is a reduction in the Effect step, from WIL+8 to WIL+2. Second, adding a reduction in movement speed. The third eliminates the limit on the number of targets. Overall, the goal was to move this from a damage spell which would be dropped on some people to an area control and denial spell. Movement reduction and removing the limit were important for this function, while the reduction in effect was due to it being quite powerful.

Elemental Spear: This is really five different spells which can be stored in one spell matrix. Each has a slightly different effect (action test penalties, knockdown, additional damage, healing, or Harried) and is individually a little under powered for the 1 thread. However, together they make up for it with a great deal of versatility in the available effects. This spell basically has nothing in common with the original other than name and circle. It's better this way. The new version is a test bed for offering a single spell with a variety of different effects, all in one spell matrix.The results were overwhelmingly positive, so these kinds of spells are likely to show up more in the future.

Grove Renewal: Regeneration where either the target or the spellcaster can foot the bill for the Recovery Test. Not a lot, but definitely enough to keep an ally in the black while they go through Strain. A new wood spell - it seemed strange (perhaps deliberate) to not have a wood spell which offers healing. Pretty much all other kinds of healing are available, so this is a different kind of healing likely to appeal to combat characters who go through a lot of strain. The balance here was getting the amount of healing right - a good amount per turn over a decent period while not being superior to a single, larger healing effect. Each serve different purposes and are worth having around. The reduction outside of combat is to prevent it from outshining other healing abilities. Allowing for the caster to pay the Recovery Test cost gives a little more versatility in resource management. It isn't unheard of for spellcasters to have an excess of Recovery Tests if their allies are doing a good job of keeping opposition off of them. This allows them to give something back and help shoulder some of the burden.

Lightning Step: A bonus to initiative, movement rate, and Physical Defense with 0 threads. Characters who rely on speed and mobility are going to want this spell cast on them. The downside is it can only be cast during combat. However, it does combine well with the fifth circle Elementalist karma ability since it does not allow for additional targets with extra threads. By far, the most significant change to this spell is the reduction in threads, from 3 (!) to 0. This means a spell based around making you go fast will now actually have an impact of combat, since it will go offer before it is over. Beyond this, the direct initiative replacement is now a bonus. The Movement Rate bonus is actually reduced since the notation has changed, but it was kept at a +2 so everything would have a consistent bonus. The goal for this spell was to make it usable in combat while still providing the same basic effects.

Uneven Ground: Another area control spell; this one is centered on the caster and has a large area (10-yard radius). For 2 threads, this harries targets and reduces movement rate, which is good, but the biggest benefit is your allies can be removed from the effect for an extra thread. 3 threads is a lot, but there are some significant advantages to using this spell against particularly rough encounters. The only change to the basic function of this spell was increasing the threads by one, which is due to the enormous area of effect. As mentioned earlier, the ability to remove your allies for an additional thread makes this a very powerful spell when it comes to control and mobility.

Fifth Circle

Earth Staff: Duration in minutes and all successful Elemetalism spells get an additional success. This goes exceptionally well with Lightning Bolt and is simply good all around. It should definitely be a consideration for every Elementalist for the broad benefits it provides. Earth Staff in ED4 may as well be a brand new spell. The points it shares in common with the previous version are pretty much superfluous, but the description was too fun to discard entirely. An expensive spell to summon a melee weapon exclusive to a spellcaster was bad. Development on this spell focused around making something useful to an Elementalist, something they would want to have around and be unique. Depending on the popularity of this spell, there may be additional developments along these lines.

Fireball: For 1 thread, you can cast the classic area effect damage spell. It has decent area (4-yard radius), range (30 yards), and damage (WIL+4), but the big bonuses are action penalties to affected targets and the ability to remove your allies from the blast. For an extra thread, you will never have to endure jibes about the spellcaster being more dangerous than their foes. The biggest changes here are the Effect step reduction from WIL+8 and the inclusion of the Blindness effect. These were done to bring the spell in line with the new standards and to make it a little more interesting, since Elementalist spells are rarely about just doing damage. With additional successes yielding extra damage, it still has a lot of damage potential.

Heat Armor: 2 threads means this takes a while to setup. However, ignoring armor and inflicting damage every round means this is a way to make long fights excruciating for one lucky target. Or more, if you weave extra threads. In general, this works best against physically very powerful targets who rely on heavy armor. This probably will not make the cut for normal use, but be key when preparing for specific encounters. Again, the metal note here was removed so it is effective against any kind of armor. With the significant increase in available targets and to bring it inline with the new standards, the Effect step was reduced. However, it still increases with additional successes.  

Nutritious Earth: If you have Thrive, you may very well want this as well. It is a more intense version of the lower circle spell, having a greater effect, but also requiring blood magic. Beyond effects for additional successes and threads, this spell is unchanged.

Ride the Lightning: A short range teleport for any one target, as long as the target is the spellcaster. If you need to reach a target you can see within a few miles, I would say accept no substitute, except it is a long time before there are any other options for any discipline. There are some downsides - it is increasing difficult to cast multiple times and failing to cast the spell results in a nasty shock. Odds are good this will be useful. Here is the actual new fifth circle spell. The development on this spell stemmed from: I wanted a spell with this name and I wanted it to be metal. There is something satisfying about teleporting in and immediately taking a full round of actions (assuming three successes). 

Shattering Stone: An alternate option to Fireball - a little less range and damage (WIL+5), but it causes knockdown instead of an action penalty. This is going to be more useful for crowd control and has some ugly synergy with other area control and denial spells. Two changes were made to this spell: a slight decrease in damage (was WIL+6) and includes a knockdown effect. This was done to give the spell a non-damaging control effect, making it more interesting, and have it potentially play with many of the other area control effects through the knockdown effect.

Sixth Circle

Drastic Temperature: No control effects, this is pure area denial. A small area (2-yard radius) with a duration in minutes and damage which armor does not protect against. The 3 threads and warm up/cool down time means this is best used when part of a coherent plan and not something to deploy in the middle of a fight. This spell had its Effect step slightly reduced and gained an extra thread. The latter is somewhat irrelevant given the time it takes to come into effect (30 seconds) and the duration in minutes, and the former as a slight adjustment to bring it in line with other effects. Given the duration, it pays to use all of the extra threads to increase the Effect step and area, making it significantly more powerful in the end.

Fireweave: If Winds of Deflection aren't quite convincing enough for opponents to stay away from you, consider this as an "upgrade". It takes a more direct route by damaging anyone who engages in close combat with the target. This does require 1 thread, so keeping it in an enhanced matrix is advised. There were a number of adjustments made to this spell. The first is it no longer affects people (and things, really) who are simply nearish you, but actively attacking you. This means a lot less collateral damage and staying away from your allies. The duration was also reduced from minutes to rounds, since it isn't quite appropriate to always have this effect present. However, the threads was also reduced to one, which is important since it now must be case in combat, and the Effect step got a slight boost. These all reflect the shift of this spell being cast in combat, rather than outside of combat, and making it more effective at what it does.

Mantle of the Fire Marauder: If you have a Sky Raider in your group, they will love this spell. The practical effects are Flameweapon and Fireweave, the former with a much higher step, and an improvement to their aggressive attack when combined with a Sky Raider's Overwhelming Force. Other adepts who are incredibly aggressive may also like this spell. One of the five new Mantle spells, this was one of the first new spells for ED4 (and selected for a preview). The effects of this spell are simple and straight forward, playing well to an Elementalist's strengths: buffing their allies. Having the effect based on circle instead of willpower served a few purposes. The first is it grants an easy progression in power appropriate to the opposition. Second, since it is not tied to willpower, it doesn't suffer from a spike in effectiveness due to Willforce. This is fine for damaging effects, not so good for buff effects. A side benefit is the spell is something of an Elementalist exclusive. Early in development there were some effects around setting the surroundings on fire, but these were cut due to ambiguity from playtest. The ultimate feeling was a GM should be allowed to destroy or protect their scenery as they see fit. Also, the penalty wording got a little more convoluted as players tried to work their way around being a fiery ball of death when it was no longer convenient.

Metal Wings: It is flight for the entire group with wings made of metal. I can see no reason why any Elementalist wouldn't have this spell. The changes to this spell are largely to make it fit better within the framework and require additional threads to keep pace with windling's natural flight.

Stone Rain: Area control and denial with respectable damage (WIL+5). This reduces movement and causes knockdown. It is also great when combined with other such spells to create a harrowing gauntlet for only the toughest opponents to earn the right to engage your allies in close combat. This spell received some notable boosts in the form of increasing the Effect step and adding two control effects: reduction in Movement Rate and knockdown. The previous version was quite weak for the number of threads and instead of reducing them to make it more accessible, this spell just created some powerful effects in an concentrated area which sets it apart from the other area control effects.

Tossing Earth: This spell basically creates temporary (hours) landmines. You will know if this spell is right for you. The only change here is the reduction in area, from a 20-yard radius to a 10-yard radius, which is due to the previous area being enormous. With additional castings and the duration, it shouldn't be much of a problem for a dedicated spellcaster. This simply brings it in line with the standards.

Seventh Circle

Cloud Summon: On the whole, this spell doesn't do much on its own. It is, however, the best way to reliably use some other, much more powerful spells. If you want Death Rain or Mantle of the Lightning Vanguard, this spell will make them more accessible. While the Effect was reduced, this is entirely negated by increasing the Effect step through successes and extra threads. This was done primarily because addition with even numbers is a little easier for players who have trouble with math.

Death Rain: The largest area denial spell currently available, this is perfect for hordes of low-powered enemies. It even comes with protection for all of your allies built into the spell. While the gist of the spell is the same, it saw quite a few changes. All of the changes were aimed at bringing it into the new format: the number of threads was increased, area reduced, Effect step increased, and damage changed to Physical. The last of these, changing the damage type, was because this is now the damage type Elementalists inflict and resisting acid rain with your force of will is just strange.

Earth Surfing: High speed transportation for your entire group. The lengthy base duration (2 hours) makes this a good way to travel overland in style. A number of smallish changes here for various reasons. The number of threads was reduced to make this a little more viable for escaping if necessary. Movement Rate was reduced since it can easily be increased with extra threads, though it was kept above Metal Wings to provide some benefit for this mode of transportation over flight. All of the rules regarding staying on and collisions were removed because they complicated something which didn't particularly need it: overland travel. For relevant action sequences, GMs should be able to do whatever seems like fun on the fly.

Mantle of the Blood Elf: Odds are you are either going to like this spell, or want nothing to do with it. The target ignores Wound Penalties and can create new area control and denial each round, but they take a Wound and it costs Strain. It is the most versatile spell in its category because of how it can adapt each round, but it has some costs associated with it. Number four of the five new Mantle spells. Elementalists clearly have a lot of area denial spells (it is one of their things), but they tend to require advance planning and don't adapt well to the fluid nature of combat. This spell started its life as a way to solve this problem without being overpowered. After this, it took on some additional flavor to make it useful in other situations and be rather memorable.

Thunderclap: When being overrun by enemies, this is an excellent debuff. For 2 threads, this brings a large action penalty to a large area around the caster. In most circumstances, it will be worth it to spend karma on Thread Weaving to help get it off the ground faster and use an extra thread to remove allies from the effect. The number of threads on this spell was reduced from three to two and the area increased from a 2-yard radius to a 6-yard radius. These changes make the spell much more useful - at 3 threads it was simply too long to pull off, particularly since it only affected adjacent targets. Now it has a larger range and can be cast much more quickly - it also benefits from increasing the area and removing your allies. Due to these improvements, it required a slight reduction in the actual penalties provided, but it should be a spell which may see use.

Whirlwind: An area damage spell with a duration which causes harried, can be moved, and (for an extra thread) doesn't affect your allies. The spell does require 2 threads and the damage is on the low side (WIL+2), but this is a very versatile spell for the mass harried effect alone. It does significantly less damage now, it was WIL+9, but the inclusion of the Harried effect makes it a more interesting spell and fitting for the role Elementalists fill.

Eighth Circle

Crushing Hand of Earth: This spell basically locks a character down and damages them every turn. If they don't have a high strength in the first place (opposing spellcasters?), it is unlikely they break free before the duration runs out. For 2 threads, this is an excellent lockdown effect. The Effect step reduced from WIL+6 to WIL+2 to fit in the new standards. However, it can still be improved through additional successes.

Earth Wall: Are you interested in creating near instantaneous fortifications? If yes, take this spell. The duration (hours) means grimoire casting this spell with an Earth Staff is a good way to make these last as long as needed with maintenance. The stat block for this spell was removed and replaced with all of the information you need for a wall. Also, the rules for toppling them were taken out since it just serves to cheapen the spell and create a bunch of extraneous tests. Really, what kind of terrible wall raised directly from the earth is this if it can be pushed over?

Ironskin: A solid buff spell which improves the target's Physical Armor, Wound Threshold, and resistance to knockdown. The duration can also be extended into minutes, which extends its use. There is also an ugly way to use this offensively against opponents who are swimming. If successful, they will be transmuted into a rapidly dwindling trail of bubbles. Not truly a new spell, thought it did not appear in third edition. This was brought back to give Elementalists another good buff spell, particularly one which plays to their own theme of being very tough. For particularly dedicated groups, there is also something about having everyone receive this spell along with Metal Wings to send a statement.

Mantle of the Lightning Vanguard: Gives the target the ability to fly and improves their initiative, and allows them to take all of their friends with them. This is a versatile travel spell, particularly when the terrain doesn't allow for Earth Surfing. It should also make an impression if you arrive at a destination under its effects. The final of the new Mantle spells. I wanted this spell to be big and impressive - a way for a group to travel quickly and in style. Initially, there were other effects as well, such as tossing lightning bolts. However, it was too much and it was cut back to the current state.

Venomous Fury: For 1 thread, the +3 to close combat damage is low, but the primary effect is a serious poison which causes paralysis. This gives each ally who is affected (you're spending a karma to affect more than one ally, right?) a nice control effect which is usable with each attack. The duration is probably enough to last for the entire combat, but a paralyzed opponent has a lot more possibilities than one who is simply dead. This new spell started its life as Combat Fury, which was split up into five different spells with much clearer elemental themes. The original name more clearly indicated its origin as plant-based poison, but it wasn't a very good name. No, you don't get to know what it was - it really wasn't a good name. The other four varieties will likely complete their development at sometime in the future and be let out into the wild. Tying the effect partially to circle serves largely the same purposes as it does for Mantle of the Fire Marauder, particularly with regard to providing a smooth progression for improvement of the effect.

Vital Springs: An area effect heal spell which only affects your allies. For 1 thread, it doesn't provide any default bonuses (those come from additional successes and threads), but it does allow you to heal all of your allies and you can spend your own Recovery Tests for those who are in particularly dire straits. Another new spell for this circle, which is a lot, this is the healing spell. While healing in Earthdawn is somewhat rare (and easy access has been curtailed quite a bit), this spell was introduced to allow a group the chance to turn a fight around, providing everyone the chance to heal and get back on their feet. With the ability for the caster to donate Recovery Tests, it is a boon to combatants who have already burned through their reserves and are running on empty.