Making More of Talents in RMFRP III

Some time ago, I alluded to enriching characters with what I call linked talents: talents bundled together and discounted to present some form of archetype or role that isn't immediately evident in the rules. Basically, the intent is to take a little of the legwork out of fleshing out a character and/or giving a bit of inspiration when a player isn't quite sure which direction their character might take.

As an example, here are some options for my Desert Dwarf culture. These particular talents don't step too far from the core rules, although they may make reference to various options detailed in articles from the - sadly now defunct - Guild Companion. Note that references to alignment below are indicative only, and don't require a formal alignment mechanic. Also, the scope of the Power Talent has been widened to include a wider range of lists. This does not - unless specified elsewhere - alter the DP cost of a particular list. Thus, Rangers and Outriders who take up the Sand Stalker talent gain 10 ranks in the Magician Base List Sand Law (from the Guild Companion). However, any further development is impossible, given the tremendously high cost of 120 DP per rank. 

 

DESERT DWARF ESSENCE USER TALENT OPTIONS

 

BASE TALENTS for any Essence user (Essence User Talent Pack cost: 34)

The cost listed is the slightly discounted cost for purchasing the individual talent. The cost in brackets is the further discounted cost for purchase as part of the entire base Essence user talent pack.

Cost                  Talent

9(8)                   Desert Blades (Directed Weapons Master (Minor))

                        Almost all Desert Dwarves gain training with the blade: given their harsh environment, and their somewhat hostile nature, this must be so. Mages are no exception to this, and thus you may nominate one of the following One-Handed Edged weapons to develop as an Everyman skill: Falchion, Hand Axe, Sabre or Scimitar.

9(8)                   Increased Potential (Aura (Minor))

                        Dwarf-kin struggle to access the flows of the Essence to any great degree, but you are possessed of considerable might compared to most of your kind, gaining two extra power points per rank of Power Point Development.

18(16)                        Survivor (Skilled (Major) x2)

                              There has been no Dwarf of the sands born that does not learn some of the secrets to surviving in their arid homeland. You gain +20 to Foraging and Survival (Desert).

 

PROFESSION-SPECIFIC TALENTS (may only be purchased if buying at least two of the talents in the Essence User Talent Pack)

 

MAGICIAN         There are very few Dwarf Magicians, and those who dwell in the desert are no exception: but there are some who gain the necessary knowledge (and possess the necessary power) to entertain such rare ambition.  Desert Dwarf Magicians may select the following talent at the listed cost:

24                     Local Knowledge (Innate Magician x2 + Aggression x2)

                              The power of their homeland informs all those Desert Dwarves who take up the art of the Magician: you gain +20 to all Spell Casting Static Maneuvers pertaining to the spell lists Wind Law and Sand Law. In addition your native hostility grants you +10 to both your Elemental Attack and Base Attack rolls.

RUNEMAGE              The art of the Runemage is honoured among the Dwarves of the desert, and their rarity increases their great value to their people.  Desert Dwarf Runemages may select the following talent at the listed cost:

36                     Purist Runemage (Power (Major) + Magical Affinity + Runic Lore)

                              Desert Dwarf Runemages are intensely conservative, believing that fierce adherence to the practices of tradition are essential to true mastery. Thus they explore the lore of words with great devotion and set themselves to master this, the root of their power. You gain 10 ranks in the Commanding Will spell list and 5 ranks in each of the following lists: Inscriptions, Nomenclature Mastery and Symbolism. In addition you may nominate one Magical Ritual skill, the Commanding Will spell list and one of Nomenclature Mastery or Symbolism as Everyman. You also gain a special +25 bonus to your Read Runes skill. 

 

ESSENCE ALCHEMIST         Unsurprisingly, the Desert Dwarves, like their kin elsewhere excel at all forms of Alchemy. Although most Desert Dwarf Alchemists are of the Channelling realm, some pursue mastery of the Essence, bending it to meet the requirements of the land and its people.  Desert Dwarf Essence Alchemists may select the following talent:

40                     Raiding Factotum (Power (Minor) + Trained Regular Footman + Agile                                  Casting)

                        Raiding – and defending against raiders – is a way of life for Desert Dwarves. Some Essence Alchemists accompany raiding parties, serving as providers of potions to aid in surviving the desert environment. They also learn a little useful offensive magic and develop – primarily defensive – combat capabilities in the event they get caught in melee. You gain 5 ranks in both Earth Mastery and Sustain Body. In addition you treat Blocking, Boxing, Tackling and Wrestling as if they were Everyman skills. You also develop Adrenal Defence (Lesser) at 4 DP per rank and may use it as a 20% action.

WARRIOR MAGE         Extremely scarce, those Desert Dwarves who combine the Realms of Essence and Arms are notable for their fortitude, control over the desert environment and their ability to summon creatures of the sands.  Desert Dwarf Warrior Mages may select one or more of the following talents:

32                     Sandrunner (Power (Minor) + Racial Training (Familiar) + Unnatural Stamina + Blazing Speed)

                              There are times when communications between the far-flung clans are badly disrupted – by weather or enemies – and magical means are insufficient to surmount the difficulties. When this occurs – or when widely dispersed raiding parties must coordinate their manoeuvres – the Sandrunner comes into their own. Individuals remarkable for their endurance and speed, they are trained to traverse the wide desert at speed, bearing messages that they have committed to memory or packages of vital herbs and other such supplies. You gain 10 ranks in the spell list Will of the Warrior and +10 to Distance Running, Mnemonics, Orienteering, Sense Ambush, Sprinting and Tumbling. You also add 10 feet to your Base Movement Rate and +100 to your Exhaustion Point total.

TAOIST MONK           Even among the fiery Desert Dwarves there are those who prefer a quiet life – and indeed, the wild solitudes of the deserts lend themselves to such a life. The Taoist Monk is an ideal fit for such eremitic Dwarf-kin, blending as it does contemplation, discipline and harmony with the natural world.  Desert Dwarf Taoist Monks may select the following talent:

23                     Contemplative (Mind over Matter + Stat Bonus (Minor) + Instinctive Spell                             Learner + Animal Empathy)

                        Long, lonely years spent in silent meditation and communing with the harsh – yet very much alive – desert has given Contemplatives great control over their own minds, bodies and magical abilities. They also develop an affinity with certain creatures of the desert. You gain a special +3 bonus to one of Empathy, Memory or Self-Discipline. You also receive a +20 to the Self Control skill category. In addition, you have empathy with a particular desert-dwelling animal. You may select one creature from the following list: Coyote, Gazelle, Goat, Hare, Hawk, Jackal, Lizard, Shrew, Snake (non-poisonous) and Vulture. You gain +25 to all manoeuvres involving your chosen animal, and, if you associate with a particular individual of this species for a month, you develop empathic communication with it (The range is equivalent to 1’ x your level).  Finally, your contemplative lifestyle has strengthened your ability to understand and learn magic: you learn magic more easily than other semi-spell users (using the S+ column of the Spell Development Cost table).

 

DESERT DWARF CHANNELING USER TALENT OPTIONS

 

BASE TALENTS for Channeling spell users (Channeling User Talent Pack cost: 32)

The cost listed is the slightly discounted cost for purchasing the individual talent. The cost in brackets is the further discounted cost for purchase as part of the entire base Channeler user talent pack.

Cost                  Talent

9(8)                     Desert Blades (Directed Weapons Master (Minor))

                        Almost all Desert Dwarves gain training with the blade: given their harsh environment, and their somewhat hostile nature, this must be so. Channeling users are no exception to this, and thus you may nominate one of the following One-Handed Edged weapons to develop as an Everyman skill: Falchion, Hand Axe, Sabre or Scimitar.

9(8)                        Sustenance and Succour (Power (Minor))

                        Even with their formidable ability and experience, there are times when Desert Dwarves are caught up in periods of famine and disease. At this time, the people turn to the divine for aid. You gain 5 ranks in both the Creations and Purifications spell lists.

18(16)                     Survivor (Skilled (Major) x2)

                             There has been no Dwarf-kin of the sands born that does not learn some of the secrets to surviving in their arid homeland. You gain +20 to Foraging and Survival (Desert).

 

PROFESSION-SPECIFIC TALENTS (may only be purchased if buying at least one of the talents in the Channeling User Talent Pack)

 

CLERIC (Lawful)         In the desert, there is a taut balance between retaining the traditions that enable survival and improvising or developing new strategies for success. Lawful Channelers are viewed with some ambivalence as they can sometimes stifle innovation – a harsh conservatism that can lead to stasis and ultimately being overrun by external factors. But Lawful Clerics and others of their ilk retain tremendous prestige as representatives of the long-enduring and hard-won success of the Desert Dwarves in not only surviving, but thriving.  Lawful Desert Dwarf Clerics may select the following talent:

20                             Kingmaker (Racial Training (Expert))

                              The Clan-Chiefs know that they must satisfy the stringent requirements of the ancient laws and their representatives, the clergy. Certain Clerics are trained from a young age to observe and assess the worthiness of those who would lead the clans, judging them in the light of history and myth. Although the Kingmaker’s opinions are not binding, they are highly significant: rare is the clan that goes against the wisdom of the Kingmaker. You gain +20 to Divination, History, Interrogation, Lie Perception, Public Speaking and Religion.

PALADIN/SHAO-LIN MONK (Lawful)      Defeating threats to order and stability are essential to the survival of the clan. Desert Dwarf Paladins and Shao-Lin Monks of a Lawful disposition are the paramount defence against such threats, and they are particularly potent against threats of diabolical and elemental variety.  Lawful Desert Dwarf Paladins and Shao-Lin Monks may select the following talent:

33                         Banisher (Power (Lesser) + Skilled (Lesser) x2 + Additional Closed List + Mastered Spell List + Innate Magician)

                              One of the great dangers of the deserts are the elementals and genies that prowl the wastes, spreading devastation in their wake. Often released by rogue or evil Summoners and Magicians, they represent a rare but potent threat to the Desert Dwarves. Thus certain Paladins or Shao-Lin Monks are trained for mastery over such forces. You gain 3 ranks in the Priest Base List Banishments. You must select either elementals or genies as the target creature for this list. You learn this list as Closed Channeling list, at a development cost of 6/6/6, and are treated as a Pure user for the purposes of modifiers. You also gain a +20 bonus to all Spell Casting Static Maneuvers when casting spells from this list and you receive a +10 bonus to Power Perception and Reality Awareness. 

ANIMIST           In the desert, the Animist’s usual focus on plant and herb life increases in value due to the scarcity of such boons in the sandy and rocky wastes. Such skills are vital, but some Desert Dwarf Animists go beyond this to understand the flow of magic and attempt to harmonise and harness it for the benefit of their people. Desert Dwarf Animists may select the following talent:

28                                   Harmonist (Arcane Discovery (Major) + Arcane Discovery (Minor) + Additional Closed List)

                             Some Animists enhance their power over nature by seeking to comprehend and control the flow of magic as it manifests in Ley Lines and Earthnodes. They then tap that power to strengthen themselves and direct the power towards constructive purposes in the name of their people. They also develop their spiritual senses, using them to pierce deceptions, locate sources of disharmony and even to leave their bodies and walk the world in spiritual form. They also possess the ability to calm those who are aggressive and dangerous. You may develop the Open Arcane list Power Manipulation as an Open Channeling list. You can also develop the Closed Arcane list Power Mastery and the Priest Base List Spiritual Vision as Closed Channeling lists. You may allocate 10 ranks between the preceding three lists and the Closed Channeling List Calm Spirits.

ANIMIST (Evil only)             Some Animists dwelling in the harsh solitudes of the desert wastes surrender to the bleak cruelty of the land and its occupants. Desert Dwarf Animists of an Evil disposition may select the following talent:

21                             Forked Tongue (Power (Minor) + Golden Throat + Additional Closed                                     List)

                       Drawn, perhaps, against their will, some Animists come to identify themselves with the danger and viciousness of the creatures of the desert, particularly the snake. They become vindictive and manipulative, delighting in deception and the pain of others. They are often exiled when their tendencies become known, and consume themselves in lonely spite or actively working with the enemies of the clans to bring down that which has rejected them. You gain 5 ranks in the Evil Channeling List Wounding and 5 ranks in the Priest Base List Serpent Law, which you develop as a Closed Channeling List. In addition, your mellifluous voice grants you +15 to all attempts to persuade, calm or manipulate someone.

RANGER/OUTRIDER   In such an inimical environment, such professions as the Ranger and Outrider are ubiquitous and vital. They are the eyes and ears of the clan at the margins of the homeland, and the first line of defence against the many enemies of the Desert Dwarves.  Desert Dwarf Rangers and Outriders (who have selected the Channeling realm) may select any of the following talents at the listed cost:

15                             Sand Stalker (Power (Minor) + Subtle)

                              Patrolling the far-flung borders of clan lands is arduous and dangerous, but there are many Dwarf-kin who undertake this perilous duty. Among them are those who combine a superb facility for stealth and concealment with a sound knowledge of the sands that constitute their environment. You gain +25 to Stalking and Hiding manoeuvres and receive 10 ranks in the Magician Base List Sand Law.

35                                 Patrol Leader (Danger Sense + Look of Eagles + Skilled (Minor) x2)

                              When the Sand Stalkers bring reports of danger, small, efficient and hardy units of Dwarf-kin fighters are often sent out to deal with the problem. Those who lead the patrols are talented, alert and experienced. You gain +20 to Leadership (Small Units) and Tactics (Desert Infantry Skirmishing). In addition, you may make an Alertness roll at the GM’s discretion to detect danger and gain +10 to the Awareness•Perceptions skill category. Finally, while your unit and other allies can see you (and can see that you are well) they gain +25 to all RRs vs. Fear and Morale effects.

 

PRIEST OF NATURE    No fools, Desert Dwarves often seek to placate and worship the deities of nature in order to mitigate the dangers of their homeland.  Desert Dwarf Priests of Nature may select any of the following talents at the listed cost:

43                     Sphinx-Friend (Skilled (Minor) x2 + Favoured (Major) + Mental Link + Stat Bonus (Minor))

                              Truly rare are those Priests of Nature who have somehow risen to the challenge of the riddling Sphinx and gained its permanent favour. Due to their gift for enigmas and ability to entertain the Sphinx with their talent for versification, they have developed a bond of trust and mind such that the mighty Sphinx – in addition to granting access its wide and varied body of knowledge – may even consent on occasion to allow the Priest to ride the desert thermals on their backs. You are one such Priest, and thus you gain a special +3 to your Reasoning statistic and +20 to Poetic Improvisation and Riding (Sphinx). You also share a mental bond with the Sphinx that has befriended you, such that you may share thoughts and feelings. To activate this bond, you must be within sight of one another, but once the bond is functioning, it operates over any distance until the link is broken (usually by consent, but potentially also by one party falling unconscious). You must then be within sight of one another to reactivate the link.

23                     Landscape Painter (Skilled (Lesser) + Power (Minor) + Arcane Discovery (Minor) + Innate Magician)

                              One of the means by which Dwarf-kin survive in the desert is through the intercession of the Priests of Nature: certain highly-trained Priests travel throughout the clan homeland painting eldritch signs in secret locations. Those members of the clan who need to know these locations (Sand Stalkers, Patrol Leaders and Sandrunners in particular) can make their way to the place of the sign and activate them, triggering the production of water or food at need. Other signs – not so secret – are used to mark the boundaries of the clan homeland, where they are used to demarcate borders and affect those who are unwelcome on clan lands. You gain +10 to Painting and 10 ranks in the Open Arcane List Arcane Signs, which you learn as an Open Channeling list. You also gain +20 to all Spell Casting Static Maneuvers when casting spells from this list.