Want to make sure I am understanding this correctly:

Under talents I see that Runic Tattoo is a limited skill talent.

Under the Runic Warrior path, I see you pick up this talent at the Initiate and Master levels. But nowhere in the path description does it say something along the lines of "this talent is no longer a limited talent for you". So am I correct in my understanding that currently a character has no way within the game mechanics to pick up more than two Runic Tattoo talents? At least, until some future book is possibly released with a new path with options to pick up more? Or am I missing something here?

It looks to me like the Runic Warrior is a way for armor-less characters to pay a price in talents (and a Path) instead of money. Anyone who has the money can pay for fine or exceptional noble garb and put runes on it. Tultipetans and Khitanimen who take the path can instead do without the ultra-fancy clothes and put runes on their bodies. Moreover, the talents don't allow exceptional runes till Tier V, whereas clothing offers that option at a lower (rune-based) tier, albeit at exorbitant price. Is that a correct (albeit simplified) way of looking at it?

I wouldn't even call it that exorbitant. Iirc, exceptional noble's garb costs 20 Gc which, to me, is far "cheaper" than 5 talents.

But far less durable

But also far less likely to explode, as I recall....

One other potential problem I noticed with Runic Warrior is that it requires 6 ranks in each of Knowledge (Arcanum), Knowledge (Metaphysics), and Melee. However, it can be very difficult (impossible?) to gain 6 ranks in those 3 skills before the end of tier 1 but, if you don't start Runic Warrior in tier 1, you won't be able to take Runic Tattoo 2 until Tier 3 (and you must make sure to take it before taking Master Runic Warrior or else you can never get Runic Tattoo 5).

Why not take the talent twice in a tier? I don't see the problem.

I'd love to but it's not allowed by the rules:


The problem is the "once per subsequent tier". The only way around this is to take the talent once and then find a path that grants the talent.

I'd love to see this errata'd as it causes all kinds of issues unless you fully plan out your character from day 1.

Unless there are specific exceptions made for specific tiered talents, I can't imagine this will change. Early playtesting didn't have that requirement until we pointed out to Pedro the amount of abuse that a player could do with spellcasting talents. Imagine an expert at Tier IV deciding what to do next and deciding to become a caster. If they already have Prestidigitation and pick a path that opens up spellcasting, over the course of 6 ranks they can move from casting basic universal spells to Tier IV spells (Path, 2 skills at 2 ranks/skill, Any 2 Talents - Sabatical (+1 casting), A(D)SC I, Any 1 Talent - A(D)SC II, Any 1 Talent - A(D)SC III, Any 1 Talent - A(D)SC IV. For that matter, if they've taken the long game they could already be maxing out the skill before then removing the need for the skill selection then and depending on background might not even need the Path either. It also makes becoming a full double caster far easier which isn't a good path either.

Arguably the highest tiered talents represent a lifetime of dedication to that element if it's an every tier tiered talent (ex. Weapon Mastery, Stealthy, spellcasting).

With a sweep of his hat,

Paul