So, what are the restrictions on this? For example, as a Gnome, can I take an emergent background that would be restricted to a human/val/darkkin/dwarf? Also, if I take an emergent background, can I use some of my talents from the "Choose Tallents" steps to apply them to by emergent personality, and not my primary personality?

An example of this would be....

Can I take an Emergent Personality Background that unlocks a spell casting tallent, then dedicate a talent to the emergent personality to give it spells to cast? This would create a way around the "dual caster" prohibition, but the pc still would not be able to use both spell options at the same time.

Oooohhh! Cool idea. But no, I don't think you can put talents on the emergent fragment. Might be fertile ground for new talents. The idea reminds me a little bit of Quick Ben from the Malazan books.

Eric Gorman

Personally in a home game I would not have ANY issue with this.. as it can act as much as a hindrance as an advantage.

VERY cool concept

but in the Legends of Arcanis campaign.. there is no way around the duel casting restriction.

Hello Eric,



I'll leave the restrictions or viability of this option to others, as I tend to be more of a purist and feel that restrictions are there for a reason and not to be circumvented by a rule sleight-of-hand.

Having said that I would liek to point out that you CANNOT have a dwarf soul in that concept, as according to canon, their souls are banned from the Cauldron, whichis why they wear those nifty soul shards.

In a Patchwork Soul with the Emergent Soul option of an alternate background, how is the PC run when the alternative background becomes dominant? Should two sets of game stats be made for the PC to account for the background changes? If the original background held prerequisites for later options in character building/development, does that mean the alternative background prevents the PC from having access to those talents (or paths, etc) when the emergent soul's background is dominant? Can the PC take talents (or paths, etc) that require the secondary background and thus are present only when the emergent soul's background is dominant? [though as Pedro and Henry indicated previously, otherwise sticking within the LoA rules]

The dual personality with sometimes available abilities is intriguing, especially if talents can be added for just the second background.

-David Thomas Chappell

Apologies in advance if this offends as that is not the intent, but knowing that you are a lawyer by training I find this statement mindboggling.

HA! Hillarious, I love it.

Sorry to have boggled your mind, but a person's profession need not be considered the raison d'etre of a person; quite the contrary.

To quote Walt Whitman, "Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself, I am large. I contain multitudes".

In case anyone is following this conversation thread, I'll point out that in another thread, Pedro explained that it is ok to take talents that are usable only when one or another background in effect.

See http://forums.paradigmconcepts.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=790 for details.

As Henry explained above, this extended use of the Patchwork Soul talent does not let one get around the aforementioned "dual caster" limitation or any other limitations, however.

-David Thomas Chappell