[hcobb]

Talents are always better for a roll than adding 3.5 points to your attribute.

While untalented use isn't any more likely to break your weapon it increases by almost half your chance to drop your weapon.

Alertness gives you a roll to spot anything while there are several cases where the untalented get no roll at all. (Of course the alert player would only say that's strange while the Expert Naturalist would point out the exact type of each Slime ambush and list a half dozen ways to deal with each type.)

Would you rather have each party member have three more ST or have a Master Physicker along?