Earthdawn?

[Warlockco]

Didn't realize they were up to a 4th Edition for Earthdawn, I knew of the 2nd Edition only because I saw a core rule book at a used book store, when I was trading in some 2E AD&D for some 1E Exalted.

[Magic_Octopus]

Since I found the 3rd edition books in a sale 2 years ago I've been running an Earthdawn campaign.

The setting is plausible and fairly consistent. It is so rich that sometimes I am struggling with myself not to overwhelm the players. It is rife with classic fantasy rpg cliches, but they kind of make sense.

The system is really not easy, fast or streamlined. Combats can take a while, although I've gotten better with them with more experience. However, I like that the system uses different types of dice, especially the d12 which is so underrepresented in most games. The exploding dice and armor defeating hits are a very cool.

I also like that resurrection is rare, difficult and expensive. The characters can heal pretty fast on their own, but you can easily die, and then you stay dead.

The rules make it so that pacing plays a big role. I think it is important for the GM to keep the characters under pressure so that they cannot rest every time they want to. On the other hand there needs to be longer breaks at times so that they characters can level up, because leveling takes time.

All in all, I like the game, but I understand that the system, which is very tightly integrated with the world, puts people off. Due to the integration it is also very difficult to convert, and I've heard that the Pathfinder and Savage Worlds conversions weren't very good. There is a new conversion though, to the FU system, called Age of Legend. I don't know how good that is.

[Ed the Coastie]

I had the opportunity to pick up a copy of Earthdawn a few months ago, with an eye towards cribbing the setting for use in my "Saga of the Eocene Exile" campaign arc. However, the initial thumb-through didn't interest me enough to shell out the money that the store wanted for the book ($15.00, if I remember correctly).

I still might pick up a copy eventually...but I have other things that are higher on my acquisitions list.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by The Colonel

Just picked up an ancient looking fRPG hardback from the second had bin at a convention ... something called "Earthdawn".

Looks like a bit like a fantasy version of Fallout to me, what with the shtick about everyone hiding in underground vaults for a while - and chimes nicely with some ideas I had in the past about the dungeon as civil defence shelter.

Did anyone ever play this, and how was it?

I liked the flying ships and the Empire that created ports on Diamond tables hundreds of feet high with cites built beneath them.