Well, here we are again, and so soon since the last update! I've been working hard on overhauling the system, which isn't something I'd really planned. It all began when I was looking at the City Watch/Police Officer profession a while back. The overhaul really gave it some unique abilities, and flavour appropriate for a detective profession.
Then I noticed the Hunter has a bunch of talents left over from 1st edition, just kind of crammed in there. Overall it was an uneven build, so I went over it and streamlined it, bringing it inline with the four-talent progression sequence of some other professions.
From there, I knew that there were others that needed looking at too, but it was when our local group started adding new players at high level, and the advancement packages gave some strange results that I realised there was a way to better link all of this together. I've had trouble balancing those packages, finding it hard to nail down exactly how to mimic the natural advancement one would normally experience over the course of Sabre games, so some of the team took a crack another it.
I added my own idea to the final result too: the concept of a Primary Profession skill. This is something each profession uses for its talent prerequisites, and so I've pegged the advancement packages to this skill. And it works! We figure it's about as close as we'll get to imitating game progression, but it's had a profound impact. A GM can now better add more experienced characters to a campaign with a much more accurate representation of advancement in line with the other players.
So, a lot of professions have been overhauled, primarily those that didn't have any profession talents, shared their talents with others, or simply had talents that were uninspiring. I wanted each profession to feel unique, desirable, and powerful in its own way, so what we have here is Sabre 2e v2.0! Yes, it's that much of a change. You can check the changelog notes for more info on the individual changes, and breeze through the manuals to see it up close.
This was especially important for the scifi edition, where the lines between warrior, android and automaton professions were a bit blurry. All professions are now clearly delineated, and android and automatons can also take some warrior profession talents where appropriate. There's also the addition of Virtual Combat, where anyone with a Network Socket implant can attempt an advanced form of hacking, moving through a virtual maze and fighting antivirus systems to reach the computer core. We've used this before in our local scifi games (shout-out to Shaun for coming up with this!) and I've made it an official part of the system now.
Finally, the Legends manual is just about complete. I should have it released in the next few days, after I go over it carefully to make sure it's all good. I'm really happy to have finally finished another Sabre manual, and now I'm eyeing off that cursed Atlas that's been sitting there at 75% completion for a couple of years :D
With Australia going into tighter lockdowns, we've been unable to reliably play in person of late, but we're trying to organise an online game to keep playing, but the time we've had playing in person has given us plenty of data for improving the system, and this update is proof of that. Stay safe everyone, and keep an eye out for Legends very soon!
SabreRPG 2e Premium Fantasy Core Rulebook v2.0
* Ranger is now a warrior profession, with limited access to Druidry spells.
* Vagabond and Thief now have their own separate progression.
* The Hunter's Marksman talent has been revised a little.
* The Commodities talent's bonus has been boosted.
* Weapon fumbles cause the weapon to lose 1 Hit Point (This has been in the system for a while under Repairing Weapons, but is now present under the Critical rules).
* Highlighted primary profession skills for each profession.
* Revised the Advanced Character package options (Thanks to Libbi & Aidan!)
* Split Prowler profession talents away from Ranger and Survivalist.
* Pirate Profession's primary skill is now Evade.
* Pirate Profession is restricted to light armour. 'Swashbucker' option replaced by 'Wanted'.
* 'Single-handed' pirate talent gains a result and critical range bonus.
* Criminal contact option now gives +5% to stealth skill results.
* Revised talents for Soldier and Knight, which now have their own separate progression.
* Revised the Savage profession to be much more unique and interesting.
* Revised the Gladiator profession to have its own talent progression and unique style.
* Added 'Crusader' warrior profession.
* Added 'Relic Hunter' warrior profession.
* Paladin's 'Crusader' option replaced with 'Blessed'.
* Dark Scion's 'Black Knight' option replaced with 'Touched'.
* Added 'Impair Armour' melee manoeuvre.
* Dwarves gain +1 Natural Armour as part of their Hardy trait.
* The Hunter profession now uses the Survival skill as it's primary. Rugged Hunter talent now lets you choose you or your pet to gain the bonus, and Hunter Training talent lets you choose you, your pet or you traps to gain the bonuses.
* Revised the Courtesan profession talents (they were mostly a holdover from 1st edition).
- Removed Wingman, Alluring Presence and Broad Appeal.
- Special Friend talent now also allows Seduction to be used against any gender.
- Added 'Can't Play a Player', 'Deadly Charms' & 'Distraction' talents.
- Courtesan Profession now limited to light or no armour.
- Courtesan gains Evade as a resistance skill and an extra background event (total of 4).
* Seduction talents now limited to light or no armour.
* Added 'Kiss of Death' Seduction manouevre.
* Distracting Pose manoeuvre now prevents target defending vs next attack (instead of granting you a free attack). At 99% target loses their next action.
* Revised 'Groin Strike' manoeuvre.
* Revised Doctor Profession.
- Replaced 'Field Medic' option with 'Anatomy'.
- The Medic talent is now in the General Talents category.
- Removed the Improvised Medicine talent.
- Renowned Surgeon talent now also grants extra critical range for surgery and first aid.
- Miracle Worker talent is now Field medic, grants rapid first aid and ability to resusitate dead creatures.
* Soldier profession loses Field Medic option and gains Marksman option in its place.
* Arcane shield and similar spells now only grant +5 AP at 99% when failing a check.
* Fixed the 'Infect' spells functions.
* Condensed Weaponsmithing and Armoursmithing sub-skills into the Craft: Blacksmithing skill.
* Added 'Craft Weapons' and 'Craft Armour' blacksmithing talents.
* Craft: Woodworking skill now lets you make wooden shields and melee weapons.
* Added 'Bowyer' woodworking talent and removed Bowyer sub-skill.
* Removed Survivalist talent.
* Artificer 'Fast Builder' option is now 'Designer', changed bonus.
* Swapped Artificer Designer and Arcanist 'Efficiency' traits.
* Added a definition of 'Ability' to the glossary.
* Halved the benefits of the 'Fast Learner' talent, and normalised it with all instances of the Studied profession trait.
* Added cost multiplier figure to exotic materials to better graps the cost increase.
* Added pre-calculated exotic armour table to the Services section.
* Ressurection, Ressurection salve and Reincarnation now provide their benefits to a target after their death.
* 'Bloodlust' talent gains a result bonus in addition to the other bonuses, all of which are doubled if the target is bleeding.
* Slayer profession's 'Magic Resistance' talent has been moved over to Relic Hunter, and revised slightly.
* Added 'Elimination' Slayer talent.
* Corrected the Inscription talent's cost table.
* Artifice has a new 'Focus' ability, allowing them to choose to improve their construct, or their regular inventions. Added new talents to the artifice section.
* Removed redundant Expert Trainer and Improved Damage talents.
* Improved 'Defensive Formation' leadership manoeuvre.
* Instances of Invulnerability to mundane weapons have been changed to +5 DR vs Auric, +10 DR to mundane weapons.
* Auldsteel armour is now immune to acid AP damage.
* Removed Hinder action.
* Revised the shamanic 'Curse' spell.
* Added 'Order of Battle' leadership manouevre.
* Added 'Challenge' pet manouevre.
* Removed strength requirements for medium and heavy armour talents.
* Revised the text for the Survival skill.
SabreRPG 2e Scifi Core Rulebook 2e v2.0
* Added a new Virtual Combat section for neural-linked hacking action.
* Revised the Technomancer and Infiltrator professions, and added talents.
* Revised the Tinker and Junk Droid professions, and added talents.
* Revised the Scavenger profession, and added talents.
* Revised the layout of the Damage Types section.
* The 'Interface' automaton upgrade also functions like a network socket for virtual combat.
* Warbot loses Expertise option, gains Cyber Warrior option.
* Drive/Pilot talent 'Multitasking' is now called 'Drive & Shoot'.
* The Hunter's Marksman talent has been revised a little.
* The Commodities talent's bonus has been boosted.
* Weapon fumbles cause the weapon to lose 1 Hit Point (This has been in the system for a while under Repairing Weapons, but is now present under the Critical rules).
* Highlighted primary profession skills for each profession.
* Revised the Advanced Character package options (Thanks to Libbi & Aidan!)
* Revised Thief, Vagabond, Knight & Soldier profession talents.
* Clearly delineated which professions are Warrior and which are Technical, including automatons and androids.
* Pirate Profession's primary skill is now Evade.
* Pirate Profession is restricted to light armour. 'Swashbucker' option replaced by 'Wanted'.
* 'Single-handed' pirate talent gains a result and critical range bonus.
* Criminal contact option now gives +5% to stealth skill results.
* Revised Gen Warrior and Gladiator professions and related talents.
* Added Savage low-tech profession.
* Replaced the Athlete profession with Martial Artist, and updated all the martial arts talents accordingly.
* Revised the Pilot profession and added four profession talents.
* The Hunter profession now uses the Survival skill as it's primary. Rugged Hunter talent now lets you choose you or your pet to gain the bonus, and Hunter Training talent lets you choose you, your pet or you traps to gain the bonuses.
* Revised the Courtesan profession talents (they were mostly a holdover from 1st edition).
- Removed Wingman, Alluring Presence and Broad Appeal.
- Special Friend talent now also allows Seduction to be used against any gender.
- Added 'Can't Play a Player', 'Deadly Charms' & 'Distraction' talents.
- Courtesan Profession now limited to light or no armour.
- Courtesan gains Evade as a resistance skill and an extra background event (total of 4).
* Seduction talents now limited to light or no armour.
* Added 'Kiss of Death' Seduction manouevre.* Distracting Pose manoeuvre now prevents target defending vs next attack (instead of granting you a free attack). At 99% target loses their next action.
* Revised 'Groin Strike' manoeuvre.
* Revised Doctor Profession.
- Replaced 'Field Medic' option with 'Anatomy'.
- Apothecary option is now +2 instead of +1 for its bonuses.
- The Medic talent is now in the General Talents category.
- Removed the Improvised Medicine talent.
- Renowned Surgeon talent now also grants extra critical range for surgery and first aid.
- Miracle Worker talent is now Field medic, grants rapid first aid and ability to resusitate dead creatures.
* Soldier profession loses Field Medic option and gains Marksman option in its place.
* Condensed Weaponsmithing and Armoursmithing sub-skills into the Craft: Blacksmithing skill.
* Added 'Craft Weapons' and 'Craft Armour' blacksmithing talents.
* Craft: Woodworking skill now lets you make wooden shields and melee weapons.
* Added 'Bowyer' woodworking talent and removed Bowyer sub-skill.
* Removed Survivalist talent.
* Added a definition of 'Ability' to the glossary.
* Halved the benefits of the 'Fast Learner' talent, and normalised it with all instances of the Studied profession trait.
* Removed Hinder action.
* Removed redundant Expert Trainer and Improved Damage talents.
* Improved 'Defensive Formation' leadership manoeuvre.
* Revised the text for the Survival skill.
* Added 'Order of Battle' leadership manouevre.
* Added 'Challenge' pet manouevre.
SabreRPG 2e Basic Fantasy Core Rulebook v2.0
* The Hunter's Marksman talent has been revised a little.
* Weapon fumbles cause the weapon to lose 1 Hit Point (This has been in the system for a while under Repairing Weapons, but is now present under the Critical rules).
* Highlighted primary profession skills for each profession.
* Revised the Advanced Character package options.
* Pirate Profession's primary skill is now Evade.
* Pirate Profession is restricted to light armour. 'Swashbucker' option replaced by 'Wanted'.
* 'Single-handed' pirate talent gains a result and critical range bonus.
* Criminal contact option now gives +5% to stealth skill results.
* Revised talents for Soldier and Knight, which now have their own separate progression.
* Re-revised the Savage profession to be much more unique and interesting.
* Re-revised the Gladiator profession to have its own talent progression and unique style.
* The Hunter profession now uses the Survival skill as it's primary. Rugged Hunter talent now lets you choose you or your pet to gain the bonus, and Hunter Training talent lets you choose you, your pet or you traps to gain the bonuses.
* Revised Doctor Profession.
- Replaced 'Field Medic' option with 'Anatomy'.
- Apothecary option is now +2 instead of +1 for its bonuses.
- The Medic talent is now in the General Talents category.
- Removed the Improvised Medicine talent.
- Renowned Surgeon talent now also grants extra critical range for surgery and first aid.
- Miracle Worker talent is now Field medic, grants rapid first aid and ability to resusitate dead creatures.
* Soldier profession loses Field Medic option and gains Marksman option in its place.
* Removed Survivalist talent.
* Added a definition of 'Ability' to the glossary.
* Halved the benefits of the 'Fast Learner' talent, and normalised it with all instances of the Studied profession trait.
* Dwarves gain +1 Natural Armour as part of their Hardy trait.
* Ressurection spell now provide its benefits to a target after their death.
* Removed redundant Improved Damage talent.
* Removed Hinder action.
* Removed strength requirements for medium and heavy armour talents.
* Revised the text for the Survival skill.
SabreRPG 2e Fantasy Bestiary v2.0
* Revised the Resist Magic talent.
* Added Tail Sweep manouevre and Combat Senses talent to dragons, linnorm, basilisk.
* Added art for Lycian Chimera and revised stats.
* Revised the loot table system with weighted results, material and quality results, and better instructions for random loot rolls.
* Added Stag and Dire Stag templates.
* Moved Dreadnought Golem, Ancient Dragon and Titan into the upcoming Legends manual (coming soon!).
* Sa'quaarin have been moved to the Legends manual to accompany detailed information about their special arcane devices.
* Titanic Worm is now called Giant Worm (Titanic worm appears in Legends manual).
* Rebalanced Beasts and Dire Beasts to work better with the revised Hunter profession.
* Added missing Elite Templar NPC template.
* Added art for Landshark.