Hold thread talent

Discussion on playing Earthdawn. Experiences, stories, and questions related to being a player.
Dweer
Posts:10
Joined:Tue Jul 09, 2019 1:24 am
Hold thread talent

Post by Dweer » Sat Sep 21, 2019 12:36 am

I’m having a total brain fart on this talent. I have read it multiple times and just cannot grock what advantage it brings? You can weave a thread and then hold it where you normally had to use it or loose it. Why is that so good that it’s a 5th circle talent? I assume I’m missing something important. Please help educate me.

Bonhumm
Posts:435
Joined:Wed Oct 11, 2017 9:43 pm
Location:Right behind you

Re: Hold thread talent

Post by Bonhumm » Sat Sep 21, 2019 1:42 am

It is rather useful.

Let's compare how casting a spell usually works how it us while with using this talent:


Usually:
Step one: Weave the thread.
Step two:
  • If successful, then Spellcast.
  • If unsuccessful, then re-thread.
  • If not ready to cast (example: target out of range), then thread is lost.
  • If need to do another emergency Standard Action, then thread is lost.


With Hold Thread:
Step one: Weave the thread.
Step two:
  • If successful, then Spellcast or keep it 'in bank' for later.
  • If unsuccessful, then re-thread.
  • If not ready to cast (example: target out of range), then thread is 'in bank' and you can do another action (for example: full movement to get back in range).
  • If need to do another emergency Standard Action, then thread is 'in bank' and can still be Spellcast during next round(s).

Dweer
Posts:10
Joined:Tue Jul 09, 2019 1:24 am

Re: Hold thread talent

Post by Dweer » Sat Sep 21, 2019 1:52 am

Thanks. I can see the utility. But still kinda niche.

Bonhumm
Posts:435
Joined:Wed Oct 11, 2017 9:43 pm
Location:Right behind you

Re: Hold thread talent

Post by Bonhumm » Sat Sep 21, 2019 2:01 am

[s]Its a very big advantage when the party has time to prepare for combat (like for an ambush):

Round 1: Weave thread to a 1 thread attack spell and Hold it
Round 2: Weave thread to another 1 thread attack spell.
Round 3: Attack begins: Spellcasting the second spell.
Round 4: Spellcasting the first (hold) spell.


You'd basically cast two 1 thread attack spell within two rounds; that hurts!

Its even crazier once you have one or two enhanced matrix.

Its also very useful to hold 'reaction' spells (i.e. when you expect the bad guys to do a specific action / spell during the battle and you want to be ready to counteract that action with a specific spell immediately after its done).[/s]
Last edited by Bonhumm on Sat Sep 21, 2019 3:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
RazanMG
Posts:143
Joined:Mon Nov 28, 2016 2:30 am

Re: Hold thread talent

Post by RazanMG » Sat Sep 21, 2019 11:04 am

Actually you cannot weave threads, or cast other spells while holding thread :p

Bonhumm
Posts:435
Joined:Wed Oct 11, 2017 9:43 pm
Location:Right behind you

Re: Hold thread talent

Post by Bonhumm » Sat Sep 21, 2019 12:01 pm

RazanMG wrote:
Sat Sep 21, 2019 11:04 am
Actually you cannot weave threads, or cast other spells while holding thread :p
You are absolutely right. I just hate when a spell/talent description does not all fit in the same page AND sounds like the description is over by the end of the first page.

Sorry about that.

Dweer
Posts:10
Joined:Tue Jul 09, 2019 1:24 am

Re: Hold thread talent

Post by Dweer » Sat Sep 21, 2019 1:30 pm

I had noticed that too. Guess that’s why I kept reading it and trying to see what I was missing. I was underestimating the utility, but not by much.
Thanks again for the answers.

Lursi
Posts:207
Joined:Sun Jun 17, 2018 2:09 pm
Location:Münster

Re: Hold thread talent

Post by Lursi » Sat Sep 21, 2019 2:01 pm

Regarding the usage to prepare an ambush:
Lets say you are 9th circle and you want to add 3 threads to a combat spell that has 1 thread minimum. Your enemy is on foot and moves 12 yards per round and your spell range is 30 yards and the enemy passes you in 20yards distance. (you want to hide and not get cut into magician slices by the angry foot soldiers)

The window of opportunity to actually hurt that enemy is not that large given that you have to have the target in range to weave a thread to it.
Of all things I lost, sanity I held dearest.

Michael
Posts:94
Joined:Tue Mar 05, 2019 3:33 am

Re: Hold thread talent

Post by Michael » Mon Sep 23, 2019 4:13 pm

as I read it, it allows you to load up a big spell before you bust the door down and in the first round you can unleash something big for a cost for a few strain points, (pending how many rds you hold it.)

So for sure, it's value is having the surprise/ambush or knowing there's something bad ahead.

Slimcreeper
Posts:1061
Joined:Mon Nov 28, 2016 11:44 pm

Re: Hold thread talent

Post by Slimcreeper » Tue Sep 24, 2019 12:08 am

I'm not looking at the book; is there something about hold thread that requires the target to be in range? I certainly have never required that of any other spell.

Post Reply