Earthdawn Reforged – A Heroic Take on a Legendary World
What happens when you take the lore-rich world of Earthdawn and explore it through the lens of Age of Sigmar: Soulbound’s heroic engine?
Welcome to Earthdawn Reforged — a personal design experiment where I’m reimagining the Earthdawn setting using the mechanics of Soulbound. This isn’t a full system rewrite or community project — just something I’m exploring for my own creative enjoyment, to see how the themes of survival, horror, and magical legacy can play out in a more fast-paced, cinematic system.
I first discovered Earthdawn 1st Edition in 1996, and it immediately captured my imagination with its layered setting, metaphysical magic, and post-apocalyptic tone. Unfortunately, I never had the chance to play it back then. Now, years later, I’ve decided to revisit that fascination — by running a solo campaign using my own unique setting and a hybrid system combining Earthdawn’s lore with Soulbound’s heroic, streamlined ruleset.
Why Mix Earthdawn and Soulbound?
Earthdawn’s world of post-Scourge recovery, astral threats, and magical Threads has always been one of my favorite RPG settings. But its original system, while deep, can be complex at the table.
Soulbound brings a very different energy:
- Fast, action-first conflict resolution
- Narrative-forward play
- Mechanics that support heroic scale from session one
This experiment is about merging the tone and structure of Earthdawn with the momentum and accessibility of Soulbound.
What Have I Done So Far?
- I’ve converted several of Earthdawn’s core Disciplines into Soulbound-style archetypes
- I’m using custom spell paths (like a Nether Path) to reflect Earthdawn’s unique flavor
- I’ve sketched out mechanics for corruption, astral horror, and thread-infused equipment
- I might continue converting more Disciplines or setting elements as inspiration strikes
This is very much a work-in-progress — and entirely for my own use at this stage.
Why Share It?
Even though this is a solo experiment, I figured others might enjoy seeing how different systems can intersect. Whether you’re:
- A fan of Earthdawn’s setting
- Curious about system hybrids
- Or just like seeing how rules can be bent and reshaped…
…you might find something here that sparks your own creativity.
Just for Fun
This isn’t meant to replace Earthdawn or Soulbound — just a mash-up that plays to their shared strengths:
astral danger, heroic legacy, and the journey out of darkness.
If I end up building more, I’ll share it here — no promises, no roadmap, just experimentation.
Earthdawn Reforged is a name I’m using for now, but even that may change as the idea evolves.
🧭 Earthdawn Disciplines as Soulbound Archetypes
While this project is still evolving, one of the most exciting parts has been reimagining the core Disciplines of Earthdawn using Soulbound’s archetype structure. These aren’t just class conversions—they’re visual and mechanical expressions of what it means to be heroic in a world shaped by Threads, astral scars, and bound legacy.
Below, you’ll find my interpretations of each Discipline as they might appear in Earthdawn Reforged, grounded in cinematic action, thematic resonance, and a unified setting vision.
☠️ Nethermancer
Role: Mage / Support
Description: Necromancer wielding astral and spirit power at a dangerous cost.
Core Ability – Whispers from Beyond:
- Use the Nether Path spell list.
- If you fail a casting roll by only 1, the spell still succeeds but you gain 1 Corruption.
- On critical failure (double 1s), trigger a Minor Astral Intrusion (GM discretion).
🗡️ Swordmaster
Role: Warrior / Face
Description: Flamboyant duelists who use skill and flair to dominate.
Core Ability – Flourish of Blades:
- On a successful melee hit, spend 1 Mettle to make a second melee attack on another nearby target.
- If both attacks hit, gain +1 Defence until your next turn.
- May Taunt the second target (Mind vs Mind) to impose Disadvantage on their next attack.
🔥 Elementalist
Role: Mage / Controller
Description: Masters of fire, water, earth, and air.
Core Ability – Elemental Attunement:
- Choose one element at character creation.
- Gain +1 die on all spells of that element.
- Once per scene, reroll a failed spell roll using your attuned element.
🌀 Illusionist
Role: Mage / Trickster
Description: Weavers of deception who bend reality through belief.
Core Ability – Trick of the Mind:
- You may roll Guile instead of Mind to cast Illusion spells.
- On a successful Illusion spell, one enemy suffers Disadvantage on their next test.
🎼 Troubadour
Role: Support / Face
Description: Storytellers and historians who inspire, manipulate, and reveal truth.
Core Ability – Voice of Legend:
- Once per scene, grant +1 to all tests for 1 round to an ally with a performance.
- Gain +1 die to Lore or Guile when revealing or recalling hidden knowledge.
🔍 Thief
Role: Scout / Utility
Description: Agile infiltrators who strike from shadows and bypass obstacles.
Core Ability – Shadowstep:
- When starting your turn in cover, gain +1 to Reflexes.
- Ignore the first opportunity attack against you each round.
🧙 Wizard
Role: Mage / Versatile
Description: Scholars who master arcane disciplines with depth and variety.
Core Ability – Arcane Mastery:
- Choose two Spell Paths at character creation.
- Once per scene, reduce the Mettle cost of a spell by 1.
🧘 Warrior
Role: Tank / Melee
Description: Unyielding defenders and linebreakers on the frontlines.
Core Ability – Steel Resolve:
- Reduce incoming damage by 1 (min 0) once per round.
- Gain +1 Defence when adjacent to an ally.
🕊 Weaponsmith
Role: Support / Crafter
Description: Masters of arms and armor, they forge strength into tools of war.
Core Ability – Imbue Weapon:
- During a rest, bless a weapon.
- Its wielder gains +1 damage with it until the next rest.
🏹 Archer
Role: Ranged DPS / Scout
Description: Masters of bow and battlefield precision.
Core Ability – Called Shot:
- Spend 1 Mettle to ignore all cover bonuses or deal +1 damage by targeting a weak point.
⚔️ Sky Raider
Role: Warrior / Mobility
Description: Bold airborne raiders who leap into the fray with devastating impact.
Core Ability – Stormbound Leap:
- Leap 3 spaces as part of Move without triggering opportunity attacks.
- Once per scene, leap into enemies and make a free attack.
🐾 Beastmaster
Role: Scout / Support
Description: Wild tamers with bonded animal companions.
Core Ability – Bonded Companion:
- Begin with a beast companion (wolf, hawk, serpent, etc.).
- If it dies, perform a day-long ritual to bond with a new one.
Where It Goes From Here
This is, at its heart, a creative experiment — a way for me to explore two systems I love, and see what emerges when their strengths are combined. Whether it grows into a full campaign framework or simply remains a thought exercise, it’s already been a rewarding way to reconnect with the core ideas behind both Earthdawn and Soulbound: legacy, resilience, and heroism.
Thanks for reading, and if this inspires you to try something similar — even better.
See you in the Astral.