This project has been superseded. I stopped the Soulbound conversion because the setting and rules overhead were taking more time than actual play.
What this project is
This project was my attempt to revisit Earthdawn through the faster, more heroic structure of Age of Sigmar: Soulbound. I was not treating it as a published conversion or a finished rules pack. It was a personal design experiment for a possible solo campaign.
I first discovered Earthdawn 1st Edition in 1996, and the setting stayed with me even though I never got to play it at the time. Coming back to it now, I want to keep the parts I still care about most: magical legacy, post-Scourge recovery, and the sense that the world is always carrying old damage forward.
I chose Soulbound because it offered a more direct, lower-bookkeeping way to test those ideas at the table. I am keeping this page as a record of the adaptation work that was done before the project was parked.
Why I am mixing 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 I have converted 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 stopped there once it became clear the setup work was outweighing actual play
This remains an incomplete design experiment that I am keeping here as reference material.
Why I am keeping the notes here
This repository is where I already track what I am actually building and using, so I would rather keep the conversion here than in a separate note pile. Earthdawn Reforged remains a working name for this parked experiment.
🧭 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
For now, nowhere. I parked the project once the conversion overhead started outweighing actual play. I am leaving these notes public because they still document the design direction I explored and may be useful reference if I revisit the idea later.