ADOM Manual

Talents

Each character in ADOM has one or more talents representing inborn strengths and abilities that favour the character in some special way. A character receives one or more talents at the time of character creation (depending on several factors, among them race, profession, star signs and special luck) and also steadily gain new talents while advancing in level: every third level a new talent is gained.

While talents sometimes are independent of each other, at other times they depend on prerequisites. These prerequisites can be highly variable: race, profession, attribute scores, level, skills and other things are possible.

By selecting talents in a special order, you will be able to focus on certain key areas and thus gain access to very powerful yet highly specialized talents. By remaining unfocused you can choose from a wide variety of talents and thus remain flexible.

If no talents are available (because you don't meet the prerequisites), your choices are lost.

Initial Talents

The initial number of talents is determined according to the following rules:

Every character receives one base talent.
Characters born under the sign of Falcon or Candle receive one free talent.
Characters with a Mana score of 18 or more receive one free talent.
Gnomes and hurthlings receive one free talent.
Bards, merchants and farmers receive one free talent.
Characters whose sum of attributes is divisable by 7 receive one free talent (this represents some inborn magical luck or talent).

Cumulative Talents

All talent effects are cumulative, e.g. they add up or multiply (depending on the special effect in question).

Talent List

The following list of talents is sorted in alphabetical order and gives each talent with a brief description and optionally a list of prerequisites.

AFFINITY WITH AXES -- +2 to hit with axes.

AFFINITY WITH BOOMERANGS & SCURGARI -- +4 to hit with thrown boomerangs and scurgari.

AFFINITY WITH BOWS -- +2 to hit with bows.

AFFINITY WITH CLUBS & HAMMERS -- +2 to hit with clubs and hammers.

AFFINITY WITH CROSSBOWS -- +2 to hit with crossbows.

AFFINITY WITH DAGGERS & KNIVES -- +2 to hit with daggers and knives.

AFFINITY WITH THROWN DAGGERS -- +3 to hit with thrown daggers.

AFFINITY WITH MACES & FLAILS -- +2 to hit with maces and flails.

AFFINITY WITH POLEARMS -- +2 to hit with polearms.

AFFINITY WITH SLINGS -- +2 to hit with slings.

AFFINITY WITH STAVES -- +2 to hit with staves.

AFFINITY WITH SWORDS -- +2 to hit with swords.

AFFINITY WITH THROWN AXES & HAMMERS -- +3 to hit with thrown axes and hammers.

AFFINITY WITH THROWN ROCKS & CLUBS -- +3 to hit with thrown rocks and clubs.

AFFINITY WITH THROWN SPEARS -- +3 to hit with thrown spears.

AFFINITY WITH TWOHANDED WEAPONS -- +2 to hit with twohanded weapons.

AFFINITY WITH WHIPS -- +4 to hit with whips.

AGGRESSIVE -- +1 to hit in melee.

ALERT -- +1 to Perception. Prerequisites: Level 1.

AMBIDEXTROUS -- +2 to hit when fighting with two weapons.

BASHER -- +1 to hit and damage with weapons weighing more than 100 stones.

BEAST OF BURDEN -- Carrying capacity is increased by 30% due to the PCs efficient packaging skills and great endurace. Prerequisites: Master Packager, Willpower 12+, Toughness 12+.

BOON TO THE FAMILY -- Twice normal starting money. Prerequisites: Level 1.

BRAWLER -- +2 to hit in unarmed melee combat. Prerequisites: Strength 13+.

CAREFUL -- +1 to DV.

CHARGED -- Regenerates power points at higher speed. Prerequisites: Mana 16+, Potent Aura.

CHARMING -- +1 to Charisma. Prerequisites: Level 1.

DEFENSIVE FIGHTER -- +2 to DV. Prerequisites: Careful, Quick.

DEXTROUS -- +1 to Dexterity. Prerequisites: Level 1.

DODGER -- +2 to DV. Prerequisites: Defensive Fighter, Dodge 75+

DURABLE MAGIC -- all spell durations are increased by the PCs current level times 3. Prerequisites: Willpower 16+, Strong Aura.

EAGLE-EYED -- +3 to hit and damage with missile weapons. Prerequisites: Good Shot, Archery 80+, Dexterity 18+.

EXTENDED MAGIC -- all spell ranges are increased by 2. Prerequisites: Mana 24+, Mighty Aura.

EXTREMELY HARDY -- +9 hitpoints. Prerequisites: Very Hardy, Toughness 20+.

EXTREMELY SKILLED -- +5 to all initial skill values. Prerequisites: Very Skilled, Learning 15+, Level 1.

FAR SHOT -- Missile attack ranges are increased by 20%. Prerequisites: Keen Shot, Strength 10+.

FEY-BLOODED -- +1 to Mana. Prerequisites: Level 1.

FILTHY RICH -- Two times the normal starting money. Prerequisites: Very Wealthy, Level 1.

GOOD BOOK CASTER -- Casting spells from books costs only double power points. Prerequisites: Careful, Strong Aura, Dexterity 14+.

GOOD BOOK LEARNER -- PC is 10% more effective when learning spells from spell books. Prerequisites: Potent Aura, Good Learner.

GOOD LEARNER -- Learns very fast. +2% to all experience gained. Prerequisites: Learning 10+.

GOOD LOOKS -- +1 to Appearance. Prerequisites: Level 1.

GOOD SHOT -- +1 to hit and damage with missile weapons.

GREASED LIGHTNING -- +4 to Speed. Prerequisites: Very Quick, Dexterity 15+.

GREAT BOOK CASTER -- Casting spells from books costs only 50% more power points. Prerequisites: Good Book Caster, Mighty Aura, Dexterity 18+, Perception 15+.

GREAT BOOK LEARNER -- PC is 10% more effective when learning spells from spell books. Prerequisites: Good Book Learner, Strong Aura, Great Learner.

GREAT LEARNER -- Learns extremely fast. +3% to all experience gained. Prerequisites: Learning 16+.

HARDY -- +3 hitpoints. Prerequisites: Toughness 10+.

HEALTHY -- Heals wounds 20% faster.

HEIR -- Receives a special magical item inherited from his family. Prerequisites: Boon to the Family, Charming, Level 1.

IMMUNE TO PAIN -- One point of damage is always negated for all attacks. At least one point of damage will be caused nonetheless. Prerequisites: Iron Skin, Willpower 15+.

IRON SKIN -- +1 to PV. Prerequisites: Tough Skin, Toughness 15+.

KEEN SHOT -- +2 to hit and damage with missile weapons. Prerequisites: Good Shot, Dexterity 13+.

LEARNED -- +1 to Learning. Prerequisites: Level 1.

LIGHTNING SHOT -- Missile attacks require 10% less energy. Prerequisites: Quick Shot, Archery 60+.

LONG-LIVED -- the PCs life span is extended by 30%. Prerequisites: Level 1.

LONG STRIDE -- Movement costs but 950 energy points.

MASTER PACKAGER -- Carrying capacity is increased by 20% due to the PCs efficient packaging skills. Prerequisites: Porter, Learning 12+, Perception 12+.

MECHANICALLY INCLINED - All Disarm Traps checks are 10% easier.

MELEE WEAPON MASTER -- +3 to hit and damage in melee combat. Prerequisites: At least 3 melee weapon affinities, Defensive Fighter, Strong of Will

MIGHTY AURA -- +9 power points. Prerequisites: Strong Aura, Mana 15+

MIGHTY STRIKE -- +3 to hit and damage with weapons weighing more than 100 stones. Prerequisites: Powerful Strike, Strength 18+.

MISER -- tends to find more gold because he looks more intensely for it.

MISSILE WEAPON MASTER -- +3 to hit and damage in missile combat. Prerequisites: At least 3 missile weapon affinities, Keen Shot, Alert

MITHRIL SKIN -- +3 to PV. Prerequiites: Steel Skin, Dwarf.

NATURAL BERSERKER -- +2 to hit and damage when berserking. Prerequisites: Aggressive.

NATURAL TRADER -- Shop prices are reduced by 20%. Prerequisites: Silver Tongue, Charisma 14+.

PIOUS -- Prayers are 5% less expensive. Prerequisites: Willpower 15+.

PORTER -- Carrying capacity is increased by 10% due to the PCs efficient packaging skills. Prerequisites: Strength 8+, Dexterity 10+.

POTENT AURA -- +3 power points. Prerequisites: Mana 10+

POWERFUL STRIKE -- +2 to hit and damage with weapons weighing more than 100 stones. Prerequisites: Basher, Strength 13+.

QUICK -- +2 to Speed.

QUICK SHOT -- Missile attacks require 10% less energy. Prerequisites: Keen Shot, Quick.

SAINT -- Prayers are 5% less expensive. Prerequisites: Strong of Will, Very Pious, Willpower 30+.

SCOUT -- More likely to evade wilderness encounters. Less likely to be ambushed. Prerequisites: Dexterity 10+, Perception 13+.

SHIELD EXPERT -- +2 to DV when wielding a shield. Prerequisites: Shield Specialist, Shield Weapon Skill 3+

SHIELD MASTER -- +3 to DV when wielding a shield. Prerequisites: Shield Expert, Shield Weapon Skill 6+

SHIELD SPECIALIST -- +1 to DV when wielding a shield.

SILVER TONGUE -- Shop prices are reduced by 10%. Prerequisites: Charisma 10+.

SIXTH SENSE -- More easily evades traps. Prerequisites: Perception 18+.

SKILLED -- +2 to all initial skill values. Prerequisites: Learning 9+, Level 1.

STEALTHY - All Stealth checks are 10% easier.

STEEL SKIN -- +2 to PV. Prerequisites: Iron Skin, Toughness 20+.

STRONG -- +1 to Strength. Prerequisites: Level 1.

STRONG AURA -- +6 power points. Prerequisites: Potent Aura, Mana 12+.

STRONG HEALER -- +4 to all damage healed by spells. Prerequisites: Potent Aura, Willpower 15+.

STRONG LEGS -- Kicking in doors is much easier. +2 to kick damage. Prerequisites: Level 1.

STRONG MAGIC -- +2 to all damage caused by spells. Prerequisites: Potent Aura, Mana 15+.

STRONG THROWER -- +2 range with thrown weapons. Prerequisites: Strength 12+.

STRONG OF WILL -- +1 to Willpower. Prerequisites: Level 1.

TOUGH -- +1 to Toughness. Prerequisites: Level 1.

TOUGH SKIN -- +1 to PV. Prerequisites: Hardy, Toughness 12+.

TREASURE HUNTER -- tends to find more items because he looks more intensely for it. Prerequisites: Alert, Miser.

VERY CAREFUL -- +3 to DV when fighting very defensively or like a coward. Prerequisites: Careful.

VERY HARDY -- +6 hitpoints. Prerequisites: Hardy, Toughness 15+.

VERY PIOUS -- Prayers are 5% less expensive. Prerequisites: Pious, Willpower 20+.

VERY QUICK -- +3 to Speed. Prerequisites: Quick.

VERY SKILLED -- +3 to all initial skill values. Prerequisites: Skilled, Learning 12+, Level 1.

VERY WEALTHY -- Two times the normal starting money. Prerequisites: Wealthy, Level 1.

WEALTHY -- Three times the normal starting money. Prerequisites: Level 1.