Trying to figure out whether or not a character starts with a rank 1 in a talent? I naturally assume so since certain abilties say "__per rank".

So for ranked talents, do the characters start with rank 1 in their talents?

Not trying to be snarky...but, what else would they start with?

The beginning of Chapter IV: Talents has a section detailing ranked talents.

I hope that is helpful!

short answer:

yes

slightly longer answer:

if you take a talent once, you are at rank 1. if you choose it again, you gain rank 2, and so forth. you can keep doing this until you run out of available talent slots to take or the gm makes you stop.

it's explained in detail on page 128 of eote, if you have access to that.

If you've bought it, you have a rank in it. If you haven't bought it, you don't start with ranks in it (unless it's a species trait, like Rodians starting with one rank in Expert Tracker).

short answer:

yes

slightly longer answer:

if you take a talent once, you are at rank 1. if you choose it again, you gain rank 2, and so forth. you can keep doing this until you run out of available talent slots to take or the gm makes you stop.

it's explained in detail on page 128 of eote, if you have access to that.

I don't think you meant it that way but just to clarify for XYD, you cannot choose the same talent block multiple times.

For example, you can't buy Lethal Blows for 5xp multiple times from the Hired Gun: Marauder Talent Tree. You could however buy your way up to take it again later on for the 15xp block, for the 20xp block, and/or go to another specialization tree to tank more ranks.