the quick reference is worded as such

"May add 1 additional hard point to a number of items equal to ranks in Tinkerer. Each item may only be modified once."

the full talent list entry

"The character makes one piece of equipment more modifiable. He choses one piece of equipment and increases its number of hard points by one. He can only do this once per piece of equipment, but can modify a number of pieces of equipment equal to his ranks in Tinkerer. If he loses a modified piece of equipment, he may apply Tinkerer to a new one."

It is clear, when i take my first rank of Tinkerer i choose one item, give it one extra hard point. I can no longer add hard points to this item using Tinkerer. no problem there.

the debate we are having is when i take my SECOND rank in Tinkerer.

one of us says,

The wording "May add1 additional hard point to a NUMBER OF ITEMS EQUAL TO RANKS in Tinkerer." seems to clearly say that on getting a second rank in Tinkerer I may "add 1 additional hard" point to TWO items (the number of ranks i have in Tinkerer), so long as they have not already been modified using Tinkerer. This means

1 rank in Tinkerer = 1 modified item (1 total)

2 ranks in Tinkerer = 2 modified items (3 total)

3 ranks in Tinkerer = 3 modified items (6 total)

The other person says that each rank of Tinkerer only allows for 1 item to be modified, and that the wording "...but can modify a number of pieces of equipment equal to his ranks in Tinkerer." means that I have a TOTAL number of modified items equal to my ranks in Tinkerer.

1 rank in Tinkerer = 1 modified item (1 total)

2 ranks in Tinkerer = 1 modified item (2 total)

3 ranks in Tinkerer = 1 modified item (3 total)

we are assuming this is a classic RAW vs RAI

so, Which is "correct"?

I dont know whats correct, but the way I read it was, 1 rank you can modify one item, five ranks you can modify five items.

You take the sum of ranked talents all at once. So you modify a total number of items (so 3 ranks in Tinker makes it 3 items).

Reading it the other way leads to crazy situations where 3 ranks of Point Blank adds 6 damage (plus 1, plus 2, plus 3). For this to work, you have to read each rank of the talent as a separate entity, and it's clearly not how they are meant to be read.

I think it's important to note that the upgrades don't magically happen when you buy a new rank in the talent. The talent just allows you to do something. So, when you get that rank 2 of Tinkerer, the talent still does the same thing. Allow you to modify a number of gear up to the number of ranks in Tinkerer. Which is now, presumably, at least one more piece of gear than you currently have modded.

One item total per rank in Tinkerer. One rank means one item, three ranks means three items.

the quick reference is worded as such

"May add 1 additional hard point to a number of items equal to ranks in Tinkerer. Each item may only be modified once."

the full talent list entry

"The character makes one piece of equipment more modifiable. He choses one piece of equipment and increases its number of hard points by one. He can only do this once per piece of equipment, but can modify a number of pieces of equipment equal to his ranks in Tinkerer. If he loses a modified piece of equipment, he may apply Tinkerer to a new one."

It is clear, when i take my first rank of Tinkerer i choose one item, give it one extra hard point. I can no longer add hard points to this item using Tinkerer. no problem there.

the debate we are having is when i take my SECOND rank in Tinkerer.

one of us says,

The wording "May add1 additional hard point to a NUMBER OF ITEMS EQUAL TO RANKS in Tinkerer." seems to clearly say that on getting a second rank in Tinkerer I may "add 1 additional hard" point to TWO items (the number of ranks i have in Tinkerer), so long as they have not already been modified using Tinkerer. This means

1 rank in Tinkerer = 1 modified item (1 total)

2 ranks in Tinkerer = 2 modified items (3 total)

3 ranks in Tinkerer = 3 modified items (6 total)

The other person says that each rank of Tinkerer only allows for 1 item to be modified, and that the wording "...but can modify a number of pieces of equipment equal to his ranks in Tinkerer." means that I have a TOTAL number of modified items equal to my ranks in Tinkerer.

1 rank in Tinkerer = 1 modified item (1 total)

2 ranks in Tinkerer = 1 modified item (2 total)

3 ranks in Tinkerer = 1 modified item (3 total)

we are assuming this is a classic RAW vs RAI

so, Which is "correct"?

When in doubt, go with the full talent entry. The quick references is just that: a quick reference. It's abridged to fit in the space allotted. The full rules can be found in the full entry.

-EF