I'm sure this question is answered somewhere in the core rulebook, but I can't seem to find the answer.

On page 30 it says "An eligible talent is any talent in the top row (which cost 5 experience points each), or any talent that is directly connected to an already acquired talent."

The problem is that there are talents, such as the Force Sensitive Exile's Talent "Overwhelm Emotions" and "Intense Focus" (page 277) that are on the second row but don't have any connection to the first row.

So I'm wondering, how do you ever acquire these talents?

AFB - but most likely by purchasing another row go down, across, and then back up.

As FangGrip says, you have to follow the connecting lines, it's what they're there for

What FangGrip said.

Hmm I'm not so sure. I think you just purchase them and start up (down) them. They're just more expensive to start than first row talents. Going the other route through connections means getting those talents cost 85-90 XP just to purchase a 10 XP talent. Are they really that good? And if they are, why do they cost just 10 XP? This puts them on par with the Dedication talents.

Hmm I'm not so sure. I think you just purchase them and start up (down) them. They're just more expensive to start than first row talents. Going the other route through connections means getting those talents cost 85-90 XP just to purchase a 10 XP talent. Are they really that good? And if they are, why do they cost just 10 XP? This puts them on par with the Dedication talents.

If that were true, could a Gadgeteer jump straight to Improved Armour Master (25 pts)? (There's nothing leading directly down to it.) Or am I misunderstanding your reasoning?

It's an oddity that some specs have to corkscrew around to get to some of the good stuff, but it looks like that was intended.

you must follow the lines..... think you have it back, turn to the technician (slicer), he must go down to rank 4 on the left hand row, then he may go across 1 and proceed back up to the second row (10xp cost) and work across.

he has 4 5xp talents to choose from but he must take, codebreaker, defensive slicing, natural programer and a second defensive slicing , then across to improved defensive slicing before he can buy any other talents.

the worst class trees for forced progression are:

1. slicer
2. scoundrel
3. trader
4. gadgeteer
5. fringer

my poor brother plays a scoundrel/slicer

"Worst" is a little harsh for Gadgeteer - that central, vital spine is full of delicious goodness.

Scoundrel* looks torturous.

* FFG 2nd Edition writers, please rename the career "Scoundrel" and the specialisation "Smuggler".

"Worst" is a little harsh for Gadgeteer - that central, vital spine is full of delicious goodness.

Scoundrel* looks torturous.

* FFG 2nd Edition writers, please rename the career "Scoundrel" and the specialisation "Smuggler".

only in reference to having been forced to take certain talents in order to get to the goodness.

at least scoundrel has 2 paths, slicer only has 1 path

Hey I could be wrong, but I think tier plays a role too. It could be that the designers felt that abilities like Overwhelm Emotions and Intense Focus are valued at about 100 XP (the cost to achieve them). That's about the same as a Dedication talent. Do others feel the same?

designers designed it that way to show someone would have had to learn these key skills in order to achieve further in their field.

I guess Gadgeteer is pretty linear, but there is absolutely nothing going down the second from left talent tree that I wouldn't want to have anyway.

For what it's worth, the specialization talent cards have pre-requisites listed for each talent, so it is possible to confirm that you must indeed go through the lines as described.

For what it's worth, the specialization talent cards have pre-requisites listed for each talent, so it is possible to confirm that you must indeed go through the lines as described.

Interesting. I'd be interested on hearing on that. I haven't purchased any of the cards.

Hmm I'm not so sure. I think you just purchase them and start up (down) them. They're just more expensive to start than first row talents. Going the other route through connections means getting those talents cost 85-90 XP just to purchase a 10 XP talent. Are they really that good? And if they are, why do they cost just 10 XP? This puts them on par with the Dedication talents.

No, you have to find a route there. Overwhelm is good, too good to just be able to start with. I think the design intent is to make the talent itself cheap to get but take a while to get there.

For what it's worth, the specialization talent cards have pre-requisites listed for each talent, so it is possible to confirm that you must indeed go through the lines as described.

Interesting. I'd be interested on hearing on that. I haven't purchased any of the cards.

I've got most of them at home. If there's a talent box you have a question about, I'd be happy to check it on the card if I have it.

I'm curious how it handles Talents that can be accessed by multiple routes.

Here is an article about how they work:

http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_news.asp?eidn=4299

The talents are definitely a flow chart that has to be followed.

That's part of why I put forth the position the SA in Dangerous Covenants for HGs was no big deal. When you look at the convoluted path a Marauder has to take to get to the bottom of their spec trees, they've essentially purchased the whole tree by that point and they're a death machine already.

if you don't get how they work download Oggdudes character generator and have a play around.

http://community.fantasyflightgames.com/index.php?/topic/89135-another-character-generator/page-50