This page will explain the major rules changes from the original ZODIAC to the new version. However, it will not go into details on numbers and formulas, and will not explain minor changes and clarifications except where necessary.

GENERAL

• Characters now have a more structured stat advancement. Each stat will increase by 1-3 points, depending on the character's Archetype, upon gaining a level. In addition, characters also recieve three discretionary Bonus Points to allocate between the five stats, or to improve HP or MP. This was the core of the update, and required a lot of rewriting across the board. This also means that character stats will be much higher- an average stat of roughly 120 at level 50, compared to 36 in the old version.

• Vitality and Spirit have been removed from the HP and MP formulas, and now serve as bonuses to Defense and Magic Defense. Aside from the fact that successfully integrating the newly-boosted stats into the formulas was exceedingly difficult, the boost they provide to Defense should be sufficiently useful. The HP and MP formulas are now set formulas based on Archetype.

• Multiple clarifications and cleanups as needed. Things should be a bit less confusing now.
• Added a new Foreward for the second edition.

• Damage is now resolved as (Base damage * AP or MAP). For monsters, Defense and Magic Defense are now percentage values- either 10%, 20%, or 25%- based on Archetype, and reduce damage by that amount. For players, Defense is merely subtracted from the base damage.

• Two new status effects- Zombie and Venom- have been added.
• Four new spells have been added to the Blue Magic section.
• Techniques, Magic, and Call spells now all have different MP costs. Call Magic has also been toned down a notch.

• Damage codes have, of course, been changed. There are also quite a few less dice being tossed around than before.

• Terrain is finally useful. At least, I hope it is.

• All weapons now use the same damage progression chart.
• Shields are now Guards, and are useable by any character.
• Twenty-one new Relics have been added.

• Draw Out is now useable with any weapon, using a system similar to the Ability Creation System. Rest assured that Katanas have not been removed, but have relocated to the Premade Weapon Lists.

• Potions have been updated to match the new HP and MP values, and are now also less expensive.
• Weapons now have a Drain ability, and stat bonuses on weapons are now based on the weapon's level.

• Four new Minor Abilities have been added- Minor Magic, Stigma Magic, Clone (better known as Relm's Paint ability), and Coin Toss.
• The Multiple Attacks secondary effect has been replaced with Quadra Slam (Level 7).

• Drain attacks now absorb 25% or 50% of damage dealt, instead of 50% or 100%. There is now also a separate ability for magical HP-draining attacks.

• Psych has been moved to spell level 4.

So what does all this mean? Basically, anyone with existing characters will have to remake them, due to the large amount of revision that has been done. I know it's had to be done once or twice in the past, but this time you won't have such a hard time rerolling HP and MP!