This page will explain the major rules changes from the second edition of ZODIAC to the third edition. However, it will not go into details on numbers and formulas, and will not explain minor changes and clarifications except where necessary. You can find a guide to converting Second Edition characters to Third Edition here.

GENERAL

• Character archetypes have been removed. You may now develop your character in whatever direction you wish.
• Stats have less of an impact than they did in Second Edition, though they're still important.
• In-game math has been greatly simplified.
• Added Magic Accuracy and Resist stats, used mainly for resisting or attacking with status conditions.
• Added a new Foreward for the Third Edition.

• Due to the changes in the Tech System, the premade classes have been removed, and will reappear in the Optional Rules section of the web site- although they will now be more of a general reference or source of ideas than a specific list of Techs and their functions. However, this also means that more of them can be made. Premade weapons will also move to the Optional Rules.

• High Strength values (or Magic, for magical attacks) increase the number of damage dice rolled.

• Damage and HP values have been reduced to the Chrono Trigger scale; players who want bigger damage values can simply tack on an extra zero.

• There is now a sub-stat that determines your chance of scoring a critical hit, based on your Agility.
• Monsters now have a more limited number of Techs.
• Poison Touch and Stone Touch have been replaced with Status Touch, which may cause any negative status effect.
• The damage cap, or maximum damage rule, is now specifically mentioned- it's optional.
• Clarified the definition of a "free action" in the Combat chapter.

• Defense has been removed. Armor now gives a bonus to HP and MP, depending on its weight class.
• Weapons and armor have been condensed from 15 levels to 10 levels, and Headgear has been removed.
• Tenth-level (artifact) weapons have their own pool of points for special abilities, separate from the other nine weapons.
• Added Remedy to the Potion list.

• Low-level Magical Attacks will no longer become obsolete later on- a level 50 Black Mage casting a level 1 spell has the same damage potential as a Fighter's level 1 Weapon Tech.

• Magic as it was in Second Edition has been removed, or rather, integrated into the Tech system. Magic-users now use the Tech Creation System. The exception is Blue Magic, which is now a system in itself, with two new ways to learn enemy skills.

• There are now 6 Tech Levels instead of 8.
• Introduced the Tech Point system for learning Techs, rather than a set progression based solely on experience level.

• Secondary Effects now merely increase the MP cost of a Tech, not its Tech Level, meaning the power takes no additional Tech Points to use. There are also some negative Secondary Effects that can be used to lower a power's MP cost, as well as giving it a bit more character.

• Status attacks are now much more useful than before, partly due to the change in the functionality of Secondary Effects.

• Most Techs may be upgraded to make them more powerful- for example, a Swordsman who begins the game with Dispatch could gradually upgrade it to a Level 6 Tech.

• Some Techs, in particular Weapon Techs and Magical Attacks, have varying power levels within each Tech Level, meaning that you can have powerful, more expensive Techs, or weaker Techs that cost fewer MP.

• Magical Techs may now deal Physical damage, as the Chocobo call spell did in Second Edition. Weapon Techs may also deal Magical damage.

• Luck has been divided into two powers- Dice and Slots.
• Weapon Guard and Chemist have been removed (passive).

• Unfortunately, Terrain had to be removed, due to the impossibility of balancing it (mostly because a mage with Terrain would never need a weapon, and therefore, could ignore Strength with no ill effects). Geomancers can simulate its effects through other powers, such as Dice.

• Accumulate has become Peril, and Focus has become X-Magic.
• Removed Endure and Resist.