Solution for talent for free at certain level skill should be more common for other talents too.
*************************************
The general idea for non-combat related talents:
All of these should offer a small bonus for combat, makes them viable to main hero and avoid to poison play like park Jahan at homestead and learn the craft&blacksmit only.
Examples:
Blacksmith - add bonus to armor equals to skill point Invested. So the level 5 blacksmith gives 15 points to armor.
Craft - add bonus 1 turn to length if food or flask for every level.
Escapist - chance to flee like now. + chance to avoid attack of opportunity +20%.
*****************************************
The Elemental affinity skill
The elements are the cherry of the rule set. The skill should stay as it is. Maby add some spice on it.
--- Elemental shields gives the affinity bonus. Your whole body is covered by the element. You can hardly take better contact. Such change would make shields overpowered. So make shield more expensive, +3 AP generally. This makes shields favored by mages, but do not allow easy mod by spamming shields to every party memeber like now.
I like your ideas for Blacksmith and Escapist, those are good, but maybe up the chance of evading AoO's to 50%, because 20% doesn't seem like enough to make Escapist worthwhile. In fact, if you do that, the "Slippery Eel" Talent isn't needed.
The idea for crafting increasing the length of buffs is not bad, but I'd prefer that be improved for everyone, not just crafters.
The elemental shields granting Elemental affinity is a neat and simple idea. I think though that the current balance issue with Elemental Shields is that they absorb all kinds of damage, not just the type that they are supposed to, so that might need to be looked at when re-balancing Elemental Shields. A +3 AP cost might be okay, but I'd prefer +2 AP. The duration would have to be increased though, as increasing the AP cost means your first turn with Elemental Shield wouldn't help much with the Elemental Affinity bonus.
Okay, let's take the simplest of the list as example:
Talent: Healer, prerequisite: Level 3(?) Hydrosophist, Level 1(?) Witch
Effect: Healing spells 20% more effective, People are resurrected with 30% health
Edit: I just noticed you have suggested something similar:
"Medic - Your healing (and possibly buffs) are now 25% more effective (and/or last an extra turn). However, your offensive magic and damage are 25% less effective."
-> However, I wouldn't go so far as to cut the offensive powers of healers, but that's my opinion
Fair enough. Medic doesn't need a downside I suppose, I was just offering one anyway.
