Tiered Conditions Studies and their Abilities form the bulk of what a character can do, but none will really change what a character fundamentally is. For that, there are several profound physical changes referred to in the rules as tiered conditions. Each has a unique set of powerful Abilities, obtained and improved through tiers which are themselves usually tied to your Study tiers and depth tiers. In essence, tiered conditions make your character significantly more powerful. In most cases, they are obtained later in your adventuring career. Of course, you are by no means obliged to seek them out - tiered conditions also come with various drawbacks and difficulties, which range from troublesome to life-consuming.
    Be sure to consult your GM about your plans for a tiered condition; NPC cooperation is virtually always required. GMs are advised to use caution when making tiered conditions available to PCs. Like Elite Backgrounds, they provide outsized benefits to a single character, while also threatening the entire party with the negative ramifications of the condition. Many conditions have exceedingly demanding requirements to obtain, and many have tight philosophical connections that can ruin a campaign storyline that was not intended to deal with those issues. As with Elite Backgrounds, the most successful campaigns that allow tiered conditions for PCs allow them equally for all PCs, and a matching-philosophy party is ideal.

Exclusions     Tiered conditions are usually incompatible with each other. You cannot have more than one tiered condition at once, with only one exception: sorcerers can also be liches. In addition, all tiered conditions other than sorcerer and lich interfere with arcane adamant, making Arcana tiers useless. If you have Arcana tiers, they remain and contribute to your XP Net Worth, but are effectively wasted.

Ability Swapping     All tiered conditions follow swapping rules very similar to those of Studies. Because tiered conditions have nothing analogous to Study Backgrounds, any swaps you make will be voluntary.

    A single swap is defined as one of either of the following options:
    -Exchanging 1 Ability for a different Ability, or for an Ability emphasis.
    -Exchanging 1 Ability emphasis for a new Ability from the same condition, or "moving" the emphasis to another Ability.
   
    You have access to 1 free swap per condition tier. In other words, you may make 1 swaps (according to either of the options above) without drawback or cost, but may not do so again until you gain another tier in that condition. Free swaps do not need to be used immediately upon gaining a tier, but they do not accumulate within a condition - that is, if you gain more than 1 tier without using a free swap, you still only have 1 free swap available. It is recommended that the GM only allow free swaps during an overnight rest.

    Unlike with Studies, there is no option for training to obtain an additional swap. If you are between campaigns, you may make a swap for 1 LP using the Retraining LP Element.

Liches     These are undead arcanists animated by their own adamant, with abilities largely related to protecting their extended existence. A large amount of LP is required for lich training, and longer-lived lich types have more severe drawbacks.

Sorcerers     Potentially the most dangerous characters in Legends, these are Aterr who have accessed an extra level of arcane power. This comes with increased difficulty in concealing their arcane signature, a psychic hazard to anyone non-Dark around them, and a huge social stigma outside of their own faction.

Vampires     These characters are infected by a bloodthirsty silicon-based swarm that grants them a useful variety of abilities. The downside is a requirement to feed on others, together with Cevelky's obsessive need to control those with this condition.

Vicars     Dragons channel their own bizarre energy powers through Vicars, who are the main vessels of their will in Lur-Asko. These characters are incredibly powerful, but risk losing their autonomy and identity to the overriding plans of their dragon.