For me Earth Ponies also have a stronger grounding in practical sciences, as the other races tend to have less use for a lot of these knowledge.

Earth Ponies were the first to figure out alloys and gunpowder, so they had the early tech advantage, and their use of the typewriter and printing press let them build up their libraries as fast as the Unicorns. They also placed a lot of focus and stealth and trapping, as they have less escape options than the other races.

It also makes the difference in navigating treacherous lands, as Earth Ponies can instinctively get a feel for the loose gravel and subconciously avoid treading on the weak spots.

Insert Star Wars Parody

edited 6th Dec '12 4:52:29 PM by AceOfScarabs

Earth's having purely passive powers, in contrast to unicorns purely active powers, and pegasi powers being somewhere in the middle, works for me.

The idea is that they're so used to having all these passive traits that active abilities are just really obscure, difficult to isolate even for those who know about it, and have a physical component anyhow. You're not going to see intimidating casters, so much a handful of warriors in the rank and file that "cheat" and buck your armor in half around you.

edited 6th Dec '12 4:58:42 PM by Pykrete

Earth's could be good bare fisted monks...or bare hoofed?

edited 6th Dec '12 4:58:13 PM by ApplelightLimited

Suddenly Earth Pony martial artist who can atatatatatatatatatata and machine-gun buck off the rivets on platemail without even bruising the wearer.

Exactly. It's ability rooted in subconscious awareness and sensitivity to passive magic. Practitioners may not even be aware that they're channeling magic power to do that stuff until they get to the top levels of proficiency.

edited 6th Dec '12 5:03:32 PM by Pykrete

Twilight, you sneaky little devil. That's not the kind of magic you were supposed to be studying!

Where do you think she learned the Want It, Need It spell? She had to learn somewhere.

I've seen too many clopfics for this to be funny.

The Want-It-Need-It spell was originally the botched version. What she was originally trying to make was a spell that made herself the object of desire.

The one that wasn't a clopfic was the worst. I can't remember it's name, however.

edited 6th Dec '12 5:08:00 PM by Lopiny

You sure read a lot of bad fanfic for someone who hates bad fanfic. Methinks you protest a bit too much.

edited 6th Dec '12 5:08:27 PM by Crowfall

I'm basically with Applelight on Earth Pony magic. I've always seen it as the Boring, but Practical skillset; you get a crapton of physical buffs and really useful passive magic (there's no in-show evidence, but my headcanon is that E Ps have the highest natural magical resistance to magic; unicorns might be able to be more effective, but only if they're consciously countering it. If you catch them off-guard they'd be just as, if not more susceptible to magic attacks).

Earth ponies get an extra feat and extra skill points at each level.

But that would make them the boring race!

@ JT

Yeah exactly. Also...I'm not being creative enough with regards to E Ps.

Like...Dash might be the fastest Pegasus, but who says that she's the fastest pony? What if there was an EP who could break the sound barrier on land? Gallops at hundreds of miles an hour...can leap the tallest buildings in Manehattan in a single bound...move their hooves so quickly they can't be seen etc.

Hah

What is Platinum Crown?

A fanfiction by the guy who did World of Ponycraft and the Blueblood groundhog day story. Ridiculously complicated political drama punctuated by ridiculously epic honor duels. I will never think of food fights the same way again.

edited 6th Dec '12 5:36:17 PM by Pykrete

@Applelight: I think that running hundreds of miles an hour might be stretching it, but I could totally buy an earth pony having endurance that could put any pegasi to shame. RD maybe fastest in short bursts, but I bet she tires out a lot faster than AJ would.

First off, Ponyville is predominately EP so they can learn from their parents. Second, it seems Flight Camp and especially the Magic Academy are for especially talented pegasi/unicorns.

@EP fighting - I guess that makes them gishes?

What's a gish?

A general term for someone who combines melee combat with magical ability.

@ JT

What would you say makes an impressive land speed?

@ story

But what about Fluttershy?

@Pykrete: Oh, I didn't realize Platinum Crown was by the same writer as Best Night Ever. Looks like someone's getting added to my reading list.

Maybe Fluttershy has influential parents. They run the school or something.

edited 6th Dec '12 5:40:13 PM by Crowfall