The Inside Scoop on Gaming

Despite clunky and unclear rules, the first edition of Changeling was my favorite of the World of Darkness games. The second edition, according to Ian Lemke is truer to his original vision of what the game should have been, and it shows. The new rules are a vast improvement over the old.

First, a bit of setting information for the total newcomer to Changeling. Hundreds of years ago, the faerie folk walked among mortals until the time when superstition and faith became outmoded and scientific rationalism became pre-eminent in people's minds. The leaders of the fae, the Sidhe, abandoned the commoner races (known collectively as Kithain) for faerieland--Arcadia--and slammed the doors shut behind them. For a few centuries, the commoners lived on their own by inhabiting human bodies to protect themselves from Banality, the force of active disbelief in magic (Glamour). In 1969, the moon landing reawakened the human sense of wonder and a gateway was opened to Arcadia allowing the Sidhe to return. A war ensued, since the commoners were doing quite nicely without the old royalty. The Sidhe won. Now the Kithain inhabit human bodies, but they see the Enchanted World, not just the real one. They fight against their own Banality and the Banality of others, tryin! g to stave off their eventual extinction.

From the first edition, a lot has been cleaned up. There are no more cards (huzzah!). The difference between fae seeming and mortal seeming is made pretty clear, as well as what can and cannot exist chimerically, and what chimera can and cannot do. Changelings were always the weakest of the supernatural beasties of the WoD, but Second Edition beefs them up just a bit by allowing them to bring their faerie selves into the real world for a brief time (now your Troll can show those pesky werewolves that have been pushing him around a thing or two). The Mists are lifted from the rules. All that was hazy is now clear.

About the only complaint I have with the game is the reduced usage of Tony DiTerlizzi's artwork. The new artwork is, for the most part, very nice, but it's not Tony D.

Style: 5 (Excellent!)
Substance: 5 (Excellent!)

Changeling Second Edition
Author: Ian Lemke Category: game Company/Publisher: White Wolf Reviewed by Kevin Mowery on 08/14/97. Genre tags: none	Despite clunky and unclear rules, the first edition of Changeling was my favorite of the World of Darkness games. The second edition, according to Ian Lemke is truer to his original vision of what the game should have been, and it shows. The new rules are a vast improvement over the old. First, a bit of setting information for the total newcomer to Changeling. Hundreds of years ago, the faerie folk walked among mortals until the time when superstition and faith became outmoded and scientific rationalism became pre-eminent in people's minds. The leaders of the fae, the Sidhe, abandoned the commoner races (known collectively as Kithain) for faerieland--Arcadia--and slammed the doors shut behind them. For a few centuries, the commoners lived on their own by inhabiting human bodies to protect themselves from Banality, the force of active disbelief in magic (Glamour). In 1969, the moon landing reawakened the human sense of wonder and a gateway was opened to Arcadia allowing the Sidhe to return. A war ensued, since the commoners were doing quite nicely without the old royalty. The Sidhe won. Now the Kithain inhabit human bodies, but they see the Enchanted World, not just the real one. They fight against their own Banality and the Banality of others, tryin! g to stave off their eventual extinction. From the first edition, a lot has been cleaned up. There are no more cards (huzzah!). The difference between fae seeming and mortal seeming is made pretty clear, as well as what can and cannot exist chimerically, and what chimera can and cannot do. Changelings were always the weakest of the supernatural beasties of the WoD, but Second Edition beefs them up just a bit by allowing them to bring their faerie selves into the real world for a brief time (now your Troll can show those pesky werewolves that have been pushing him around a thing or two). The Mists are lifted from the rules. All that was hazy is now clear. About the only complaint I have with the game is the reduced usage of Tony DiTerlizzi's artwork. The new artwork is, for the most part, very nice, but it's not Tony D. Style: 5 (Excellent!) Substance: 5 (Excellent!)

Changeling Second Edition