The Inside Scoop on Gaming

The Wizard's Grimoire, Revised Edition is one of two ideal supplements that I wish I had when I bought my first copy of Ars Magica 4th Edition.

I came into ArM after the first edition of the Grimoire fell out of print. And after hearing what the coming release had in store, I began to anticipate its appearance greatly.

I was not disappointed.

The book expands the ArM magic system cosmos in several directions, and fills several gaps.

It begins with eight or so pages of "Missives" which discuss various points of view that magi may hold.

The next chapter is one of the best in the book, about "Hermetic Law and Politics" -- going into particular depth about the Peripheral Code, complete with roughly eleven pages of example rulings and sample punishments. For new Storyguides, this should be quite useful.

The chapter on "The Life of a Magus" was fairly interesting, especially the section on how mages freshly out of their gauntlet might make their initial life in the Order. The text specifically refers readers to the "Apprentices" chapter in Houses of Hermes for the experience of being an Apprentice, and so forth.

In the "Magus Archetypes" the book expands the six archetypes presented in the Medieval Tapestry supplement (which primarily dealt with sample characters) by adding eight more.

The "Characters" chapter supplements the character creation listings in the main 4th Edition rulebook. We've got around five pages of Hermetic Virtues and Flaws, a page of Companion V&Fs, and three pages of General V&Fs. Additionally, there's a very interesting section on Apparent Aging. Finally, a section on "Hermetic Magic in Practice" has a few paragraphs on what makes a ritual different than a formulaic spell, several pages (including a two-page example) on Magic Resistance and penetration, and a column on the nature of Arcane Connections. Good stuff, all.

The chapter on "Laboratory Personalization" is among my favorite. It's brief (only eight pages), but full of interesting suggestions including improving a lab, and "variant" laboratories. A few paragraphs on mundane equipment and two pages of colorful, interesting magical equipment samples top off the chapter.

"Discoveries" is a chapter of what can best be described as optional rules -- something like you'd see in a GURPS Companion. Here you've got expanded arcane experimentation rules for optimizing spells or powers (for inclusion in enchantments), and, yes, original research; a full page example accompanies this last to help illustrate the rules. Faerie Familiars are given six or so pages, and "Criamon imprints" (investing personal tattoos and markings with powers) are given about two pages. A fairly interesting section on automata (golems and homunculi) follows. I can't help but think that many Storyguides will outright disallow them, but they're still a pleasure to read about.

The chapter continues with a section on magic items with abilities -- enchanted items. The jewel of this section is an expanded four-page Form and Effect Bonus table. This is composed of mostly new F&Es, replicating only a fraction of those from the 4th Edition rulebook.

Chapter 9, about Magic Items, is essentially a listing of sample items. There are about 35 such occupying sixteen pages.

My other favorite chapter is the next, on "Books and Manuscripts." There are two reasons: (1) the additional rules add depth and real interest into studying, enriching the choices available (several new kinds of books, and a couple new aspects to existing books) to players who are interested in building libraries, and, obviously, providing the Storyguide with many more options; (2) a wealth of setting information relating to books, binding, paper and ink lore, quills and writing, and so forth. One emerges feeling almost educated -- certainly well-prepared to address these issues in some depth in one's own game. Is there a better compliment to pay to a game product?

The next-to-last chapter "Faerie Magic" whose rules "supercede" the Faerie Magic Ability in the Arm4 rulebook (one of the few times the Grimoire overrules the main rulebook). The chapter provides a fairly extensive discussion on the particular differences between standard Hermetic and Faerie magic, including some Storyguide advice and about 100 spells just for the Faerie Magic practicioner.

The final chapter, simply entitled "Spells" presents just that. About 200 spells representing each Technique-Form combination. Many are exotic or debatable spells -- as you'd expect in a Grimoire. Most are very interesting applications thought up by some fairly clever people. They are fully compatible with the spell guidelines set forth in the 4th Edition (unchanged, despite outcry on a couple counts, such as PeIm for cheap invisibility, CrTe for instant silver, and CrAq vs. CrTe for creating ice) -- so if you have any house rules which modify those guidelines these spells would be similarly affected. Probably the best decision.

The page layout is not quite so sparse as the early Ars Magica titles published by Atlas, and the art is much improved. More use of shaded boxes and standard, repeating art (in the upper right and left page tops) is made. But the layout is still academic in feel. Though it reads easily, it doesn't have the in-period, rich feel that products from White Wolf or Wizards of the Coast had (in varying degrees).

Overall, the Wizard's Grimoire, Revised Edition is the most essential Ars Magica supplement that Atlas has yet produced for the game system.

The essential supplement for Mythic Europe (seeing as most of the setting information that was in previous versions of Ars Magica was wiped out of the 4th Edition of the book) still does not exist, nor does the "Covenants" supplement for which many avid fans have been longing. But these are issues which ought not detract from the accomplishment of the Wizard's Grimoire.

As I set down the book, I feel like I'm on very good terms with the game's magical system. That which seemed inspired and impressive in ArM4 has been greatly clarified and enriched in this wealthy supplement.

Style: 3 (Average)
Substance: 5 (Excellent!)

Wizard's Grimoire, Revised Edition
Author: John Kasab and David Chart Category: game Company/Publisher: Atlas Games Cost: 22.95 Page count: 176 ISBN: 1-887801-68-5 Capsule Review by Jason Newquist on 08/26/98. Genre tags: none	The Wizard's Grimoire, Revised Edition is one of two ideal supplements that I wish I had when I bought my first copy of Ars Magica 4th Edition. I came into ArM after the first edition of the Grimoire fell out of print. And after hearing what the coming release had in store, I began to anticipate its appearance greatly. I was not disappointed. The book expands the ArM magic system cosmos in several directions, and fills several gaps. It begins with eight or so pages of "Missives" which discuss various points of view that magi may hold. The next chapter is one of the best in the book, about "Hermetic Law and Politics" -- going into particular depth about the Peripheral Code, complete with roughly eleven pages of example rulings and sample punishments. For new Storyguides, this should be quite useful. The chapter on "The Life of a Magus" was fairly interesting, especially the section on how mages freshly out of their gauntlet might make their initial life in the Order. The text specifically refers readers to the "Apprentices" chapter in Houses of Hermes for the experience of being an Apprentice, and so forth. In the "Magus Archetypes" the book expands the six archetypes presented in the Medieval Tapestry supplement (which primarily dealt with sample characters) by adding eight more. The "Characters" chapter supplements the character creation listings in the main 4th Edition rulebook. We've got around five pages of Hermetic Virtues and Flaws, a page of Companion V&Fs, and three pages of General V&Fs. Additionally, there's a very interesting section on Apparent Aging. Finally, a section on "Hermetic Magic in Practice" has a few paragraphs on what makes a ritual different than a formulaic spell, several pages (including a two-page example) on Magic Resistance and penetration, and a column on the nature of Arcane Connections. Good stuff, all. The chapter on "Laboratory Personalization" is among my favorite. It's brief (only eight pages), but full of interesting suggestions including improving a lab, and "variant" laboratories. A few paragraphs on mundane equipment and two pages of colorful, interesting magical equipment samples top off the chapter. "Discoveries" is a chapter of what can best be described as optional rules -- something like you'd see in a GURPS Companion. Here you've got expanded arcane experimentation rules for optimizing spells or powers (for inclusion in enchantments), and, yes, original research; a full page example accompanies this last to help illustrate the rules. Faerie Familiars are given six or so pages, and "Criamon imprints" (investing personal tattoos and markings with powers) are given about two pages. A fairly interesting section on automata (golems and homunculi) follows. I can't help but think that many Storyguides will outright disallow them, but they're still a pleasure to read about. The chapter continues with a section on magic items with abilities -- enchanted items. The jewel of this section is an expanded four-page Form and Effect Bonus table. This is composed of mostly new F&Es, replicating only a fraction of those from the 4th Edition rulebook. Chapter 9, about Magic Items, is essentially a listing of sample items. There are about 35 such occupying sixteen pages. My other favorite chapter is the next, on "Books and Manuscripts." There are two reasons: (1) the additional rules add depth and real interest into studying, enriching the choices available (several new kinds of books, and a couple new aspects to existing books) to players who are interested in building libraries, and, obviously, providing the Storyguide with many more options; (2) a wealth of setting information relating to books, binding, paper and ink lore, quills and writing, and so forth. One emerges feeling almost educated -- certainly well-prepared to address these issues in some depth in one's own game. Is there a better compliment to pay to a game product? The next-to-last chapter "Faerie Magic" whose rules "supercede" the Faerie Magic Ability in the Arm4 rulebook (one of the few times the Grimoire overrules the main rulebook). The chapter provides a fairly extensive discussion on the particular differences between standard Hermetic and Faerie magic, including some Storyguide advice and about 100 spells just for the Faerie Magic practicioner. The final chapter, simply entitled "Spells" presents just that. About 200 spells representing each Technique-Form combination. Many are exotic or debatable spells -- as you'd expect in a Grimoire. Most are very interesting applications thought up by some fairly clever people. They are fully compatible with the spell guidelines set forth in the 4th Edition (unchanged, despite outcry on a couple counts, such as PeIm for cheap invisibility, CrTe for instant silver, and CrAq vs. CrTe for creating ice) -- so if you have any house rules which modify those guidelines these spells would be similarly affected. Probably the best decision. The page layout is not quite so sparse as the early Ars Magica titles published by Atlas, and the art is much improved. More use of shaded boxes and standard, repeating art (in the upper right and left page tops) is made. But the layout is still academic in feel. Though it reads easily, it doesn't have the in-period, rich feel that products from White Wolf or Wizards of the Coast had (in varying degrees). Overall, the Wizard's Grimoire, Revised Edition is the most essential Ars Magica supplement that Atlas has yet produced for the game system. The essential supplement for Mythic Europe (seeing as most of the setting information that was in previous versions of Ars Magica was wiped out of the 4th Edition of the book) still does not exist, nor does the "Covenants" supplement for which many avid fans have been longing. But these are issues which ought not detract from the accomplishment of the Wizard's Grimoire. As I set down the book, I feel like I'm on very good terms with the game's magical system. That which seemed inspired and impressive in ArM4 has been greatly clarified and enriched in this wealthy supplement. Style: 3 (Average) Substance: 5 (Excellent!)