Ars Magic 5th edition

[mythusmage]

Atlas put out two great supplements regarding Jewish mysticism (Kaballah) and Islamic magics (Blood & Sand).

Knowing the author of the second, I have seen early work by him to convert his 4th ed material over to the 5th ed rules, which will mainly take work in the Virtues/Flaws department. It's good material and he has extra (and I think better stuff) over at his website.

In this case we're getting into art as a form of expression, as a representation of the world or an aspect of the world. In which case Hermetic magic and Jewish and Moslem mysticism would be considered different techniques. Much as oil and acrylics use different techniques to create a painting.

I must now ask, where does one find your friend's website?

And a heads up for fans of ArM: GURPS: Magic is scheduled to be out soon. GURPS Fantasy is now shipping, and last I heard G:M was at the printers. While written for GURPS they are eminently usable with most any fantasy RPG out there.

 

[Olive]

Took too long to put this edition together!

There's something you don't see everyday - an RPG fan complaining that the new edition was too long in coming!

So what's the need for the new edition, and what have they changed?

I've always wanted to play this gamr, but I suspect it requires a group of people who are more dedicated gamers than most of my friends.

 

[Wombat]

I must now ask, where does one find your friend's website?

Sorry, I should have linked that straightaway

http://www.geocities.com/sanctumhr/

 

[Yair]

So what's the need for the new edition, and what have they changed?

There were some major gaffs done in 4E that needed correcting. Quirks in the combat system meant that a naked guy with a club was the ultimate power on the battlefield, some of the spell-constructing-guidelines were questionable (especially notorious was the fact the invisibility became a mere cantrip) or not clear, and character advancement and power-level did not sit well with the setting and other rules. Additionally, the addition of several products to the line (particularly The Mysteries) clarified and extended fluff concepts to a degree that encouraged revising the core rules in light of these developments.
The new edition also seems to be more "design-focused". The idea is to develop a coherent ArM product line and gameworld. For example, the core rules were written with the main conceptions of the Divine within the game already in mind, providing a foundation for future products on it. The line now does not accept any product suggested by an author, rather it has a list of planned products and seeks out authors to make them.
So that's what prompted the changes.

The changes mainly revolve around a simplification and unification of the rules. Additionally the combat system was overhauled, and different things were clarified. Supposodly, all the old problems will fade away and this edition will be perfect ...

I didn't actually read the new system yet, mind you. All of this is just from what the designer said.

 

[Olive]

Supposodly, all the old problems will fade away and this edition will be perfect ...

Supposedly... now that's a dangerous word.

 

[Wombat]

Name any game system that is perfect

For that matter, name any new edition that doesn't have people angry over the changes

From what I've seen so far, though, this edition looks pretty good.

If you want, you can see some of this over at the Atlas site:

http://www.atlas-games.com/arm5/index.html

And you gotta love that initial $25 pricetag!

 

[Crothian]

Name any game system that is perfect

For that matter, name any new edition that doesn't have people angry over the changes

QAGS second edition...okay granted no one is angry about it becasue no one's heard about it....

 

[Stalker0]

My group if playing ars magica 4th edition right now. My two favorite things about it:

1) The covenant system. I like how the "party" if you will always has a unifying goal in their covenant. Much of the game is spent improving your covenant, making alliances, protecting your covenant from outsiders...it gives a sense of unity to the group.

2) The fact that my character can still develop when I'm not there. Our group has gotten older, and not everyone can make it to every game session. In dnd, this would usually translate to: okay let's go guys...um gorg just stay here for this one.

In ars magica, my wizard will spend this season working on a potion he wanted to make, learning a new spell, or researching about an enemy we've been fearing. I can come back the next session with my character making important contributions...all set right into the mechanics of the game.

 

[Wombat]

And now that I have a copy I shall have to put up a review

 

[Crothian]

What are some of the best suppliments from editions past? Has the system changed so much that they are hard to use or easy? I have zero experience with any edition and while I've seen info on what rules have changed they had little meaning to me since I have no context.