Ars Magica: what's it like?

[Olive]

Here is link to RPGnow.com that is a free download of the 4th edition. Atlas Games has apparently decided to give away a pdf version for free, which I think is incredibly cool. I found this on the Publishers Forum, so you may want to express any thanks over there.

http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=774&

Amazingly cool... downloading it now, and I'll tell all my friends!!!

 

[wighair]

In Brief.... Absolutely top game. the only downside is after playing it, it makes DnD magic seem VERY dull. Combat is not great, but is OK. Personally, I preferred 3rd edition AM for combat and use of Confidence. 4th edition tidied up the magic levels abit.

I've just download the pdf, but can't open it. does anyone know if it requires acrobat v5?

 

[Gez]

I've downloaded it, and opened it fine with Acrobat 5. So, it may indeed requires it.

 

[Horacio]

I've downloaded it, and opened it fine with Acrobat 5. So, it may indeed requires it.

Acrobat 4 doesn't read it, acrobat 5 does...

 

[Praeco]

I've heard from various people that Ars Magica is the most historically-accurate RPG. What is meant by this? In what ways is it inaccurate and in what ways does it depart from history?

Ars is historically accurate in the sense that everything that existed in early 13th century Europe is represented in the game. History has moved in essentially the same way as it did in reality, and all the real factions are there, doing the things they really did. It doesn't have that Vampire/World of Darkness feel where every third political magnate is a vampire. This is possible because the Hermetic order is generally presented as being 'outside' the world of mundane affairs. The order has very different goals than the mundane factions and thus they rarely clash.

It is different in the 'medieval paradigm' approach. This essentially suggests that everything believed at the time was real. So fairies exist, angels and demons can be called upon, and Father Winter makes the cold winds blow. It is all usually quite subtle, as these forces tend to be mercurial, and one can never be quite sure, for example, if a leprechaun stole all their silver, or if it was Farmer Maggot down the way.

 

[WayneLigon]

Here is link to RPGnow.com that is a free download of the 4th edition. Atlas Games has apparently decided to give away a pdf version for free...

Wow. Knock me over with a feather.

 

[hong]

... not for combat oriented groups,

Hong "racks up a century before lunch" Ooi

 

[Zappo]

I, umm, don't quite get where I have to click to download it.

 

[Gez]

If you have registered on RPGNow, it's quite simple. You go to the page of the product, then click on Buy, then Check Out, then Proceed, and here it is, that's made. You'll have to enter your email and password after clicking on buy or check out, don't remember.

 

[bolen]

I have the old white wolf version. what changed in the rules?