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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Simon Collins" data-source="post: 2010813" data-attributes="member: 9860">This is not a playtest review.Blood Magic is published by Mongoose Publishing in their Encyclopaedia Arcane series and takes a detailed look at the uses of blood for powering magic.Blood Magic is a 64-page mono softcover product costing $14.95. Standard EA layout is used with a wide right-hand and top margin, a single line space between paragraphs, a few small chunks of white space scattered through the book, average sized font and little wasted space (both inside covers are used, though one is a Paizo ad). Artwork ranges from poor to average, and is only appropriate to the text at times. Writing style is intelligent and engaging, whilst editing is fine.Chapter 1: Blood Magic - An OverviewThis chapter begins by discussing the types of blood magic - oaths bound by blood, blood sacrifice to provide magical power, creation of creatures formed of blood, and blood transfusions from powerful creatures. There is a brief discussion of the Blood demiplane, the pitfalls of blood magic (addiction, physical harm, and gaining the attention of creatures known as blood guardians), and the fact that the product concentrates on blood magic for arcane spellcasters only.Chapter 2: The Basics Of Blood MagicThis chapter begins by discussing those who practice blood magic, before a detailed discussion on finding a teacher (tribal sorcerers, scholars of blood magic, evil blood magicians, blood oath warriors, or self-teaching). There are also two important sidebars. The first discusses the spells and bloodrites of blood magic with notes on how aspects such as components, casting time, etc. are affected by blood magic along with XP and hit point costs from learning and practicing blood magic - these pseudo-spells are termed bloodrites. The second provides information on a new skill, Knowledge (Blood Magic), which is used both as a prerequisite for learning bloodrites and as a measure of how effectively they are performed. Ranks in the skill can also provide an understanding of the theories, uses, and legends of blood magic.Chapter 3: Bonds Of BloodThis chapter takes a look at oaths bound by blood. Each section describes a ritual involved in swearing an oath bound by blood - oaths sworn to bind two individuals, an individual to the tribe, a group to each other through drinking each other's blood, a contract (often with an outsider) written and signed in blood, and blood feuds where an individual uses blood magic to swear vengeance against an enemy. There are also three spells included at the end of the chapter that are designed to be used by evil characters to control others through blood magic.Chapter 4: Blood SacrificeThis chapter begins by looking at bloodrites that can be performed through the sacrifice of blood from another creature or oneself, such as bloody calling (which enhances summoning spells). There is also a sidebar linking to sacrifice rules from EA: Demonology. Some feats are also offered, including the important Blood Sacrifice (which allows the user to ritually sacrifice another creature in order to gain a caster level, cast a free spell, or activate a bloodrite). Some festivals of mass sacrifice are also discussed, and the chapter ends with some rules on sacrifice addiction - a cumulative chance of becoming addicted, particularly when sentient creatures are involved, with morale penalties if no sacrifices are made once addicted.Chapter 5: Creatures Of BloodIncludes information on Bloodrites to create creatures made of blood, the Blood Animal template (with a sample Blood Hawk), and four other creatures - blood golem, blood guardian (an outsider that kills blood magicians for a hobby), blood pool (ooze), and bloodless (a frenzied undead created through ritual sacrifice).Chapter 6: Blood TransfusionsThis chapter looks at the means and effects of transfusing blood from outsiders, fey and dragons into one's own to change one's very nature. Laboratory apparatus is defined and costed, a few spells and bloodrites dealing with the issue are offered, and the process of transfusion and its complication are discussed. Tables showing the benefits of the blood dependent on the blood donor are given and a prestige class for vampires, Lord of Blood, is also described.Chapter 7: Blood Magic ItemsItems such as a sacrificial obsidian dagger, an oath-ring and magical laboratory apparatus for transfusions are described and priced.Chapter 8: Help For Games MastersThis chapter takes a necessary look at how to temper the powers of blood magic, with further information on the dangers of use and blood guardians. There is also a short section on vampires as blood magicians.The book ends with some designer's notes discussing the influence of Aztec history, Zelazny's 'Amber' series, Norse mythology, and B-movies on the product. There is also some flavour text and a couple of pages of tables of rules summary.   High Points:Although Blood Magic provides the usual high-power enhancements from feats, spells, and rituals that previous Mongoose products have offered, Blood Magic tempers these with a strict set of rules that bring a dreadful penalty to those that practice blood sacrifice. And that is as it should be. I don't mind giving PCs power when there are serious consequences for their actions. Bloodrites have XP and hit point costs, self-sacrificers end up scarred and possibly outcast from society, whilst those who sacrifice others become addicted and are hunted by blood guardians. The blood creatures are imaginative without hitting the realm of schlock-horror too much, and the items are in keeping with the flavour and context.Low Points:It requires a strong-willed GM to enforce the penalties and dangers on PCs who want to explore blood magic and blood transfusions opens a whole big can of worms that seems somewhat out of keeping with the standard mediaeval timeframe as well as potentially disruptive of a campaign. Still a cool idea though.Conclusion:Blood Magic gives a GM the tools to introduce the concept of magic-empowering blood oaths and blood sacrifices into her campaign, whilst also giving the means to control and temper such an introduction. The system is relatively easily broken down into component parts that can be include or not at the GM's whim and re-forged to meet the GM's own view of blood magic within her own campaign. A worthy visit to this difficult area, though I found the blood transfusions a little anachronistic and the power that comes with blood magic needs to be closely policed by the GM to remain relatively balanced.</blockquote>

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