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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mongoose_Matt" data-source="post: 25343" data-attributes="member: 239">Yeah, what Psion said  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />The important thing to remeber about Chaos Mages is that they never cast their spells in a vacuum.  They do it within the context of an ordinary game.  A yawning pit that takes down the whole party will hurt a wizard, sure - but it will not reduce his spellcasting capabilities.  For the Chaos Mage it will.  That sneaky goblin rogue that loops behind the party to attack the spellcasters may be dealt with a well-aimed magic missile (or whatever) after his sneak attack, but a Chaos Mage may well not have the hit points to fend it off for himself.On top of that, I can see fighters getting royally annoyed that their Chaos Mage constantly begs for healing when they are taking all the damage.  And if you are a cleric, who do you heal?  Your magical support, or your front line fighter?As you may all guess, I normally like Bramadan's reviews  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />  However, I cannot help thinking that, here, he has made onbe fundamental error of reviewing;He has not tried the rules in a game  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />Chaos Magic, up to that point, was our most heavily playtested product.  It may not be for every gaming group (what would be?) but it does not have wide gaps - give it a bash, it may surprise you.  But do so in a game, not just by flicking through - you never know, our playtesters mnay have just spotted something through playing the rules that you may have missed by just reading them. . . As for flavour text, this is something I solidly believe we will never get right for everyone - there is just too wide a spread of opinion on the subject.  I am well aware that there are players who would rather it disappeared altogether, just as there are those who are looking for nothing more than a 'good read.'  The same also applies, incidentally, to so-called 'cheesecake' art.  It may be a surprise to no-one that The Slayer's Guide to Amazons, before The Quintessential Fighter, was our best selling book to date.  Possible reasons for this;1.  The Slayer's Guide series is developing in the market place and so it is natural that the latest books will sell more - somehow I don't think so, the SG's are amongst the best selling d20 books around (which surprises some, I know  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> ).2.  Our writing targeted female gamers wanting strong characters and they responded to this book  - yeah, right!3.  It was the front cover and centrefold that did it.Umm, I think I know where I would stake my money. . .I have to admit (and I am going out on a limb here, so be careful with the saw), I am a little nonplussed with the views some have expressed about our artwork and that of other companies.  Such pictures may not be 'politically correct' but they have been a staple of fantasy art for years, do not turn all women off (there is a section of female gamers that actually _like_ such artwork, and they are not as small a section as you might think) and, it seems, do work in the market place.I do think there are limits - but I don't believe any d20 publisher has crossed them yet.  I also believe I would not be off base to suggest that most gamers like to see such pictures as well. . . There have been calls for balance in such art, but here we hit a fundamental problem of human society.Naked men look ridiculous.And I think a lot of women will agree with that  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />  Women _look_ far better than men, so when it comes to choosing artwork, what do you pick?  There may not be any beautiful men.  Sting tried it in Dune.  *Shudder*I do think 'that' picture in Necromancy has been woefully misrepresented.  People saying the skull is smiling or grinning?Skulls do that all the time, don't they?Regardless, if you do have a problem with such pictures, you can always assume that, being British, I am completely repressed in this manner (centuries of inbreeding, you know), and this is the only outlet I have. . . Anyway, I have wildly digressed.  If anyone violently disgarees with either my views on artwork or Chaos Magic, I am sure you will be able to find my email address!</blockquote>

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