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Enchanted Trinkets Complete--a hardcover book containing over 500 magic items for your D&D games!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Simon Collins" data-source="post: 2008838" data-attributes="member: 9860">Beware! This review contains major spoilers.This is not a playtest review.Codex Mysterium is a sourcebook on magic for the Sovereign Stone D20 campaign setting.Price: $29.95Page Count: 200Price per page: About 15 cents per page, pretty standard comparative to similar books.Format: HardcoverExternal Artwork: A fine piece of colour artwork depicting two mages about to enter battle, one of them raising skeletons to do so. The piece is inset into a stone-effect surround with a carved knight.Additional Page Use: The back page gives a brief introduction and overview to the sourcebook. The first three pages contain credits and contents. The last three pages contain an ad and the OGL.Internal Artwork: The internal artwork is neither as striking as the campaign sourcebook (average to good), nor is there much sign of Elmore's art - seems crazy to me.Design: Text density and margins are average. Again, space is less well used than in the campaign sourcebook with regular chunks of white space, particularly in the spells section (the lengthiest section of the book) and chapter headings.Text Style: The authors style is a little long-winded and nebulous, often spending a long time saying very little.Whats Inside: Chapter 1: Mage Characters begins by re-printing the rules information regarding mages from the Campaign Sourcebook, including relevant metamagic, item creation and other feats. There are several new prestige classes presented that tie closely in with the new magic system:* Atrificer - creators of magical items* Hallowed Earth Cultist - fanatical return-to-the-earth mages, strongly anti-civilisation* Death Mage - Necromancers* Element Master - can become powerful in all elements* Hebentorin - Nimran animal magic (earth/fire) specialists* Kalatorin - Nimorean plant magic (earth/water) specialists* Sea Witch - Mainly orken ocean magic (air/water) specialists* War Mage - specialises in combat magicChapter 2: The Nature Of Magic begins with a discourse on the source of magic (a magical elemental aura that connects and surrounds all living things - mages tap into it to cast magic). It then continues with further re-printing of magic and spellcasting rules from the Campaign Sourcebook, with some brief additions within the text on spell availability within Loerem, independent research into spells, finding teachers and spell resources, the limits of magic (restrictions for shapechanging, teleportation and healing), and the demographics of spellcasters (1/200 people is a spellcaster). 90% of this chapter is a re-print.Chapter 3: The Races & Magic expands slightly on the information already provided in the Campaign Sourcebook on cultural attitudes to magic (humans are broken down into their six subraces).Chapter 4: Mages, Monarchies, & Money begins by dealing with the three main magical organisations in Loerem:The Temple of the Magi is a structured organisation based out of Vinnengael, which provides the only official training for mages in Vinnengael. It is religious based, believing magic comes from the gods and they take a moral stance on magic use which they back up with force when necessary - they seek to wipe out all use of Void magic. There are several different orders within the temple, performing various functions such as healing, inquisition, teaching and research.The Wyred are simply elves who have learnt magic and have thus become a mistrusted and lowly caste within elven society, though as a group they can bring much power to bear.Mage-guilds constitute the main method of training in magic in Dunkarga and Nimorea, each with its own code of conduct and internal rules.The chapter continues with information on the laws pertaining to magic in Loerem, particularly with regard to the Temple of the Magi and their attitude to 'hedge-wizards' (i.e. not official Temple magi). There is further discussion on hiring spellcasters (including a price table for spells by Casting Threshold). Essences (a tiny bit of elemental matter required and used up in spellcasting) are discussed in relation to unusual essences (such as a gem for an earth essence) which can enhance spellcasting. The chapter finishes with a discussion of mageware shops with a shop-by-shop price listing of various magic-orientated items.Chapter 5: Magic Spells contains 220 new spells for the Sovereign Stone magic system, ranging from a CT of 5 (Know Plant) up to 292 (Soulless Stalker). A good few of the spells are dual-element spells. Chapter 6: Spell Design looks at designing spells for use with the Sovereign Stone magic system. The basic idea is that you multiply the size of the normal target of the spell by the total range of the spell. Add this to the combination of the spell's effect multiplied by the spell's duration. This figure, derived from a series of tables/descriptions giving scores for various values, should give the Casting Threshold. For example - Dominate Animal from the PHB: 1. Size (Energy only = 2 points) x Range (Medium = 4 points) = 8 points. 2. Power (Coerce or beguile, with various modifiers = 6 points) x Duration (1 minute = 3 points) = 18 points.3. 18 + 8 = 26 points. Therefore, Casting Threshold would be 26.This process is by no means an exact science and has some difficulties in translating 3e spells - e.g. Duration makes no allowance for 1 round/caster level. The system reminds me a little of the spell design system in Dragonlance Fifth Age, for those few of you who have ever seen that system.Chapter 7: Magic Items introduces 33 new magic items for the world of Loerem. GMs are encouraged to keep magic items sparse on the ground and expensive (in coin or blood) to get hold of.Chapter 8: Magical Item Creation discusses the costs and practices required to create magical items for the world of Loerem, using the unique magic system for Sovereign Stone, though much information here seems re-printed from the Dungeon Master Guide.The book ends with a set of complete spell lists for the Sovereign Stone setting (including those spells from the Taan sourcebook). The High Points: For those who already own or are playing the Sovereign Stone game system, there are loads of new spells, a decent system for designing your own SS spells and creating magical items, and a few prestige classes to boot. The most useful chapter for me was the information on the magical organisations and laws in Loerem, particularly the Temple of the Magi, which has a lot of roleplaying potential and could stimulate ideas for organisations for use in other campaign settings.The Low Points: I found the re-printing of material in much of the first three chapters to be unneccessary and annoying for those who already own the Sovereign Stone Campaign Sourcebook - about 30 pages of re-printed material. In addition, much of Chapter Three provided little really stimulating information in attempting to expand on the basic information given in the Campaign Sourcebook. The writing style left a lot to be desired - good 'bedtime' reading.Conclusion: Useful as a source of new spells and magic items for the Sovereign Stone setting or for those who want to use a slowed-down version of D&D magic in their own campaign (usable without recourse to the Campaign Sourcebook - hence the reprinted material), though pricey even for this. This book could have done with being softcover, half as thick and less than half the price. It could also have done with being a lot more interesting. Codex Mysterium is an expensive niche-market reference book and no more.</blockquote>

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