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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Messageboard Golem" data-source="post: 2010236" data-attributes="member: 18387">By Glenn Dean, Staff ReviewerSizing Up the TargetEncyclopaedia Arcane: Elementalism is written by Alejandro Melchor and published by Mongoose Publishing. Subtitled “The Primordial Force”, this 64-page softcover sourcebook retails for $14.95.First BloodOf all the myriad systems of magic, both fictional and mythological, by far the most common is one based on the four primary elemental forces: Air, Earth, Fire, and Water. The d20 magic system only gives a perfunctory nod toward these most powerful of magics; Encyclopaedia Arcane: Elementalism, the eighth book in Mongoose Publishing’s Encyclopaedia Arcane series, provides a system to incorporate a viable system of powerful elemental magic into your campaign.Elementalism takes a unique approach to elemental magic. Each of the four elements is akin to a specialty school of magic, with an appropriate elemental opposition school (Earth for Air, Fire for Water). Spells of all varieties – wizard, cleric, and druid – are divided by elemental affinity, to a greater or lesser degree. Healing spells, for instance, fall into the Water element. Elementalism could have stopped there, and applied that basic spell organization to the standard specialist wizard class. You could still take these rules and apply them that way, I suppose, but Elementalism’s system allows any type of caster to be an elementalist. The elementalist spells are also divided into five circles of power. These circles have rough parallels to prestige class levels, except they aren’t prestige classes. By sacrificing some spells and experience points, the elementalist gains access to a single element’s first circle of spells (essentially, one additional elemental spell per day). The first circle of elementalist spells is accessible at the second character level; a character with sufficient experience points to spend could gain additional elemental circles at third, fifth, eighth, and twelfth levels, if other prerequisites are met.Each elementalist circle grants access to additional spells of increasing power, as well as additional elemental feats or abilities. The elementalist can gain the ability to transform spell slots into energy points, for example, which can then be applied and channeled into elemental spell effects. The elementalist could eventually gains arcane powers of elemental invocation, summoning, imprisonment, and the control of raw elemental energy. Elementalism also includes fifteen new elemental magic spells, which can be used with this system or simple incorporated into the core game system. This supplement doesn’t neglect the Games Master, either. Every elementalist who summons a creature from the elemental planes must bargain for its service; it is important to know the hierarchy of these creatures and the powers they serve. Elementalism describes the elemental creatures themselves, their order – higher elementals, courts, outsiders, and others – as well as their politics and motivations. There is a GM section that provides some elementalist NPCs as well as ideas for elemental adventures. Five new creatures and a new elemental template are introduced for use either as encounters or as unique creatures summoned by the elementalist.Critical HitsElementalism is more than just another magic expansion; more than just a list of new d20 spells. The elemental magic system is a different approach than standard d20, but one that can be used right along side it without any real changes to the game system as a whole. The elemental themes have stronger links to many of the traditional spells than the existing spell schools; a Fire Elementalist is a potentially more flavorful character than the standard Evoker. The elemental courts and new elemental creatures are also a nice benefit. Any GM who’s ever wanted to take his players to the City of Brass, or wanted to add some new twists to the Elemental Evil campaign can find a host of useful ideas and game mechanics in this supplement.Critical MissesMy biggest complaint about Elementalism is that it’s just too darn short! This deserves a treatment of 128 pages, not 64 – it needs coverage of the para- and quasi-elemental planes and creatures, for example. What if I want a Magma Elementalist, or a mage specializing in Ooze or Fog? Elementalism sets the stage, but there is a lot more that could still be covered. Many players, too, might balk at the price-to-page ratio, especially since Mongoose’s own Quintessential Wizard provides twice the page count for only $5 more (though, admittedly without the elemental focus and the great elemental art).The GM should be a little careful with the elemental system. The sacrifices are reasonable for the power gained – except that fighter-types don’t have a way to exchange XP for feats, and rogues can’t trade in XP for better skills. The elementalists get something a little special – just make sure that the rest of your players will be happy with that.Coup de GraceEncyclopaedia Arcane: Elementalism provides its game mechanics as Open Content, though the rest of its names and text are product identity material. The rules are a slight departure from traditional d20 mechanics, but should be able to be balanced with some GM care. The approach is certainly original and bound to make a number of players and GMs alike happy, if they’ve been looking for a new elemental approach.To see the graded evaluation of this product and to leave comments that the reviewer will respond to, go to Fast Tracks at <a href="http://www.d20zines.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=index&catid=&topic=4" target="_blank">www.d20zines.com.</a></blockquote>

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