Elements of Magic: Revised Edition

[HellHound]

Magic defines fantasy. It is the magical that makes a normal story into a fantasy that delights listeners, readers, and gamers by making all the impossibilities we can imagine become real. Dreams of magic can make even the most mundane day something to cherish, like a poem evoking the charm of the everyday world.

But sometimes, just like poems, magic can become stale and clichéd. Through repeated exposure, its novelty can wear off, and certainly, thirty years of magic missiles and fingers of death have been enough to render many fantasy gamers jaded. At its core, saying, “My love is a dove,” in a poem is as trite as, “I cast detect magic.”

Elements of Magic opens the world of magic to you, letting you create almost any type of magic-user you’d like. Magic is an artform, like poetry, and any good poet is never content to merely recite the works of others.

Elements of Magic is modular, able to fit whatever role you want it to play. It can be added to an existing campaign that already has wizards, sorcerers, clerics, and druids, perhaps representing another, higher sort of magic, or it can wholly replace the existing magic system, providing a whole new feel to your fantasy gaming. You will need a d20 core rulebook to use these rules, but this book will let you ignore the old, clichéd spells presented in those books, and create your own works of magical art.

 

[anondragon]

In a nutshell


EOM revised edition has the same goal as the first edition, namely
creating a magic system which is highly customizable. Magic using
characters receive a number of "spell lists" each level. These
spell lists revolve around a particular area, for instance evoke
fire. The character is then able to use the evoke fire list to
cast spells involving fire that deal damage to creatures or
objects. Each spell uses MP and abandons the fire and forget
paradigm of D20.

In the revised edition, rules have been streamlined to avoid some
of the more complex issues (different elements dealing different
damage, spell lists having different range, duration, and area of
effect tables) and introduces new rules to "merge" spell lists
together and create more complex and interesting spells. All in all,
the revised edition offers a view of magic that just seems more
complete, more balanced, and easier to understand than its
predecessor. At $8.95 it is well worth the price even if you have
purchased the previous edition and are using it today.



Highlights

A full magic system that is highly customizable based on your
campaign and individual character concept.

A customizable spell system that does not bog down your game.

Three new classes, mage, mageknight, and taskmage.

Mechanisms exist to cast spells above your ability from spell books.

Integrated rules for creating magic items, permanent spells and
constructs in ways that do not merely mimic the d20 system, but
surpass the d20 system in order to more closely identify with the
mechanics of the EOM system.


Drawback
Some skills are "magically powered". MP is used with a skill
(such as scry) that has spell like effects. While the mechanics seem
sound, this is the one place that the unified vision of spell lists
does not seem as coherent.


In Depth


The highlight of this work is the customizable spell system. For each
caster level a character gains "spell lists". Each spell list is
described as an action (abjure, charm, compel, evoke, +7 others) and a
target (an element-fire, water, light, +20 others- a creature-humanoid,
undead, plant, +12 others-, or an alignment -good,evil,law, chaos,
balance). For instance, Charm Humanoid allows the character to charm
humanoid creatures. If a character wants to charm undead creatures
they would need the Charm Undead list. In the charm list, there are detailed
instructions for various effects that can be added to a spell. For
instance a charm effect that can cause the target to become more
friendly to you or a charm effect that bestows courage to the target.
For each effect that is added the MP cost for that effect is added to
the final spell. Furthermore these effects can be merged with other
spell lists to create spells that produce more unique actions.
Characteristics such as duration, range, and area of effect can be
altered using a "general list" that all magic users have.


With such a highly customizable system, there is a danger of bogging
down a game. (As I discovered with the previous edition of EOM). To
counter this, all spells that are pieced together take two rounds to
cast. So while a magic user could piece together a spell that will
put his enemies asleep, transform them into pigs and start up a fire to
cook bacon, at two rounds to cast the spell the player can toy with
the numbers until the spell goes off (in my campaign, two combat rounds
typically takes 15 minutes). However, this would make the character
effectively useless in combat. Instead, EOM offers signature spells. A
character knows a signature spell for each level (plus int bonus). A
signature spell is a spell that has all of the variables figured out
ahead of time (name, cost, effects, duration). In effect a character
is limited to a small set of spells (that can be changed each day) for
combat and time sensitive castings while having a lot of flexibility
outside of combat.



Classes in the EOM rely on a concept I'll name the
Base Caster Bonus (not their notation, but easier to use) to describe
the caster level of a character. The BCB operates as the BAB does.
Magic using classes offer a BCB increase for each level. As BCB
increases the number of spell lists, MP and complexity of spells
increase. As a direct result there is no penalty for multiclassing
between magic using classes.

Revised EOM offers 3 classes. The mage is the primary magic user, has
a poor BAB and a good BCB (base caster bonus) and a d4. The mage gains magical
abilities every 4 levels that add flavor and create unique mages.
MageKnights have average BAB (1-15) and average BCB(1-15) and a d8.
They have martial abilities and a path open to take feats that allow
them to wear armor. TaskMages have poor BAB, average BCB a d6 and 8 skill
points per level. (as some skills are magically powered, these 8
points do not go as far as they would in a thief, but they are impressive).


No one can learn all spell lists, but no spell is beyond someone's
reach. If a character does not know all of the spell lists in a
signature spell he can attempt to "memorize" it in the morning (as a
d20 wizard would do) and store it as a fire and forget spell. This
is especially useful for dispelling magics that depend on the spell
lists that you know. Furthermore a mechanism exists to read
signature spells from spell books that are too high of a level to
cast. I can just imagine the thematic elements of that action



The newest item to the EOM is the creation of magic items and permanent
effects. This is done using three feats-craft charged, craft
permanent, craft wondrous. The most thematically beneficial rule is
the replacement of the position system in d20. In d20 you could only
have 1 pair of boots, 2 rings, 2 gloves, etc. EOM demands that a creature
can only have 12 permanent magical effects at any time. It is now
possible to have a sorceress with a magic ring on each finger or a set
of medals across their chest, without affecting the power (only the
flavor). In addition, a single magic item can count as multiple
effects (and reduce the cost), for instance a cloak that offers fire
and cold resistance could use 2 slots.

Craft wondrous items work directly off the MP used to create the
item. The costs are similar to d20 costs, but there are
differences. If this is the only system in the game it shouldn't
affect things too much.

Craft Charged item can work like d20 in that a signature spell can be
placed in an object, but it can also function as a mini mage, knowing
spell lists, having a MP limit and a MP pool to draw from. Spell
crafted from "mini-mages" can be cast as a standard action in the same
way that signature spells are.

Craft Permanent spell. Permanent spells only cost xp, but mimic the
creation rules for charged and wondrous items. When cast on a person
they count towards the limit of magical effect on that person. In
addition, permanent spells are harder to dispel than their
counterparts in d20.

Creating magical creatures. This is a long awaited feature. In d20
clerics could create minor undead using a spell, while a mage had to
invest a small fortune to create a construct. Now both are
accomplished by summoning the creature with the appropriate
summon[creature] spell and making it permanent. Special rules discount
the XP cost based on the materials cost.

Summary

With the recent hub-hub of the 3.5 d20, many people are cautions about
other revision editions. With revised EOM this is certainly not the
case. While revised EOM has the same goals, it does a much better job
of creating a whole magic system that does not bog down play or
creativity. Spell lists have been completely revised to be less
confusing, each spell list has a page of example signature spells that
illustrate how to merge spell effects together. And a new, complete,
magic creation system are all significant reasons to look into getting the
newest version even if you have their previous version.

As far as appeal, EOM can be placed in an ongoing campaign with little
trouble in conjunction with an existing magic system or to replace it.
Even if I don't get a chance to use the EOM system directly, I still
plan to use it to craft new spells for my d20 games to check for fairness.

 

[Suldulin]

Ah, My first Review.

General

One of the first things I noticed was the lack of bookmarks. This is a minor annoyance and makes browsing and rule checking difficult when you're using the pdf itself. Hopefully though this can be fixed in a patch such that it will no longer be of concern.

Chapter One:

Three new classes are introduced here: Mage, MageKnight, and Task Mage. Gone are the White, Black, Grey, Red, and Green mages

Mage: The penultimate of spellcasting for the EoM system. Their focus is magic and that is where they come out ahead. The various magical boons are also listed here, all in all they are clearly defined and balanced compared to the orginal (Animagus seems great fun).

MageKnight: As you can guess this is a class which blends fighting and magecraft. In that task it gets bonus feats and three magical boons. The MageKnight also gets to select weapon specialization as if he were a fighter, a nice touch.

TaskMage: Now this class is interesting and flexiable, a kind of magical expert. Though lacking in the offensive power of the Mage or MageKnight. The TaskMage is blessed with an abundence of skill points combined with artful castings can mean there is little that a creative TaskMage should not be able to do.

Next come the feats.

General: Many of these are interesting, most seem to be focused around enchancing your abilities with specifical spell usages, while you have the Arcaen Student through Mastery that has to do with the spell book system introduced later in the book.
The feats in this catagory includes: Abjure Specialist, Arcane Student, Arcane Specialist, Arcane Mastery, Armored Casting, Dispel Specialist, Evoke Specialist, Extra Magic Points, Extra Signiture Spells, Extra Spell List, Heal Specialist, Illusion Specialist, Infuse Specialist, Natural Spell, Scry Specialist, Spell List Familiarity, Spell List Focus, Summon Specialist, Transform Specialist.

Item Creation: Item Creation is parted into three feats, Charged Items, Wonderous Items, and Permanent Spells.

MetaMagic: There are four feats listed here converted from the phb that fulfill the functions of Heighten(increase DC), Silent, Still, and Quicken.


Chapter Two:

My one complaint here is that I cannot locate the way to figure out the Save DC's in this chapter, and infact it is listed in the normal section of the 'Heighten' feat.

Spellcasting Basics: Gives an overview of the other sections in this chapter, of most interest here is the fact that classes that are comparisions to wizards, bards, paladins, and druids will be in Lyceian Arcana when it comes out.

Magic Points: Goes into he basic of the MP system as well as how MP are recovered, one thing I think might have been interesting would have been an optional varient of spreading out MP recovery to be more gradual yet constant, though this shouldn't be too hard for a DM to figure out if he wants such a thing in his game.

Spell Casting: Of primary interest here is the introduction of combined spells, this really opens up the system for creativity beyond imagining.


Magic Traditions: It is here that the basic of how to create your own.

Spell Books: A most interesting varient, in which you can prepare specific spells as per a wizard. most usefull for spell lists you don't possess or for spells that are over your ability to cast normally. . .

Spells:

This is the meat and best section of the book, where it goes into detail of what each spell list can do. With the varied effects and the ability to combine spell lists there is almost nothing that that I can think of that is not in some way possible to accomplish or replicate in some fashion. Unlike the previous edition everything is pretty well defined as to what effects you can have with the amount of MP you put in.


Magic Items:


As stated above Items are divided into three categories. It is an interesting system and though I've yet to go over it with a fine tooth comb it seems decent and quite flexible.

Appendix

This is a teaser for the upcoming Lyceian Arcana. Yet it also contains two useful samples of Magical Traditions that are both interesting in of themselves and can help you create your own.



Conclusion:

All in all this is an excellent product, I've been a fan of the EoM system since it has come out and this is a refinement and a great improvement upon the orginal idea. If it were not for such minor things as the lack of bookmarks and some minor needs of errata this would have gotten a perfect 5/5 from me.

 

[PugioilAudacio]

Introduction:
Elements of Magic is an add on supplement to the standard way of dealing with magic in the D20 system. Instead of memorizing spells, casters draws upon a pool of Magic Points (MP) to power their spells. Spells can be cast on the fly and are assembled from lists of different spell traits (spell lists). While such a system is obviously very different from the usual method of dealing with magic, it is completely modular and can be added into an existing D20 campaign with little difficulty. Elements of Magic is the first in a set of two volumes detailing this system. The second volume, Lyceian Arcana, will contain additional rules and information including spells and world building guidelines.

Layout:
Elements of Magic begins with a short introduction before immediately launching into new classes, skills, and feats (Chapter 1). While this layout may be useful for quick reference purposes, it can be a bit disorienting to the first time reader. As the actual rules that the classes, skills, and feats are based on are contained in later chapters, the first time reader might find themselves having to skip the first chapter, as they will not understand much of what is being said until reading the later chapters.

After classes comes the meat of the system. Chapter 2 deals with the actual rules and frameworks that make up the system while chapter 3 contains detailed information concerning the actual spell lists and magical skills used in the system. Finally, chapter 4 deals with item creation.

Overview:
Elements of Magic (EoM) describes a system in which casters draw upon a pool of Magic Points (MP) to power their spells. While an EoM caster does need to meditate for an hour a day, they do not actually have to memorize specific spells. Instead, casters create spells on the fly from specific spell lists that they know. A spell list can be defined as a type of spell that consists of an action type and a target or effect category. For instance, "Evoke Fire" is a spell list that describes all the things you can do that involve evoking (or calling forth) fire. (You can think of spell lists as templates that are applied to your spells.) The type of spell that is actually cast depends on the amount of magic points that are put into that spell list. You can also, using magic points, purchase enhancements to your spells.

To illustrate this mechanic, consider again the Evoke Fire spell list. Spells cast using the Evoke Fire spell list have five different levels of extra, add on enhancements. Each level of enhancement costs a certain extra amount of Magic Points to use. If one wanted their fire spells to be able to catch things on fire, they might spend another few magic points to add the Moderate enhancement to their fire spell. Additionally, all Evoke Fire spells have the ability to increase their damage output by spending an extra Magic Point per 1d6 damage. For instance, one could choose to cast an Evoke Fire 6 spell (Evoke Fire spell list with 6 magic points put into it) to do 4d6 damage (3 Magic Points - the first 1d6 is free) and to be able to set such materials as logs and creatures on fire.

This system is very well thought out and provides an easy method for spell creation. A player or DM only needs to select the various spell lists that they want to include, select the enhancements that they want to add to those lists, and calculate the total cost in Magic Points. The final spell is a combination of the effects described in the individual spell lists. (Again, it may be easier to think of spell lists as different templates that are applied to the spell).

Break Down:
Chapter one covers three basic classes to be used with Elements of Magic - The Mage (standard caster), Mageknight (combination caster/fighting type) and Taskmage (caster focusing on skills). All in all nothing special*. Also included in this chapter is a list of feats usable with this system. Many of the feats are variations on feats in the PHB (item creation and metamagic feats), while others (called Mage feats) are new to the system.

* More classes will be presented in the companion volume Lyceian Arcana.

Chapter two covers the actual magic system itself. A brief description of the mechanics in this chapter follows.
All casters have an added statistic called Spellcaster level. This is similar to a warriors base attack bonus. An interesting benefit of using a Spellcaster bonus reveals itself when multiclassing. For instance, if a sixth level Mageknight (4 1/2 spellcaster level) were to multiclass and take two levels of Taskmage (1 1/2 spellcaster level) the total spellcaster level of that character would equal 6. As all Magic Points/casting ability is measured in terms of spellcaster level, it provides an easy way in which to keep track of classes with different spellcasting ability.

Another interesting feature is Magical Traditions. Magical Traditions allow the DM to create custom spell casting types based on such things as language, religion, or any other factor in the DM's campaign world. These traditions include availability, thematic elements, specific spell lists, and other miscellaneous information specific to that tradition. Given the flexibility of the system it is very easy for the DM to add in his own custom elements into his campaign world.

While all this customizability is great, Elements of Magic also includes safeguards to keep the system balanced and smooth. For starters, all spells cast on the fly using spell lists take two rounds to cast. The caster is, in effect, sacrificing casting time for versatility. This was added in part to make sure that casters using this rule system won't bog down the gameplay while they calculate all of their spells effects. For those who feel that two rounds is far too long for the average spell, Elements of Magic introduces Signature Spells. A Signature Spell is a spell that has all of its variables, spell lists, and effects set ahead of time. Casting a Signature Spell takes only a standard action. These spells represent a casters "favorite" spells - ones he uses most often. While there is a limit to how many signature spells a caster can have at any given time (based on caster level), a caster can choose a new set of signature spells at the beginning of every day. These spells can still be cast spontaneously as long as the caster has the required amount of Magic Points left.

Chapter three describes the different spell list action types long with the type of category that action can affect. The action types are:
Abjure [Alignment], [Creature], or [Element] - Deals with protection and containment type spells.
Hex - The opposite of Abjure spells, Hex spells detract from the enemy what abjure spells give to the allies.
Charm [Creature] - All emotion/creature state affecting spells.
Compel [Creature] - Type of spell dealing with the control of other creatures.
Create [Element] - Deals with spells that create objects or energy.
Evoke [Alignment] or [Element] - Deals with spells that deal (heavy) damage.
Heal [Alignment] or [Element] - Healing/Curing type spells.
Illusion [Element] - Illusion type spells. Certain illusion spells (those with the Force element) can actually do damage.
Infuse [Alignment] or [Element] - Deals with all type of buffing and enhancement spells.
Drain [Element] - The opposite of Infuse type spells - it Drains power/stats from other creatures/things.
Move [Element] - All forms of movement; from telekinesis to teleport to walking through walls.
Summon [Creature[ - Summon type spells. Summoned creatures are not automatically under the control of the caster.
Transform [Creature] or [Element] - Spells dealing with transformation type effects.

The effects are grouped into the three major categories of Alignment, Creature, and Element. An action type with an effect category in brackets next to it can affect objects/creatures dealing with that effect category. Specific categories must still be satisfied (Fire is a specific example of an Element). The effect categories are:

Alignment - Affects creatures or objects power deriving from the specified alignment. The five Alignments are Balance (neutrality), Chaos, Evil, Good, and Law.

Creature - Affects only creatures of the specified type. Unlike the core D20 rules, Elements of Magic makes no distinction between creatures like undead, constructs, oozes, and normal living beings. The fifteen creature types are: Aberration, Animal, Construct, Dragon, Elemental, Fey, Giant, Humanoid, Magical Beast, Monstrous Humanoid, Ooze, outsider, Plant, Undead, and Vermin.

Element: Affects creatures or objects with the specified elemental energy. Elements of Magic has a complex array of elements. These elements are presented on two wheels showing the connection each element has to every other element. Elements have "friendly" elements that are similar to each other. For instance, a creature immune to the Water element would also be immune to the Mist and Ooze elements. There are a total of twenty two elements, each one dealing with a specific part of the world - including more abstract concepts such as space and time.

A spell list is a single combination of these action and category types. Abjure Good, Create Ooze, and Transform Undead, are all examples of spell lists. As spell lists may be combined to produce hybrid effects, the amount of customizability in this system is mind-boggling. This system allows for a virtually unlimited number of spells, while implementing a system for balancing them out and eradicating unbalanced spells.

Also of note in this chapter are the four Magic Skills: Dispel Magic, Divination, Scry, and Spellcraft. These skills can be fully combined with spell lists for added options. In effect (EoM seems to have a lot of those), these skills represent another form of spell list. Like spell lists, they also require Magic Points to use. However, they also have the more standard aspect of DC's and skill modifiers. Most of this is presented in a clear, easy to understand format.

Finally, chapter four deals with magic item creation. Again, Elements of Magic does a great job with managing both customizability as well as balance. Magic item in EoM have three categories: Charged, Wondrous, and Permanent. A charged item is something that has a fixed pool of Magic Points that the item draws from. A wondrous item is an item that is worn and conveys some (permanent) effect to the wearer. This category spans all forms of worn items, from magic plate mail to hats of disguise (or hat of Illusion Humanoid). The permanent category encompasses all other forms of permanent spells. From magical traps and guards, to permanent enhancement spells cast on a creature. Again this is all handled in a very logical and balanced way.


Cons:
While overall, Elements of Magic is a great supplement, there are a few small problems with the manuscript:

- Ambiguity: There are many statements in the book that are ambiguous. In many cases, the reader may not understand what is being said, or how a specific rule affects a given situation. This is a pretty big problem throughout the entire book.

- Layout: The book begins by talking about classes and feats without first introducing the rules that support them. The reader is often left wondering what a specific feat or ability is talking about, as the rules that cover them are in later chapters.

- Typos: There are quite a few typos and editing bugs in this book. Generally they do not impact the understanding of the material, but sometimes they do serve to confuse the reader. As this is an electronically published document, it should be pretty easy to fix these mistakes and these problems should not persist for very long.


Pros:
- Customizability: The magic system presented in this book is extremely customizable - allowing for easy creation of spells, classes, magical items, skills, and the like.

- Balance: Despite the dangers inherent in using a point based system, Elements of Magic manages to keep the spells and effects balanced. The DM will only have to veto new spells in very rare cases.

- Robustness: This system is generally a lot more fun, interesting, and true to most fantasy books/movies than the standard D20 method.


Summary: Elements of Magic provides a highly customizable alternate magic system that DM's and players alike will find interesting and fun to play.

 

[RangerWickett]

Illusion Fire (or Light), not Illusion Humanoid. You don't have creature-based illusions, just sense-based illusions.

Thanks for the review, though.

 

[RangerWickett]

Actually, the DC for spells is explained in the 'Abilities' section of each class, where it says that save DC is modified by your Charisma.

Thank you for the review.

 

[Suldulin]

Aye, was just going over it again to see if I had missed anything and just realized that.

 

[Verequus]

Disclaimer: I have been a fan of EoM since the first time it has been released. I had even the opportunity to help Ryan Nock developing EoM revised, because I received a work copy from him and commented it in depth. Still I try to point out any problems, I know of.

General

If you want a book, which gives you more freedom with your spells, even allows free-form casting in a balanced way and if you like the revised psionics, then "Elements of Magic" won't disappoint you. EoM strips down the core magic rules, does away the distinction of arcane and divine spells (and psionics) and gives you the foundation for assembling the basic components.

Content

The casting basics: Instead of choosing single spells at level-ups, one chooses spell lists. The spell lists have one of 11 action types, consisting of Abjure/Hex, Charm, Compel, Create, Evoke, Heal, Illusion, Infuse/Drain, Move, Summon, and Transform, and one of the three effect categories. The effect categories are [Alignment], [Creature] and [Element] - consisting of Good, Evil, Law, Chaos and Balance (for Neutrality), of all 15 creature types like Animal and of 22 different elements, like the classical four, Life, Death, Nature and even Space and Time, respectively. This results in over 250 different spell lists and allows many options for spellcasters.

Like the new psions the character pays for his spells with points, here named as Magic Points instead of power points. EoM has also augmentations, here called enhancements. (Despite these similarities I doubt that Bruce Cordell or Ryan Nock could have seen each others ideas - EoM revised used this system months before the new psionic system has been published.) The differences are more in the details: EoM allows the free combination of the enhancements of different spell lists and incorporates most PH metamagic feats in the system itself - Extend Spell, Widen Spell and other are available through the General list enhancements. Except a small list of so-called and predefined signature spells all spells need a two full rounds to cast instead a standard action - this prevents the slow-down of the game through ever-experimenting players.

All spells have only somatic and verbal components - no material components, no foci and no XP costs. Like their arcane counterparts in the core rules every spell has a chance of spell failure if casted in armor, even if it is a Heal spell. But if you have the Armored Casting feat, the spell failure is reduced into nothing, as long you are proficient with the armor (if classes grant free proficiences, then at least three levels in this classes are required for the elimination of the spell failure). Unlike to the core rules, there are 21 spell levels from 0 to 20 MPs (0 MP-spells are simple cantrips). The caster level determines directly in 1:1 relation, how many MPs can be spent one spell. Another difference is that the damage and the range don't scale with caster level - a Evoke Fire spell which does 3d6 fire damage will do 3d6 fire damage even at 20th level. Already invented spells can be simple improved by assigning MPs to an enhancement, as long the threshold is met. This means that shortly after a level-up a Mage can and will only need to adapt his signature spells instead of hoping that he will find spellbooks or scrolls. Some other important differences: The Save DC is always affected by the Charisma score, extra signature spells are given through a high Intelligence, bonus MPs are only available through a feat, "Save-or-die"-effects aren't supported.

Spells can be written down into spellbooks like normal text - so spellbook costs can be compared to normal books, depending on their content. EoM-spellcasters can memorize those spells like the AD&D wizards - after the casting the knowlegde of this particular spell is lost, if one hasn't the required spell lists. Spells from spellbooks cover furthermore the reason for having scrolls, except that casting from a book can't be done with a standard action. Through this combination of spontaneous casting and memorizing, Mages have the optimum of flexibility - if you can't cast a spell through your selection of spell lists, you have simply to find someone, who can, and pay for that spell. As a result, the focus regarding magic-users is shifted from particular spells to their knowledge focus - if you want to confront a fire-Mage, you don't know in advance, that he will use a fireball or that he will use only fire-magic.

Most spell lists have many options besides their obvious use - Evoke Air is also used to create "Gust of Wind" next to a simple affliction of damage. Charm [Creature] comprises following spells: "Charm Person", "Tasha's Hideous Laughter", "Sleep", "Hold Monster" and some more, even effects where is no equivalent in the core rules like changing the attitude. Even mindless creatures immune to magic effects in the core rules are vulnerable - but I don't know, if only the type immunities vanished or even races with immunities like elves and dragons lost them. Evoke Death can create ability damage or drain or even level loss. Attacks with spells have several options: (range) touch attack with no save for the target, with the chance of a critical, or ray attacks with saves for the target. It depends on the circumstances, but most spells will be chosen to be save-based.

Abjure and Hex give you boni or penalties to AC, saves, DR, SR and energy resistance and the effects of binding and protection spells. Infuse gives you bonis or penalties to abilities, skill checks and attack and damage rolls. A general design principle is, that higher boni than in the core rules are reachable, even above the used +5 limit, but that there are less bonus types, e.g. nothing to improve your natural armor (but gaining natural armor through Transform spells is possible). If I would want to list all enhancements of all lists, I would need more than another page. The most important fact is, that enhancements can be combined from all available spell lists. A nice example is spell, which teleports you away, while both creating an illusion, which shows your transformation into a bear, and summoning a bear to your former place as distraction.

Furthermore there aren't only spell lists, but also magical skills: Dispel Magic, Divination, Scry and Spellcraft (Spellcraft's mundane uses are still available) are used like spells, except that for the advancement skill points have to be spent. Several very useful applications aren't available if one hasn't enough ranks in the skill regardless if one could spend the required MPs. Furthermore, the reason of having skills instead spell lists is, that in the core rules the corresponding spells already use crippled skill checks - the caster boni of the Dispel Magic spells demonstrate this clearly. The skill Dispel Magic doesn't only dispel magic, but allows counterspelling (if you know the used spell lists), antimagic applications (an ordinary anti-magic field or specialised countermeasures against specific spell lists) and even Overmaster - with that option you can take control over an ongoing spell or a spell which is being cast and decide over its parameters. Who can tell that a wizard hasn't been charmed as his spell hit his friends? ;-)

Divination lets everything you do if you have questions about the future or the past, about objects or persons - even the most guardest secrets will be available to you eventually, but then you have more to worry what do with the information instead just finding them out. Another use of Divination is the translation of unknown languages. Scrying is for the present - furthermore it allows you to cast spells through the sensor, if you succeed the Scry check. It allows even Telepresence - a great spell which emulates the effect of the holographic communication in Star Wars, but you can even smell and move yourself and other objects. Spellcraft allows you quickly to check, what effects linger in your surroundings, if someone is a magic user - or a disguised monster.

Now to the classes: Next to the Mage, Mageknight and Taskmage there are some specialised and more flavored spellcasters, but these are included in Lyceian Arcana, not in EoM. The Mage is the simple most general spellcaster - he excels in all things magic, but is otherwise like a wizard with a d4 hit die. Except that he doesn't get bonus feats - he gets Magical Boons, which come in minor, moderate and major variants, obviously getting more powerful. Not only some more standard permanent magical effects like low-light vision, darkvision, resistance to elements and other are available, but others more interesting choices like Animal Speak, Magical Defenses (gives you a deflection bonus to AC equal to one mental ability modifier, capped at +5), Sixth Sense (allows you to see and hear incorporal undeads and ethereal creatures), Improved Signature Spell (for one known spell list you cast spells automatically like signature spells) or Animagus (like in Harry Potter). But if you don't like these choices, you can still get a bonus feat for your Boon.

Mageknights are simple spellcasting fighters - with their medium BAB and d8 hit die the best comparison seems to be the cleric without domains and undead turning (this can be simulated through Charm Undead and Evoke Life). Spontaneous casting of Cure spells is already included through the spell system. As a secondary spellcasting class the caster level is only 15 at level 20, like the Taskmage. While Mageknights focuses on combat, Taskmages seem to be the rouge/expert spellcasting class, because they improve their skill use through magic and have a d6 hit die and 8 skill points per level, which are used for their 18 class skills - while a small selection of class skills is fixed, a whopping number of 10 skills can be freely chosen at first level. This class looks more like the Arcane Trickster, but without the combat orientation and sneak attacks. For multiclassing, caster levels stack like the BAB, so there is no need for prestige classes like Mystic Theurge.

The included feats are partly adapted core feats, partly inspired by core feats and partly brand new. Two new categories are introduced: Mage and Tradition feats. Mage feats are simple a group of feats suitable only for spellcasters. Tradition feats are cultural Mage feats, somewhat like the Region feats of Forgotten Realms, but except for a teaser for Lyceian Arcana no Tradition feats are included. From the metamagic core feats remain only Silent Spell, Still Spell, Intense Spell (a better Heighten Spell) and Quicken Spell. Three feats deal with the quicker and better learning of spells from spellbooks - even spells requiring more MP than your current caster level can be cast with a successful caster level check.

Other feats improve your handling with schools of magic - allowing the stretch of rules like the Evoke Specialist, which improves the threat range of range attack spells to 19-20, or giving some useful perks like Divination Specialist, which warns you of impending threats once per day - if you succeed a check. Next are the three item creation feats - Craft Charged Item, Craft Wondrous Item and Craft Permanent Spell. Those cover the magic items along their function, not their form. Craft Permanent Spell makes spells permanent, resulting in magical traps or permanent Infuse spells and is needed for the use Resurrection effects of the Heal list, the effect still being instantaneous and not dispellable. The creation feats allow to many things than I could explain them here, but they look at least balanced (I couldn't try them out). A neat extra is the possibility to gain spell-like abilities, something I always missed in the core rules, albeit it looks, that this is more useful for members of non-spellcasting classes due to the "12 permanent effects for one character"-restriction.

Overall, 27 feats are presented in this chapter, which emulate with the flexible spell creation system far better the effects of metamagic and experienced wizards (after my envisioning) than the core rules. The prestige class Archmage - it is practically useless in EoM, because most High Arcanas are already incorporated in EoM - Arcane Reach, which allows range touch attacks with touch spells, is in EoM only a range enhancement. Only Mastery of Elements is entirely broken in EoM because it could give you for every different action type spell list with the right elements four extra spell lists. This means, that special abilities from other products which influence magic have to be looked at closely, if they can be already emulated or if the new magic system has unwanted effects on them.

The Optical Presentation

I like the cover art (BTW, it follows the new guidelines for d20-products) - there is a high-resolution JPEG-image of it, taking 1.3 MB of the nearly 9 MB zip file. Unfortunately, the title text and the rest are included - I'd like to have the option of printing the image entirely seperately from the product (with a copyright, of course). The other images in the product are usually high quality and create the right feeling of mysterious magic. Only images with a too "drafty" look because of too scribbly lines aren't so much of my liking. Luckily there aren't many like the one of Weebit. Interestingly, the base color of the images is the same color of the big margins - the images are therefore so embedded in the pages, that it isn't eye-catching. The rest of the interior is similar pleasant to the eyes. The colored bars fit in perfectly, the text is good readable on-screen and so far I found some errors, but that's normal for such a kind of product. The only two thing which bothers me a little is, that the text isn't justified and that there aren't bookmarks - maybe this points can be corrected.

Opinion/Conclusion

I have been lucky and could see an early work copy of EoM - the rules have been only improved in the steps in the meantime. One thing I always liked is, that instead of having "all-or-nothing"-effects like save-or-die spells, EoM handles them after the motto "the better succeed, where the weak fail". An antimagic-field doesn't simply ruin the use of magic, but it allows a check like for overcoming SR, if your spell is countered or not. Or invisibility - it is now a illusion effect, so an attack doesn't dispel the spell, but only the target can see the attacker automatically, while others get only a (new)
save. Or the reduction of spell resistances - EoM was the first place, where I saw such kind of spells.

The biggest problem I see is, that EoM is a replacement for the core rules. While both rulesets can function simultaneously, I don't see many ways of a logical ingame-explanation of this situation. Likewise is a conversion to this system without a cosmic event improbable - Lycaian Arcana has material to cover this situation, but without knowing it I advise to start simple a new campaign with an altered and adapted campaign setting. The other big problem is, that probably not every possible spell, which is covered by the core rules and fulfills the basic assumptions of EoM, is createable. At least Chaos Magic isn't included - maybe that can be covered in Lyceian Arcana.

In the end, Ryan Nock achieved to create a ruleset, which allows so much flexibility while exactly this flexibility is so shaped, that it isn't a burden or even a game (time) killer. Overall, I believe, that the 4th edition of D&D should use this magic system - at least I'll do. I've been waiting for one and a half years for this product - because EoM caters to my wishes of a basic magic system 99%, it has been worth every minute of the time.

 

[Zoatebix]

Preface: I vacillate between judging this product on its own terms, in the light of its predecessor, and in how well it would work with both the core rules and other d20 material. I own the original pdf, and I plan on using the revised product in several ways, some of which depend on more third-party material and variant rules. I apologize if my lack of focus confuses.

The Basics: Elements of Magic: Revised Edition is a 94 page pdf from EN Publishing that details a spell-point based magic system designed to replace d20 fantasy’s core spellcasting and psionics system with a generic set of mechanics. This revised edition further streamlines the spell-point system from the original by reducing the number of spell-lists and magical skills while simultaneously expanding the range of effects the system can handle.


The Package: Elements of Magic: Revised comes in a zip file containing a two-and-a-half-megabyte black a white document, a five-megabyte full color document, and a one-and-a-half-megabyte high-resolution cover.

The production values for this document are very high. The layout, for the most part, is very good, and the art is above average. Both the interior and cover art are an improvement over the first edition. One gets the impression that Elements of Magic: Revised is product designed for print sold in pdf form.

Unfortunately, the impression of print quality comes at the expense of electronic features. The original Elements of Magic had pdf bookmarks for all of the chapter and sub-headings and a hyper-linked table of contents.

However, even without extra electronic functionality, Elements of Magic is still priced at around half the cost of a printed product of similar size.


The Content: Elements of Magic: Revised Edition is presented as the first of two volumes. The four chapters in this volume present the basics of the magic-point system: the rules and guidelines for making spell effects from the various spell lists and enhancements, classes, skills, feats, and magic item creation rules that use this new spellcasting system. The second volume, Lyceian Arcana, contains rules and examples for bending and altering the generic magic-point system to fit specific settings or traditions of magic.

"Chapter 1: Magical Classes" contains the character creation rules necessary to use the magic-point system. EoM presents three new classes: the Mage - the generic spellcaster, the Mageknight - a practitioner of both martial and mystical might, and the Taskmage - a mage focused on a broad range of skills in addition to magic. The spellcasters that use the new system presented in this book have a new level-dependant statistic: base caster bonus. Essentially, characters may multi-class amongst the three classes above and add their caster-levels together just as any other multi-class character would add together their base save or base attack bonuses. As an interesting aside for those who use the "magic rating" variant from Unearthed Arcana - both the Taskmage and the Mageknight fill a missing niche in the magic rating progression table.

The new core classes seem well balanced, though the two bonus feats the Mageknight receives at first level does stand out. I understand the reasoning behind the two feats at first level - any Mageknight that doesn’t take the feat Armored Casting would be at a disadvantage. The Mageknight and Taskmage also use a "middle" save (a save between the "good" and "bad" saves in the PHB - one that progresses to +9 over twenty levels) for two and all three of their saves respectively. If it weren’t for the fact that the spell casters in EoM have less raw power than their core d20 counterparts, and that the magic-point system seems to have multiple ability dependence built into it, I’d be wary of potential multi-class abuse. Instead, I feel that one genuinely gives up something in exchange for the relatively quick base save advancement one could get by multi-classing Mageknight and Taskmage.

An additional note on the "middle" base save bonus: EoM appears to use the d20 Modern progression, which I think ensures compatibility with the greatest number of products, for those of you interested in used EoM with other printed material.

The magic-point system itself is an effects-based delight to behold. The concept of spell level is excised from the rules entirely - casters have a limit to the number of magic points they can spend on a single effect and the DC for concentration and spellcraft checks is based on half the total MP cost instead. To offset the incredible flexibility magic-point mages have over core spellcasters, on-the-fly spell effects take two-full rounds to cast. In keeping with the theme of flexibility, there are, of course, several avenues a mage may pursue to get a more reasonable casting time. A mage may prepare a spell (and lock up his formerly fluid MP) ahead of time, they may use the quicken spell metamagic feat for a healthy MP cost, or they may use one of their "signature spells" - well practiced combinations that mages can cast with a standard action and any number of times as long as they have enough magic points remaining.


The Good: Rather than focus more on the spell rules, I’d like to mention some other things EoM: Revised did well. First off, the elemental side effects are printed along with the other spell effects, instead of in a separate section as they were in the first book. I was also glad to see the ability scores each element governed reprinted in appropriate sections.

The HD threshold for Charm and Compulsion effects goes on my all-time list of good ideas, since it gives decent fighters and barbarians more of a chance against the village hedge-wizard’s hold person.

I was very upset at the lack of magic item creation rules in the first EoM, but they are here with a vengeance in this edition. Items use the same seamless system as spellcasting, and they manage to get some of the exact same prices in the DMG. Ability enhancing items and magic armor are spot on, and everything else is darn close. I looked hard to find something out of whack, and thought I found a discrepancy between the DMG’s slippers of spider climb for 4800gp, and the EoM boots of spider climb for 16000gp, until I realized that the boots were objectively much better, and didn’t have a limit on their daily use.

If "HD threshold for charm and compulsion" makes the all-time good idea list then Donated XP for item creation gets the number one spot. Okay, I know people have thought of this before, and that it’s probably in Unearthed Arcana somewhere already (who can remember everything in that book?), but I think it’s implemented rather well near the beginning of the Item Creation chapter.


The Bad: Alas alack! I have to wait until Lyceian Arcana to get more information for how to use the core spellcasting classes with the new system? What about the core-spellcasting prestige classes? How do you recommend I make an arch-Mage?

There were a few errors here and there: page 6 has a minor boon listed as "Medium," then called "Spiritual Medium" in its descriptive text. Page 21 has some text covered up by the artwork. Just a few little things scattered throughout.

Then there’s the issue of the missing electronic functionality.


The Bottom Line: I really wanted to give this product a 4/5 for not taking advantage of the pdf format, but I can’t in good conscious bring myself to do it. When the first EoM came out, I thought "This is neat, but I need to do some work." Not only do I want to work with the revised edition, but a lot of the guidelines for the work I want to do are already spelled out for me, and as far as I can tell, more support is likely coming. I give in! 5/5.

 

[Verequus]

Could someone change the blue-tags into green-tags, please? This looks simply awful... Thanks in advance.