Favorite Wizard/Sorcerer/Arcane Magic Sourcebook?

[johnsemlak]

Thanks for your suggestions and comments so far everybody (and keep 'em coming). I'll take them into account, and I hope they help others too.

I also missed Magic of Faerun. Thanks for pointing it out. I'm editing the original post to include that.

By the way, I'm also throwing in the old 2e 'The Complete Wizard's Handbook' to the list. Does anybody still find that useful? I had other books in that series, but not that one. It's available for only 5 bucks at svgames.com though.

 

[Kichwas]

Penumbra's Occult Lore.


Ideas wise, it seems the most packed.

What I like most about it though is that it presents a number of very different options for d20 magic which almost all work well within the confines of the core rules style of magic.

Which makes it easier to slot into an existing game.


That said... the Elderitch Staff rules in Path of Magic are one of those things I took one look at and said "well, were has this been all these years?"

It was just the most obvious genre convention... and oddly missing from D&D.

The wizard's trusty staff, much like the familiar. Something "every" fantasy wizard has...

 

[Furn_Darkside]

I haven't seen all of the books you list above, but my personal favorite of the ones I have seen is defintely The Quintessential Wizard.

I would have to agree with the good Dr. Question.

Of course, I do not have all the products listed, but of those I do...

FD

 

[Buttercup]

I agree with Arcady. Occult Lore gives you the most bang for the buck. There are other products that offer specialty magic systems, but none of them fit so seamlessly with the core game mechanics. If you can afford only one book, get this one.

If you can afford two books, it becomes a bit harder, since several get 2nd place ribbons IMO. Path of Magic, Magic of Faerun, RR I and Magic of Rokugan are top notch products. I don't think it matters that several of them were made for a specific setting, they've got lots of good ideas that you can play with.

I also like Tome & Blood but not as much as the above titles. As for RR2, Spells & Spellcraft and Spells & Magic, they're not quite as well done. None of them suck, mind you. But they're marginal purchases. IMO, natch.

 

[Tsyr]

I'll second Occult Lore... the book is REALLY nice.

Could you elaborate a bit on the staff rules, Arcady? I don't yet have Path of Magic, I fear, but it sounds really interesting.

 

[Psion]

Of the ones mentioned, these top the list quality wise AFAIAC:

Relics & Rituals I - As someone else said, a 3e classic. The prestige classes in R&R2 are a little more solid, but R&R2 has more Scarred Lands specific material; R&R1 is more open.

BoEM I (which you have) - Another 3e classic. II is not so great, IMO. Some of the spells and prestige classes are okay, and soul magic is cool but pretty much a DM toy. However the revised core classes are dubious and many spell are dubious, overpowered, or both.

Wild Spellcraft - A personal favorite, as it works right in with the concept of ley line magic and the "flow" in my game. Ryan presents a ton of different ideas on how to work wild spellcraft into a game. There are many different angles, making it more accomodating than most "campaign magic variant" books.

Quintessential Wizard - Their wizards stuff much better than PoM's Eldritch staff, IMO. TQW does a good job of both playing to the classic wizard ideal and pushing the d20 system rules on the topic outwards.

Comments on some others:

Occult Lore is pretty good, but requires bigger changes, and thus really is the sort of thing that requires more GM commitment/green flag. Also, some of the alchemy/herbailsm stuff is a bit powerful, providing alchemical versions of magic items for much cheaper.

Spells & Spellcraft is right up there from a GM standpoint. It is bigger on things to add to a game than stuff for wizard PCs. However, it has more in the ways of non-combative spells and has material on libraries and research. I was sort of cool to this at first but it has warmed up on me really quickly, but there are still some implementations I don't like.

 

[Hopping Vampire]

Book of Eldritch Might 1 AND 2

 

[Nightfall]

As for RR2, Spells & Spellcraft and Spells & Magic, they're not quite as well done. None of them suck, mind you. But they're marginal purchases. IMO, natch.

Dunno how you can say R&R2 is Marginal purchase. I mean there might be a few spells a little off kilter, but come on! Some great feats, COOL Pr-classes AND some pretty swell/awesome magic items.

 

[Nightfall]

The prestige classes in R&R2 are a little more solid, but R&R2 has more Scarred Lands specific material; R&R1 is more open.

I'll certainly agree there Psion. R&R2 is probably less useful to those that just like to rip off parts. But it still has some that might be useful. Like say, the True Ritual "Chardun's Concecration" Nice way to improve your NPC Blackguard WITHOUT going epic levels.

 

[Buttercup]

Well, Nightfall, you must admit that you are just a teensy bit unobjective where Scarred Lands products are concerned, yes?

I didn't say it was bad. But there are what, 20 magic books out there? Few of us can afford to buy them all. If you aren't playing in the Scarred Lands, then I really don't think RR2 is essential. I should note, probably, that I have no interest in prestige classes, so telling me a book has cool ones leaves me, well, cold.

In my previous post I forgot to mention Book of Eldritch Might II. I love the alt.sorcerer, so for me that book was worth the money. I haven't yet found occaision to use BoEM I.