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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="Psion" data-source="post: 2009309" data-attributes="member: 172">Fey MagicFey Magic (subtitled Dreaming the Reverie) is the second of Mongoose's Encyclopaedia Divine books. The book seeks to add depth to the treatment of faerie creatures in d20 system fantasy games, and focuses heavily on the magic abilities a character can obtain from association with the fey.A First LookFey Magic is a 64 page perfect-bound softcover book priced at $14.95. The price is very typical for 64 page d20 system books. The cover depicts a green-haired woman (perhaps a dryad) embracing a tree in the midst of a sylvan wood, while some insect-winged faerie looks on.The interior art is black-and-white, and varies in quality for mediocre to good. Given Mongoose Publishing's attitude towards nude artwork and the subject matter of the book, it might be unsurprising that there are many depictions of nude and scantily clad females within.The interior text is modestly sized with large header fonts. The writing style is interesting, but in places it is hard to dig out the game text from the midst of descriptive text.A Deeper LookThe first part of Fey Magic deals with the acquisition of fey magic from fey creatures. The central mechanism for this is the knowledge (reverie) skill. Unfortunately, here we run into the first problem: in some places, reverie is referred to as a knowledge skill, and in other places it is referred to as a stand alone skill, as if there were some debate on how to classify it and some references were not edited to reflect the final choice.It appears that the final choice was supposed to be treating it as a knowledge skill, but one must debate the wisdom of that choice. The book implies that the reverie skill should best be accessed by druids and rangers, but as a knowledge skill, it appears that wizards and bards would be best at the reverie.To utilize fey magic, a character must obtain the sponsorship of a faerie creature. This sponsorship can be obtained by tempting the fey creature with gifts, or by enticing them into (and besting them at) a challenge. The book provides all the game rules needed for this.If the character succeeds in obtaining a fey patron, they may learn about the reverie. A character may enter the reverie, a dreamlike state, instead of a normal sleep. While in this dreamlike state, the character can drawn power from the faerie realm called Essence. Essence can be used to power personal gifts (essentially spell like abilities), create minor enchantments, or forge bonds with animals.There is a catch. Non fey creatures retaining Essence may have disrupted sleep, and can even suffer wisdom damage if they hold the Essence for too long.Some special rules are provided that give druids, rangers, and elves special benefits with Essence. For example, Essence boosts the spell like abilities of druids and elves receive bonuses with reverie checks.If you are truly interested in creating a character with a close connection to the fey, the book introduces four prestige classes to this end:- Feydancer: A feydancer is a character who is in tune with the fey to the extent that they may eventually become one. Feydancers receive many bonuses when using Essence.- Spellbinder: The spellbinder is a character specialized in trapping Essence in objects for practical use.- Wylding: The wylding is a character who, through their connection with the fey, forge bonds with the plant world. The wylding continues to progress as a spellcaster and receives plant related special abilities.- Chosen Protector: The chose protector is an ally of the fey sword to protect the fey and their lands. Chosen protectors are good fighters, and receive abilities to assist them in their position.Of these, the first two seem a little weak, but the wylding and chosen protector seem like competent, balanced choices for characters.The book provides feats and spells for dealing with fey creatures. The fey domain is introduced for deities that have alliances with the fey. Fey feats improve the character's access and ability to use fey gifts, and the spells deal with, detect, or grant abilities of fey creatures.At its pinnacle, Essence may be used to practice a variety of magical rituals called the Great Art. The great art can create powerful short term spell effects or long term enchantments without normal spellcasting requirements, but often with considerable risk to non-fey who are part of the ceremony.The book rounds up with some DM advice, and a small selection of new faerie magic items and creatures for use in a game.ConclusionFey Magic takes a totally different approach to adding new magic methodologies to the game than you are probably used to. On one hand, the approach is very detailed and has a lot of roleplaying potential. On the other hand, this detail may be more than players or GMs will be willing to deal with. Overall, the power of fey magic is not extraordinary compared to typical d20 system magic.The book's announced intention is to bring a heavier (and more faithful) focus on fey creatures in d20 system fantasy campaigns. However, the majority of the book is spent focusing on the magic of the fey while saying very little about the fey themselves. This book may be an insufficient resource if you don't already have a clear conception of what the fey are in your campaign.-Alan D. Kohler</blockquote>

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