One of the quintessential features of any Fantasy RPG system is the inclusion of magic, in some kind or another. Whether based upon spells or rituals, or even strange powers manifesting in certain creatures and individuals, the existence of magic in a world tends to differentiate that RPG setting, and redefines it many essential ways.
In 2004, Guild Companion Publications Ltd. published a guide to magic systems which can be used with the High Adventure Role Playing game system by Iron Crown Enterprises (I.C.E.). But over the years since the first HARP College of Magics was released, players and writers have been playtesting and tweaking those rules, and even adding more types of magic to HARP. But in 2013, GCP Ltd. published a new edition of HARP College of Magics, incorporating the tweaks and feedback from HARP fans, as well as adding additional content to create an even more diverse magic system for I.C.E.’s Fantasy Roleplaying Game.
HARP College of Magics
HARP College of Magics is a sourcebook by Guild Companion Publications, and designed for use with I.C.E.’s High Adventure Role Playing system. HARP CoM contains offers all the information of magic systems from the 2004 edition of the sourcebook, and includes new material such as four new types of magic, four new specialist wizard classes, and new skills, talents, and more.
Production Quality
The production quality of HARP College of Magics is very good, written in an easy-to-read and informative style and possessing a pleasant layout. The font choice for the headings is bold and evocative of a neo-Old English style, and the chapters are introduced with a single page of explanation and “fluff” text, with “magical” illustrations.
The PDF has a table of contents, PDF bookmarks, and index for navigation through the document. However, the PDF bookmarks are a bit disappointing, as they will just get the reader to the first page of each chapter, and nothing more. The table of contents, however, is hot-linked to chapters and chapter sub-headings which make it a much better way to “click” around the PDF. The index is not hot-linked, but the page numbers listed are accurate to the page number search function in Acrobat – which is not always the case if the publisher does not take into account cover and credits pages. Important additional information is set into gray outlined boxes, and the data tables are shaded to make them stand out on a page.
The illustrations in HARP College of Magics are quite good, starting off with a charming cover depicting a bookish dragon in his library. The internal illustrations are gray-scale drawings and sketches generally themed to the topic at hand, and there is a good page-to-illustration ratio throughout the book.
“Magic is Real”
The various magic systems and their use with the HARP game system are covered in this supplement over a course of 11 chapters, starting with an additional introductory chapter leading off the chapters. Chapter 1 is an Introduction to the HARP College of Magics discussing the features of the sourcebook. These include the Designer and Editor’s notes, and highlight additional new types of magic and professions – Blood, Natural, Ritual and Rune; Elementalist, Necromancer, Thaumaturge, and Vivamancer.
Chapter2 delves into Magical Theory & Practice, establishing the ground rules by which magic operates in a typical HARP setting. The authors explain the premise of magic and the multiplanar universe, as well as the use of mana – a spell point system to handle spell use. The chapter points out many variables to practicing magic use, such as using foci, grimoires, and the effects of trying to cast in armor.
There is a short third chapter covering the Types of Magic, with brief descriptions of the existing magic (such as High, Middle, and Low) as well as the new types introduced in this sourcebook (Blood, Rune, etc.). Chapter 4 goes on to describe The Practitioners of Magic, covering the four new professions. This chapter also offers Training Packages for the different ways a character might come into magical power, with skills and ranks already set up for each one. New Talents in this chapter include ways for practitioners to tap into mana sources (as appropriate for a campaign), and some spell focus styles which affect how magic is cast.
The Study of Magic is the focus of Chapter 5, which gives a character methods by which he or she was taught their magic. Methods include Mentoring, Guilds, Grimoires and Libraries, and even Oral Traditions. The authors include rules for researching magic, and a very detailed system for creating new magic spells – the multi-step process determines the power, effect, mana cost, and casting time of the new spells. There are also some general guidelines for creating new spells, and what a GM might consider too powerful to allow their players to create.
New Skills and Talents are listed in Chapter 6 and include new entries relating to the new content in HARP College of Magics – particularly the new types of magic. Blood Magic is given deeper attention here, as it represents magic which is innate due to one’s heritage or bloodline – much like sorcery is described in other game systems.
The fundamentals of Natural Magic are found in Chapter 7, and how it is more like an “occult science” which must follow certain rules. Amusingly, three of these natural rules are taken from the novel Master of Five Magics by Lyndon Hardy – the two principles of Thaumaturgy and the one doctrine of Alchemy. Nevertheless, the ideas presented in this chapter for alchemy, charmcraft, and using mana from crystals and creatures (living or dead).
Chapter 8 explores Rituals & Runes, and provides rules for researching, casting, and creating new rituals and runes/sigils/glyphs. As in previous chapters, the authors provide guidelines on creating new rituals and runes to maintain a balance in the game system.
Chapter 9 has lists of Spell Magic, broken down by the various magical types – Low, Middle, High, Thaumaturical, etc. There is a wide range of spells included here and they are tailored well to meet the expectations of the various magic types. This chapter also has some very nifty spells for Ley Line and Nexus magic, and how these can affect spellcasting in a campaign setting.
The ways of Magical Enchantment are contained in Chapter 10, and there is a reasonable step-by-step process for player-characters to enchant and create magical items like swords, armor, and other wondrous items. Enchanting is a costly and time consuming process, taking many days to complete a single item, and the authors include a table of curse effects in the event that the practitioner fails their enchantment skill rolls.
Finally, the authors have some ideas on how GMs use Magic in the Setting, and provide some advice and suggestions in Chapter 11 to modify a game setting based upon the types of magic being used. This chapter also includes a discussion on how magic use might fit (or be shunned) by a culture, how technology and magic might interact, and even includes adventure and campaign seeds for using certain rules and content of HARP College of Magics.
Overall Score: 3.75 out of 5.0
Conclusions
Overall, HARP College of Magics is a worthy successor to the earlier 2004 release, and really offers some excellent new content for spells and sorcery in a fantasy RPG. The new types of magic are interesting and provide a wide range of character options for both combat and role-playing, and the systems to build new spells, rituals, and new magic items is detailed and deep. The lack of a set of decent PDF bookmarks was a bit disappointing, but thankfully the table of contents is a pretty good substitute for clicking around the 100+ pages of the sourcebook.
And for the price, HARP College of Magics offers a lot of content in one book, and fans of I.C.E.’s fantasy RPG might well consider giving it a look for use in their own campaigns.
Editorial Note: This Reviewer received a complimentary playtest copy of the product in PDF format from which the review was written.
Grade Card (Ratings 1 to 5)
In 2004, Guild Companion Publications Ltd. published a guide to magic systems which can be used with the High Adventure Role Playing game system by Iron Crown Enterprises (I.C.E.). But over the years since the first HARP College of Magics was released, players and writers have been playtesting and tweaking those rules, and even adding more types of magic to HARP. But in 2013, GCP Ltd. published a new edition of HARP College of Magics, incorporating the tweaks and feedback from HARP fans, as well as adding additional content to create an even more diverse magic system for I.C.E.’s Fantasy Roleplaying Game.HARP College of Magics
- Authors: Nicholas H.M. Caldwell (lead); John Duffield, Thom Jones, Sam Orton, Marc Rosen (redesign team)
- Illustrators: Jim Nelson (cover); Maria Duffield, Raymond Gaustadnes, Rick Hansen, Dan O’Donnell (interior)
- Publisher: Guild Companion Publications Ltd
- Year: 2013
- Media: PDF (127 pages)
- Price: $12.90 (Available from RPGNow )
HARP College of Magics is a sourcebook by Guild Companion Publications, and designed for use with I.C.E.’s High Adventure Role Playing system. HARP CoM contains offers all the information of magic systems from the 2004 edition of the sourcebook, and includes new material such as four new types of magic, four new specialist wizard classes, and new skills, talents, and more.
Production Quality
The production quality of HARP College of Magics is very good, written in an easy-to-read and informative style and possessing a pleasant layout. The font choice for the headings is bold and evocative of a neo-Old English style, and the chapters are introduced with a single page of explanation and “fluff” text, with “magical” illustrations.
The PDF has a table of contents, PDF bookmarks, and index for navigation through the document. However, the PDF bookmarks are a bit disappointing, as they will just get the reader to the first page of each chapter, and nothing more. The table of contents, however, is hot-linked to chapters and chapter sub-headings which make it a much better way to “click” around the PDF. The index is not hot-linked, but the page numbers listed are accurate to the page number search function in Acrobat – which is not always the case if the publisher does not take into account cover and credits pages. Important additional information is set into gray outlined boxes, and the data tables are shaded to make them stand out on a page.
The illustrations in HARP College of Magics are quite good, starting off with a charming cover depicting a bookish dragon in his library. The internal illustrations are gray-scale drawings and sketches generally themed to the topic at hand, and there is a good page-to-illustration ratio throughout the book.
“Magic is Real”
The various magic systems and their use with the HARP game system are covered in this supplement over a course of 11 chapters, starting with an additional introductory chapter leading off the chapters. Chapter 1 is an Introduction to the HARP College of Magics discussing the features of the sourcebook. These include the Designer and Editor’s notes, and highlight additional new types of magic and professions – Blood, Natural, Ritual and Rune; Elementalist, Necromancer, Thaumaturge, and Vivamancer.
Chapter2 delves into Magical Theory & Practice, establishing the ground rules by which magic operates in a typical HARP setting. The authors explain the premise of magic and the multiplanar universe, as well as the use of mana – a spell point system to handle spell use. The chapter points out many variables to practicing magic use, such as using foci, grimoires, and the effects of trying to cast in armor.
There is a short third chapter covering the Types of Magic, with brief descriptions of the existing magic (such as High, Middle, and Low) as well as the new types introduced in this sourcebook (Blood, Rune, etc.). Chapter 4 goes on to describe The Practitioners of Magic, covering the four new professions. This chapter also offers Training Packages for the different ways a character might come into magical power, with skills and ranks already set up for each one. New Talents in this chapter include ways for practitioners to tap into mana sources (as appropriate for a campaign), and some spell focus styles which affect how magic is cast.
The Study of Magic is the focus of Chapter 5, which gives a character methods by which he or she was taught their magic. Methods include Mentoring, Guilds, Grimoires and Libraries, and even Oral Traditions. The authors include rules for researching magic, and a very detailed system for creating new magic spells – the multi-step process determines the power, effect, mana cost, and casting time of the new spells. There are also some general guidelines for creating new spells, and what a GM might consider too powerful to allow their players to create.
New Skills and Talents are listed in Chapter 6 and include new entries relating to the new content in HARP College of Magics – particularly the new types of magic. Blood Magic is given deeper attention here, as it represents magic which is innate due to one’s heritage or bloodline – much like sorcery is described in other game systems.
The fundamentals of Natural Magic are found in Chapter 7, and how it is more like an “occult science” which must follow certain rules. Amusingly, three of these natural rules are taken from the novel Master of Five Magics by Lyndon Hardy – the two principles of Thaumaturgy and the one doctrine of Alchemy. Nevertheless, the ideas presented in this chapter for alchemy, charmcraft, and using mana from crystals and creatures (living or dead).
Chapter 8 explores Rituals & Runes, and provides rules for researching, casting, and creating new rituals and runes/sigils/glyphs. As in previous chapters, the authors provide guidelines on creating new rituals and runes to maintain a balance in the game system.
Chapter 9 has lists of Spell Magic, broken down by the various magical types – Low, Middle, High, Thaumaturical, etc. There is a wide range of spells included here and they are tailored well to meet the expectations of the various magic types. This chapter also has some very nifty spells for Ley Line and Nexus magic, and how these can affect spellcasting in a campaign setting.
The ways of Magical Enchantment are contained in Chapter 10, and there is a reasonable step-by-step process for player-characters to enchant and create magical items like swords, armor, and other wondrous items. Enchanting is a costly and time consuming process, taking many days to complete a single item, and the authors include a table of curse effects in the event that the practitioner fails their enchantment skill rolls.
Finally, the authors have some ideas on how GMs use Magic in the Setting, and provide some advice and suggestions in Chapter 11 to modify a game setting based upon the types of magic being used. This chapter also includes a discussion on how magic use might fit (or be shunned) by a culture, how technology and magic might interact, and even includes adventure and campaign seeds for using certain rules and content of HARP College of Magics.
Overall Score: 3.75 out of 5.0
Conclusions
Overall, HARP College of Magics is a worthy successor to the earlier 2004 release, and really offers some excellent new content for spells and sorcery in a fantasy RPG. The new types of magic are interesting and provide a wide range of character options for both combat and role-playing, and the systems to build new spells, rituals, and new magic items is detailed and deep. The lack of a set of decent PDF bookmarks was a bit disappointing, but thankfully the table of contents is a pretty good substitute for clicking around the 100+ pages of the sourcebook.
And for the price, HARP College of Magics offers a lot of content in one book, and fans of I.C.E.’s fantasy RPG might well consider giving it a look for use in their own campaigns.
Editorial Note: This Reviewer received a complimentary playtest copy of the product in PDF format from which the review was written.
Grade Card (Ratings 1 to 5)
- Presentation: 3.75
- - Design: 3.5 (Solid writing; pleasing layout; PDF bookmarks were disappointing)
- - Illustrations: 4.0 (Cool cover art; nice interior art; enhanced the overall product)
- Content: 4.0
- - Crunch: 4.0 (Excellent rules; detailed new content)
- - Fluff: 4.0 (Fun new magic types; good use of various fantasy magic types)
- Value: 3.5 (Lots of cool content for a decent price)
