Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
Enchanted Trinkets Complete--a hardcover book containing over 500 magic items for your D&D games!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Psion" data-source="post: 2011768" data-attributes="member: 172">Magic and MayhemMagic and Mayhem is a magic and technology supplement for the Warcraft Dungeons & Dragons game by Sword & Sorcery Studios. Contributing authors include Rob Baxter, Scott Bennie, Bob Fitch, Bruce Graw, Luke Johnson, and Seth Jonhson.(Disclaimer: I do not regularly play the Warcraft computer game, so can’t speak with a great degree of authority about matters such as authenticity of translation.)A First LookMagic and Mayhem is a 208 page hardbound book.The cover does not feature an borders, and is dominated by an attractive wrap-around picture of a tauren runemaster squaring off with a construct controlled by a goblin, by cover artist Samwise Didler.The interior is black and white, with a variety of detailed and shaded illustrations. Interior artists include Ted Beargdon, Samwise Didler, Michael and Rene Koiter, and Chris Metzen. The end-leafs use a sepia-tone collage of the other art in the book.Each chapter is preceded by a two page piece of fiction written in a script like font on a parchment-like background, and the each chapter is introduced by a single page with nothing other than a picture and the title.The book has a bit larger font size and a bit more white space than some other more recent Sword and Sorcery products.A Deeper LookThe Warcraft RPG line (by Sword and Sorcery Studios) is not one I have had a chance to review. Indeed, I did not own any of the books for it until the review period for the 2004 Ennies.The inaugural line of Sword & Sorcery Studios was the recently discontinued Scarred Lands game world. One of the things that line was known for was (at least for its "crunchier" books) its appeal to d20 system fantasy gamers that were not using the setting, but merely taking advantage of mechanics and character options presented in the book.Magic & Mayhem seems to carry on that tradition/strategy. Indeed, the introductory section discusses this very aspect of the book, and remarks upon (quite astutely) how the much derided spell slot system really doesn’t play out that much different than magic the Warcraft computer game, in that just as in the computer game, a spell user temporarily loses access to high level spells when they cast such spells.One of the failings of some earlier adaptations of computer fantasy combat games (I’ll be more precise: Diablo II) is the failure to take advantage of the face-to-face RPG medium and merely tried to be a slow emulation of the computer game. Magic and Mayhem goes about addressing one aspect of the game that had less significance of the computer game.To wit, the game alludes to how corrupting arcane magic is, and aspect of magic that is not modeled in the Warcraft game (beyond the high elves magic addiction). A section of optional rules herein model this corruption in a way that will be very real to arcane casters in the Warcraft setting. Each arcane caster is assigned an arcane corruption allowance depending upon their wisdom and character level. When the character attempts various activities such as casting their highest level spell, casting a new spell, or casing any spell near a fel weapon or on unholy ground, they must make a will save or suffer an amount of corruption damage. Every time the character expends all of their arcane corruption allowence, the total is reset to zero, and they progress a level on a corruption scale; each time they progress, they acquire a corruption effect (depending largely on what type of magic the character tends to use). As the character progresses, this cycle continues and they acquire more severe effects. The fourth time that the character’s arcane corruption allowance goes to zero, they become servants of the burning legion and presumably become NPCs.This is not a death sentence or pure negative for arcane characters. It is possible (if painstaking) to remove corruption, and in addition to circumstantial rolls a character is forced to make, an arcane caster can willingly tap arcane energies and risk corruption to bolster their spells. However, under this system, arcane casters cannot merely take their spells for granted. This could potentially be a flavorful addition to many D20 System games.Arcane practitioners are not the only ones to receive some extra scrutiny in this book; a brief section on divine casters discusses the role of faith in divine power. Characters faith may be tested through ordeals and tests of faith. This section is much less mechanical in nature than the section on arcane magic, but has some good food for thought (and methods) for GMs who wish to better represent the nature of faith.Other variant rules introduce two new kinds of magic: fel energy and rune magic. Fel energy is corrupt powers associate with magic. Demons tempt casters with fel energy, with allows them to cast boosted spell but with a great risk of corruption. Fel energy enhanced the natural poison attacks of creatures imbued with this energy.Rune magic is wielded by a new core class, the Runemaster. Runes are scribed on a surface and provide benefits similar to spells. Runemasters learn rune families which operate similarly to clerical domains. Each rune family provides a granted power and access to runes of levels 0 to 9. A runemaster starts with access to only two rune families, and gain a third at 10th level and a fourth at 20th level. The runemaster receives runes per day much in the same way that other characters receive spells per day. They only use runes from their rune families, but can use runes from any family of runes they have access to.The runenmaster has no racial or affiliation requirement, but is primarily associated with dwarves and tauren (the Warcraft take on minotaurs). The runemaster is also an unarmed combatant, and receives unarmed attacks and flurry of blows similar to a monk. Most of their remaining abilities are related to runes, such as detecting, defending against, or enhancing runes.There are eight new prestige classes in Magic and Mayhem: -Bombardier: An explosives expert. This class builds on the technology rules introduced in the Warcraft RPG book. The bombardier gains a number of benefits when using explosives, such as reducing the effective hardness of structures, and additional options when creating or using explosive devices. -Engineer: Another class based on the technology rules, the engineer’s specialty is large scale projects that combine the efforts of several tinkers. -Graven One: These are arcane casters that draw power from death. Unlike the Warcraft necromancer (introduced in the Alliance and Horde compendium), their spells and abilities are focused more upon raising undead than preying on life force of the living. They continue to progress as arcane casters with additions to their spell list such as the summon undead spells listed in this book. Their class abilities are related to the creation or enhancement of the undead. -Shadow Hunter: This is a vodoo-themed class for horde divine casters. They have full continued divine progression with some addition spells added to their spell list. They also receive spirit of the loa abilities which they may choose from a list of available abilities. These abilities range from smiting undead to healing or hexing. -Spiritwalker: This tauren exclusive divine casting class is totem-themed, and deals with tauren ancestral heroes. The class continues to advance in divine casting at every odd level. The class abilities allow the spiritwalker to walk in the emerald dream (the Warcraft ethereal plane or spirit world), grants them an animal companion similar to a druid, and allows them to call on ancestral spirits. -Steamwarrior: These are tinkers with an affinity for crafting and using powered armor, and receiving abilities and bonus feats related to operating and crafting powered armor. -Warden: This class is night elf specific and is basically a magical hunter/assassin. They have their own spell list/progression, and gain a number of magical attack and movement abilities. -Witch Doctor: This is another vodoo themed class, this one specific to trolls. The class receives continued arcane progression at every even level with additional spells added to their list. The class special abilities are those typically attributed to movie-style vodoo, such as the ability to use a wax doll to manifest some spell effects on a victim and creating a brew that creates mindless slaves of those who drink it.Overall, the selection of classes are a nice expansion for the Warcraft RPG, and are also intriguing fodder for other D20 System games, though some adaptation may be required where requisite races or classes are Warcraft-specific.A number of new magic and technology related feats are available. The technology feats add capabilities to tech-users such as letting them use non-weapon tech items as weapons, or avoid a mishap with a technological device. The magic related feats are primarily metamagic, thought one such feat (capture spell) is improperly labeled as such.The metamagic feats include a number of poor man’s quicken variants such as hasten spell (adds two levels, cast spells as a move equivalent action) and link spell (adds one level, each of two linked spells must be prepared together and are thus cast together). The transcendant spell feat is one that will probably be rarely used; it removes all level limits on spells, but takes up a slot seven levels higher than the base spell.Non-metamagic feats include the mislabeled capture spell (allows you to capture a countered spell, allowing you to use it or scribe it), additional familiar, and spell specialization (boosts caster level and reduces metamagic cost for a single spell.)The spells chapter introduces all the rune families for the runemaster. Rune families include awareness, beast, healing, motion, restoration, shielding, and striking (with 10 spell-like runes and a special ability for each family).The book features 32 pages of new spells. Given that the Warcraft RPG is based upon a computer wargame, it is perhaps unsurprising that it features predominantly combat oriented spells, though a number of them are more unit-combat based in nature, similar to some of those features in Wizards of the Coast’s Miniatures Handbook. Many repair damage, bolster troops, or repair combat damage.The spell summon undead is similar to the Summon Undead spell in Magic of Faerun or Libris Mortis, except this one runs all the way up to 9th level, like summon monster spells. This version, however, operates more like a limited duration create undead spell utilizing an existing corpse than like a summoning spell. The spell can create a variety of templated creatures out of the corpse, and the CR or HD of the target is limited by the level/version of the spell.The magic items chapter is fundamentally similar in approach to many magic expansion book. It features a variety of Warcraft items in the usual categories (weapon and armor qualities, specific weapons and armor, wondrous items, etc.), though some are distinctive from core versions of these items. Some seem very potent (a mana burn weapon, for example, will quickly strip a mage of their spells.)A few items betray traditional capabilities of D20 System magic item categories, however. Clarity potions, for example, grant additional spell slots, and replenishment potions restore expended spell levels in addition to damage. Pandaren brews are similar to potions in effect, but are ales and tonics that can serve many drinkers at once. Also, many scrolls exist that do not store specific spells, but have magical effects that can, in some cases, be triggered by any reader.Artifacts herein include the horn of cenarius, the orbs (one of various orbs that grant the user potent weapon abilities), and the shadow orb (a fragmented orb that gains power as more fragments are gathered, and whose fragments may be fused with weapons.)As the rules for magic are expanded, so are the rules for technology. New rules for technology include vehicle maneuverability rules, malfunction rules, collaborative construction rules, masterwork devices, and new special materials for devices. Of these, the collaborative construction rules are probably the most significant, since the craft rules, as written, are extremely time intensive compared to magical craft rules, and technology cannot hope to compare with the rules as written with a single tinker trying to craft large and expensive items.The technology chapter, like the magic items chapter, offers a variety of new items for your consumption, both adapted from the computer game and new. Items include noncombat items like automatic thieves and alchemists (which can open locks and make alchemical items) in addition to the standard fare of combat items and vehicles.An appendix at the back contains combat statistics for a number of constructs, including the scarecrow like harvest golem and the chaotic junk golem, among others.ConclusionsThis book is very much in the tradition of the Relics & Rituals books, providing a variety of rules and options both for the intended setting (in this case, Warcraft) and many possibly importable to other games. This is definitely a boon to anyone playing the Warcraft game. As many aspects of the Warcraft RPG are distinct from core D&D, more adaptation may be necessary. I find some spells and magic items, the runemaster, the warden and other prestige classes that expand spell lists to be interesting potential character or campaign building materials, and the arcane corruption and divine faith rules and suggestions to be interesting possible inclusions in a variety of D20 System fantasy games.Overall Grade: B+ -Alan D. Kohler</blockquote>

Verification