Modern Magic

[Psion]

Modern Magic

Modern Magic is a supplement for D20 Modern and the Urban Arcana setting expanding upon magic options. The book is published by The Game Mechanics and brought to print by Green Ronin, with content originally published as PDFs. The book is written by Eric Cagle, Mike Montesa, Rich Redman, Mat Smith, and Stan!

A First Look

Modern Magic is an 80 page softcover book priced at $17,95.

The cover of the book is illustrated by Jonathan Kirtz. The cover illustration depicts a squad of soldiers arrayed around one spellcasting soldier. The backdrop of the cover uses the brushed metal computer component look that is the trademark of The Game Mechanics' D20 products.

The interior is black and white and features art by Clarence Harrison, Pete Schlough, Jacob Elijah Walker, and Cheyenne Wright. Harrison's work is a mainstay in TGM products, and he seems to carry this one as well, though Cheyenne's line art and Walker's well shaded pencils are snazzy compliments to Harrison.

A Deeper Look

Modern Magic is a surprisingly diverse book, covering a lot of disparate topics under the general subject of magic in the modern era, presenting new spells, magic methods, FX items, and campaign models.

The first chapter presents a variety of new spells for d20 Modern games. The spells are loaded with modern references. For example, many spells confer benefits of technological items when pantomimed, like manual focus binoculars (which confer the benefit of binoculars when the user pantomimes using them.) "No doze", whose name is a reference to a modern caffeine product, offsets the effects of lack of sleep, and the divine spell "divine copilot" which assists in vehicle skill checks, seems an obvious reference to the saying "God is my copilot."

I have few complaints about the mechanics, though I did find it odd that the authors felt the need to amplify that "additional hp given with a creature's hit dice are irrelevant for determining how many HD it has; this has really been irrelevant or obvious since 2e.

The feel of the spells will be a love it or hate it thing for a lot of people. Obviously, many of the spells are targeted at challenges that will often come up during a modern era game. However, for many people, magic seems less exotic and a little ludicrous when you start popping in pop culture reference or humorous gestures

Two new types of magic are introduced in Modern Magic: the Ritual Magic and Voudon Magic. Each new magic method receives a chapter and features new classes used as the basis for the magic type.

The ritualist advanced class does not receive spell slots like other spellcasting classes. Ritual magic revolves around an incantation system similar to the one presented in Urban Arcana. A ritualist character can prepare a magic circle an perform a ritual to create a magical effect; a knowledge (arcane lore) check is required to bring about the effect. Rituals are composed of seeds. Singular seeds can be used to bring about somewhat mundane effects, but multiple seeds can be combined (at a higher DC) to bring about effects similar to existing spells.

Voudon is based on the predominantly West African and Carribean faith commonly known as "Voodoo" by the public, and the system is based on that presented in Green Ronin's Skull & Bones. The system has two practioner advanced classes: the bokor (an arcane spellcasting class) and the hougan (a divine spellcasting class).

Voudon casting classes use spell slots like standard d20 system casters, but have a few more limitations. All casters rely on spirits called Loa. To gain their spellcasting powers, a Bokor must perform weekly rites and cannot cast a spell if they are burdened by a Loa related to that spell. A Hougan must also perform rituals, during which time they may become temporarily possessed by a Loa.

Chapter four is perhaps the most unusual chapter so far in the book. It ponders what the modern military would be like if magic were available as a tool. It supposes that magic would become a specialty that some soldiers would train in. To emulate this concept, there are two new prestige classes (the magic commando Arcane Spec-op and support sty;e Thaumaturgical Specialist) and a new advanced class, the Magic Grunt. There is also discussion about organization, training, and equipment for such a campaign.

Chapter 5, Mundane Magic, is something of a dichotomous chapter. The chapter begins talking about mundane magic, and talks about giving simple superstitions power, like allowing a simple ritual or a rabbit's foot to have an effect.

The last half of the chapter discusses investigation in a world with magic. After a few musings on investigations (and obstacles to it) in a world with d20 Modern magic, a new class is presented for the task: the Arcane Investigator.

The final chapter introduces new FX charisma. This material is of the sort of "magical technology" that players either love or hate. Example items include Cosmetics of Charisma and (most interestingly) an advice column that you can email questions to with the appropriate questions and receive divination from.

There are two appendices. The first details elementals in d20 Modern terms, and the second provides a list of translations of d20 Modern spells for recreation under the included ritual system.

Conclusions

Modern Magic is a buffet of magical options for a modern supernatural game and examines it from a variety of angles – many of which are not necessarily compatable. Any GM looking for a fresh angle on magic in their campaign should find something worthwhile in here.

Overall, while I find it competently done, I can't say I found it as inherently useful, inspiring, or as well focussed as The Game Mechanic's previous titles such as Modern Player's Companion and Martial Arts Mayhem.

Overall Grade: C+

-Alan D. Kohler

 

[Messageboard Golem]

How would modern life be different if magic really worked? What if magic were as available to the common citizen as cars and jewelry and prescription medications? Or what if magic worked like the Wiccans and the Order of the Golden Dawn believe? And what would happen if the world's armies started using wands and potions along with their guns and bombs? The Game Mechanics (Martial Arts Mayhem and the Modern Player's Companion) got together three d20 System game designers and asked them to explore these very questions. The result is Modern Magic: a fascinating look at applied mysticism-and with a contemporary sensibility. Inside you'll find spells with names like plain brown wrapper and welding touch, and magic items like the potion bottle opener or the police whistle of backup. You'll find "low-magic" rules for modern magical belief systems, including Wicca and Vodoun, and a new advanced class just for the kind of ceremonial casters required by these magic systems. And for military-based campaigns, there are three new campaign models based on magic in the military: "rare and secretive," "available and specialized," and "common as dirt"-each with its own advanced class, such as the Arcane Spec-Op, Thaumaturgical Specialist, and the Magic Grunt. With all the options presented in Modern Magic, every modern d20 System campaign should be able to find a model that suits their tastes.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Modern Magic is a d20 modern sourcebook by the Game Mechanics and published by Green Ronin. Written by Eric Cagle, Mike Montesa, Rich Redman, Mat Smith and Stan!, the book brings the full strength of the Game Mechanics to bear. Weighing in at 80 black and white pages for $17.95, the book is about industry standard.

The book makes some interesting claims. “This modern d20 System supplement brings magic and spellcasting into the 21st century.” Okay, with that in mind, let’s look and see what is actually done with this book.

How about Voudon magic? “Voudon is an old, but not ancient, magical tradition that emerged from the Caribbean.” How does that bring magic into the 21st century? I’m not saying that the game mechanics are bad, but having Voudon magic isn’t quite in line with the stated goals of the book. It’s nice to have new feats to represent the magic style used here, to get a quick break down on the language and background, to get background on the Loa and the PrCs like the Bokor and the Hougan, but it’s not necessarily what I’d call modern information. Now you could use this information for something like the movie, The Believers, but once again, we’re not going with a ‘modern’ feel there as opposed to the modern world meeting an ancient and dark one.

What then, about Ritual Magic? This is more subtle magic, first introduced in Urban Arcana via incantations but once again, reading the text, it takes about time-tested traditions and using classic elements, reaching into the past to perform magic as opposed to moving into the present. The Ritualist is a nice class with abilities that are subtle and rely on the rules here, but it’s ‘old’ magic once again.

Even when looking at Mundane Magic, things like rituals and talismans, it’s talking about old traditions and ideas given game rules for the d20 modern system. While it’s good to know about common the game effects of talismans like eagle feathers and hemlock, I think most of us can agree that this isn’t really a ‘modern’ application of magic.

It’s not until we get to Military Magic, that we see the ‘modern’ slant that I’m looking for is at the forefront. The book doesn’t just start noting new spells and items, but spends a little time talking about the pros and cons of magic. After all, guns are quick and just as, if not more dangerous, than several spells. It provides the GM with some groundwork when thinking about how the military would actually handle magic, such as all Spellbooks being military property and some sample Spellbooks as well as chances of spell failure when in armor.

In handling magic, the book provides three different campaign models, rare and secretive, similar to Shadowchasers, Available and Specialized, and Common as Dirt. Each section includes different PrCs and the chapter also includes new feats like Armored Casting, to reduce the chance of arcane spell failure, as well as noting which new spells are appropriate for a Military style campaign.

Now this isn’t to say that other parts of the book don’t focus on magic’s role in a modern campaign. The section that covers Mundane Magic also notes how magic might impact the modern world in things like criminal investigation and even includes the Arcane Investigator advanced class.

Indeed, much of the crunch of the book can be used in most d20 Modern settings. This includes the new spells in chapter one to the new FX equipment in chapter six. Spells are broken up by arcane and divine, and then by level. This break up includes brief details on how the spell works, much like the Player’s Handbook. Spells range from 0 level like No Doze where the subject doesn’t suffer the standard non-sleeping penalties to 5th level with the powerful Save to Disk, where you store a creature of object onto a blank CD-ROM (of course now that memory key chains are surpassing CD-ROMs and blank DVD’s are almost as inexpensive as CD’s…perhaps the wording should be changed to Save to Memory Device?).

For those looking for new FX goods, we have a wide variety of choices. Some of these are useful for everyday things like alchemical light sticks with different colors, each color having a different effect. Want anyone to be able to see a magical aura? Bust out a yellow light stick. Want to cause fear? Take out the red one. How about FastAid Bracelets that have a random healing effect? Roll a 4 on a d6 and get a delay poison. Roll a 3 and get a cure moderate wounds for 2d8+3. Items are noted with their type, cater level, purchase DC, and weight.

As the interior of the book properly notes, “Modern Magic simply functions as a companion to your other modern d20 System books.”

 

[GameWyrd]

I don't tend to pay too much attention to blurbs in RPG supplements any more. The first sentence in Modern Magic tells us that magic is no longer confined to dungeons. I don't need to read that. I know this is a d20 Modern magic supplement. I do like books which set out their goals early. The best way to buy an RPG product you have no word or mouth about nor can find any reviews in the style you like is to go to the local store and skim the first few pages for an introduction with goals. Modern Magic's goals are worthy; add modern sensibility to traditional RPG magic and to expand d20 modern's repertoire by using real world beliefs.

In other words we should be looking at password hacking spells, magic which works on ATMs and taxi summoning charms. We would be right to suppose the usual suspects for "real world magic" - wicca and voodoo.

We're also reminded that the authors of Modern Magic are the authors of d20 Modern. This is designed to be reassurance rather than bragging. Modern Magic, we're reassured, is balanced as no one else understands the appropriate power levels for d20 Modern more than Eric Cagle, Mike Montesa, Rich Redman, Mat Smith and Stan!

You need more than d20 Modern to fully use Modern Magic though. To run with all the classes and get the most out of the new rules here you also need a copy of Urban Arcana. This is mixed news. The chances are that if you're tempted by Modern Magic that you'll have Urban Arcana already. If not then you're looking at a large hardback which introduces prestige classes to d20 Modern and is more of a "What if" than a campaign setting. What if there are monsters in the world but that most people simply couldn't see them?

The class most dependant on Urban Arcana is the Ritualist. Ritualists use lesser incarnations and magic circles. The lesser incarnations are a variation of the incarnation rules introduced in Urban Arcana. Lesser Incarnations work by blending modes and elements. Get the right combination and you can mimic the effects of typical d20 spells. In other words the lesser incarnations straddle the D&D spell list style with the Mage: the Awakening (White Wolf), Ars Magica (Atlas Games) and others. I think this works quite well. It's a little simplistic but that's often an advantage.

Rather ironically the book actually begins by extending and adding to the spell list. This is what the book promised though - spells for the modern world. There's enough if Modern Magic to give your d20 Modern campaign a good jolt of spice but we're still very far behind the count of magic spells in d20 Fantasy. Some of the new spells are marked as military. Okay, military magic makes sense. If magic is real then the military would know about it and would invest billions in learning, creating and mastering spells. I don't see the military being able to keep a monopoly on spells though. All it takes is a wizard with an idea and the time and resources to try and we can have a new spell. No Doze, for example, is supposed to be a military only spell. I wish I could go without sleep. If I had arcane powers in real life then I'd have made "No Doze" the first spell I knew really well or the spell I worked hardest to create. I don't see why it counts as military. On the other hand, according to Modern Magic, Hermetic Membrane is commonly known among modern magic spell casters. Hermetic Membrane ensures that you don't leave any incriminating DNA behind. I think everyone reading this review knows what DNA and DNA evidence is but surely a spell like this is much more likely to be exclusive to the military? You do probably do need a First World education to know much about DNA and you do need the "right inspiration" to work out how to magically prevent DNA clues. I think the military markings on spells are far too arbitrary.

I guessed wicca and voodoo would appear in Modern Magic, anyone would. The ritualists cover wicca. I was pretty much right with voodoo but Modern Magic corrects my terminology. Voodoo is a bit of a Hollywood term; Voudon is a better one to use. I think Modern Magic hit a great success with their types of Voudon. There's no "black magic" and "white magic" here and so that's another stereotype thrown out. The bokor are arcane spell casters. On average bokor are evil and selfish but there are good and helpful bokor. Hougan are divine spell casters. On average hougan are helpful as they tend to work with and for the community. The powers at be in Voudon are the Loa. The Loa might be gods, spirits, magical entities... it's not clear, it's up to the GM and it doesn't matter (not in practical terms - they're real and that matters). The Loa can and do possess people. In fact, this can happen quite often in Voudon. The possessed person is known as the horse. In game terms there are certain times when possession is more likely. In statistical terms possession is useful as the character suddenly benefits from improvements and enhancements. It strikes me as potentially intense roleplaying too and really tough on the players and GM.

Many of the new classes are inspired the military-magic cross. We've the likes of magical grunts - who, despite having spell casting abilities, still seem to be unspecialised soldiers (yeah, right!), thaumaturgical specialists and the arcane spec-op. I do like the concept of the arcane spec-op (or perhaps it's the atmospheric illustration which accompanies helps inspire me) as the idea of magic being necessary in a special forces team suggests dark, dangerous and shadowy battles against enemies the general public knows nothing about.

There's room for "more miscellaneous modern magic" too. Classes like the Arcane Investigator allow games to mix modern drama with the arcane and yet avoid, if they wish, the combat focus military campaigns are likely to have. It comes as no surprise to find that there are many pages of modern magic items and new feats too. There's a mini bestiary for elementals. The elemental bestiary is the first of two good appendices. The second appendix is a handy spell list reference to show which element and which node ritualists need to merge to produce which standard spell effect.

Modern Magic meets its goals but does so unspectacularly. The supplement does introduce more modern-savvy spells to the system. Modern Magic does use real world beliefs as the inspiration for new magic. I think the Voudon chapter is worth talking about and if you're looking for interesting and workable voodoo rules then Modern Magic is certainly worth picking up (US $17.95 for 80 pages). Otherwise the book will appeal to gamers who want to pad out their d20 modern magic or want some extra flexibility.

* This Modern Magic review was first published at GameWyrd.