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Message: <blockquote data-quote="JoeGKushner" data-source="post: 2011790" data-attributes="member: 1129">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.”</blockquote>

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