[PR-MEG] Newest book cover and info released---Artificer's Handbook

[MEG Hal]

Did you ever think that it makes no sense for a spell caster to loose experience points to make a Holy Avenger? The newest book in the Arcane Mystery series, The Artificer's Handbook details a completely unique alternate magic item creation system. In addition to removing experience point costs, you will find rules dealing with material components, piecemeal armor, socketed items, gestalt item sets, artifact creation, and magic item instabilitiy, among others. In addition, you will find methods to handcraft these rules for low, medium, and high, magic settings. Weighing in at 96 pages, The Artificer's Handbook will.
be a boon for players and GMs alike.
Price: $16.99
This book will be out in Feb/March 2003

This is the first book from MEG written by the TG group but produced as a MEG only product we are real proud how well the whole MEG team meshed so quickly!

 

[JoeGKushner]

Sounds promising.

Any power components?

Unique metals, alloys, glasses?

 

[MEG Hal]

Sounds promising.

Any power components?

Unique metals, alloys, glasses?

ummmmm...yes

 

[der_kluge]

Sounds promising.

Any power components?

Unique metals, alloys, glasses?

Don't listen to Hal.

Answers:
Sort of
no, no, glasses?

What you will find:
A completely new system for creating magic items, one that doesn't rely on XP costs. It's completely customizable so that you can easily create any kind of magic item with it.

Tons of components. If it's a real-world component, we include a Lore description, and example uses for each. There are tons of variant rules, and rules to allow you to tailor item creation for low/medium/high magic campaigns.

Here is a component example, just to give you a taste:

Iolite
Description: Iolite exhibits a property known as pleochroism. This means that the gem has a different color depending on the angle in which you view it. An iolite cube will appear blue to violet in color from one side, clear as water from the other side, and honey yellow from the top. When cut properly it is usually purplish blue.
Lore: Leif Erikson and other Viking explorers used Iolite lenses to help them navigate the oceans. Looking through the lenses, they could determine the exact position of the sun, and could navigate successfully using this technique.
Uses: Any color-based spell such as color spray or any of the prismatic spells benefit from ioite. Additionally, divination spells that reveal locations also use iolite.

 

[der_kluge]

I was probably hasty on my answers. There is a discussion of alloys, but no unique metals that I'm aware of, aside from a small discussion.

 

[der_kluge]

Wow. So, I spend a year working on this book, and no one even cares enough to ask any questions, except for Joe?

Man, that hurts, people.

Oh, bump, btw.

 

[uv23]

How exactly is it different? Theres a good question. If it doesn't cost XP, what is the balancing factor for creating them other than time and materials?

 

[der_kluge]

The system is based on spell slots. More spell slots means being able to create more and more powerful items. While you are creating items, the spell slots are unavailable for other uses (i.e., adventuring). When you are done with an item, the slots you consumed during the creation return back to you for normal casting.

We didn't like the fact that a wizard couldn't create a wand over and over again unlike a cabinetmaker who can make cabinets over and over again.

In my opinion, requiring XP cost for item creation is just a lazy copout for a poorly designed item creation system.

We've also implemented rules for components, and describe general rules for how to make items from components.

So, the combination of spell slots, and hunting down material components is more than enough of a balancing factor for item creation.

Plus, it's all totally customizable, and very flexible.

 

[JoeGKushner]

There are a lot of options out there now, some from AEG in Magic and Mercenaries, others from other companies so it's difficult to tell how well this one is going to hit the market. For example, there are lots of 'soul' forging of items, and leveling up of items and other goodies out there.

Any chance of a preview soon so that the people here can get a better idea of what it's all about?

 

[MEG Hal]

There are a lot of options out there now, some from AEG in Magic and Mercenaries, others from other companies so it's difficult to tell how well this one is going to hit the market. For example, there are lots of 'soul' forging of items, and leveling up of items and other goodies out there.

Any chance of a preview soon so that the people here can get a better idea of what it's all about?

Let me see what we can do...it may be a bit we have goodies for items coming out before this, but as always we will give ya more info as we go.