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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Simon Collins" data-source="post: 2009709" data-attributes="member: 9860">This is not a playtest review.Skreyn's Register: The Bonds of Magic Vol 1, Cabal details 25 ready-to-run characters who use arcane magic and is released by Malhavoc Press.Bonds of Magic Vol 1 is a 3.48 MB .pdf file for $5. The file is pretty easy on your printer with little in the way of graphics in the margin. The file does not make use of bookmarks, pop-up text or the ability to turn off illustrations available with the .pdf format. The characters are one-to-a-page and in alphabetical order but have no table listing them by CR, class and race - which would have been helpful if not essential. The 'internal' mono artwork is average to good, but not up to the usual high standards of Toren Atkinson - several of the characters look somewhat twisted (both in the 'psycho' sense or in the 'squeezed to meet the available space' sense). Writing style is straight to the point and earthy, without being inspirational. Editing seems good.The twenty five characters are presented in enough detail to use them as PCs if required as well as NPCs. Each character has full stats including aspects such as base DCs for spells and explanations of special attacks or qualities where relevant, and ECLs for running them as PCs. As well as an introductory paragraph, each character has notes on personality, uses (adventure/campaign integration ideas and advice for running as a PC) and tactics (when in combat).The characters range from CR 3 to CR 14, covering the gamut of standard PC races as well as a number of monstrous races such as drow, half-fiends, and liches. There are also characters that use the fleshbound vampire template, which can be found on Malhavoc's web site (though all the relevant information is contained within the character information). There are twelve wizards, twelve sorcerers, and one bard. There are no multi-class characters.An appendix contains any new feats, spells and magic items included in the characters' descriptions. This contains 11 new spells, 17 magic items, and 1 feat (that allows a spellcaster to burn Constitution to force higher level spells into lower-level spell slots).Conclusion:If you're looking for an arcane villain, NPC mentor or ready-to-run PC, there is a good selection of fleshed-out characters to pick from here. I was disappointed by the lack of a 'by CR' table, that there was only a single bard character, the lack of multiclass characters, and I would have liked to see a few more tips for in-game interpersonal behaviour traits and operational (rather than just combat) tactics. But on the whole, there are some unusual and interesting characters presented here with a good selection of spells and magic items to boot. And enough information to use them ready-to-run in a campaign or adventure.</blockquote>

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