Ars Magica, or other RPG?

[Hypatias_Father]

Apologies if this duplicates any thread, but I searched and came up with nothing.

I am having fun with the card-based game Dungeoneer (thanks putting it on my radar, Malechi!), and while browsing Atlas Games' site a few days ago for more material, I stumbled upon their RPG Ars Magica. Descriptions online make it sound fascinating, but I have not been able to locate anyone near me who actually plays. Anyone have an opinion?

Having recently felt an RPG itch that needs to be scratched, I was set to begin playing D&D again; but before I start inve$ting in yet another gaming addiction, I thought it might be good to ask around on a few boards for recommendations. Maybe Ars Magica would be a better place to begin again. I like the idea of playing with authentic history.

[Sci-fi Messiah]

I don't think anything could beat a good 'ol D&D adventure. When I need to scratch said itch I always pick up my copy of the Legend of Dragoon.

What exactly is Ars Magica?

[Bardolph]

What sort of game are you looking for?

Rules heavy, rules light, semi historical or total fantasy?
Well developed world or just a basic framework that you fill in?
Emphasis on combat or on roleplay? ( Older games tend to be more tabletop battles with some roleplay added in, a lot of newer games tend to abstract combat )

Ars Magica has recieved praise from some of the crowd at the local shop, though I don't know anyone actually playing it right now.

[Hypatias_Father]

Originally Posted by Sci-fi Messiah

I don't think anything could beat a good 'ol D&D adventure. When I need to scratch said itch I always pick up my copy of the Legend of Dragoon.

What exactly is Ars Magica?

It appears to be a d10 RPG that uses a wide range of historically authentic medieval settings, but also includes hermetic, pagan, and folklore-based mythological elements as well. So, a campaign might be set in 1220 Edinburgh with historical events and people driving the gameplay, but also involving alchemy, faeries, and witchcraft.

I am truly piqued by the folk-oriented premise of the game, but the logistics sound a bit suspicious. Apparently, it is designed to be co-"DMed", by a 'troupe' of players who administer the action in turns. Or, something like that. The few people I've spoken to tell me that this isn't necessarily an important feature of the game, and that a central administrator can be used alternatively, but again there is no one near me who plays. And what I really want is to see it for myself in action.

[Hypatias_Father]

Originally Posted by Bardolph

What sort of game are you looking for?

Rules heavy, rules light, semi historical or total fantasy?
Well developed world or just a basic framework that you fill in?
Emphasis on combat or on roleplay? ( Older games tend to be more tabletop battles with some roleplay added in, a lot of newer games tend to abstract combat )

Ars Magica has recieved praise from some of the crowd at the local shop, though I don't know anyone actually playing it right now.

Honestly, I'm not sure I can offer a consistent answer to that question. At first, I thought I would go with light rules, and consequently I believed that Castles & Crusades might be the game to begin with. So, off I went to the local Half-priced Books to see what I could find. To make a long story short I couldn't find any C&C material, but I did pick up a copy of Monte Cook's 'Ptolus' (for $30 if you can believe it), and after perusing it thought, whoa, D&D is the game for me after all. To understand how impressed I am with this campaign, you must try to appreciate the fact that when I stopped playing D&D, 'Expedition to the Barrier Peaks' was considered avant garde.

But again, the problem is no one to play with.

So, the third possiblity is 'Ars Magica', which I think might interest my wife and possibly some other non-gaming friends, all avid readers of historical fiction and religious studies. At least this way I might have people to actually play with.

[Bardolph]

Hmm. Well, Ars Magica may be a bit much for non gamers. Though that depends on you, if you are running it

For historical minded folks I would recommend...
Pendragon
or perhaps Harn, which is a fantasy world but very medieval in feel.

Or you could do the GURPS thing, I have some issues with GURPS and basic physics, but it is an easily grasped system, has lots of source books for any period/genre you can imagine and can be fun. Just don't play with min/max rules lawyer types LOL!
You can get GURPS light for free online to see what it's like.

Savage Worlds is another interesting cross genre system. I've been tempted to pick this one up. The new edition is a whopping $10 and includes 95% of what was in the old hardback edition.
There are several sourcebooks for this one as well, and once again I think there is a downloadable version.

On the non historical, completely fantasy world side I would take a look at Talislanta. I really liked the mechanics in this one, and it has a well developed fantasy world. Once again, a light version is available online.

If you are interested in something a bit more esoteric there is Yaquinto's old Man, Myth and Magic series. A really neat game, written by a novelist and set in the Roman era of Caligula though your characters will journey to Hibernia, Gaul, Egypt and beyond. The adventures are well written and are a lot more than hack and slash fare. Lots of riddles and puzzle solving etc.
Might be hard to find, I've seen it on ebay though. Failing that I think I have most of a second set here, though I'd have to go digging for it.

[Hypatias_Father]

Originally Posted by Bardolph

Hmm. Well, Ars Magica may be a bit much for non gamers. Though that depends on you, if you are running it
...
For historical minded folks I would recommend...
Pendragon
or perhaps Harn, which is a fantasy world but very medieval in feel.
...
Savage Worlds is another interesting cross genre system. I've been tempted to pick this one up.
...
On the non historical, completely fantasy world side I would take a look at Talislanta. I really liked the mechanics in this one, and it has a well developed fantasy world.
...
If you are interested in something a bit more esoteric there is Yaquinto's old Man, Myth and Magic series. A really neat game, written by a novelist and set in the Roman era of Caligula though your characters will journey to Hibernia, Gaul, Egypt and beyond. The adventures are well written and are a lot more than hack and slash fare. Lots of riddles and puzzle solving etc.

Okay, wow. These are great pointers, Bardolph, and I will search around online for each one, particularly the last one, and post back.

In the meantime, I did get a response today from a local player on another RPG site who says I might be able to drop in on a game of Ars Magica. If it pans out, I'll try to report back.

[Tiberius]

Ars Magica, there is a blast from the past in the college days. My roommate went and bought the books and we never did set down to figure out how to make characters and play, but I remember wanting to. So as far as gameplay I really cant give an opinion other than Magic the gathering looked alot easier and fun at the time.

[Mythic]

Originally Posted by Hypatias_Father

Having recently felt an RPG itch that needs to be scratched, I was set to begin playing D&D again; but before I start inve$ting in yet another gaming addiction, I thought it might be good to ask around on a few boards for recommendations. Maybe Ars Magica would be a better place to begin again. I like the idea of playing with authentic history.

Why not role play in Valhalla? I know several have put together some basic scenario-based approaches, and over in this thread http://heroscapers.com/community/sho...d.php?p=445408 we are discussing free rules-lite true RPG's that would lend themselves to HeroScape.

I hope to publish a rough draft later this week based on the D6 Legend System which lends itself to the HeroScape dice.

Join us over there if you are interested...

[Dad_Scaper]

Giving this thread a little because I have the same question.

I just ordered Castles & Crusades available at Amazon for $29.95 including the free shipping.

Hypatias_Father mentioned it. . . Any feedback on that one in particular?

[InfinityMax]

There are several RPG fans at this site, but if you want definitive discussions of roleplaying games, I highly recommend the forums at RPG.net. Any time you might have a question about a game, you can start (or search for) a thread titled, 'Sell Me On [whatever game]'. We're the best place on the web for Heroscape info; they've got the corner on the RPG market over there. Any time I need RPG info, that's where I go.

[Dad_Scaper]

Originally Posted by InfinityMax

There are several RPG fans at this site, but if you want definitive discussions of roleplaying games, I highly recommend the forums at RPG.net. Any time you might have a question about a game, you can start (or search for) a thread titled, 'Sell Me On [whatever game]'. We're the best place on the web for Heroscape info; they've got the corner on the RPG market over there. Any time I need RPG info, that's where I go.

Outstanding. I just registered there on your advice, thanks InfinityMax. Also I checked out your site which is excellent.