I spent a few hours this morning editing Ars Metamagica to include feedback from playtesters while waiting for my car to be serviced. Lots of clarifications and improvements to the system have been implemented. I sent the revised PDF back to the playtesters for a second review.
This PDF is going to be a good one, and perhaps a long-overdue tweak to what many feel is a less-than-thrilling aspect of the game.
In short, I've never been pleased with the core metamagic system being based on feats. Feats are precious commodities, and, in the case of metamagic feats, are precious commodities rendered cheap by the inclusion of metamagic rods. I can't think of any other group of feats that can be made obsolete so easily by magic items.
Ars Metamagica presents a system that replaces feats with a metamagic check mechanic that gives casters more flexibility but not without potential costs. Manipulating the metamagic arts can take its toll on the body's health, after all.
If I keep on schedule, I'll have the final PDF ready for sale by the first Sunday in September.
Mark L. Chance | Spes Magna Games
Curious to see what comes of this based on the playtesters' feedback. =)
Me too! :)
I'm quite pleased with the feedback. Aside from folks catching cut-and-paste errors, suggesting improvements for arrangement of sections, et cetera, I got some insightful critiques of a few unintended quirks and flaws.
Mark L. Chance | Spes Magna Games
This is a great product, and I think it's well worth picking up if you want a more flexible casting environment. It's pretty awesome.
-Ben.
This is a great product, and I think it's well worth picking up if you want a more flexible casting environment. It's pretty awesome.
You're only saying that because it's true. :)
Mark L. Chance | Spes Magna Games
Whew!
Rough week. New job ate into my energy and spare time more than I thought it would. Working on the last edits this weekend. I hope to have Ars Metamagica available for sale before this coming Tuesday, 7 September.
Received some more feedback from playtesters this past week as well. Several have said they plan on making Ars Metamagica their default metamagic rules. Excellent!
Mark L. Chance | Spes Magna Games
Whew!
Rough week. New job ate into my energy and spare time more than I thought it would. Working on the last edits this weekend. I hope to have Ars Metamagica available for sale before this coming Tuesday, 7 September.
Received some more feedback from playtesters this past week as well. Several have said they plan on making Ars Metamagica their default metamagic rules. Excellent!
Is that a Mr. Burns "Excellent!" or a Bill & Ted's "Excellent!"
Is that a Mr. Burns "Excellent!" or a Bill & Ted's "Excellent!"
Mr. Burns. Always. I just love tenting my fingers. :)
Well, I think Ars Metamagica is done. Well, as done as any piece of writing ever is. I've incorporated the last of the feedback I've received. I stuck in a few pictures. I've printed a copy for one more proofread, which I'll take care of after Mass. Ars Metamagica should be available for purchase tomorrow.
Mark L. Chance | Spes Magna Games
Ars Metamagica is now for sale at DriveThruRPG for $1.50 US.
This 13-page, printer-friendly PDF describes an alternate metamagic system that replaces metamagic feats with a metamagic check mechanic. Spellcasters daily select a palette of metamagic arts with which to modify their spells. Whether a prepared caster or a spontaneous caster, the spell-slinger makes a metamagic check at casting time to successfully reshape the magical energies. Success means greater customization of spells, but failure risks magical feedback. Also included are these:
* Specific recommendations about modifying class features, spells, and other rules impacted by Ars Metamagica.
* Five new feats that let casters dig deeper into the metamagic arts.
* Two new traits for casters with an affinity for the metamagic arts.
* A new type of metamagic rod that works with rather than replaces the metamagic system.
Ars Metamagica is now for sale at DriveThruRPG for $1.50 US.
At that price tag, there is *no* reason not to pick this up. It's a very cool way to augment the spellcasting system! I was a playtester, and this is going in my games from here forward, it's just that much fun.
-Ben.
Will this product be sold here at Paizo's website sometime in the future?
I must admit the continuous availability of pdfs to purchasers is a huge plus. For me it was indeed a lifesaver as I once lost my entire pathfinder folder due to an accidental deletion (hate Windows Vista, 'nuff said there). It was a simple matter to reload all of my files purchased through Paizo. Had I bought the pdfs from another webstore, that would not necessarily have been the case and I could have lost hundreds of dollars.
By the way, I have really been holding out on allowing my players access to the Metamagic Feats as I feel they are just too easy to use to make super power builds, as if arcane casters need more power. This product sounds like it will, if not fix the lack of penalty for using these feats, at least give me good ideas to use and stand firm upon.
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Will this product be sold here at Paizo's website sometime in the future?
It already is - here or else http://paizo.com/store/downloads/spesMagnaGames/v5748btpy8gni
Edit: Alzrius, not every DriveThru/RPGNow file is available for unlimited downloading, or at least they certainly weren't in the past few years. Most had a 5 or 10 download limitation on them. Paizo's downloads have always been unlimited.
Will this product be sold here at Paizo's website sometime in the future?
As already noted, Ars Metamagica is now available at Paizo. The direct link is this sentence. The PDF uploader didn't cooperate with me until yesterday.
By the way, I have really been holding out on allowing my players access to the Metamagic Feats as I feel they are just too easy to use to make super power builds, as if arcane casters need more power. This product sounds like it will, if not fix the lack of penalty for using these feats, at least give me good ideas to use and stand firm upon.
Well, I hope Ars Metamagica helps, but keep in mind that it makes casters more flexible.
Mark L. Chance | Spes Magna Games
This sentence (and the price) sold me: "Whether a prepared caster or a spontaneous caster, the spell-slinger makes a metamagic check at casting time to successfully reshape the magical energies. Success means greater customization of spells, but failure risks magical feedback."
This is the kind of thing I am interested in seeing, some risk to the spellcaster if they try to make use of metamagics. And with the price, I can't loose. Thanks for the response, Mark.
This is the kind of thing I am interested in seeing, some risk to the spellcaster if they try to make use of metamagics. And with the price, I can't loose. Thanks for the response, Mark.
Not a problem. It's what I live for. :)
reviewed here and at ENworld.
Excellent! Thanks! :)