Enclopedia Magica - [Archive] - Wizards Community

Enclopedia Magica - [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Slime Lord
09-06-05, 06:17 PM I was a used book store earlier today and noticed these fun looking Plastic"Leather" TSR books. They're preety spiffy. Has a massive host of items, prices, detail, etc.

There is four of them, and they are 2E, and from of course TSR Time. But does anyone else have these and are they good otherwise?
Kuje31
09-06-05, 06:34 PM Course I do and I love them. How can you go wrong with 1,000+ magical items. :)

They are as good as the wizard and priest spell compendiums from 2e as well. :)
Slime Lord
09-06-05, 06:42 PM Course I do and I love them. How can you go wrong with 1,000+ magical items. :)

They are as good as the wizard and priest spell compendiums from 2e as well. :)

I don't know if I saw those...are they like large'esk but thing'ish? Cause I saw tons of Priest, Wizard, Druid, Ranger, etc.etc.etc. books there.

Edit:Oh! I think I also saw a DnD Players Handbook from 1978!

And, is that Players Hand book from 2E worth getting so I know stuff? Cause I saw that one there and it was newer'esk looking. Given if I try to find anyone, it'd likely be 3E or so.
Kuje31
09-06-05, 06:45 PM I don't know if I saw those...are they like large'esk but thing'ish? Cause I saw tons of Priest, Wizard, Druid, Ranger, etc.etc.etc. books there.

The wizard set is 4 books and the cleric set is 3 books but the divine series also has druid/ranger/etc spells in it.

They are called:

Wizard’s Spell Compendium – Volume 1 though 4.
Priest’s Spell Compendium – Volume 1 through 3.
Dielzen
09-06-05, 06:53 PM Got all 11 books in question, and I find it fun to pull out a book and flip to a random page from time to time and convert it to 3.5e and give it to my players in some way.

Nothing like an "obscure item" to send PCs on a quest to find the creator and see if they can learn more :)
jim9311
09-06-05, 07:02 PM how do you convert the cost of the magic items? i can convert the percentage bonuses easy enough, but i was wondring about pricing.
GothicDan
09-06-05, 07:03 PM I have all of the books listed but two of the Priest Spell Compendiums. Damn my age. I wish I had the money to pick them up second hand.

In any event, they are absolutely awesome. When I prepare 2E Wizard characters, I spend just days sifting through the Wizard's Spell Compendiums.

As to the PHB... If you aren't playing 3E rules, there's no reason to buy it. But I know that I personally enjoy the actual reading of it far more than the new 3E ones. Just the diction and writing style is more dramatic, without being all edgy. I could actually sit down and just read 2E books, cover to cover... Whereas in 3E I just skip to the sections I want, and am usually disappointed to find.
Dielzen
09-06-05, 08:00 PM how do you convert the cost of the magic items? i can convert the percentage bonuses easy enough, but i was wondring about pricing.

Depends on how you want to do it. You can either use the guidelines in the DMG/SRD, or compare items in those sources with the same item in the EM series, then rough it.

Say DMG says A = 5k, EM says 4k
then DMG says B = 10k, EM says 9k

So EM says an item is worth 6500, then just roughly put it at 7500 in 3.5e

If you're throwing mundane items the PCs won't want around, you don't really need the EM series. If you want some fun/unique items and "expendables" that will be fun for your PCs, then you won't have to worry about sell values.
Mage eye
09-06-05, 10:31 PM Loved them. You should try the Bag of Beans 2, we spent many sundays just playing around with them.
Slime Lord
09-06-05, 10:35 PM Loved them. You should try the Bag of Beans 2, we spent many sundays just playing around with them.

Haven't ran across that yet in Vol1, but I have seen Deck of Many Things. I was "YES!" on them.
dawgfan
09-07-05, 02:32 AM And please dont forget the coolest item in the Encyclopedia Magica, and thats the freakin evil Coke machine. You have to check that one out, although as to the exact name I am drawing a blank.
Ripe
09-07-05, 02:35 AM Haven't ran across that yet in Vol1, but I have seen Deck of Many Things. I was "YES!" on them.
Which one? If I remember corectly there is more than one Deck listed in Volume 1.
Slime Lord
09-07-05, 09:38 AM Which one? If I remember corectly there is more than one Deck listed in Volume 1.

Yes, true. There are a handful of 'Deck of' stuff in there, it's all very spiffy I must say.

Some of these things I know I can use if I ever manage to start learning how to play and build my Triangle of Three campaign. WOOT.
Mage eye
09-07-05, 07:39 PM And please dont forget the coolest item in the Encyclopedia Magica, and thats the freakin evil Coke machine. You have to check that one out, although as to the exact name I am drawing a blank.

It's called Ardraken's Refreshment Simulacrum and in volum 1 page 62.
The bag of beans 2 is on 124.These books are still viable. I still read them sometimes for fun and to get ideas.
arrianna
09-09-05, 01:11 PM I have the priests spell compendium and the wizards spell compendium and the encyclopedia magica. We use them all the time when we can't find the #e version (or are too lazy to look for it). But, my favorite piece of 2e stuff is my deck of encounters. It's an easy random encounter tool that isn't just monsters.
jim9311
09-10-05, 02:19 PM If you're throwing mundane items the PCs won't want around, you don't really need the EM series. If you want some fun/unique items and "expendables" that will be fun for your PCs, then you won't have to worry about sell values.

wasn't worried about just throwing them around, i just was curious about ricing for NPC wealth levels, etc. Thanks for the formula approach though. That should help.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Slime Lord 09-06-05, 06:17 PM	I was a used book store earlier today and noticed these fun looking Plastic"Leather" TSR books. They're preety spiffy. Has a massive host of items, prices, detail, etc. There is four of them, and they are 2E, and from of course TSR Time. But does anyone else have these and are they good otherwise?
Kuje31 09-06-05, 06:34 PM	Course I do and I love them. How can you go wrong with 1,000+ magical items. :) They are as good as the wizard and priest spell compendiums from 2e as well. :)
Slime Lord 09-06-05, 06:42 PM	Course I do and I love them. How can you go wrong with 1,000+ magical items. :) They are as good as the wizard and priest spell compendiums from 2e as well. :) I don't know if I saw those...are they like large'esk but thing'ish? Cause I saw tons of Priest, Wizard, Druid, Ranger, etc.etc.etc. books there. Edit:Oh! I think I also saw a DnD Players Handbook from 1978! And, is that Players Hand book from 2E worth getting so I know stuff? Cause I saw that one there and it was newer'esk looking. Given if I try to find anyone, it'd likely be 3E or so.
Kuje31 09-06-05, 06:45 PM	I don't know if I saw those...are they like large'esk but thing'ish? Cause I saw tons of Priest, Wizard, Druid, Ranger, etc.etc.etc. books there. The wizard set is 4 books and the cleric set is 3 books but the divine series also has druid/ranger/etc spells in it. They are called: Wizard’s Spell Compendium – Volume 1 though 4. Priest’s Spell Compendium – Volume 1 through 3.
Dielzen 09-06-05, 06:53 PM	Got all 11 books in question, and I find it fun to pull out a book and flip to a random page from time to time and convert it to 3.5e and give it to my players in some way. Nothing like an "obscure item" to send PCs on a quest to find the creator and see if they can learn more :)
jim9311 09-06-05, 07:02 PM	how do you convert the cost of the magic items? i can convert the percentage bonuses easy enough, but i was wondring about pricing.
GothicDan 09-06-05, 07:03 PM	I have all of the books listed but two of the Priest Spell Compendiums. Damn my age. I wish I had the money to pick them up second hand. In any event, they are absolutely awesome. When I prepare 2E Wizard characters, I spend just days sifting through the Wizard's Spell Compendiums. As to the PHB... If you aren't playing 3E rules, there's no reason to buy it. But I know that I personally enjoy the actual reading of it far more than the new 3E ones. Just the diction and writing style is more dramatic, without being all edgy. I could actually sit down and just read 2E books, cover to cover... Whereas in 3E I just skip to the sections I want, and am usually disappointed to find.
Dielzen 09-06-05, 08:00 PM	how do you convert the cost of the magic items? i can convert the percentage bonuses easy enough, but i was wondring about pricing. Depends on how you want to do it. You can either use the guidelines in the DMG/SRD, or compare items in those sources with the same item in the EM series, then rough it. Say DMG says A = 5k, EM says 4k then DMG says B = 10k, EM says 9k So EM says an item is worth 6500, then just roughly put it at 7500 in 3.5e If you're throwing mundane items the PCs won't want around, you don't really need the EM series. If you want some fun/unique items and "expendables" that will be fun for your PCs, then you won't have to worry about sell values.
Mage eye 09-06-05, 10:31 PM	Loved them. You should try the Bag of Beans 2, we spent many sundays just playing around with them.
Slime Lord 09-06-05, 10:35 PM	Loved them. You should try the Bag of Beans 2, we spent many sundays just playing around with them. Haven't ran across that yet in Vol1, but I have seen Deck of Many Things. I was "YES!" on them.
dawgfan 09-07-05, 02:32 AM	And please dont forget the coolest item in the Encyclopedia Magica, and thats the freakin evil Coke machine. You have to check that one out, although as to the exact name I am drawing a blank.
Ripe 09-07-05, 02:35 AM	Haven't ran across that yet in Vol1, but I have seen Deck of Many Things. I was "YES!" on them. Which one? If I remember corectly there is more than one Deck listed in Volume 1.
Slime Lord 09-07-05, 09:38 AM	Which one? If I remember corectly there is more than one Deck listed in Volume 1. Yes, true. There are a handful of 'Deck of' stuff in there, it's all very spiffy I must say. Some of these things I know I can use if I ever manage to start learning how to play and build my Triangle of Three campaign. WOOT.
Mage eye 09-07-05, 07:39 PM	And please dont forget the coolest item in the Encyclopedia Magica, and thats the freakin evil Coke machine. You have to check that one out, although as to the exact name I am drawing a blank. It's called Ardraken's Refreshment Simulacrum and in volum 1 page 62. The bag of beans 2 is on 124.These books are still viable. I still read them sometimes for fun and to get ideas.
arrianna 09-09-05, 01:11 PM	I have the priests spell compendium and the wizards spell compendium and the encyclopedia magica. We use them all the time when we can't find the #e version (or are too lazy to look for it). But, my favorite piece of 2e stuff is my deck of encounters. It's an easy random encounter tool that isn't just monsters.
jim9311 09-10-05, 02:19 PM	If you're throwing mundane items the PCs won't want around, you don't really need the EM series. If you want some fun/unique items and "expendables" that will be fun for your PCs, then you won't have to worry about sell values. wasn't worried about just throwing them around, i just was curious about ricing for NPC wealth levels, etc. Thanks for the formula approach though. That should help.