Post/Author/DateTime	Post
FlameLover 04-01-06, 02:41 AM	I'm looking at getting ToM soon, but don't know much about shadowmagic yet. I understand pact magic mostly, and the basics of truenames, but what are these mysteries I keep heering about? I understand you can't copy whole loads of text from the book onto the boards, but a reasnobly deep explanation of the system or a particular mystery would really help. I keep hearing the system is complicated - how so? etc. Sorry for being a pain, but I'd love to know what it's about before I make the 1 hour trip up to the city to buy it.
PossiblyInsane 04-01-06, 02:46 AM	now when you say this do you mean the Shadow Weave of FR or the Shadow Magic that uses the material of the Plane of Shadow?
FlameLover 04-01-06, 03:17 AM	Sorry, I should have been clearer. I'm talking about Shadow MAgic as presented in the Tome of Magic. It invloves a new base class called the Shadowcaster IIRC, and the classes ability involve something called Mysteries (which are similar to Warlock invocations I think).
Kratilim Valqui 04-01-06, 05:25 AM	Shadow magic is quite simple realy. You start of with a few fundementals, something like cantrips, only a bit stronger. At first you can manifest them 3 times per day. At each level you can choose one new mystery every level. Mysteries progress in paths. 3 mysteries each. There are 3 levels of paths. Apprentice (1st to 3rd lvl mysteries), initiate(4th to 5th level mysteries) and master (7 to 9th level mysteries). You can manifest each mistery a set amount of times each day. As you gain higher in level you gain uses of each. To be able to choose a higher level mystery, you must have 2 mysteries of the level before it (ex. you must have 2 lvl 2 mysteries in order to choose a lvl 3 one). Mysteries themselfs act very much like spells. but as you progress in level they change from spells(1/day) to spell-like(2/day) abilities to supernatrual abilities(3/day). Ah well, I've done my best :)
FlameLover 04-01-06, 06:36 AM	Thank you so much for the clarification! One more question though :P How does the "2 mysteries of level before" rule affect things? If I'm seeing this right you'd always be picking mysteries of the highest level you could, meaning that it's a given. Wait - do you have to pick two specific mysteries or just any two? If it is two specific mysteries then that makes sense.
Kratilim Valqui 04-01-06, 06:47 AM	It's like this: Every path has 3 mysteries. A, B and C. In order to pick C. you have to have B first. But in order to choose B you need A. In addition, In order to pick B. You need A from this path and A from a second path. And in order to pick C you need B from that path and B from a second path. I hope it helps!
FlameLover 04-01-06, 08:00 AM	Thank you, that makes sense. Now I know what i'm buying :). What's your favourite part of the book, by the way?
Kratilim Valqui 04-01-06, 11:06 AM	I like every single thing from the book, but shadow magic most appeals to me, I'm somewhat of a dark person so :)