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#1 Shiftkitty Jun 16, 2009 15:01:54

This game by Paul Jessup has come out only recently. It's got some flaws, but they are easily houseruled. For example, there's no way to gain the ability to use a weapon not allowed to you at generation. Well, RAW gives you one point to add to one skill/saving throw of your choice each level, so I just ruled that you could use that point to pick up a particular weapon instead of boosting a stat. Also, two spell descriptions are missing, and the Illusionist's spellbook is missing. IMO, there are too many classes if you include the sub-classes, but again, you lose nothing if you omit some. Mage, Illusionist, Alchemist, Elementalist, do we need four arcane-type classes? Given that the differences are minor, mostly just spell lists, one can easily just roll them all into a Wizard class and be done with it. Other classes have their own subclasses, and they, too, are easily tweaked. NOW FOR THE GOOD STUFF... Speed of play from the time you first say "I'm going to make a new character" to the time the DM says "You're in a tavern..." is 15 minutes tops, so this is a game well-suited for the working class gamer who doesn't have a lot of time on his or her hands. It's amazingly easy to learn, and any veteran DM who can't pick it up within a commercial break is lying about their veteran status. Record keeping is as minimal or as elaborate as you want it. Creating custom content, such as races, classes, subclasses, prestige classes, monsters, and magical items, is reduced to a mathematical forumla that seems to bring about balance by its very nature. The skill list is minimal, covering "Feats of..." agility, prowess, perception, knowledge, and persuasion. Attack, defense, and Magic, are the other rolls you'll make in the game, and these scores are simple calculations based off your standard 6 attributes. Add in one Luck Bonus, which is 1 or 0 unless you get a magical goody that boosts it, and you're good to go. Races and classes add bonuses to these rolls that are calculated in at generation. The whole game seems to balance against itself, and as a housewife with a full-time job, I can really appreciate the speed of the system. I even statted out some D&D iconic monsters that aren't in Magpie and the Magpie Codex versions came out very close to the 4e originals right down to the XP total. The quick-start rules are available for free at RPGNow, and there are two bundles available there as well for 11-15$. If antone else here has played this game, I'd love to chat with ya!