From: eeb1@ellis.uchicago.edu (e elizabeth bartley)
Subject: Re: 3rd Ed. Ars Magica
Reply-To: eeb1@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago Computing Organizations
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1992 15:03:10 GMT

In article <1992Aug25.165235.1428@stiatl.salestech.com>
rwt@stiatl.salestech.com (Roger Terrell) writes:

>Can anyone summarize for me the differences between 2nd edition
>Ars Magica (which I have now) and 3rd edition (that just came out)?

Hoo boy!  Tall order.  I'll give it a shot....

To begin with, the essential flavor of both games is the same; AM3
has as much charm - and the same type of charm - as AM2.

Third edition Ars Magica does more with the background world --
medeival Europe.  It's not so much the number of pages (though I'm
sure AM3 goes on at greater length about medieval Europe than AM2),
it's the sense of depth that AM3's treatment of the game world gives.

Actual rules changes....

More virtues and flaws.  *Lots* more virtues and flaws.

True Love and Code of Honor have been removed and replaced by an
entire new type of virtue: Passions.  If you have a passion (love,
lust, loyalty, vengeance, valour, compassion, honor, rebel, hate,
rage, etc.), you can invest a confidence point to add your passion
score to all appropriate actions within a scene.

Confidence has been revamped.  Instead of being added to a roll, it a)
activates Passions (as above), and b) allows a reroll.  In either
case, you "invest" a Confidence point, which you can lose; if you've
activated a Passion, you lose the Confidence point with a botch or by
taking an action against your Passion (striking your foe while he's
defenceless if you've activated the Honor Passion, etc.) and if you've
asked for a reroll you lose the Confidence point merely by failing.
You gain Confidence by making an outstanding success after investing a
Confidence point.

There are now *two* combat systems: the dueling system, which is the
same as the AM2 combat system, and the action system, which is based
along the same lines but shortens combat by assuming same die rolls to
always be sixes.

They're added a new realm/aura: Rational power, which subtracts from
all of the other powers.  [Personally, this is the only changes that I
think was a bad idea.]

They've added Spell Foci: a type of object for every spell that a
Verditus magus needs to cast the spell and other magi gain a bonus on
casting the spell if they use.  These Foci are related to the spell
effect in some way or other, and the closer related they are the
greater the bonus.  (Examples: spider-web for Weaver's Trap of Webs,
amethyst (associated with Jupiter and authority) for Aura of Rightful
Power, sapphire (associated with clear thought) for Gift of Reason,
hair from a cat for Eyes of the Cat, a hand of glory (hand removed
from a murderer's corpse) for Weight of a Thousand Hells and Visions
of Infernal Terrors and another couple of very nasty spells, green
turquoise (associated with necromancy) for Whispers Through the Black
Gate and a couple other spells dealing with the dead and undead, etc.)

They've sprinkled "you could do this, or this, or this" type
suggestions, mostly fairly off-the-wall, throughout the book....  The
one that springs to mind is a nomadic Covenant.

For rolling up characters....  They've changed the Virtues/Flaws to 10
pts each for magi, 5 pts each for Companions, 1 pt (I think) for
grogs.  They've also removed the "even split" requirement: you can buy
characteristics as virtues/flaws (seven points, plus you can draw from
your virtues/flaws pool), or you can roll dice as in 2nd edition, but
you can split the totals Int +4 Per +1, etc. if you want.

They've redone Familiars, making them (in general) more powerful and
versatile.  Certainly more interesting....

That's it that springs to mind at the moment, but I'm sure there are
more changes....  Anybody want to help me out here?

--
Coratha of Twilight, archmaga of Bonisagus and Diedne and amica of Criamon.
Llarana, duchess of Amber and Rebma.   Nimerus of Verditus.  David of Amber.
Mara.  Miranda.  Elspeth of Bonisagus.  Nuron (the one and only).  Iluri.
McSorley.  Lieva, Quaesitor and archmaga of Flambeau and Trianoma.  Tiliana.