Tome of Magic introduces three new magic subsystems for the D&D game. Any or all of these systems can easily be inserted into a campaign. Pact magic gives characters the ability to channel lost souls, harnessing their abilities to gain supernatural powers. Shadow magic draws power from the mysterious Plane of Shadow. Truename magic gives characters that learn and properly use the true name of a creature or object immense power over it. All three systems introduce new base classes and spellcasting mechanics. Also included are new feats, prestige classes, magic items, and spells.
The excerpts below include information about each of the three new systems, a couple of vestiges, the noctumancer prestige class, a weapon special ability, the Lexicon of the Evolving Mind list, and a creature. For more from the main introduction in this book, check out the February 2006 Preview.
Table of Contents and Introduction
Introduction Pact Magic Lesser Pact Magic The Methods of Pact Magic Learning Pact Magic The Binder The Vestiges Choosing a Vestige Making a Pact Multiple Vestiges Vestige Descriptions Acererak, the Devourer Agares, Truth Betrayed Amon, the Void before the Altar Andras, the Gray Knight Andromalius, the Repentant Rogue Aym, Queen Avarice Balam, the Bitter Angel Buer, Grandmother Huntress Chupoclops, Harbinger of Forever Dahlver-Nar, the Tortured One Dantalion, the Star Emperor Eligor, Dragon's Slayer Eurynome, Mother of the Material Focalor, Prince of Tears Geryon, the Deposed Lord Haagenti, Mother of Minotaurs Halphax, the Angel in the Angle Haures, the Dreaming Duke Ipos, Prince of Fools Karsus, Hubris in the Blood Leraje, the Green Herald Malphas, the Turnfeather Marchosias, King of Killers Naberius, the Grinning Hound Orthos, Sovereign of the Howling Dark Otiax, the Key to the Gate Paimon, the Dancer Ronove, the Iron Maiden Savnok, the Instigator Shax, Sea Sister Tenebrous, the Shadow That Was Zagan, Duke of Disappointment Pact Magic Prestige Classes Anima Mage Knight of the Sacred Seal Scion of Dantalion Tenebrous Apostate Witch Slayer Pact Magic Feats Pact Magic Items Chime of Suppression Implements of Binding Soul Lens Seal of the Spirit Teeth of Dahlver-Nar Vestige Phylactery Pact Magic Monsters Deadly Dancer Deathshead Horned Beast Karsite Roving Mauler Swarm, Murder of Crows Tooth Beast Pact Magic Organizations The Order of Seropaenes Theurgian Society Pact Magic Adventure Sites The Hidden Library Tower of Woe Shadow Magic The Plane of Shadow The Methods of Shadow Magic Lesser Shadow Magic Learning Shadow Magic The Shadowcaster Shadow Magic Prestige Classes Child of Night Master of shadow Noctumancer Shadowblade Shadowsmith Shadow Magic Feats Mysteries and Paths Shadow Magic Items Spell Completion and Spell Trigger Items Other Standard Magic Items New Armor Special Material: Shadow Silk New Weapon Special Ability: Shadow Striking Rings and Wondrous Items Shadow Magic Monsters Dark Creature Ephemeral Hangman Genie, Khayal Shadow Elemental Shadow Magic Organizations Nightshade Covenant Tenebrous Cabal Votaries of Vecna Shadow Magic Adventure Sites Fark's Road Nightwatch Black Spire Truename Magic Lesser Truename Magic The Methods of Truename Magic Truenames at the Table Incorporating Truenames Truename Glossary Learning Truename Magic Speaking a Truename Truespeak (Int; Trained Only) Truename Research Discovering a Personal Truename The Truenamer Truename Magic Prestige Classes Acolyte of the Ego Bereft Brimstone Speaker Disciple of the Word Fiendbinder Truename Feats Recitations Utterances Speaking an Utterance Utter Defensively Spell Resistance Personal Truename Target Range Duration Effective Spell Level The Laws Counterspeaking and Dispelling Lexicons Lexicon of the Evolving Mind Lexicon of the Crafted Tool Lexicon of the Perfected Map Truename Spells Truename Magic Items Potions Spell Trigger or Spell Completion Items Wondrous Items Amulet of the Silver Tongue Artifacts Book of True Binds Tome of Truenaming Truename Monsters Archon, Word Devil, Logokron Garbler Loquasphinx Painspeaker Truename Organizations Collectors of the Lexicon Kingmakers Truename Magic Adventure Sites Vault of Catharandamus Shrine of Gath-Mal
Introduction
Magic creates fantasy. Strange creatures and unusual characters can move a tale a step away from reality, but it takes magic -- the dragon's fiery breath, the wizard's powerful spell, or some other element beyond reality -- to make the leap to truly fantastic tales. The Dungeons & Dragons game provides countless ways for players and DMs to experience fantasy through magic, but it offers relatively few means by which characters can employ this essential element of the game.
Tome of Magic presents three new forms of magic that are unlike any previously offered in the D&D game, and each provides tremendous opportunities for DMs to infuse more fantasy into their campaigns. These new forms of magic can be introduced by incorporating them into ongoing plots and existing characters, or they can form the basis for whole new adventures that would have been impossible using only the standard forms of magic.
This introduction describes the features of this book and explains how to use them. After reading it, you can begin your exploration into the new forms of magic with any chapter.
ADVICE FOR DMS
The prospect of assimilating new forms of magic into your campaign might seem daunting, but the process isn't as difficult as it might seem. First of all, you don't need to adopt all three forms of magic at once. You could review the material and introduce the one you like best first. Alternatively, you could add just one or two new forms of magic and not use the rest in your campaign at all. But if you do want to introduce all three forms of magic at once, you can do so quite easily.
Unlike the relatively common magic of wizards, sorcerers, druids, and clerics, each new form of magic presented in this book is a secret undiscovered by most people. Thus, you can adopt one or all of them on the sly. The PCs might find a book in a treasure hoard or a hidden library that describes a new form of magic, or they might discover tantalizing hints about it in a mural on the walls of a ruin. Alternatively, they might face a monster that utilizes one of the new forms of magic, or find a magic item related to it. Better still, the PCs could meet a new NPC who practices the magic in question so that they can see it in action before they know much about it. You can even subtly work the magic types into the history of your campaign world -- great heroes and villains of legend might have been practitioners, but history ascribed their powers to normal spellcasting or magic items.
You can also take a more direct route and introduce the new magic types by allowing players to create new characters using the material presented in this book or add levels in these classes to existing characters. Indeed, giving the players the opportunity to create unique PCs and to have characters who possess more knowledge about the magic types than most NPCs do allows them to feel accomplished and powerful. In addition, being the ones "in the know" gives the players ownership over these concepts.
For more specific ideas about incorporating these new forms of magic into your game, check out the beginning of each chapter.
ADVICE FOR PLAYERS
You can get a lot of use from this product as a player. By creating a character that uses one of the new forms of magic presented in these pages (or having your PC take a level in one of the standard classes from this book), you can bring a host of new ideas, tactics, and roleplaying opportunities to the gaming table. You can surprise friends and foes alike with your new abilities, and plumb new depths of the campaign world in the process of seeking out more information about your chosen type of magic.
As with any new game element, you should consult your DM before you start using this material. Your experience using your chosen form of magic will be greatly enhanced if the DM understands the rules and builds a place for it in her game.
For more specific ideas about how your character can use the new forms of magic, check out the beginning of each chapter. The sections describing the new standard classes and prestige classes also provide a wealth of suggestions about roleplaying, character background, tactics, and advancement choices.
WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY
Tome of Magic makes use of the information in the three D&D core rulebooks -- Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual. Though no other books are strictly necessary, certain ones might increase your enjoyment of this product. Most notably, Manual of the Planes and Planar Handbook provide cool material about the Plane of Shadow that adds value to the chapter on shadow magic, and Draconomicon, Libris Mortis, and Savage Species offer feats that might prove useful to certain practitioners of pact magic.
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