[RPG]: Artesia: Adventures In The Known World, reviewed by C.W.Richeson (4/4)

http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/13/13020.phtml

Christopher W. Richeson's Summary:

<I>Artesia</I> provides a unique fantasy setting, a rules set that strives for realism, and a system of magic that actually feels magical.

Go to the full review for more information.

[Dan Davenport]

Great job on what I know has to be a daunting book to review!

Seems like I read somewhere that there are two general categories of magic in Artesia: small, practical secular magic and big, powerful divine magic. I didn't get that from your review, though. Is that the case, or am I just imagining things?

[crimfan]

Nice review. I largely agree. Artesia: AITKW looks like a very cool game but it could use some simplification as, while, the Fuzion mechanic is simple enough, there are a lot of extras and special rules that make it complex. I should note there is some supplementary material available on the web that is useful, including an index, character sheets, some pregen NPCs, bestiary, etc.: http://www.theknownworld.com/downloads.html

Crimfan

[C.W.Richeson]

Originally Posted by Dan Davenport

Great job on what I know has to be a daunting book to review!

Seems like I read somewhere that there are two general categories of magic in Artesia: small, practical secular magic and big, powerful divine magic. I didn't get that from your review, though. Is that the case, or am I just imagining things?

Thanks, Dan!

That's not the case, there's one magic system with variations based on spellcasting tradition. On top of that characters can gain benefits by giving religious sacrifices.

You may be thinking of Incantations and Rituals. Rituals are typically performed by small to large groups and pack more punch. The differences between the two are pretty small, however.

Originally Posted by crimfan

Nice review. I largely agree. Artesia: AITKW looks like a very cool game but it could use some simplification as, while, the Fuzion mechanic is simple enough, there are a lot of extras and special rules that make it complex. I should note there is some supplementary material available on the web that is useful, including an index, character sheets, some pregen NPCs, bestiary, etc.: http://www.theknownworld.com/downloads.html

Crimfan

An excellent resource to point out! Thanks, Crimfan!

[Skiorht]

Thanks for a very good review, which echoes my own feelings about the game closely. I have a group mildly interested in the game, but the buy-in in terms of setting knowledge is pretty demanding, and the comics are making their way around the group slowly, so it's going to take a few months just to get the game running. I'm also a bit worried about the references to "secrets" of the setting, since I normally steer well clear of any settings with metaplot.

As a GM, my primary worry is the experience system, which looks like an awful lot of work and requires too much GM interpretation for my tastes. If I get to run the thing, I'll have the players assign their own experience according to their interpretation of the Arcana.

[C.W.Richeson]

Originally Posted by Skiorht

If I get to run the thing, I'll have the players assign their own experience according to their interpretation of the Arcana.

That's a neat idea, Skiorht, I like it! If I ever find myself in an Artesia game I think I'll try that out.

[Kilgs]

Excellent review. I never even thought of reviewing this a second time after the first one came out.

Good examples of Character Histories created through the Lifepath system can be found in my AP thread and at theknownworld.com

This game has completely revived my love for fantasy. I am now running a tabletop game (duration 14 months) and an RPOL game (just started) I am so pumped with this system.

[Tom B]

I'm involved in a PBP Artesia game, and it's very interesting. It does take awhile to get through character creation, but you certainly end up with a well-realized character. It's a much crunchier system than I would choose to run myself, but as a player I like it so far.

As to the magic system, you learn a few Principles that can be used to cast a wide variety of spells as needed that are based on the Principle. You devise individual spells as needed from the general Principle. In addition you can learn any number of Charms and the like...these are very specific spells, unlike Principles.

[oliof]

I am playing an ongoing campaign using the Artesia rules.

Regarding the Index: That is a major omission I fixed by adding register bookmarks to my rule book. It helps perusing the book greatly.

Also, our GM made several nice things that help us manage the data we need

a) a collection of the character creation stuff in a little booklet (which is spread ove the book - some of the tables needed are in the back of the book, since it would have been 20+ pages of tables in the middle of it else)

b) a small booklet for writing down arcana points. After a session we go through the book and players pitch for the groups' and players' arcana points. This speeds up the process immensely

c) a combat data sheet

d) a magic data sheet is in the works

All this is possible because the copyright note in the game says that all the material may be copied for personal use (we'd done it anyway, but it's not even illegal!), and because you can get the game as a pdf, which makes remixing pages and stuff easy.

At times, when looking for something spurious (like healing rules), we use the pdf for a quick full text search.

A real omission is rules for beginner's magic, but Mark Smylie offered two different ways to do so in the Artesia forum.

Regarding the categories of magic: There is a unified core mechanic for magic (in fact it's the core mechanic for everything else as well), but there are seven (or eight) traditions that are inherently incompatible - i.e., folk lore magics cannot be taught to people versed only in hermetic magic, and so on. Also, there are some various sub systems, like folk lore based charms/enchanted items, religious invocations and prayers and so on, which make the system not only breathe, but bleed and sweat the setting.

Similar unexpected layers of complexity can be found in other rules parts as well, especially if they interact (like beefing up characters before combat with magics, because not getting hurt in the first place is the best bet on survival). This can at times lead to what we call "Quest for the Modifiers", which often enough are decisive for the success or failure of certain tasks, especially magic. But on the other hand (as above), it makes the players wanting to do magic rituals dancing naked under a full moon brandishing a doll twith a lock of hair of the ritual's target affixed to… as I said, breathe, bleed and sweat.

[Tom B]

I believe there is an Artesia RPG Index available for download somewhere on the company website. Sorry I don't have a link at the moment.