The magic world is a realm of wonder and enchantment, a place where imagination knows no bounds. It is a world where the impossible becomes possible, where dreams become reality. In this mystical land, anything can happen. In the magic world, fairies flit about on delicate wings, sprinkling their magical dust on everything they touch. Talking animals roam freely, offering wisdom and guidance to those who seek it. Witches and wizards cast spells and brew potions, conjuring up unimaginable wonders.
Witches and wizards cast spells and brew potions, conjuring up unimaginable wonders. But the magic world is not without its dangers. Dark creatures lurk in the shadows, ready to deceive and harm unsuspecting travelers.
The magic worlx
Poor First Impressions The physical book is a perfect bound paperback with a dynamic colour illustration of adventurers fighting a giant on the cover. However, inside the art is of varied style and quality giving the book a dis-joined appearance. Chaosium fans will recognise re-used art from older publications, sometimes poorly scanned and visibly pixelated. The physical book also has a glossy map of the Southern Reaches setting which is missing from the PDF. Inside the text is mostly slightly larger font double column which I like because I'm often reading game books late in the evening when eyes and brain are tired. There are a good number of typos and a few rules explanations that are not quite up to the level of clarity we expect today. The typos that give some weapons the wrong Weapon Class (skill used) or price are particularly annoying. Partially, these complaints are because the text was assembled from portions of earlier out of print publications, such as "Elric!", with references to the works of renowned novelist Michael Moorcock removed. The book really should have undergone another round of editing and polishing to create a seamless whole before being released. Ideally, Chaosium would have shelled out for new art of a coherent style. The Sorcerous Heritage rule is example of a niggling issue that could have been solved by polishing the text taken from previous publications into a seamless whole; the option to switch points into POW at character generation should be in the the rolling characteristics sections of the character generation chapter not hidden half a book away. The PDF does not have bookmarks. Frankly, the whole thing gives the impression of being done on a low budget and in a hurry.
Why did Chaosium create Magic World when Runequest has been such a hit? Chaosium has undergone a recent revival as a company. Before that they embarrassingly lost the rights to Runequest. This was the period of the editions of Runequest by other companies, Mongoose and The Design Mechanism. Thus Chaosium found itself in an industry dominated by the fantasy genre with no fantasy game. Maybe this is why after releasing the "Basic Roleplaying " (BRP) generic version of the system that powers Chaosium games they then produced "Magic World" as generic fantasy game. Despite sporting the BRP logo this is a stand alone game. A couple of years later Chaosium was taken over by folks who owned Runequest and the new management stopped further development of Magic World after only two supplements, "Advanced Sorcery" and the "Magic World Quickstart Rules". Several others were at various stages of development but are unlikely to see the light of day now. Although, development of new "Magic World" books has stopped Magic World is still available as softcover book and PDF from Chaosium and has a small dedicated fan base including a forum at BRP Central (https://basicroleplaying.org/forum/24-magic-world/ ).
Why is it called 'Magic World'? In 1982 Chaosium released "Worlds of Wonder" a boxed set of generic BRP rules that included a few genre books. One of these was "Magic World". The title of the new Magic World is therefore a shout out to its distant ancestor. Some people don't like the name because it is too bland. For me Magic World isn't magical enough for the name. One might expect Magic World to be especially magical and contain even more incredible creatures, places, and items than usual and for wizards to be especially common. This is not the case; Magic World supports settings with the usual amount of magic you might expect for standard fantasy faire.
Why Magic World? Despite all this Magic World is a great game. Why should I play Magic World when there are so many other Fantasy or BRP games? Firstly, there is no one true best fantasy RPG. D&D is good for swashbuckling Saturday matinee type stories of roguish heroes laughing as they cut through hoards of goblins and spit in the eyes of dragons. In D&D its either flesh wounds, unconsciousness, or clean death. Nothing too gruesome for kids' TV. Other games are more or less gritty, emulate different sub-genres of fantasy or even the works of specific authors. No RPG is the best choice, it depends on the kind of world you want to portray and kind of games you and your players enjoy. It's a matter of the right tool for the job.
One Book Though branded BRP, Magic World is a stand-alone game; you don't need the Basic Roleplaying 'Big Gold Book'. Monroe has said that he tried to make the core book Magic World as complete as possible. I'd say he succeeded. You could buy this one book and have everything you need to create and play a lifetime's worth of adventures.
BRP compatibility I will play it with just this book and its two supplements "Advanced Sorcery" and the quick-start free PDF. However, since Magic World is built on the BRP system it is very compatible with other BRP games (including those who don't have the BRP branding). The core BRP 'Big Gold Book' (BGB) is not needed for play but all the generic systems in that book are compatible, want mutants and superheroes from a crashed spaceship in your world? No problem, use the BGB. Magic World supports pre-gunpowder Iron Age to early medieval technology but it would be easy to import Age of Sail technology from the old Runequest Pirates or Mongoose's Pirates of Legend. There is a good bestiary in Magic World but if you need need more monsters it is easy to import monsters from Call of Cthulhu or any other BRP game. BRP veterans who like things more complicated could easily import the magic system from their favourite BRP game but to my mind that negates one of the features that differentiates Magic World from other BRP fantasy games.
Generic While the last chapter of the book provides an example setting, Magic World is presented as a generic rule set not tightly bound to the reality of a particular fictional world and therefore perfect for building your own world with. Sure, the book has its origins in out of print material from the Elric! franchise but after cutting out the specific references a fairly adaptable generic game remains. Personally, I prefer generic RPGs because part of the fun is building your own world. If you don't want to do that work well the last chapter has a setting for you. If you want to buy into an unusual and fully described setting with lots of supplements, well Magic World is not for you and that's cool too.
Gritty No generic RPG can do everything well. Magic World is suited to the grittier end of fantasy. Combat is arguably more realistic than D&D and for the ill equipped or untrained downright deadly. The rules for major wounds are simple enough to be fast playing but should make PCs hesitate before drawing swords. If you want to emulate the fight scenes from TV shows like Vikings, Britannia or Game of Thrones then Magic World is a good choice. Other hat-tips to realism and real risks are scattered throughout the book including disease and seasickness. When was the last time you saw a swashbuckling D&D hero get sea sick? Not every encounter will end in a deadly fight but battles will happen and you should create a PC prepared to survive one way or another. Be pragmatic, even the most scholarly wizard might consider a shield or perhaps armour under that voluminous robe before heading towards a battle. Alternatively, a really high dodge skill might be good enough. If this level of grit isn't to taste there are optional rules such as heroic hit points that make things a bit less grim.
Just easy enough Games of the BRP family, including Magic World, all have a unified rule to resolve all tasks, had it for over a decade before D&D caught up and invented its own unified mechanic. BRP games use % roll under that is even more intuitive and easier to teach to beginners than D&D's D20 roll over. There are degrees of success and failure that add a little more granularity to outcomes. BRP games don't have classes and levels with hundreds of unique abilities to look up. Instead characters simply increase their skills and characteristics. In Magic World the few spell casters might learn new spells and very rarely a character might gain a few abilities by becoming a champion of a cosmic force but that's the extent of new material to learn. Monroe has said that Magic World was intended as a "streamlined intro game to the BRP line". Everyone has their own 'sweet-spot' of complexity, which may change depending on the project. Magic World is very close to my current sweet-spot. It is simpler than most BRP games except Open Quest by D101 Games which is too simple for my taste. One place where streamlining is obvious is in the magic rules. In other BRP fantasy games there are typically several different kinds of magic each with its own skills, systems, and quirks. The core Magic World book presents a single streamlined system used by all spellcasters. It's easy to learn and fast playing at the table. I like it a lot. Although there aren't character classes players choose a species, culture, and occupation which guide their skill choices preventing choice paralysis. They also have a few free choice points for skills to customise the new PC. Character generation is fast and flexible taking about 15-30 minutes to complete.
Nautical Adventure Magic world includes a pretty complete set of seafaring rules. Sailing provides a wealth of adventure possibilities including exploration, pirates, naval battles, sea monsters, riding out storms, and mutiny. If you want the sea to feature prominently in your campaign then Magic World is a good choice. Go away and watch the old Sinbad matinee's and HBO's Vikings then read Le Guin's Wizard of Earthsea and you'll have lots of ideas to play with. The author of Magic World has said that one reason the nautical rules are in the core book was because his kids loved Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis. You'll note that there are also rules for talking beast PCs.
Overall Magic World has some presentation issues but remains my favourite iteration of the BRP rules for fantasy. It is a stand-alone book with lots of spells, monsters, travel and everything you need for a lifetime of play. The rules within are a streamlined version of the intuitive BRP rules providing fast play and are suitable for those new to BRP or even RPG. Magic World provides a grittier more threatening environment for PCs while maintaining fairly fast play.
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One Book Though branded BRP, Magic World is a stand-alone game; you don't need the Basic Roleplaying 'Big Gold Book'. Monroe has said that he tried to make the core book Magic World as complete as possible. I'd say he succeeded. You could buy this one book and have everything you need to create and play a lifetime's worth of adventures.
It is a constant battle between light and darkness, good and evil. Only the brave and courageous can navigate this treacherous terrain. Yet, amidst the chaos and uncertainty, there is always hope. The magic world is filled with stories of heroes and heroines who rise against all odds, facing their fears and overcoming impossible challenges. They inspire us to believe in ourselves and in the power of magic. In this enchanted land, anything is possible. It is a world where wishes come true and dreams come alive. It is a place where imagination reigns supreme and miracles happen every day. In the magic world, the possibilities are endless. So let us dare to venture into this mystical realm, to embrace the wonders and mysteries that await us. Let us open our hearts and minds to the magic that surrounds us and allow ourselves to be transported to a world beyond our wildest dreams. For in the magic world, anything is possible, and the extraordinary awaits us at every turn..
Reviews for "Magic in Popular Culture: How Hollywood has Portrayed the Magical World"
1. Sarah - 1 star
I found "The Magic World" to be incredibly boring and unoriginal. The plot was predictable and lacked any depth or complexity. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked any real development. I was expecting an enchanting and imaginative story but instead, I was left disappointed and unengaged. The writing style felt amateurish and lacked any real creativity. Overall, I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for a captivating and captivating fantasy read.
2. Michael - 2 stars
While "The Magic World" had some interesting concepts, I found the execution to be lacking. The pacing was quite slow, and the story seemed to drag on without any real purpose. The world-building was shallow, and it left me wanting more explanation and detail. The dialogue was stilted and unrealistic, making it difficult to connect with the characters. Additionally, I felt that the ending was rushed and unsatisfying. Overall, I wasn't impressed with this book and would not recommend it to others.
3. Emily - 2 stars
"The Magic World" had potential, but it fell short for me. The plot was convoluted and confusing, making it difficult to follow along. The writing style was over-descriptive and verbose, which hindered the flow of the story. The characters felt generic and lacked any real depth, making it challenging to invest in their journey. I also found the magical elements to be poorly explained and inconsistent. Overall, I struggled to fully engage with this book and was left feeling underwhelmed.