Talk:Ars Magica

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What edition and what books should I get if I want to try to get into the game? -Tubby

The current publisher of the Ars Magica roleplaying game, Atlas Games, (http://www.atlas-games.com/) recently released the newest (4th) edition of the core rulebook to be freely distributed. It is all you need to get started, although there are a lot of different sourcebooks and adventures available. You'll find the link to the download from their website, on this page: http://www.atlas-games.com/arsmagica/index.html
-Bearnárd

There is now a 5th edition (not published electronically). But the 4th Ed. download is still an excellent starting point. Townmouse 22:00, 27 July 2005 (UTC)[reply]

Play-acting innovation?

Could someone explain this quote from the article: other systemic innovation was the insistence on play-acting the characters. Without an explanation of how the system supports it, it seems a bit odd as playing characters (presumely it means adopting a 1st person stance) was definitely not innovative when the game came out. Ashmoo 06:26, 27 September 2005 (UTC)[reply]

Unlike most RPG's, and computer "role"-playing games, the system is not based around combat, or quests, but about character development and interaction, and not "beating" the system. In most games, a low strength is a weakness. In Ars Magica, it's an opportunity to define your character.

There is a FAQ for the game, as well as many other game resources on the Project Redcap web site, which includes information specific to 4th and 5th editions, as well as general information on the history of the game. Ayerik 08:15, 1 December 2005 (UTC)[reply]

Requisites

The attempt to explain spells with requisites seems a little odd. Would someone care to explain this a little better? Thankyou. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 219.174.96.5 (talk) 10:46, 20 January 2007 (UTC).[reply]

Old book

I've just removed this from the page:

Ars Magica is Latin for "magical arts". It is the name of an ancient book no longer in existance found mentioned only in passing in "Studies in Magic from Latin Literature" by Eugene Tavenner [1913, Columbia University Press] (No date for the publication or author of "Ars Magica" was given, but due to its inclusion in Tavenner's book may be presumed to have been written in latin.)

It's off-topic for this page, but it would be nice for there to be a proper home for it. Percy Snoodle (talk) 13:33, 6 October 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I'd have issues with that translation, as well. 'ars' is singular, so Ars Magica would probably be better as "the art of magic" or similar. Petronivs (talk) 15:11, 8 October 2008 (UTC)[reply]