Excerpt from
Tome of Magic Excerpt
By Matthew Sernett, Dave Noonan, Ari Marmell,
Robert J. Schwalb

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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