This hardcover book, the fourth in the Legend & Lair series, offers many new spells and some concepts and perspectives on various magical activities.
The first chapter of the book describes over 100 new spells. While a lot of spells are interestingly creative, a lot of them are variations on existing spells that reproduce similar effects with more damage and higher levels or less damage and lower spell level. Examples of this are more powerful or less powerful bless-like spells, spells that have the same effects as a magic missile but with some variations, more or less powerful wall spells with differing shapes. Some of the spells are pretty fun, though.
A kind of chaos magic is proposed here. A chaos spell is composed of six spells that have more or less similar characteristics; which one of the six spells is actually cast is determined randomly. Basically, when a chaos spell is cast, there is a 5% chance that it has no effect and is lost, 5% chance that the spell is cast without being removed from the caster's daily allotment, and the remaining 90% is divided between the six spells. When it has been determined which spell is cast, the spell will either be cast normally, be harmfully modified or be beneficially modified. The specific modification, harmful of beneficial, is also determined randomly. Choosing the Chaos Magic feat lets the caster spend control points to make sure that whichever spells end up being cast are either normally cast or beneficially modified. I don't think this system is very practical but it might have comical results since the caster never knows what spell will end up being cast. I am reminded of the wizard in the old Dungeons & Dragons cartoon who pulled spells out of his hat.
The creation of two new types of magic items is discussed. Wards are like immovable, rechargeable, polyvalent wands that can be used by anybody. Wards are created with keystones that let anybody holding them discharge spells from the ward, at a specified charge cost. An example of a ward is a gate ward that lets the holder of its keystone activate one of the following spells: alarm, comprehend languages, detect magic, detect thoughts, hold portal and protection from arrows. Recharging a ward costs a fraction of its original cost proportional to the amount of the spent charges.
The other magic item is called glyph eggs. A glyph egg is somewhat like a scroll that can be used by anybody. The spell it contains must be an area effect type, which takes place when the egg is broken. Since these items are fragile, care must be exerted.
A simple set of rules governing the creation of constructs and golems is suggested.
The rest of the book overviews a variety of subjects with varying degrees of depth and usefulness. Some feats add flexibility to sorcerers' and bards' powers. Many new types of exotic familiars are described. A theological essay describes various forms that religions can take and different relationships between divine spellcasters and their gods. Some new magic items and materials are described. An extensive set of rules deals with libraries, their establishment and their usefulness to research. Many elements here are suggestions of style or sketches of potential rules.
This is a book that gaming groups can pull out once in a while when the fancy catches them to try out something different, or for a bit of inspiration.
