Magic in the Shadows
by Steve Kenson

Sourcebook

Pros: Magic! With clear rules!
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Cons: Long time players will have to read carefully to note some subtle changes.

Magic in the Shadows, the long overdue and long awaited replacement for the Grimoire and Awakenings, is finally here. I grabbed my copy as soon as my local store opened its doors and dove in. I was not disappointed. Steve Kenson has done an excellent job revamping the Magic system for 3rd edition, and this product brings the Magic of 3rd edition to the point we left 2nd edition, only with a large number of errors corrected.

Explained in good detail are the Spell creation rules, a listing of new (and many redone) spells, an impressively lengthy list of totems, some new (and redone) Adept powers, Physical Mages, Astral Quests, Watchers, Background Count, Enchanting, Geasa, Ritual Sorcery, Free Spirits, Allies, Insect spirits and Toxic spirits with their associated shamans and, of course, Initiation.

Initiation remains mostly unchanged, with a few clarifications to make it a smoother progression. It appears that as a result of these changes Magicians may be shooting for higher grades than before, without becoming quite so ridiculously powerful as they had in the past. Several new Metamagical powers are described, and the old ones are revised. Voudoun (voodoo) makes a reappearance, much revised and much easier to play (or at least easier to GM). The other alternative magical traditions, such as Ancestor worship, Path Magic, Wuxing, Druids, etc, are all listed here, in simplified versions that make most of the distinctions role-playing rather than rule-based. As a player, this simplification disappoints me, but as a GM it means these types might actually be encountered in my games.

Covered in lesser, but mostly complete, detail are Magical security, Adept Ways, role-playing tips, Magical Groups and Avatars, Greater Form summonings, Blood Magic, and Ghosts.

Most importantly, after ten years of printing books for Shadowrun, someone finally realized that is smart to include the target number in the spell tables in the back of the book.

I cannot praise this book enough. On the one hand, the new material beyond what 2nd edition had is limited, on the other the 2nd edition magic material needed to be updated far more than other 2nd edition material. As a GM, I feel that 3rd edition magic is a wide and usable element of my games. As a player, I feel the need to earn more Karma, because there are a lot of places to spend it.