''GURPS Magic'' is a source book for the ''

GURPS The ''Generic Universal Role Playing System'', or ''GURPS'', is a tabletop role-playing game system published by Steve Jackson Games. The system is designed to run any genre using the same core mechanics. The core rules were first written by St ...

role-playing game A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, or abbreviated as RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out ...

from

Steve Jackson Games Steve Jackson Games (SJGames) is a game company, founded in 1980 by Steve Jackson, that creates and publishes role-playing, board, and card games, and (until 2019) the gaming magazine ''Pyramid''. History Founded in 1980, six years after the cr ...

that provides in depth coverage of magic in the context of ''GURPS''. The first edition was published in 1989. The book expands on the material outlined in the '' Basic Set'', provides alternative forms of magic for

gamemaster A gamemaster (GM; also known as game master, game manager, game moderator, referee, storyteller, or master of ceremonies) is a person who acts as a facilitator, organizer, officiant regarding rules, arbitrator, and moderator for a multiplayer r ...

s to use, and contains much more material. A second edition of the book was published in 1994, and a third edition for the fourth edition of ''GURPS'' was published in 2004. The first two editions received positive reviews in game periodicals including ''

Games International ''Computer Games Magazine'' was a monthly computer and console gaming print magazine, founded in October 1988 as the United Kingdom publication ''Games International''. During its history, it was known variously as ''Strategy Plus'' (October 1 ...

'', ''

Dragon A dragon is a Magic (supernatural), magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but European dragon, dragons in Western cultures since the Hi ...

'', and ''

White Wolf The Arctic wolf (''Canis lupus arctos''), also known as the white wolf, polar wolf, and the Arctic grey wolf, is a subspecies of grey wolf native to the High Arctic tundra of Canada's Queen Elizabeth Islands, from Melville Island to Ellesme ...

''.

Third edition

''GURPS Magic'' is a supplement of magic rules for use in fantasy milieus, an expansion and replacement of the rules in 1st edition ''

GURPS Fantasy ''GURPS Fantasy'' is a ''Genre Toolkit'' source book which was first designed by Steve Jackson and published by Steve Jackson Games in 1986 for the ''GURPS'' role-playing game. It presented a magic system for the game as well as background info ...

'', entirely revised for use with the ''GURPS'' 3rd edition. The book is very detailed, and the spell rules enable the player to custom-design a character's magical abilities, although this can take a fair amount of time and effort. The book includes an extensive spell list.

Fourth edition

This 240-page hardcover book with full color illustrations covers the third edition source books GURPS Magic and GURPS Grimoire and adds additional material. It is the latest version of GURPS Magic.

Publication history

''GURPS Magic'' was originally written by Steve Jackson with Marc Janssen, Walter Milliken,

Steffan O'Sullivan Steffan O'Sullivan is the author of several role-playing game books. Career Steffan O'Sullivan was a writer for '' GURPS'' products including '' GURPS Swashbucklers'' (1990) and '' GURPS Bunnies & Burrows'' (1992). He designed the '' FUDGE'' role ...

, W. Dow Rieder, Brett Slocum, and Daniel U. Thibault, with a cover by Guy Burchak, and was first published by

in 1989 as a 112-page book.

Reception

In the June 1989 edition of ''

'' (Issue 6), James Wallis thought the book was not needed by those who already had the previously published ''GURPS Fantasy''. He gave it an average rating of 3 out of 5, saying, "If you use ''GURPS Fantasy'' already and are happy with it, stick with it. If you missed it the first time around, ''GURPS Magic'' is a worthwhile buy." In the July 1989 edition of ''

'' (Issue #147),

Ken Rolston Ken Rolston is an American computer game and role-playing game designer best known for his work with West End Games and on the computer game series ''The Elder Scrolls''. Tabletop role-playing games Ken Rolston began working as a professional g ...

was impressed, commenting, "The ''GURPS Magic'' game is an excellent supplement for the ''GURPS'' system, an effective expansion of the game's original fantasy magic rules with added features and wise campaign-design guidance. As a FRPG magic supplement, it boasts exceptional virtues in systems and conceptions. As a generic supplement, however, it lacks the distinctive charm and atmosphere of a specific fantasy campaign setting. As a source book for enriching the magical elements in your FRPG campaign, it is useful—perhaps inspirational—regardless of the system you use." Five years later, in the June 1994 edition of ''Dragon'' (Issue #206),

Rick Swan Rick Swan is a game designer and author who worked for TSR. His work for TSR, mostly for ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'', appeared from 1989 to 1995. Swan also wrote '' The Complete Guide to Role-Playing Games'' (1990), published by St. Martin' ...

gave high marks to the second edition, saying " teveJackson made a few design choices that may not be to everyone's liking. In order to pack in as many spells as possible, he occasionally skimps on descriptions. ..Nor does he dictate how much detail the spell provides. The magical-item rules make it difficult to create off-the-wall oddities favored by ''AD&D'' mages, like the '' portable hole'' and ''bag of beans''. Also, the small amount of new material - a system for limiting the power of wizards, flow charts that show the prerequisites for spells from all colleges - barely justifies a second edition; owners of the first edition can put their money away. These are nitpicks though, irrelevant to the overall impact. A dazzling performance by a virtuoso designer, ''GURPS Magic'' is a knock-out." In the September 1994 edition of ''

'' (Issue #49), David L. Pulver gave the second edition of ''GURPS Magic'' a 4 out of 5 overall, commenting, "If you already have the first edition of ''GURPS Magic'', there's no need to buy this one unless your copy is worn out. If you don't have it, and you want to use magic in ''GURPS'', the material offered here is a vast improvement over the skeletal rules of the '' Basic Set''."

Reviews

*''

Casus Belli A (; ) is an act or an event that either provokes or is used to justify a war. A ''casus belli'' involves direct offenses or threats against the nation declaring the war, whereas a ' involves offenses or threats against its ally—usually one bou ...

'' #76 *''

GamesMaster International ''GamesMaster International'', or GMI, was a roleplaying game magazine A magazine is a periodical literature, periodical publication, print or digital, produced on a regular schedule, that contains any of a variety of subject-oriented tex ...

'' (Issue 5 - Dec 1990)

References

{{reflist

External links

GURPS Magic catalogue page at sjgames.comReview of 4th edition book
a
rpg.net

Review of 4th edition PDF
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rpg.net
Fantasy role-playing game supplements GURPS 3rd edition GURPS 4th edition

Magic Magic or magick most commonly refers to: * Magic (supernatural), beliefs and actions employed to influence supernatural beings and forces ** ''Magick'' (with ''-ck'') can specifically refer to ceremonial magic * Magic (illusion), also known as sta ...

Role-playing game supplements introduced in 1989

Contents