[UA] Postmodern Magick

[James Palmer]

I finally got a copy, and I'm bored, so I'll give it something of a brief
review. 

Overall, it's fucking great.  Now, you might think I was a tad biased
here, as I wrote various bits of it (for which, I should note, I surely 
do like the artwork), but it is.  Really. 

Proxy rituals, for instance.  These are fantastic.  So many evil
possibilities.  I might suggest that Personamancers get some kind of bonus
here - equal to twice the tens digit of their skill, say - due to their
experience with magickally screwing with identity.  A question, though;
isn't Arkane rather risking having Renata break taboo on his behalf?  Or
can the caster choose exactly what is transferred, so to speak?

New schools.   I'm especially fond of Cryptomancy (there's actually a
society at Peterhouse which is somewhat like it) and Oneiromancy, but I
like them all.  Thanatomancy gets a bit of a 'uhhhhh'; it's not really my
take on the whole thing.  I'd have preferred a school which associated
itself with death, rather than actually killed - went to funerals,
attended deathbeds, etc.  Rather more playable and less 'evil villainish')

"Getting The Juice" is very useful, but also much too generous on the
significant charges, I think.  I personally wouldn't deal out significant
charges without at least partially playing through them.

The new unnatural critters are cute, save that I rather dislike
Carnals.  They're blatant and somewhat distasteful.  

All the new artifacts are just plain nifty, especially the
artwork.  Shouldn't the Knocking Box be a Major artifact, though?  I mean,
being Hell and all.

Supporting Cast is the weakest section, though the Grail Knights are
fantastic, as is the Nomad Raphael.  [333binary] are cute, as are Eustace
Crane and Carthage/Rome.  UFO is a nice example of a clueless cabal, and I
really like the Portia character.  Team Salvation doesn't gel for me at
all.  The Dealership is a wee bit pointless, as it's just *too*
overpowered - there isn't really anything interesting there, beyond
'magickal traders' nor any sense of what the Bad Man actually wants, save
raw power - and his stats are just plain ridiculous.  The Tai Chi master
would be fine, if dull, save that Enlightened Tai Chi is ridiculously,
pointlessly overpowered, especially the number-changing power.



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