Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Magic Box (Buffy RPG)

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Exploring the art of magic in the Buffyverse, 2004-01-18
"The Magic Box" is a supplement for the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" roleplaying game that makes it clear that magic is powerful and available in serious measure only to the right person with the right knowledge (i.e., Willow), otherwise it is dangerous and unpredictable (i.e., early Willow). This volume by John Snead combines background from the show with more creative meanderings, along with quotes, stats, suggestions, and painted symbols for your game playing edification. However, even if you are more interested in the dearly departed television series than in playing a game (my hand is raised at this point), this is still a fun look at magic in the Buffyverse (through season six).

This book is broken down into six chapters and an appendix: (1) The Witchy World includes speculations on the history of the supernatural, specifics on magical organizations and their use, as well as a look at the latest and most potent mystical adversaries from the television series; (2) The Magical You reveals more details on the show's magical cast members, discussing new backgrounds, qualities and drawbacks. There is also a new group of archetypes and an update on a few magical favorites from the Original Cast; (3) The Art of the Arts presents the new game rules for magic such as power boosting, virtual magic, and varying side effects; (4) Magic, Light and Dark includes all the spells from the series that are fit to print; (5) Beyond Magic covers psychics and super-science, which are different from magic in the Buffyverse, but still need to be considered; and (6) Orphan Trouble is a ready-to-run "BtVS" roleplaying-game episode "in which the new kid on the block is far more naughty than nice." The Appendix includes a handy guide to potential spell elements and conversation notes for importing regular unisystem metaphysics to your games (and they say television and roleplaying-games are not educational).

The book is filled with those pithy quotations that made "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" a test of your pop culture knowledge, boxes containing additional information and supplemental charts and tables, and fiction sections or cut scenes that give you a sense of what sort of scenarios you can play out in these games. There are other supplemental volumes to the Corebook available, with the "Slayer's Handbook" for the heroes and "Monster Smackdown" for the villains. These books are filled with photographs and illustrations, with gorgeous production values, so that they will appeal to fans of the series whether they play the game or not. Final Note: Unlike the other volumes form Eden Studios "The Magic Box" is a trade paperback and not a hardback volume.