Customer Reviews

The Magitech Game (Amazing Engine System)

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The MAGITECH universe presents an alternate version of our own 20th century earth, one where magic has replaced technology. The book's excellent concept is somewhat inhibited by the bare 127 pages of which it consists. All AMAZING ENGINE (AE) games are limited to 127 pages, so it's not necessarily the author's fault. However, the BUGHUNTERS supplement, also for AE, does a much better job with its limited space. MAGITECH does not even include a comprehensive list of NPCs, relying instead on converting monsters from other RPGs like AD&D. This is a time consumming process, and I don't imagine many DMs would spend the time to convert monsters, instead looking for a new RPG that requires less effort to create adversaries. Also, The equipment lists could use expanding (with more weight stats), as well as the adventure ideas section, which has two adventure ideas and one very very short adventure.

Some aspects of the game don't make sense. Bullets are tremendously ! expensive: $25 (the equivalent of $500 in the real world U.S.A.) for one bullet! How can the book justify that guns are "the most common modern missile weapon"? Its far cheaper to use a repeating crossbow, ammunition for which costs $0.05, and does almost as much damage with the same ROF as a pistol (3 shots each round, 1d6/2 versus 1d8/3).

The magic system, however, is very detailed. Psyche focus skills enable each character to customize how she casts spells. It's also very easy to create interesting enchanted items. Given the nature of the universe, this is a good thing.

The skill list is also very extensive. Pretty much everything one can do in real life has an equivalent skill in this game.

All in all, this supplement has some very creative ideas, especially with regards to magic, but lacks support in terms of NPCs, equipment, and adventure ideas.