Secrets of the Magister (AD&D Fantasy Roleplaying, Forgotten Realms) [Paperback]

Wizards Team (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2000

The Magister of Mystra is one of the most mysterious beings in all of the Forgotten Realms setting: a unique wizard with a singular title. All the essential Realmslore concerning the Magister is in this book. The answers Realms fans have wanted for years are all here. With the secrets revealed in this book, a player character may even become the Magister!

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: TSR Inc.; Second Edition edition (January 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786914300
• ISBN-13: 978-0786914302
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,168,045 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Aspirations of a Mage, May 25, 2000

By 

F. T. Barrett "tasselhoff" (Colorado) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Secrets of the Magister (AD&D Fantasy Roleplaying, Forgotten Realms) (Paperback)

I bought this module and convinced my DM to allow my character a shot at becoming the Magister. After successfully attaining that high esteemed place, she was continuously was bombarded by mages attempting to destroy her (and thusly quickly raised herself to phenomenal strength). This module does not tell you how to role play the magister...it tells you what comes along with being the Magister, what you must do and a long history of the Magister. The people below seem to forget that Ed Greenwood created Forgotten Realms and whatever he says goes. Sure the Magister is a powerful person but wouldn't it take a more powerful mage to take her down? You see PCs who live long enough to reach high level should be rewarded with such honors and that is what this book is for. It is an excellent way to retire a mage who has done everything. The key to this module is how the DM uses it not what the module says.

20 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Another Greenwood bust..., March 24, 2000

By 

"ubermensche" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Secrets of the Magister (AD&D Fantasy Roleplaying, Forgotten Realms) (Paperback)

Ed Greenwood has a way of suckering people into buying his books, no matter how useless the material. Though prolific, he rarely writes anything of value, or which displays even one iota of creativity. Secrets of the Magister is little different.

Though this sourcebook is not riddled with impossibly-high statistics of godlike characters, it follows the Greenwood mold. In his quest to create a thorough, detailed world, Greenwood has introduced a plethora of facts, from the trite to the trivial. Secrets of the Magister takes an otherwise mysterious being and, by revealing its secrets, not only brings that lofty title down to the mundane, but drags it through the filth of artificiality.

None of what Greenwood writes feels real! Granted, it's a fantasy world, but if we are to suspend disbelief, as is the goal of role-playing, then the magical should seem wondrous, not mundane; characters should feel alive, not artificial; and adventure should be high and fantastic, not removed and routine.

Half the book is devoted to a brief history of the magisters, which is as dry and didactic as a textbook. A good portion deals with special spells and magical items employed or created by magisters past and present. This is of some value if you want some new spells or magical items to introduce to a campaign and are not feeling particularly creative at the moment, but it is such a small, unoriginal sample that this books is not worth buying just as a magic supplement. Finally, Greenwood deals with the attributes of magisters, how they are selected, what benefits they receive, etc., all with the enthusiasm of a lich in a dead-magic zone.

Browse through the book if you want, take a look at the spells and items, but don't bother buying it...chances are, you'll come up with much more creative and superior material on your own.

9 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A MUST have for any DM who's mages want to rule the kingdom, March 20, 2000

By 

Chad (Danville, PA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Secrets of the Magister (AD&D Fantasy Roleplaying, Forgotten Realms) (Paperback)

This book was a great find by me, it had exactly what I was looking for, New spells, New magic items, and an 'upgrade' to those Mages that are powerful and wish to do something other than just go out and hunt Umberhulks. I suggest you get this accesory if you are running the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting.. in the pages the History of Magister Role is explained in detail and gives about 30+ names of past Magisters how they came into the office and how they fell from the grace of Mystara.