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The Genius Guide to Ice Magic $3.99
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The Genius Guide to Ice Magic
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The Genius Guide to Ice Magic
Publisher: Rogue Genius Games
by JK R. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 06/04/2012 10:22:55

Following on from similar volumes dealing with fire, air, and earth, this guide focuses on a somewhat neglected type of magic, which can often be as deadly as the more obvious fire spells. There isn't much discussion of the general discussion of ice magic here, although it's relative rarity seems to be both a blessing and a boon: fewer opponents are likely to be resistant to it, but equally your own immunity to cold might not see much use.

There are 14 spells here, ranging from 0 all the way to 9th level, and primarily intended for wizards, although about half can also be used by druids, and one each by bards and clerics. They're a good range of spells, including defensive, offensive, and movement magics, among others. The divination spells seem a little strained, having no obvious connection with the element beyond the choice of material component needed to cast them.

There is also a sorcerer bloodline, a clerical domain, and a wizard speciality, all of which seem to be well thought out and plug a gap in the mainstream rules. A weakness of them, inherent in the concept, is that they often tend to leave users vulnerable to fire magic - which tends to be more common than ice magic. There is also a template for arctic animals, and another for ice elementals (it's a template, rather than a stat block, because, in most game mechanical respects, they're the same as earth elementals).

At 9 pages (not counting the credits) it's shorter than the other booklets in the series, but it does a good job of making ice mages a viable option, although you might want to consider the pros and cons of using, and defending against, something that's relatively unusual.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
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The Genius Guide to Ice Magic
Publisher: Rogue Genius Games
by Dark M. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 07/29/2010 14:26:05

This product is 10 pages.

It adds 13 new spells, 1 new Sorc bloodline, 1 new Wiz speciality and Ice Domain. Along with a new feat Cold Focus (add +2 to DC of cold spells) and a new monster template, Arctic.

The spells are mostly interesting and seem balanced. Several of them are based losselly on existing spells. I would have liked to have seen a few more inventive new spells, that really fit the concept*. If it had, had more spells like that i would have given it 5 stars likely. I do hope they do a follow up book to this. Perhaps a elements book that adds in more spells for all 4 elements including a lot more ice spells.

*Example of what I mean. they have create ice a cantrip that makes a 5 ft sheet of ice. But I would have liked to have seen this expanded and the level increased.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
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The Genius Guide to Ice Magic
Publisher: Rogue Genius Games
by Sean H. [Featured Reviewer]
Date Added: 04/14/2010 15:47:41

The Genius Guide to: Ice Magic is a 10-page PDF (9 pages if you remove the credits/OGL page) for the Pathfinder RPG written by Owen K. C. Stephens and published by Super Genius Game. This is part of Super Genius Games’ Genius Guide line.

The layout is a screen-friendly landscape design, with cover art and 1-column on the first page and three columns on the rest. The list of spells is clear and easy to read. The art is full color throughout and generally supports the ice/snow magic and spell-user theme of this product.

Ice Magic opens with a brief introduction about why more ice/cold magic and then moves directly into the spells. Fourteen spells across all levels and something for most types of casters (bard, cleric, druid and sorcerer/wizard but mostly sorcerer/wizard) are included. As usual for such products there are a mix of attack, defense and utility spells with attack spells in the majority. It seems that there are many interesting potential uses for the spells here and a few may be able to be abused, but always a danger when new spells are introduced.

To round out the product there are new character options: Frost Bloodline for sorcerers, Cold Specialists for wizards, the Ice Domain for Clerics and a new feat. For game masters there are the Arctic Template, for creatures who live in the cold, and how to build an Ice Elemental.

If your campaign is in need of some new, frosty magic, this Genius Guide will serve you and your game in a good stead.

Disclosure: As a featured reviewer for RPGNow/DriveThroughRPG, I received my copy of this product for free from the publisher for the purpose of this review.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
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The Genius Guide to Ice Magic
Publisher: Rogue Genius Games
by Michael S. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 02/09/2010 14:24:13

A very good collection of cold related spells for the Pathfinder RPG. I have a couple of issues with the product as written, although as GM I can handle the one problem in game with a house rule. Some great spells and great options which brings me to one of my quibbles and that is the lack of ranger spells. Frostburn in 3.5 gave rangers a host of new spells, many of the cold related, so I was expecting some spells for rangers in this product which I did not get. When I do play I play rangers for their martial ability combined with just a little bit of spell casting. Basically I play warrior druids but without the whole shape shifting thing which I really just don't get.

The sorcerer bloodline stands out as something that needs a lot of attention. Great concept, but as written not so great execution. Some of the new spells could have been sprinkled in with the bonuses without much problem. But my biggest criticism is where it contradicts itself. Specifically in the Arcana. If you're going to give the class the ability to substitute cold for a given description then Fire spells should be outright forbidden to the caster but the mechanics of a Burning Hands or Fireball spell should be allowed with a name change, like Freezing Hands instead Burning Hands with the only change being that the type of damage inflicted is switched from Fire to Cold, but otherwise more or less the same spell parameters.

Other than those little things this is a great product that I would love to see as a pamphlet at the very least or combined with other pdfs to make a full book available as a print on demand.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
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The Genius Guide to Ice Magic
Publisher: Rogue Genius Games
by karl k. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 01/15/2010 19:33:02

The GOOD:

A nice collection of ice themed add-ins. I really liked the ice elementals and felt this book was well themed. The cantrip is useful and something a bit better than some of the others available without being overpowered. Ice mirror also has a great flavor for arctic campaigns, and I could totally see this being used in any kind of fiction. The 14 spells, the bloodline, feat, domain, template, and creature are fairly priced. +0 CR templates are always loved. This is well-balanced for pathfinder and easily added.

The BAD:

The spell Blue Touch kinda got under my skin a little. I'm not fond of having wizards and sorcerers having healing spells, but this on is so limited in use, I just can't see myself using it ever compared to a cure light wounds potion or spell. I think the bloodline is too far inferior to the stock offered elemental bloodline [water] of the core rulebook. Also, I was thinking it would have been nice to have some spells not physically linked to cold, but emotionally so, like maybe a "cold hearted" spell making the target unsympathetic, immunity ot emotional effects, at loss of morale bonus and such.

The 2 CP:

I usually rate elemental spells on their ability to translate into the other elements (for example the orb spells in 3.5). The more elemental things like this the higher I'd wanna rate this. The ice elementals could easily be magma, acrid, or ionic. The same goes for the feat and template. In the future I'd like to see more spells, and would be happy to pay more for the extra content.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
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