This just in… Chaosium will be releasing a new version of Magic World this summer! Here’s the skinny:
MAGIC WORLD is a self-contained fantasy roleplaying game using the classic “Basic Roleplaying” system. The game allows you to play characters in a world of fantasy, adventure, and excitement. The rules of MAGIC WORLD are simple to grasp, while having enough options and complexity to suit any gaming style. Characters grow in experience organically, without relying on artificial constructs such as classes, levels, etc. Any sort of fantasy character you can imagine, you can play. MAGIC WORLD contains:
* Full rules for creating characters in a world of magic and fantasy.
* A robust magic system with nearly one hundred spells. Any character may become a spell caster with the right combination of raw talent, and training!
* Detailed, yet streamlined skills and combat rules.
* Complete rules for nautical adventures.
* A bestiary of more than sixty creatures to use as foes for the characters, or as the characters themselves! Play as any species imaginable: Human, Elf, Orc, Centaur, Troll, Talking Beast, and more!
* Gamemaster advice, and resources.
* A gallery of enchanted items which might be found in your characters’ adventures.
* A complete sample campaign setting, “the Southlands”, to jump start your adventures.
* And more!
The best part of this is that little “self-contained” bit. That should mean that the Big Gold Book isn’t needed, and that this little gem can be a proper gateway drug to the majesty that is BRP. That’s a whole lot of new spells for, presumably, the “classic” Magic World system (which is the “Magic” system in the BGB), too. I can’t wait to get my hands on this thing.
UPDATE: In case you don’t wind up reading the comments, I figured I should point out that it’s been revealed that the magic in Magic World will be the Sorcery system from the Big Gold Book (which is the system that appeared in Elric!) with additional spells added in from other Elric!-y sources. The whole game is, in fact, a reworking of the Elric! rules presented as a complete game. This is marvelous news and I’m just giddy at the prospect of having something like this from Chaosium. I think it’s exactly what BRP needs.