Omand
Commander
3120 Posts
    
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
 | | 12/02/2005 12:58 PM |
| Hello,
I figured I would update things here.
The Spell Compendium is being "previewed" at ENWorld:
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=157452
Lots of juicy details being talked about.
Anyone on these boards managed to snag a copy yet?
Cheers [:)] | |
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|
B
Underboss
1189 Posts
| | 12/02/2005 1:26 PM |
| LOL! you beat me to it. [:D]I was talking with my flgs and I'm getting my copy tomorrow. I should have something substantial to add on Monday.
Oh yeah, I'm not paying $53 Cdn for it. A mere $44 + tax [:D] | |
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.--Dylan Thomas
| |
|
Omand
Commander
3120 Posts
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | 12/02/2005 1:34 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by B
LOL! you beat me to it. [:D]I was talking with my flgs and I'm getting my copy tomorrow. I should have something substantial to add on Monday.
Oh yeah, I'm not paying $53 Cdn for it. A mere $44 + tax [:D]
Well, that is a nice deal.
Let us know what you find. I don't think I get a copy for at least a week.
Cheers [:)] | |
Successful Trades: 77 * Pending Trades: 0 * Bad Trades: KONG (B.W.)
Trade History * Trading Thread * Sales Thread * Winnipeg Meetingplace | |
|
reezel
Sergeant
555 Posts
| | 12/02/2005 2:02 PM |
| | This book makes me regret my decision to make all my future purchases through Amazon. Guess I will be waiting a little while to get my hands on it. | |
Champion of the Beholder and Beholderkin
The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence. | |
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IanB
Commander
3112 Posts
| | 12/02/2005 3:00 PM |
| There's not a ton to preview. It is a pretty good sized book and full of spells. Lots and lots of spells.
Handy. | |
Anson on WotC boards | |
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brazenwood
Sergeant
386 Posts
Etowah NC
| | 12/02/2005 6:41 PM |
| I picked up a copy today of the Spell Compendium.
It looks really good, but also simply a rehashing of all the spells in the splat books (Complete etc series...)but all in one spot! However each spell gets a creative description treatment which is real cool, cause you can read them when your enemy casters use them and players won't know what the heck they're facing! I plan to surprise them with the creative descriptions.
Also, glad there were no Players Handbook spells in there, and they say over 600 spells total. That's an awful lot of spells, especially to be giving druids and clerics free access to them all. Is it time in my campaign to make druids and clerics learn spells like wizards...?
I bought the book, I'm happy with it. I'm sure it will give my local campaign some great new twists! | |
Kelly Lee Phipps
Visit my New Fantasy World Website: www.astrofantasy.com
Email: kellyleephipps@gmail.com
My Have/Want List: http://www.maxminis.com/hw_list.asp?user=brazenwood
My Reference List Link: http://www.maxminis.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6375 | |
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IanB
Commander
3112 Posts
| | 12/02/2005 6:44 PM |
| | Interesting what different people like. To me, the 'descriptive' paragraphs were wasted space that should have gone to assigning the spells out to the non-standard base classes from the Complete books, or just including more spells. | |
Anson on WotC boards | |
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CarrionCrawler
Underboss
1760 Posts
| | 12/03/2005 12:15 AM |
| One of my favorite spells, Kaupaer's skittish nerves is listed as being reprinted in it. (It's renamed nerveskitter.) Can anyone tell me if they simply reprinted it or if it's been nerfed. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
CC | |
Vindicated Night Below Champion of the Digestor!!! Knight of the OozesIcons called shot: Angry MobThe stink of rotten meat surrounds this multilegged creature with a segmented, 10-foot long body. Eight writhing tentacles protrude from its head, growing directly from below its clacking mandibles and tooth-filled maw. | |
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brazenwood
Sergeant
386 Posts
Etowah NC
| | 12/03/2005 12:35 AM |
| | Nerveskitter gives one creature up to close range a +5 for initiative for one encounter. Transmutation Sor/Wiz 1 Components: V,S | |
Kelly Lee Phipps
Visit my New Fantasy World Website: www.astrofantasy.com
Email: kellyleephipps@gmail.com
My Have/Want List: http://www.maxminis.com/hw_list.asp?user=brazenwood
My Reference List Link: http://www.maxminis.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6375 | |
|
CarrionCrawler
Underboss
1760 Posts
| | 12/03/2005 10:33 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by brazenwood
Nerveskitter gives one creature up to close range a +5 for initiative for one encounter. Transmutation Sor/Wiz 1 Components: V,S
Cool! Thanks for the info! | |
Vindicated Night Below Champion of the Digestor!!! Knight of the OozesIcons called shot: Angry MobThe stink of rotten meat surrounds this multilegged creature with a segmented, 10-foot long body. Eight writhing tentacles protrude from its head, growing directly from below its clacking mandibles and tooth-filled maw. | |
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nycfarmkid
Underboss
1210 Posts
Wadsworth, OH
| | 12/03/2005 11:16 PM |
| Hello,
I had put up the list of Domains from the Spell Compendium in the old thread, so here it is again for those who are domain junkies like I am.
Domains are:
Balance
Cavern
Celerity
Charm
Cold
Community
Competition
Courage
Craft
Creation
Darkness
Deathbound
Domination
Dragon
Dream
Drow
Dwarf
Elf
Envy
Family
Fate
Force
Glory
Gluttony
Gnome
Greed
Halfling
Hatred
Hunger
Illusion
Inquisition
Liberation
Lust
Madness
Mentalism
Mental
Mind
Moon
Mysticism
Nobility
Ocean
Oracle
Orc
Pact
Pestilence
Planning
Portal
Pride
Purification
Renewal
Retribution
Rune
Scalykind
Slime
Sloth
Spell
Spider
Storm
Suffering
Summoner
Time
Trade
Tyranny
Undeath
Wealth
Windstorm
Wrath
Planar Domains
Abyss
Arborea
Baator
Celestia
Elysium
Hades
Limbo
Mechanus
Cheers [:)] | |
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nycfarmkid
Underboss
1210 Posts
Wadsworth, OH
| |
Omand
Commander
3120 Posts
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| |
Benimoto
Underboss
1125 Posts
| | 12/05/2005 5:39 PM |
| I got it, thought I haven't used it at a gaming session yet. I like it. It has a number of tweaks to spells. Mostly nerfs, though I saw at least one that was enhanced.
I like all the illustrations, but I'm a sucker for pictures already. I'm not really so sure about the value of the flavor text. I'll have to see if it cues me to be more descriptive about spells being cast.
My only complaint is that with all the spells printed in one place, you can find a few spells that are very similar to other spells.Wall of dispel magic is very similar to dispelling screen, for example.
I can see it being very useful in terms of bringing fewer books to a gaming session. Also, I've read most of the Complete books, and many of the other splatbooks, and there were plenty of spells that were new to me. | |
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|
B
Underboss
1189 Posts
| | 12/05/2005 6:24 PM |
| Well, here is my mini-review of the Spell Compendium Volume 1.
The first thing that struck me when I picked up this book from my FLGS was the cover art. With this book WotC has chosen to ressurect to the cover art style that was used for the 3.0/3.5 core books.The book has a very nice cover that appears as if being held closed by a simulated brown leather strap. While I personally would have preferred a book that looked a little more exotic, I still applaud WotC for returning to the style that was used to define the new generation of sourcebooks. I must also applaud WotC for putting out a book of this size. The spell compendium comes in at 285 pages. This is the biggest non-campaign specific book that WotC has produced since the unveiling of D&D 3.5.
The inside of the book continues with the simplicity of design that graces the cover. The table of contents for this book contains a mere four items. Yes. Four. That's it. The four chapters are : Introduction, Spell Description, Spell Lists, and Domains. This table of contents takes up about 1/6 of the page. The rest of the page and the next page are devoted to the introduction. The introduction explains the basics of how to introduce spells and how to deal with any changes to the spells that you have been previously using. The introduction also explains that all of the spells in the book are directed towards the spellcasting classes from the core books, BUT they also have a handy section on how to decide if a spell is right for another spellcasting class. I think that it was a good idea for Wizards to include this section, as many people play alternate classes and excluding them totally is not a good idea. I do believe that this was done with the intention of placating the masses, while keeping the rest of the book fairly simple in function and form. In this, it succeeds totally.
The spell description chapter begins with a handy list of spells that have been renamed for this book. In an effort to make the spells more generic the authors have chosen to eliminate any wizard names from the titles of spells. There are no mordenkainen, bigby, tenser, simbul, or eleminster references in any of the spells in the book. For the ease of experienced players the list does present the old name and the new name of these spells.
What can I say about the spells? Well....there are a lot of them. A whole lot. Over a thousand. That's a lot. A whole lot. When you have that many spells in one place there are a few things that are going to happen. The first is duplication. There are at least half a dozen spells that add elemental damage to a weapon. These range from 2nd level to 4th level and they do pretty much the same thing. There are at least half a dozen spells that create a weapon for a spellcaster to use. There are at least half a dozen fireball effects of various energy types and radii. I expected duplication when I heard about the book, and thus I wasn't really bothered by this. If you are planning on buying the book you must be aware that quite a few of the spells are very similar.
The second problem that can arise in a book like this is variance in power level. Some of the spells are underpowered, some are balanced, and some are broken. With that said, most of the spells are well balanced and I can honestly say that I have only come across one spell that immediately seemed broken to me: Flame whips. This spell is a 4th level sor/wiz spell that gives the caster 2 touch attacks per round with a 15 ft range that deal 6d6 fire each. This gives a 7th level caster the ability to deal 12d6 damage per round. If they are under the effect of a haste spell it jumps to a potential 18d6/round. This is just too much. Fortunately, I haven't encountered any other spell that is that lopsided.
I do want to mention that i was pleasantly surprised to see the barbarian's best friend, the d12, move into the spellcaster's bag of tricks. There are almost a dozen spells in this book that use the d12 for damage. Your spellcaster may not need handfulls of d6's anymore...well...not as often anyway.
The back of the book contains the spell lists and domain spells. These are laid out in the standard format, and there is not much to say about them. my one problem with the spell lists are that they appear at the back of the book. In all other books the spell lists appear before the spells. I think that it would have been better to keep with that convention,as it is a little easier to check the list without 2lbs of pages trying to flip over on you.
I did notice a couple of editiorial oversights whilst reading through the book. The most glaring mistake was in the spell called "Sarcophagus of stone. This spell doesn't have a listed level, spellcasting class, range, or casting time. It also does not appear on the quick reference lists. This is a spell without a home. The other oversight that I noticed was that the "Light of..." spells in the books have their damage mislabeled in the quick reference lists. I also wish that they had included the actual text for the "Mass" spells. I was kind of annoyed to have to look up "Resist Energy" in the PHB when I wanted to use "Mass resist energy" Other than these mistakes the book seems solid in form.
All in all, I consider this book a great buy. It is 99% crunch and 1% fluff, so players shouldn't expect roleplaying miracles to come out of this book....just pure game mechanics. I personally find the book very useful, but it may not be as handy for everyone. DM's should definately take a close look at any spell that a player may want to use, as some of them could unbalance your game.
A solid book. I would give it 3.75/5 | |
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.--Dylan Thomas
| |
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Grim
Sergeant
482 Posts
| | 12/05/2005 6:44 PM |
| | Good review B. I found it an interesting addition to our Sunday game material and I think it will see a lot of use. This is on my wishlist for sure. | |
I am a leaf on the wind...Urrk!!--Wash, "Serenity" | |
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PatEllis15
Commander
4463 Posts
| | 12/05/2005 7:52 PM |
| http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20051202a&page=2
I am bitterly disappointed by this link. While renaming some spells doesn't matter, why are they taking the personality away from the game? They removed Mordy, Otiluke, Bigby, Kelemvor, Elminster etc from the names of THEIR spells...
Why?!
Pat E | |
"Games evolve. Otherwise we'd still be pushing rocks around the dirt. What do you think the cavemen said when some dude showed up with sticks?" - Chairman7w | |
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B
Underboss
1189 Posts
| | 12/05/2005 8:05 PM |
| | Well....I'm pretty sure that they are trying to make the spells as generic as possible. I know that it has been an issue in our games. I was a fan of the spell ganest's far strike, and my DM felt the need to create a ganest NPC to justify it's existance. | |
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.--Dylan Thomas
| |
|
IanB
Commander
3112 Posts
| | 12/05/2005 8:52 PM |
| Yeah, Bigby doesn't really have a place in my Eberron game, any more than Elminster has a place in my Greyhawk game, or in the homebrew games I play in.
I was surprised to see the names still on spells in 3E, to be honest. Any issues with campaign flavor I think are more appropriately handled in the source material for that campaign. When the 4E Greyhawk book comes out, I expect it will have a sidebar explaining the different spell names for the setting. | |
Anson on WotC boards | |
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Fry
Underboss
1724 Posts
| | 12/05/2005 9:03 PM |
| | The names were stripped for the 3.5 SRD so I am already used to it: Mage's Disjunction, etc. I'd already been abbreviating "Bigby's slapping hand" as just "slapping hand" so it really wasn't a surprise to see them do the same. | |
"Why am I all sticky and naked? Did I miss something fun?"
-Vindicated champion of Tordek, Dwarf Champion | |
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Lab Monkey
Commander
4136 Posts
| | 12/05/2005 10:22 PM |
| | Thanks for the review B. This is definitely going on my wish list for Christmas. | |
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Champion of Anything Dragonlance
Before trading, please check the Disputed Trades Thread | |
|
reezel
Sergeant
555 Posts
| | 12/06/2005 10:07 AM |
| | I love the fact that they put the second list there of renamed spells. That way those who want the named spells have access to them and those who don't have a readily named spell for more generic purposes. | |
Champion of the Beholder and Beholderkin
The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence. | |
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Benimoto
Underboss
1125 Posts
| | 12/06/2005 11:24 AM |
| | I agree that they wanted to keep the spell names "setting neutral." I can see why its disappointing, but then again, nobody's making you use the de-named spell names. Just grab a pen and "correct" the book. | |
Champion of the Rakshasa. Check out my Mini Terrain Maker, or my new Dungeon Map Maker (under development). | |
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reezel
Sergeant
555 Posts
| | 12/06/2005 11:43 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by reezel
I love the fact that they put the second list there of renamed spells. That way those who want the named spells have access to them and those who don't have a readily named spell for more generic purposes.
Not even sure that's necessary. The names are still there in the book, they just gave both options to people. | |
Champion of the Beholder and Beholderkin
The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence. | |
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The Mighty
jai
Commander
3235 Posts
| | 12/06/2005 12:02 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Lab Monkey
Thanks for the review B. This is definitely going on my wish list for Christmas.
My wife already has this wrapped for me for christmas. I know i am getting it, i know i have it, but i can't use it!!!!!!! | | | |
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jgsugden
Commander
4320 Posts
Walnut Creek, CA
| | 12/06/2005 1:48 PM |
| Ouch, Jai ... that is why I don';t put D&D on the Christmas list, I put it on the shelf.
I've purchased this book on your recomendations, folks ... especially you, IanB. If it sucks, I'll be sending a round of Slapping Hands out to all guilty parties ... [)] | |
Champion of Meepo _*_ Myztek on the Wizards Boards. _*_ (2206 DDM on 03/06/06)
Please note: The use of the  indicates an attempt at humor ... often a bad attempt.
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reezel
Sergeant
555 Posts
| | 12/06/2005 1:54 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by jgsugden
I've purchased this book on your recomendations, folks ... especially you, IanB. If it sucks, I'll be sending a round of Slapping Hands out to all guilty parties ... [)]
Anyone else wish that all the Bigby's hands spells icluded Bigby's Insulting Finger? Just seems to be a major oversight in the line. | |
Champion of the Beholder and Beholderkin
The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence. | |
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B
Underboss
1189 Posts
| | 12/06/2005 3:33 PM |
| | Naw, silent image works just as well [:D] | |
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.--Dylan Thomas
| |
|
Hero of the Force
Siddartha of Suburbia
Underboss
2277 Posts
| | 12/06/2005 3:40 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by B
Naw, silent image works just as well [:D]
The terrible thing is that I know you will inevitably use that spell for exactly that purpose. | |
"We can't stop here...This Is Bat country!"
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Omand
Commander
3120 Posts
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | 12/06/2005 5:32 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by reezel
quote:
Originally posted by jgsugden
I've purchased this book on your recomendations, folks ... especially you, IanB. If it sucks, I'll be sending a round of Slapping Hands out to all guilty parties ... [)]
Anyone else wish that all the Bigby's hands spells icluded Bigby's Insulting Finger? Just seems to be a major oversight in the line.
No in game benefit to that, however, unlike all of the other Bigby's spells.
Cheers [:)] | |
Successful Trades: 77 * Pending Trades: 0 * Bad Trades: KONG (B.W.)
Trade History * Trading Thread * Sales Thread * Winnipeg Meetingplace | |
|
Monsoon28
Underboss
2313 Posts
Toronto
| | 12/06/2005 9:24 PM |
| Dangnabit! When will my store get their copies? Along with the last two months worth of Dragon and Dungeon magazines?? Must get these today!
Good minireview there B, really hate that some spells will require looking in the PHB but does look like a solid book to get! | |
"I was sittin' here eatin' my muffin, drinkin' my coffee, replayin' the incident in my head, when I had what alcoholics refer to as a moment of clarity." - Jules Winnfield
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reezel
Sergeant
555 Posts
| | 12/07/2005 8:22 AM |
| | I don't mind the spells referencing the PH much, since that book will be right there anyways. That way we have more room for other spells. | |
Champion of the Beholder and Beholderkin
The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence. | |
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Count Dooku
Commander
4637 Posts
New York
| | 12/07/2005 9:17 AM |
| I would have really likd an index or a "First appearance" note on each spell.
I gotta say the descriptive text for each spell is a fantastic edition and is hands down the highlight of the book for me.
I really wish the PHB spells were in this just so all the spells are in one place plus the descriptive text would have been used for the original spells.
It adds alot of flavor to the game you play in plus solves the arguments on wether casting spells are noticeable.
Im sure every game has had the big debate of wether a sleep spell just makes others fall asleep or if glittery energy shoots from the wizards hands so anyone observing can see that magic is being used....same with charm spells ect. | |
Champion of the Skulk
Vindicated Champion of the Twig Blight | |
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B
Underboss
1189 Posts
| | 12/07/2005 6:41 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Count Dooku
I would have really likd an index or a "First appearance" note on each spell.
They do have a section in the back that lists the sources in detail. I don't know how useful a first appearance notation would be for me personally. I bought the book. I already have the spell in its updated form. | |
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.--Dylan Thomas
| |
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mordantos
Underboss
1210 Posts
| | 12/07/2005 7:08 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by reezel
This book makes me regret my decision to make all my future purchases through Amazon.
Keep saying to yourself- "34% Off & Free Shipping" [:D] | | | |
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Omand
Commander
3120 Posts
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | 12/07/2005 10:12 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by mordantos
quote:
Originally posted by reezel
This book makes me regret my decision to make all my future purchases through Amazon.
Keep saying to yourself- "34% Off & Free Shipping" [:D]
Yeah, that is very nice most of the time.
I do have a very good FLGS, however, so I like to support them as well.
Cheers [:)]
PS - Ok, the comment was not directed at me, but hey! [:D] | |
Successful Trades: 77 * Pending Trades: 0 * Bad Trades: KONG (B.W.)
Trade History * Trading Thread * Sales Thread * Winnipeg Meetingplace | |
|
reezel
Sergeant
555 Posts
| | 12/08/2005 8:56 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Omand
quote:
Originally posted by mordantos
quote:
Originally posted by reezel
This book makes me regret my decision to make all my future purchases through Amazon.
Keep saying to yourself- "34% Off & Free Shipping" [:D]
Yeah, that is very nice most of the time.
I do have a very good FLGS, however, so I like to support them as well.
Cheers [:)]
PS - Ok, the comment was not directed at me, but hey! [:D]
I love my FLGS too, but I like my money even more. I still buy my minis there for the most part, but I had to make some sort of concession to my wallet. | |
Champion of the Beholder and Beholderkin
The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence. | |
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mordantos
Underboss
1210 Posts
| | 12/08/2005 5:41 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Omand
I do have a very good FLGS, however, so I like to support them as well.
Good for you, but some of us don't... | | | |
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Wakalimasu
Sergeant
738 Posts
Calgary
| | 12/08/2005 6:13 PM |
| picked it up already.. good book :o
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o_O | |
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delguidance
Sergeant
394 Posts
| | 12/08/2005 8:22 PM |
| | In addition to the comments already made, I'm also happy with the art and pictures. They show the spells in action which gives them some personality and fuels my imagination. Big thumbs up for this book. Lots and lots of spells. I felt like a kid in a candy store. | |
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