''Arcane Companion'' is a fantasy role-playing game supplement published by
Iron Crown Enterprises
Iron Crown Enterprises (ICE) is a publishing company that has produced role playing, board, miniature, and collectible card games since 1980. Many of ICE's better-known products were related to J. R. R. Tolkien's world of Middle-earth, but the ''R ...
(ICE) in 1995 for the ''
Rolemaster
''Rolemaster'' (originally ''Role Master'') is a tabletop role-playing game published by Iron Crown Enterprises since 1980.
Editions
''Rolemaster'' has a total of four editions.
First edition (RM1): 1980–1982
This edition includes the or ...
'' system.
Publication history
In 1995, ICE released an update to ''Rolemaster'' called ''Rolemaster Standard System''. As ICE had done with previous editions, they also published several supplementary rulebooks, ''Arcane Companion'' being one of them.
The 128-page softcover book was designed by Todd McGovern and John Curtis, with cover illustration by Angus McBride, and was released in 1995.
Contents
''Arcane Companion'' sets out extended rules for magic in the ''Rolemaster'' universe. Spellcasters must specialize in magic from one of three categories: Essence, Channeling, and Mentalism. The book details
* new spellcaster classes: Arcanist, Wizard, Chaotic, and Magehunter
* the various energy systems that
gamemasters
A gamemaster (GM; also known as game master, game manager, game moderator, referee, or storyteller) is a person who acts as an organizer, officiant for regarding rules, arbitrator, and moderator for a multiplayer role-playing game. They are m ...
can choose for their campaign, be it
Ley Lines
Ley lines () are straight alignments drawn between various historic structures and prominent landmarks. The idea was developed in early 20th-century Europe, with ley line believers arguing that these alignments were recognised by ancient socie ...
, Essence Flows or Earthnodes.
* how players can use temporary Bladerunes to enhance weapons
* how spellcasters can create artificial life
* some of the issues for spellcasters who abuse the powers of magic
* almost a thousand spell descriptions
Reception
In the July 1996 edition of Dragon (Issue 231),
Rick Swan
Rick Swan is a game designer and author who worked for TSR.
His work for TSR, mostly for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, appeared from 1989 to 1995.
Swan also wrote ''The Complete Guide to Role-Playing Games'' (1990), published by St. Martin's Pr ...
warned that the Rolemaster system was a mathematician's delight: "Saturated with charts and numbers, it's for players who buy pocket calculators by the crate... If you're the kind of guy who needs his fingers to do arithmetic, this ain't your kind of game." Despite this, Swan found ''Arcane Companion'' to be "not only comprehensible, but entertaining, thanks to the designers’ efforts to infuse the facts and figures with vivid imagery." Swan concluded that because this supplement was so solidly linked to the ''Rolemaster'' system, it could not be ported to another game system, but "experienced players should welcome this ambitious expansion with open arms. And if you’re among those who’ve dismissed ''Rolemaster'' as not worth the effort, sneak a peek at ''Arcane Companion''; it might tempt you to reconsider."
References
{{reflist
Role-playing game supplements introduced in 1995
Rolemaster supplements