Polymancer magazine
Encyclopedia
Polymancer is a magazine covering roleplaying games and related hobbies such as miniatures, wargaming
, and LARPs. The magazine is published in Canada; its first issue was published in 2004.
scenarios) are written without reference to rules. The magazine touts itself as being “system-independent” so that “players of different game systems may make use of them”
The magazine covers many gaming genres such as fantasy, science fiction, horror, modern day, pulp
. Most gaming magazines just cover fantasy because Dungeons & Dragons
, a fantasy RPG is the most popular game of its kind.
Polymancer is different from many magazines that cover RPGs by being printed
. Many gaming magazines such as Pyramid are only available online. The April 19, 2007 announcement that Paizo Publishing
's license to produce Dragon
and Dungeon
magazines will end in September 2007, without being renewed, leaves Polymancer as one of the few printed game hobby magazines geared towards consumers left (see the Wikipedia roleplaying game magazines category for a list). (Wizards announced that the two magazines will be replaced by an as of yet unspecified "online initiative.")
There is a complete adventure scenario in every issue of the magazine “playable right out of the box.” The scenario map is in the magazine’s center spread. There is downloadable material to aid the gamemaster available at the publisher’s web site for most of the scenarios.
Articles in Polymancer tend to be long (over 4 pages) and the black and white illustrations differ from the color artwork found in Dragon. Polymancer is comparable to how Dragon was in the 1980s. The articles in Polymancer are eclectic
but they appear under a few regular headings:
, and Espionage
scenarios. One scenario was written to be played as a set of linked miniatures wargame battles, as an RPG adventure, or both. Most Polymancer adventures are written for use with any RPG rules system, however, three adventures were written for specific RPGs: C.J. Carella's Witchcraft
(by Eden Studios
), Jovian Chronicles
(by Dream Pod 9
), and HARP
(by I.C.E.
). The latter two adventures had the statistics that are compatible with the rules for the games the adventures were written for side-by-side with Polymancer's own "Mojo" rules system (see below), which is written to be convertible into other game rules systems. The Witchcraft adventure contains very few references to rules so it is likely to be easy to convert into the rules for other horror RPGs.
designed to adapt to any campaign setting
. The Mojo rules system was created by Polymancer Studios, Inc. in 2004; first offered as a publication in 2004, and first serialized in Polymancer in January 2005.
The Mojo RPG was created as an "ultrageneric, barebones RPG system" The publisher states that it was designed so that game statistics
for tasks, skills, items, magic spells, and so on could be easily converted to their equivalents in other RPGs. They did this so that adventure scenarios, equipment articles, and other content in Polymancer magazine could contain material with relevant stats, and still be useful to as many different kinds of gamers as possible It was stressed that Polymancer Studios did not intend to create another generic RPG as a product, but rather as a tool to make the magazine more relevant. This has been repeatedly stated by people who work for Polymancer Studios in the magazine itself, and also in podcast
interviews
, while the Mojo article in Volume 2 Issue #4 of Polymancer was a set of psionics
rules.
As of May 2009, there have been 16 published Mojo articles in Polymancer magazine.
and Rolemaster
. Basic task resolution is accomplished by rolling under the character's attribute + relevant skill + a modifier set by the gamemaster
on an ad hoc basis. Combat uses the same system.
A free PDF of the Mojo rules system is available from the publisher's website.
Polymancer magazine (Volume #1, Issue #2) - Introduction to Mojo.
Polymancer magazine (Volume #1, Issue #3) - Task Resolution in Mojo.
Polymancer magazine (Volume #1, Issue #4) - Character Creation I: Skills and Attributes in Mojo.
Polymancer magazine (Volume #1, Issue #5) - Character Creation II: Education & Background in Mojo.
Polymancer magazine (Volume #1, Issue #6) - Fleshing out the Character in Mojo.
Polymancer magazine (Volume #1, Issue #7) - Equipping for Combat in Mojo.
Polymancer magazine (Volume #1, Issue #8) - Equipping Your Character II, Mojo.
Polymancer magazine (Volume #1, Issue #9) - Character Advancement in Mojo.
Polymancer magazine (Volume #1, Issue #11) - Combat Resolution in Mojo.
Polymancer magazine (Volume #2, Issue #1) - Mystical Casting in Mojo.
Polymancer magazine (Volume #2, Issue #2) - Schools of Magic in Mojo.
Polymancer magazine (Volume #2, Issue #4) - Psionics I: Mojo.
Polymancer magazine (Volume #2, Issue #5) - Psionic II: Mojo.
Polymancer magazine (Volume #2, Issue #6) - Martial Arts I: Mojo.
Polymancer magazine (Volume #2, Issue #7) - Martial Arts II: Mojo.
and ship design rules, based on PUMMEL!.
Wargaming
A wargame is a strategy game that deals with military operations of various types, real or fictional. Wargaming is the hobby dedicated to the play of such games, which can also be called conflict simulations, or consims for short. When used professionally to study warfare, it is generally known as...
, and LARPs. The magazine is published in Canada; its first issue was published in 2004.
Nature of Magazine and Content
Polymancer articles (except adventureAdventure (role-playing games)
An adventure is either a published or otherwise written collection of plot, character, and location details used by a gamemaster to manage the plot or story in a role-playing game. Each adventure is based upon a particular gaming genre and is normally designed for use with a specific game or gaming...
scenarios) are written without reference to rules. The magazine touts itself as being “system-independent” so that “players of different game systems may make use of them”
The magazine covers many gaming genres such as fantasy, science fiction, horror, modern day, pulp
Pulp magazine
Pulp magazines , also collectively known as pulp fiction, refers to inexpensive fiction magazines published from 1896 through the 1950s. The typical pulp magazine was seven inches wide by ten inches high, half an inch thick, and 128 pages long...
. Most gaming magazines just cover fantasy because Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
, a fantasy RPG is the most popular game of its kind.
Polymancer is different from many magazines that cover RPGs by being printed
Printing
Printing is a process for reproducing text and image, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing....
. Many gaming magazines such as Pyramid are only available online. The April 19, 2007 announcement that Paizo Publishing
Paizo Publishing
Paizo Publishing is an American publishing company in Redmond, Washington that specializes in game aids and adventures for "the world's oldest fantasy roleplaying game" and its flagship spin-off game and setting, Pathfinder...
's license to produce Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
and Dungeon
Dungeon (magazine)
Dungeon Adventures, or simply Dungeon, was a magazine targeting consumers of role-playing games, particularly Dungeons & Dragons. It was first published by TSR, Inc. in 1986 as a bimonthly periodical. It went monthly in May 2003 and ceased print publication altogether in September 2007 with Issue 150...
magazines will end in September 2007, without being renewed, leaves Polymancer as one of the few printed game hobby magazines geared towards consumers left (see the Wikipedia roleplaying game magazines category for a list). (Wizards announced that the two magazines will be replaced by an as of yet unspecified "online initiative.")
There is a complete adventure scenario in every issue of the magazine “playable right out of the box.” The scenario map is in the magazine’s center spread. There is downloadable material to aid the gamemaster available at the publisher’s web site for most of the scenarios.
Articles in Polymancer tend to be long (over 4 pages) and the black and white illustrations differ from the color artwork found in Dragon. Polymancer is comparable to how Dragon was in the 1980s. The articles in Polymancer are eclectic
Eclecticism
Eclecticism is a conceptual approach that does not hold rigidly to a single paradigm or set of assumptions, but instead draws upon multiple theories, styles, or ideas to gain complementary insights into a subject, or applies different theories in particular cases.It can sometimes seem inelegant or...
but they appear under a few regular headings:
- “Jousting With Words” is the editorial
- “The Lich’s Niche” is a ranting opinion column written in the form of an interview with a lichLichIn modern fantasy fiction, a lich is a type of undead creature. Often such a creature is the result of a transformation, as a powerful magician or king striving for eternal life uses spells or rituals to bind his intellect to his animated corpse and thereby achieve a form of immortality...
. - “Tech Talk” is about ways to use technology (especially computers) in gaming.
- “Gaming Digital” is about play by email gamesPlay-by-mail gamePlay-by-mail games, sometimes known as "Play-by-post", are games, of any type, played through postal mail or e-mail. One example, chess, has been played by mail for centuries . Another example, Diplomacy, has been played by mail since the 1960s, starting with a printed newsletter written by John...
. - “Gauntlet” seems to be generally about problems gamemasterGamemasterA gamemaster is a person who acts as an organizer, officiant for questions regarding rules, arbitrator, and moderator for a multiplayer game...
s might face and how to solve them. They tend to be instructional in tone. - “Mojo” is Polymancer’s own game rules system. Each article adds to and presents additional rules for Mojo. This means Mojo is developed on a serial basis. The article announcing it in issue #2 says Mojo is meant to be easy to convert to other game systems. Mojo is available for free from the magazine's website.
- “Plot Fodder” is about getting adventure ideas from general topics.
Adventure Scenarios
There is a full adventure scenario in every issue. So far Polymancer has had horror, fantasy, post-apocalyptic, science fiction, pulp, cyberpunkCyberpunk
Cyberpunk is a postmodern and science fiction genre noted for its focus on "high tech and low life." The name is a portmanteau of cybernetics and punk, and was originally coined by Bruce Bethke as the title of his short story "Cyberpunk," published in 1983...
, and Espionage
Spy fiction
Spy fiction, literature concerning the forms of espionage, was a sub-genre derived from the novel during the nineteenth century, which then evolved into a discrete genre before the First World War , when governments established modern intelligence agencies in the early twentieth century...
scenarios. One scenario was written to be played as a set of linked miniatures wargame battles, as an RPG adventure, or both. Most Polymancer adventures are written for use with any RPG rules system, however, three adventures were written for specific RPGs: C.J. Carella's Witchcraft
CJ Carella's WitchCraft
CJ Carella's WitchCraft, or more informally WitchCraft , is a modern horror role-playing game published by Eden Studios, Inc. It is based on the Unisystem game system and had been previously published by Myrmidon Press. In both cases it was designed and written by C. J. Carella...
(by Eden Studios
Eden Studios, Inc.
Eden Studios, Inc. is an award-winning American role-playing game publisher founded in 1996 by George Vasilakos, M. Alexander Jurkat, and Ed Healy. Currently run by Mr...
), Jovian Chronicles
Jovian Chronicles
Jovian Chronicles is a science fiction game setting published by Dream Pod 9 since 1992. It introduces a complete universe for role-playing and wargaming space combat, featuring mecha, giant spacecraft and epic space battles....
(by Dream Pod 9
Dream Pod 9
Dream Pod 9 is a Montreal-based Canadian game publisher. In addition to games, they have been known to work on special projects, creating worlds and stories to order for a variety of clients.-History:...
), and HARP
High Adventure Role Playing
High Adventure Role Playing is a fantasy role-playing game, designed by Tim Dugger & Heike A. Kubash, and published by Iron Crown Enterprises .- Background :...
(by I.C.E.
Iron Crown Enterprises
Iron Crown Enterprises was a publisher of role playing, board, miniature battle, and collectible card games.ICE was incorporated in 1980 shortly after the principal founders graduated from the University of Virginia...
). The latter two adventures had the statistics that are compatible with the rules for the games the adventures were written for side-by-side with Polymancer's own "Mojo" rules system (see below), which is written to be convertible into other game rules systems. The Witchcraft adventure contains very few references to rules so it is likely to be easy to convert into the rules for other horror RPGs.
Comics
More than one comic has appeared in Polymancer magazine. There was a serial comic called “SideQuest” about a group of gamers that appeared in issues 1 through 8. Other comics that have appeared in Polymancer are "Quotable Quotes" starting in issue #8; it is based on humorous quotes from games that have been supplied by the magazine's readers by email. "Dice Quest" began in issue #10; the characters in Dice Quest are anthropomorphized polyhedral dice.Games Published in Polymancer magazine
As of May 2009, three game rules systems have been published in Polymancer magazine as articles, Mojo, PUMMEL!, and Space PUMMEL!. Each of these game rules systems were implemented in Polymancer magazine in order to allow the content to contain usable game stats, while remaining convertible to rules systems that the magazine's readers would prefer to use themselves. Each of these game systems is playable on its own, however.Mojo
Mojo is a free role-playing game systemRole-playing game system
A role-playing game system is a set of game mechanics used in a role-playing game to determine the outcome of a character's in-game actions...
designed to adapt to any campaign setting
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
. The Mojo rules system was created by Polymancer Studios, Inc. in 2004; first offered as a publication in 2004, and first serialized in Polymancer in January 2005.
Purpose of Mojo
Mojo is a roleplaying game rules system developed by Polymancer Studios, Inc.. Mojo is described in the pages of Polymancer magazine as a "percentile-based system" and in Polymancer Studios's press releases as "the infinitely convertible‚ roleplaying rules system".The Mojo RPG was created as an "ultrageneric, barebones RPG system" The publisher states that it was designed so that game statistics
Statistic (role-playing games)
A statistic in role-playing games is a piece of data which represents a particular aspect of a fictional character. That piece of data is usually a integer or, in some cases, a set of dice....
for tasks, skills, items, magic spells, and so on could be easily converted to their equivalents in other RPGs. They did this so that adventure scenarios, equipment articles, and other content in Polymancer magazine could contain material with relevant stats, and still be useful to as many different kinds of gamers as possible It was stressed that Polymancer Studios did not intend to create another generic RPG as a product, but rather as a tool to make the magazine more relevant. This has been repeatedly stated by people who work for Polymancer Studios in the magazine itself, and also in podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
interviews
Format of publication
Mojo was first introduced in Polymancer Volume 1, Issue #2. The rules have been published incrementally, in the pages of Polymancer magazine, one section of rules at a time, with each rules section being a magazine article. For example, the Mojo article in Volume 1 Issue #4 of Polymancer covered character generationCharacter creation
Character creation is the process of defining a game character or other character. Typically, a character's individual strengths and weaknesses are represented by a set of statistics. Games with a largely fictional setting may include traits such as race and class...
, while the Mojo article in Volume 2 Issue #4 of Polymancer was a set of psionics
Psionics
Psionics refers to the practice, study, or psychic ability of using the mind to induce paranormal phenomena. Examples of this include telepathy, telekinesis, and other workings of the outside world through the psyche.-History and terminology:...
rules.
As of May 2009, there have been 16 published Mojo articles in Polymancer magazine.
Basic Rules
Although based on percentile dice, Mojo differs from other percentile-based games such as Call of CthulhuCall of Cthulhu (role-playing game)
Call of Cthulhu is a horror fiction role-playing game based on H. P. Lovecraft's story of the same name and the associated Cthulhu Mythos.The game, often abbreviated as CoC, is published by Chaosium.-Setting:...
and Rolemaster
Rolemaster
Rolemaster is a role-playing game published by Iron Crown Enterprises. Rolemaster has come in four separate editions. The 3rd edition, first published in 1995, is also known as the "Rolemaster Standard System" . There are two editions currently in production...
. Basic task resolution is accomplished by rolling under the character's attribute + relevant skill + a modifier set by the gamemaster
Gamemaster
A gamemaster is a person who acts as an organizer, officiant for questions regarding rules, arbitrator, and moderator for a multiplayer game...
on an ad hoc basis. Combat uses the same system.
A free PDF of the Mojo rules system is available from the publisher's website.
Mojo History
- 2002 - Mojo Rules set enters final playtesting.
- 2003 - Basic Mojo Rules available to public.
- 2004 - Mojo Advanced released to public.
- 2005 through 2009
Polymancer magazine (Volume #1, Issue #2) - Introduction to Mojo.
Polymancer magazine (Volume #1, Issue #3) - Task Resolution in Mojo.
Polymancer magazine (Volume #1, Issue #4) - Character Creation I: Skills and Attributes in Mojo.
Polymancer magazine (Volume #1, Issue #5) - Character Creation II: Education & Background in Mojo.
Polymancer magazine (Volume #1, Issue #6) - Fleshing out the Character in Mojo.
Polymancer magazine (Volume #1, Issue #7) - Equipping for Combat in Mojo.
Polymancer magazine (Volume #1, Issue #8) - Equipping Your Character II, Mojo.
Polymancer magazine (Volume #1, Issue #9) - Character Advancement in Mojo.
Polymancer magazine (Volume #1, Issue #11) - Combat Resolution in Mojo.
Polymancer magazine (Volume #2, Issue #1) - Mystical Casting in Mojo.
Polymancer magazine (Volume #2, Issue #2) - Schools of Magic in Mojo.
Polymancer magazine (Volume #2, Issue #4) - Psionics I: Mojo.
Polymancer magazine (Volume #2, Issue #5) - Psionic II: Mojo.
Polymancer magazine (Volume #2, Issue #6) - Martial Arts I: Mojo.
Polymancer magazine (Volume #2, Issue #7) - Martial Arts II: Mojo.
PUMMEL!
PUMMEL! (Pick-Up Multigenre Miniatures, Easy to Learn) is a set of quick miniatures wargame rules, designed for adaptability to RPGs, so that RPG scenarios in Polymancer magazine could have large-scale combats.Space PUMMEL!
Space combatSpace Combat
Space Combat is a game produced by Laminar Research to provide a simulation of space combat with accurate physics, unlike most other games of the same genre...
and ship design rules, based on PUMMEL!.
See also
- PolygraffPolygraffPolygraff is a quarterly anthology of short stories in science fiction, fantasy, horror, pulp, cyberpunk, and other genres of speculative fiction. It has been available in print since 2009...
, a quarterly anthology of science fiction, fantasy, horror, pulp, and other genres of speculative fictionSpeculative fictionSpeculative fiction is an umbrella term encompassing the more fantastical fiction genres, specifically science fiction, fantasy, horror, supernatural fiction, superhero fiction, utopian and dystopian fiction, apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, and alternate history in literature as well as...
; also published by Polymancer Studios, Inc. - PolyglotPolyglot (webzine)Polyglot is a biweekly online newsletter about the game hobby industry. It contains official press releases put out by roleplaying game, board game, miniatures, card game, LARP, comic book, and computer game companies. It is published for free as a downloadable PDF...
, a game and entertainment industry newsletter, also published by Polymancer Studios, Inc.
Further reading
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External links
- Polymancer Studios (publisher)
- Polymancer (magazine)
- Polymancer Studios's MySpace page
- Podcasts about Polymancer magazine
- 3.5 Private Sanctuary http://rcjrproductions.com/35ps/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=127&Itemid=26http://rcjrproductions.com/35ps/podcasts/057%20-%20episode%2057.mp3
- All Games Considered
- http://www.agcpodcast.info/2008/12/agc-94-december-30-2008-happy-new-year.html http://media.libsyn.com/media/tashkal/20081230AGC-64k.mp3
- http://www.agcpodcast.info/2007_05_01_archive.html http://media.libsyn.com/media/tashkal/20070526AGC-64k.mp3
- http://www.agcpodcast.info/2007/08/agc-56-august-4-2007-son-of-big-damn.html http://media.libsyn.com/media/tashkal/20070804AGC-64k.mp3
- http://www.agcpodcast.info/2005_11_01_archive.html http://libsyn.com/media/tashkal/20051126AGC-64k.mp3
- Pulp Gamer http://www.pulpgamer.com/shows/pulp_011_051113.mp3
- DiceCast (By Polymancer Studios)