Thoughts On Ars Magica 5th Edition

I was inspired by some of Justin Alexander's posts on Ars Magica to check it out. 

This isn't a full review but a collection of observations. For a more thorough review, look here.

The system does several things that I liked. The focus on building a covenant essentially places the players into domain-level play from the very beginning, foregrounding issues of local politics. Also, there is a strong influence on long-term character development through what D&D would characterize as downtime actions. 

The systems for things like training, teaching, writing books and developing spells are quite robust and as such play can be easily extended over seasons. This necessarily requires some abstraction, but the benefit is that character arcs are longer and the system supports stories with long-term payoffs.

The magic system is central to the entire game and as such it is very detailed, certainly more so than most games I've played or run. It's difficult for me to determine how well this would work in play. My impression is that it would present a high bar to entry for both players and GM, but with enough practice could provide some very deep problem-solving opportunities. The spontaneous magic system combines a verb and object to create different types of effects and is really genius. The first time I came across anything similar was at Papers and Pencils with his Magic Words. The details presented in Ars Magica do add complexity, but they also make it easier for the GM and player to arrive at consistent rulings, so I think Ars Magica's tables of spell effects vs spell level are worth the added complication.

How much complication is worth it, though? I like the basis of the system, but on top of that add rules for spell resistance, penetration, quick-casting, ritual casting, adding power through expending magical resources, spell fumbles, magical twilight... it's enough to make the head swim. 

Where does this leave us? Would I play Ars Magica? Definitely. Would I run Ars Magica? I think I would, with sufficient time and the right players. The game screams for long form play and the depth is there to support players willing to invest toward system mastery. My favorite part of the game, however isn't the systems, but the stories they enable. I can envision a game where players are living more than in a life-or-death scrum, where the problems they face are closer to the ones normal people face every day? How can I spend my time improve my lot for my family? Should I make new acquaintances or focus on old friends? Explore or exploit?What kind of a person do I want to be? 

These are the kinds of stories I want to be involved with.