The first edition of Ars Magica (or ArM1, for short) was published in 1987 by the now-defunct company Lion Rampant.

Rules Edition: First

Abbreviation: ArM1

Topic: core rules

Authors: Jonathan Tweet and Mark Rein·Hagen

Publisher: Lion Rampant

Product Number: unknown

ISBN: None

Release Date: 1987

Format: Softcover, 160 pages

Availability: Out of Print

First Edition Ars Magica is long out of print. A copy seems to surface for auction on E-Bay every few years, but commands a collector's price: often $75 or more.

Subject and Contents

At the time, ArM1 was a very innovative game that broke new ground in several ways. Back in 1987, the fantasy role-playing genre was dominated by First Edition AD&D, with Runequest a distant second. Ars Magica was a radical break from AD&D, putting a strong emphasis on story and characterization.

It created an open-ended magic system that allowed players to invent an unlimited variety of new spells by combining Forms and Techniques. It introduced Troupe Style play, where players rotate roles like actors in a repertory troupe. It introduced Personality Traits, which quantify a character's personality as well has his/her physical and mental abilities. It deliberately cast aside the idea that all player-characters should be equal in power, and made magi a great deal more powerful than grogs or companions.

Contributions to Canon

Most of the mechanics of Ars Magica were introduced with First Edition.

All the Arts were introduced in ArM1 (but some of their Latin names were misspelled)
Most (but not all) of the spells from later editions were introduced in ArM1
Personality Traits were there, as well as Characteristics and Abilities
Magi had laboratories and could enchant familiars or devices
Characters had "exceptional traits" that are recognizable as Virtues and Flaws
Magi had Parma Magica and longevity potions
Magi lived in covenants and used redcaps as messengers
Certamen was a means of resolving disputes

Comparison with Other Editions

On the other hand, there were several aspects of ArM1 that would seem odd to someone familiar with later editions:

Houses didn't exist. They were introduced in ArM2
Magi tracked their study and laboratory work in months, not seasons
Parma Magica was a Rego Vim General spell, not an Ability
The Code of Hermes was not written down specifically, only described in general terms
Grogs could not have Virtues and Flaws

Errata

There are no errata for First Edition, but the Revised Edition was published fairly soon after it (in 1989).

Awards

The First Edition of Ars Magica won the Origins Gamer's Choice Award for 1988.

Opinion and Commentary

If you have read or played First Edition, feel free to contribute by adding your impressions here.

External Links

Ars Magica First Edition at Ars-Magica.net
Product page at rpg.net