Learning to Play
Thanks for your interest in Ars Magica! We, the Ars Magica fan community, welcome you. We hope you will enjoy the game as much as we do.
Why Ars Magica?
If you're unsure about whether to give Ars Magica a try, here are some resources explaining why the game is so great:
- Why Play Ars Magica? (Podcast)
- Episode 1 of the Arcane Connection podcast explains the unique features of the game (30 minutes).
Obtaining the Rules
If you don't already have a copy of the Ars Magica rule book, the good news is that you don't have to buy one. As explained on the Fourth Edition page, you can download a PDF of the Fourth Edition rule book for free. You can get other free stuff for Fourth Edition, including the introductory scenario Promises, Promises, from Atlas Games's Fourth Edition Web page.
Fifth Edition is generally considered better, so you may want to consider upgrading to the "paid version" sooner rather than later. The publisher's [Fifth Edition web page has several free resources for you, including a sample covenant.
Whichever edition you choose, Ars Magica has an extensive library of game supplements. You can get started with just the core rules -- which might be a good idea, to keep things simple. Once you've learned the basics, if you want some guidance on what to buy next, please refer to: