BishopofB&W Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 I’ve picked up my copy of The Ultimate Mystic on Friday and skimmed through it before really starting to read it Saturday. I’ve never read The Ultimate Super-Mage and I don’t remember reading anything else by Dean Shomshak, so here’s my first impression. Shomshak starts off by explaining that he doesn’t intend to offend anyone’s religious beliefs but no religion gets any special treatment. From my reading, that means he adopts the Joseph Campbell approach and describes magic and religion in terms of the common symbolism found among all the peoples of the world. The book is patterned after Mystic Masters, but is far more detailed with a lot more ideas for your mystic character. He emphasizes the importance of the origin story because most mystics choose their path rather than fall into it through a radiation accident. The chapter on dimensions is brief, but covers all the bases, including a fairly detailed sample premise for a secret mystic subculture in the modern world including a cosmology. Next, there’s a run-through on real-world magical beliefs and practices and how they can relate to superheroic, heroic, and “realistic†campaigns. There are also a few sample Hero System spells. As far as specific rites go, it’s less detailed than the Harry Potter books, so I think you can read it without any fear for your immortal soul. The last chapter has plenty of ideas for ghosts, shapeshifters, angels, devils, etc., from folklore around the world as well as how to model a cult, ideas for how and why mystics relate to the mundane world. There’s even ideas for alternatives to the usual mystic sites(Mu, Lemuria, and, of course, Atlantis). I’d say this book is far meatier than similar supplements I’ve read. It is so non-specific to the Hero System that it can be used in just about any game that includes magic or at least touch on the subject. There are no write-ups of sample characters, but I expect those will be in the upcoming Champions mystic enemies book. I’m very curious about who the technomage on the cover is. He looks like he belongs in a Cthulhu/cyberpunk campaign. He seems to be doing something to his victim with a genetic treatment enhanced by black magic and the favor of Things Man Was Not Meant To Know. Finally, Shomshak’s dry humor permeates the book and makes it even more enjoyable. I’d recommend it to anyone who’s looking to run either a mystic campaign or even just add a little more “oomph†to mystic NPCs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjcurrie Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 Re: Ultimate Mystic Review There are no write-ups of sample characters, but I expect those will be in the upcoming Champions mystic enemies book. Are you perhaps referring to Arcane Adversaries, which has been out for several months now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheQuestionMan Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 Re: Ultimate Mystic Review I would like a better look at the COVER!!! Hint hint QM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Long Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 Re: Ultimate Mystic Review I think you can read it without any fear for your immortal soul. Damn! Another editorial goal missed. Glad you're enjoying the book! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Long Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 Re: Ultimate Mystic Review The cover's depicted on the product's page: http://herogame.dans.cust.servlets.net/Products/UMY.jsp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BishopofB&W Posted January 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 Re: Ultimate Mystic Review Are you perhaps referring to Arcane Adversaries' date=' which has been out for several months now?[/quote'] Dunno. Could be. I thought that was for The Mystic World but I may be misremembering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Seeman Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 Re: Ultimate Mystic Review I would like a better look at the COVER!!! Hint hint QM Buy the BOOK!!! Hint hint Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Seeman Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 Re: Ultimate Mystic Review Dunno. Could be. I thought that was for The Mystic World but I may be misremembering. I'm confused. How would a book full of mystic enemies apply to The Mystic World but not to The Ultimate Mystic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BishopofB&W Posted January 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 Re: Ultimate Mystic Review I'm confused. How would a book full of mystic enemies apply to The Mystic World but not to The Ultimate Mystic? I thought Arcane Adversaries was the stuff that Steve couldn't fit into The Mystic World, but I may be suffering from work-related sleep deprivation and simply switched the two in my head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Seeman Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 Re: Ultimate Mystic Review I thought Arcane Adversaries was the stuff that Steve couldn't fit into The Mystic World' date=' but I may be suffering from work-related sleep deprivation and simply switched the two in my head. [/quote'] Yes, that's true, but it's all still mystically related. Arcane Adversaries is the Champions mystic enemies book and it is already out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 Re: Ultimate Mystic Review The cover's depicted on the product's page: http://herogame.dans.cust.servlets.net/Products/UMY.jsp I just love that structure: Dans.Cust.Servlets I would make jokes but when I was in tech support I created a handy little utility disk entitled "Mark's Marveluous DOS Short Boot Disk." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerhouse Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 Re: Ultimate Mystic Review I'm still waiting for it to come out in my area but fully intend to buy it since I've been getting really into that subgenre of comics. Indeed, I've re-written my archmage along with her astral form and mystic sanctum (no history/detail on the sanctum though, just stats) and posted them un hero designer form in the arch mage thread. There's also a new mystic group composed of a show-off Vandeluer, two reformed villains (Witch Finder and Sheath from 4th edition VIPER), Manticore (800 pounds of bestial fury!) and the naive Shadowfire who is a secret to everyone... especially herself! Ok, enough plugs for me! The UM looks really great and I can't wait to see how it compares to the Mystic Master supplement which I just love. I'm a little disappointed that there seem to be no sample characters though. Is this true? The Ultimate Brick had quite a few after all. The cover looks a little wierd. Well done but not orthodox in the classic mystic sense it seems based on what I can see. Then again, we've alread had mystic squaring off in Mystic Masters and The Mystic World so it was a good choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agent X Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 Re: Ultimate Mystic Review I’ve picked up my copy of The Ultimate Mystic on Friday and skimmed through it before really starting to read it Saturday. I’ve never read The Ultimate Super-Mage and I don’t remember reading anything else by Dean Shomshak' date=' so here’s my first impression. Shomshak starts off by explaining that he doesn’t intend to offend anyone’s religious beliefs [b']but no religion gets any special treatment.[/b] From my reading, that means he adopts the Joseph Campbell approach and describes magic and religion in terms of the common symbolism found among all the peoples of the world... Lost a customer for this book. It's not entertaining for someone to treat my religion as fiction, as Shomshack has already done, and attempt to exploit my religion for role playing. Looks like DOJ doesn't want my business on the mystic-themed end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Worldmaker Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 Re: Ultimate Mystic Review Lost a customer for this book. It's not entertaining for someone to treat my religion as fiction' date=' as Shomshack has already done, and attempt to exploit my religion for role playing. Looks like DOJ doesn't want my business on the mystic-themed end.[/quote'] Sorry, but this statement screams for a response of "Get over it already, its just a game." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agent X Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 Re: Ultimate Mystic Review Sorry' date=' but this statement screams for a response of "Get over it already, its just a game."[/quote'] Oh, I know. That's the problem. My religion isn't just a game. And I'm not trying to change your mind. I'm letting DOJ be informed as to why I have chosen not to buy a particular line of their books as it is likely that I represent a certain POV held by a certain number of possible customers. I really shouldn't get any more retorts by others for this than someone who says they won't buy the Champions Universe or Millennium City books because they run their own home-grown campaign. I regret that they couldn't leave those themes that offend me unexplored as I doubt it will increase the sales of the books and I do believe it will give more readers than just me pause when considering buying the book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Worldmaker Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 Re: Ultimate Mystic Review Oh' date=' I know. That's the problem. My religion isn't just a game.[/quote'] I never said it was. I said the game... you know, Champions? The hero system?... was a game and you damned well know I did. What did I say previously about trying your semantic tricks on me, Doug? Your religion isn't a game. Good for you. Neither is mine. You know what? Get over it already. Its just a game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agent X Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 Re: Ultimate Mystic Review I never said it was. I said the game... you know, Champions? The hero system?... was a game and you damned well know I did. What did I say previously about trying your semantic tricks on me, Doug? Your religion isn't a game. Good for you. Neither is mine. You know what? Get over it already. Its just a game. And my religious beliefs make me very uncomfortable with the idea of "fictionalizing" my God. Uncomfortable = Unentertaining = No purchase of the book. I don't have to get over it and I don't have to buy the book and I think DOJ probably wants to know why people make the purchasing decisions they make. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Worldmaker Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 Re: Ultimate Mystic Review And my religious beliefs make me very uncomfortable with the idea of "fictionalizing" my God. Uncomfortable = Unentertaining = No purchase of the book. I don't have to get over it and I don't have to buy the book and I think DOJ probably wants to know why people make the purchasing decisions they make. My problem isn't with your decision to forgo the book. You've got the right to forgo the book for whatever reason or for no reason. What I was commenting on was your need to beat your breast and bemoan the "ill treatment" you were personally receiving because they "made a joke of your religion", when in truth no such thing occurred. You are making far too much of it, and I thought someone needed to let some air out of your balloon. Its just a game. If you want to forgo the book, then just forgo the book. Getting all offended and posting a statement like you did is verging into "drama queen" territory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agent X Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 Re: Ultimate Mystic Review My problem isn't with your decision to forgo the book. You've got the right to forgo the book for whatever reason or for no reason. What I was commenting on was your need to beat your breast and bemoan the "ill treatment" you were personally receiving because they "made a joke of your religion", when in truth no such thing occurred. You are making far too much of it, and I thought someone needed to let some air out of your balloon. Its just a game. If you want to forgo the book, then just forgo the book. Getting all offended and posting a statement like you did is verging into "drama queen" territory. No, it isn't. I'm not going on and on about the content of the book. That's covered ground. I'm informing DOJ why I won't be purchasing their Mystic-Themed books and why. I wouldn't have continued posting if you hadn't decided that my posts weren't necessary. I have to say this; I never asked your opinion of whether my post had merit or not. I'm not asking you to agree with my decision. I'm not asking for a pat on the back. I'm making a simple statement and trying to move on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Worldmaker Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 Re: Ultimate Mystic Review "I am sorely wounded! You hath done me dirty, and forsooth I will forsake the purchase of the miswrote document for it hast been the instrument of my injury! Look upon me, world, for I am wronged!" Drama queen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agent X Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 Re: Ultimate Mystic Review "I am sorely wounded! You hath done me dirty, and forsooth I will forsake the purchase of the miswrote document for it hast been the instrument of my injury! Look upon me, world, for I am wronged!" Drama queen. Pointless ad hominem attack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Worldmaker Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 Re: Ultimate Mystic Review Actually it was a quite pointed ad hominem attack. If you didn't want the attention, you never would have posted what you did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 Re: Ultimate Mystic Review OH! I was hoping for some drama, but didn't expect it here!!! You guys should do commercials for TNT. "Now THAT'S drama!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristopher Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 Re: Ultimate Mystic Review Lost a customer for this book. It's not entertaining for someone to treat my religion as fiction, as Shomshack has already done, and attempt to exploit my religion for role playing. Looks like DOJ doesn't want my business on the mystic-themed end. As uncomfortable as it is for some people to hear, religion and magic go hand in hand. There is no clean, bright line between religious ceremony and ritual magic, for example -- to an objective scholar, they exist on the same continuum. A book dealing with magic will inevitably cross into territory that some people consider religion. If you think that your religion is being poorly treated by one work of fiction, immagine what a practitioner of Vodun must feel after decades of Live and Let Die. Or how most religions' followers must feel when listening to certain Abrahamic sects prattle on about how those followers "believe in lies". It seems to me that you're not asking for DoJ to be sensitive to people's beliefs, but rather insisting that your religion should be off limits. As far as I can tell, you can't stand the idea that someone would discuss the things you believe in as if they weren't The Gospel Truth. Really, though, all religion is, in the end, fiction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agent X Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 Re: Ultimate Mystic Review As uncomfortable as it is for some people to hear, religion and magic go hand in hand. There is no clean, bright line between religious ceremony and ritual magic, for example -- to an objective scholar, they exist on the same continuum. A book dealing with magic will inevitably cross into territory that some people consider religion. If you think that your religion is being poorly treated by one work of fiction, immagine what a practitioner of Vodun must feel after decades of Live and Let Die. Or how most religions' followers must feel when listening to certain Abrahamic sects prattle on about how those followers "believe in lies". It seems to me that you're not asking for DoJ to be sensitive to people's beliefs, but rather insisting that your religion should be off limits. As far as I can tell, you can't stand the idea that someone would discuss the things you believe in as if they weren't The Gospel Truth. Really, though, all religion is, in the end, fiction. Now see, with that last line it's pretty easy to see why you would dismiss my post so quickly. Guys, you're not changing my mind and you're not hurting my feelings by disagreeing with me. My religion is an ethical monotheistic religion that makes no room for other gods. I don't have respect for other religions. I have respect for others to believe differently than I do. There is a difference. I'm not saying I'm being fair. I'm saying I'm not buying the book because it isn't entertaining to me for somebody to design a universe that tries to take a "treatment" on my religion. I didn't call anyone names, I just pointed out that I'm not going to buy the book and why. And I'm hoping that DOJ thinks about it from a business perspective. What have they gained by including a "treatment" of the Judaeo-Christian-Muslim God? What have they lost by including a "treatment" of the Judaeo-Christian-Muslim God? I doubt anyone is saying they wouldn't have bought the book if it didn't touch on this area. Just something to think about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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