Francesca Viganò
As always, before analyzing the product with this review, I would like to thank the authors Marco Bertini and Marco Fossati for sending us a digital copy of Magic of Chaos, their supplement for D&D5e.
If you want to purchase this volume, you can find it in digital format under the Sign of the Dragon label on the Dungeon Master Guild website for $4.95, less than €5. The volume analyzes wild magic from its origins to its manifestations.
Being a supplement for the most well-known role-playing game in the world, Magic of Chaos requires D&D5e corebook or at least the System Reference Document to be able to use it.
The authors have a long series of products behind them. So, You Walk Into A Tavern, When Magic Goes Wrong and Quest Spells & Other Divine Magic are some of the titles that we have already covered.
The Origins of Wild Magic
Magic of Chaos, as we will see in this review, is a short compendium for D&D5e of about fifty pages. As we said at the beginning, it tackles wild magic by offering not only narrative ideas but also numerous tools for the master to be able to manage this fascinating branch of the arcane arts.
The book details how it first appeared on Toril, the world of the Forgotten Realms setting, only to be controlled by sorcerers. The supplement provides a timely history for the appearance of wild magic in the official settings of the most famous role-playing game in the world. Furthermore, if you are not playing D&D canonically, it offers a practical table to define its origin in your setting.
Incredible Magical Effects
Wild magic can catch off guard not only those who suffer it but also those who manipulate it. Magic of Chaos offers, in the third chapter, an excellent variety of random effects alternative to the table in the D&D5e player’s handbook.
As with the other supplements by Bertini and Fossati, in this one too we are faced with a toolbox of perfect tools to contextualise the proposed topic. Inside we find a more than adequate number of ideas summarized in practical tables.
The supplement is perfect for seasoned DMs and players who want to deviate a little from the usual stereotypical archetypes. There is nothing better to create an interesting and unconventional character!
Wild magic can also affect areas where magical effects can be distorted. In these places, unwanted or curious effects may occur when a spell is cast. Magic of Chaos lists many guidelines to help you create and detail a wild magic zone. Also in this case the tables can be used as a starting point or, more literally, with the roll of one or more dice.
New Items and Spells
Anyone who claims not to appreciate magical items may be guilty of insincerity. The Bertini and Fossati couple satisfies all tastes. It offers us a more than satisfactory number of new magical artefacts to make available to the DM and the party. They range from the Egg of Wonders to the Hourglass of Ice and Fire, passing through a certain number of Chaos weapons. Among the most interesting, in my opinion, is the unstable potion that constantly changes colour and effect.
Magic of Chaos also includes 12 new spells, indexed by class. For each, the level, casting time, area, components and duration, and an accurate description of the effects are indicated. I enjoyed the Warp spell that creates a distortion of chaotic magic in space that harmlessly teleports the caster 15 feet into space; you don’t even run the risk of ending up in a wall!
At the end of the supplement, we find the description of the anomalies that emerged from the magical cataclysm that created Mournland on Eberron: the living spells. They are similar to a normal spell effect, except that their magical energy lasts indefinitely, affecting any creature they touch. Their fury strikes indiscriminately with corrupted magic, causing incredible damage.
The supplement lists 43 of them, a variety wide enough to satisfy all tastes.
Magic of Chaos Aesthetics Review
Magic of Chaos was made with Homebrewery. It is an open-source online tool that allows you to obtain extremely professional products. The manual has the typical layout and structure of the official materials produced for D&D5e. This is a measure that makes consultation quick, practical and intuitive.
Stock images from Wizards of the Coast were used to embellish Magic of Chaos. This choice not only rewards aesthetics but also offers the possibility of using illustrations by professional artists with now iconic lines and keeping the price of the volume low.
The layout of two columns and the alternation of colours in the tables make the text even more usable. The language is technical enough not to discourage even beginners.
Conclusions of the Magic of Chaos Review
Magic of Chaos is a supplement for D&D5e in digital format that can be read in half an hour. It offers many ideas for expanding the range of opportunities, not only for a one-shot but also for a campaign. The spells are well thought out and calibrated, guaranteeing good variability for any occasion.
If you want to add a touch of wild magic to your adventures or simply explore this interesting specialization with your players, Magic of Chaos is definitely for you!
