Avalon Spell Book 2 by Maria Smolina is a role playing game supplement published by the Avalon Game Company for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. As such, it is covered by the Open Game License and some of it is considered to be Open Game Content. This is the second in a series of supplements providing new spells for Pathfinder, and the full title is actually Avalon Spell Books, Vol 1, Issue #2.
This is an eight page PDF which lacks bookmarks. The PDF is available from RPG now for $3.99, but was purchased at the reduced price of $1. One page is the front cover, one page the front matter, one page the Open Game License and one page is an advert for other products, leaving four pages of content.
This particular issue concentrates on channelled energy, referencing channel foci from the Pathfinder Companion: Adventurer’s Armory. The majority of the spells are therefore divine in nature.
There are seven new spells detailed, most fairly low level. Ban Channelling blocks attempts to channel energy within an area. Intense Channelling reduced the channelling efficiency for all bar one affected creatures; that creature gets more energy. Domain Channelling requires the use of rules from Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Ultimate Magic and alters channelling using a holy symbol. Faith Channelling imbues a holy symbol with channelling-related powers. Glyph of Reversal is a magic trap that reacts to the use of channel energy in its area. Sanctum Lock is similar to arcane lock. Sanctum Door is the most powerful spell, at 6th level, and creates an ethereal passage through walls using a focus.
There are also two magic items. The Ally Effigy is used to summon an outsider and the Effigy of Answers work like a commune spell. Both of these are large, non-portable items that are intended to be used in a place of worship.
Although the supplement lacks bookmarks, it doesn’t really need them for its size, although they would have been nice. The only images used are fillers, and the pages all have backgrounds. The text mostly maintains a two column format, except for the brief introduction. Unfortunately, there are a number of errors in it, more than would be expected for such a short supplement. A couple are minor spelling mistakes, whilst others are grammatical. One sentence in the description for Glyph of Reversal makes no sense the way it is constructed and the description for the Sanctum Lock spell refers to it in one place as Temple Lock.
The spells themselves are quite interesting, and the magic items can be used to detail a temple location. The price, at $3.99, is a bit on the high side compared to other, similar supplements, but at $1 it was worth it, even with the flaws. Avalon Spell Book 2 is a rather pricy collection of spells in a flawed supplement, but it’s worth getting if it’s discounted, and it can be found by clicking here.
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