Editing Ars Magica (section)

==History==
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 | footer            = [[Jonathan Tweet]] and [[Mark Rein-Hagen]] designed ''Ars Magica''.
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The first two editions were published by [[Lion Rampant (game publisher)|Lion Rampant Games]], with several [[adventure (role-playing game)|modules]] published by Atlas Games.  In 1991, Lion Rampant merged with White Wolf Magazine to form [[White Wolf, Inc.|White Wolf Game Studio]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rpg.net/columns/briefhistory/briefhistory10.phtml|title= A BRIEF HISTORY OF GAME #10: LION RAMPANT: 1987–1990}}</ref>
White Wolf published several adventure modules for the game before adding its Third Edition rulebook, co-authored by Rein•Hagen with [[Ken Cliffe]]. This revision greatly expanded the settings and peripheral rules while leaving the core system intact.  White Wolf then released at least a dozen supplements for Third Edition, including the addition of Divine and Infernal mechanics, rules for shamanic magic, beginning the Tribunal series and completing the 'Four Seasons' tetralogy of stories begun by Lion Rampant.

In 1994, publishing rights for the game were sold to [[Wizards of the Coast]],<ref name="briefhistory">{{cite web|url=http://www.rpg.net/columns/briefhistory/briefhistory1.phtml |title=Wizards of the Coast: 1990–Present |access-date=September 1, 2006 |last=Appelcline |first=Shannon |date=August 3, 2006 |work=A Brief History of Game |publisher=RPGnet |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060824022118/http://www.rpg.net/columns/briefhistory/briefhistory1.phtml |archive-date=24 August 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref> who brought in Jonathan Tweet and started development on a fourth edition. The company published one supplement for the upcoming edition while republishing two supplements for the older edition. Development fell behind schedule, and on December 5, 1995, Wizards of the Coast announced they would leave the tabletop role-playing business altogether, although this turned out to be a temporary departure.<ref name="briefhistory"/>
 
The next year the rights were sold to [[Atlas Games (company)|Atlas Games]], who published the 4th edition developed by Tweet and [[Jeff Tidball]]. The core book was nominated for the [[Origins Award]] in 1996 for Best Roleplaying Game. Continuing to develop the line, Tidwell added several new stories, continued to expand peripheral material and released an extensive line of Tribunal books.

Atlas then assigned [[David Chart]] as line developer and released a 5th edition in 2004. This release made extensive changes to the system, especially the mechanics for combat, experience, and character creation.  Many players felt that the alterations to the combat system were long overdue,<ref name=combat>{{cite web |url= http://redcap.org/FAQ/FAQ3c.html#combat |title= Is combat busted? |work= The Ars Magica FAQ |publisher= Project Redcap |access-date= 2007-11-23 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071224162303/http://redcap.org/FAQ/FAQ3c.html#combat |archive-date= 24 December 2007 |url-status= dead }}</ref> especially the rules for armour, which in previous editions made wearers much more likely to die in combat.  This edition won the [[Origins Award]] for ''[[2004 Origins Award winners|Best Role Playing Game of 2004]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.originsgamefair.com/awards/2004/list-of-winners |title=Origins Award Winners (2004) |publisher=Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design |access-date=2007-10-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080603142308/http://www.originsgamefair.com/awards/2004/list-of-winners |archive-date=June 3, 2008 }}</ref>

Since 2014, the 4th Edition has been distributed for free at ''Warehouse 23'' fronted by [[Steve Jackson Games]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.warehouse23.com/products/ars-magica-4th-edition-core-rulebook |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427210304/http://www.warehouse23.com/products/ars-magica-4th-edition-core-rulebook |archive-date=27 April 2014 |title=Ars Magica 4th Edition Core Rulebook |quote=FREE!}}</ref>

Many characteristics of the [[Storyteller system]] developed by White Wolf can be traced to ''Ars Magica'' and the fact that the Storyteller system was developed by one of ''Ars Magica''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s co-authors; White Wolf's ''[[Mage: The Ascension]]'' was envisioned as "Ars Magica in the Modern World", and many of the changes in the 3rd edition of ''ArM'' were to make the game-worlds more compatible.<ref name="reason">[http://www.redcap.org/page/World_of_Darkness "World of Darkness"] section of the ''Ars Magica'' FAQ. Retrieved 16 June 2013.</ref>

On the 12th January 2024, Atlas Games announced that a new product in the line, Ars Magica 5th Edition Definitive, was in production and would be crowdfunded later in the year.<ref name="definitive">[https://atlas-games.com/news/post?s=2024-01-12-anno-magica-2024 "Anno Magica 2024"] Retrieved 15 January 2024.</ref>