Time travel in movies and stories are great. I am sure there are even certain games where the idea works well. The idea might work with Tri Tac's Fringeworthy and I know GURPS has a supplement for it as well. In a fantasy RPG I am don't think it belongs. This is just my opinion so your mileage for Chronomancer might vary.
Chronomancer describes a new class of magic user who's specialty is the use of spells that are temporal in nature. I now a few of the spells I have posted deal with this in a minor way but nothing along the lines of what is put forth for the new class. This is also 2e so there are the early stages of prestige classes in here though they were called kits under 2e.
Normally a book like this will have something that the DM can use in it's 96 pages even if they are not going to use it as provided. In most cases this may come down to the spells, magic items or monsters. Well the spells are mostly all time related and though there may be one or two that could be ported overall this is not the case. Next in looking at magic item they all seem to fall into the fantasy tech realm. Even as good as Expedition to the Barrier Peaks was I prefer my fantasy and science fiction to not cross that much so strike two. Finally we have monsters which for this are again all riddled with the time motif so they won't work in a normal campaign...strike three.
All of this is really my bias. The product may be useful to many and there could be campaigns were this concept plays out well. I for the life of me just can't see how being able to go forward and back in time can allow for a game with any continuity and not getting a little over powered.
Again for the for the record though I love it in movies, TV and fiction. Just not in my fantasy game.
From the back of the book:
You have all the time in the world - and now you don't.
The final and most dangerous fantasy frontier lies not in space, but in time! At last, the dimension of Time is open to those few wizards who would risk everything - even their very existence - to visit ancient and forgotten lands, or see the unbelievable wonders and horrors of the future. These few wizards are Chronomancers, and this optional 96-page AD&D game accessory reveals the secrets of their lives. New spells, new powers, and new realms - as well as terrifying monsters - are brought to light in this stunning work. Take time to study the mysteries of chronomancy - before someone else takes that time from you.
Spell:
Mimic the Dead
Level: Fourth
Range: None
Duration: Special
Area of Effect: Caster
Components: V,S,M
Casting Time: 5 Segments
Saving Throw: None
When this spell is cast the magic user allows themselves to temporarily become one of the living dead in form. The caster will have all of the physical attributes and special abilities of the undead they are going to mimic but will retain they own mind.
The type of undead that the caster will be able to mimic is determined randomly to a certain extent. When the spell is cast the magic user will make a roll as if they were a cleric attempting to turn undead. Their roll will determine what undead they can mimic. They can mimic any undead up to they type the turn roll would have worked against. For determination of this roll the magic user is treated as a cleric three levels lower than their own level.
The duration of the spell will be based on the level of the caster and the type of undead as well. If the caster would have been able to turn or destroy the undead type chosen automatically then the duration of the spell will be 2 turns per level of the caster. If not then the duration will be 1 turn per level.
While in the undead form the caster will have all of the abilities and benefits as stated earlier. They will also have all of the vulnerabilities as well. Should the caster be turned as undead while in this form they will be affected as if undead except for the case where they would be destroyed. If this is called for then the spell is immediately broken and the caster will need to make a saving throw. A successful save means the caster only loses 1/4 of their remaining hit points while a failed save means they lose 1/2.
The material components of this spell will be a small piece of remains from any type of undead creature and a small vial of grave dust from an unconsecrated grave. Neither of these are destroyed with the casting of the spell and may be reused.
It should be noted that if the caster is able to have obtained a pint of ale from a place called "The Winchester" the roll to determine level of undead will be at +4 - just kidding.
Disclaimer: The spells that you will see, for how ever long the write ups last, were all written up or conceived of back in the 80's so the terminology may not appropriate for anything other than 1e and depending on how well I did back then it may be slightly off for that as well. If there is any duplication of spells that exist now it is most likely I wrote mine first :) Please feel free to comment on them but try not to be too hard on me. If anyone wishes to use these in anything they print please let me know in advance and all I ask is proper credit.
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