This is a question to the community. Threads here go way back and are full of interesting ideas and discussions. It’s not easy just to browse back a decade (or maybe it is and my Intellego Filum total is very low), so I’d love some advice. What are some threads and discussions from years past that struck you as particularly interesting? What threads would be great for someone new to Ars Magica to see?
The various "30 days of [...]" threads tend to be well worth a read. (Some slight naming variations exist, I am afraid.)
I have a certain fondness for this thread, mostly due to Fafnir's contribution: London Tornado of 1091
The Frightening Munckinism thread may not be the best thread for a new joiner, but it entertained me at least.
What I really love of said post is the long string of historically accurate facts all convincingly explained as exactly the same gauntlet - namely, destroy the London bridge - for five consecutive generations of a Flambeau lineage over the course of two centuries.
For content, anything in : Post a Day - Atlas Games RPG Forum
This is where you'll find the 30 days of threads ErikT is talking about, which might be counter-intuitive for someone new here.
I would recommend scrolling down and looking for threads were the reply number is very orange in color. The higher the ratio of likes the post in that thread has, the more orange it is. While not a perfect indicator of what is best to read it does show which threads have received lots of community interest.
Also a lot of the really old threads are outdated because of later source books or errata. Just something to keep in mind.
A few I would suggest:
Hard-to-Find Rules which points out answers to questions that are not easily found or known
Consolidating Possible Expansions of Hermetic Theory covers a massive range of possible expansions to Hermetic Theory, along with talking about how an HR can be classified as such.
Everything in 'Post a Day', as others have suggest.
The Language Table thread from Callon. Great resource for languages in AM.
Don't read "Fan Grimorie?" despite its high post count and like ratio. It is a working thread for a project and without access won't make much sense.
Erik's archmagi threads
What you get from them
(I)see how a powerful long lived mage develops
(Ii) read Erik's controversy-inducing spells and effects and the discussions around them
(III) some excellent creative concepts you can steal
Erik could make a book or three based on these threads.
There's been a number of excellent threads.
Sadly, I'm not sure which ones would be best for someone new. I tend to just read everything :-/
But I have fond memories of: Non-Hermetic Grimoire
Today i learned...
The Ars Magica Meme Thread has some winners.
It's a nice demonstration of one of the strengths of Ars Magica, namely being able to draw directly on real world history to inspire your setting.
These two are my favorites:
Solo Play - Games Discussion / Ars Magica - Atlas Games RPG Forum
Alternate Tribunals and borders - Games Discussion / Ars Magica - Atlas Games RPG Forum
And to toot my own horn:
Actual Play Write Up: 1st Crusade Campaign of 1096 - Games Discussion / Ars Magica - Atlas Games RPG Forum
Not a thread per se (there is a thread but it doesn't contain all that much), but for someone new my grog/npc generator might be of interest:
Two threads I’m quite partial to are Argentius’s threads on example spirits.
https://forum.atlas-games.com/t/30-daimon-spirits-for-november/167270/37Q