MAGE: THE ADAPTATION by Daniel Scribner
[email protected] This document lays out one way in which the new World of Darkness rules (written for Mage: the Awakening) can be used to play a campaign set in the old World of Darkness (i.e. Mage: the Ascension). Why not simply use the Awakening rules as-is? The greatest strength of the White Wolf system is the way in which the mechanics reflect the setting. It is not a universal or generic game. As such, I thought it best to make some alterations to the new rules set, to better support the flavor of the original setting. I do a good deal beyond simply changing the Paths and Ord ers to Traditions, and perhaps renaming a couple of things. At the same time, I’ve adopted certain elements from the new rules that were never in the original game, because I think they enhance it. First and foremost, it is important to note that this document is not objective. obj ective. It reflects how I would like the game of Mage to play. It should be fairly plain that I prefer the Ascension setting, or else I wouldn’t have wasted several perfectly good evenings of boozing to write this. I also have particular ideas about what that setting was about, what its themes were, what its characters were like. This is not to say your idea of the game, either Ascension or Awakening, is wrong. It is simply not mine. If you like the ideas in this document, enjoy. If not, go write your own. Feel free to borrow or adapt further, so long as credit is given where credit is due. Speaking of which, I used the following sources: • Mage the Awakening. Kraig Blackwelder, Bill Bridges, Brian Campbell, et al. White Wolf Publishing, 2005. nd • Mage the Ascension, 2 Ed. Phil Brucato, Stewart Wieck, et al. White Wolf Publishing, 1995. • Mage the Ascension, Revised. Rachel Barth, Dierd'ei Brooks, John Chambers, et al. White Wolf Publishing, 2000. • The Book of Madness. Sam Inabinet, Kathleen Ryan, Steve Brown, et al. White Wolf Publishing, 1994. Secondly, this is a work in progress. As stated above, feel free to borrow, adapt, change, etc. Give credit, and for chrissake, let me know. Maybe you’ve thought of something I’d like to incorporate myself. This document will continue to be play-tested, and updated as certain rules fail to meet expectations. If you’re in my game, that means that some things will have to be adjudicated on the fly, and we’ll do our best to tweak the mechanics later. Is it contradictory to say that I don’t like the restricted paradigm of the Awakenings setting, but like some of the more rigid structure of the mechanics? Yes, and you’re welcome to suck it if you like the flavor. Atlantis is stupid, but Mage the Ascension was a damned hard game to play. p lay. For every successful campaign, I had two unsuccessful ones, and I’m a pretty good Storyteller. But patches on a frail mechanic, such as those in the myriad supplements, revisions and errata, aren’t going to stick. You have to start with a fresh machine. My point is clear, then. I am an ornery bastard and wish to play the game I wish to play, and you are going to read about it, because my prose style is lively and flowing with plucky wit. So what, you ask, is my Mage game? Onwards, the few proud gamers we.
THEME Mage has, at its core, two primary pr imary themes: belief and choice. On a macroscopic scale, the entire game world is determined by belief. What you see when you step out your door, by default, is the consensus of your neighbors, your countrymen, your fellows in
humanity. Unfortunately, when decisions are left to democracies of majority, you wind up with the lowest common denominator, d enominator, that dull vanilla which everyone can agree upon. It’s not very good, but at least no one is offended. But you, as a Mage, have a choice. You can accept the majority rule, or you can reach for what you believe could be. Because of that power to create change, a Mage’s life is a delicate construct of choices and the consequences they bring. The average man on the street is so consumed by status quo, he is unable to recognize those moments of decision that allow him to control his e nvironment. He couldn’t even turn off the television tonight, for a change, and go teach little Jimmie the value of compassion, because then he’ll miss the latest episode of Who of Who Wants to be a Drone and have nothing to say around the water cooler tomorrow, so he’ll miss that big promotion because he’s not social enough and little Jimmie will have to take massive loans to get through college, which will beat him down into the same muddy hole of fiduciary servitude where Daddy spent the last twenty years. Turning off that TV isn’t an option. Mages don’t even hear the TV anymore. They have the power to shape their world just by willing it. That kind of power means choices to be made. Do you walk away from the status quo, even if it means you may die sobbing in an alley while a Technocrat’s .44 slug burrows into your heart? You can have any life you desire, but do you steal it or earn it? Do you destroy the oppressor, even though it cost the lives of some of those very Sleepers you’re trying to liberate? So, if every theme is defined by a conflict, we get: the beliefs of the many vs. the belief of the one, and the filter that determines the outcome is choice.
SETTING Magic is change. Nothing more, nothing less. When the Aztec warriors ate their fallen enemy and gained their power, that’s change. When Galileo showed us the Earth revolved around the sun, that’s magic. When a novel brings awareness to the plight of Darfur refugees and aid pours in from around the world, that’s change. And when you go to a romantic movie and, swept up in the emotion of the moment, your date kisses you, that’s most definitely magic. Hell, even your toaster making that unappetizing brick of iced glutin into a waffle is a kind of magic. We’re just accustomed to calling it something else, because it fits with the rules of reality as we understand them. Reality is what you make of it. More accurately, it is the closest thing to what you and the other 6 billion people on the planet can basically agree upon without the sidewalk turning into yellow custard and flinging itself into the eye of a fifty-story Jerry Lewis. That consensus is made up of lots and lots of predictable patterns, made up of the basic stuff of the cosmos. But you, as a Mage, are Awakened to the truth tr uth that those patterns, while predictable, are not immutable. You can move the patterns, change them, and if it comes right down to it, you can break them. All it takes is for your will to be stronger than the will of those other 6 billion people. Of course, you’re not alone. There are other mages out there, and they all have their own ideas about how reality ought to work. And for fuck’s sake, they’re organized. They’ve formed groups that work together to bring about the paradigm they believe in. You’d better pick a program and get with it, or else they’re going to grind you to dust. Because maybe you hadn’t heard, but there’s a war going on, for the hearts and minds and most importantly, beliefs of all the p eople. Whoever wins that, they can rule unhindered, because they’ve convinced the masses that reality p lays by their rules. And therefore, it does. Rumor has it, what we see and know today as modern reality is actually the paradigm of one such group, or at least close enough that it has nearly shut out all the others. They’ve nearly won the war already, and you just started fighting. This group believes in
security, in stability, in everyone having the same amount of control over their lives (i.e. magic) as everyone else. They bring magic to the masses and the masses call it technology. Unfortunately, this Technocracy, to achieve their dreams, has sacrificed independence and creativity. If you’ve read Harrison Bergeron, Bergeron, equality doesn’t mean equal freedom for all, it means no freedom for anyone. Now, I expect that anyone reading this document has already played Mage the Ascension, or at least knows something about it. I’m not as eloquent as the writers wr iters of that game, at least not insofar as I have the time and financial security necessary to be that eloquent. It’s 11pm and I have work tomorrow. This is just a rough summation in case I give this to a bunch of my own players who don’t have any experience. So if you want more, go read the books (See WARNING TO MY PLAYERS below).
ON PREVIOUS EDITIONS Personally, I liked the original conceit of Ascension. Secret cabals of mages, both mystic and modern, acting from the shadows to exert subtle control over society in a world much like our own. The second edition further honed the political play in the War of Ascension, but also pushed the “arms race” so far that it became hard to believe it didn’t TM spill into the Sleepers’ world. And every week was the latest Metaplot Crisis! with cross-over kung-fu grip! The Ascension War was such a broken story element, the Revised edition thought it necessary to just end the damned thing and force the Traditions into the role of shattered ex-Confederates instead of vibrant French Resistance. But Revised did return Mage to its roots, and introduce a street-level element that I thought essential from the very first edition: Mage is not about Horizon Realm firefights, but about reviving that spark of imagination in the common man, even if it’s just your neighbor with the yappy dog. I propose a middle ground. The War of Ascension bubbles away as ever it did, though it does not rage. Doissetep and the Ivory Tower are out there, somewhere, waving their witchy fingers and pulling the gossamer g ossamer threads of their machinations. But the mages on the ground, both Tradition and Technocrat, are worried about their town, their block, their doorstep. If they can navigate the ever-shifting politics and paradigms of their factions and make the world just a little more like they see it, without eating a bullet from the other side or getting eaten by Paradox, that’s a good day.
WARNING TO MY PLAYERS While I rely heavily on the original books, as you may have guessed, I take what I like and synthesize it with my own ideas. If you’re reading this because you’re in one of my games (or considering it), feel free to read whatever supplements you like. They can give you all kinds of ideas, ide as, a better feel for some pretty esoteric and/or exotic concepts. However, do not expect that I will use a particular mechanic or setting element, or that something in my game will be the same as in the books. I will do whatever I think will make for the best story for the most players. Besides, I am not a Mage omnibus. If that means garlic kills vampires and MiB are not all hive-minded drones, well don’t bitch to me about page XX in supplement YY. I probably haven’t even read it. If you want to know something about the world, take the appropriate knowledge and say “Hey, what does my character know about such and such?” Mystery and superstition are important elements of a Mage game. If you run around treating everything ever ything like a set of statistics with a cookie-cutter “quote” to explain its paradigm (I hate those quotes), you’re missing half the fun. If there’s something you especially like from a book and want incorporated, let me know. I am all for player input in a chronicle. Hell, in my best chronicles, I sat back and let the players do all the work. The proper time for such conversations is sooner than later. During character creation if possible. It is not in the middle of a session, just after your character has been torn to shreds while you whine that you thought Forces 2 would let you reverse the momentum on a hail of bullets. It is not at the end of a session while
you rail against the latest Sabbat incursion because any Prince worth his salt ought to know about every single vampire passing into Manhattan (these are both real examples). To reiterate: A BOOK IS NOT LAW JUST BECAUSE IT SAYS WHITE WOLF.
CHARACTER CREATION Every White Wolf book introduces you to the rules through character creation. This seems pretty reasonable to me. Reasonable should b e translated as “What I’m used to.” But first, a conversion lexicon: Path -> Essence Order -> Tradition Wisdom -> Harmony Hubris -> Discord Gnosis -> Avatar Arcana -> Sphere Fate + Death -> Entropy (except some of Death is really Spirit) Mana -> Quintessence Hallow -> Node Tools -> Foci Artifact -> Talisman Paradox -> Still a bitch (Anomalies, Branding, Bedlam, Manifestations and Havoc are more exacting terms for Paradox backlashes: realms, flaws, quiets, spirits and random gitchiness) Steps One to Four: • Create a charac character ter using using the new World World of Darkness Darkness core core rules. These These don’t don’t require much in the way of alteration. Step Five: Apply the Mage template. This is where things get hinkier. • There are are no Watchtow Watchtowers, ers, thank thank the Umbrood. Umbrood. So you you don’t choose choose a path. However, it did seem like a good idea to make a character’s magical essence mechanically important. In Ascension, this means the avatar’s Essence. So you choose from one of the following: Primordial, Dynamic, Pattern, Questing (See “Avatar for more complete descriptions). descriptions). Your Essence defines the nature of your Avatar, which determines your Favored Spheres, your Resonance affinity (more on that previously underdeveloped concept later), and favored Resistance stat. You can achieve up to five ranks in your favored spheres without outside instruction, but to reach beyond third rank in a non-favored sphere, you must be taught by someone with at least the rank you wish to achieve in that sphere. You begin with one point in the matching resonance category, and you select an appropriate emotional focus. In the case of Questing, you can select from any of the three. You also get a bonus dot in in your favored Resistance Resistance stat (except Questing). Esse Es senc nce e
Favo Favore red d Sphe Sphere res s
Reso Resona nanc nce e
Resi Resist stan ance ce
Dynamic
Forces, Life
Dynamic
Composure
Pattern
Matter, Space
Static
Resolve
Primordial
Prime, Entropy
Entropic
Stamina
Questing
Time, Mind, Spirit
Any/None
None
• The orders are are replaced replaced by the Tradition Traditions. s. Each Tradit Tradition ion is associa associated ted with one one sphere. You get one additional Favored Sphere from your Tradition, and three Rote specialty skills. When using a rote that involves one of these skills, you get an additional die to the casting pool. Tradition
Sphere
Skills
Askashic Brotherhood
Mind
Occult, Athletics, Brawl
Celestial Ch Chorus
Prime
Academics, Ex Expression, P Pe ersuasion
Cult of Ecstasy
Time
Empathy, Expression, Streetwise
Dreamspeakers
Spirit
Occult, Survival, Animal Ken
Euthanatos
Entropy
Stealth, Weaponry, Medicine
Order of Hermes
Forces
Academics, Occult, Politics
Sons of Ether
Matter
Academics, Crafts, Science
Verbena
Life
Medicine, Occult, Survival
Virtual Adepts
Space
Computers, Science, Investigation
Hollow Ones
None*
Occult, Socialize, Subterfuge
Orphans
None*
Any two
* Hollow Ones and orphans are special cases, as they don’t belong to any of the formal Traditions. Neither have a Favored Sphere, however, they can achieve up to 4 ranks in any sphere without outside instruction (see below). • On choosing choosing spheres: spheres: As with with Mage the the Awakening’s Awakening’s Arcana Arcana,, you have five five dots to spend on Spheres. Then add one dot in your Tradition’s favored Sphere. Hollow Ones and orphans can place place the bonus dot in any sphere. No Sphere can start at higher than your Avatar. Select an appropriate focus for each of your Spheres (suggestions are made both for Traditions and Spheres, under Foci). • Avatar Avatar is a good nomencla nomenclatural tural adjustm adjustment ent for Gnosis. Gnosis. It It refers not not so much to the strength of a Mage’s Avatar, but the extent to which it has Awakened to the truth of dynamic reality. Mechanically, though, it operates much the same as Gnosis, with the exception that no sphere can be higher than your Avatar Avatar score, and your Avatar score cannot be higher than your Willpower. Forget about that complicated spehere advancement chart. Step Six: • There is no High Speech Speech in in Ascension Ascension,, so you don’t get get a bonus merit. Otherwise, use what’s in the new World of Darkness core and Mage the Awakening. • Occultatio Occultation n should be applied applied to all mundane mundane attempts attempts to perceive, perceive, investigate investigate or remember the Mage, in addition to magical forms of detection (to better match the description of Arcane in oMage). • As soul stones stones are are not a regular regular aspect aspect of Ascension, Ascension, remove remove the Thrall Thrall merit. merit. Feel free to adopt and adapt other merits, such as from the Book of Shadows, that are not covered in nWoD. Step Seven:
• Willpower Willpower is a key key element element to magic. magic. Don’t Don’t leave leave home home without without it. • I like the idea idea of maintaini maintaining ng the morality morality scale scale for Mages. Mages. It will will interact interact mechanically with Paradox (particularly Quiet), and further represents the choices mages have to make. Harmony is a more accurate name, to borrow from In Nomine, as it reflects how in or out of sync a mage’s personal paradigm is with the rest of reality, whether or not he is maintaining an equilibrium. Too far out, and it becomes difficult to interact with reality. The man at the counter asks you if you want fries with that, and you can’t help wondering what the bear wants with your tie. Communication breaks down rather rapidly after that. I propose maintaining the basic humanity scale as well, as is done in Awakenings, not because of any objective moral code, but because the acts in question (from selfish thoughts down to mass murder) are anathema and thus contradictory to social consensus. The farther you sink into depravity, the harder it becomes to relate and empathize with people, and thus with reality itself. • Virtues Virtues and Vices Vices are a nice nice variation variation on the old old Nature/Deme Nature/Demeanor anor mechanic mechanic.. They’re more directly involved in the actions your character takes. Nature was good for encouraging people to “play in character”, but if you think of Vice as the side of someone we see most often, and Virtue the true strength we rarely see, it’s basically the same. If you don’t like the Catholic overtones though (Seven Deadly Sins vs. the [somewhat modified] Seven Virtues), I re commend taking the old Natures from Ascension and working wor king out a positive and negative behavior for each (ex. Architect gets one Willpower when he is rigid, and all of it when he creates some lasting positive order; Bon Vivant gets one Willpower when he irresponsibly lives in the moment, and all of it when he brings joy back to people who had lost it, etc.) • It was an an important important element element of of Ascension Ascension that a mage mage collects collects minor minor inconsistencies and contradictions (i.e. paradox points) until he becomes, if not careful, a living paradox, and reality has no choice but to fix the problem. While Awakenings certainly makes Paradox more manageable for the storyteller, you lose a lot of the unpredictability. More on the compromise below, but for now, suffice to say we are reinstating the 20-square wheel. You record quintessence clockwise, and paradox counter-clockwise. If they meet, paradox trumps and wipes out quintessence. Then again, if you’ve managed to collect that much paradox, you have bigger problems.
AVATAR Your avatar is the pure stuff of the cosmos, the power rippling through your little knot in the great pattern. Everyone has one, though for most it is infinitesimal. Celestial Choristers speak of the Pure Ones, the original energy beings who formed the cosmos out of themselves, and believe that avatars are shards of those entities. The rare individual has an avatar strong enough to awaken, granting the individual untold power to reshape the patterns around him. Most often, Avatars only show themselves through soft, barely-noticed whispers and flashes. A mage's Avatar might sound like a reasonable voice in the back of her head, or come across as a sudden urge to do something. Rarely, strong Avatars will actually manifest, creating a material form and then dealing with the mage directly. Avatars typically have one of four basic characteristic Essences: • Dynamic: Dynamic: The The Dynamic Dynamic Essence Essence pushes pushes a mage in new new directions directions constan constantly, tly, unable to settle and simply interested in the raw creation of new ideas, experiences and horizons. Though powerfully unpredictable and often moving "outside the box", the Dynamic Essence also finds it difficult to focus on a single task or goal. • Pattern: Pattern: The Pattern Pattern essence essence cements cements magic magic into into reality, reality, gives gives shape shape to the poorly executed and repairs the flawed. Instead of seeking new and dynamic
means of change, Pattern Essences stabilize existing elements or methodically build on solid foundations. • Primordial: Primordial: All All things things came from from a great morass morass of unform unformed ed creation creation at the birth of the universe, be it the emptiness before a divinely inspired genesis or swirling chaos before a big bang. The universe will return to such a state ultimately. Primordial Essences reflect the raw elements of such creation and destruction. Such mages are driven by deep and overwhelming emotional urges or needs, but they also seem to experience the heights of grand passion more powerfully than anyone else. • Questing: Questing: The Questi Questing ng Essence Essence seeks seeks knowledge knowledge and new frontie frontiers rs with purpose and with a final goal in mind. Mages with this drive find themselves consumed by the need for a journey, the need to be in motion with a goal to achieve. These Essences seek a union of the other elements, and they strive to find a wholesome balance by treading the roads that lead between other Essences' paths. Avatars most often appear in Seekings. Seekings are journeys of personal exploration that mages follow in their own minds, in order to further awaken their avatars (i.e. raise their Avatar score) and tap into their potential. They can be harrowing, sometimes even lethal ordeals. Avatar is the power stat of Mage. It determines a million and one things: max rank in a stat (without suffering pattern bleed), max quint storage, max quint per turn you can spend, how long each extended casting roll takes, your base paradox backlash pool, the number of spells you can combine in a single casting, and so on. Use the following charts to track this:
Attribute/ Skill Max
Max Quint/ Max Quint Per Turn
Paradox Dice Pool
1
5
5/1
2
5
3
Time per roll (extended casting)
Max Combined Spells
1
3 hours
1
6/2
1
3 hours
1
5
7/3
2
1 hour
2
4
5
8/4
2
1 hour
2
5
5
10/5
3
30 minutes
2
6
6
15/6
3
30 minutes
3
7
7
20/7
4
10 minutes
3
8
8
30/8
4
10 minutes
3
9
9
40/9
5
1 m in u t e
4
10
50/10
6
1 m in u t e
4
Avatar
10
In addition, your Avatar rating has the following effects:
• A mage can mainta maintain in up to Avatar Avatar + 3 magical magical effects effects simultan simultaneously eously.. • Avatar Avatar is typically typically added added to contested contested rolls rolls to resist resist magical magical effects effects (but (but not subtracted in the case of passive resistance). • Your pattern pattern can only only tolerate tolerate a number number of magical magical effects effects upon upon it equal to to Avatar Avatar + Stamina. Stamina. Effects Effects in excess excess of your Spell Toleranc Tolerance e cause pattern pattern bleed (see pattern bleed under "Paradox").
WILLPOWER Willpower behaves as per the new World of Darkness rules. It can be used to gain +3 to one action roll, or +2 to a resistance roll (including magical effects). In addition: • A point of willpowe willpowerr can be spent spent to stave stave off the effects effects of a paradox paradox effect effect until until the end of a scene. Doing so means that all paradox accrued during the scene, after the willpower is spent, goes off together in one large backlash. • If the mage mage spends spends a willpower willpower point point and makes makes a success successful ful Resolve Resolve + Composure roll, he can banish goblins and any hallucinations created by Quiet for one scene. If the willpower roll fails, the point is still spent but the Quiet remains. • You cann cannot ot raise raise your your Avata Avatarr higher higher than than your your permane permanent nt willp willpowe ower. r. If for for some some reason your willpower drops below your Avatar, then you treat your avatar as equal to your willpower until you raise it back up. • You can spend spend a point point of willpower willpower to cast cast a spell without without a required required focus focus (see (see "Foci"), though at a -3 penalty. • You can can spend a willpower willpower point point to continue continue an an extended extended casting casting despite despite a botch, though though at a -1 -1 penalty penalty to all subseque subsequent nt rolls. rolls. If you botch botch a second second time, you be boned. • It costs costs one permanent permanent willpower willpower point point to relinquis relinquish h a permanent permanent spell (i.e. (i.e. it no longer counts against the number of spells you can support simultaneously). This is frequent frequently ly done in the the creation creation of talisma talismans. ns. Many mages mages have have discovered ways to avoid this sacrifice (spending tons of quintessence is rather popular).
QUINTESSENCE A mage can only channel so much quintessence in a single round, up to his avatar rating. Quintessence must be spent for any of the following: • Sympathetic Sympathetic Casti Casting: ng: A point of of quintessenc quintessence e is required required to affect affect patterns patterns beyond sensory range (per Sympathetic casting rules). • Aggravated Aggravated Damage: Damage: Magical Magical damage damage directly directly affect affects s a targets targets pattern, pattern, permanently damaging it and thus making it much more difficult to heal. Such power must be fueled by a point of Quintessence. • Power: Certain Certain effects effects that that significantl significantly y alter the patterns patterns of the cosmos, cosmos, create create something from nothing, or are permanent require Quintessence to fuel the magic. magic. To some some exten extent, t, this this is done done for for game bala balance nce.. Powers Powers that that would would upset upset the system if cast repeatedly in a scene frequently have a mana cost. • Countermagi Countermagic: c: It costs costs one point point of quintessen quintessence ce to unweave unweave an incoming incoming or preexisting effect. • Activation Activation:: Some talisman talismans s require quintess quintessence ence to activate activate them, them, or to recharge them after a certain number of uses. Similarly, certain magical creatures and spirits must feed on quintessence to survive in consensual reality. If a spell requires a point of mana to cast (power), and you only have an Avatar of 2, you could not cast it both sympathetically and for aggravated damage, because you can only spend spend two quintesse quintessence nce a round. round. In addition, addition, quintess quintessence ence can be spent for any of the following benefits. • Paradox Paradox Mitigation: Mitigation: Each Each point of Quintess Quintessence ence spent spent reduces accumul accumulated ated paradox by one. Backlash cannot be mitigated with quintessence. Certain Prime effects also also use quintessence to combat Paradox. Paradox.
• Pattern Pattern Restoration Restoration:: Mages can can spend three three points of of quintessen quintessence ce to heal one one point of lethal or bashing damage. • Advanced Advanced Factors: Factors: For For spells that that have have a variable variable area of effect effect or duratio duration, n, quintessence can be used to extend their reach beyond what the mage is normally normally capable capable of performing performing.. While this this does not not grant bonuses, bonuses, it it can significant significantly ly reduce penalti penalties es or increase increase factors factors exponential exponentially. ly. The use of advanced factors also require that the mage have one rank higher than is normally necessary to cast a spell (see the Casting section). • If you haven't haven't yet yet used all all your quint for for the round round and you you want even even more power, you can spend quintessence for bonus dice to casting, one die per point. If the resonance is appropriate to the effect being used, it increases the power even further (see Resonance). There are numerous ways in which mages gain and store quintessence: • A mage stores stores quintesse quintessence nce in his own own pattern, pattern, up to an amount amount determine determined d by his avatar rating. • This personal personal store store can be be recharged recharged by meditating meditating at at a node (see Awaken Awakenings, ings, “oblation”), or drawn from a node using using Prime 1 (faster than meditating). meditating). • Mages can scour their own pattern pattern (the opposite opposite of pattern pattern restorat restoration), ion), or commit blood sacrifices, as described in Awakenings. • Quintessen Quintessence ce can be stored stored and carried carried in physica physicall form, called called Tass, Tass, and and in digestible form can replenish the mage’s personal store. • Mages with with Prime 5 can can pull Quintess Quintessence ence right right out of the air, air, though though this is a vulgar effect. • Mages with with Prime 2 can can use Tass, Tass, in addition addition to their their personal personal stores stores (unless (unless the the Tass is edible, in which case anyone can use it). Prime 3 is required to create Tass, unless it is found occurring naturally at a Node.
HARMONY Everytime you change your personal reality, it sets you apart from the world the Sleepers have created for themselves. And whenever you use magic, the magic changes you. As mages slip farther away from the consensus around them, they lose equilibrium. This is not a measure of right and wrong, but one of correspondence. It becomes impossible to interact with the mundane world when you are so steeped in fantasy. Because reality is generated by the beliefs of people, interference with people creates a direct discord with reality. Use the following hierarchy of “sins” for determining what constitutes an act of Discord. Harm Harmon ony y
Act Acts of of Dis Disco cord rd
Acts of Depravity (social discord)
Roll…
10
Performing mundane acts with magic (boiling tea with Forces when you’re next to a stove)
Selfish thoughts
5 dice
9
Using magic for petty self-improvement (cheating at a casino with Entropy)
Minor selfish act (withholding charity)
5 dice
8
Temporarily altering another sentient (giving someone a cold, changing someone’s mind)
Injury to another (intentional or not)
4 dice
7
Using magic to alter another sentient’s beliefs (make someone lose humanity, forcibly binding someone to a task or place)
Pett Petty y the theft ft (sho (shopl plif ifti ting ng))
4 die die
6
Using magic to harm another sentient (non-aggravated Life damage, laying a curse)
Gran rand th theft (b (burgl rglary)
3 di dice
5
Permanently altering another sentient’s pattern (turning a man into a pig)
Intentional mass property damage (arson)
3 dice
4
Causing permanent damage to another sentient’s pattern (draining Avatar, causing direct Entropy damage)
Impassioned crime (manslaughter)
3 dice
3
Killing another sentient with magic
Planned crime (murder)
2 dice
2
Preventing an avatar from awakening
Callous/Casual crime (serial murder)
2 dice
1
Destroying an avatar
Heinous crime (mass murder)
2 dice
In addition, your Harmony score plays a part in the severity and duration of Paradox effects effects and Quiet. Quiet. In some cases, cases, a mage may roll roll his Harmony Harmony pool to mitigate mitigate the effects effects of paradox. paradox. A mage that goes a week week without incurrin incurring g any paradox bleeds bleeds off a number of paradox points equal to successes rolled on his Harmony pool (rightmost column column above). above). Harmony Harmony also affects affects his ability ability to interact interact with with the mundane mundane world. Mages with a 9 or 10 Harmony get a bonus die on social and perception rolls involving the mundane world, while mages with lower than 5 Harmony lose a die. Mages with only 1 or 2 Harmony lose two dice. Alternate Rules: Rather than having certain actions risk degeneration and derangement, when a mage attempts to commit an action that violates his level of Harmony, he must make a flinch roll using the dice pool in the right column, plus or minus any dice the Storyteller deems appropriate. appropriate. Success Success means he he may take the action action as normal, normal, while while failure means means that the character character flinches flinches.. He cannot bring bring himself himself to do something something so heinous, heinous, and he loses his his action. action. In cases of extreme extreme determina determination, tion, the the character character may choose choose to automatically lose a dot of Harmony in order to automatically succeed in the flinch rule. In circumstances where an action leads unexpectedly to a result that would violate the mage's level of Harmony, roll for degeneration as per Awakening rules.
MAGIC Creating magical effects follows the basic rules of Mage: the Awakening, but with several significan significantt differences. differences. Since magical magical effects effects can get really really complicated, complicated, I'm going going to lay it out fresh, including all available permutations, rather than try to parse out what I've changed from Awakenings and what I haven't. "Improvised casting” (or fast-casting, as it was called in Ascension) becomes a far more important tool in the mage’s arsenal, and rotes less so. Improvised casting no longer costs a point of quintessence unless the effect is particularly powerful (see Quintessence, above). The dice pool for this is your Avatar + Sphere ranks. Finally, Paradox is an ever-present threat (see Paradox, below). All magic using more than the first rank of a sphere carries the possibility of dramatic failure: if you should roll a 1 and no successes, then you’ve botched it and incur Paradox. We'll be followi following ng the Mage 2nd 2nd ed. sphere sphere rankings. rankings. When possible possible,, I will use the the various rotes and spells in Awakenings to determine the mechanics of effects, but the rank they are given in Awakenings will shuffle in our game to match Ascension's ranks.
ROTES Rotes are not nearly so powerful or prevalent in Ascension as they are in Awakening. Hell, the whole game is based on being creative and improvising. Rotes are like throwing physics textbooks when you could be lobbing Molotov cocktails. You still use Avatar + Sphere, but you add one appropriate skill (or attribute). Common skills involved are Academics, Medicine, Occult, Investigation (for sensory magic), Athletics, social skills for Mind rotes. rotes. The technoman technomancers cers rely heavily heavily on Science, Science, Craft Craft and Computers Computers,, while naturalistic mages use Survival and Animal Ken to work with the flora and fauna.Also, they get a slight bonus in mitigating Paradox. Basically put, rotes are boring, limited but safer than improvised magic. You get six points worth of rotes at the beginning of the game. Any effect, really, could be a rote, so long as some ritual, routine or formula accompanies it. It represents an effect that your mage has learned and practiced until it is memorized. Feel free to sift through the sample rotes in Mage: the Ascension books, or even Mage: the Awakening. Keep in mind that the rote should reflect your character’s paradigm, and may well use whatever foci the mage is comfortable with. However, this should not be treated tr eated as a limitation. Nearly any effect can be achieved with any style of ritual.
INSTANT vs. EXTENDED CASTING You can cast magic either as a single, normal action (taking about six seconds), or as an extended ritual (not to be confused with a rote, though rotes can be cast as extended rituals). rituals). Extended Extended casting casting works just just like any extended extended action, action, where you can can roll as many times times as you you have dice dice in your pool. pool. Each roll roll represents represents an amount amount of time time determined determined by your Avatar Avatar (see Avatar). Avatar). Instant Instant casting casting has the benefit benefit of a variable variable primary factor (see factors, below), while all factors are set at the beginning of an extended casting, and cannot be altered once the casting begins (unless the caster spends a willpower point, in which case he can choose to lower the factors/required successes before completion, or keep the spell going for more successes even after the required required number are reached). reached). Also, extended extended casting castings s depend more hea heavily vily on foci and and ritual activi activity. ty. Some physical physical thing thing (called (called a "sacrament "sacrament") ") must be expended expended in the ritual (not necessarily a focus), or else all rolls suffer -1 die. You can't can't cast direct direct attack spells spells at a living living target with with an extended extended casting. casting. Living patterns are in a natural state of constant change and cannot be targeted over an extended extended period period of time. time. (That's (That's the metaphy metaphysica sicall explana explanation. tion. To be be frank, frank, it's really an issue of game game balance. balance. It'd be too easy, easy, otherwise, otherwise, to crank crank up a 40 success Rip Rip the Man Body rote).
FOCI Every young young mage needs needs a focus focus for their will. will. It's somethi something ng for them to believe believe in in when the idea that just willing a change in reality is just a bit too ludicrous to believe in.
Some would would call that a crutch, crutch, or training training wheels. wheels. But everyone everyone needs them them to start, and they shape the style of a mage's magic long after the tools are no longer necessary. Whenever Whenever you learn a new sphere sphere (including (including at characte characterr creation), creation), select select a focus. focus. It should should be a physical physical object object or activity activity of some some kind. You must must use this focus focus when when creating creating a magical magical effect with with that sphere. sphere. You can use the the same focus focus for more than one sphere, though this bears some drawbacks (if you are without a focus, then that's more spheres spheres you cannot cannot access). access). Most mage's mage's foci are influenc influenced ed by their Tradition, Tradition, but regardless, there should be some thematic consistency to their various tools. If you find yourself without a focus, you can try to improvise out of whatever comes to hand. This imposes imposes a -1 or more dice dice penalt penalty y to the magica magicall roll. roll. If you you are completely completely without any foci and there's nothing to improvise with, you can still cast by digging deep down and spending spending a willpower willpower point. point. This will will still impose impose a -3 penalty penalty to your roll. Some mages use more rarefied tools, which increases their power (though at the risk of making making it harder to replace). replace). A devoted focus focus that must must be prepared in some some ritual way prior to use use grants a +1 bonus bonus to casting casting.. It's easier easier to believe believe that that you can banish banish demons with specially blessed holy water from the Vatican than with any old bottle of Evian. A few mages actually have a unique focus, a one of a kind object ob ject of personal significan significance. ce. Your grandmothe grandmother's r's ring, a legendary legendary sword, sword, or your prototype prototype HyperKinetoD HyperKinetoDynaGi ynaGizmo zmo Plus with red chromium chromium detailing detailing would would all suffice. suffice. These grant grant a +2 bonus to casting, but if they are ever irreplacably lost, you must relearn the sphere with a new focus (at half xp cost). As your experience experience and and enlightenment enlightenment increase increases, s, you surpass surpass the need for foci. foci. Starting Starting at a Avatar 4, you select one sphere for which you don't need to use a focus (you discard two at ranks 9 and 10 each, so that by Avatar 10 you need no foci). Casting with a focus you don't need to use grants you a +1 bonus die (regardless of the kind of focus), kind of like an old security blanket. Technomancers (Technocrats, Sons of Ether, Virtual Adepts, and the occasional other mage) have a much easier time of things in the modern paradigm, and thanks in part to the foci they they use, their their magic is much much more easily easily accepted accepted as coincidenta coincidental. l. The drawback drawback is that that technomanc technomancers ers tend to be much much more dependen dependentt on their toys. toys. They cannot spend a point of willpower to cast magic without foci, and they surpass foci at a later point (though once they break their need for gizmos, they progress very rapidly). At each rank of Avatar starting at 6, technomancers discard two foci.
FACTORS Every effect has a number of factors: potency, number of targets or area of effect and duration. duration. These factors factors determine determine the base base penalties penalties to your magic magic die roll (for (for instant instant casting) or the number of successes required for the spell to succeed (for extended casting). casting). With instant instant casting, casting, all all but one factor factor is set in advance, advance, determining determining the penalty penalty to the roll. The primary primary factor factor (usually (usually potency) potency) is variable variable depending depending on the number of success successes es you roll. With extended extended castings castings,, all factors factors are set in advance, advance, and the spell goes off as soon as all required successes are rolled, or if not enough are rolled by the end of the extended casting, then the spell fails entirely. Potency How strong the spell spell is, basically. basically. For incremental incremental effect effect spells, spells, this determines determines the amount amount of damage inflicte inflicted d or healed, how many many actions actions are blessed, blessed, etc. It also determines how hard the spell is to resist in contested rolls, or how hard they are to counter counter or dispel with prime prime magic. magic. Spells that that are largely largely an "on or off" effect effect that are are not resisted (ex. using forces to flick a switch) require only one potency to be successful. Number of Targets Fairly Fairly self-explana self-explanatory, tory, generally generally refers refers to human or human-sized human-sized targets. targets. If you are enchanting rats, for instance, each success would probably increase the number of rats by some larger factor than one-to-one. Area of Effect Used instead of number of targets when the effects are not targeting discrete objects or creatures. creatures. In some cases, cases, spells spells that would would normally normally target a number number of people can can be
converted to an area of effect spell (i.e. put everyone in the room to sleep instead of put eight people to sleep), though the Storyteller may treat this as an application of advanced factors (see Advanced Factors) Duration Most spells have one of four duration categories: instant/lasting (the spell's effects occur in a moment and then are finished, and whatever natural results follow last without the need of magic magic to support them. them. Most attack attack and healing healing spells spells count as as such), concentration (the spell lasts for as long as the mage concentrates on it), transitory (duration is measured in turns), prolonged (duration is measured in scenes, hours, days, months, months, etc). With advanced advanced prolonged prolonged duration, duration, spells spells can be made made permanent. permanent. However, they will count against the maximum number of spells a mage can maintain until he relinquishes (with a point of willpower, copious amounts of quintessence, etc).
ADVANCED FACTORS If you expend a point of quintessence, and have one rank higher than is normally necessary to cast a magical effect, you can employ advanced factors for either area of effect effect or duration (or (or both, for two points points of quintessen quintessence). ce). Space 3 or Time 3 allows allows a mage to do so without needing to have one rank higher than normal in the primary sphere. sphere. These advanced advanced factors factors increase increase power exponential exponentially, ly, so it can allow the mage to either significantly reduce his penalties, or to reach a scope otherwise outside his capability capability.. Generally, Generally, only spells spells that are normally normally of prolonged prolonged duration can can be bumped to advanced duration, but at the Storyteller's whim, a spell of transitory could be bumped to prolonged, or concentration to transitory. In some cases, sphere ranks define the scope of your power (ex. the difference between Forces Forces 2 and Forces 4, Controlli Controlling ng minor vs. major major foces). foces). Using advance advanced d factors factors will not allow you you to get around this. this. This is just just one of those places places where the the transition transition from Ascension to Awakenings gets a little clunky.
RANGE Most spells spells are cast at sensory sensory range. If you you can can see it, you you can can affect affect it. it. You can can also also target things you can perceive otherwise, though there may be penalties (see nWoD core book on targeting targeting things things by sound, sound, smell, smell, etc). etc). A few spells spells require require you to touch touch the target (though most of these allow you to cast at sensory range if you have a higher rank than is necess necessary ary to cast the the spell normally). normally). This is largely largely for game game balance. balance. Some spells are cast as aimed spells, usually when something concrete is launched at the target (see (see Aimed Spells). Spells). Otherwise, Otherwise, to affect affect something something you cannot cannot perceive perceive requires sympathetic magic (see Sympathetic Magic).
SYMPATHETIC MAGIC If you want to affect something you cannot immediately perceive with your own physical senses senses requires the the application application of a Space Space 2 effect, and costs costs a point of quintess quintessence. ence. If you are directly affecting a distant pattern, then you also need one rank higher than normal to cast cast the spell. spell. Penalties Penalties are applied applied dependent dependent on how familiar familiar you are are with the target (it is a penalty to the dice pool regardless of whether casting instantly or extended). extended). Targets Targets with the Occultation Occultation or Fame merits merits apply these these as further penalties penalties against against the casting casting dice pool. Targets Targets that perceive perceive the sympathetic sympathetic connectio connection n may cast back back through it even even if they don't have have Space 2. While sympath sympathetic etic casting casting is not always vulgar, it is much more likely to generate a paradox. Casting forwards or backwards in time works the same way, except it requires Time 2, instead instead of Space. To cast over over the gauntlet gauntlet requires Spirit, Spirit, and and the penalties penalties are dependent on the localized strength of the Gauntlet.
COMBINED CASTING Normally, Normally, you can can only cast cast one effect effect at a time. time. You are also also limited limited in the number number of ongoing effects you can sustain at once, and how many effects your pattern can withstand withstand before before suffering suffering pattern pattern bleed. What counts counts as one "effect" "effect" is a bit hard hard to
define precisely, but typically should amount to achieving one goal, making one significant change in reality (even if that should have numerous results), or causing one game mechanic mechanic effect effect (particula (particularly rly in combat). combat). However, However, at more advanced advanced Avatar ranks, you can combine effects (see Avatar) into a single casting. There are a lot of benefits benefits to this, this, but it's exceeding exceedingly ly difficult. difficult. You must have have one higher rank than normal in the primary sphere for each effect, and it imposes a -2 penalty/sp penalty/spell ell beyond the the first to the total total dice pool. You only roll roll one dice pool (the (the lower of the two), affected by penalties for all the spells, and divide successes amongst the castings as you wish. Also, there there must must be at least least some logical logical reason reason for two two effects effects to go together. together. You could not not simultaneo simultaneously usly turn turn into fire fire and make a car car turn into into a Beatles Beatles song. You could, however, simultaneously grow a thick scaly hide and regrow a limb like an alligator (armor + regeneration spells).
GROUP CASTING Big groups of black-robed women chanting in a circle is a time-honored magical tradition. tradition. This is for for good good reason. reason. The more more mages mages you you have have that that believe believe in somethi something, ng, the more more powerful powerful the effect effect becomes. becomes. Also, chanting chanting black-robed black-robed women are hot. At least one mage, the leader, must be fully capable of casting the effect by themselves. Each mage with at least 1 rank in all the spheres used in the effect contribute one bonus die to the leader's leader's casting casting pool. Those partici participants pants besides besides the leader leader who are fully capable of casting the effect do not add one to the leader's pool, but rather roll their own dice pool and and add their successes successes to the the total. However, However, if any one participa participant nt botches, botches, it ruins the whole whole effect effect (and dont't dont't ask me about the paradox) paradox).. In addition, addition, there must must be some previously agreed upon ritual that all participating mages understand and can work with their their paradigm paradigm (does (does not need to to be a rote). So instant instant group casting castings s are not possible, possible, only extended. extended. This is not to say say that a technomanc technomancer er cannot perform perform a group casting with a Wiccan, but they must have figured out some way to share paradigm elements for the purposes of this ritual (spread blood on the keyboard, perhaps). Sleepers who believe in the paradigm of the ritual can also contribute power if they participate. participate. This is why why so so many many mages mages form cults. cults. Arguably, Arguably, the Techno Technocracy cracy has made one big big science science cult of the the masses. masses. However, However, I'm not going going to get into into how to adjudicate that here.
COUNTERMAGIC As the equivalent of a dodge dod ge action (i.e. you can either spend your action if you haven't gone yet, or spend your next turn's action if you have), you can try to counter magic as another another mage is casting. casting. Countermagi Countermagic c costs a point of quintessenc quintessence, e, as you reinforce reinforce your version version of reality reality with a little little juice. juice. This requires requires at least least one dot dot in one of the spheres being used in the attack, or at least two ranks in Prime. The mage rolls Avatar + Sphere. Each success on a countermagic roll reduces the incoming effect’s potency by one die. You can also undo preexisting, ongoing effects in the same fashion. Should the countering mage roll more successes than the spell's potency, and he has at least Prime 2, he can reflect the spell back on the attacker, with each success above the attacker's roll adding to the potency. Some effects effects grant grant natural natural magic immunity immunity.. This simply simply penalizes penalizes the the dice pool of any caster targeting the protected target, and costs no quintessence outside of whatever cost there was in casting the initial effect.
MAGIC IN COMBAT Magic is hard hard to adjudicate adjudicate in the best of circums circumstance tances. s. In combat, combat, where there's there's a lot more mechanics flying around than normal, and rulings can have especially serious (read: organ rearranging) implications for characters, it's good to have some ground rules. These are are suggestions, suggestions, really, really, and as much much for game balance balance and speed speed of play as anything else.
Actions One of the most popular popular uses uses of magic is to grant grant yourself yourself multiple multiple actions. actions. oWoD gave gave most supersplats a way to get multiple attacks in combat, and while things got pretty silly at the extreme end of combat monkey character builds, at least every had an equal opportunity opportunity to go that route. route. nWoD has made made it very clear clear that multiple multiple attacks attacks quickly quickly unbalance unbalance things, things, and should should be considered considered the holy grail grail of super powers. powers. Personally Personally,, I lean towards towards nWoD on this one. Getting Getting multiple multiple actions, actions, particularly particularly multiple multiple attacks, attacks, requires requires very high magics magics and comes comes with some some drawbacks. drawbacks. Under no circums circumstance tances, s, no matter how much you beg, no matter how much you plead, will you ever get ever get more than one magical magical casting casting in a round. round. And if you cast, cast, that's that's pretty pretty much much all you can can do besides run around in circles a little bit. Aimed Spells Some spells launch a physical, concrete effect at a target, rather r ather than affecting the target's target's pattern pattern directly. directly. Forces Forces attack attacks s are are the the most most common common.. The dice pool of the the caster starts off the same, but penalties are determined in the same way you would a ranged attack (i.e. distance to target, cover, armor and perhaps defense would grant penalties, penalties, but not not a resistance resistance or power stat). stat). Range increment increments s are equal to your Avatar Avatar x 10 yards. Failed Failed aimed spells spells still go off but but strike some some logical nearby nearby piece piece of scenery scenery (a parked car, car, a wall, a mailbox, mailbox, a Sleeper). Sleeper). In fact, StoryTel StoryTellers lers are encouraged, if an aimed spell misses, to have the caster roll the dice that were subtracted for defense, armor and cover and include that in the potency when considering the collateral damage of the spell. Resistance Spells are resisted either actively (contested roll of power stat + resistance stat, spend a willpower for +3) or passively (subtract resistance stat from caster's dice pool, spend a willpower willpower for -2 more dice). dice). The rule of thumb thumb is that if the effect effect is graduated graduated (like (like an attack spell, where each point in potency is a point of damage done), the resistance is passive. passive. If the effect effect only needs one potency potency to have effect, effect, i.e. i.e. it is either "on" "on" or "off," such as mind mind control, control, then it is contested. contested. In rare instances instances where where a graduated graduated spell has especially severe effects with even a few successes, then it might be treated as contested. Damage While most spheres can be used to hurt people in some fashion, some are better at it than others. others. The most common common attack attack spheres spheres are are Life, Life, Mind, Mind, Forces and Entropy. Entropy. Life 3 does lethal damage, while Forces does lethal or bashing damage depending on the source (you generally need to include Prime to create an energy attack out of nothing), starting starting at 2. Mind always always does bashing bashing damage, damage, and Entropy Entropy causes causes no damage to living living targets until until rank 4, but that that is lethal. lethal. If an attack attack does lethal lethal damage, damage, you can spend a point of quintes quintessence sence to make make it aggravated. aggravated. Aggravated Aggravated damage damage is always vulgar. vulgar. Forces Forces magic does extra extra damage damage if the damage is determin determined ed by the potency of the spell, in the same way that firearms do in the variant firearms rules we're using. The bonus damage to a successful attack is equal to the caster's rank in Forces. Causing or healing aggravated damage is always vulgar, and costs a point of quintessence, but requires nothing further than you would normally need to cast the spell. Touch Range As mentioned under extended casting, living patterns (particular human ones), are complex, complex, ever-shift ever-shifting ing targets, targets, and therefore therefore pretty pretty hard to pin down. Some of the more debilitating offensive magics used against them often have to be performed by touch, touch, so that the the casting casting mage can can "get a grip" on on the pattern, pattern, as it were. were. To do this, this, you must first succeed in grappling a target, and then on the next round you can cast the spell. spell. Generally, Generally, if you have have one rank higher higher than is normally normally necessa necessary ry to cast a touch range spell, you can cast it at sensory range (or sympathetic, if you also have Space 2). 2). The spells spells that lower lower attributes attributes are the most most common touch touch range attack attack spells. spells. Also as mentioned mentioned under extended extended casting, casting, all this is actually actually for game balance balance reasons. Duration Spells that normally have a duration of minutes, a scene or hours normally may see their
duration duration reduced dramatic dramatically ally in the volatile volatile combat combat environment. environment. Similarly, Similarly, some some spells last longer longer on Sleepers Sleepers than than they do on other other Awakened Awakened mages. mages. Again, this this is purely purely a balance balance thing, to keep whoever whoever wins initiative initiative from steam-rol steam-rolling ling everyone everyone else. Also, spells that last as long as a mage concentrates may require composure rolls to maintin them in the the midst midst of combat. combat. That's just common common sense. sense. Armor Pretty much much every every sphere gives gives you some some form of protect protection ion at rank rank 2. Most of them them grant armor. armor. Depending Depending on the the effect, effect, this armor may stack stack with with mundane mundane armor. armor. It will not ever stack with other magical armor (i.e. a forcefield on top of scaly hide will use the higher of the the two armor ratings, ratings, not both). both). You can choose choose to either either protect yourself yourself from physical attacks or fortify or fortify your pattern against certain magics with a single effect, not both. You can cast cast a life spell spell to make yourself yourself healthier healthier (i.e. (i.e. resist resist offensive offensive Life magics) magics) or make your your skin tougher tougher (i.e. grant grant yourself yourself armor). armor). Doing both both requires either two two spells or or a combined combined effect. effect. Forces Forces armor may may grant you both both armor and and some protection from a particular energy (including Forces magic using that energy), depending depending on what form your your armor takes. takes. Of course, course, turning turning yourself yourself into living living fire is only one effect that grants a host of benefits, but that's much more advanced. Buffs and de-buffs A guideline to most spells that increase or reduce stats is that they apply to only one stat at a time, time, and and cannot raise raise or lower lower it more dots dots than your your rank in the sphere. sphere. If you have a higher rank r ank in the sphere than is necessary to cast the spell, you can affect more than one appropriate stat in one casting, and no single stat can be raised or lowered lowered more than your rank rank in the sphere. You cannot cannot stack stack effects effects on a single stat, stat, i.e. you cannot lower a person's Intelligence by 3 dots, then by another 2 dots for a total of -5. -5. The more powerful powerful of of the the two castings castings would be used. used. Generally, Generally, whatever whatever rank rank you would use to buff yourself, you need one rank higher to buff or debuff others. Dice pool enhancers This is just a house-rule: Effects that increase a dice pool by some means other than improving your stats (i.e. give you bonuses to a die roll, or make it 9-again or 8-again or rote), cannot cannot be applied applied to magic. magic. Magic is a an n effort effort of will, so luck luck is is not a factor. factor. The only ways to improve your odds on a magic roll are with willpower or quintessence.
RESONANCE As stated above, change is reciprocal. Resonance was an oft discussed theme in Ascension, but a largely ignored mechanic. I think it’s a critical idea, and one of the greatest failings of Mage was its inability to implement the concept. The Verbena spoke of the Rule of Three in magic: Everything a man has wrought returns upon him threefold. This extends beyond the notion of Paradox as the conscience of consensual reality. In real life, violence begets violence, joy begets joy, and so forth. Intense acts are invested with emotion, and the emotion lingers in the form of Resonance. That Resonance colors the people, places and things that have it. You hold the door d oor for somebody, and they may pick up enough of that charitable resonance to hold the door for somebody else. How many times has someone said that a church “resonates with peace,” such that all who enter feel suddenly calmer, or at least they know to keep their voices down. This applies especially to the dynamic forces of magic. When you take two tuning forks and strike one, the vibrations it emits will set off the other one as well. Two frequencies of the same wavelength will boost each others’ amplitudes, while opposing wavelengths will cancel each other out. So do resonances in magic feed off each other. A mage casting a calming effect in the aforementioned church finds the power of his magic boosted. He would find it harder than usual, though, to try evoke some kind of chaotic change. Resonance is divided into three broad br oad categories: Static, Dynamic, Entropic. They represent the three phases p hases of the cosmos, and correspond with the Essences (Pattern, Dynamic and Primordial, respectively with Questing as a kind of middle-ground). While any given location, item or creature could have a resonance, all magical patterns have a
resonance: resonance: nodes, nodes, tass, talisman talismans, s, spirits, spirits, even mages. mages. Quintessenc Quintessence e will have the same resonance as the node it came from, unless it is stored in the mage's own avatar (limited (limited by his Avatar Avatar rating), rating), in which which case it takes takes on his resonance. resonance. Tass takes takes on resonance appropriate to it's form, and quintessence taken from a source other than a node will take on resonance appropriate either to the source, or the method in which it was taken. Resonance is rated like any other trait, but instead of a specialty, it is colored by a particular emotion. Below is a chart of the emotional foci and which of the three categories of resonance it falls under, as well as the common oppositions. The italicized descriptors at the top of each column are too general to be taken as resonance traits, but are good cues for determining the category other traits might fall into. This chart should be pretty comprehensive, but hardly exhaustive: Entropic
Dynamic
Static
Creation/Destruction Growth/Decay Joy/Grief Pride/Ego/Shame Love/Desire/Hate
Chaos Anger/Passion/Insanity Fear/Doubt Curiosity/Discontent Freedom/Independence
Order Calm/Restraint Courage/Certainty Boredom/Safety Oppression/Obligation
The Entropic column may seem to cover two poles, but when you consider the cosmos as a cycle, existence and absence are inseparable. Primordial resonance (and essences) represents fundamental, uncomplex forces. It is possible to associate Jhor with the most negative of the Primordial traits, as all things must at least briefly touch death to cycle around again to birth. However, for my purposes Jhor serves a more specific metaphysical role (see below). Resonance and Magic The higher a trait rating, the more prevalent a resonance trait becomes in a mage’s magic. The effects of a mage with the fear resonance will manifest with frightening visual imagery, or may make anyone nearby feel ill at ease. This is more of a flavor than a mechanical ruling, but at the Storyteller’s option, he could roll the resonance trait on vulgar magical effects. The number of successes indicates the intensity of the resonance’s manifestation, which projects that emotion onto everyone around the effect. effect. Those present present who have have a particular particular desire to resist resist must contest contest that that roll with Composure + Avatar + Opposing Resonance trait (if any) - Matching Resonance trait (if any). More significantly, resonance will amplify corresponding magical effects, and muffle discordant effects. Whenever a mage works his will in such a fashion as to reflect a the resonance of the environment, the target or any quintessence spent in the casting (if a caster is pulling from his own Avatar's quintessence store, he uses his own strongest resonance resonance trait), trait), 9’s become exploding exploding as well as 0’s. In especially especially synchronou synchronous s cases, the Storyteller Storyteller may may opt to give you you 8-again. 8-again. However, However, if there is is a resonance resonance at work that directly opposes the emotional intent of the effect, then you lose the 10-again rule on your roll as the magic magic is dampened. dampened. In extreme extreme cases, the the Storyteller Storyteller may decide decide that any 1’s rolled negate successes. Not only does this reduce the likelihood of success, but it can dramatically increase the likelihood of incurring paradox. If there is both a complementary and an opposing resonance type at work, compare the strength of each and apply whichever has more dots (ex. A mage with a Pattern resonance trait uses his own quintessence to fortify the physical structure of his armor in a carnival funhouse with Dynamic resonance). Other Effects of Resonance
• At very high high ratings ratings (4 or 5) the trait trait will manifes manifestt in everything everything the the mage does and even his very appearance. A mage riddled with grief resonance will spread that sadness in everyone he crosses. Such mages subtract one die from social rolls (even an overwhelming resonance of love is going to put off most people), unless the emotion in question would actually benefit the mage’s goal, in which case a die is added (a resonance of fear will help in intimidation). It is also possible that the target’s circumstances or nature would not be much affected by the resonance, in which case no dice are added or subtracted, but this should be a fairly significant variation from the norm (an undertaker is less likely to notice a mage’s Jhor taint). • Most tass tass (physical (physical quintesse quintessence) nce) will will carry one point point of the same resonance resonance as the node or mage that created it, and can thus aid or hinder castings. • If a talisman’ talisman’s s resonance resonance matches matches that that of the wielder, wielder, then then apply 9-again 9-again to activation rolls. Remove 10-again if their resonances contradict. • When a mage mage attempts attempts to draw draw quintess quintessence ence from from a node node with a match matching ing resonance to his own highest trait, he gains 9-again to the roll. Contradictory resonances remove 10-again. Once the mage has incorporated the quintessence into his own pattern, it simply takes on the mage’s own resonance. r esonance. However, at more powerful nodes there is the possibility that the mage will acquire some of the node's resonance (see gaining/losing Resonance below). • A Mage must must maintain maintain balance balance in all all things, things, both with with himself himself and the outside outside world. If the Mage’s dominant resonance trait (i.e. the one with the highest rank) is of a category other than his Avatar’s Essence, the Mage is in d iscord with his own avatar. Until this situation is rectified, the mage will not bleed off paradox naturally, no matter how mundane a life he is leading. Furthermore, every month spent in this fashion risks degeneration. Roll your current Harmony rank. If no successes are rolled, you lose a point of Harmony. The Storyteller may opt to have you roll again if you fail, to see if you enter Quiet. • The form form a mage's mage's Quie Quiets ts take take is heavi heavily ly influ influenc enced ed by his his resona resonance nce.. Dynami Dynamic c mages become confused and may suffer hallucinations, while Pattern mages enter a kind of clarity that can lead to fixations and in the worst cases, they become programm programmed ed drones. drones. Primordial Primordial mages mages become become simplisti simplistic c and unpredictably emotional. Jhor Jhor is a special kind of resonance r esonance generated by the Shadow Umbra realms of death. While the other three resonances interact normally, Jhor will cancel out all other resonances. resonances. Jhor is considere considered d oppositional oppositional to all all magics that that do not directly directly relate to death. Jhor tainted tainted Quiets Quiets can be especiall especially y dangerous, dangerous, as the mage becomes becomes obsessed obsessed with death, death, and even even his body begins begins to assume assume the the pallor pallor of a corpse. corpse. The mage mage in Jhor Quiet is likely to pursue pur sue further Jhor-tainted study and behavior, which will accrue more Jhor and and make it increasingl increasingly y difficult difficult to ever escape escape Quiet. Quiet. The mage eventual eventually ly degenerates into nothing but a magical killer. It is a common misconception that Jhor is re lated to Entropy magic, and this myth is in large part to blame blame for the Euthanatos Euthanatos's 's poor reputation. reputation. Anyone Anyone using magic magic to kill, to commune commune with the the dead or cross cross into their their lands comes comes into into contact contact with Jhor. Jhor. If anything, the Euthanatos are especially vigilant of its members who frequently deal in death. Gaining/Losing Resonance Typically, simply using magic that reflects a particular resonance (ex. Causing a circuit breaker failure with forces would be considered Entropic [decay], or possibly Dynamic [chaos]) does not imbue any lasting resonance to the caster, target or environment. Typically, resonance is only accrued from a great change in the mage's life, such as a Seeking Seeking or Quiet. However, However, when a mage mage makes an an especially especially large large change change to his environment, in moments of great crisis or emotion, the emotional investment could
generate resonance at the Storyteller’s d iscretion. Vulgar magic is far more likely to do so, as is magic fueled by quintessence. The storyteller can also rule that r esonances can be acquired if a mage spends a great deal of time in an area with a particular resonance, or even a moderate amount of time if the resonance is especially powerful (four or higher). Powerful talismans may also have this effect, if the mage either relies on it a great deal or the item has a powerful resonance. Powerful nodes more routinely pass on resonance. Whenever a mage absorbs quintessence from a node with a resonance trait of four or higher, he gains a point of the appropriate resonance unless he resists successfully. Resonance can be artificially created through the extended use of Mind magic (influencing a target’s attitude significantly for prolonged periods) or a vulgar Prime effect. A mage can do the same for himself, but it requires intense, time-consuming meditation, in similar fashion to a Seeking. A resonance change can be resisted with Resolve + Avatar + Opposing Resonance trait (if any) – Corresponding Resonance traits (if any). You must roll as many or more successes successes as the the strength strength of the external external resonance resonance trait. trait. If the roll fails, fails, or the mage chooses not to resist, he gains one point of the appropriate resonance, or loses one dot from an oppositional trait. Talismans are nearly immune to all resonance changes, as they are static objects. They will continue to resonate with the method of their creation and the nature of their purpose unless subjected to powerful Prime rituals, or directly used in a spectacular fashion truly anathema to their current resonance.
DOMINO EFFECT While Sleepers are willing to believe one unlikely but not impossible coincidence, further amazing amazing occurrences occurrences are likely to strain strain their verisimilit verisimilitude. ude. For every two spectacul spectacular ar coincidental effects (pipes bursting for no reason, lightning striking a person, all the streetlights turning green at once) that have already occurred in the scene, subtract one die from similarly "improbable" effects. The domino effect has a particularly volatile relationship with applications of Entropy magic to twist twist probability probability and fate. fate. Any exceptiona exceptionall success success that is a result result of generic Entropy effects (such as granting bonus dice or 9-again to a roll) counts as one such improbable effect.
PARADOX This is the big bad Momma of the Mage: the Ascension. It was the biggest source of tension and frustration with players; it was so hard to adjudicate. The writers refused to give out many hard and fast rules, because it was meant to meant to be unpredictable. Awakenings codified it, but it took a lot of the teeth out as well. I’ve attempted to marry the best of both systems, but the style leans heavily to Ascension. Gaining Paradox Points A mage gains Paradox points in the following instances: • Bot Botchi ching ng a coinci coinciden dental tal effec effect: t: 1 point point • Successfu Successfully lly casti casting ng a vulgar vulgar effect: effect: 1 point point • Successfu Successfully lly casting casting a vulgar effect effect in front of Sleepers: Sleepers: 1 point/high point/highest est rank used • Botching Botching a vulgar vulgar effect: effect: 1 point/high point/highest est rank rank used used • Botching Botching a vulgar vulgar effect in in front of Sleepers Sleepers:: 2 points/high points/highest est rank used used Note: For the purpos purposes es of magic, magic, we're we're using using oWoD botch rules, rules, not not nWoD. nWoD. If you you roll roll any ones and no successes on any magic roll (not just chance dice), then you botch.
These points are recorded on the wheel on your character sheet, counterclockwise. Should you gain so many paradox that they overlap with your quintessence, the quintessence is negated and replaced with paradox. At the point when a mage first gains the paradox points, he may choose to spend quintessence to mitigate it, on a one-forone basis. basis. Also, mages mages “bleed “bleed off” paradox paradox after a week spent spent without without incurring incurring anymore paradox. Roll your Harmony pool (generally half your Harmony score), and erase a point point of Paradox for for each success. success. Familiars Familiars may also also clean a mage’s mage’s pattern pattern of paradox. Backlash Whenever a mage botches a vulgar effect (or pulls off a spectacularly vulgar effect in front of witnesses, or at the ST's whim), and after adding the newly garnered paradox points, roll a number of dice equal to his base paradox dice pool (see Avatar) + his paradox points + any of the following modifiers: • +1 per each backla backlash sh check check after the the first made made for any caster caster during during the scene. scene. This bonus is cumulative. • -1 if if the the mage mage is is cast casting ing a rote. rote. • +2 if there are are any Sleeper Sleeper witnesses witnesses (the (the Storyteller Storyteller may may add more if there there are large number of Sleepers) Each success adds to the severity of the backlash and burns off a point of the mage’s paradox. Paradox backlashes cannot be avoided. At best, a mage may spend a point of willpower to forestall this and all subsequent backlashes until the end of the scene. This is extremely risky, however, because this will b urn all the accumulated paradox in one massive effect. While the backlash will likely be large enough to affect everyone on the scene, it will focus on the mage so arrogant as to defy it. Alternatively, a mage can try to contain the paradox within himself, to keep more erratic results results in check. If a mage decides decides to absorb the paradox paradox backlas backlash, h, he takes one point point of resistant resistant bashing bashing damage damage per success success on the backlash backlash roll. Unfortunat Unfortunately, ely, the mage mage doesn't know in advance how bad it is going to be, so this is a very risky proposition, and it has killed more than one mage. While a Storyteller can rely on dice to determine when there is a backlash, it is ultimately at his or her discretion. Ignore the dice if it’s just a bad time for a backlash, b acklash, or delay it to later in the scene, or even to another scene. Or, if it seems like an especially good time, invoke a paradox backlash and simply roll the target’s paradox p oints as the pool to determine the strength of the effect. Paradox Effect Durations Most paradox paradox effects effects last longer longer the lower a mage's mage's Harmony. Harmony. The chart below below shows the interval interval durations durations of different different kinds kinds of paradox paradox effects. effects. At the end of each interval, interval, roll your your Harmony Harmony pool. If you you succeed succeed,, the effect effect ends. ends. If you you fail, fail, you you may may roll roll again again at the end of the next interval interval.. If you botch, botch, you must wait wait two intervals intervals to roll again. again. These durations do not apply to paradox Havoc, which lasts only as long as the effects normal duration, paradox spirit manifestations (the spirit will stay as long as it can or wills), or paradox realms (which generally have their own requirements for escape). Minor flaws may also have much shorter duration intervals (turns or minutes). Wisdom Wisdom Durati Duration on 10 One scene 9 One scene 8 One scene 7 One scene 6 Two scenes 5 One day 4 Two days 3 One week
2 1
Two weeks One month
Paradox Flaws In addition to any other effects, most releases of Paradox energy give the mage a temporary flaw of some sort (including when the mage absorbs the backlash as physical damage). damage). They are proportion proportionate ate to the intensity intensity of the Paradox Paradox backlas backlash, h, and related related to the initial magic that caused the backlash (they are also influenced by a mage's magical magical style and and resonance). resonance). Minor flaws flaws may only only have duration duration intervals intervals of a turn or a minute, while severe enough backlashes will cause prolonged flaws with duration intervals dependent on the mage's Harmony. Backlash Flaw Successes Trivial Flaws: A trivial Paradox Flaw could be barely noticeable or slightly 1 inconvenient. It probably lasts only a short time. The mage's watch might start running backward at high speed for a few turns, or his hair could stand on end for a minute. Mystical mages get struck with echoes from legend: Flowers might wilt or a swarm of insects could briefly gather near the mage. 2-4 Minor Flaws: A minor flaw is inconvenient and troublesome, and it may stick around for a while, but it's not likely to be dangerous. These Flaws might include such things as the mage's feet sticking to the ground for a few turns, an article of clothing falling to ash or an uncontrollable sneezing attack. Such Effects typically grant a one die penalty to certain actions that might be hindered, and they could be noticeably odd to others. Moderate Flaws: A "moderate" Flaw is a relative term, since these Flaws do 5-7 hamper the mage significantly, tend to last for a prolonged duration and can be dangerous. Moderate Flaws might include such problems as suddenly exuding waves of heat or cold, suffering from strange shifts to the senses, acquiring a temporary derangement, or losing the ability to speak coherently. These Effects usually cause the mage to suffer 1 to 3 die penalties penalties on a variety variety of tasks. tasks. A trivial trivial Flaw might might sh ow up as a permanen permanentt problem, rendering the mage's eyes a new color, for instance. Severe Flaws: Severe Paradox Flaws should give even the most rash mages 8-9 pause. The mage could discover that his facial features have vanished (yet left him his senses), or perhaps all cloth items that come within five feet of him start writhing uncontrollably. These Flaws can be somewhat harmful, even to others, and they're definitely strange, noticeable and problematic. Such Flaws usually cause the mage to suffer a 2 or 3 die penalties on all actions, actions, or 3 to 5 die penalties penalties on on a more limited limited range range of tasks. tasks. A minor Flaw might sh ow up as a permanent problem. 10+ Drastic Flaws: The nastiest forms of backfires cause major changes, injuries and even permanent problems. The mage might have his skin suddenly turn to wood and start sprouting, he could find everyone over the age of 40 irresistibly attracted to him or he could accidentally and uncontrollably fire off magical attacks at his friends and allies. A moderate Flaw might sh ow up as a permanent problem, rendering wiping away a memory, removing an Ability or Attribute point or causing similar mayhem. If out of control, these Flaws can wreak havoc on the mage and on the people around him. Some things may become downright impossible for the mage to accomplish, depending on the nature of the Flaw. Havoc Paradox may take control of successfully cast effects, or even fuel a botched spell with unpredictabl unpredictable e results. results. The target target is selected selected randomly randomly (or at ST's whim) whim) from amongst amongst all suitabl suitable e targets targets in the area. area. The mage mage then rolls rolls his his harmony harmony score (not (not pool pool). ). If he fails, the spell not only affects a random target, but the effect is inverted or warped in some fashion. fashion. If he succeeds, succeeds, then then the spell affects affects a random random target but occurs occurs as
normal. normal. If he rolls an excepti exceptional onal success, success, then he retains retains control control of a spell. spell. If havoc havoc is is occuring to a botched spell, the successes on the backlash roll count towards the spell's potency, potency, area of effect, effect, etc. etc. However, However, since the the spell is being generated generated by paradox, paradox, the the mage has no chance to control it. Manifestation Paradox spirits are particularly viscious spirits formed not of e ssence, but of paradox energy. They are unaffec unaffected ted by most normal normal Spirit magics magics unless unless Prime Prime is also invoked. invoked. Paradox spirits don't always appear in physical form, but follow the mage around in the Umbra, Umbra, harassing harassing him through through the Gauntlet. Gauntlet. The more paradox paradox energy expended expended in the backlash, the higher the spirit rank. Backlash Spirit Successes Rank 1 1 2-4 2 5-7 3 8-9 4 10+ 5 Anomalies Paradox backlashes of five or more points may not affect the mage directly, but cause mayhem mayhem in the entire area. area. Lights may may flicker flicker and die, cars won't won't start, start, the temperature temperature drops to dangerousl dangerously y cold levels. levels. An anomaly anomaly may even alter alter the rules of magic, magic, making making certain certain spheres harder harder to use or making making all magic more more erratic. erratic. In the worst cases, cases, paradox energy accumulates in a storm that lashes the area with raw force, destroying everything that does not flee or take shelter. Paradox Realms and Quiet Mages accruing ten or more successes on a backlash are in danger of simply being shunted shunted from reality, reality, either either mentally mentally or physically. physically. Quiet is a particula particularr form of mage derangement derangement which which is metaphysic metaphysical al in nature, nature, not psychologi psychological. cal. A mage's Quiet Quiet is heavily heavily influenced influenced by his Essence Essence and and Resonance. Resonance. Paradox Paradox is not the only way to enter enter Quiet, but it's one of the more reliable ones (mages may also enter Quiet when they lose Harmony, rather than gain a derangement, when their Resonances are unbalanced for too long, or after after extreme extreme traumas). traumas). The mage's mage's perceptions perceptions no longer longer entirely entirely jibe with reality, and in some cases, his hallucinations may take on physical form (hobgoblins). Paradox may lock away offending mages in a specially created umbral realm, imposing a quarantine quarantine to protect protect reality reality from further further violations violations.. For mages mages who aren't fortunat fortunate e enough to have friends who will seek them out in these Realms, the spirits will usually release the victim after a few days or months, depending on the severity of Paradox that he has called down. They have been known to keep people longer, however. Reality doesn't doesn't always allow allow parole parole or time off for good behavior. behavior. Paradox Paradox Realms Realms tailored tailored to mages tend to feature the Spheres that the mage invoked, and often trap and confuse the mage in a tiny Realm that's dominated by a few such features. A Realm might have a fatal environment, but more often, it it just seems seems to behave behave like a puzzle puzzle to trap trap the mage. Many realms realms seem seem to be trying to teach the mage a lesson, so that he will be wiser in future applications of his will.