Mage Charts! (useful mechanics!)

Mage Quick Reference
Performing Magick

Declare method and result

Declare the desired result, and how (in character) you're doing it.

Good Example: "I'm activating my Electron-Dilation Ray to produce a static charge in the air, to disrupt the circuitry of that Iteration-X cyborg."
Bad Example: "I'm using Forces 3 to juice that scum-bucket."

Determine necessary knowledge

Determine what Spheres are required, and whether or not it is coincidental. Some Effects require mundane knowledge.
Examples: Creating a functional computer (Technology, Computer), rewriting someone's psyche (Psychology), summoning ancient beings (Cosmology, Occult)

Determine casting time
Major magicks require extended time periods and multiple successes.

Typical Difficulties, Mechanics

Coincidental Effect: The highest Sphere in the Effect + 3
Vulgar without Witnesses: Highest Sphere + 4
Vulgar with Witnesses: Highest Sphere + 5

Note: Both types of vulgar magick earns Paradox, even if successful

Willpower Uses
Willpower can be used before the roll to convert one failure into a success, or one botch to a failure.
Willpower can also be used after a botched roll to cancel the paradox (though not the paradox generated by a successful vulgar effect), and, if used as part of an extended roll, to continue the effect- though this may only occur once during the extended roll.
Only one of these options may be used per roll.

Quintessence Uses

One point may be spent to reduce casting difficulty by 1 (up to -3)

Resolution

Forces Effects add one success when used for damage and double successes; Mind effects subtract one success. Entropy does no damage until Rank 4. All other applications of damage through Spheres is on a 1 for 1 basis.

Magickal attacks can be dodged, if the target is aware of it. Dex + Dodge for material attacks. Similarly, magickal "attacks" utilizing the Mind sphere can be resisted by Willpower, if the victim is aware that he is being manipulated (i.e., passes an Awareness roll). For resisting with Willpower, each success on a standard roll for fast casting is counted as 2 by the caster. For extended rolls, its an extended Willpower roll for the victim as well utilizing the same rule.

Botching

Coincidental: One Paradox point for every dot in the Highest Sphere
Casual: One point of paradox, plus one point per dot in the Highest Sphere used
Vulgar with Witnesses: Two points of paradox, plus two points per dot in Highest Sphere used

Magickal Defense

Countermagick

Attempts to lessen the power of a magickal attack:

Basic: Arete, Difficulty 7
Required: At least 1 in all Spheres involved in the Effect

Offensive

Arete, Difficulty 8 to nullify a spell aimed at someone else
Arete, Difficulty 9 to reflect back at the attacker (each success over the attacker's counts as a success over them)
Required: 1 in all involved Spheres, 1 in Prime
Sphere vs Sphere: Arete, Difficulty 8

Stops spells by fortifying reality against alteration

* This NEVER generates Paradox
* Required: Quintessence, Prime 2, unsplit Dice Pool
* Prime rating, Difficulty 8
* Each success lets you spend 1 point to raise the opponent's magick difficulty (up to a max Difficulty 10)
* Can be re-countered with Quintessence and Willpower immediately afterwards

Unweaving

* Disrupts a sustained magickal Effect
* Arete, Difficulty 8
* Required: 1 dot in Prime
* Successes required vary


Activity // Difficulty modifier
Researches lore before using magick -1 to -3
Has item resonating with target’s essence (sympathetic magick) -1 to -3
Near a node -1 to -3
Uses unique focus -1
Uses focus without needing it -1
Extra time spent on magick -1
Spending a point of Quintessence -1 per point spent (max 3/turn)
Using Tass with appropriate resonance -1
Using Tass with opposed resonance +1
Fast-casting +1
Distant or hidden subject +1
Mage distracted +1 to +3
Mage in conflict with Avatar +1 to +3
Domino effect +1 to +3
Monumental feat (pulling Moon from orbit) +1 to +3


Degrees of Success

Botch – The mystic makes a critical mistake. Gain Paradox or spend Willpower to counter the botch.

Total failure – No successes but no botch. Can continue at +1 difficulty.

Partial success – 50% of the successes required. Accomplished what he set out to do but not as well as he would have liked. May continue at +1 difficulty.

Success – 100% of the successes required. Accomplished exactly what he set out to do.

Extraordinary success – 150% of the successes required. Does more than intended.



Required Successes for extended casting
Feat Successes Required Example


Simple 1 changing the color of your eyes, lighting a candle, using Mind magick to sense someone nearby, conjuring a business card

Standard 2 changing your own shape, causing oil lamp to explode, influencing someone’s mood with Mind magick, conjuring a ball of flame

Difficult 3 transforming into something bigger/smaller than yourself, igniting a gas main, deep-reading someone’s mind, conjuring a chainsaw

Impressive 4 changing someone else’s shape, blowing up a house, taking over someone’s mind, conjuring a car, making yourself disappear

Mighty 5-10 turning someone into sludge, incinerating an armored tank, obliterating someone’s mind, conjuring a mythic beast, making all furniture on a room disappear

Outlandish 10-20 turning a roomful of people into sludge, igniting a warship’s weaponry, Mind-controlling a horde of madmen, conjuring a demon, making a mansion disappear

Godlike 20 or more making a skyscraper disappear, finding one particular person in New York using Mind magick, summoning a horror from the Deep Umbra, levitating a mountain, creating a Horizon Realm


Spirit Gauntlet Ratings
Area Difficulty Successes Needed
Node 3 One
Deep Wilderness 5 Two
Rural Countryside 6 Three
Most Urban Areas 7 Four
Downtown 8 Five
Technocracy Lab* 9 Five