Mage Rules

You have learnt the art of spellcraft, allowing you to channel anima from the world around you to power your magic. You can use spellcraft channel mana passively or actively with either rote or ritual channelling.

In general terms, Spellcraft is used in checks specifically related to a mage's general skill with magic. All mages start with 1 rank in Spellcraft.

Channelling is tiring. A mage can channel a number of times per day equal to their ranks in Spellcraft plus their Spirit modifier before they gain the Tapped Out conditions. Each attempt to channel after this point inflicts another application of Tapped Out.

Counterspell (Reaction)

If you see a creature casting a spell, and you have knowledge of the spell, you can attempt to counter it.

Expend an amount of Anima equal to the triggering spell. You can then make an opposed check using either Spellcraft or your rank in that sphere (your choice). If you succeed, you prevent the triggering spell from activating. If you fail, the anima is wasted and the opposing spell goes off as the caster intended.

Certain spells, such as Dispel Magic, can be used to counter any spell.

Rote Channelling (1 Action)

Rote channelling is a simple action. Mages barely need to concentrate on gathering anima via rote channelling. When you use Rote channelling, you invest directly into the next spell you cast. So long as the action you take is to Cast a Spell, and that spell has an anima cost equal to or less than your ranks in Spellcraft, this spell costs 0 anima.

Ritual Channelling (3 Actions)

Ritual channelling is far more complex than rote channelling, but it is useful if you want to work a powerful spell, or a complex set of spells. Make a Spellcraft check. You gain an amount of temporary Anima equal to half the result (rounded down) until the end of your next turn.

Tapped Out

Repeated spellcasting attempts have begun to take a mental and physical toll. You take a -2 on all Spellcraft checks, and a -1 penalty to all Defences. In addition, your Spellcraft counts as 2 ranks lower for the purposes of Rote Channeling.

Multiple applications of Tapped Out increase the penalty.

All applications of Tapped Out are removed after you take a long rest.

Abilities

Spheres

One of the first things you learn as a mage is that "magic" is just a blanket term for a dizzying variety of strange powers and abilities. The steps you take to summon a lightning bolt from the heavens are completely different from the steps you take to heal a wound.

Magic is broadly grouped into categories known as spheres. Spheres cover a particular way to work magic, involving similar occult symbols and rituals.

Spheres are treated like skills. Every rank you buy in a Sphere costs a similar amount of experience as a skill does (1 experience from ranks 1 to 5, 2 experience from ranks 6 to 10, etc.)

You start with a number of points to invest in spheres of your choice, depending on your Tradition. You cannot start with a Sphere above rank 4.

Hermetic Mages start with 8 points they can invest as they wish among any sphere.
Mesmers start with 6 points they can invest into the following spheres. Mesmers cannot select gain ranks in the following spheres: Artifice, Darkness, Entropy, Metal
Nethermancers start with 6 points they can invest into the following spheres: curses, entropy and shadow. Nethermancers cannot select gain ranks in the following spheres: Charms, Healing, Illusion, Trickery
Shamans start with 6 points they can invest into the following spheres: animal, plant and healing. Shamans cannot gain ranks in the following spheres: Air, Earth, Fire, Water
Technomancers start with 6 points the following spheres: artifice, metal and scrying. Technomancers cannot gain ranks in the following spheres: Animals, Entropy, Healing, Plants

No mage can gain ranks in Blood.

Every rank of a sphere you purchase allows you to add 1 spell of that sphere to your spellbook.

Focus

Spellcraft usually requires a specific focus to channel and direct magic. On character creation, you start with one Focus you use to direct your spellcasting.

You can attune a new item to you as a focus through a ritual that takes 8 hours.

If you try to cast a spell without a proper focus, you must make a check with the appropriate sphere with a DC equal to 10+double the spell's level. You must be able to handle the focus to cast the spell, so this penalty applies if you are immobilized, paralyzed, or otherwise unable to wield your focus.

Each sphere lists tools that are appropriate to it.

Language of Magic

Humans put a great deal of symbolic importance into words and phrases. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that language is often intrinsic to spellcraft.

There is no "one, true language of magic," as much as the Enochian tradition would like to argue. Instead, magic relies more on the symbolic power of language instead of the actual words being said.

Upon character creation, a mage chooses a particular language that they deem to be "powerful" as their language of choice. Usually this an old or dead language, but, realistically, it can be anything.

The most common languages chosen for spellcraft are Latin, Ancient Greek, Ancient Egyptian, Sanskrit, Ge'ez, Aramaic and Classical Chinese.

Mage Sight

The most basic spell a mage learns is how to open their third eye detect the presence of the supernatural in the world around them.

By taking 1 Action to spend 1 Anima, a mage can activate their Mage Sight. You detect the presence of all magical effects within 1 range of you. By spending 2 Actions, you can hone in, and determine the spheres of magic present around you. By spending 3 Actions, you can get a general source of the various magical effects.

You can only detect the presence of magics from the illusion sphere if your ranks in Spellcraft outrank the caster's ranks in Illusion.

Once you have identified a particular source of magic, you may attempt you use your Mage Site to scrutinize it.

Scrutinize Magic (3 Actions)

Spend 1 Anima point to make a Spellcraft check against a DC equal to the 10+the caster's ranks in the sphere associated with the spell. If you succeed, you gain one of the following pieces of information:

What created the magical effect (was it another mage, a supernatural being, an artifact or talisman, etc.)
How old is the magical effect
How long is the effect likely to last (what is it's remaining duration)
How powerful was the individual who created the effect
Is this effect related to one of the Supernal Realms

Casting Spells

For most individuals, spells usually involve complex rituals to cast. However, mages, having dedicated themselves to the occult arts, have learnt to cast a limited number of spells every day as Rote Spells.

Unless otherwise noted in a spell's description, a rote spell can be cast as a single action. Rote spells draw anima from the caster's Anima Pool. If a mage has used Spellcraft to Channel Anima, the anima for rote spells come from the caster's temporary Anima points first.

Spellbook

Every mage has a spellbook where they store their spells. A mage is unable to cast their spells without a spellbook.

Spellbooks don't necessarily have to be a "book," just any physical medium that can carry instructions and mnemonic devices to help the mage remember how to work their rituals. These could be carved staves, beaded blankets, a bundle of scrolls, or a cloud database accessible from a smartphone. Each spellbook is unique to the mage who created them, and attempting to cast a spell out of another mage's spellbook requires a spellcraft check equal to 20+twice the spell's level.

Tradition Skills

Magic is an esoteric art that requires a breadth of experience. Your training as a mage has gifted you knowledge in several skills. On character creation, pick two of the following skills associated with your Tradition. You gain a +2 bonus with those skills.

Hermeticism: Investigation, Occult Lore, or Resolve
Mesmerism: Acrobatics, Composure or Deception
Nethermancy: Intimidate, Shadow, or Resolve
Shamanism: Athletics, Diplomacy, or Endurance
Technomancy: Computer Science, Dodge, or Technical Science

Tradition Abilities

Specific traditions grant their disciples unique powers when compared to the typical mage who follows the Hermetic tradition.

Mesmerism

Select one Fey Masque. At the start of every day, you invest your Anima in that Glamour as if you were a fey.

You can buy additional Masques as if you were a fey.

Nethermancy

You have awakened your Shadow as a Beast. Replace your Anima pool with a Terror pool. You can use Spellcraft to channel Terror instead of Anima. You can also recover your Terror pool as a horror.

You gain access to the Shroud skill as a horror.

You have a Monstrous Form. This is identical to a horror's monstrous form.

You can shift from your human form into your monstrous form with a full-round action that costs 1 Terror. You can still cast spells as a mage while in your monstrous form.

You start the game with 1 Nightmare that can be manifested in either your human or monstrous form. You can buy additional Nightmares as if you were a horror.

Shamanism

You have formed a bond with a spirit. You can summon that spirit at the start of the day. This spirit has one domain. You can utilize that spirit's domain manifestations by spending Anima. You can use Spellcraft to supply the anima needed for these manifestations.

You can gain an additional spirit through the Additional Pact feat. You can only be bound to one spirit at a time. Changing spirits is a ritual that requires at least 1 hour of focus.

Technomancy

You have learnt how to hack magic. You start the game with two Technomancy Hacks. You can purchase additional hacks through the Additional Hack feat.

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