ANDERS MAGE PAGE 2.0

This is admittedly unbalanced when regarding the rest of the World of Darkness and ups the power level of mages quite a bit (which is how my players and I like it). All rules apply to mages and NPCs alike though, so it does keep some balance going.

Rolls of 10: Whenever a player rolls a 10 on a die, he gets to re-roll the die. If a 1 is rolled on any re-roll, it does not count against previous rolls (it's not a botch). Specialties should still be chosen in order to further define the character but they have no gaming effect.

Combat and Damage: In the standard rules, whenever a target is hit a number of dice are rolled to see how much damage the attack does and then a number of Stamina dice are rolled to see if the target resists (a Soak roll). In my games, damage rolls are ignored. The target takes full damage automatically and then rolls to Soak as usual. This makes fire combat highly dangerous (as any successes after the first to hit are added to the damage total), and increases the threat of combat in general.

Also, any vulgar magick designed to harm another will automatically do Aggravated damage. This does not apply to coincidental magick, however (a coincidental gas explosion would still burn a vampire, of course).

Technomancers: Technomancers, such as Virtual Adepts and Progenitors, are not limited by the stated rules regarding Arete and foci. For every dot of Arete after the first, the Technomancer loses the need for one of his foci just as other mages.

Backgrounds

Allies: For every point spent, the character may take an Acolyte. For every two points spent the character may take a Consor in place of two Acolytes. For every extra point spent, one Acolyte or Consor gets 5 more Freebie Points. For instance, a mage with four dots in Allies may have two Acolytes and one Consor. See Ascension's Right Hand for more details.

Avatar: At least one dot of Backgrounds must be spent in Avatar. I do this partially to reflect the elevated state of a mage's Avatar, partially for game mechanics.

Chantry: Each dot of Chantry purchased gives the mage 3 points to develop his Chantry. I allow this to stimulate players to develop Chantries (and related sites).

Dream: Dream can be split up so that a mage with 3 dots of Dream could spend one on Medicine and two on Vampire Lore. The entire pool does not have to be spent on one ability. Also, the Dream pool may be added to dice pools the character already has.

Familiar Spirit: Originally a Background in Werewolf Player's Guide, some mages may take such a spirit as a follower. While Dreamspeakers are the most likely candidates, even the occasional Technocrat may have such a spirit. This background is not to be confused with Familiar or Allies (but is similar to both).

Nodes: Each dot gives the mage 5 points of Quintessence per week, total. Also, a mage may divide the points between two or more Nodes, but this involves Nodes being in scattered areas and making them harder to watch over. Also, mages may not meditate at a Node for additional Quintessence, but may still use meditation to access the pool available (reducing the weekly amount). Quintessence from a Node can be stored, but will decay rapidly. The mage removes a certain amount, and for each hour of storage the amount decreases by one point. Of course, Talismans exist with the sole function of storing Quintessence for a longer amount of time.

Past Life: Originally a Background in Werewolf: the Apocalypse, only certain Traditions and mages may take this background (Euthanatos, Akashic Brothers and Dreamspeakers particularly, but others as well). For each dot the character spends he gets to develop a past life with its own abilities and personality (personalities should not accept the character 100%, and are built with 13/9/5 abilities just as a beginning mage). Skills are limited to the time period of the ancestor spirit (no ancient Egyptian priests with Firearms, for instance). Otherwise, no changes from the Werewolf Background.

Totem: Originally a Background in Werewolf: the Apocalypse, some mages (such as Dreamspeakers and occasionally Order of Hermes mages) may ally themselves to a totem spirit in exchange for aid. Typically, an entire Cabal will donate of themselves to the spirit, in exchange for its aid. While the original Werewolf background implies an animalistic totem, the spirit could be of any kind (perhaps a Cabal of Virtual Adepts working with an artificial intelligence they've constructed in the Digital Web). Increases to the totem's power are up to the Storyteller to decide, however, magick can not be used to directly empower the totem. Additional dots in the Background may be bought with 3 experience points per dot, to reflect devotion and attention on the part of the mage (which should be role-played out). Otherwise, there are no changes from the Werewolf Background.

Talismans

By putting dots in Talisman, the mage is granted a magical item that can be used by any mage for a limited number of effects. By putting background points into Fetish, the mage is granted a magical item with free will that has more power than a Talisman, but also has a free will and personality of its own.

Both Fetishes and Talismans have an Arete rating and all effects used by the item are made using the item's Arete. Also, both have Quintessence pools which may be used to reduce the difficulty of rolls made by the mage (whether the effect is from the Talisman or an effect by the mage), but each use of the Fetish or Talisman costs a point of Quintessence from the item and once the item is drained of Quintessence, it may no longer be used until recharged (typically, a Prime 3 effect requiring a source of Quintessence).

The Arete of a Talisman is equal to Talisman rating × 2. Quintessence is equal to Arete × 5 and gives a number of Sphere levels with which to create effects. 1 dot gives 1 level, 2 dots give 3, 3 dots give 6, 4 dots give 10, 5 dots give 15 levels. Also, a Talisman is limited to effects equal to, or below, the rating of the Talisman. A Talisman may be given more Sphere levels by decreasing Arete (and also the Quintessence), with each dot of Arete dropped giving 2 more levels. Also, a Talisman may be infused with a particular ability, with every Sphere level lost giving two dots in a single ability, or one dot each in a pair of abilities.

For instance, a mage spends 3 dots on Talisman. This automatically gives him a Talisman with Arete 6, Quintessence 30 and 6 dots to spend on Sphere levels (however, since the Talisman is rated at 3, no effect may be higher than 3). The mage chooses to lower the Arete to 5 and this gives him a total of 8 Sphere levels. He puts 3 levels into a Correspondence effect (it teleports him to Stonehenge from anywhere in the world) 3 in Forces and the last 2 in Prime (he can create moderate fireballs). All rolls to use magick are made by the mage, rolling the Talisman's Arete. Any Paradox incurred is given to the mage.

While Talismans are powerful and hard to construct, Fetishes are even greater and more demanding (literally). The Arete of a Fetish is equal to Fetish rating × 2 +1 (maximum of 10). Quintessence is equal to Arete × 5 and gives an increased number of Sphere levels to create effects. 1 dot gives 2 levels, 2 dots give 5, 3 dots give 9, 4 dots give 14, 5 dots give 20 levels. Like a Talisman, a Fetish is limited to effects equal to or below the rating of the Fetish. A Fetish may not be given more Sphere levels by decreasing Arete. However, a Fetish may be infused with a particular ability, with every Sphere level lost giving two dots in a single ability, or one dot each in a pair of abilities.

For instance, a player spends 4 dots in Fetish. This gives him a Fetish with Arete 9, Quintessence 45 and 14 dots for Sphere levels. He decides he wants a Fetish with the ability to drive people insane (a Mind 4 effect), destroy them with cancer (an Entropy 4 effect), create swarms of flies (a Life 3, Prime 2 effect), and sense demons (Spirit 1). All rolls are made using the Fetish's Arete, if the Fetish allows itself to be used. Any Paradox incurred is given to the mage.

While Fetishes are more powerful than Talismans, they do have their costs. Also, any Fetishes a player takes during character creation are automatically usable by the mage (but not necessarily friendly).

Fetish Creation

The steps for Fetish creation for mages are much like for Garou (as presented in Werewolf: Storytellers Handbook). However, the Fetish created by a mage is usually much more powerful than one created by a Garou, as the Garou Fetish is limited by the power of the spirit it contains, while the mage's Fetish is powered by the spirit and the mage as well.

Mages must plan what kind of spirit is needed for the Fetish. This is usually a Wits + Spirit Lore roll, difficulty 7. Each additional success reduces the difficulty of the preparation by 1.

Then the mage must prepare the materials for the Fetish. Use Intelligence + Spirit Lore, Occult, Enigmas or any other Ability the Storyteller deems appropriate. Difficulty is equal to Fetish rating +3, with each additional success reducing the difficulty of the questing by 1.

Then the mage quests for the spirit itself. The mage usually summons it to him using Spirit 2 or 3, but some mages have quested in the Umbra using Perception + Spirit Lore, difficulty Fetish rating +3.

Next the mage negotiates with the spirit, trying to convince it to aid him and join in a Fetish. Mages may use Mind/Spirit magick to dominate and threaten, impassioned speeches, bribes and geasa or any of a number of other means. Once the Spirit accepts (see the chart on pg. 127 of Werewolf: Storytellers Handbook), the mage must finally seal the spirit within the Fetish (a Spirit 4 effect).

Once crafted, the Fetish has an Arete equal to the spirit's (Willpower + Rage + Gnosis) ÷ 3 rounded down to the lowest full number. The spirit's current Power is converted to Quintessence, and it may hold a total Quintessence equal to Arete × 5 (spirits tend to favor those who do not rely too heavily on their Quintessence and keep them regularly fed). Also, after creation the mage may be expected to do further favors for the Fetish to keep it happy.

The powers of the Fetish are limited to the nature of the Spirit it contains and the power of the mage. A powerful ice elemental spirit has the power to create snow storms, but not shoot shards of ice (even though such effects are conceptually within the spirit's power). A mage crafts a Fetish and gives the Fetish the ability to create snow storms as well as ice shards (both are powered by the spirit within). Even though ice shards aren't one of the spirit's powers, it fits the spirit's nature. Storytellers should be generous but not allow themselves to bullied when determining what a spirit can and can not empower within a Fetish.

Also, even though the term "spirit" is used above (along with a shamanistic mindset), the rules are identical for Technomancers and others. The flavor of the proceedings would be quite different, however.

Abilities: A mage may use any Talent he does not possess (except for Awareness) by rolling at base Attribute level. A mage may also use any skill he does not possess (except Do) by rolling at Attribute level with a difficulty +1. A mage may not normally attempt to use a Knowledge he does not possess (however, Dream and Past Life Backgrounds and some magick allow a mage to overcome this).

Blatancy: Blatancy is the skill used by mages to work their more vulgar magicks in front of observers, making them coincidental. Not only should the use of this (almost mystical) ability be explained, but it should also be properly role-played.

Do: The psuedo-magickal ability known as Do is limited to Akashic Brotherhood mages only. It is their form of Blatancy, and as such they may not also take dots in Blatancy. Do combines meditation as well as martial arts and so can be used for a variety of coincidences.

Do users also have slightly different modifications to Energy Source bonuses (see Book of Shadows pg. 123) due to the rules listed above. Internal users of Do add an additional two dice to hit targets, while External users add two additional dice to Soak rolls. However, Do costs twice the normal price of experience to increase.