Magic

Wards

Wards are defined as spells designed to offer a target protection from subject beings or substances by providing a mystical barrier or layer of insulation against that subject. Wards can affect mundane substances and beings, but most commonly they are designed against beings of Supernatural Might. However, the Divine cannot be warded against (just as it cannot be summoned or controlled by magic either).

General Wards

General Wards are those exemplified in the RAW, attuned to a specific Realm of Might and requiring the spell to Penetrate the might of the subject being warded. General Wards only have to match the appropriate Realm (using Vim), and affects al beings of that Realm. A Circular Ward of a General nature can keep beings trapped within as well as being held without.

Specific Wards

A Specific Ward must match both Realm *and* Form, and only affect a specific category of beings covered by that Form (such as ReAn vs Magic Dragon-kind, ReCo vs Infernal animate corpses, ReIg versus Faerie Djinn, etc). Specific Wards can only be cast as a one way barrier of protection (or cast in reverse requiring normal Penetration). The benefit from this specific design is that Penetration is not an issue so long as the level of the spell equals or exceeds the subject beings Might.

Circular Wards

Circular Wards use the Target of Circle, but those with a Target of Structure or Boundary fall into this category. General Circular Ward can be used as both protection and binding at once. Specific Circular Wards are a one way barrier of protection, but if Mastered they can be cast in reverse as a Binding (requiring normal Penetration).

Personal Wards

Personal Wards have a Target of Individual or Group (a number of individuals), and are intended to prevent the subject or substance from harming or affecting the one protected. This type of ward is designed for mobility, cast upon one's self or another or enchanted in a device such as an amulet. The Familiar Bond is a useful place to enchant personal wards of constant duration, since bond enchantments do not cause warping from continuous effect. Personal Wards can never be cast as Bindings, nor can they be reversed. An entirely different spell design is required to bind a creature to a specific item or location.

Substance Wards

A Wards against a mundane substance, such as fire or steel, provides a bonus to soak damage against such sources. Use the classic Ward against Heat and Flames as a guideline (base 4 grants a +5 to Soak, and each magnitude grants another +5). The substance being protected from covers only part of a Form, such as fire *or* cold (Ignem), but not both. A Terram Ward can cover all metal weapons but excludes stone.
Such a ward can alternatively be designed to keep said substance or being away from you entirely, though you cannot touch it or passively affect it either.


Familiars

When a Magic Animal Familiar bonds with a magus, they loose their immortality and start to age as their magus does. They also loose the normal prohibition limiting learning abilities as long as their magus is involved (as a teacher, gaining Exposure from working together, Adventuring together, etcetera), but cannot achieve further Transformation (perhaps with assistance in the lab though). In abstract, Familiars may receive 20xp per year (or on average 5 per season) for Advancement/Development.

As the base default, a Familiar is a Magic Animal (possibly a Beast of Virtue), created as a Summer Character (360xp) with a Might of 10. A Spring Character (120xp) with a Might of 15 is also acceptable. More powerful and/or wiser familars are possible, but this requires a story or special Virtue/Flaw. A good example is a newly gauntleted maga with a Magic Animal Companion as a Minor Flaw. The animal, not yet a familiar yet potentially so, can be a Winter character with a Might of 10 or an Autumn character (720xp) with a Might of 20.

Your Bond Score is determined by your Lab Total, which must equal or exceed the required Bond Level (Might + 25 + five times Size). The difference between these scores is your Bond Potential. This "space" can be enhanced with Bond Qualities, which requires a Season for each one and are similar in some regards to Magic Qualities. Minor Bond Qualities take up 5 points of space and Major ones require 15 points. In a way, you can view this as Retempering the Bond at a higher level.

This concept is not fully developed yet (from a rules perspective), and the advantage offered versus effort required is not that great. Just take note of what your Bond Potential is. It may become relevant at some future point.


Seventh Magnitude

It takes a spell of the 7th Magnitude or higher to cause Warping.

The seventh magnitude is also considered an important milestone amongst magi. Archmagi will not consider a challenge from a magus seriously unless they have invented at least one original spell or enchantment of the 7th magnitude or higher.
Newly Gauntleted magi may not start with spells above the 7th magnitude.


Healing Spells

The Guideline of “Base 15 – Heal Light Wound” shall read “Base 15 – Improve a wound one level”, “Base 20 – Heal Heal Medium Wound” shall read “Base 20 – Improve a wound two levels”, etcetera.

The Guideline of “Base 25 – Improve all Wounds one level” shall be interpreted as “Base 15 – Improve one level, +2 Group”. Base 35 still heals all of the wounds that an individual subject bears.


Magical Armor

Spells and Enchantments on Armor can be used to reduce Load and/or to improve Protection. The Form depends on the primary material of the Material, usually Terram or Animal, and may require both as Requisites if affecting composite material.

  • Animal: Padded, Light Leather, Boiled Leather, Rigid Scale
  • Animal/Terram: Reinforced, Metal Scale
  • Terram: Mail, Plate, Plate and Mail

Reducing Load by eliminating weight is a Perdo effect, and for all Materials the Base Magnitude is 5 (adding +2 for Metal). For a Full Suit or a Hauerk (Full), reduce Load by Half (keeping track of fractions). For a Haubergon or Cuirass (Partial), reduce Load by one-quarter.

Muto can Reduce Load by eliminating bulk, altering the fit to balance better with the body mechanics of the wearer and other unnatural improvements. This time the Base Magnitude is only 3 (add +2 for Metal), but the results are only half as potent. Reduce the Load of a Full or Hauberk suit by one quarter, and for a Haubergon or Cuirass the reduction is one-eighth.

Muto can also increase Protection by improving the durability of the material. This is Base 3 (+2 for Metal) to add +1 Protection, and another Magnitude for each additional +1 after that. This bonus applies to a Full suit or Hauberk, half the bonus for a Haubergon or Cuirass.

These rules are in consideration of the main Body Armor only, accoutrements receive a much smaller benefit if targeted as individual components. A Surcoat can be treated as a Cuirass. But other pieces (greaves/jambes and helmets) receive half that benefit (reducing Load by an eighth for Perdo or a sixteenth for Muto, and a base of 5 for +1 Protection and four magnitudes for each additional +1).


Spell Mastery

Frequency & Origin

Frequency refers to how frequently the ability is encountered and how readily available the knowledge is. The scale is as follows:
Common:Automatically available to any magus
Uncommon:Available to most magi with the most tenuous of explanations
Rare: Normally available to a select group, requiring the magus to be part of that group or be taught the ability by one of them
Very Rare: Available to an exclusive group, usually requiring a special Virtue or Mystery or at least an agreement to keep it exclusive within the group.

Origin refers to the original development of the Mastery ability. For Common & Uncommon masteries, this may be merely historical reference. For Rare and Very Rare, this indicates the requirements for that mastery.

RAW Mastery Abilities

  • Acute Sense (1)

True Lineages, p.71
Taken the first time
(Uncommon, Quasitores)

  • Acute Sense (2)

True Lineages, p.71
This may be taken a second time for improved effect
(Rare, Quasitores)

  • Adaptive Casting

True Lineages, p.99
(Uncommon, Cult of Mercury)

  • Apotropaic Mastery

Infernal, p.122
(Uncommon, Demon Hunters & Infernalists)

  • Boosted Casting

True Lineages, p.99
(Uncommon, Mutantes)

  • Ceremonial Casting

True Lineages, p.99
Though originally developed by the Cult of Mercury, this is readily available to any magus.
(Common, Cult of Mercury)

  • Disguised Casting

True Lineages, p.99
(Rare, Cult of Mercury or House Tytalus)

  • Fast Casting

ArM5, p.87
(Common)

  • Goetic Mastery

Infernal, p.124
(Very Rare, Goat Magic which is banned)

  • Harnessed Casting

True Lineages, p.99
(Rare, Mutantes)

  • Imperturbable Casting

Societates, p.33
(Common)

  • Learn From Mistakes

True Lineages, p.100
(Rare, Cult of Mercury)

  • Magic Resistance

ArM5, p.87
(Common)

  • Multiple Casting

ArM5, p.87
(Common)

  • Obfuscated Casting

Societates, p.34
(Uncommon, House Tytalus)

  • Penetration

ArM5, p.87
You may choose this mastery additional times to add another +1 to Penetration (in addition to your mastery score bonus for choosing it the first time).
(Common)

  • Precise Casting

Societates, p.34
(Common, House Flambeau)

  • Quick Casting

Societates, p.34
(Common, House Flambeau)

  • Quiet Casting

ArM5, p.87
(Common)

  • Rebuttal

Societates, p. 129
Note: the bonus is to the effect level of the spell (or the roll), not the actual level.
(Common, Lineage of Praelix)

  • Silent Casting

ArM5, p.87: Requires Quiet Casting (Common)

  • Stalwart Casting

True Lineages, p.100 (Cult of Mercury, Rare)

  • Still Casting

ArM5, p.87 (Common)

  • Tethered Casting

True Lineages, p.100
(Mutantes, Rare)

  • Unraveling

Societates, p. 129
Note: the bonus is to the effect level of the spell (or the roll), not the actual level. As per those rules, add three times mastery score to rolls to PeVi spells thus mastered to counter or cancel magic.
(Common, Lineage of Praelix)

New Mastery Abilities

  • Aura Mastery

You are adept at casting the Mastered Spell in one or more specific areas (you may be attuned to one location per point of Mastery). It may be a famiarity with ley lines or certain conjunctions of the sun-moon-stars reflected in geography, or just about any quasi-mystical excuse. Double the value of any bonus that aura provides, or halve any penalty inflicted. This does not affect botch dice.
(Rare, House Diedne, House Merinita)

  • Efficient Casting

You are much more efficient at empowering rituals, achieving results while using less vis than normally required. Subtract your Mastery Score from the amount of vis normally required. This reduction may not exceed the strength of the local Magic Aura, and can reduce the amount by no more than half. This was developed in imitation of Mercurian Magic, and if combined with that Virtue this is even more efficient. Reduce the required vis by half for that Virtue first, then apply the effects of Mastery. In any case, the vis cost can be reduced no lower than a single pawn.
Efficient Casting also allows you to add your Mastery Score to the amount of vis you are able to handle when casting the spell, even if it is not a Ritual.
(Rare, Cult of Mercury)

  • Faerie Attunement

Having trained under a Merinitae magus, you may add the full bonus of any Faerie aura you're in to your casting roll. You still don't count as "attuned to faerie", and thus still suffer extra botch dices due to the Aura, although you can subtract your Mastery score to the extra botch dices given by the Aura.
(Uncommon, House Merinita)

  • Flex-(Parameter)

Choose one Parameter of the spell (Range, Duration, or Target/Size). You can alter that parameter by up to one magnitude up or down (or equivalent yet different). How this parameter is flexed is determined when this mastery is chosen. You can take this mastery multiple times to flex different parameters in different ways. You cannot flex two parameters at once unless Flex (specific combination) is chosen as a third separate mastery, and you may not stack two flexings on a single parameter.
This mastery is fully compatible with Flexible Formulaic Magic, and magi with that virtue may freely combine or stack those effects with this mastery.
(Rare, Cult of Mercury/Flexible Formulaic Magic)

  • Forceful Casting

This mastery is applied to spells that have force involved; be it an amount of damage caused, kinetic strength, a volume of energy, or some such. Each time this mastery is chosen, you may opt to add one magnitude of Force to the level of the spell (such as adding +5 to direct damage spells). You may choose this mastery multiple times and vary the amount of increased force, but each magnitude added increases the effective Level of the spell, so you may not take it beyond the tenth magnitude unless the spell is already a ritual.
When you employ Forceful Casting, you must always use a Loud Voice and Exaggerated Gestures (or expend a Fatigue Level instead).
(Uncommon, House Flambeau)

  • Hastened Ritual

This Mastery is intended for Ritual spells, reducing the time required to cast it. Subtract your Mastery score from the minutes per magnitude (base 15) that it would normally take. That is, it takes (15 - Mastery) minutes to cast the spell. However, casting a ritual in a haste fashion such as this is risky, adding one botch die per minute of reduction you take advantage of (you don't have to go as quickly as your full mastery score indicates). You may take this Mastery multiple times to multiply the effect, so taking it twice means reducing the time to 15 - (twice Mastery) minutes per magnitude, taking it three times takes three times your mastery score minutes of the base 15 per magnitude, etcetera.
This Mastery was originally developed by the Cult of Mercury, and is especially useful to those with the Mercurian Magic Virtue as they may employ it without restriction. Other magi must utilize a Casting Space similar to the sort described in HoH-Societates on page 59-60. The speed of casting may not exceed that appropriate for the quality of said space, regardless of Mastery Score and number of times improved upon.
(Rare, Cult of Mercury)

  • Introspective Casting

This mastery is used with spells that provide knowledge or information (mainly Intellego spells), allowing you to add your Mastery score to rolls involving the effects of such spells.
(Uncommon, Quasitores)

  • Lab Mastery

True Lineages, p.100
The Bonus from from Mastery is applied to your Magic Theory score. This has the same general effect, adding a bonus to your overall Lab Total. But this may affect other calculations based on Magic Theory, such as how many pawns of vis you can work with or the maximum value of Shape & Material bonuses.
(Uncommon, Cult of Mercury or House Verditius)

  • Life-linked Ritual

This Mastery allows the caster to draw upon their internal life energies to fuel the Ritual spell in place of vis. They may spend a number of Long-Term Fatigue Levels up to their Mastery score as if they were actual vis. For some magi, this can result in Rituals powered by pure life energy. Pawns of life energy still contribute to Botch dice however.
This is a Rare Mastery, requiring a specific Virtue or Mystery. Normally that would make it Very Rare, but there are several options and different ways that naturally synch with this ability.
(Rare; Mercurian Magic1, Life Boost, Leper Magus, Diedne Magic, Imbued with Spirit of (Form)2)
1 Pawns of "life energy" do not count towards Botch dice
2 uses Short Term Fatigue

  • Optimized Mastery

This requires the Lab Mastery ability, and is generally available to House Verditius (though can be learned from the lab notes of a magus who utilized this mastery in the project). Like Lab Mastery, this only applies when instilling an effect similar to the mastered spell. For the purpose of calculating the amount of vis needed to instill the enchantment, you may subtract your Mastery score from the level. This does not make the enchantment easier, just less expensive. No matter how well the effect is optimized, it requires a minimum of one pawn to enchant.
(Rare, House Verditius)

  • Secure Casting

You are quite secure and competent with the Mastered spell, and are much less likely to mishandle the magic. Subtract twice your Mastery Score from any botch dice (doubling the normal benefit of mastery). This is especially useful for Ritual Spells that are cast frequently, or spells normally cast in a foreign aura.
(Uncommon, House Bonisagus)

  • Soft Magic

High Powered magic of the seventh magnitude or more inflict Warping, and with Constant Effects this can result in high levels of accumulation. One point when cast, plus one per season and one per year. The exception is if the magic was Designed for or Cast by the subject, who only receive one per year for constant effects.
This Mastery allows you to "soften" the way you cast the Mastered spell upon others, treating it as if it were designed for or cast by them (no Warping for a high level effect and only one point per year if constant). A Softly Cast spell has no Penetration ("Forceless Casting"), and take a full round to cast. For Rituals, the time required is not altered, but may not be reduced by other factors.
(Uncommon, House Bonisagus)

  • Vacillated Casting

When you cast a spell, you are able to "hold" it by Concentration, opting to release or decline it later as you choose. When you release the spell, you may choose to do so quickly as if it were Fast Cast. This is inefficient, as the spell had to have been cast and held in a previous round. Concentration is automatic unless something perturbs you. If you fail your Concentration roll, the spell dissipates.
(Uncommon, House Flambeau)

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