Moinsen,
basierend auf einer Idee von b_u_g hatte ich ja vor einigen Monaten schon mal eine
Variante für ein besseres Mage angeboten. Ich hab noch ein wenig gefeilt. Ziele nach wie
- persönliches Paradigma besser in Regeln fassen.
- kein Purple Paradigm.
- vernünftige Anreizstruktur bei vulgären Zaubern.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/10PLdy9Zup9Dn_NyXeRdMmJfENSY1Vy6vVyH_7gJEwwg/edit?usp=sharingWas drin ist:
Sphären: Sagen nicht, was möglich ist (Effekt), sondern was dazu nötig ist (Voraussetzungen). Alle Magier können theoretisch alles aber nur (a) bei sich zu Hause, (b) wenn sie eine Formel für den Effekt haben, (c) wenn sie ein ausgiebiges Ritual machen, (d) wenn sie ein Fokusgegenstand benutzen. Jeder Punkt in einer Sphäre erlaubt es eine dieser Beschränkungen los zu werden.
Kein Prime/Quintessenz/Avatar: Realität ist subjektiv. Es kann also keine Regeln für Magie an sich geben.
Die Sphäre Spirit ist für das Unbewusste, Träume, Gefühle. Mind für Rationales, Sprache, Erinnerung, Information. Es gibt keine einheitliche Gruppe von übernatürlichen Wesen, a.k.a. Geister. Es mag Geister geben, die man mit Spirit manipulieren kann. KIs reagieren vielleicht besser auf Mind. Andere Viecher noch auf andere Sphären.
Entropie als Sphäre gibts nicht. Macht 7 Sphären in toto. Auch ne schöne Zahl.
Jeder Punkt Arete gibt eine besondere Option. Jede Tradition präferiert eine. Das ist deutlich spannender als sie auf eine Sphäre festzulegen. Arete-Optionen umfassen verschiedene Sachen, die vorher unter Prime standen (magische Gegenstände bauen, Gegenzauber), andere erlauben es Voraussetzungen zum Zaubern zu ignorieren usw.
Gewürfelt wird Arete+Sphäre. Arete und Sphären sind also gleich mächtig.
Paradox ist feiner unterteilt. 5 Stufen statt 2. Je paradoxer desto mehr Würfel werden in Paradox-Würfel umgetauscht. Ein solcher Würfel produziert zwei Erfolge, bei Erfolg, macht aber 1 Paradox bei einem ungeraden Ergebnis.
Weil Magier gern forschen etc. gibt es dafür Regeln.
Aktuell möchte ich für jede Arete-Option beispielhafte Troubles aufführen, die Charakteren mit diesem Vorgehen passieren können.
Ich häng die Arete-Optionen mal an:
Move along the wheel (Euthanatoi)
You never need a formula to destroy, kill or break down
Troubles: Those who stare into the abyss too often become dispassionate. Their complexion becomes pale, their touch cold. People will avoid them and animals will shy away.
Other names: Jhor, Everything ends
Faith Manages (Celestial Chorus)
Spend Willpower to ignore one requirement in a spell.
Other names: Spontaneity, Dynamism
Perfect Training (NWO)
Roll spheres as bonus dice for skill checks.
Other names: Kung Fu, 7331
Voices (Dreamspeakers)
You can talk to the spirits. They understand you. Your spells adapt and you can give them flexible orders. Other mages might program a security spell to burn anyone who does not wear the stupid head. You just ask to protect the place against those who would defile it. You can also send your spirits on missions and errands.
Troubles: While the spirits are friendly towards you, there is no friendship without reciprocity. Usually their demands are trivia, a pot of milk in the morning, some tobacco on Saturdays, but sometimes there is something bigger going on.
Other names: Summoning, AI
Proper Action (Wu Lung)
When you have a formula and perform an extended ritual (no fast casting), you can add an Ability as bonus dice.
Other names: High Ritual
The Art (Order of Hermes)
You can perceive magic as a separate thing. You can end other mages’ spells. Treat as casting without requirements in the most appropriate sphere.
Other names: The Prime, Silence
Sanctify (Templar)
You can sanctify items, places or persons. Treat as a spell in an appropriate sphere without requirements. Targets resist “black magic” (make a reflexive magic roll) and hurt “monsters”. Sanctified weapons deal aggravated against them and one round in contact with a Sanctified target afflict 1 aggravated damage. What counts as black magic and monsters depends on the user’s paradigm.
Troubles: To wield the powers of light, one must not be touched by darkness. Pollution will require extensive and often painful cleansing rituals.
Wonders (Sons of Ether)
You can imbue an item with a formula. You can then activate the item as a quick cast. You can also give it to other mages with compatible styles.
To create a wonder, first prepare the object as a downtime activity. The number of successes determines the maximum number of casting rolls per casting 2 : 1. For example, with four success the maximum number of casting rolls, when the item is activated is two. Wonders are not consumed upon activation.
Other names: Talismans
Cybernetics (Iteration X)
You have been modified. Gain a free dot in attributes for every dot in Arete.
Troubles: Whatever you did to yourself, requires upkeep in a specialised environment. Paradox can make it break down especially fast. Also you might be susceptible to magic humans are usually exempt from, like Matter spells.
Other names: Perfect Self, Internal Alchemy
Palace of the Mighty (Taftani)
You have the most elaborate Sanctum. You take -1 paradox inside your Sanctum.
Other names: Shielded Labs
Knack (Many orphans)
Choose one formula, you are very good with. Choose one:
Use it a -1 Paradox
Use it at -1 difficulty
You do not lose a die, when you keep it active.
Examples: Teleporters, Healers, Shapeshifters, Weathermen
Sacrifice (Verbena)
Gain bonus dice for Health levels 1:1. Heal as you would bashing damage. You cannot cure this damage with your magic.
Seer (Cult of Ecstasy)
Once per scene, you can make a magic roll to gain information as a free action. For this roll, ignore all requirement.
Troubles: Not all visions come when you call them. Especially the nasty ones just turn up, often in fits of screaming or babbling. You might not sleep too well.
Other names: Friends in high places
Craft (Solificati)
You can store a spell in a potion, subroutine, djinni lamp or whatever fits your style and release it at a later time. Prepare materials as a down time action. One success for one portion of materials. One portion is consumed for every casting roll.
The contained spell must be instant or you must also prepare your crafting as a receptacle to hold the spell.
Street Magic (Hollow Ones)
Your holy space is portable. It may take a few minutes to hours to set it up. That is nothing compared to the days or weeks other mages might need.
Troubles: Your sanctum is often haphazard and crude compared to other mages’. When paradox strikes, it tends to be especially nasty.
Seeker
You can use formulas from other styles and traditions with little or no modification. When you encounter a formula, you may roll Arete + appropriate Sphere. If you roll enough successes (as per studying a formula), you have learned it. If you do not, you may still study it normally.
Other names: Eclectic, Open
Hardened Systems (Void Engineers)
You can ignore 3 points of penalties to magic rolls. When you might lose control of a spell or if it is about to end prematurely, you can spend Willpower to keep it. You may spend Willpower to prevent a paradox backlash… for now.
Other names: Righteousness
The Digital Web (Virtual Adepts)
You can access a space where the laws of nature suit your tastes. This is both cool and allows for better research. You take -1 difficulty to downtime activities. For spells of communication and information gathering, you have almost global range. (Some places might be hard to reach, depending on paradigm.)
Troubles: Call it haunting or hacking, walking the paths makes you and your virtual real estate susceptible as well. Many have brought back unwanted guests.
Other names: The Astral Plane, The Dreamtime, The Akashic Record
Everything has a price (Syndicate)
There is a magical energy that you can manipulate. Or a well known energy that you can employ for magic. Collect it in downtime. Two units per success. Spend one unit to reduce the difficulty of a spell by one.
Other names: Feng Shui, Gardening
Subtlety (Batini)
Once per scene, you can make a magic roll to escape detection as a free action. All other requirements for the spell must be met. If the spell is vulgar, take -1 paradox.
Other names: Arcane
Modesty (Akashics)
You can always use magic without tools. (You can still master tools for a die in a sphere and use them for a bonus die.)
Other names: Mind over Matter
Applied Science
In a way, biology is just applied chemistry. Of course, such broad strokes make for bad detail. Choose two spheres. Like Matter and Life. If Life is applied Matter, you can use all the requirements you have mastered for Matter in your Life work. You do not get dice, unless you actually have learned some Life. You can get bonus dice, if you willingly fulfill a mastered requirement. Of course, mages can have any combination of spheres.
Sleepwalker
You count as a witness to other mages for purposes of paradox. Most mages with this trait will either fully awaken in time and choose another option instead of this one or they will stay away from vulgar magic or they go insane.
Deal with the Devil
Your magic is not your own. There is another power, another a voice. Maybe it is just an urge inside, maybe it is an actual devil making deals. Do not take this option, when you believe that a benevolent entity offers your powers. The thrall’s master is not.
Whenever you gain paradox, the first point is considered debt to your patron. It does not react in a backlash, but the entity will ask you for a favor.
Other names: Control, The Beast, The Dark Lords
New Life (Progenitors)
When you choose this option, you have created a new life form with the spark of enlightenment. Choose its appearance, stats and general personality within human boundaries. It has two dots in Spheres. You can teach it formulas as a downtime activity.
Whenever it is seen by human witnesses, roll a die. On 6+, you creation gains a point of paradox.
Other names: Homunculus, Familiar, Intelligent Artefact.
Wenn ihr Ideen für Troubles habt oder für generell für weitere solche Optionen oder eine weitere Fraktion umgesetzt haben möchtet, schreibts gern.
