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Mage: The Ascension (Alternate Rules)

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An illustrated PDF of this system is at: [[Alternate Mage: The Ascension PDF]]

To just see the alternate magic system read:

A character sheet for this system is at:

[https://www.v5homebrew.com/mw/images/2/23/Alternate-character-sheet.pdf Alternate Character Sheet]

This page is mirrored at: https://github.com/alt-magick/Mage-The-Ascension Buy the physical book at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Mage-Ascension-Alternate-Corey-White/dp/B0DPVFZN3C

=== Mage: The Ascension ===

Mage: The Ascension is a roleplaying game set in the World of Darkness, a dark, gothic-punk alternative version of our own reality. In this setting, magic is real but hidden from most people's perception. The game revolves around mages - individuals who can reshape reality through the power of will, belief, and understanding.

The Technocracy stands as a powerful organization seeking to control reality through science, technology, and rational thought. They view magic as a dangerous threat to human progress and work systematically to suppress and eliminate supernatural elements.

The central conflict in Mage: The Ascension is the struggle over the nature of reality itself. Mages fundamentally believe that reality is malleable and can be shaped by human will and belief.

Roleplaying happens inside of scenes. In fact, the entire game exists in scenes. The beauty of roleplaying a scene lies in its uncertainty. Neither the players, or the Storyteller know exactly how the scene will unfold.

A scene is a temporary collaborative reality. A shared imaginative space where individual creativity merges into a collective experience.

outcome is unclear, his player rolls dice to

see whether the task succeeds or fails.

You just need two six sided dice to play. I

dice. I did a little math and it just made

since.

For a success in this game, rolling a 7 or 11

with two 6 sided dice has the odds of 2/9

which is 0.2222.

A typical success in Mage is made by rolling a 8, 9,

or 10 on one 10 sided die, which has the odds

of 3/10 which is 0.3.

So, with a few other modifications the game

* ~~~~Attributes and Skills~~~~

Attribute of ●●● (3 dots) and a Firearms

Skill of ●● (2 dots).

Whenever your character performs an action that

* ~~~~Modifiers~~~~

target is hard to hit with a gun, represented

by range penalties.

For example, when shooting a target 30 yards

away with his Glock 17 pistol, your character

suffers a -2 penalty.

The Storyteller determines whether or not any

* ~~~~Dice Rolls~~~~

* ~~~~Rolling the Dice~~~~

* ~~~~Snake Eyes~~~~

* ~~~~Second Tries~~~~

* ~~~~Fighting~~~~

(depending on the type of damage done).

There are two types of damage: bashing

(caused by blunt weapons such as fists or

* ~~~~Actions~~~~

Each of these are given a rating from 1 to five:

1) Poor

2) Average

5) World Class

That dice pool is then modified by one

The number of successes you have is also

given a rating from one to five:

1) Marginal

* Physical: ** Strength - Physical Power ** Dexterity - Athleticism ** Stamina - Toughness

* Social: ** Charisma - Charm ** Manipulation - Persuasion ** Appearance - Attractiveness

* Charisma - Charm * Manipulation - Persuasion * Appearance - Attractiveness * Mental: ** Perception - Insight To Surroundings ** Intelligence - Pure IQ ** Wits - Intuition & Instincts

* Talents: ** Alertness - Attention to Your Surroundings ** Athletics - A Talent With Sports ** Awareness - You Can Sense The Presence of Magic ** Brawl - Skill With Unarmed Combat ** Dodge - Avoiding Physical Danger ** Expression - The Art of Communication ** Intimidation - Flexing Your Muscles ** Leadership - You Are Respected ** Streetwise - Youre a Part Of The Underworld ** Subterfuge - You Can Hide Your Motives

* Skills: ** Crafts - Working With Your Hands ** Drive - Handling The Road ** Etiquette - Managing Social Situations ** Firearms - Firing Guns ** Meditation - Regenerates Magic ** Melee - Hand To Hand Weapons ** Performance - Specialized as music etc. ** Stealth - Hiding From Sight ** Survival - Living In Difficult Environments ** Technology - Repairing And Working With Machines

* Crafts - Working With Your Hands * Drive - Handling The Road * Etiquette - Managing Social Situations * Firearms - Firing Guns * Meditation - Regenerates Magic * Melee - Hand To Hand Weapons * Performance - Specialized as music etc. * Stealth - Hiding From Sight * Survival - Living In Difficult Environments * Technology - Repairing And Working With Machines * Knowledges: ** Academics - Higher Education In A Field ** Computer - From Typing To Hacking ** Cosmology - Knowledge Of The Spirit World ** Enigmas - Solving Puzzles Or Riddles ** Investigation - Forensics Detective Work ** Law - Professional Practice In Law ** Linguistics - Specializing In Other Languages ** Medicine - First Aid, & Surgery Etc. ** Occult - Knowledge Of Magic Practices ** Science - Engineering, Chemistry, & Physics

* Avatar - Your ability to store quintessence

* Arete - Your mastery of magick

* Willpower - Can be used to force success

* Quintessence - The raw power of magic

* Paradox - The backlash from magic into insanity

* Health - The amount of damage you can take

*The 3 categories of attributes are divided into 3 levels of points: 7/5/3 . (But they all start at 1)

*The 3 categories of abilities are also divided into 3 levels of points: 13/9/5

*You get 7 points to go into Backgrounds.

*You also get 6 dots that can go into your Mage's magical knowledge called Spheres. The catch is that none of them can be higher than your level of Arete.

*Arete starts at 1 and can’t begin higher than 3.

*Willpower starts at 5 and can’t begin higher than 7.

You also get 15 Freebie Points:

*To increase an Attribute requires 5 freebie points.

*To increase an Ability requires 2 freebie points.

*To increase a Background requires 1 freebie point.

*To increase Willpower requires 1 freebie point.

*To increase Arete requires 4 freebie points.

*To increase a Sphere requires 7 freebie points.

Prioritize the categories with 3 levels of points.

      Physical: Strength, Dexterity, Stamina

      Social: Charisma, Manipulation, Appearance

      Mental: Perception, Intelligence, Wits

      Talents: Alertness, Athletics, Awareness,

Brawl, Dodge, Expression, Intimidation,

Leadership, Streetwise, Subterfuge

      Skills: Crafts, Drive, Etiquette, Firearms,

Meditation, Melee, Performance, Stealth,

Survival, Technology

      Knowledges: Academics, Computer, Cosmology,

Enigmas, Investigation, Law, Linguistics,

Medicine, Occult, Science

      Allies - Friends who help you

      Arcane - You are unnoticed as a Mage

      Avatar - The Strength of the soul

      Contacts - Information sources

      Destiny - A greater purpose

      Dream - Visions from the unknown

      Influence - Pull over the mortal world

      Library - Access to metaphysical knowledge

      Node - A place of magical power

      Resources - Extra Money

      Wonder - A Magical talisman or device

We will now go over the combat system. It is

very simple.

Combat is broken down into three steps,

      During initiative, both players roll

Dexterity + Wits. Whoever has more successes

gets to go first.

      Each player declares either to attack or

defend.

      It is also possible to ambush someone with:

Dexterity + Stealth vs Perception + Alertness

The attacker rolls one of these:

      Unarmed Combat: Strength + Brawl

      Armed Combat: Strength + Weaponry

      Firearms: Dexterity + Firearms

      Throwing Objects: Dexterity + Athletics

Then the defender either takes the hit,

or if they chose to defend they roll:

      Block: Dexterity + Brawl       Dodge: Dexterity + Dodge

~~Dodge: Dexterity + Dodge~~       Parry: Dexterity + Melee

The successes of the attack roll minus the

defense roll equals damage, which is either

Bashing or Lethal.

If a weapon is being used the storyteller can

      Roll as many times as your Stamina points to

eliminate a point of bashing damage for each

success.

      If the fighting continues you roll again for

initiative.

Keep track of the damage to your health with

this chart:

* Health 1) # Bruised -0 2) # Hurt -1 3) # Injured -2 4) # Wounded -3 5) # Mauled -4 6) # Crippled -5 7) # Unconscious

1) # Awareness 2) # Sympathetic 3) # Coincidental 4) # Manipulative 5) # Miraculous

* Awareness

Allows the Mage to sense things with their magic.

* === Mechanics~~~~===

* Casting Magic

Quintessence is the power source for Magic.Spending Quintessence points ~~reduces the difficulty of~~ adds a~~spell, up~~ bonus to your ~~level of~~ Areteroll for a spell. Meditation is requiredto regain Quintessence ~~for at least an hour at a placeof power~~. The maximum Quintessence a Mage can store is their Avatar score. Quintessence can also be stored in thingsthat are carried by a Mage.

      One point of willpower generates 1 success

      Willpower can resist mind magic

      Willpower can fight Quiet

      Willpower can ignore penalties from fear & damage

      Willpower can be regained after role play

The difficulty for casting magic is determined by the ~~level of the sphere you are using~~Storyteller. Add +1 for Vulgar magic, if there are no witnesses. Add another +1 if a Sleeper witnesses it.

* === Spheres~~~~===

* Understanding ** Power: Wisdom / ESP ** Knowledge: Realization - Unveiling the inner knowledge within. ** Description: The Power of Understanding manifests as inspiration and insight, granting effortless access to answers and discoveries beyond conventionalunderstanding. It endows the practitioner with the gift of foreknowledge. The key to unlocking this power lies in the realization that all knowledgealready resides within oneself.

# Elevated Mental Attributes

* Feeling ** Power: Empathy / Telepathy ** Knowledge: Association - Recognizing the interconnectedness of all things. ** Description: The Power of Feeling enables one to empathize and understand others deeply, perceiving their thoughts and emotions without the need for words. It stems from the profound insight into Association, the intrinsic link that binds all living beings together.

# Reading Mindstates

* Production ** Power: Attraction / Creation ** Knowledge: Synchronicity - Uniting the threads of existence. ** Description: The Power of Production empowers a wizard to draw situations and desires into their reality. This ability stems from a profound understanding of Synchronicity, the cosmic principle that everything is interconnected and influences each other. It acknowledges that the power to attract lies within, awaiting manifestation.

# Sensing Opportunity

* Influence ** Power: Charisma / Hypnotism ** Knowledge: Possession - Will shaping the realm of the mind. ** Description: The Power of Influence grants a wizard the power to captivate others. Known as Possession, it allows one to enchant and charm, eliciting positive perceptions or even gaining control over anothers thoughts and actions. The essence of this mastery lies in the understanding that ones will can wield dominion over the minds of others.

# Sensing Willpower

* Penetration ** Power: Escape / Intangibility ** Knowledge: Spiritualism - Perceiving the world as a realm of spirit. ** Description: The Power of Penetration delves into the realm of Spiritualism. It unveils the truth that the world is fundamentally composed of spirit, allowing a wizard to transcend physical boundaries and become intangible. Chains and locks lose their hold, dissolving effortlessly under the wizards touch.

# Find Exits

* Control ** Power: Energy / Telekinesis ** Knowledge: Evocation - Harnessing the forces of the spiritual realm. ** Description: The Power of Control enables a wizard to command powerful forces. Through evocation, the practitioner can manipulate energy and bend it to their will. This understanding arises from recognizing that spiritual entities are themselves embodiments of force and possess the capacity to shape and impact the physical world.

# Quick Reactions

* Restoration ** Power: Renewal / Healing ** Knowledge: Forgiveness - Liberating from suffering caused by transgressions. ** Description: The Power of Restoration holds the gift of healing. It grants the ability to alleviate pain, cure diseases, and bring renewal to the afflicted. This power emerges from the understanding of Forgiveness, recognizing that suffering often stems from transgressions. By embracing forgiveness, a wizard becomes a conduit for healing and restoration.

# Sense illness

* Vanishing ** Power: Stealth / Invisibility ** Knowledge: Misdirection - Manipulating attentionand perception. ** Description: The Power of Vanishing encompasses the art of Misdirection. It allows a wizard to control focus and attention, rendering themselves unseen and secrets concealed. Meticulous study and practice grant the ability to achieve complete invisibility as the wizard manipulates perception and directs attention elsewhere.

# Detect Lies

* Travel ** Power: Direction / Teleportation ** Knowledge: Unity - Dissolving the illusion ofseparation. ** Description: The Power of Travel operates on the understanding that all separation is illusory. By harnessing this power, a wizard can navigate without traditional directions and locate objects or places that are lost or hidden. A skilled practitioner can transcend distance, stepping from one location to any desired destination.

# Locate Lost Objects

* Transformation ** Power: Developing / Shapeshifting ** Knowledge: Personification - Authoring ones ownidentity. ** Description: The Power of Transformation allows awizard to assume the form and essence of anotherbeing, whether it be an abstract concept, an animal,or even a deity. The essence of this mastery lies in the understanding that one has the power to create and define their own identity, refusing to be shaped by external forces. The power of transformation can also be used to improve who you already are.

# Sense Others Attributes

* Destruction ** Power: Curses / Annihilation ** Knowledge: Pragmatism - Dissolving the constructsof right and wrong. ** Description: The Power of Destruction holds immense power that should be wielded with caution. It encompasses the ability to curse, annihilate, and disrupt the natural order. However, the utilization of this power draws one away from their true path and blurs the distinction between right and wrong.

# Sense Black Magic

* Revelation ** Power: Visions / Rapture ** Knowledge: Above as Below - The symbioticconnection between gods, angels, and humanity. ** Description: The Power of Revelation unveils profound visions and grants enlightenment to the practitioner. It is rooted in the understanding of the symbiotic connection between gods, angels, and humanity. By tapping into this power, a wizard gains access to celestial knowledge, perceiving the intricate tapestry that binds all realms and entities together.

# Sense Spirits

# Summon Spirits

# Spirit Travel

~~ ~~

~~~~* Paradox & Quiet~~~~

point. A botched roll will then releases that Paradox

in the form of a Quiet (Insanity).

If a Mage has a Paradox level of 1-3, the Quiet

Hallucinations, Fixations, or Depression

If they have a Paradox level of 4-6, the Quiet happens in three more ways:

Delusions & Mood Swings, Repetitive Behaviors, or Suicidal Thoughts

If they have a Paradox level of 7-10, the Quiet happens as:

Wild Hallucinations, Compulsions, and Anti-Social Behavior

If they have a Paradox level of 11+, the Quiet happens in more severe ways:

Complete Madness, Obsession, or Violence

Quintessence can be spent to reduce Paradox, but it

~~~~* Occult~~~~

This system of magic can connect to occult

themes, for interesting role playing.

There are 12 Spheres in this system. Each

* Control: ** Energy / Telekinesis ** (Aries / Emperor) + (Mars / Tower)

* Transformation: ** Developing / Shapeshifting ** (Taurus / Hierophant) + (Venus / Empress)

* Understanding: ** Wisdom / ESP ** (Libra / Justice) + (Venus / Empress)

* Revelation: ** Visions / Rapture ** (Pisces / High Priestess) + (Neptune / Hanged Man)

* Feeling: ** Empathy / Telepathy ** (Virgo / Hermit) + (Mercury / Magician)

* Influence: ** Charisma / Hypnotism ** (Leo / Strength) + (Sun / Sun)

* Penetration: ** Escape / Intangibility ** (Gemini / Lovers) + (Mercury / Magician)

* Travel: ** Direction / Teleportation ** (Sagittarius / Temperance) + (Jupiter / Wheel of Fortune)

* Production: ** Attraction / Creation ** (Capricorn / Devil) + (Saturn / World)

* Restoration: ** Renewal / Healing ** (Aquarius / Star) + (Uranus / Fool)

* Vanishing: ** Stealth / Invisibility ** (Cancer / Chariot) + (Moon / Moon)

* Destruction: ** Curses / Annihilation ** (Scorpio / Death) + (Pluto / Judgement)

=== Finishing Touches ===

Here are some finishing touches to add to your

character sheet.

~~ ~~

* ~~~~Traditions~~~~

There are 12 types of Mages representing different world views. You can pick whichever one you feel resonates with your character:

* Akashic Brotherhood -       Buddhist Warriors * Celestial Chorus      Gnostic Priests

* Celestial Chorus - Gnostic Priests

* Cult of Ecstasy -       Hippies and New Agers * Dreamspeakers      Shamans

* Dreamspeakers - Shamans

* Euthanatos -       Terrorists and Activists

* Order of Hermes - Ceremonial Magicians

* ~~Sons~~ Order of ~~Ether - Rebel Scientists~~ Hermes      Ceremonial Magicians

* Verbena - Wiccans

* ~~Virtual Adepts - Reality Hackers~~ Sons of Ether      Rebel Scientists

* Hollow Ones - Goths

* ~~Marauders - Permanently Insane~~Verbena      Wiccans

* Nephandi - Make Demonic Pacts

* Virtual Adepts      Reality Hackers * Hollow Ones      Goths * Marauders      Permanently Insane * Nephandi      Made Demonic Pacts * Technocracy -       Agents of Reason

If you have your own Coven you can also list

* ~~Concept~~Concepts

* ~~~~Nature and Demeanor~~~~

* Architect - Purpose / Obsession       You desire to leave a mark on the world.

* Autocrat - Leadership / Dictatorship       You want control.

* Bon Vivant - Love of Life / Hedonism       You want to live Life.

* Bravo - Strength / Anger       You want power.

* Caregiver - Compassion / Smothering       You look out for others.

* Celebrant - Passion / Intemperance       You have a calling

* Child - Innocence / Immaturity       You never grew up.

* Competitor - Striving / Competitiveness       Life is a challenge to be won.

* Conformist - Cooperation / Low-Self Esteem       You are a follower.

* Conniver - Clever / Envy       You are a manipulator

* Curmudgeon - Critical Eye / Lack of Imagination       You find the faults in others.

* Deviant - Shatter Boundaries / Perversion       You are an outcast.

* Director - Organization / Lack of Tolerance       You want things under control.

* Fanatic - Dedication / Stubbornness       You live for a cause.

* Gallant - Artistry / Flamboyance       You want to be the center of attention.

* Judge - Justice / Lack of Vision       You want to resolve problems.

* Loner - Self-Reliance / Lack of Empathy       You work best by yourself.

* Martyr - Sacrifice / Self-Deprecation       You devote yourself to helping others.

* Masochist - Devotion / Self-Destructiveness       You want to suffer.

* Monster - Mirror of Villainy / Depravity       You are an evil person.

* Pedagogue - Knowledge / Logorrhea       You are a teacher.

* Penitent - Responsibility / Contrition       You are consumed with guilt.

* Perfectionist - Exactitude / Incompleteness       You need to be the best.

* Rebel - Individuality / Lack of Direction       You like to break the rules.

* Rogue - Valor / Selfishness       You look out for yourself.

* Survivor - Perseverance / Lack of Trust       You keep going no matter what.

* Thrill-Seeker - Daring / Recklessness       You live on the edge.

* Traditionalist - Consistency / Complacency       You support the status quo.

* Trickster - Empathy / Hypocrisy       Your life is a comedy.

* Visionary - Imagination / Pride       You want to remake the future.

~~You want to remake the future.~~

~~ ~~

* ~~~~Essence~~~~

* ~~~~Resonance~~~~

* ~~~~Purpose~~~~

* ~~~~Foci~~~~

=== ~~~~Examples~~~~ ===

Tracking - Perception + Survival

===Credits===

[[User:Street|Street]]

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[[Category:Splats]][[Category:Rules]]

Street

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