Changes

===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. Like most roleplaying role playing games played around a <br> table, This game uses we use dice to determine the <br> whims of chance. Anytime a character performs <br> an action under adverse conditions or when the <br> outcome is unclear, his player rolls dice to <br> see whether the task succeeds or fails.  You just need two six sided dice to play. I have changed this from the original game, Mage: The Ascension from rolling a ten sided 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 mechanics are basically the same.<br><br>  * Attributes and Skills

You just need two six sided dice Characters possess a variety of traits, describing their innate capabilities, trained skills, and even how many wounds they can suffer before dying. Two types of trait are especially important: Attributes and Skills. Each of these traits is rated in dots (●), ranging from 1 to 5, much like the five-star system many critics use to playrate movies. I <br>For example, a character might have changed this from a Dexterity Attribute of ●●● (3 dots) and a Firearms Skill of ●● (2 dots).   Whenever your character performs an action that calls for dice rolls, you most often add the most appropriate Attribute to the original gamemost appropriate Skill. When your character shoots a gun, <br>you add Mage: The Ascension from rolling his Dexterity to his Firearms for a ten sided <br>total number of dicerolls. I did a little math and it just made <br>since.<br>  * Modifiers

Various conditions and circumstances can greatly improve or hinder your characters tasks, represented by bonuses and/or penalties to your dice rolls. On one hand, quality tools might give him a bonus to repair a car. On the other hand, a thunderstorm might cause hazardous driving conditions, levying a penalty on any driving rolls, and a distant target is hard to hit with a gun, represented by range penalties.   For example, when shooting a success in this gametarget 30 yards away with his Glock 17 pistol, rolling your character suffers a 7 -2 penalty.   The Storyteller determines whether or 11 <br>not any with two 6 sided circumstance imposes dice has the odds of 2/9 -roll modifiers and how great those modifiers are.<br>which is 0.2222.<br>  * Dice Rolls

A success in Mage So, we can say that that the number of times you get to roll the dice is made by rolling a 8, 9determined like so: Attribute + Skill + modifiers (if any) In general, bonuses are always added before penalties are applied.<br>or 10 on one 10 sided die, which has the odds <br>of 3/10 which is 0.3.<br> * Rolling the Dice

So Now that you know what to roll, with lets see how to read the results. Each roll uses two dice, and a result of 7, or 11 is considered a few other modifications success. You might have more than one of these, in which case you have multiple successes. The dice don't just tell you whether your character succeeds or fails it shows you how well he does. If none of your die rolls succeed, your roll fails. Obviously, the game more die rolls you have the better your characters chances of success, and the greater your odds of gaining multiple successes.<br>mechanics are basically the same.<br>  * Snake Eyes

Traits If one of your rolls turn up snake eyes, it cancels out one success. If you roll snake eyes, and none of you other rolls succeed it is a botch.<br><br>  * Second Tries

Characters possess When a variety of traits, <br>describing their innate capabilities, trained <br>skillsroll fails, and even how many wounds they you can<br> try again with a +1 suffer before dyingdifficulty modifier. Two types of trait are<br> especially important: Attributes and Skills.<br> Each of these traits is rated in dots (●),<br> ranging from 1 to 5, much like the five-star<br> system many critics use to rate movies. For<br> example, a character might have a Dexterity<br> Attribute of ●●● (3 dots) and a Firearms<br> Skill of ●● (2 dots).<br>* Fighting

Whenever Combat is a series of die rolls, until someone surrenders or is rendered unable to fight. The rolls determine whether or not your character performs an action that<br>hits and how much damage he inflicts calls for on his target. The number of dice rollsis determined as above, but a knife is more deadly than a fist, you most often add and a gun is more deadly than all. Each success gained on your attack roll represents a point of damage inflicted against the most <br>targets Health trait. If the target has no more Health left, he is unconscious or dead appropriate Attribute to (depending on the most appropriate <br>type of damage done).  There are two types of damage: bashing (caused by blunt weapons such as fists or clubs; these wounds heal quickly), lethal (caused by sharp weapons such as knives and Skillbullets; these wounds heal slowly). When your character shoots There are a gunnumber of complications involved in combat, you add <br> his Dexterity to his Firearms for such as a total number targets Defense Rolls, which are subtracted from any attack successes targeted against him.<br>of dice rolls.<br>  * Actions

ModifiersThe number of times you roll for an action is made up of an attribute added to an ability. Each of these are given a rating from 1 to five:   1) Poor 2) Average 3) Good 4) Exceptional 5) World Class   That dice pool is then modified by oneof these levels: +1) Easy +0) Routine -1) Moderate -2) Difficult -3) Challenging -4) Hard -5) Exceptional   The number of successes you have is also given a rating from one to five: 1) Marginal 2) Moderate 3) Good 4) Excellent 5) Phenomenal<br><br> === Traits ===

Various conditions and circumstances canThe attributes your character has are listed here, they are divided into 3 categories: * Physical:<br><br> greatly improve or hinder your characters** Strength - Physical Power ** Dexterity - Athleticism ** Stamina - Toughness   * Social:<br><br> ** Charisma - Charm ** Manipulation - Persuasion ** Appearance - Attractiveness   tasks, represented by bonuses and/or penalties* Mental:<br><br> to your dice rolls. On one hand, quality tools** Perception - Insight To Surroundings ** Intelligence - Pure IQ ** Wits - Intuition & Instincts  Abilities are also divided into 3 categories:  * Talents:<br><br> might give him a bonus ** Alertness - Attention to repair 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 car. On thePart Of The Underworld ** Subterfuge - You Can Hide Your Motives   * Skills:<br> other hand, a thunderstorm might cause <br> ** Crafts - Working With Your Hands ** Drive - Handling The Road hazardous driving conditions, levying a ** 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:<br>penalty on any driving rolls, and a distant <br> ** Academics - Higher Education In A Field ** Computer - From Typing To Hacking target is hard ** 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  There are also some other very important traits:   * Avatar - Your ability to store quintessence * Arete - Your mastery of magick * Willpower - Can be used to hit with a gun, represented force success * Quintessence - The raw power of magic * Paradox - The backlash from magic into insanity * Health - The amount of damage you can take<br>by range penalties.<br> === Getting Started ===

For exampleNow that you know the basics of the Storytelling System, you can proceed to create your own characters. You’ll be able to judge what sort of traits you’ll need based on their titles (they’re mostly self-explanatory), and know that the more dots you have in a trait the better your character will be when shooting accomplishing tasks with it.  Here is a quick overview of how to begin the character creation process:  *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 target 30 yards<br> 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.  away Prioritize the categories with his Glock 17 pistol3 levels of points.  * Select Attributes (7/5/3)   &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Physical: Strength, Dexterity, Stamina &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Social: Charisma, Manipulation, Appearance &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Mental: Perception, Intelligence, your character Wits  * Select Abilities (13/9/5)  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Talents: Alertness, Athletics, Awareness,Brawl, Dodge, Expression, Intimidation, Leadership, Streetwise, Subterfuge &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Skills: Crafts, Drive, Etiquette, Firearms, Meditation, Melee, Performance, Stealth, Survival, Technology  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Knowledges: Academics, Computer, Cosmology, Enigmas, Investigation, Law, Linguistics, Medicine, Occult, Science  Additionally, characters also have a number of advantages called Backgrounds.  * Backgrounds (7):  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Allies - Friends who help you  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Arcane - You are unnoticed as a Mage &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Avatar - The Strength of the soul &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Contacts - Information sources  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Destiny - A greater purpose  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Dream - Visions from the unknown  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Influence - Pull over the mortal world  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Library - Access to metaphysical knowledge  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Node - A place of magical power &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Resources - Extra Money  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Wonder - A Magical talisman or device<br>suffers a -2 penalty.<br> === Combat ===

 We will now go over the combat system. It is very simple.   Combat is broken down into three steps, Initiative, Attack, and Resolution.   * Stage one - Initiative  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; During initiative, both players roll Dexterity + Wits. Whoever has more successes gets to go first.   &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Each player declares either to attack or defend.   &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It is also possible to ambush someone with: Dexterity + Stealth vs Perception + Alertness   * Stage two - Attack   The attacker rolls one of these:   &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Unarmed Combat: Strength + Brawl &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Armed Combat: Strength + Weaponry &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Firearms: Dexterity + Firearms &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Throwing Objects: Dexterity + Athletics   Then the defender either takes the hit, or if they chose to defend they roll:   &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Block: Dexterity + Brawl  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Dodge: Dexterity + Dodge &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Parry: Dexterity + Melee   The Storyteller determines whether successes of the attack roll minus the defense roll equals damage, which is either Bashing or not any<br>Lethal.   If a weapon is being used the storyteller can increase the modifier for an attack by up to +4. Some guns allow you to shoot multiple times in a turn.   circumstance imposes dice* Stage three -Resolution   &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Roll as many times as your Stamina points to eliminate a point of bashing damage for each success.   &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; If the fighting continues you roll modifiers and <br>again for how great those modifiers areinitiative.   <br>Keep track of the damage to your health with this chart:   * Health

Dice Rolls# Bruised -0 # Hurt -1 # Injured -2 # Wounded -3 # Mauled -4 # Crippled -5 # Unconscious   Each point of damage is marked with a / for bashing damage and an X for lethal damage. If you acquire 7 bashing damage you are unconscious, further bashing damage can become lethal damage. Either way, you apply a penalty to everything you roll as the damage goes up.If you acquire more than 7 in lethal damage, you can die.  Finally, your character needs to learn magic!<br><br> === Magic ===

So There are 12 Spheres in this system that are divided into coincidental & vulgar magic. The first three levels of each sphere are limited to coincidental effects, and the highest levels of the sphere are divided into two levels of more advanced magic.  The Twelve Spheres in alphabetical order are:  Control, Destruction, Feeling, Influence, Penetration, Production, Revelation, we Restoration, Transformation, Travel, Understanding, and Vanishing  These are the degrees of power for the Spheres:   # Awareness # Sympathetic # Coincidental # Manipulative # Miraculous   * Awareness  Allows the Mage to sense things with their magic.  * Sympathetic   The Mage can effect things they’re personally connected to.   * Coincidental   The Mage can work magic as long as it doesn’t defy physics.   * Manipulative   The Mage can say that that manipulate and bend the number laws of times physics.   * Miraculous The Mage can now create impossible miracles.<br><br>you get === Mechanics ===<br>  * Casting Magic   You can only cast magic up to the level of your sphere. Arete is the number of dice to roll when casting a spell. No Sphere can be higher than your level of Arete. A mage can optionally roll fewer dice to avoid a potential botch.  * Avatar   A Mage’s Avatar is the maximum Quintessence they can store.  * Quintessence  Quintessence is the dice power source for Magic. Spending Quintessence points adds a bonus to your Arete roll for a spell. Meditation is required to regain Quintessence. The maximum Quintessence a Mage can store is their Avatar score. Quintessence can also be stored in things that are carried by a Mage.  * Willpower  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; One point of willpower generates 1 success &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Willpower can resist mind magic &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Willpower can fight Quiet &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Willpower can ignore penalties from fear & damage &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Willpower can be regained after role play  * Difficulty  The difficulty for casting magic is determined like <br>so: Attribute by the Storyteller. Add + Skill 1 for Vulgar magic, if there are no witnesses. Add another + modifiers (1 if any) In <br>a Sleeper witnesses it.  * Bonuses   generalIf you have time to do a ritual, bonuses Intelligence + Occult can be rolled. Successes are always added before to your Arete roll up to a +3. If there isn't time for a full ritual, magical tools can add a +1 bonus.   * Successes  Simple magic requires only one success, twosuccesses are required for more powerful magic,and larger effects can take even more.  * Botches  If a Mage rolls a failure when casting a spell & theyalso roll snake eyes on any of their dice then they botch.This is a dangerous situation.<br>penalties are applied. <br> === Spheres ===

Rolling Spheres in Mage: The Ascension are the Diceway Mages effect reality. Theyrepresent different kinds of magic,which Mages use to perceive andreshape the world.  * Understanding<br><br>** 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 conventional understanding. It endows the practitioner with the gift of foreknowledge. The key to unlocking this power lies in the realization that all knowledge already resides within oneself.

Now that you know what to roll, lets see how <br>to read # Elevated Mental Attributes# Predicting Outcomes# Seeing the results. Each roll uses two dice, <br>Pastand a result of 7, or 11 is considered a <br># Seeing the Futuresuccess. You might have more than one of <br># Stopping Timethese, in which case you have multiple <br>successes. The dice don't just tell you whether <br>your character succeeds or fails it shows you* Feeling<br> how well he does. If none of your die rolls <br>succeed, your roll fails. Obviously, the more <br>** Power: Empathy / Telepathydie rolls you have ** Knowledge: Association - Recognizing the better your characters <br>interconnectedness of all things.chances ** Description: The Power of successFeeling enables one to empathize and understand others deeply, perceiving their thoughts and emotions without the greater your odds <br>of gaining multiple successesneed for words. It stems from the profound insight into Association, the intrinsic link that binds all living beings together.<br>

Snake Eyes# Reading Mindstates# Bonus to Social Attributes# Mental Shield# Reading Thoughts# Mental Link  * Production<br><br>** 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.

If one of your rolls turn up snake eyes, it # Sensing Opportunity# Arranging situations# Attracting Wealth# Produce Small Objects# Win Lotteries & Elections  * Influence<br>cancels out one success. If you roll snake eyes, <br>** 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 none charm, eliciting positive perceptions or even gaining control over anothers thoughts and actions. The essence of you other rolls succeed it is a <br>botchthis mastery lies in the understanding that ones will can wield dominion over the minds of others.<br>

Second Tries# Sensing Willpower# Social Influence# Hypnotic Suggestion# Mind Control# Altering Identities  * Penetration<br><br>** 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.

When a roll fails, you can try again with a +1 # Find Exits# Open Locks# Escape From Restraints# Escape From Prisons# Becoming Intangible  * Control<br>difficulty modifier.<br>** 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.

Combat Fighting is a series of die rolls, until <br>someone surrenders or is rendered unable # Quick Reactions# Bonus to <br>Physical Abilities# Influencing Physical Outcomes# Moving Objects# Controlling Natural Forces fight. The rolls determines whether or not your <br>character hits and how much damage he inflicts * Restoration<br>on his target. The number of dice rolls is <br>determined as above, but a knife is more deadly <br>** Power: Renewal / Healingthan a fist, and a gun is more deadly than all** Knowledge: Forgiveness - Liberating from suffering caused by transgressions. <br>Each success gained on your attack roll <br>represents a point ** Description: The Power of damage inflicted against <br>Restoration holds the targets Health traitgift of healing. If It grants the target has no <br>more Health leftability to alleviate pain, cure diseases, he is unconscious or dead <br>(depending on and bring renewal to the afflicted. This power emerges from the type understanding of damage done)Forgiveness, recognizing that suffering often stems from transgressions. By embracing forgiveness, a wizard becomes a conduit for healing and restoration.<br>

There are two types of damage: bashing # Sense illness# Relieve Pain# Protection from Disease# Heal Sickness / Damage# Resurrection  * Vanishing<br>(caused by blunt weapons such as fists or <br>clubs; these wounds heal quickly), lethal <br>** Power: Stealth / Invisibility(caused by sharp weapons such as knives ** Knowledge: Misdirection - Manipulating attention and <br>perception.bullets; these wounds heal slowly)** Description: The Power of Vanishing encompasses the art of Misdirection. There are <br>It allows a number of complications involved in combatwizard to control focus and attention, <br>such as a targets Defense Rollsrendering themselves unseen and secrets concealed. (which are <br>subtracted from any attack successs targeted <br>against him), Roll Meticulous study and practice grant the ability to hit achieve complete invisibility as the wizard manipulates perception and apply successes <br>as damage minus any successful defense rollsdirects attention elsewhere.<br>

Example# Detect Lies# See in The Dark# Stealth# Disguise# Invisibility  * Travel<br><br>** Power: Direction / Teleportation** Knowledge: Unity - Dissolving the illusion of separation.** 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.

Lets see how it looks in action. Your character <br>tries to shoot # Locate Lost Objects# Find Directions# See at a thug who just killed his <br>Distancefriend. Your characters Dexterity is 3, his <br># Teleport ObjectsFirearms 2, and hes using # Make a Glock 9mm pistol. <br>Portal You therefore get to roll the dice five times. <br>The thug is about 30 yards away which is a -1 * Transformation<br>penalty. So, you are reduced to 4 dice rolls. But <br>thats not all. Its raining cats and dogs. The <br>** Power: Developing / ShapeshiftingStoryteller decides that theres an additional ** Knowledge: Personification -1 <br>penalty for poor visibilityAuthoring ones own identity. That leaves you <br>just 3 dice rolls. If ** Description: The Power of Transformation allows a roll yields a 7 or 11 <br>that is one success. If wizard to assume the thug is hit. He <br>suffers 1 points form and essence of lethal damage to his Health <br>for every success. Lets say you make 2 <br>successs. It hurtsanother being, but whether it might not be enough <br>to stop himan abstract concept, an animal, or even a deity. and he staggers away. Your <br>character needs to decide whether The essence of this mastery lies in the understanding that one has the power to give <br>chase create and close the distancedefine their own identity, or try refusing to be shaped by external forces. The power of transformation can also be used to fire <br>againimprove who you already are.<br>

The number of times you roll for an action is # Sense Others Attributes# Bonus to Attributes# Developing Attributes# Shapeshifting# Transmutation  * Destruction<br><br>made up ** Power: Curses / Annihilation** Knowledge: Pragmatism - Dissolving the constructs of an attribute added right and wrong.** Description: The Power of Destruction holds immense power that should be wielded with caution. It encompasses the ability to an abillitycurse, annihilate, and disrupt the natural order. <br>Each However, the utilization of these are given a rating this power draws one away from 1 to five:<br>their true path and blurs the distinction between right and wrong.

1) Poor# Sense Black Magic# Protection from Curses# Curse Enemies# Cause Physical Damage# Kill & Destroy  * Revelation<br><br>** Power: Visions / Rapture** Knowledge: Above as Below - The symbiotic connection 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.

3) Good<br> * Paradox & Quiet

 The official rules say Paradox is caused by Vulgarmagic. In these alternative rules Paradox happenswhen a Mage fails at casting their spells.When a Mage fails a magic roll they gain a Paradoxpoint. A botched roll will then releases that Paradoxin the form of a Quiet (Insanity).  If a Mage has a Paradox level of 1-3, the Quiethappens in one of three ways: Hallucinations, Fixations, or Depression  If they have a Paradox level of 4) Exceptional-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 ithas to be done before the Insanity of Quiet occurs.If Paradox reaches a level greater than 10 it isreleased automatically.<br><br>  * Occult

5 This system of magic can connect to occult themes, for interesting role playing.   There are 12 Spheres in this system. Each Sphere connects to one of the 12 signs of the Zodiac. And each Zodiac sign connects to one of 10 planets in Astrology. The 10 planets and 12 signs connect with the 22 Major Arcana of the Tarot.  * Control:<br><br> ** Energy / Telekinesis ** (Aries / Emperor) + (Mars / Tower)  * Transformation:<br><br> ** Developing / Shapeshifting ** (Taurus / Hierophant) + (Venus / Empress)  * Understanding:<br><br> ** Wisdom / ESP ** (Libra / Justice) + (Venus / Empress)  * Revelation:<br><br> ** Visions / Rapture ** (Pisces / High Priestess) + (Neptune / Hanged Man)  * Feeling:<br><br> ** Empathy / Telepathy ** (Virgo / Hermit) + (Mercury / Magician)  * Influence:<br><br> ** Charisma / Hypnotism ** (Leo / Strength) + (Sun / Sun)  * Penetration:<br><br> ** Escape / Intangibility ** (Gemini / Lovers) + (Mercury / Magician)  * Travel:<br><br> ** Direction / Teleportation ** (Sagittarius / Temperance) + (Jupiter / Wheel of Fortune)  * Production:<br><br> ** Attraction / Creation ** (Capricorn / Devil) + (Saturn / World Class)  * Restoration:<br><br> ** Renewal / Healing ** (Aquarius / Star) + (Uranus / Fool)  * Vanishing:<br><br> ** Stealth / Invisibility ** (Cancer / Chariot) + (Moon / Moon)  * Destruction:<br><br> ** Curses / Annihilation ** (Scorpio / Death) + (Pluto / Judgement)<br><br> === Finishing Touches ===

That dice pool is then subtracted by a difficulty <br>Here are some finishing touches to add to your level from 0 to 6character sheet.<br>  * Traditions

1) Routine * Akashic Brotherhood&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Buddhist Warriors   * Celestial Chorus&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Gnostic Priests   * Cult of Ecstasy&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Hippies and New Agers   * Dreamspeakers&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Shamans  * Euthanatos&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Terrorists and Activists   * Order of Hermes&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ceremonial Magicians   * Sons of Ether&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Rebel Scientists   * Verbena&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Wiccans   * Virtual Adepts&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Reality Hackers   * Hollow Ones&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Goths   * Marauders&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Permanently Insane  * Nephandi&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Made Demonic Pacts  * Technocracy&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Agents of Reason  If you have your own Coven you can also list it as your Cabal.<br><br>  * Concepts

2) ModerateAll characters need to have a concept which can be anything you want to make up. However here are some example concepts that you might like to use:   * Criminal  * Drifter  * Entertainer  * Intellectual  * Investigator  * Kid  * Night-lifer  * Outsider  * Politician  * Professional  * Reporter  * Socialite  * Soldier  * Worker<br><br>  * Nature and Demeanor

3) DifficultThere are two more important categories at the top of the character sheet, called Nature & Demeanor. Nature is your inner character. and Demeanor is what you project into the outside world. Below you can pick one of these for each:  * Architect - Purpose / Obsession &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You desire to leave a mark on the world.  * Autocrat - Leadership / Dictatorship &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You want control.  * Bon Vivant - Love of Life / Hedonism&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You want to live Life.  * Bravo - Strength / Anger &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You want power.  * Caregiver - Compassion / Smothering &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You look out for others.  * Celebrant - Passion / Intemperance &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You have a calling  * Child - Innocence / Immaturity &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You never grew up.  * Competitor - Striving / Competitiveness &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Life is a challenge to be won.  * Conformist - Cooperation / Low-Self Esteem &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You are a follower.  * Conniver - Clever / Envy &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You are a manipulator  * Curmudgeon - Critical Eye / Lack of Imagination &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You find the faults in others.  * Deviant - Shatter Boundaries / Perversion &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You are an outcast.  * Director - Organization / Lack of Tolerance &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You want things under control.  * Fanatic - Dedication / Stubbornness &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You live for a cause.  * Gallant - Artistry / Flamboyance &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You want to be the center of attention.  * Judge - Justice / Lack of Vision &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You want to resolve problems.  * Loner - Self-Reliance / Lack of Empathy &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You work best by yourself.  * Martyr - Sacrifice / Self-Deprecation &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You devote yourself to helping others.  * Masochist - Devotion / Self-Destructiveness &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You want to suffer.  * Monster - Mirror of Villainy / Depravity &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You are an evil person.  * Pedagogue - Knowledge / Logorrhea &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You are a teacher.  * Penitent - Responsibility / Contrition &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You are consumed with guilt.  * Perfectionist - Exactitude / Incompleteness &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You need to be the best.  * Rebel - Individuality / Lack of Direction &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You like to break the rules.  * Rogue - Valor / Selfishness &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You look out for yourself.  * Survivor - Perseverance / Lack of Trust &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You keep going no matter what.  * Thrill-Seeker - Daring / Recklessness &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You live on the edge.  * Traditionalist - Consistency / Complacency &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You support the status quo.  * Trickster - Empathy / Hypocrisy &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Your life is a comedy.  * Visionary - Imagination / Pride &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You want to remake the future.<br><br>  * Essence

4) ChallengingYour character's Avatar Essence is also on the character sheet. An Avatar represents a Mage's soul, and the essence represents the drive a mage has at their core. There are four essences you can pick from:   * Dynamic - Change  * Pattern - Improvement  * Primordial - Stability  * Questing - Purpose<br><br> * Resonance

5) HardAll Mages also have a Resonance. As a Mage uses magic their Resonance changes. Other Awakened can read a Mage's Resonance as well. You start with one dot in one Resonance trait, and add dots as you continue working magic.   There are three types of Resonance: Dynamic, Entropic, and Static  * Dynamic represents change. * Entropic represents destruction. * And Static represents protection.<br><br> * Purpose

6) ExceptionalIn these alternate rules we also have another trait called Purpose. You can fill in the dots anyway you like into these 3 categories:  * Self, Others, and World.   Representing your primary motivation.<br><br>  * Foci

The number of successes you Mages tend to have is also <br>certain tools for using magic. given When a Mage has access to these tools, they receive a rating from +1 bonus to their magic roll. You can pick at least one at the start of the game. Here is a list of suggestions for you to fivechoose from:   Art  Astrology  Blood  Books  Bones  Cauldrons Chalices  Candles  Chanting Circles  Computers  Crystals  Dancing  Devices  Martial Arts  Drugs  Elements  Feathers  Fire  Formulas  Herbs  Holy Symbols  Incense  Language  Music  Internet  Ordeals  Poetry Pure Water  Purification  Ritual Sacrifice  Runes  Science  Sex  Songs  Tarot Cards  Ouija boards  Tattoos  Piercings  Toys  Wands  Weapons<br><br> === Examples ===

1) Marginal<br><br>2) Moderate<br><br>3) Good<br><br>4) Excellent<br><br>5) Phenomenal<br><br>The attributes your character has are listed <br>here, they are divided into 3 categories:<br><br><br>Physical: <br><br>Strength - Physical Power <br>Dexterity - Athleticism <br>Stamina - Toughness <br><br>Social: <br><br>Charisma - Charm <br>Manipulation - Persuasion <br>Appearance - Attractiveness <br><br>Mental: <br><br>Perception - Insight To Surroundings <br>Intelligence - Pure IQ <br>Wits - Intuition & Instincts <br><br>Abilities are also divided into 3 categories: <br><br>Talents: <br><br>Alertness - Attention to Your Surroundings <br>Athletics - A Talent With Sports <br>Awareness - You Can Sense The Presence of Magic <br>Brawl - Skill With Unarmed Combat <br>Dodge - Avoiding Physical Danger <br>Expression - The Art of Communication <br>Intimidation - Flexing Your Muscles <br>Leadership - You Are Respected <br>Streetwise - Youre a Part Of The Underworld <br>Subterfuge - You Can Hide Your Motives <br><br>Skills: <br><br>Crafts - Working With Your Hands <br>Drive - Handling The Road <br>Etiquette - Managing Social Situations <br>Firearms - Firing Guns <br>Meditation - Regenerates Magic <br>Melee - Hand To Hand Weapons <br>Performance - Specialized as music etc. <br>Stealth - Hiding From Sight <br>Survival - Living In Difficult Environments <br>Technology - Repairing And Working With Machines <br><br>Knowledges: <br><br>Academics - Higher Education In A Field <br>Computer - From Typing To Hacking <br>Cosmology - Knowledge Of The Spirit World <br>Enigmas - Solving Puzzles Or Riddles <br>Investigation - Forensics Detective Work <br>Law - Professional Practice In Law <br>Linguistics - Specializing In Other Languages <br>Medicine - First Aid, & Surgery Etc. <br>Occult - Knowledge Of Magic Practices <br>Science - Engineering, Chemistry, & Physics <br><br>There are also some other very important traits: <br><br>Avatar - Your ability to store quintessence <br>Arete - Your mastery of magick <br>Willpower - Can be used to force success <br>Quintessence - The raw power of magic <br>Paradox - The backlash from magic into insanity <br>Health - The amount of damage you can take <br><br>Getting Started <br><br>Now that you know the basics of the Storytelling <br>System, you can proceed to create your own <br>characters. You’ll be able to judge what sort of <br>traits you’ll need based on their titles (they’re <br>mostly self-explanatory), and know that the more <br>dots you have in a trait the better your character <br>will be when accomplishing tasks with it. <br><br>Here is a quick overview of how to begin the <br>character creation process: <br><br>The 3 categories of attributes are divided into <br>3 levels of points: 7/5/3 <br><br>The 3 categories of abilities are also divided <br>into 3 levels of points: 13/9/5 <br><br>You get 7 points to go into Backgrounds. <br><br>You also get 6 dots that can go into your Mage's <br>magical knowledge called Spheres. The catch is <br>that none of them can be higher than your level <br>of Arete. <br><br>Arete starts at 1 and can’t begin higher than 3. <br><br>Willpower starts at 5 and can’t begin higher <br>than 7. <br><br>You also get 15 Freebie Points: <br><br>To increase an Attribute requires 5 freebie <br>points. <br><br>To increase an Ability requires 2 freebie <br>points. <br><br>To increase a Background requires 1 freebie <br>point. <br><br>To increase Willpower requires 1 freebie <br>point. <br><br>To increase Arete requires 4 freebie <br>points. <br><br>To increase a Sphere requires 7 freebie <br>points. <br><br>Prioritize the categories with 3 levels of <br>points. <br><br>Select Attributes (7/5/3) <br><br>Physical: Strength, Dexterity, Stamina <br><br>Social: Charisma, Manipulation, Appearance <br><br>Mental: Perception, Intelligence, Wits <br><br>Select Abilities (13/9/5) <br><br>Talents: Alertness, Athletics, Awareness <br>Brawl, Dodge, Expression, Intimidation <br>Leadership, Streetwise, Subterfuge <br><br>Skills: Crafts, Drive, Etiquette, Firearms <br>Meditation, Melee, Performance, Stealth <br>Survival, Technology <br><br>Knowledges: Academics, Computer, Cosmology <br>Enigmas, Investigation, Law, Linguistics <br>Medicine, Occult, Science <br><br>Additionally, characters also have a number <br>of advantages called Backgrounds. <br><br>Backgrounds: <br><br>Allies - Friends who help you <br>Arcane - You are unnoticed as a Mage <br>Avatar - The Strength of the soul <br>Contacts - Information sources <br>Destiny - A greater purpose <br>Dream - Visions from the unknown <br>Influence - Pull over the mortal world <br>Library - Access to metaphysical knowledge <br>Node - A place of magical power <br>Resources - Extra Money <br>Wonder - A Magical talisman or device <br><br>We will now go over the combat system. It is <br>very simple. <br><br>Combat is broken down into three steps, <br>Initiative, Attack, and Resolution. <br><br>During initiative, both players roll <br>Dexterity + Wits. Whoever has more successes <br>gets to go first. <br><br>Each player declares either to attack or <br>defend. <br><br>It is also possible to ambush someone with: <br>Dexterity + Stealth vs Perception + Alertness <br><br>Stage two - Attack <br><br>The attacker rolls one of these: <br><br>Unarmed Combat: Strength + Brawl <br><br>Armed Combat: Strength + Weaponry <br><br>Firearms: Dexterity + Firearms <br><br>Throwing Objects: Dexterity + Athletics <br><br>Then the defender either takes the hit, <br>or if they chose to defend they roll: <br><br>Block: Dexterity + Brawl <br><br>Dodge: Dexterity + Dodge <br><br>Parry: Dexterity + Melee <br><br>The successes of the attack roll minus the <br>defense roll equals damage, which is either <br>Bashing or Lethal. <br><br>If a weapon is being used the storyteller can <br>increase the modifier for an attack by up to +3. <br>Some guns allow you to shoot multiple times in <br>a turn. <br><br>Stage three - Resolution <br><br>Roll as many times as your Stamina points to <br>eliminate a point of bashing damage for each <br>success. <br><br>If the fighting continues you roll again for <br>initiative. <br><br>Keep track of the damage to your health with <br>this chart: <br><br>Health <br><br>1) Bruised -0 <br>2) Hurt -1 <br>3) Injured -2 <br>4) Wounded -3 <br>5) Mauled -4 <br>6) Crippled -5 <br>7) Unconscious <br><br>Each point of damage is marked with a / for <br>bashing damage and an X for lethal damage. <br>If you acquire 7 bashing damage you are <br>unconscious, further bashing damage can <br>become lethal damage. Either way, you apply <br>a penalty to everything you roll as the damage <br>goes up.If you acquire more than 7 in lethal <br>damage, you can die. <br><br>Finally, your character needs to learn magic! <br><br>Overview <br><br>There are 12 Spheres in this system that are <br>divided into coincidental & vulgar magic. The <br>first three levels of each sphere are limited <br>to coincidental effects, and the highest levels <br>of the sphere are divided into two levels of more <br>advanced magic. <br><br>The Twelve Spheres in alphabetical order are: <br><br>Control, Destruction, Feeling, Influence, <br>Penetration, Production, Revelation, Restoration, <br>Transformation, Travel, Understanding, and <br>Vanishing <br><br>These are the degrees of power for the Spheres: <br><br>1) Awareness <br><br>2) Sympathetic <br><br>3) Coincidental <br><br>4) Manipulative <br><br>5) Miraculous <br><br>1) Awareness <br><br>Allows the Mage to sense things with their magic. <br><br>2) Sympathetic <br><br>The Mage can effect things they’re personally <br>connected to. <br><br>3) Coincidental <br><br>The Mage can work magic as long as it doesn’t <br>defy physics. <br><br>4) Manipulative <br><br>The Mage can manipulate and bend the laws of <br>physics. <br><br>5) Miraculous <br><br>The Mage can now create impossible miracles. <br><br>Mechanics <br><br>Casting Magic <br><br>Arete is added to the Sphere you are using to <br>get the number of dice to roll when casting a <br>spell. No Sphere can be higher than your level <br>of Arete. You can also only spend up to your <br>level of Arete in quintessence on a single spell. <br>A mage can optionally roll fewer dice to avoid a <br>potential botch. <br><br>Avatar <br><br>A Mage’s Avatar is the maximum Quintessence they <br>can store. <br><br>Occult <br><br>This system of magic can connect to occult <br>themes, for interesting role playing. <br><br>There are 12 Spheres in this system. Each <br>Sphere connects to one of the 12 signs of <br>the Zodiac. And each Zodiac sign connects to <br>one of 10 planets in Astrology. The 10 planets <br>and 12 signs connect with the 22 Major Arcana <br>of the Tarot. <br><br>Control: <br><br>Energy / Telekinesis <br><br>(Aries/Emperor) + (Mars/Tower) <br><br>Transformation: <br><br>Developing / Shapeshifting <br><br>(Taurus/Hierophant) + (Venus/Empress) <br><br>Understanding: <br><br>Wisdom / ESP <br><br>(Libra/Justice) + (Venus/Empress) <br><br>Revelation: <br><br>Visions / Rapture <br><br>(Pisces/High Priestess) + (Neptune/Hanged Man) <br><br>Feeling: <br><br>Empathy / Telepathy <br><br>(Virgo/Hermit) + (Mercury/Magician) <br><br>Influence: <br><br>Charisma / Hypnotism <br><br>(Leo/Strength) + (Sun/Sun) <br><br>Penetration: <br><br>Escape / Intangibility <br><br>(Gemini/Lovers) + (Mercury/Magician) <br><br>Travel: <br><br>Direction / Teleportation <br><br>(Sagittarius/Temperance) + (Jupiter/Wheel of Fortune) <br><br>Production: <br><br>Attraction / Creation <br><br>(Capricorn/Devil) + (Saturn/World) <br><br>Restoration: <br><br>Renewal / Healing <br><br>(Aquarius/Star) + (Uranus/Fool) <br><br>Vanishing: <br><br>Stealth / Invisibility <br><br>(Cancer/Chariot) + (Moon/Moon) <br><br>Destruction: <br><br>Curses / Annihilation <br><br>(Scorpio/Death) + (Pluto/Judgement) <br><br>Finishing Touches <br><br>Here are some finishing touches to add to your <br>character sheet. <br><br>Traditions <br><br>There are 9 Traditions representing the different <br>kinds of Mages and their world views. You can <br>pick whichever one you feel resonates with your <br>character: <br><br>Akashic Brotherhood - Buddhist Warriors <br>Celestial Chorus - Gnostic Priests <br>Cult of Ecstasy - Hippies and New Agers <br>Dreamspeakers - Shamans <br>Euthanatos - Terrorists and Activists <br>Order of Hermes - Ceremonial Magicians <br>Sons of Ether - Rebel Scientists <br>Verbena - Wiccans <br>Virtual Adepts - Reality Hackers <br>Hollow Ones - Goths <br><br>If you have your own Coven you can also list <br>it as your Cabal. <br><br>All characters need to have a concept which <br>can be anything you want to make up. However <br>here are some example concepts that you might <br>like to use: <br><br>Criminal <br>Drifter <br>Entertainer <br>Intellectual <br>Investigator <br>Kid <br>Night-lifer <br>Outsider <br>Politician <br>Professional <br>Reporter <br>Socialite <br>Soldier <br>Worker <br><br>There are two more important categories at the <br>top of the character sheet, called Nature & <br>Demeanor. Nature is your inner character. and <br>Demeanor is what you project into the outside <br>world. Below you can pick one of these for each: <br><br>Architect - Purpose / Obsession <br>You desire to leave a mark on the world. <br><br>Autocrat - Leadership / Dictatorship <br>You want control. <br><br>Bon Vivant - Love of Life / Hedonism <br>You want to live Life. <br><br>Bravo - Strength / Anger <br>You want power. <br><br>Caregiver - Compassion / Smothering <br>You look out for others. <br><br>Celebrant - Passion / Intemperance <br>You have a calling <br><br>Child - Innocence / Immaturity <br>You never grew up. <br><br>Competitor - Striving / Competitiveness <br>Life is a challenge to be won. <br><br>Conformist - Cooperation / Low-Self Esteem <br>You are a follower. <br><br>Conniver - Clever / Envy <br>You are a manipulator <br><br>Curmudgeon - Critical Eye / Lack of Imagination <br>You find the faults in others. <br><br>Deviant - Shatter Boundaries / Perversion <br>You are an outcast. <br><br>Director - Organization / Lack of Tolerance <br>You want things under control. <br><br>Fanatic - Dedication / Stubbornness <br>You live for a cause. <br><br>Gallant - Artistry / Flamboyance <br>You want to be the center of attention. <br><br>Judge - Justice / Lack of Vision <br>You want to resolve problems. <br><br>Loner - Self-Reliance / Lack of Empathy <br>You work best by yourself. <br><br>Martyr - Sacrifice / Self-Deprecation <br>You devote yourself to helping others. <br><br>Masochist - Devotion / Self-Destructiveness <br>You want to suffer. <br><br>Monster - Mirror of Villainy / Depravity <br>You are an evil person. <br><br>Pedagogue - Knowledge / Logorrhea <br>You are a teacher. <br><br>Penitent - Responsibility / Contrition <br>You are consumed with guilt. <br><br>Perfectionist - Exactitude / Incompleteness <br>You need to be the best. <br><br>Rebel - Individuality / Lack of Direction <br>You like to break the rules. <br><br>Rogue - Valor / Selfishness <br>You look out for yourself. <br><br>Survivor - Perseverance / Lack of Trust <br>You keep going no matter what. <br><br>Thrill-Seeker - Daring / Recklessness <br>You live on the edge. <br><br>Traditionalist - Consistency / Complacency <br>You support the status quo. <br><br>Trickster - Empathy / Hypocrisy <br>Your life is a comedy. <br><br>Visionary - Imagination / Pride <br>You want to remake the future. <br><br>Your character's Avatar Essence is also on the <br>character sheet. An Avatar represents a Mage's <br>soul, and the essence represents the drive a <br>mage has at their core. There are four essences <br>you can pick from: <br><br>Dynamic - Change <br>Pattern - Improvement <br>Primordial - Stability <br>Questing - Purpose <br><br>All Mages also have a Resonance. As a Mage <br>uses magic their Resonance changes. Other <br>Awakened can read a Mage's Resonance as well. <br>You start with one dot in one Resonance <br>trait, and add dots as you continue working <br>magic. <br><br>There are three types of Resonance: <br>Dynamic, Entropic, and Static <br><br>Dynamic represents change. Entropic represents <br>destruction. And Static represents protection. <br><br>In these alternate rules we also have another <br>trait called Purpose. You can fill in the dots anyway you like into these 3 categories: <br><br>Self, Others, and World. <br><br>Representing your primary motivation. <br><br>Mages tend to have certain tools for using magic. <br>When a Mage has access to these tools, The <br>difficulty for casting magic is reduced. You can <br>pick at least one at the start of the game. Here <br>is a list of suggestions for you to choose from: <br><br>Art <br>Blood <br>Books <br>Bones <br>Cauldrons / Chalices <br>Circles <br>Computers <br>Crystals <br>Dancing <br>Devices <br>Martial Arts <br>Drugs <br>Elements <br>Feathers <br>Fire <br>Formulas <br>Herbs <br>Holy Symbols <br>Incense <br>Language <br>Music <br>Internet <br>Ordeals <br>Pure Water <br>Purification <br>Ritual Sacrifice <br>Runes <br>Science <br>Sex <br>Songs <br>Tarot Cards <br>Ouija boards <br>Tattoos <br>Piercings <br>Toys <br>Wands <br>Weapons <br><br>Also, here are some examples of how to attempt <br> other actions using the abilities and attributes <br> already mentioned: <br>  <br> Climbing - Dexterity + Athletics <br> <br> Driving - Dexterity + Drive <br> <br> Encumbrance - Strength <br> <br> Intrusion - Dexterity or Intelligence + Technology <br> <br> Jumping - Strength or Strength + Athletics <br> <br> Lifting / Breaking - Strength or Willpower <br> <br> Pursuit - Dexterity + Athletics / Drive <br> <br> Shadowing - Dexterity + Stealth <br> <br> Sleight of Hand - Dexterity + Stealth <br> <br> Sneaking - Dexterity + Stealth <br> <br> Stealing - Dexterity + Stealth, Perception + Streetwise <br> <br> Swimming - Stamina + Athletics <br> <br> Throwing - Dexterity + Athletics <br> <br> Fast Talk - Manipulation + Subterfuge <br> <br> Fitting In - Charisma + Expression <br> <br> Impersonation - Charisma + Expression or Manipulation + Subterfuge <br> <br> Interrogation - Manipulation + Intimidation or Charisma + Intimidation <br> <br> Oration - Charisma + Leadership <br> <br> Performance - Charisma + Performance <br> <br> Academic Knowledge - Intelligence + Academics <br> <br> Building Devices - Intelligence + Technology <br> <br> Cryptography - Intelligence + Linguistics or Intelligence + Computer <br> <br> Detecting The Supernatural - Perception + Awareness <br> <br> Foraging - Intelligence + Survival <br> <br> Fortune Telling - Perception + Awareness <br> <br> Hacking - Intelligence / Wits + Computer <br> <br> Inventing - Intelligence + Science <br> <br> Investigation - Perception + Investigation <br> <br> Meditation - Stamina / Intelligence + Meditation <br> <br> Repair - Dexterity + Technology <br> <br> Research - Intelligence + Investigation / Computer <br> <br> Surveillance - Perception + Alertness, Dexterity + Stealth <br> <br> Tracking - Perception + Survival <br><br> ===Credits===