Mage Spellcasting Quick Info

This is a page intended to explain the basics of spellcasting in Mage the Awakening 2nd Edition.

Quick Explanation

Spellcasting Dice Pool = Gnosis + highest Arcanum of spell + Yantra bonus dice - Spell Factor (max. Gnosis + Arcanum +5)

Note: The effectiveness of a spell is never dependent on the degree of success of the spellcasting roll. If at least one success is rolled the spell happens with all effects determined by its Spell Factors and Reach. The only exception to this is an Exceptional Success which may grant additional bonuses. If a mage wants to cast a more potent spell, one that targets multiple subjects or lasts a long time, he must use Spell Factors and Reach before rolling.

Yantras: Symbols that hold the Supernal nature of a concept, helping a mage fasten onto an Imago and cast a spell more easily. Maximum number of Yantras useable in a spell is based on Gnosis (max 2 yantras at Gnosis 1). One yantra can be used Reflexively, any more increases the casting time of the spell by 1 round per extra Yantra. Some yantras cannot be used reflexively.

Spell Factors: Elements of a spell, can be enhanced at the cost of a penalty to the dice roll. Altering spell factors increases the duration, scale, range or potency of a spell.

Reach: The ability of a mage to enhance a spell beyond the limits of spell factors. A Mage gains one free Reach per dot of the highest-rated Arcanum used in the spell that meets or exceeds the spell's requirement. Every Reach beyond this limit risks Paradox.

Spell Potency: Potency is the measure of a spells power. It determines any graduated effects the spell has, such as damage inflicted or healed, the degree of bonus or penalty granted or other effects. Like all spell factors, it must be determined before the spell is cast.

Rotes: Codified spells developed by masters and passed down through all Orders of magic. A Rote grants dice equal to their rote skill when used as Yantra, and the caster counts as having 5 in the highest Arcanum for purposes of how much free Reach he has. The combination of these make Rotes very potent even in the hands of an apprentice.

Example 1: Naenia

Naenia wishes to enhance her cabal before facing a potentially dangerous situation by casting Body Control (Life 2). She knows a rote so can add her rote skill as a yantra, and is willing to take extra time so also uses High Speech as a second Yantra. This gives her a base dice pool of 9 (Gnosis 1 + Life 2 + High Speech 2 + Craft 3 + 1 because Craft is an Order Rote Skill).

The spell has duration as its primary spell factor, but she would like to enhance the effectiveness so uses 1 Reach to change the primary spell factor to Potency. She uses a second Reach to cast the spell Instantly, a third to use the Advanced Scale so all her cabal can be targetted, and a fourth Reach to use Advanced Duration so that it will last 1 Scene. She knows the spell as a rote so counts her Life Arcanum as 5 for purposes of Reach, so does not risk paradox.

As Potency is now the primary spell factor, it gains the primary spell factor benefit and moves up by 1 step from 1 to 2. That's not enough so she takes a -6 to the spellcasting roll to increase Potency to 5. Then Dybbuk reminds her that Golem is also present and she now has 6 subjects for the spell so she needs to take a -2 penalty to increase Scale as well.

With everything accounted, she is rolling 1 die and may want to spent Willpower to have a chance of success. If she does succees, she and all her Cabal (and Golem) will gain the benefits of Body Control cast at Potency 5.

Example 2: Dybbuk

Dybbuk is faced with dangerous cultists and wishes to crush them with the air as an improvised direct damage effect using the Fraying practice of Matter. It is not a rote or praxis spell, and he does not want to risk the extra round it would take to use High Speech so he uses a magical tool, spends a point of Willpower and hopes for the best. This gives him a base dice pool of 7 (Gnosis 1 + Matter 3 + magical tool bonus 1 + Willpower bonus 3).

The spell has no duration so it uses Potency as its primary spell factor, and as Dybbuk has 3 dots in Matter the potency is increased by 2 steps from the base of 1. He doesn't think that is enough to put enough into these thugs so takes a -4 penalty to increase potency by a further 2 to 5.

He chooses to use Reach to make the spell Instant, Sensory Range and Advanced Area, this will affect up to 5 enemies he can sense. Thankfully there are only 4 cultists so that is enough. This is 2 more than his free Reach limit (Matter 3 casting a Matter 3 effect, so 1 free reach) so Paradox is a risk, but better that than being hurt!

With all yantras, spell factors and reach are decided, Dybbuk is rolling 3 dice. Risky, but success will inflict 5 Bashing to each of the thugs. Enough to make them choose an easier target.

Detailed Information

Mages channel what they know of reality and the Mysteries into the world to disrupt the Lie. These new realities take the form of spells, and crafting them into being is casting, or spellcasting.

The mage imagines each part of the spell in her mind before she casts it, envisioning the Imago of the spell. The Imago is the mental representation of the end result of the spell including all its effects and factors. Without the Imago, the mage is incapable of fully envisioning what she wants to impart into the world, her will incapable of imprinting the truth without a defined Pattern

Spellcasting Mechanics

The basic dicepool for casting a spell consists of Gnosis plus the highest Arcanum included in the spell. The mage must decide what she wants the spell to achieve before rolling, and a single success means the spell is cast to those specifications. The default effects and limitations of a spell are as follows:

• The spell lasts for one turn.
• The spell hits one subject of Size 5 or less, or an area up to a meter in diameter.
• The mage must be touching the subject of the spell or be casting on herself.
• The spell takes an amount of time to cast based on Gnosis (3 hours for Gnosis 1)

Any of these factors can be changed by altering Spell Factors and using Reach, but this must be done before the spellcasting dice roll is made.

Spell Factors

The elements of a spell – its size, duration, etc - are referred to as spell factors. A mage may increase her spell’s various factors at the cost of dice penalties, as casting a more complex spell requires a more complex Imago.

The combined penalties to the spellcasting roll from spell factors are not subject to the normal maximum of -5.

Primary Spell Factor: All spells have a primary spell factor of either Potency or Duration. After penalties have been applied for spell factors, the player may freely increase the primary factor by a number of steps equal to the character’s rating in the spell’s highest Arcanum minus one.

• Potency is the measure of the spell’s power. It determines the extent of its effects and matters for spells that grant bonuses, impose penalties or provide graduated levels of effects, such as dealing damage or increasing traits. Each level of Potency beyond the first imposes a -2 penalty to the casting roll.
• Duration is the measure of how long the spell lasts. Standard Duration is measured in turns, while Advanced duration is more narrative.
• Scale is the measure of how large a spell is. It determines how many subjects it can affect, the size of the area encompassed and the size of the largest subject.
• Range is how far the spell can be cast. Range cannot be changed by altering spell factors, but the mage may cast a touch range spell then throw or fire it at a target, this requires an Aimed Spell roll.
• Casting time is how long it takes to cast the spell. Casting time cannot be shortened by altering spell factors, but it can be extended to gain bonus dice – each full interval of casting time grants a die, to a max of +5.

Reach

Mages may reach to enhance their spells further and beyond the limitations of altering spell factors. This allows the casting of spells with greater potency at the risk of Paradox. A character has one free Reach per dot of the highest-rated Arcanum used in the spell that meets or exceeds the spell’s requirement. Eg. A mage with 3 dots in the Mind Arcanum gains 2 free Reaches when casting a spell that requires Mind 2. Every Reach beyond those risks Paradox.

Many spells include specific effects achievable with Reach. In addition, one Reach may:

• Allow the spell to be cast Instantly rather than as a Ritual
• Change the primary spell factor
• Move the spell from Standard to Advanced for Duration, Scale or Potency.
• If at Advanced Duration, allow the spell to reach indefinite Duration (cost: 1 Mana)
• Move the spell from touch/self to sensory range.
• If at sensory range, allow the spell to be cast via remote viewing.
• Cast a spell when the mage has no spell control slots remaining (+1 Reach per spell already over).

Aimed Spells

A mage can instead attempt to throw or fire the spell at the subject rather than touching them or using Reach to cast at Sensory range. The player rolls Gnosis + (highest of Athletics or Firearms) – subject’s Defence. Cover and range bands apply, an aimed spell’s ranges are 10x Gnosis/20x gnosis/40x Gnosis. Success means the spell hits the subject as intended. Aimed spell rolls happen after spellcasting and any Paradox rolls but are reflexive – they happen on the same turn as the spellcasting roll.

Some mages are able to hurl their aimed spells fast enough that the target’s Defence does not apply. This requires the Fast Spells merit (2 dots, requires Firearms 2 and Time 1).

Withstanding Magic

Unlike the abilities of other supernatural being, a Mage’s spells are not defended against by an Opposed roll or Resistance reducing the spellcasting roll. Instead, spells are Withstood. If a spell must overcome some aspect of its subject to take full effect, it will list a Withstand rating in its description. A subject may always choose not to Withstand a spell but they must consciously choose to do so as a reflexive action.

A spell’s Potency must exceed a target’s Withstand rating to have effect. Spells with multiple subjects apply their Potency against the Withstand rating of each individual subject, so may take effect against some but not others. If a spell has multiple Withstand ratings (eg. a Withstood spell being cast through Sympathetic ties), use the highest Withstand rating, +1 for each additional rating. Characters may only spend Willpower to increase a Resistance Attribute used for Withstanding if they are aware of a spell being cast upon them.

Direct damage spells are never Withstood.

Paradox

As a mage envisions her spells’ Imago and determines spell factors, she runs the risk of complicating her spell to the point of warping it into a Paradox. Once a spell’s factors have been determined but before the spell is actually cast, the Storyteller determines if a Paradox occurs.

Paradox dice are most commonly added to a Mage Reaching beyond her skill in the Arcanum of the spell, but are also due to Sleepers witnessing an obvious casting of magic or a mage casting a spell they have become inured to. A Mage can reduce the risk of Paradox by using a dedicated magical tool or by spending Mana. However, once a single Paradox die has been added to the Paradox dice pool the Storyteller must make a Paradox roll, even if other factors have reduced it to a chance die.

Before the Paradox dice pool is rolled, the mage must decide whether to contain the Paradox within her own soul or release it and home for the best. If she contains it, she will potentially suffer pain and injury – or worse effect – as the Abyss warps her being. If she does not contain it, she will be safer but the Paradox may warp her spell. Containing a Paradox is completely voluntary, and a Mage cannot be forced to do so.

Casting the Spell

Once all dice bonuses and penalties have been calculated, including from Paradox, the player rolls the spellcasting dice pool. A single success means the spell takes place. An exceptional success on spellcasting allows the Mage to regain one point of Willpower and chose from several further benefits, including boosting the primary spell factor by 1 step, gaining extra Reach, regaining all Mana spent on the spell or the spell ignoring all Withstand levels.

Yantras

Yantras are resonant symbols that enable a mage to form the Imago of a spell more easily through mnemonic aid and supernal semiotics. Each yantra grants a number of bonus dice to the mage’s spellcasting pool. After offsetting any penalties for spell factors, the maximum bonus from all Yantras combined cannot exceed +5 dice.

The number of Yantras a mage can use simultaneously is determined by their Gnosis. A Mage can draw upon one Yantra as a reflexive action when casting a spell. Each further Yantra extends the casting time of instant spells by one turn. The casting time of ritual spells is not affected by using multiple Yantras.

The following are the most common Yantras used by mages:

• Demesne: Most suited to ritual casting, a demesne is a prepared, sacred space that grants a 2-dice bonus.
• Environment: Casting in an appropriate location grants a 1-die bonus
• Supernal Verge: Mages whose Path matches the Realm touched by the verge can use a 2-die bonus.
• Concentration: Concentrating on a spell with a Duration greater than a turn provides a 2-die bonus. If the mage is injured or takes a non-reflexive action with the spell is active, it ends immediately.
• Mantras: If the mage has the High Speech merit, she can vocally intone her Imago for a 2-die-bonus. As it takes times to speak the words, she cannot use this Yantra reflexively, it always increases the casting time.
• Mudras: Using a Rote’s mudra adds the users rating in the encoded Skill to her dice pool. If the skill is one of her Order’s specialised Rote Skills, she adds an extra dice.
• Runes: The mage must inscribe runic High Speech on the subject of the spell. This takes time equal to the mage’s ritual interval, preventing its use with Instant spells, but grants a 2-dice bonus. If anything damages or disrupts the runes while the spell is active, it ends.
• Tools: Each magical tool used grants a 1-die bonus.
• Dedicated Tools: Dedicated magical tools reduce the Paradox dice pool by 2 and grant a 1-die bonus.
• Sympathy: Material sympathy (a piece of the target or a recent photograph) grants a 2-die bonus, representational sympathy (an old lock of hair or a photo as a child) grant a 1-die bonus, symbolic sympathy (the target’s sympathetic name, drawings of them, or posed photographs) grant no bonus. A sympathetic yantra must be used to use the Sympathetic Range or Temporal Sympathy attainments.
• Sacrament: A magical tool symbolic of the spell itself, this grants a 1-die bonus. If the mage had to spend significant effort to find or make the right component, the bonus increases to 2-die, or 3-die if the item comes from somewhere other than the material realm.
• Persona: Calling on the symbolism of the mage’s Shadow Name and their Cabal, this grants bonuses based on the Shadow Name and Cabal Theme Merits (between 1-die and 4-dice total).
• Cleansing: If more than ritual interval spent cleansing, grants a 2-die bonus, otherwise only 1 single die. When summoning a Supernal entity, subtract three successes from the total required.
• Investiture: Calling on the symbolism of an organisation or secret society, grants bonus dice equal to one-half the mage’s dots in the chosen Status or Mystery Cult Initiate Merit (rounded up).
• Oath-breaking: If the Mage has gained at least one Mana from an Obligation, she may choose to break her vow to make her spellcasting roll twice and choose the better result. Doing so incurs all penalties for breaking an Obligation through mystical means.

Praxes

Through dedicated practice or repetitive use, a mage may develop a Praxis. Praxes are spell Imagos the mage has gained special insight into, learning the symbol by heart. She is more adept at casting these spells and they shape her growing Gnosis.

When casting a Praxis spell, the mage gains an exceptional success on three successes rather than five. Praxes do not require a point of Mana to cast from Inferior or Common Arcana, though other Mana costs still apply

A Mage gains one free Praxis for every dot of Gnosis and may purchase more for one Arcane Experience each.

Rotes

Rotes are codified Imagos developed by masters and passed down through all the Orders of magic. Orders teach Rotes to their members using a set of mnemonic techniques – mudras – to compress, memorise, recall and cast the spell as quickly and effectively as improvised magic. When casting a Rote from memory, using an Order’s recall technique, the character may use dots in the associated skill as a Yantra. They must be free to make the mnemonic gestures to recall the Rote to benefit from the Yantra.

The caster of the Rote is considered to have five dots in the highest Arcanum used for purposes of how much free Reach she has. In addition, the Signature Nimbus of the caster is indistinct, hiding the caster’s identity unless another mage fully Scrutizes the spell. Rotes do not require a point of Mana to cast from Inferior or Common Arcana, but other Mana costs still apply.

The skill associated with a Rote is linked to the magical traditions and techniques of its creators and the Order that teaches it, but time and experience may cause that skill association to change. This may happen when as a character grows and changes their magical style, or it may be done deliberately if the character has at least three dots in the associated Arcanum.

The benefits of Rotes do not stack with Praxes, the caster must choose which they use when casting. Rotes may be purchased for one Experience each.