Class: Mage

Playing a Mage

Mages exercise their affinity for magic primarily through the use of Spell abilities. In order to use (cast) most Spells, a Mage must first be attuned to magic, which can be accomplished with the ◕ Attune maneuver. While attuned, a Mage can use each of their known Spells only once. In order to use any given Spell a second time, the Mage must ◕ Attune again. The only exception to this rule are Cantrips, which are Spells that ignore this restriction.

Mages must be cautious to not ◕ Attune too frequently, because doing so always comes with the risk of gaining Fatigue, which is difficult to remove and pushes the character closer to becoming exhausted.

One common strategy for Mage characters is to ◕ Attune before embarking on an adventure or mission, then use Cantrips such as ◕ Arcane Bolt throughout the adventure whenever the need arises. When an especially dire or complex obstacle is presented, the Mage might use one or more of their non-Cantrip Spells. When the Mage has run out of these non-Cantrip spells, they may wish to ◕ Attune again, thus regaining use of all their spent Spells.

Many particularly powerful Spells also have the De-Attune trait, which causes the Mage to no longer be attuned after the Spell is resolved. A Mage might save a De-Attune ability to use once all their other Spell options have been depleted in order to make the most efficient use of their attunement.

Mage Features

Class Trait. You gain the Mage trait.

Class Skills. You gain 2 skill boosts to Discipline and 4 skill boosts that you can apply across any mental or physical skills. You cannot increase a skill above apprentice (d8) in this way.

Subclass. Choose Graviturge, Neuroshaper, or Voltaist and gain the associated features.

Starting Abilities. You gain the ◕ Attune and ◕ Arcane Bolt abilities, and 1 other Mage ability of your choice for which you meet the prerequisites.

Equipment. You gain a Magic item that you can use to ◕ Attune to magic. It can take any form you wish, but it cannot be a Weapon, Consumable, or other item with a mechanical benefit. For example, it could be an earring, a crystal, a book, or an amulet. This item has no other magical effects or capabilities. Note that any item with the Magic trait can be used with the ◕ Attune ability, so you can use other Magic items you acquire for this purpose as well.

Graviturge

You gain the Kinetic Magic ability and 2 Kinetic Spell abilities of your choice for which you meet the prerequisites. Many Graviturges develop a paranoia of being watched, an obsession with drawing mazes, or a dangerous passion for heights.

Neuroshaper

You gain the Cognitive Magic ability and 2 Cognitive Spell abilities of your choice for which you meet the prerequisites. Mages with this specialization sometimes hallucinate or lose their sense of personal identity.

Voltaist

You gain the Elemental Magic ability and 2 Elemental Spell abilities of your choice for which you meet the prerequisites. Voltaists are known to suffer from explosive bouts of anger and periods of depression, often one after the other.

Spell (trait)

Spells are magical effects that are cast by those with magical talent.

An ability with the Spell trait requires the user be attuned in order to cast it.
Spells that don't have the Cantrip trait can only be cast by a character once per attunement. If a character wishes to use the same Spell a second time, they must become attuned again.
Spells require the user to gesticulate and produce some kind of obviously magical sound (chanting, echoes from another dimension, supernatural buzzing, etc.). Spells often produce a visual glowing for a brief period. These factors typically cause Spell effects to be easily noticed by observers within 10 spaces, or possibly noticed by observers within 20 spaces unless they're distracted.

Subtle (trait)

An ability with the Subtle trait is not particularly noticeable when it is used. If the ability also has the Spell trait, no gesticulation or sounds are required.

Augment

Some abilities and effects allow you to increase the efficacy with an Augment effect. Using an Augment effect is optional, and often comes with an additional cost. You cannot apply more than one Augment effect to an ability when you use it.

Arcane scholars believe the mage's use of the word "attune" is intentional, as it said that one must shape their mind and thoughts to a kind of frequency, so to speak, in order to use magic.

Taxing

Requirement: You must be carrying, holding, or wearing a Magic item.

Take 1 Fatigue unless it is your first time using this ability since you last finished a ⧗ Rest. You become attuned using the chosen Magic item and may immediately use a Cantrip maneuver or action.

Attuned (status effect). While attuned, you can use your Mage Spell abilities, but you cannot use any of your non-Cantrip Mage Spell abilities more than once until you become attuned again.

You lose the attuned status effect when any of the following occurs:

You become exhausted, unconscious, or dying.
The Magic item you used to ◕ Attune leaves your space.
You use a De-Attune ability.

One of a mage's first tricks is learning to hurl raw arcane force at their foes. Unexpected uses of this ability are often the first indicator that one has magical potential.

Spell Cantrip Attack Ranged 5

Roll Finesse against a target within this Attack's maximum range (creatures use Might or Reflex to ⨭Defend against Attack effects). Take -1 edge for every additional range increment beyond the first between you and the target.

If you use an action to use this ability, you may select up to three targets instead of one. If you do, it gains the De-Attune trait.

Success. The target takes 1 unblockable Damage.

Mage Advancement

At higher levels, Mages gain access to more Spells and magical capabilities, potentially branching out into other avenues of magic entirely.

In addition to the normal benefits provided at each character level beyond 1st, you gain the listed class features at the indicated levels. All ability selections provided by this class must be Mage abilities unless otherwise specified. If an ability has prerequisites, you may take that ability if you meet those prerequisites at the same time you would gain that ability.

Levels 2, 5, and 8. You gain 1 non-Spell ability and 1 Spell ability.

Levels 3, 6, and 9. You gain 1 Ritual Spell ability and 1 Spell ability.

Levels 4, 7, and 10. You gain 2 Spell abilities.

Level 1 Mage Abilities

"Your minds are open to me, though you don't know it."

While attuned, you can use a maneuver to create a minor Cognitive Magic effect within 10 spaces, such as sending a telepathic message to a creature or committing a scene or image to memory. Creatures receiving a telepathic message in this way gain no special ability to understand your words if they are unable, and they cannot respond in kind.

Additionally, when you use ◕ Arcane Bolt, you can use the following boon:

⛊ Confuse (17-20; Augment; Cognitive). The target takes 1 unblockable Stress. Then, if they are exhausted, they are also confused until the start of your next turn.

The elements are yours to command.

While attuned, you can use a maneuver to create minor Elemental Magic effect within 10 spaces, such as lighting or dousing a small flame, summoning a gust of wind, raising or lowering a small object's temperature, or creating patterns of frost within 10 spaces.

Additionally, when you use ◕ Arcane Bolt, you can use the following boon:

⛊ [Combust/Freeze] (17-20; Augment; Elemental). This Attack gains the [Fire/Cold] trait and the target becomes [burning/slowed until the end of your next turn].

Spacetime is an illusion, and one you can exploit.

While attuned, you can use a maneuver to create a minor Kinetic Magic effect within 10 spaces, such as causing a small object to levitate and move at your command, opening or closing a simple door or small container, or tapping a creature.

Additionally, when you use ◕ Arcane Bolt, you can use the following boon:

⛊ Kinetic Blast (17-20; Augment; Kinetic). The target is pushed 2 spaces in a direction of your choice and falls prone.

Bracketed Effects

Some rules include [bracketed] text with two or more terms separated by slashes within the brackets. Such abilities and effects do different things depending on which bracketed option is chosen. Effects with bracketed text will usually specify how the bracketed options are determined. Otherwise, the user decides which option will be used.

Bracketed options are ordered in each instance. Once the ordered placement of a bracketed rule has been selected, all other instances of bracketed rules text must use the same order, and all other bracketed options are ignored for the duration of the effect.

For example, the Elemental Magic ability allows the Mage character to use the ⛊ [Combust/Freeze] boon. When the Mage uses this boon, they must select either Combust or Freeze. If Combust is selected, then every other instance of braceketed rules in that effect must also use the first of the two bracketed options. In this case, the effect gains the Fire trait (rather than the Cold trait), and afflicts the target with burning (rather than slowed until the end of your next turn).

Electricity surges from your fingertips.

Spell Cantrip Elemental Attack
Lightning Taxing

Take 1 Stress. Roll Discipline against a target within 5 spaces and up to 1 additional target within 3 spaces of the first target.

Success. The target takes 1 unblockable Damage.

Failure: The target takes 1 unblockable Stress.

⛊ Chain Attack (17-20). Target another creature within 3 Spaces of one of the previous targets that hasn't already been targeted by this ability.

Elemental energy erupts from your allies' weapons.

Spell Elemental

Target up to 5 Weapons within 3 spaces that are either unattended or carried by willing creatures. You cannot target a Weapon of 3 Burden or greater with this effect.

Each of the targeted Weapons gains the [Fire/Cold/Lightning] trait and gains the ⛊ Surge (18-20) boon. Once a Weapon deals Damage with this boon or is ever more than 20 spaces away from you, this Spell's effect ends on it. The Spell's effect also ends on all targeted Weapons when you are no longer attuned.

⛊ Surge (18-20). The target takes 1 Damage.

Sudden and extreme changes in temperature in a localized area can have devastating results.

Spell De-Attune Elemental Attack

An explosion erupts in a Radius 1 area within 10 spaces. Choose [Fireball/Coldsnap]. This ability gains the [Fire/Cold] trait.

Roll Discipline, targeting all creatures within the area.

Success. Each target you succeed against takes unblockable Damage equal to your result divided by 3 (minimum 1) and is [burning/slowed until the end of your next turn].

Failure. Each target you fail against takes unblockable Stress equal to your result divided by 3 (minimum 1).

⛊ Expand Area (19-20). The area value (Radius, Arc, or Line) of this effect increases by 1, or by 2 if it is a Line. If the effect has no area value, give it Radius 1, Arc 2, or Line 4.

You summon an invisible ward to deflect an incoming attack.

Spell Cantrip Kinetic Taxing

Trigger. You or a creature you can see within 5 spaces would take 1 or more Damage from an Attack.

Take up to 2 Stress and block that much Damage from the triggering Attack.

At any time, any object could theoretically be in any place. You simply turn theory into reality.

Spell Kinetic Teleport

Choose yourself or a non-Large, adjacent creature or object. If you target a creature, they must be willing. The target teleports to an unoccupied Space within 10 spaces of yourself that you can see or to which you have line of effect.

Augment (De-Attune). You can target up to 5 eligible creatures instead of 1, choosing a different space within range for each target.

Augment. The target can be non-willing. Roll Discipline against the target's Reflex. On a failure, the target is unaffected and instead takes 1 Stress.

You bind your enemies to earth, crushing them under their own weight.

Spell De-Attune Kinetic Attack

You increase the effects of gravity in a Radius 2 area within 10 spaces. The height of this area is a cylinder, and is 20 spaces tall.

Roll Discipline, targeting all creatures within the area. All creatures in the affected area are encumbered until the end of your next turn. Creatures in midair fall a number of spaces depending on whether the roll succeeds or fails against them. A creature that falls in this way cannot use any instants in response to this forced movement except for ⨭Absorb Fall.

Success. The target takes 2 unblockable Damage, falls 20 spaces, and falls prone.

Failure. The target takes 2 unblockable Stress and falls 5 spaces.

Spell Cantrip Cognitive Control Taxing

Take 1 Stress. Target a Person or Beast within 5 spaces and roll Discipline (creatures use Discipline to ⨭Focus against Control effects).

Success. The target must choose one:

Take 2 Stress (Taxing).
Become confused for 1 minute or until they take Damage or Blight, whichever comes first.
Drop all held items and fall prone.

Note: This ability has the Control trait, meaning you can use the basic Control boons when you use it.

Control—⛊ Muddle (16-20). On a success, remove one of the “Success” choices available to the target(s) (if any).

Control—⛊ Mass Control (18-20). Target up to two additional creatures within range.

Spell Cognitive Control Subtle

Target a Person or Beast within 5 spaces and roll Discipline (creatures use Discipline to ⨭Focus against Control effects).

Success. Choose one of the following:

The target divulges a secret they were trying to keep from you.
The target loses all memory from the last minute.
The target carries out the next suggestion made to them in the next minute, so long as doing so wouldn't put them in immediate danger.

The target doesn't immediately realize they were charmed, though they may grow suspicious upon later reflection, especially if they experience direct consequences as a result.

Failure. The target is aware you attempted to control their mind.

⛊ Extra Effect (17-20). On a success, choose an additional effect from those provided.

Note: This ability has the Control trait, meaning you can use the basic Control boons when you use it.

Control—⛊ Mass Control (18-20). Target up to two additional creatures within range.

Spell De-Attune Cognitive Augury

You cast out your mind in search of distant secrets, targeting a creature, item, or location that you know of. Roll Discipline against a difficulty based on your knowledge of, and familiarity with, the target. Roll with +2 edge if you're carrying an item with a strong association with the target.

Difficulty 2-4: Extremely familiar; spent several years in the target's presence.
Difficulty 5-7: Somewhat familiar; spent several weeks in the target's presence.
Difficulty 8-10: Not very familiar; spent several days in the target's presence.
Difficulty 11-12: Unfamiliar; spent several minutes in the target's presence.

Success. You experience a vision of the target in its current state, complete with sounds, smells, and other sensations. You learn the direction and approximate distance to the target.

Failure. You receive incomplete and vague information about the target in its current state. You may learn a few useful details, but without the full context required to understand them.

Level 2 Mage Abilities

While attuned, you can take 1 unpreventable Damage in order to use a Spell ability you've already used during your current attunement.

Additionally, when you use ◕ Arcane Bolt, you can use the following boon:

⛊ Share Torment (17-20; Augment; Blood). Take 1 unpreventable Damage. If you do, the target takes 1 unpreventable Blight and 1 unpreventable Fatigue.

While attuned, you can use a maneuver to create a minor Spectral Magic effect within 10 spaces, such as causing a skull's eyeholes to glow with dim light out to Radius 1, channeling mostly nonsensical whispers from the spirits of nearby dead people, or catching passing glimpses into a sleeping creature's dreams.

Additionally, when you use ◕ Arcane Bolt, you can use the following boon:

⛊ Debilitate (17-20; Augment; Spectral). The target removes 1 Damage. Then, if they did, they take 2 unpreventable Blight.

While attuned, you can use a maneuver to create a minor Verdant Magic effect within 10 spaces, such as healing a minor scratch, causing a flower to bloom, or changing a small plant's growth pattern.

Additionally, when you use ◕ Arcane Bolt, you can use the following boon:

⛊ Tanglevine (17-20; Augment; Verdant). The target becomes grappled by grasping vines in their space that have Escape difficulty 4 and 1 Vitality.

Spell Blood

Prerequisite: Blood Magic

Trigger: A Person or Beast within 10 spaces is defeated and killed.

You remove up to 4 Damage, then take 1 Blight.

Spell Spectral Summon

Prerequisite: Spectral Magic

You create a ♟Shadow minion in an unoccupied space within 5. They act on your turn (including this one) and obey your mental commands to the best of their ability.

The Shadow vanishes if they are defeated, if they are ever more than 20 spaces away from you, if you are no longer attuned, or if you use this ability again.

Horror Mindless Dreadful Inorganic

Vitality 1 ◯; Stamina 1 ◯; Speed 3 (flying)

Physical skills Mental skills
Finesse d6 Discipline d6
Might — Guile d6
Reflex d8 Presence d8

Intangible. This creature automatically fails all Might rolls, cannot hold or manipulate items or creatures, and cannot be grappled or prone.

◕ Drain Life—Presence (d8). All non-Horror creatures within 2 spaces must ⨭Resist, taking 1 Blight on a failure and 1 Stress on a success.

Spell Verdant Healing

Prerequisite: Verdant Magic

Roll Discipline and target a willing, adjacent creature. The target removes Damage equal to half the result (rounded down).

⛊ Inspire (17-20). The target removes 1 Stress.

⛊ Nurse (19-20). Choose an Injury or Disease affliction the target has and add 1 Point to their recovery progress track for it.

Spell Blood

Prerequisite: Blood Magic

Spell Spectral

Prerequisite: Spectral Magic

Spell Verdant

Prerequisite: Spectral Magic

Level 3 Mage Abilities

Spell Ritual Elemental

Spell Ritual Cognitive

Spell Ritual Kinetic

Spell Ritual Blood

Spell Ritual Spectral

Spell Ritual Verdant

Level 6 Mage Abilities

Spell Ritual Elemental

You channel elemental energy to manipulate the weather in a limited area. Roll Discipline and choose a weather option based on the result. The weather in your zone changes to match the chosen option for one day. You can choose to make the weather change occur only in the zone(s) you used this ability, or have the weather change follow you for the duration.

1. No effect.
2-4. Clear away or produce light wind and/or precipitation.
5-7. Clear away or summon heavy wind and/or precipitation.
8-10. Clear away or summon a lightning storm or blizzard.
11-12. Clear away or summon a hurricane or extreme blizzard.

The GM decides what impact weather has on the game, but some examples of changing the weather to rain might include muddying tracks, helping crops grow, slowing down armies, etc., while clearing away rainclouds would do the opposite of these.

⛊ Extend Duration (18-20). Multiply the duration of this effect by 3.

⛊ Expand Area (19-20). The area value (Radius, Arc, or Line) of this effect increases by 1, or by 2 if it is a Line. If the effect has no area value, give it Radius 1, Arc 2, or Line 4.