Alternate Class:
Envoy, Chosen, Sorcerer
Class Abilities:
Arcane Manifestation,
Arcane Power,
Arcane Memory,
Arcane Manipulation,
Arcane Inference
Class Traits:
Alchemist,
Elementalist,
Exemplar,
Hedgewit,
Spellscribe,
Unorthodox Casting,
Untethered
Arcane Archetype
Alchemist
Elementalist
Exemplar
Hedgewit
Spellscribe
Cephalist
The Mage is explores and exploits the arcane energies of the Shroud, an ancient source of power which seems inexplicably connected to the world of Geron. Through the use of secretive rituals passed down through the ages, the Mage can channel this energy, allowing the Mage to bend reality through sheer will alone. Unfortunately the use of this magic is not without consequence. Much of what a Mage does exposes that Mage to powerful forces of mental and physical duress which will eventually take a terrible toll on the Mage's body and mind.
Choosing a School or Deity
Mages must select a School or Domain. Both require some level of commitment from the Mage and both alter what kind of transformations may ultimately affect the mage. When choosing a deity, beware that the Mage becomes an
Envoy and is subject to special rules pertaining to the Mage's relationship with whatever he owes his power to. Each Domain and each School has its own list of spells which form the basis of the Mage's abilities. The nine Schools are as follows:
Abjuration,
Alteration,
Animation,
Conjuration, Divination,
Invocation,
Transformation,
Prevarication,
Translocation and the
Universal school that combines elements of the other 9.
The list of possible domains which the Envoy variant can select is based on the god they worship.
Understanding Marks
Though many attempt to avoid the Shroud and it's powerful energies, Mages channel the Shroud's powers. Doing so causes various physical and mental changes known as 'Marks'. Each School, Deity and Domain comes with its own varieties of the Mark, and these Marks all have substantial physiological or mental effects based on how many skill points are invested into Mage class skills. Marks can have a considerable impact on how the Mage is viewed by society. It's typical for Mages to seek to hide the Mark, sometimes through the use of clothes like masks, hoods and robes, and otherwise through the use of magic itself.
Any time a Mage spends a skillpoint on a class skill, a point must be added to a Mark associated with a selected school or domain. Marks usually have multiple Signs. You must select which Sign your Mark point will go into.
Choosing an Arcane Trait
All Mages may choose a class trait as part of their
Arcane Power ability. This trait gets ranks every time a point is put into Arcane Power. Arcane traits can have a considerable impact on how the mage obtains the resources to cast spells. Those looking for a classic experience may prefer a Mage with the
Spellscribe trait.
Choosing Equipment for the Mage
Just as other classes have equipment associated with their profession, Mages have tools of the trade called
Conduits. Conduits are items used for the purpose of channeling magic. They are essentially the equivalent to weapons, armor and equipment other classes might use, but take the form of grimiores, staffs, wands, cloaks, masks and ceremonial daggers. That doesn't mean Mages can't use weapons and armor, Conduits just happen to be more specifically useful to them.
Distrust and Apprehension
Mages are incredibly powerful compared to most of the residents of the bastions and are vital to keeping the magic of the Shroud at bay. Since much of the arcane power that fuels the bastions often comes from
Immortal Contribution, the general public fear mages and will avoid interacting with them as much as possible. Many people fear having children who show signs of magical aptitude lest they be taken away to the College, and the @Solestrian cults oppose the Grand Accord's use of magic on a religious level.
Class Abilities
Arcane Power
Wager: Willpower / Invocation / Arcane Power
This represent's the Mage's ability to overcome reality or the will of others and cause an arcane spell to materialize. A spell's penetration is equal to Arcane Power.
When a Mage casts a spell on a target, the 'strength' of that spell is based on Arcane Power. As a result, Arcane Power is a must for those Mages who are willing to sacrifice breadth, variety or frequency of magic for the sake of potency. Arcane Power is very useful for defeating the defenses of stubborn or magically protected targets. Those looking to play their Mage as a magical assassin or battlemage will want to invest points here. As a long-term investment, Arcane Power allows Mages to bypass part or all of an object's hardness. This allows a Mage to cast spells on inanimate objects at a significantly lower cost than normal, opening up interesting new options for spell targets.
Adept: Targets without a Willpower stat are treated as having half their normal hardness for the purpose of determining spell effectiveness.
Master: Targets without a Willpower stat are treated as having no hardness for the purpose of determining spell effectiveness.
Arcane Memory
Arcane Manipulation
Arcane Inference
Arcane Manifestation
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