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Gralamin
2007-09-13, 06:12 PM
My gaming group recently purchased Mage the Awakening (MtA) and World of Darkness (nWoD). We have no previous experience with this system. Since them, I've been attempting to figure out of how this system works.

The purpose of this thread is an on going questionnaire about the things we don't understand. I'll keep the questions updated here, in this post, with answers, and keep bumping the thread whenever a new question appears, posting the question in the newest post, and here.

Questions posted on 9/13/2007:
1. Are their any good internet tutorials you can recommend for nWoD or MtA?
Pore over the book and this (http://wiki.white-wolf.com/worldofdarkness/index.php/Mage:_The_Awakening)
2. What is the purpose of Rote specialties? Do they do anything?
If a rote has a rote specialty skill in the dice pool, improve the pool by 1.
2a. So If Subterfuge is a rote skill, and something has a Dice pool of Manipulation + Subterfuge + Death, you get +1?
3. If a sample rote lists an order, can a mage of another order take it?
Yes
4. How do Mage's acquire Magical tools? Do they start with them? If so, How many do they start with?
There is a extended roll to make a dedicated magical tool, which is useful for mitigating paradox. There is very little reason not to be able to come in with one, unless you are in a prelude game. It is worth noting that multiple dedicated magical tools do NOT stack, so while you can have multiple tools, this is only rarely useful.

5. Does Electrocution Damage mean roll that many dice, or does it just deal that much damage?
That much Dice

Questions posted on 9/14/2007:
6. How much experience should be given per adventure? If their is no guidelines, then how much do you usually use?
1 to 5 per session, depending how they act, and 1 arcane experience

tainsouvra
2007-09-13, 07:02 PM
Tried this site (http://wiki.white-wolf.com/worldofdarkness/index.php/Mage:_The_Ascension) already? Might help you get your feet under you.

Gralamin
2007-09-13, 07:07 PM
Tried this site (http://wiki.white-wolf.com/worldofdarkness/index.php/Mage:_The_Ascension) already? Might help you get your feet under you.

I meant more of the lines of this (http://wiki.white-wolf.com/worldofdarkness/index.php/Mage:_The_Awakening)
Ascension is the older version.

Edit: Doesn't seem to have much.

tainsouvra
2007-09-13, 07:13 PM
My mistake on the link, yeah. I meant the wiki in general, though, it includes a lot of nWoD stuff there. In any case, had you already checked it out or do you need more information than is printed there? :smallsmile:

Edit: don't just follow the links in the article, you can search for more on the site.

Gralamin
2007-09-13, 07:15 PM
My mistake on the link, yeah. I meant the wiki in general, though, it includes a lot of nWoD stuff there. In any case, had you already checked it out or do you need more information than is printed there? :smallsmile:

Edit: don't just follow the links in the article, you can search for more on the site.

Okay, I'll keep looking, thanks though. yes its new to me. If I find stuff on it, I'll cross it out, otherwise, Its still needed.

tainsouvra
2007-09-13, 07:18 PM
I had mainly meant that for #1, if you find anything else that's just gravy :smallsmile:

Gralamin
2007-09-13, 07:23 PM
I had mainly meant that for #1, if you find anything else that's just gravy :smallsmile:

Well its defiantly interesting. I am unable to currently find any answers to my questions however. I guess that should count as an answer to 1.

tainsouvra
2007-09-13, 08:55 PM
I have only a basic familiarity with Mage: The Awakening (I knew of that wiki from its Exalted equivalent), but I've played some World of Darkness and I think my search-fu is with me today, so here's a stab at some other questions...these answers are primarily from the White Wolf site and probably correct, but I can't verify them personally:

#2: What is the purpose of Rote specialties? Do they do anything?
If you cast a rote which uses your Rote Speciality, the dice pool for the spell gets an extra die.

#3: If a sample rote lists an order, can a mage of another order take it?
(page 131) Rotes are not exclusive to any single order; most orders have their own versions of known spells.
Basically, that means each order should have a version of the sample rote, although it might be different in fluff.

#4: How do Mage's acquire Magical tools? Do they start with them? If so, How many do they start with?
I believe you could get them practically anywhere, so long as it is appropriate to the casting, so I don't see why you wouldn't start with a couple. What matters is if you have dedicated them or not. Dedicated tools persist through a casting, non-dedicated are destroyed in the casting.

Gralamin
2007-09-13, 10:19 PM
Thanks, those sound about right.

2a. So If Subterfuge is a rote skill, and something has a Dice pool of Manipulation + Subterfuge + Death, you get +1?

Skjaldbakka
2007-09-13, 10:47 PM
Questions posted on 9/13/2007:
1. Are their any good internet tutorials you can recommend for nWoD or MtA?
2. What is the purpose of Rote specialties? Do they do anything?
3. If a sample rote lists an order, can a mage of another order take it?
4. How do Mage's acquire Magical tools? Do they start with them? If so, How many do they start with?

While these questions have nominally been answered all ready, I feel I should make some clarifications, as a somewhat seasoned M:tA player.

1) No idea. Your best bet is to pore over the book, honestly. There are some rather complex processes involved in modifying spells that are an important part of a Mage's strengths. Particularly important is extended casting.

2) As stated earlier, a rote specialty gives you a bonus to casting a spell that you have learned as a rote, provided that you learned the rote from your Covenant (or made it yourself, which requires a level 5 Arcanum).

3)The intention of the listed rotes was that any mage could take any rote in the Mage book, regardless of covenant. If you are planning to play in a Camarilla game, however, this is not the case. In the Cam, your 'free' six dots of rotes can be from any order, but rotes you buy with XP at character creation must be listed as belonging to that order. Rotes bought with CP during play (both in the Cam, and in a normal game) have to be learned in-game.

4)There is a extended roll to make a dedicated magical tool, which is useful for mitigating paradox. There is very little reason not to be able to come in with one, unless you are in a prelude game. It is worth noting that multiple dedicated magical tools do NOT stack, so while you can have multiple tools, this is only rarely useful.

EDIt- there is no such thing as a non-dedicated magical tool. Life can use fresh flowers or fresh blood to gain the same effect as using a dedicated magical tool, but there is no benefit from using an item to cast a spell unless it has been made into a dedicated magical tool.

tainsouvra
2007-09-14, 12:06 AM
EDIt- there is no such thing as a non-dedicated magical tool. Life can use fresh flowers or fresh blood to gain the same effect as using a dedicated magical tool, but there is no benefit from using an item to cast a spell unless it has been made into a dedicated magical tool. The Mage: The Awakening Errata (http://wiki.white-wolf.com/worldofdarkness/index.php/Mage:_The_Awakening_Core_(Errata)#Magical_Tools) disagrees with you. That was my source for my earlier statement, and the source for that particular line of errata is one of the developers for the game on the Developer's Mage Errata Thread (http://forums.white-wolf.com/viewtopic.php?t=28749) on the White Wolf forums.

Q: Could there possibly be examples of Magical Tools that don't require dedication in other categories besides Life tools?

A: Yes, as long as they are temporary or get broken/used up during casting.

Gralamin
2007-09-14, 12:10 AM
Alright. Another Question.
6. Does Electrocution Damage mean roll that many dice, or does it just deal that much damage?

(I'm eyeing Obrimos currently)

Skjaldbakka
2007-09-14, 02:28 AM
Q: Could there possibly be examples of Magical Tools that don't require dedication in other categories besides Life tools?

A: Yes, as long as they are temporary or get broken/used up during casting.

You have a point, but since the errata doesn't give any examples of such, it is completely up to you to convince the storyteller that it makes sense.

6: Forces is your fast route to dealing damage with magic, but you will do better damage by carrying a lighter and using the various fire-influencing spells. While the influence electricty spell requries less forces to pull off, it is harder to carry a respectable source of electricity around with you.

If you are wanting to be a damage dealing montrosity, you shouldn't be playing Mage, you should be playing Werewolf. Mage is more of a game of careful planning. With the possible exception of Acanthus, a mage needs a plan to win. Which means your first priority as a mage should be an escape power, so that you can come back later with a plan to deal with whatever it was that you weren't prepared for at all.

That being said, the combat monster in mage is the Life/Matter/Fate focused mage (likely Thyrsus). Life to augment your physical stats, and to pump you initiative into the stratosphere with Body Control, Matter to enhance whatever you are attacking with, and then Fate to get arbitrary re-rolls.

I am still an advocate of a Spirits focused Mage.

"You will find that the Spirit Arcanum is not a path to power. Students of the other arcanum grow progressively more powerful as they improve their mastery of their arcanum. A student of the Spirit arcanum instead attracts the attention of more powerful beings as he improves his mastery of his arcanum, not all of them benevolent."

-Kithckinet, Master of Spirits (my Camarilla character)

Edit- and yes, it means roll that many dice- electricity is also bashing.
until you call down lightning bolts, or throw lightning from your hand, which are attack spells, which can deal Agg.

Kurald Galain
2007-09-14, 08:27 AM
While the influence electricty spell requries less forces to pull off, it is harder to carry a respectable source of electricity around with you.

How about a taser?

NamelessArchon
2007-09-14, 08:52 AM
How about a taser?Which can have the additional benefit of being coincidental, if you actually apply the taser as part of dealing large quantities of electrical damage. Subject to GM fiat, of course, but people might not be able to immediately recognize the difference between "stunned into unconsciousness" and "internal organs cooked by a malfunctioning taser". Your mileage may vary, of course. :smallbiggrin:

Krrth
2007-09-14, 09:00 AM
Doesn't work that way anymore. The taser doesn't make the spell any more or less coincidental. That's a function of the rote you use. Now, if you were an adamantine arrow, you might be able to dedicate that taser, and mitigate any paradox for a vulger rote, but that is about as close as I can think of.

NamelessArchon
2007-09-14, 09:09 AM
Doesn't work that way anymore. The taser doesn't make the spell any more or less coincidental. That's a function of the rote you use. Now, if you were an adamantine arrow, you might be able to dedicate that taser, and mitigate any paradox for a vulger rote, but that is about as close as I can think of.Ack! New WoD rules! Sorry, was thinking of my older Ascension rules. I'll be heading over /there/ now.

Krrth
2007-09-14, 09:24 AM
It's all good. If you can get used to the changes, the nwod rules aren't all that bad. Although, you can get some *really* wierd effects from rotes. Like combining a shotgun and uzi, and getting a gun that fires shells on full auto. Or ripping someone's soul out and eating it.

Gralamin
2007-09-14, 05:15 PM
Doesn't work that way anymore. The taser doesn't make the spell any more or less coincidental. That's a function of the rote you use. Now, if you were an adamantine arrow, you might be able to dedicate that taser, and mitigate any paradox for a vulger rote, but that is about as close as I can think of.

a Taser is listed as an Arcanum tool for forces.


Thanks to all for the help so far. Here's another one:

6. How much experience should be given per adventure? If their is no guidelines, then how much do you usually use?

edit: oops jumped a number in questions. This should be 6!

tainsouvra
2007-09-14, 05:23 PM
6. How much experience should be given per adventure? If their is no guidelines, then how much do you usually use? If it's the same as previous games, the guideline is 4 per session plus possibly an extra for various things. Note that's per play session, not per adventure completed. I can't check that for the new Mage at the moment, although if you don't get a more definitive answer, I might be able to later.

Gralamin
2007-09-14, 05:27 PM
Ah found it.

1 to 5 per session, depending how they act, and 1 arcane experience

Skjaldbakka
2007-09-14, 08:53 PM
Like combining a shotgun and uzi, and getting a gun that fires shells on full auto. Or ripping someone's soul out and eating it.

You could likely pull off something similar in Ascension. Heck, in the Masquerade Larp that I was in, a Tremere called in a favor from a mage ally, and got the use of a magical floating weapons platform that spit silver rounds.

*sigh* not a high point of my Larping experience.

captain_decadence
2007-09-14, 09:10 PM
You could likely pull off something similar in Ascension. Heck, in the Masquerade Larp that I was in, a Tremere called in a favor from a mage ally, and got the use of a magical floating weapons platform that spit silver rounds.

*sigh* not a high point of my Larping experience.

Um, that mage would die. He would be ripped apart because the universe hates him and his attempts to kick it around.

Just read the books a few times, Mage isn't that complicated if you read it slowly and carefully, making sure to refer to the normal World of Darkness book as much as possible.

Skjaldbakka
2007-09-14, 09:15 PM
I have no intention of trying to figure out old Mage, now that I have a pretty solid mastery of new Mage.

The storyteller of aforementioned game was an idiot with no spine, but it was my first Larp experience, and most of the players were solid, which is what got me hooked. It is just that whenever the storyteller would walk in, there would be a collective groan as our beautiful roleplaying was destroyed by the 10 o'clock monster and the heavy-handed plot.