SPELLCaSTIMG QuICK REFErENCE

Gnosis 1 2 3 4 5 6 Attribute/Skill/Arcana Max Mana / Score Maximum Max Mana per

Turn 5 10/1 5 11/2 5 12/3 5 13/4 5 14/5 6 15/6 Base Paradox Dice Pool 1 1 2 2 3
3 Extended Casting Time per Roll 3 hours 3 hours 1 hour 1 hour 30 min. 30 min. M
aximum # of Spell in Combined Casting 1 1 2 2 2 3 Max Number of Active Spells 4
5 6 7 8 9

Mage Sight Spells

Death: Fate: Forces: Life: Matter: Mind: Prime: Space: Spirit: Time: Grim Sight, p
. 134. The Sybils Sight, p. 149. Read Matrices, p. 163. Pulse of the Living World, p.
81. Dark Matter, p. 194. Third Eye, p. 206. Supernal Vision, p. 221. Spatial Awareness
p. 233. Second Sight, p. 246. Temporal Eddies, p. 258.
Conditional Modifiers for Spellcasting Spell Tolerance Willpower Point Atlantean
Runes Grappling High Speech
Effect
Caster may hold a number of spells cast on himself equal to his Stamina. He suff
ers a -1 penalty to casting dice pools for every spell that goes over this numbe
r.
Rote Casting
Relinquish Spell Casting a spell as a rote has several effects: You use your Att
ribute + Skill + Arcana, or Arcana + Gnosis, whichever is higher, as your dice p
ool. Spells cast as a rote have their Mana cost reduced by one, if applicable. G
auntlet Location Specialty dice gained from your Order apply when casting rotes.
Dense urban area Paradox die pools are reduced by 1 if applicable. Hands must b
e free to perform rote mudras. (Pg. 125) City suburbs and towns
Add +3 to any casting dice pool. When inscribed into the target of a transitory
or prolonged spell, the Duration is automatically increased by +1. See page 119.
See Mage pg. 111 Mage may spend one round chanting in High Speech. He gains a +
2 bonus on his casting dice pool in the next round. You may spend a Willpower po
int to tie off a spell. Strength 5 4 3 2 1 0 Dice Modifier -3 -2 +1 0 +1 n/a
Improvised Casting
When casting a spell as an improvised casting, you use your Arcanum + Gnosis as
your dice pool.
Small towns and villages Wilderness Loci Verge
Sympathetic Casting
To cast a sympathetic spell, the mage must have at least 2 dots in Space and a M
ana point must be spent. The stronger the connection between the mage and the ta
rget, the easier it is to include the target in the spells Imago. If the mage kno
ws little or nothing about the target, it is hard to perceive it in his minds eye
, making it difficult to build a sympathetic connection. This difficulty is repr
esented with dice penalties. Instead of penalizing a spell for the distance invo
lved (distance is an illusion), it is penalized for the vagueness of the connect
ion to the target. The less a mage knows about the subject, the higher the penal
ty the greater his sympathetic distance from the target. Dice Penalty Sympathetic
Connection Between Caster and Target* Sensory: You can see, hear or otherwise se
nse your target directly. This is the default factor, a sensory spell. (When try
ing to locate a target with hearing or smell, use the rules on pp. 166-167 of th
e World of Darkness Rulebook.) 2 Intimate: You have a piece of the targets physica
l substance, such as hair, nail clippings or blood from a creature, a leaf or fl
ower from a plant, or a sliver of material from an object. Or you know the targe
t very well, such as a longtime friend or close family member, a beloved pet or
a prized possession. 4 Known: You know the target, which might be a friend, co-wo

rker or personal possession. You have a photo or other accurate representation o

f the target, or you can see the target on live video or hear the target over li
ve audio. 6 Acquainted: Youre acquainted with the target. It might be a casual acq
uaintance, a co-worker you hardly know, or an item you held or used once. 8 Encou
ntered: You have encountered the target briefly, such as a person you passed on
the street or an item you touched once. 10 Described: You have never encountered
the target, but can describe it. You might know a persons name or physical descri
ption, or what an object or place looks like. Unknown: If you know nothing about
the target, you cannot cast a sympathetic spell on it. Knowing that there is a
rival mage in town is not enough to affect the mysterious figure from afar. You
must at least know his name, description or location. * If the caster does not k
now the real name of a target, the difficulty of achieving a sympathetic connect
ion is increased by two degrees on the chart. So, an Intimate connection would b
ecome an Acquainted connection.
Sympathetic Casting Drawbacks
It requires one Mana to cast a sympathetic spell. The mage loses his Defense whi
le casting. He is focused upon his target and is therefore less aware of his sur
roundings. A sympathetic spell is always vulgar, even if the spell is normally c
overt. (Hence, the target can use countermagic against it; see p. 122.) If the s
pell directly affects a targets Pattern, the mages dots in the spells highest Arcan
um must be one higher than normally required to cast the spell. The casting crea
tes a sympathetic conduit between caster and target, allowing the target to dire
ct spells against the caster even if he does not have Space 2 for as long as the
sympathetic spell lasts.

The Many Uses of Mana

Mana can be manipulated in a number of ways: An improvised spell, unless it uses
one of your primary arcana, costs a Mana point. A sympathetic spell costs a poi
nt of Mana. Spells with an exceptional level of power, that bend reality in cert
ain ways, may require a Mana point. This is left up to the Storyteller. Spells t
hat deal direct aggravated damage cost a point of Mana. The amount of Mana a mag
e can spend in one turn is determined by his Gnosis. If the spell he is attempti
ng to cast requires more Mana than he can spend in one turn, it must be cast as
a extended casting. (See page 120 for extended casting rules.) When casting a co
mbined spell, the mage must spend a Mana point to cast the spell unless he has a
level of mastery one greater than is required to cast the most potent of the sp
ells to be combined. A Mage can scour his own pattern to gain Mana. He reduces o
ne of his physical attributes by one point and gains three Mana points in return
. This attribute is restored in 24 hours, and cannot be restored magically. This
takes a full turn, during which the mage may only move his Speed rating. A scou
ring can be performed only once per 24 hours if the mage has a Gnosis score of 4
or less. At Gnosis 5-6, he can perform a pattern scourging twice in 24 hours. A
t Gnosis 7-8, he can perform a pattern scourging three times in 24 hours. At Gno
sis 9-10, he can perform a pattern scourging four times in 24 hours. Healing: A
Mage can restore his own pattern by infusing it with Mana. By spending three Man
a points, the Mage may heal one level of Bashing or Lethal damage. This takes a
full turn, or as long as it takes the mage to spend the necessary Mana, during w
hich the mage may only move his Speed rating. A pattern restoration can be perfo
rmed only once per 24 hours if the mage has a Gnosis score of 4 or less. At Gnos
is 5-6, he can perform a pattern restoration twice in 24 hours. At Gnosis 7-8, h
e can perform a pattern restoration three times in 24 hours. At Gnosis 9-10, he
can perform a pattern restoration four times in 24 hours. The player may spend a
point of Mana to reduce any Paradox dice pool being rolled against him by 1. Th
is is a reflexive action. Spending a point of Mana may allow a mage to counter a
n incoming vulgar spell. See Counterspell.
Combined Casting
Some spells may have two or more separate effects, effectively multiple spells c
ast as one. Unless the combined spell itself is specifically learned as a rote,
all combined spells are considered improvised castings. You cannot combine two r
otes. When casting a combined spell, the mage rolls the dice pool he would norma
lly roll for the most potent spell in the combination, with a -1 penalty for eve
ry spell after the first. When casting a combined spell, the mage must spend a M
ana point to cast the spell unless he has a level of mastery one greater than is
required to cast the most potent of the spells to be combined. One the dice hav
e been rolled, the mage must divide his successes, in any way he chooses, among
the separate spells, determining their effects separately. Learning a spell as a
rote costs a number of experience points equal to what it would cost to learn t
he most powerful of the combined spells +2.
Resistance Against Magic
Before dice are rolled for spellcasting, any resistance the target might have ag
ainst magic must be considered, as it could affect the dice pool and outcome of
the casting. Living creatures have a degree of innate resistance to magic; their
Patterns can sometimes resist change imposed from without. Consult the spells de
scription to see whether it allows the target some form of defense. There are tw
o types of innate protection against magic: contested resistance and automated resis
tance. Mages can also use countermagic to gain additional protection against spe
lls. See Countermagic, p. 122. The target can choose not to resist a spell, but he
must consciously choose to do so. Mind magic cannot be used to make a target le
t down his defenses. (Of course, the target might believe a mage casts a benefic
ial spell and so let down his defenses, but theres nothing to guarantee that the
mage wont then betray that trust with a malicious spell.)
Contested Resistance

Some spells allow a contested roll to be made for a target to avoid the magical
effects. This is a reflexive roll, made right after the roll for the spellcaster
. If successes equal or exceed those for the caster, the spell does not affect t
he target. The spell description lists which Resistance Attribute is rolled for
the target. Composure might be used to contest emotion-affecting spells and any
spell intended to confuse his perception. Resolve might be used to contest menta
l effects, such as mind control or anything that diminishes his volition. For sp
ells that affect him physically, such as a Death enervation spell, Stamina might
be used to contest. A mages Gnosis is added to such a contested dice pool, givin
g her more potent defense against magic than a Sleeper gets. Contested Roll: Res
istance Attribute + Gnosis If a target is aware that he is being magically attac
ked, a point of Willpower can be spent for a +3 dice bonus to his contesting dic
e pool. Roll Results Dramatic Failure: The target succumbs completely to the spe
ll. Its factors are the same, but their effects are more intense pain is more pa
inful, hypnosis more complete. At the Storytellers discretion, the target might l
ose his action in this turn or the next as he is completely distracted by the sp
ell. Failure: The spells effects are applied against the target. Success: If the
successes equal or exceed the casters successes, the spell does not affect the ta
rget (or if the spell is an extended casting, the caster does not accumulate suc
cesses this roll). Extraordinary Success: If the successes equal or exceed the c
asters successes, the spell does not affect the target (or if the spell is an ext
ended casting, the caster does not accumulate successes this roll).
Automated Resistance
The targets Resistance Attribute is subtracted from the spellcasting dice pool. T
he spell description lists the Attribute to use. If a spell affects multiple tar
gets, the highest Resistance Attribute of all affected targets modifies the dice
pool. Therefore, a mind-affecting spell that applies to three targets with Reso
lve scores of 2, 3 and 5 suffers a 5 penalty (the highest Resistance trait of the
group). For extended-action castings, subtract the Resistance Attribute from ea
ch dice roll. If a target is aware that he is being magically attacked, a point
of Willpower can be spent for a +2 bonus to his Resistance trait.

Countermagic
Mages have the ability to counter many uses of magic, particularly magic directe
d at them. Countermagic is in addition to any form of resistance against magic t
hat a character already receives, as described above. Countermagic is applied be
fore any roll is made to contest an incoming spell. A mage has three different o
ptions for countermagic: Dispel Magic (see p. 220), whereby the he cancels existin
g spells; Magic Shield (see p. 222), whereby he shields himself against other spel
ls; and Counterspell (see below), whereby the mage blocks an attacking spell with
a special countering spell. The first two methods require the Prime Arcanum. Coun
terspell requires one dot in one of the Arcana used by the attacking spell.
Counterspell
(Any one of the attacking spells Arcana at ) The mage creates Pattern interference
that can weaken or even cancel a spell. Practice: Shielding Action: Instant and
contested; successes are compared to the target spells Potency Duration: Lasting
Aspect: Covert Cost: 1 Mana When someone directs a vulgar spell at the mage or
other targets whom the mage wishes to protect, he can cast a countering spell th
at creates a form of magical interference, weakening or even canceling the attac
king spell, similar to how an obstacle can act as cover against a ranged attack.
He must first have Mage Sight to be able to perceive the attacking spell. Like
a dodge action, he can cast Counterspell against vulgar spells cast by another m
age with a higher Initiative. (He cannot counter attacks with lower Initiatives
if he has already performed an action in the turn. See Dodge, p. 156 of the World
of Darkness Rulebook, for rules on how this circumvents the normal Initiative or
der for the turn.) A mage can even counter sympathetic spells cast directly at h
im (but not those cast at other targets), by sensing the sympathetic conduit bei
ng forged by the spell (again, he must have Mage Sight for this). Successes are
subtracted from the target spells Potency. If the target spell is left with no Po
tency, it is canceled entirely. If even a single point of Potency remains, the s
pell is applied against its target (at its reduced Potency). A covert spell cann
ot normally be countered, since the defending mage must first identify its Arcan
um components using the normal rules for doing so (see Scrutinizing Spells, p. 278
). Such investigation is not normally possible within the same turn in which the
spell is cast, although some Time magic might give a mage the extra time needed
or clue him in on what spell the caster will cast before he casts it. Vulgar sp
ells do not need this kind of scrutiny; they are obvious enough to counter withi
n the same turn of casting. A spell aimed at more than one target does not need
to be countered for each target; a successful countering diminishes or prevents
its effects against all targets. A countering mage must have at least one dot in
one of the Arcana used by the attacking spell. For example, to counter a conjun
ctional Mind 3 + Life 2 spell, a mage needs either Mind 1 or Life 1, but not bot
h. If he does not have a proper Arcanum lore, he cannot counter the spell. Count
erspell can be learned as a rote (use Occult Skill), but it must be learned sepa
rately for each Arcanum to which it applies. A mage with two dots of Prime can i
nstead use the Counterspell Prime spell, p. 222, to counter any spell, regardless
of Arcanum. In addition, Counterspell Prime allows him to counter covert spells
(assuming he has active Mage Sight) without first needing to identify them.
Invoking a Paradox
Once a mage begins casting an instant spell (i.e., after the player has figured
out all of the above elements for his characters spell), but before the spellcast
ing roll is actually made, the Storyteller checks for the possibility of a Parad
ox occurring. If the casting is an extended spell, the Paradox roll is made afte
r the casting, and only if the casting was successful. A Paradox might occur in
the following situations: The mage casts a vulgar spell The mage casts a covert
spell that a Sleeper witness believes is improbable In any of these cases, the S
toryteller makes a Paradox roll to see if the casting character has invoked a Pa
radox. The Paradox rolls base dice pool is determined by the casters Gnosis. The b
ase dice pool is also modified by various conditions, including successive Parad
ox rolls. The more rolls made for Paradoxes, the higher your next dice pool beco

mes. Roll Results Dramatic Failure: The mage does not invoke a Paradox and the n
ext Paradox roll made for him in the same scene (for an instant casting) or with
in the same day (for an extended casting) does not suffer the usual, cumulative
+1 dice modifier. Failure: The mage does not invoke a Paradox. Success: A Parado
x occurs, regardless of the castings success or failure (see Casting the Spell belo
w). The number of successes on the Paradox roll determines its severity. For mor
e details on each type, see Paradoxes, p. 268-273. In addition, the casters player
subtracts one die per Paradox success from his casting roll. The worse the Parad
ox, the greater the chance that the spell doesnt succeed, or at least doesnt succe
ed as well as it otherwise would have. Either way, the Paradox still takes effec
t.
General Modifiers +1 -1 -1 +2
Situation
Each Paradox roll after the first made for the same caster within the same scene
. This bonus accumulates with each roll, so the third roll made for a mage withi
n a scene has a +2 modifier. In the case of an extended casting, this modifier a
pplies to successive Paradox rolls made within the same day. The mage is casting
a rote -2 The mage uses a magical tool during casting. One or more Sleepers wit
nesses the magic (vulgar magic only)
Successes 1 2 3 4 5+
Severity Havoc Bedlam Anomaly Branding Manifestation
Page # 268 268 271 272 273
Backlash
After the Paradox roll is made and the number of successes are revealed by the S
toryteller, a caster can attempt to contain the Paradox in part or in full with
his own flesh. He can choose to convert Paradox successes to bashing damage on a
one-for-one basis. This is called a backlash. A backlash is voluntary. If the m
age is willing to suffer, he can eliminate any portion of the successes he wants
to, or eliminate them all, as long as he has enough Health to withstand the dam
age. A selfsacrificing mage could even choose to use his last Health, thereby pr
obably rendering himself unconscious. Backlash damage is Resistant; it cannot be
healed with Awakened magic, such as with the Life 2 Self Healing (p. 183) or Life
3 Healing Heart spells (p. 186), or with Pattern Restoration (see p. 77). Armor a
nd magic do not protect against backlash damage.

THE aBYSS aND tHE MaGE (Covert vs. Vulgar Spells)

The mage, through his enlightened will, and his souls connection to his Watchtowe
r in the Supernal Realm, is able to call on his mastery of the Arcana to overwri
te the laws of the mundane world. However, this power does not come without risk
, for the mundane world, also called the Fallen Realm, touches the great darknes
s known as the Abyss, and the Abyss does not take kindly to works of magic. When
a mage casts a spell, he imposes upon the Fallen Realm the laws of the Supernal
Realm, also called the Arcana. Through his souls connection to his Watchtower, h
e is able to cast his will through the Abyss and use his knowledge of the Arcana
to manipulate the reality of the world around him. However, should the Abyss ta
ke notice of this violation, it will attempt to flood the Fallen World with its
own chaotic reality before the mage can complete his spell. This is called a Par
adox. So what does the Abyss take notice of, and what can a clever mage slip pas
sed it? Covert Spells The spell works within the bounds of reality. The Abyss do
es not notice Covert spells. A Covert spell would appear to a Sleeper, if there
were one, to be a coincidence. Examples: A Moros mage uses Death to rot away the
floor boards under his attacker, weakening them so that he falls through. An Ac
anthus mage uses Fate to insure that his old clunker of a car will get him home.
An Obrimos mage uses Forces to increase the ambient light going to his eyes so
that he can see his attacker in the dark. A Thyrsus mage uses Life to rid himsel
f of any diseases he may have picked up during his recent trek through the sewer
s. A Moros mage uses Matter to soften and dull the blade of a knife used by his
attacker. A Mastigos mage uses Mind to read the thoughts of the lady across the
room. An Obrimos mage uses Prime to destroy a magical ward set to guard against
intruders. A Mastigos mage uses Space to cast his senses into the room ahead whe
re he expects an ambush. A Thyrsus mage uses Spirit to transform some of his Man
a into Essense as a gift to a spirit. An Acanthus mage uses Time to glance forwa
rd and determine the result of a coin toss about to take place. Improbable Cover
t Spells When a Covert spell is cast so many times, or in such a way, that it de
fies mere coincidence, it may be considered Improbable. If a Sleeper witnesses a
n Improbable Covert Spell, there may be a chance of Paradox. The soul of every S
leeper has a sympathetic connection to the Abyss, and it is through this connect
ion that the Abyss may become aware when a Sleeper witnesses what he believes is
magic. If there is no Sleeper witness present, a Covert spell can never be cons
idered Improbable. Vulgar Spells The spell defies the laws of normal reality in
an obvious way. Vulgar spells are enough to get the Abyss attention, and it tri
es to flood mundane reality with its own chaotic forces. Vulgar spells defy real
ity to such a degree that the Abyss need not need a Sleeper witness to take noti
ce. Examples: A Moros mage uses Death to enter the state of Twilight. An Acanthu
s mage uses Fate to curse an enemy in such a way that he fails any task he attem
pts. An Obrimos mage uses Forces to blow a door off its hinges before he enters
the room. A Thyrsus mage uses Life to transform himself into a crow. A Moros mag
e uses Matter to liquefy a concrete support structure causing the building to co
llapse. A Mastigos mage uses Mind to imbue an object with a sentient intelligenc
e. An Obrimos mage uses Prime hurl a bolt of Celestial Fire at his enemy. A Mast
igos mage uses Space to instantly transport himself to his home on the other sid
e of the world. A Thyrsus mage uses Spirit to force a spirit to materialize in t
he mundane world. An Acanthus mage uses Time to shunt himself a few moments forw
ard in time. Vulgar Spells with Witnesses While a Vulgar spell alone is enough t
o grab the attention of the Abyss, a Vulgar spell witnessed by a Sleeper allows
the Abyss to take advantage of its connection to the Sleepers soul to more effect
ively generate a Paradox. This adds +2 to the Paradox dice pool. However, if the
mage can convince the witness that he isn t performing magic, the Paradox dice
pool does not gain the bonus.

CreatIve ThaumaturgY
Instant Spellcasting (Mage pg. 117)
The spells description lists which factor is primary. Successes rolled in the spe
llcasting are applied to this factor. A single success gives a spell the followi
ng factors: Potency: 1 point Target: One (of Size 20 or smaller), or a circular
radius of one yard or a defined area of five square yards. Duration: One turn (t
hree seconds) for transitory spells, and one hour or scene for prolonged spells.
Extra successes enhance the primary factor only. To enhance the other factors,
you must assign dice penalties before the roll is made. Note that only successes
can increase the primary factor. Number of Targets Dice Penalty One None (basic
success) Two -2 Four -4 Eight -6 Sixteen -8* * Impose an additional 2 die penalt
y per x2 targets. For example, 32 targets would levy a 10 dice penalty.
Aimed Spells
The Tapestry is made up of Patterns. A mage directs his spells against one or mo
re Patterns, and his magic rends, bolsters, rearranges or transforms that Patter
n. Physical obstacles between the mage and his target dont matter. As long as the
mage can perceive the Pattern at all, he can target it. The only thing his magi
c might normally contend with, besides possible perception modifiers, is the tar
gets resistance (as described in Resistance Against Magic, p. 121). Some spells, ho
wever, create a magical effect the caster directs physically at a target, such a
s a dart or bolt of magical power for an attack. These spells are called aimed s
pells. Only instant-action spells can be aimed spells. Conditions change too rap
idly to target extended action spells this way. The spell descriptions list spel
ls that are aimed. Since an aimed spell is a physical phenomenon directed agains
t a targets physical body rather than his Pattern, the target does not get to con
test or resist the magic, although countermagic can still be effective. For the
same reason, the targets armor and other ranged attack modifiers are applied to t
he mages spellcasting pool, since the target benefits from armor, cover and going
prone, just like avoiding a gunshot or similar ranged attack. Targets do not no
rmally get their Defense against aimed spells (unless the spells description stat
es otherwise), except at point-blank range. Armor is useful only against spells
it could conceivably protect against. A bulletproof vest might help stop a stone
projectile, but it doesnt stop electrical or fire damage.
Potency
Potency describes a spells raw power. It is also the measure of a spells resilienc
y, how hard it is to counter or dispel. Even if a spell requires only one point
of Potency, the caster might still wish to increase its Potency if he suspects a
target will try to counter or dispel it. A spell with Target or Duration as its
primary factor (i.e., successes are applied to one of those factors), has a def
ault Potency of one point, making it easy to counter or dispel even if the casti
ng resulted in an exceptional success. (The spell affects many targets or lasts
a long time, but has little resilience against countering or dispelling attempts
). Potency is the primary factor for the majority of spells listed later in this
chapter. If a spell description does not call for successes to be devoted to nu
mber of targets (or area affected) or Duration, assume that its successes apply
to Potency. Potency Dice Penalty 1 None (basic success) 2 -2 3 -4 4 -6 5 -8* * I
mpose an additional 2 die penalty per extra point of Potency. For example, Potenc
y 6 would levy a 10 dice penalty.
Aimed Spell Drawbacks
Targets defend as against any ranged attack: cover and/or armor apply, and being
prone levies a 2 penalty on the casters roll. (If the caster is within close-comb
at range, the target receives his Defense, but the caster gets a +2 dice bonus a
gainst prone targets.) The mage suffers range penalties when attacking distant t
argets. The short-range distance for his aimed spells is equal to his Gnosis x 1
0. Medium range is twice that, and long range is twice medium range. For example
, Arctos Gnosis is 3, giving his aimed spells a short range of 30 yards, a medium
range of 60 yards and a long range of 120 yards (the equivalent accuracy of a h

eavy pistol). Depending on a spells effect, the caster might be able to alter the
Target factors of an aimed spell to affect multiple targets. Doing so involves
creating a large effect, like a giant ball
Target
Spells are targeted against one or more creatures or objects. The magic is woven
directly into that targets Pattern, bypassing any intervening obstacles. Two que
stions to consider are: How many targets are to be affected, and how big is each
target?

of fire or an array of projectiles. The Storyteller decides if such an effect is

possible for the spell in question. If so, the mage can add extra targets (at a
dice penalty of 2 each), but targets must be standing near each other (within th
ree yards of at least one of the others). Aimed spells cannot be cast sympatheti
cally, nor can they be cast through a sympathetic conduit created by another cas
ter (such as a scrying window created to spy upon a mage). A failure on an aimed
spells casting roll still manifests the effect. At the Storytellers discretion, t
he spell might hit a nearby object (the car next to the missed target) or backgr
ound element (the window behind the missed target).
Note: The central spot for the radius must be within sensory range. This usually
means the mage must be able to see it, unless the center is making a noise he c
an pinpoint or feel. Otherwise, he must use sympathetic magic (Space 2) to affec
t a spot outside of the range of his senses. Advanced Area-Affecting: If the mag
e has dots in the spells primary Arcanum that are one or more higher than normall
y required to cast the spell, he can increase the radius or defined volume by mo
re dramatic steps. Advanced Radius or Defined Volume Dice Penalty 1-yard radius
/5 cu. yards None (basic success) 4-yard radius /20 cu. yards -2 16-yard radius
/80 cu. yards -4 64-yard radius /320 cu. yards -6 256-yard radius /1280 cu. yard
s -8* * Impose an additional 2 die penalty per extra x4 radius or x4 area. For ex
ample, a 1024-yard radius or a 5,120- cubic-yard volume would levy a 10 dice pena
lty. A mage can alter a spell that normally affects one or more targets to affec
t a radius or defined volume, instead. His Arcanum dots must be one or more high
er than what is normally required to cast the spell (although he uses the basic,
not advanced, chart to determine the actual area affected), and doing so costs
one Mana spent during casting.
Size
Once a mage knows who he targets, he must account for the largest target in the
group. Targets of exceptional size (larger than a dump truck) require extra spel
l control. Size of Largest Target 20 or less 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 * Impose an
additional 2 Size. Dice Penalty None (basic success) -2 -4 -6 -8* die penalty pe
r +10 extra
For example, a target of Size 61-70 would levy a 10 dice penalty.
Duration
There are four types of spell Duration: lasting, concentration, transitory and p
rolonged. The spell descriptions provided later in this chapter list each spells
Duration.
Area-Affecting
Instead of one or more specified targets, a spell might affect a circular radius
around a specified spot (radiating equaling in all directions), or a defined vo
lume (measured in three dimensions width, length and height defined by the spell
caster). The spell then applies to anyone or anything in that radius or volume,
friend or foe. The mage cannot single out specific targets within the declared s
pace. Radius or Defined Volume Dice Penalty 1-yard radius /5 cubic yards None (b
asic success) 2-yard radius /10 cubic yards -2 4-yard radius /20 cubic yards -4
8-yard radius /40 cubic yards -6 16-yard radius /80 cubic yards -8* * Impose an
additional 2 die penalty per extra x2 radius or x2 area. For example, a 32-yard r
adius or a 160-cubicyard volume would levy a 10 dice penalty.
Lasting
A lasting spells effect is a natural part of reality; it has no defined Duration,
since it persists as long as it is natural for it to. For example, a spell that
sets a target on fire is lasting. The fire is real and continues to burn normal
ly until it is put out or theres nothing left to burn. The targets injuries are al
so real and must heal normally. Likewise, a spell that heals injuries is lasting
. The healing restores the target to its natural state, so wounds do not reappea

r when the spell ends. Concentration-based, transitory and prolonged spells all
create an unnatural effect, such as transforming someones shape. Their effects en
d once the spells Duration expires. That is, reality restores things to normal. S
pells with a lasting Duration do not count against the maximum number of spells
a mage can maintain (based on his Gnosis).

Concentration
A concentration-based spells Duration is as long as the mage applies mental effor
t to keep it going. The mage cannot take any other action, except for simple mov
ement (up to his Speed; he cannot run). The mage also receives no Defense agains
t attacks, although he can seek cover from ranged attacks. If the mage is attack
ed, a reflexive Resolve + Composure roll must be made for him to maintain concen
tration. If the mage stops concentrating for any reason, voluntarily or not, the
spell ends. The exception is if he decides to add Duration factors as if it wer
e a transitory spell (see below) before the spell is cast, in which case the spe
ll lasts for an additional time equal to its assigned Duration, and then lapses.
The mage cannot start concentrating on a spell again once he has stopped, even
if the spell hasnt lapsed yet. Note: A mage cannot use a concentration-based Dura
tion when casting aimed spells (see Aimed Spells, p. 116).
Prolonged Spells
A prolonged spells default Duration is one scene or one hour. Duration Dice Penal
ty One Scene / 1 Hour None (basic success) Two Hours -2 Twelve Hours -4 24 Hours
-6 Two Days -8* * Impose an additional 2 dice penalty per extra +2 days. For exa
mple, a four-day prolonged Duration would levy a 10 dice penalty. Advanced Prolon
gation: If a mage has dots in the spells primary Arcanum that are one or more hig
her than normally required to cast the spell, he can increase the Duration by ev
en more dramatic steps. Advanced Duration Dice Penalty 24 Hours -2 Two Days -4 O
ne Week -6 One Month -8 Indefinite -10* * The spell is permanent until cancelled
or dispelled. Living targets, however, grow, change and heal. Spells with an in
definite Duration cannot be cast upon a living creature. A vulgar spell with Dur
ation longer than one hour or scene might suffer from the corrosive effects of D
isbelief whenever a Sleeper witnesses the magic. See Disbelief, p. 274.
Transitory Spells
A transitory spells
ne (basic success) 2
onal 2 dice penalty
on would levy a 10

default Duration is one turn. Duration Dice Penalty 1 turn No

turns -2 3 turns -4 5 turns -6 10 turns -8* * Add an additi
per extra +10 turns. For example, a 20-turn transitory Durati
dice penalty.