Mage Awakening Spellcasting Steps

Example: Nicodemus, an Acanthus Silver Ladder, is going to work a spell against a trio of enemies that threaten him and his cabal.

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Step One: "I cast Rotting Flesh, a Death ••• spell. I have four dots of Death, so that gives me 2 free Reaches. The primary factor for this spell is Potency, and it has no Withstanding. I have a Gnosis of 4, giving me a dice pool of 8. I have open Spell Control slots." (Dice Pool: 8)

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Step Two: "This costs me 1 Mana, because Death isn't an Acanthus arcanum. I spend 1 Reach to use the spell's extra Reach trait, which inflicts a -1 die to the target's Social rolls each rank of Potency inflicted, maximum of -3." (Dice Pool: 8 • Mana Spent: 1 • Reaches Spent: 1)

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Step Three: "I spend 1 Reach to cast it as an Instant spell." (Dice Pool: 8 • Mana Spent: 1 • Reaches Spent: 2)

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Step Four: "I am using only my ritual tool, which gives me a +1 bonus to the dice pool." (Dice Pool: 9 • Mana Spent: 1 • Reaches Spent: 2)

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Step Five:

Step One: Declare Spell

• Spell & Arcanum Rating: Declare the spell, by name and arcanum rating.
• Free Reaches: Declare how many free Reaches this gives you (you gain 1 Reach for having the dot in the arcanum necessary to cast the spell, plus one additional Reach for each dot above that).
• Primary Factor: Declare the spell's primary arcanum.
• Withstanding: Declare what trait the spell is Withstood by, if any. (This is marked with a (W) in the spell header.)
• Dice Pool: Declare your starting dice pool, which is your Gnosis + Arcanum of the spell being cast.
• Spell Control: If you have enough Spell Control slots, you can cast the spell. If all your spell control slots are filled, you must spend 1 Reach per spell you currently control in excess of your limit.

Step Two: Declare Cost

• Spell Mana Cost: Declare any Mana Cost listed in the spell description.
• Non-Path Arcanum (1 Mana): If the arcanum used is not one of your Path Arcana, it costs 1 Mana. (Ignore this if the spell is a Rote or Praxis spell.)
• Spell Reaches: Declare any Reaches spent on spell traits.

Step Three: Declare Casting Time

• Rituals (Default): All spells default to Ritual Casting.
• Instant Casting (1 Reach): Spend 1 Reach to cast a spell as an Instant Casting.

Step Four: Declare Yantras

• Determine Yantras: Declare which Yantras you will use, and how long it will take.
  • Reflexive First Yantra: You may use your first Yantra (except for High Speech) as a reflexive action, as part of casting your spell.
  • Additional Yantras: Each yantra after that takes one action to utilize.
  • Ritual Yantras: Yantras other than High Speech add no time to Rituals. Using High Speech adds 30 minutes.

Step Five: Declare Potency

• Steps: If Potency is the Primary Factor of the spell, you start with a number of Steps down the standard Potency chart equal to the Arcanum used to cast it.
  • Otherwise, you have one Step down the chart.
• Increasing Potency (-2 dice/step): For each additional Step down the Potency chart, subtract 2 dice from your dice pool.
• Advancing Potency (1 Reach): If you wish to use the Advanced Potency chart, spend 1 Reach. You keep the same number of Steps.

Step Six: Declare Duration

• Steps: If Duration is the Primary Factor of the spell, you start with a number of Steps down the standard Duration chart equal to the Arcanum used to cast it.
  • Otherwise, you have one Step down the chart.
• Increasing Duration (-2 dice/step): For each additional Step down the Duration chart, subtract 2 dice from your dice pool.
• Advancing Duration (1 Reach): If you wish to use the Advanced Duration chart, spend 1 Reach. You keep the same number of Steps.

Step Seven: Declare Scale

• Steps: You have one Step down the chart.
• Increasing Scale (-2 dice/step): For each additional Step down the Scale chart, subtract 2 dice from your dice pool.
• Advancing Scale (1 Reach): If you wish to use the Advanced Scale chart, spend 1 Reach. You keep the same number of Steps.

Step Eight: Declare Range

• Default: You may cast this spell on yourself, or someone that you touch, or as an Aimed Spell.
  • Aimed: After casting the spell, make a reflexive Gnosis + (Athletics or Firearms) - Defense of the target. Target benefits from cover. Range is Short (Gnosis x10), Medium (Gnosis x20), Long (Gnosis x40).
• Sensory Range (1 Reach): Spend 1 Reach to cast it on any target you can pinpoint within range of your senses. (Lose 2 dice from casting pool if you are relying on non-precise human senses, such as hearing or smell.)
• Sympathetic Range (1 Reach, Space ••): If you have Space ••, spend 1 Reach to cast a spell sympathetically. (Sympathetic Withstanding applies.)

Step Nine: Paradox

• Paradox Pool: If you spent more Reaches than you gained for free in Step One, your Narrator will create a Paradox Pool.
  • This dice pool consists of a number of dice equal to half Gnosis rating (rounded up) for each Reach beyond your Free Reaches spent.
  • Reduce this dice pool by 2 if an Order or Path Tool was one of your employed Yantras.
  • Add 1 die to this pool for each additional Paradox Pool you have generated this scene.
  • Tell your Storyteller if you are Releasing Paradox or Containing Paradox.
• Releasing Paradox: The mage allows the Paradox to flee their control, escaping into the environment.
  • For each success on the Paradox roll, take a -1 penalty to the spellcasting dice pool. If this results in a dramatic failure, gain a Paradox Condition.
  • The Storyteller may change one die of penalties into one Paradox Reach instead. May spend Paradox Reaches to alter how the spell functions or to create Anomalies.
• Containing Paradox: The mage internalizes the Paradox, preventing it from escaping into the environment.
  • Roll your mage's Wisdom. Each success cancels one success from the Paradox Pool, but inflicts 1 bashing (resistant) damage to the mage.
  • If there are leftover Paradox Pool successes, the mage gains a Paradox Condition.