Spheres vs. Disciplines

Below is a loose guide for Vampiric Disciplines and the Mage Spheres needed to "counter magic" or duplicate the effects. If you try to duplicate the effects of a discipline you will need to have equivalent level sphere(s) as the power you are duplicating, and Lore equal to or greater than the level of the power you are duplicating. Note that this is not exhaustive, and the storytellers have final say in what spheres are required to duplicate a particular effect.

Spheres vs. Gifts

There are too many gifts to list them all out and how to counter magic them or duplicate them. Most gift will require Spirit plus one if not many or all other spheres to counter magic or duplicate them. When attempting to counter magic a gift that is used on you it will be the Shifter's rank vs your Arete (after you have made a successful Arete challenge to cast the spell).

Wraiths

Dealing with wraiths is somewhat troublesome, and dealing with the Underworld itself is exceedingly dangerous. Keep the following caveats in mind:

• A mage uses Spirit magic on wraiths, as with other spirits. Most compulsions require a Social Challenge. A wraith can spend a Pathos Trait for one retest on a Spirit-backed binding or compulsion.
• A mage must combine Spirit with Mind for any Effect that would try to penetrate wraith concealment or trickery on the other side of the Shroud - for instance, to look into the Shadowlands and see a wraith hidden with Argos. If the wraith manifests across the Shroud, on the other hand, Spirit isn’t necessary except to smack the wraith directly. Thus, if a wraith tries to Skinride a mage, the mage can defend with Mind alone, but could only counterattack by adding Spirit.
• A mage’s Pattern Effects go through incorporeal wraiths just like normal things - mage-created fire is no different from normal fire to an incorporeal wraith, and equally ineffective.
• Most mages won’t understand the workings of the Shadow or Catharsis. Mages with a lot of study of wraiths (Lore) might be able to tell the difference between the two states with Mind and Spirit magic.
• Magic working in the Underworld itself is very, very dangerous. Crossing into the Underworld (without a Shallowing or like) does cross the Avatar Storm. Once in the Underworld, the mage is at grave risk. A failed attempt to return, or being "killed" in the Underworld, means that the mage dies and becomes a wraith there.
• Any Effect done in the Underworld automatically has extra Entropic Resonance.
• The necrotic effects of the Underworld leach away magical wards and creations, causing their duration to unravel with one less grade of duration. Thus the mage must generate more grades of success to keep protections and sensory Effects and conjurations running.

Fae

Technocrats average Banality 6 or 8, because they’re typically conditioned, procedurally oriented and not given to a whole lot of fanciful imagination. Some rare theoretical or abstract scientists might have a lower Banality because of their sense of wonder and imagination about science. In the 7th Age the Technocracy has been proven wrong and are now open to more than just science since they cannot explain away the mystical world any longer.

Tradition mages have wildly varying Banality ratings: stratified Traditions like the Order of Hermes and Technomantic Traditions like the Virtual Adepts tend to have Banality ratings of 5 or 6. Highly mystical and whimsical mages like Verbena and some immature Cultists of Ecstasy might go as low as 3. A Cultist on a binge could temporarily dip to a 1 or 2.

For a mage to figure out how to do "faerie magic," the mage must have enough Lore to understand the workings of Glamour, Fae and the Dreaming, and Mind and Spirit magic.

A mage who scans through Mist-distorted memories with Mind may realize "Something has magically altered these memories," but won’t necessarily understand what or how, or how to undo it, without appropriate Lore. A fae may enact countermagic against a mage’s effect just like trying to cancel an opposing Glamour, but gains a Banality Trait for doing so.

Mages can and do generate Glamour like regular mortals when they’re inspired. Cultists of Ecstasy are the most likely to have friendly long-term relations with the fae, followed by the Verbena (who often see changelings as threatening) and then distantly by the Order of Hermes (who have a few members who specialize in faerie magic). "Making up rotes" doesn’t count as artistic inspiration, though. The mage must do something of phenomenal breakthrough creativity, like developing an entirely new metaphysical theory.

True Magic vs All Other Magic Rituals

True Magic can counter and end all other Vampire Sorcery or Hedge Magic Rituals easily, so long as the challenge is successful and the appropriate Spheres are used. However, Mummy Hekau Paths are harder to counter. Mummies have a one trait bonus in direct Hekau vs. Sphere Magic challenges against Mages. Blood Magic Rituals and Powers of Vampires follow the chart for Hedge Magic as noted above.