Mage
Wizards, warlocks, sorcerers, and miracle workers, mages are the quintessential casters of the 7th Age. Mages are humans that have been awakened by a divine spark, otherworldly, or inner power. They can achieve heights most mortals only dream of. However powerful a mage is imagined to be, they are limited by paradigm, a set of beliefs and practices that their magic derives from. Things that challenge this paradigm are paradoxical to the mage and make it harder for them to cast their magics causing reality to backlash against their will. A mage’s avatar guides it to ascension and greater heights of power along their spiritual journey. Mage is a high concept creature type where your power is limited by your imagination and your abilities are generally not specifically defined.
MET rules for Mages can be found in Laws of Ascension, Companion, and Tradition/Convention books.
Changes
Arete
During character creation, Arete costs 3 points per level. Note that this supersedes the Laws of Ascension discount on Arete up to 3. However, new characters may purchase Arete up to 5 at creation. After character creation, new Arete will will be available only after a successful seeking and will cost 4xp.
Trait Cap
This chart is based upon the your Arete rating. Arete up to 8 is attainable. At Arete 9, the Mage is no longer playable as a PC.
| Arete | Traits | Ability/Backgrounds | Willpower Max. |
| 1 | 13 | 5 | 11 |
| 2 | 14 | 5 | 12 |
| 3 | 15 | 5 | 13 |
| 4 | 16 | 6 | 14 |
| 5 | 18 | 7 | 16 |
| 6 | 19 | 8 | 18 |
| 7 | 20 | 9 | 19 |
| 8 | 21 | 10 | 20 |
Resonance
Resonance is a mage's style and emotion which colors every magical effect they do. A Mage's Resonance grows stronger as they gain experience and strengthen their magical power, making them noticeably more magical. In the 7th Age, characters begin far more advanced than beginning apprentice Mages, so their Resonance should reflect this. Instead of choosing one Resonance trait at character creation, choose a number of Resonance traits equal to half your Arete (round up), plus one for each Sphere you buy up to Master (Advanced).
Localized Reality
We are using Localized Consensual Reality. This means what is paradoxical in one domain or location may not be paradoxical in another. Each domain has its own local paradigm dictating what is and is not acceptable by the reality there. Due to magic being proven real, the Technocracy have considerable disadvantages in Dischordia. Only a few small portions of specific domains are coincidental for them. Their Conventions, having lost the War of Ascension, are found less and less.
Dynamic Casting
Dynamic Casting is a privilege guided by paradigm. With dynamic casting come dynamic foci as well, they do not have to be in stone at the start for your rotes or spheres as long as it falls within your paradigm.
Rote Casting
See page 140 of the Laws of Ascension - Fast Casting; having a rote means you cast at the sphere level. If you do not and are fast casting you add a +1 difficulty to the spell. Casting "Force Shield" is a level 2 effect. If you have the rote the Arete difficulty rating is 2, if you do not have the rote, the Arete difficulty is 3.
Each time you gain a level in a Sphere, you automatically learn a rote at the level of that sphere as well for free. To gain new Rotes, you must seek them out in Downtimes or through gameplay and the rote must conform to your paradigm.
Hollow Ones and Orphans
Hollow Ones are treated as Orphans for choosing a Specialty Sphere. However, they retain the rest of their advantages per Laws of Ascension.
Playing Aid
Here is a short guide to aid any mage player who may be unfamiliar with the basic rules and how to use them properly: Mage Guide for Idiots