Use this chart when determining the comparative power level of various supernatural powers. This chart is also to be used for what levels can countermagic or unweave other levels of the different supernatural powers.
Fae |
Vampires |
Shifters |
Mages |
Mummy |
Hedge Magic |
N/A |
Disc Lv1 |
Rank 0 |
Sphere Lv1 |
N/A |
Path Lvl 1 |
Arts Lv1 |
Disc Lv2 |
Rank 1 |
Sphere Lv1 |
Hekau Lvl 1 |
Path Lvl 2 |
Arts Lv2 |
Disc Lv3 |
Rank 2 |
Sphere Lv2 |
Hekau Lvl 2 |
Path Lvl 3 |
Arts Lv3 |
Disc Lv4 |
Rank 3 |
Sphere Lv3 |
Hekau Lvl 3 |
Path Lvl 4 |
Arts Lv4 |
Disc Lv5 |
Rank 4 |
Sphere Lv4 |
Hekau Lvl 4 |
Path Lvl 5 |
Arts Lv5 |
Disc Lv6 |
Rank 5 |
Sphere Lv5 |
Hekau Lvl 5 |
Path Lvl 6 |
Arts Lv6 |
Disc Lv7 |
Rank 6 |
Sphere Lv6 |
Hekau Lvl 6 |
Path Lvl 7 |
Arts Lv7 |
Disc Lv8 |
|
Sphere Lv7 |
Hekau Lvl 7 |
|
Arts Lv8 |
Dics Lv9 |
|
Sphere Lv8 |
Hekau Lvl 8 |
|
Arts Lv9 |
Disc Lv10 |
|
Sphere Lv9 |
|
|
Calling Upon Banality
Cantrips are powerful in the world of the 7th Age. But, like before the fall, all beings can call upon their Banality to counter a Fae’s cantrip. This manifests as a Banality Retest in Cantrips that affect the character calling on their Banality. Each character has a number of Banality that can be used to do so in one evening. However, should a character use this method often, he runs the risk of becoming too Banal and either risks death from the Fae he offends, or worse, risks no longer being affected by the Dreaming altogether. Before the fall, there was little repercussion to being too banal to interact with the fae. However, in the 7th Age, to place oneself outside of Glamour is to place oneself outside of Dischordia (effectively making you an NPC) and unable to interact with the enchanted world… Which in this setting leaves you open to ravages of things from the other realms of the Umbra, such as the Abyss, with no one in Dischordia to be able to come to your aid. Should a character wish to call upon their Banality to retest a Cantrip challenge against them, they immediately gain two temporary Banality traits. Once 10 temporary Banality is gained, the character’s permanent Banality increases by one. Once a character has 10 permanent Banality, it is no longer a playable character in Dischordia.
Feeding on...
In crossover games such as this one vampires are bound to feed on supernaturals of all kinds. See the chart below to see if anything comes of doing such an act.
Vampires: In addition to gaining blood, you may also become blood-bound.
Mages: You get blood as normal. The vampire's sight shifts to random basic sphere sights. This is rarely beneficial, and come and go like bad acid flashes, making it difficult to function. Storytellers may apply additional side effects. Example: A vampire goes a bit OCD due to increased spatial awareness. They notice that everything is just a little off and points out all the placement and decorative imperfections in the room they are in. They acquire an appropriate Negative Trait based upon the affecting sphere for the rest of the night.
Shifters: Each trait taken counts as 2 trais, but gives the Negative Trait: Impatient for the rest of the night. Immediately after taking the first blood trait, the vampire must test for Frenzy (Self Control / Instinct) difficulty 4 traits. This should be role-played as an amphetamine.
Fae: Each trait taken counts as 2 traits, but gives the Negative Trait: Forgetful for the rest of the night. This should be role-played as an hallucinogenic experience.
Mummies: You get blood as normal. It is up to the storytellers to apply any side effects, like bad acid flashes in hieroglyphs. They come and go, making it difficult to function normally. You gain the Negative Trait: Oblivious for the rest of the night.
Wraiths: You gain nothing from feeding off a wraith, unless you have specific disciplines which allow you to do so.
The major house rule change that has been made here is that all Shifters get Bomb (Rank 4+) and Ties (Rank 5+) in Strength, Dexterity, or Stamina related tests when in Crinos-type forms depending upon Shifter type (page 232 laws of the Wyld West). Refer the the chart below to see in what categories you receive this bonus in.
Garou (Wolf)
|
Strength
|
Bastet (Cat)
|
Speed
|
Nuwisha (Coyote)
|
Speed
|
Corax/Omen (Raven)
|
Speed
|
(Ratkin) Rat
|
Speed
|
Gurahl (Bear), Ajaba (Hyaena)
|
Stamina
|
Mokole (Lizard)
|
Strength
|
Nagah (Snake) - NPC Only
|
Speed
|
Ananasi (Spider) - NPC Only
|
Strength
|
Rokea (Shark) - NPC Only
|
Strength
|
Power vs. Rank
In a crossover game Shifters are the only creatures that have no progression in the powers that they learn. This makes for an interesting system. When looking at clashing powers we will use the Shifter’s Rank in place of the power. Example: A shifter and a vampire enter combat. The vampire spend the blood needed to activate Celerity 4 and the Rank 5 shifter spends the gnosis needed to activate the gift Spirit of the Fray. The shifter, even though using a basic gift, will go first in example due to the Power vs. Rank, Celerity 4 vs Rank 5. Let’s say that the vampire has Celerity 6, it would then come down to physical vs physical, whomever had the higher traits. Also note that Rank 6 can keep up with powers level 6.
Gifts, Challenges, and Expenditures
If a power is NOT self-effecting, you will need a challenge, even if stated otherwise in the book.
- Gifts vs Another Character - Gifts that challenge another character will end up in a trait + ability vs. trait + ability challenge between the characters. The storyteller overseeing the challenge has the final say on what are appropriate traits and abilities from both the attacker and defender.
- Gifts vs an Item
- Mundane - When using a gift on mundane object it will be your appropriate traits (social, mental, physical, gnosis, rage and/or will) vs the items net bonus traits times 3 (whatever Bonus traits it gives minus the negative traits, then multiply by 3).
Example: the difficulty of a long sword would be 6 (FnF page 272). The long sword give 3 bonus traits but have 1 negative trait to give it a net bonus of 2, we then multiply this by 3 to come to the difficulty of 6. ( bonus traits 3-1 negative = 2, then take the 2 and multiply it by difficulty modifier of 3 to arrive at the difficulty rating of 6)
- Magical - When using a gift on a "magical item" (wonders, fetish, artifacts, treasure, etc…) the challenge will be your appropriate traits (social, mental, physical, gnosis, rage and/or will) vs the items background rating times 3.
Example: the difficulty for a wonder level 3 would be 9. The background wonder times 3 (wonder rating 3x3=9 for the difficulty.) However magical items get 1 free retest.
- Gifts vs a place or area - Gifts cannot and will not work on a group or area, unless otherwise originally stated in the gift. We will default to the Faith and Fire rules (page 232) known as “Alone against the world.” The character must spend 1 trait for every individual in the challenge, up to a max of 5 traits. You can never risk or lose more than 5 traits.
- Gifts and damage - Follow what Laws of the Wild (or printed rules by book) are for the specific gift. If not specified, your damage cap for a gift is based on your rank, unless the base rules for the gift state otherwise. This means that at rank 1 you are capped at 1 aggravated damage, rank 3 you are capped at 3 aggravated damage, rank 5 you are capped at 5 aggravated damage, etc. Please note this is only when using gift to determine damage that does not specify the amount of damage possible.
Stepping Sideways
In the setting that we are using you will find stepping sideways is very easy at times and impossible at others. The gauntlet rating is almost never higher than 3 with a few exceptions. A Storyteller will let you know the difficulty in a given territory or domain. You may also find that the gauntlet rating is 0 so you cannot step sideways for you are already in both planes of existence.
Affecting Other Races
Most races are not physically affected by a single sphere , you normally will need a combo as seen below. This also covers healing.
Race
|
Spheres needed
|
Fae
|
Life + Mind
|
Vampires
|
Life + Matter
|
Shifters
|
Life + Spirit
|
Mages
|
Life
|
Hedge Mages
|
What ever race they are from.
|
Wraith
|
Entropy
|
Risen
|
Life + Entropy
|
Mummys
|
Life + Entropy
|
Supernatural Power
All races have a source of their power. Each races power source can be created from Quintessence with the appropriate spheres (at least level 2), or turned into Quintessence with the specified Resonance (spheres at level 3 or higher). In both cases, you must possess a Lore of the race in question at 3 or higher to manipulate their supernatural energies. With Prime 4, you may siphon it from them, if you are willing to face the consequences. You can however use your spheres to work around this. A mage cannot take any power sources that are covered by its willpower. If a mage wants to take blood from a vampire, and the vampire has 5 Willpower, the mage can not take the vampires last 5 blood.
Race
|
Spheres needed
|
Conversion
|
Resonance |
Fae
|
Prime + Mind
|
1 glamor = 1 quintessence
|
Dynamic Resonance |
Mage
|
Prime + Appropriate Sphere Mind (Dynamic Resonance) Entropy (Entropic Resonance) Correspondence (Static)
|
1 quintessence = 1 quintessence
|
Per the Spheres used |
Vampires
|
Prime + Life
|
3 blood = 1 quintessence
|
Entropic (Jhor) Resonance |
Shifters
|
Prime + Spirit
|
1 gnosis = 1 quintessence
|
Dynamic Resonance |
Wraith
|
Prime + Entropy
|
1 pathos = 1 quintessence
|
Entropic (Jhor) Resonance |
Hedge magic
|
Prime
|
1 mana = 1 quintessence
|
Static Resonance |
Mummy
|
Prime + Entropy
|
1 sekhem = 1 quintessence
|
Entropic (Jhor) Resonance |
Counter Magic
- Spheres vs. Spheres - In order to counter magic you must have the same sphere at the level of or higher then your opponent. While they are taking a turn to cast the spell you take your turn to counter the spell. This will come down to an Arete vs Arete (all modification are counted in this) challenge. If you have Prime 1 (apprentice level) and a higher level Arete you may take control of the spell.
- Antimagic - Mages may spend quintessence to raise the level of the difficulty of another mage’s spell, the reverse of lowering your own difficulty. This does not count as an action just as lowering the difficulty does not. This follows the normal rules of how many quintessence can be spent in a round, limited by your rating in the Avatar background. Note that this will work on Hedge Magic, Vampiric Blood Magic, Mummy Hekau Paths, Shifter Gifts, and Fae Cantrips. For every Quintessence spent, the difficulty to use other supernatural powers will increase by 3, increase the traits (all traits associated with the challenge) needed to use it on a one for one basis, or add to ties on a one for one basis on Banality retests to counter cantrips. An area can be created as an "antimagic field" and these rules will apply within it.
- Unweaving - Follow the same rules as counter magic but for spells that are already cast and in play.
- Counter Magic vs Other powers - Prime is the sphere needed to counter magic. This will be an Arete + Lore challenge made against a non-mage at thedifficulty they are casting at or level of power they are using. Knowledge of the appropriate Lore, at a level equal to or greater than the power they are using, is required.
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.
Disciplines
|
Spheres to counter magic
|
Spheres need to duplicate
|
Abombwe
|
Spirit
|
not limited to, Spirit and/or Life
|
Animalism
|
Mind
|
Mind
|
Auspex
|
Mind
|
Mind
|
Celerity
|
Time
|
Time or Life
|
Chimerstry
|
Mind and/or Prime
|
not limited to, Mind and/or Prime and/or Life and/or Matter
|
Daimoinon
|
Entropy and/or Prime
|
not limited to, Entropy and/or Life and/or Prime and/or Mind and/or Spirit.
|
Dementation
|
Mind
|
not limited to, Mind and/or Entropy
|
Dominate
|
Mind
|
Mind
|
Fortitude
|
not limited to, Life and Matter and/or Prime
|
not limited to, Life and/or Matter and/or Forces
|
Mortis
|
not limited to , Life and/or Entropy and/or Matter and/or Prime and/or Spirit
|
not limited to, Life and/or Entropy and/or Matter and/or Prime and/or Spirit
|
Obfuscate
|
Mind
|
Mind
|
Obtenebration
|
not limited to, Entropy and/or Spirit and/or Prime
|
not limited to, Entropy and/or Spirit
|
Obeah
|
not limited to, Prime and/or Life
|
not limited to, Prime and/or Life and/or Mind
|
Ogham
|
Spirit
|
not limited to, Spirit and/or Life
|
Potence
|
not limited to, Forces and/or Life and Matter
|
Forces and/or Life
|
Presence
|
Spirit
|
Spirit
|
Protean
|
not limited to, Life and/or Matter
|
not limited to, Life and/or Matter
|
Quietus
|
no limited to Forces and/or Prime and/or Life and/or Entropy
|
no limited to Forces and/or Prime and/or Life and/or Entropy
|
Serpentis
|
not limited to, Mind and/or Life and/or Entropy and/or Prime
|
not limited to, Mind and/or Life and/or Entropy and/or Prime
|
Thaumaturgy
|
See Thaumaturgy sections
|
not limited to, all 9 spheres
|
Valeren
|
not limited to, Time and/or Forces and/or Correspondence and/or Entropy and/or Life and/or Matter
|
not limited to, Time and/or Forces and/or Correspondence and/or Entropy and/or Life and/or Matter
|
Vicissitude
|
not limited to, Life and/or Matter and/or Entropy
|
not limited to, Life and/or Matter and/or Entropy
|
Temporis
|
Time
|
Time
|
Necromancy
|
not limited to, Entropy and/or Life and/or spirit
|
not limited to, Entropy and/or Life and/or spirit
|
Vicerratika
|
not limited to, Life and/or Matter and/or Entropy
|
not limited to, Life and/or Matter and/or Entropy
|
Thanatosis
|
not limited to, Life and/or Entropy
|
not limited to, Life and/or Entropy
|
Mytherceria
|
not limited to, Forces and/or Mind and/or Spirit
|
not limited to, Forces and/or Mind and/or Spirit
|
Spiritus
|
Spirit
|
not limited to, Spirit and/or Life and/or Entropy
|
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.
Hekau Paths vs. Sphere Magic
Mummies have a one trait bonus in direct Hekau vs. Sphere Magic/Hedge Magic/Blood Magic challenges against Mages and Sorcerers.
Countermagic
Wisdom of Isis (Intermediate Celestine Path)
Type: Spell
Difficulty: Opposing magic
Sekhem: 2
This potent spell lets the mummy appeal to the goddess of wisdom to cancel another’s spell. The difficulty for this challenge is the difficulty of the targeted spell. Success cancels out the basic results of the spell; each additional Mental Trait spent lets the celestine negate the effects of additional Traits spent, if relevant. It works against other Hekau and all other forms, such as sorcery, Thaumaturgy in its many forms, and Sphere magic. Once all the target spell’s successes are negated, the celestine may spend an additional Mental Trait to change the spell’s target. It continues to operate as before, but against someone else - possibly the caster or an ally. Many mummies like to delay this spell with Hanging the Stars, so as to have it ready for unexpected encounters with hostile magic.
Any race can learn Hedge Magic if they have a teacher, or other means of obtaining it. The following changes have been made to Hedge magic:
- Paradigms - All sorcerers will need to have a paradigm. This does not mean that you are part of a Mage Tradition. This is the way that you view magic in the world. This must all be in line with the supernatural race that you belong to.
- Reality - When you are in your domain all of your sorcery is considered coincidental. When you are outside of your domain you will find that your sorcery may be vulgar to others and find it harder to cast. (see modifier table below)
- No Paradox - We are not using Paradox as an optional rule, however sorcery can still be vulgar. See difficulty modifier chart below.
- No Dynamic Casting - We not allowing dynamic casting, see “Static is static…” below.
- Hanging Spells - You can hang spells at the cost of an addition willpower trait. That willpower cannot be recovered while the spell is hung, it is "locked" holding the spell. In addition you are also down 1 trait in all mental challenges. It will not take a turn to let the spell lose, however you have to will letting the spell lose. This means that you cannot hang spells on contingencies. This means you cannot use hung spells if you are unconscious, or under the effects of a power that says you can take no other action but what it allows.
- Foci - Can be used to explain to the Storyteller running your scene how you cast your magic. Foci are required for Hedge Magic to work as it is practiced repeated spells and techniques.
- Mana - Creatures without mana use their Willpower to fuel Hedge Magic.
- Counter Magic is covered in the Powers vs. Powers. Sorcerers are at a 1 trait disadvantage vs. True Magic, Cantrips, and Hekau Paths.
Static is Static
Hedge Magic is all static magic. You cannot toss spells together to make new spells on the fly. You may buy new spells by mixing paths that you already have. All and any spells made in fashion must be brought to and approved by the storytellers. The cost for such spells is the time learning them which is the lead path rating in weeks +1 week for every path add after, example: A sorcerer wants to make a spell that will burn a target using Hellfire but will also eat 1 level of "power" using Mana Manipulation. They will make a spell using Mana Manipulation 4 and Hellfire 3. The time to learn this spell is 5 weeks, 4 from the main path and then a plus 1 for adding a path regardless of the seconds paths level.
Casting a Spell Step by Step
- Pick the Spell you want to cast. You must have the spell and you cannot cast dynamic spells.
- Take a number of rounds equal to the spell level to cast the spell, or take the added difficulty to the spell for fast casting (see modifier table below).
- Use your Foci.
- Figure out the difficulty of your spell (see modifier table below).
- Bid your appropriate Traits.
- Perform the challenge.
- You win!
- You lose! Move on to an ability retest. This will be determined by your Paradigm, but will default to Occult
- You still lose! Overbid if you can after subtracting traits used thus far. If you have more than double the traits needed to cast the spell you can call for an overbid. To do this you must risk a willpower trait in place of a regular trait.
- Win or lose, mark off a willpower from your sheet, 2 if you over bid and lost, all of the appropriate traits used in the challenge.
Spell Difficulties and Modifiers
All spells difficulties are the level of the spell plus any modifiers used below. If you have a spell that you made that uses 2 paths at the same time add up the difficulty of both paths to determine the difficulty. If such a spell pushes you over 5 you still only need to cast for 5 rounds.
Rushed magic
|
+1 per round rushed.
|
Vulgar magic to domain reality
|
+1 to +5.
|
Co-casting same paradigm
|
-1 per sorcerer if they win a simple test, if they fail +2 to the difficulty.
|
Spend a mana point
|
-1 per mana spent.
|
Wounds
|
apply as normal.
|
Energy saver
|
+2, If you know a path 2 levels higher than the spell you are casting you may add +2 to the difficulty of your spell in order to save 1 Willpower.
|
Rituals
|
When you use a path you can take 5 minutes per path of the spell you are casing and turn it into a ritual. If you do this you may add your Ritual ability to the test total.
|