The Magic Test

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Magic tests should be rolled for most uses of a spell, ritual, or theurgic casting. Minor magical effects and powers usually will not require a roll, although the GM may decide circumstances or local Resistance might impose a roll.

Mana can be spent preemptively to give a bonus to any Magic Test, at a rate of 1 Mana per +1 bonus. If a player does this to make sure they cannot roll a number below the Magic Test Target Number, then a roll is not necessary. This reduces the chances of Backlash, but can soon prove quite expensive. This differs from using subconscious Mana in that the character is not reacting in a desperate attempt to keep their magic under control, but deliberately choosing to use additional power to perform their magic.

If the character chooses not to spend additional Mana, or they don’t have enough Mana to pay the full cost of a spell, they may also accept Backlash at a rate of 1 Backlash for 2 effective Mana. It’s possible to both spend Mana and gain Backlash at the same time before a Magic Test.

Careful Magic

One reason Backlash happens is that people cannot fully control their expectations and fears of what magic can do. Some have the talent to push those doubts aside, and some through long training develop the skill to keep their magic under control. Even so, despite their best efforts, it’s likely that eventually a learned supernatural will lose control and gain some Backlash.

The most common way to reduce the chances for Backlash is to use tools, repeated practiced methods (spells), and extra time both in creating and ending a spell to be as careful as possible with one’s magic.

In the context of the game, these methods reduce the difficulty or cost of a given spell, reducing the chances of earning Backlash. The difficulty of a magical spell can never be reduced below TN 8.

  • -1: increasing the casting time of a spell from minor action to major action, or major action to Full Round, or Full Round to two Full Rounds
  • -1: Using some form of magical tools (such as wands, crystals, books, calligraphy on paper that must be burned, etc.)
  • -1: Must make specific patterns with hands and fingers, requiring at least one hand to be free and able to move
  • -1: Specific spoken phrases that must be stated clearly at conversational voice or louder
  • -1: Requiring hard-to-obtain materials to be used in the spell (that will be consumed during the spell’s casting)
  • -1 Mana cost: Increase Target Number by +1

Resistance

While the fact of magic is generally accepted, the truth is that each act of magic pushes against the default state of reality in some way. This can be expressed after magic is performed by Backlash, but before that happens, some circumstances may increase the local Resistance to a specific magical effect and therefore increase the  Target Number for the Magical Test.

These rules do not need to be applied in every situation, but they exist to emphasize the ways that magic might push reality too far or that not everyone will casually accept extreme displays of magic even in a magical world. Note that while most Resistance applies to spells or rituals and not powers, the GM may add in local resistance to the use of a power if the supernatural has a Weakness, especially one that is being enhanced by a current Backlash Consequence. 

The following list is short and only gives a few examples; there may be many more factors that apply in a specific case. One thing a GM should consider when calculating Resistance is whether the magic taking place is something they want their version of reality to easily accept—for example, if teleportation is meant to be difficult in this game, then it should always face increased Resistance.

The GM may decided that more than 5 points of Resistance will result in automatic Backlash for any magic used in defiance of local reality; usually 1 point per point of Resistance in excess.

  • +1: The area is blessed or protected by some method, such as gestures against the Evil Eye, salt circles, horseshoes, or other common symbols believed to protect against hostile magics. This may only apply if the supernatural has a Weakness to such protections, and can increase if they are currently suffering Backlash related to this Weakness
  • +1: Someone nearby has good reason why the magic should not work (it will hurt them or violate deep beliefs)
  • +1: A witness knows the feat taking place is all but impossible
  • +1: Increasing the speed of a casting the spell from Full Round to major action, or major action to minor action, or minor action to free action
  • +1: A spell that witnesses have only ever seen performed with tools, gestures, magical words, or with unique components discards some or all of these. Resistance may increase for each element missing from casting, based on witness’ expectations
  • -1: The area is appropriate for the kind of magic taking place, such as summoning ghosts in a cemetery or impressive martial arts in a dojo
  • -1: Adds effect to a mundane feat that makes it extremely impressive
  • -1: Someone nearby has a reason for the magic to work (it will actively help them or supports their beliefs)
  • +2: There are several (up to five) witnesses present who actively disbelieve in the magic or who want the effect to fail
  • +2: The magical effect is due to an extensive ritual that runs counter to the wishes of witnesses
  • +2: There are active, regularly-maintained protections in place specifically meant to run into the Weaknesses of certain supernaturals, such as holy symbols, silver, garlic, and holy water for vampires or silver church bells for dreamwalkers
  • -2: There are several (up to five) people who actively want the magic to work
  • -2: The effect simply builds on a mundane effect in a way that most people wouldn’t know was odd (such as a bullet exploding a tank of gas)
  • -2: The area is primed to help with magical effects, such an area under enchantment, a temple to the same god with a divine spirit in it, a wizard’s study, etc.
  • -3: Several steps go into setting up a believable excuse why the magic makes sense, such as putting on a display of making good healthy soup and herbal teas to help fight a disease
  • -3: A  group of people (5-25) are praying for exactly the sort of help you are attempting to provide
  • +3: The effect strains the belief of ordinary people even in a magical world, such as summoning something from nothing or full-body transformations in front of ordinary people
  • +3: There is a group (around 5-25) who actively do not want the effect to take place
  • -4: A large-scale effort goes into making the magic believable, such as making a complex  illusion part of a theatrical show or creating a magical device through days of work in a shop with several assistants
  • -4: A large number of people (at least 25-50) want the magic to succeed and have reason to think it should; for example, a church congregation expecting faith healing to work
  • +4: The effect shatters the usual rules of reality even in the eyes of supernaturals, such as opening large gateways into other realms or transforming a rabbit into dragon
  • +4: A large number of people (at least 25-50) who  want the magic to fail; for example, the entire community believes that magic that brings back the dead should not work

Magical Talents

There is no distinction in this game between Arcana or Psychic Powers—these are all Magical Talents, and are equally available to anyone with a Supernatural Type.

Magic is expressed either through Powers (innate and often unconscious uses of magic), Rituals (long involved procedures, often used to produce long-term or large-scale effects), or Spells (quick expressions of magic power, often meant to have an immediate effect). Using the parlance of the game, Theurgy and Rituals rules will be given below, and Magic Talents and the powers under them are considered Spells. Enhancements are referred to as Powers.

Most scholars of magic recognize four ways to perform magical effects:

  • Ritual Magic. This is the root of most magical systems known in the world. While every sapient creature can work magic in some way through theurgy, the majority of thinking creatures do not have the talent or willpower to do s reliably. But most spirit entities simply live and breathe magic, and perform theurgy without effort. As soon as humans learned of the capability of spirits, they found ways to formally bargain with them in order to wok magic on their behalf. In the modern world, ritual magic is a science, the root of industry, and something even the least-talented mortals spend some time learning about.
  • Theurgy, or “High Magic.” This is the most difficult to master, but also capable of generating a wide variety of effects that most supernaturals cannot easily achieve. All spirits and most magi can work on this level naturally, but there are serious risks associated with it, including increased chances of Backlash
  • Goetia, or “Low Magic.” This was once referred to “dark magic,” although most people today understand that magic is neither light or dark; it is a tool like any other that can be used for good or evil. Goetia effects are generally stable and reliable magical effects moderated through a spirit entity. The majority of supernaturals use this kind of magic. Even magi will develop a repertoire of Low Magic spells to use in order to minimize how much Mana they need to use, and to reduce the chances they will face Backlash
  • Magia naturalis or “Natural Magic.” Originally meant the use of herbs and other natural elements to create certain effects. By more recent tradition, this refers to those inherent abilities, or powers, of supernatural creatures. This is rarely studied in depth by wizards.

Backlash

All magic is a push against reality, a defiance of the way the world is supposed to work. Reality will push back, sooner or later. This is known by many terms, such as “the price,” “the curse,” “the cost,” “paradox,” “strain,” or lately, “backlash.” There are two major ways to gain Backlash: accept it as part of using magic (either through subconscious use of magic in critical situations or by doing something impossible where people will see it), or to fail in a Magical Test to cast a spell or use a Power.

Any failure on a Magic Test will give the player at least 1 Backlash. Additional Backlash is based on degree of failure—if the TN was 15 and the roll was an 11, the player gains 5 Backlash: one due to the failure, +4 for the degree of failure. If the player rolled a failure, they may instead choose to spend Mana after the fact, or gain Backlash to modify the roll +1 to turn the failure back into success. This avoids the automatic 1 Backlash and Consequences roll, but will add +1 Backlash to the next failure. Also, if the local Resistance is 5 points or higher, the GM may decide to give automatic Backlash.

Using an Ability score above the normal human limit of 5 will also give Backlash. If the source of superhuman ability is temporary, this just adds +1 to your Backlash pool. If the source is permanent, such as buying your Ability to superhuman levels, you will gain +1 Permanent Backlash for every 5 points of Ability.

After a Magical Test Failure, or when gaining Backlash as the overall cost for using magic, the player may choose to immediately roll for Backlash Consequences (Magical Ability vs. TN 8 + Total Backlash) or bank it. If the player banks the Backlash, they gain an additional +1 Backlash point. The player may choose to simply fail the Backlash roll in order to burn off Backlash points.

If total Backlash exceeds the character’s current Mana Pool, the player will roll to suffer Consequences.  The only way to lose Backlash is through the Consequences roll. The player may either choose how much Backlash to spend on a Consequence, or may roll 1d6 for every 4 points of Backlash they currently have. They may roll randomly for Consequences (see below) or choose from the listed consequences if the GM approves.

If after this Consequence, a character still has more Backlash than their current Mana Pool, they must try to gain sufficient Mana before the next sunrise or sunset orl gain an additional +1 Backlash and roll for Consequences again.

Damage or Conditions caused by Backlash Consequences cannot be healed magically, either through spells or powers. They can only be recovered with normal recovery times (although supernaturally-high Constitution might still apply in these cases).

Consequences

You may randomly roll for Consequences until you’ve spent all the Backlash points, or choose from these lists. You may choose or roll the same Consequequences each time, increasing the severity.

1-2: General

3-4: Supernatural Type

5-6: Domains

General

1-2: Minor

Lose 1 Backlash: You suffer a -1 penalty to all rolls next round, or the next two important rolls out of action time. You lose a piece of trivial equipment. Something visibly marks you as strange (like oddly glowing eyes or sudden smell of animal musk) and all NPCs reactions to you will worsen by one step. You suffer up to 1d3 points of Complications or damage.

3-4: Moderate

Lose 2 Backlash: Your next minor action fails in some notable way. You lose a piece of significant or expensive equipment. NPC reactions to you will be two steps worse for a limited time. You suffer a -2 penalty to all rolls next round, or the next three rolls out of action time. You suffer up to 1d6 points of Complications or 1d6 damage. You lose access to a social advantage (Relationship, Honorific, Membership) for a limited but meaningful period.

5-6: Major

Lose 3 Backlash: Your next major action fails in some notable way. You endure a -3 penalty to all rolls next round, or for the next four rolls outside of action time. You lose a piece of irreplaceable, important equipment. You ostracize one NPC completely and will have to rebuild any relationships, or frighten an entire group so that they are at least temporarily hostile. You suffer up to 2d6 points of Complications or damage.

Supernatural Type

All Supernatural Types come with default Consequences that are always in effect. However, Backlash can temporarily increase the severity of these Consequences. In some cases (see individual types), a Supernatural may be required to increase the severity of their default Consequences in the long term.

Disbelief—The supernatural’s existence runs counter to the expectations or beliefs of the predominant culture in the area. They have a permanent +1 Backlash due to their own existence, and may gain additional (temporary) Backlash points if their existence is discovered.

Instincts—The spirit inside the supernatural has its own desires and needs. Most supernaturals are slightly influenced by these instincts, such as a wolf’s desire to hunt at night, but at times the impulses become impossible to ignore. Every point of Backlash beyond the first increases the TN of Willpower tests to avoid giving in to the character’s instincts, and may increase the duration during which they are controlled by their instincts.

Limited Mana Recovery—Your linked spirit can only absorb Mana through specific means, such as through blood at a rate of 1 Mana per 1 point of Health damage through blood loss, through flesh at a rate of 1 Mana per 2 points of damage, through sitting through an hour of a person dreaming, being close to death or dying things, and similar limits. The GM and player will decide mutually what the proper feeding method is. Every point in the severity of this Consequence represents additional Mana lost to the feeding process: for example, at 3 Backlash points, a character needs to recover 4 Mana in order to keep 1 Mana afterward.

Marked—The character bears visible signs of their supernatural nature. This could be a specific mark that can be found in multiple forms, unusually-colored eyes, hair, or marks on the skin, or less-tangible but still detectable aura such as a creeping sense of death and decay around an ancient vampire. A Marked character has a +1 difficulty to any attempt to hide their true nature from ordinary people, and some people may have additional difficulty in social situations, per point of severity.

Other Limitations—These are special rules that apply to how the character interacts with the world, such as the fact that vampires must pay Mana to wake up and be active each day, or additional Mana to appear to be alive during that time, or that shifters under stress (such as in during full moon or attacked with silver) may need to make a Willpower test or immediately shift forms. The GM and player are encouraged to work together to make an interesting limitation.

Vulnerable—The supernatural cannot resist or easily heal from damage from the listed weapon. For example, shifters are vulnerable to silver, dreamwalkers are often vulnerable to iron (which includes steel weapons), and vampires are usually vulnerable to fire. The character is unable to apply their Toughness to attacks against these weapons or add their Constitution to Recovery rolls from these wounds. Some vulnerabilities may also allow ordinary objects that are usually not threats to become harmful to the supernatural, causing at least 1d6 damage per point of Backlash—such as garlic for shifters or holy water for vampires.

Weakness—A specific set of conditions or objects that can affect the supernatural’s ability to perform magic or may cause fear or other psychological effects. This adds +1 to magical TN and Mana Costs per point of Backlash. Every degree of Backlash severity increases the Resistance by +1 (if you don’t have a Backlash score, you will suffer +1). For example, dreamwalkers hearing church bells or vampires in the daylight will suffer Resistance. Alternatively, the presence of symbols such as salt circles or holy symbols may force the supernatural to roll a Willpower test, TN 9+Backlash points in severity, or recoil in fear or even possibly try to run away.

Spells

If the Backlash is the result of powerful magics, either from Theurgy or Goetia, especially a spell failure, the GM may inflict a spell effect. They will use the Mana that was spent, as well as points of Backlash to build the effects. In general, these effects should be based on the character’s own Magical Talents and should be related to the source of the Backlash. So if a magus uses Energy Domain to cause a small lightning storm, the Consequence should involve electricity or lightning, while someone failing to properly use Fire Arcana might set themselves or the area around them on fire.