Other Rules

In addition to the changes to character creation and rules for magic, Mana Noir adds some details and specificity to rules that are found in M:AGE. When there is a conflict between the original game rules and the rules here, go with the printed rules until the GM clarifies which version will be used. Not all of these changes need to be applied at the same time, but several may be in effect.

Character Creation

Strength

The default game mode for M:AGE is for a simplified, somewhat cinematic use of Abilities. Hard numbers are not quite in the spirit of that sort of game, but some players and GMs may want more specific details when it comes to a character’s capabilities. In a similar vein, Mana Noir is often played with a map, miniatures, and tactical movement, so it is best to have accurate expectations of what a vague ranking in the Strength Ability means.

How Much Can You Carry and Lift?

Carry

On average, a character with Strength of 0 (zero) can carry 25 kg (about 55 lbs) with some effort. Each point of Strength gives you another 25 kg of carry weight (to a maximum of about 125 kg (275 lbs) at  Str 5), although the GM may ask for Strength (Might) rolls or Con (Endurance) rolls to see if you can carry this much over long periods or try to perform unusual feats such as run, jump, twist, or throw while near your maximum weight. You can exceed your carry weight for a while with increasingly difficult Strength rolls, all the way up to x2 normal weight at TN 20.

Characters with negative scores in strength will only be able to carry 12.5 kg at -1 and roughly 7 gk at -2.

Lift

When you exert yourself, you can lift more weight for a short period of time. With a Minor Action, you can casually lift something off the ground  (in what is normally called a deadlift) and carry it at half your normal Movement Speed for at least a round. With a Major Action, you can fully exert yourself to lift something and hold it, and possibly move up to 2 meters in a round. Each action requires a Strength (Might) roll, TN 11 for normal lifts, TN 15 for full exertions. Performing any kind of movement adds +2 to the TN, +3 if you attempt to move beyond the recommended limits, and if you fail you may suffer damage or Conditions (up to 1d6 per 25 kg being lifted).

At Str 0, you can normally deadlift about 100 kg (or about 220 lbs). You can add 10 kg to this amount for every point of Strength, up to 150 kg (or about 330 lbs) at Str 5.

At full exertion, with Strength 0 you can deadlift about 130 kg (or about 285 lbs). You can add about 25 kg per point of Strength, up to a maximum of 255 kg (or about 560 lbs).

This amount can be modified based on different kinds of lifting—bench presses tend to be about half the listed amount, while shoving/pulling items on the ground may be equal to twice the amount (or more, depending on conditions such as wheels, lubrication, being on a hill, etc). The GM may assign Strength (Might) rolls to help determine exactly how much may be lifted at a specific moment, For example, if your casual lift is 120 kg but you need to lift something that’s at 125 kg, you might just need a +1 or +2 to the TN, or check the Stunt Die and add +2 kg to your normal lift for every point on the die.

How Far Can You Jump?

An average person can perform a standing long jump of 2.25 meters (close to 7’6”) and a standing high jump of .5 meters (close to 1’8”). With at least 3 meters of movement before the jump, most people can perform a running long jump of 6 meters (19’6”) and high jump of 2 meters (about 6’6”). In ordinary conditions, you do not need to roll to reach these distances. However, in a fight, on uncertain ground, or other stressful circumstances you may need to make a Strength (Jumping) roll at TN 11 to jump and land without problems, with increased distances at higher TN. 

Kind of jump	TN 11	TN 13	TN 15
Standing long lump:	2.25 m	3 m	4 m
Running long jump:	6 m	7.5 m	9 m
Standing high jump:	0.5 m	1 m	1.5 m
Running high jump:	2 m	2.25 m	2.5 m

How Fast Can You Move?

In Mana Noir, measurements are in the metric system. M:AGE by default measures Speed in yards, but this translates closely enough to meters. Each point of Speed is therefore a meter of distance that can be covered on foot. In tactical combat rules, each square represents roughly 2 meters of space, so tactical movement is the character’s Speed / 2 (round up). So someone with a speed of 13 can move 7 squares, as can someone with a speed of 14. (The Speed 13 person can be assumed to be working a little harder to keep up.)

Specializations

Characters may take their first specialization at level 1, and may take another specialization slot to increase an existing specialization or add a second specialization, at every odd level thereafter (Level 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, etc.). You are still limited to a maximum of two different specializations.

Basic Rules

Action Time

You can swap out your Major Action for two Minor Actions, allowing you to take a total of three Minor Actions in a single round.

New Actions

Major Action: Complex Manipulation

You make use of or controlling a device, animal, spell effect, or some other interaction that requires a reasonable amount of concentration and effort. For example, if you’re trying to perform complex maneuvers with an automobile, or give detailed instructions to another person, or crack a safe, you’ll need to take a Major Action to do so. This helps track how difficult it would be for a character to perform these feats while under stress or in a combat.

Major Action: Protect

Rather than worrying about defending yourself, you can choose to protect another person. You will take -2 to your Defense, but add +2 to the defense of someone within melee range. If the attack is an area of effect, you are at -2 to your roll to defend, but give your protectee +2 to their roll. A successful direct attack against that person will need to get through your Armor and Toughness before it can hurt the person you’re protecting. Successful area attacks will hurt you both equally.

Minor Action: Interfere

You spend a Minor Action and make an effort to interfere with something a designated enemy melee attempts to do on their action. Once within the next turn, when the target takes an action (either Major or Minor), you can either create resisted roll against your own Communication, Dexterity, Fighting or Strength, or you can impose a flat -2 penalty to their roll. When a target tries to move away from you and you devote your Interference to stopping them, you can either cause them to move half their normal Speed (round up), or roll Con (Running) or Strength (Might) with a TN of their Defense score to stop them completely.

Minor Action: Simple Manipulation

This is something like the Activate Minor Action, but represents ongoing but relatively minor attention paid to the interaction. For example, you’d use this action if you’re just trying to keep a vehicle going in more-or-less the correct direction while doing other things, or directing an ally, companion, or construct, reloading a weapon, or other such things.

Combat

Penetrating Damage

To clarify the damage rules provided in M:AGE, page 39: The differences between impact and ballistic damage remain the same. In the default pulp mode of Mana Noir, Toughness does not automatically reduce ballistic damage.

However, there is a contradiction in the rules. Despite the description of Penetrating damage, which says, “Very few things reduce penetrating damage,” the box on “Being Bulletproof” suggests that Toughness may always reduce Penetrating damage. However, in the description of Toughness on page 27, Pulp mode does not mention using Toughness against Penetrating damage. Only Cinematic mode even mentions Penetrating damage at all, saying that even in this mode, Toughness does not reduce it.

Because Toughness is a common stat and clearly contradicts the intent of “very few things,” in Mana Noir, the “Being Bulletproof” table does not apply. Neither Toughness nor Armor can reduce Penetrating damage. Some Spells, Powers, and enchantments may allow Penetrating damage to be reduced, but doing so will usually cause at least 1 Backlash.

However, because Penetrating damage is so dangerous, most attacks and Spells using it will either allow Defense or some kind of Ability roll to resist part of the damage.

Attacks and Hazards that normally cause Penetrating damage will include: Acid, Gas, Lightning, Poison, Psychic, Radiation, Sonic, Spiritual.

Damaging Objects

According to the rules for “Attacking Objects” in M:AGE, page 40-41, the size of an object is the main determinant for the difficulty to hit an object. After that, the degree of armor or overall capacity to withstand harm is up to the GM. In Mana Noir, this additional ability to handle damage is reflected in an object’s Durability and Integrity scores.

Durability acts like the object’s Armor.  Durability indicates how difficult it is to actually damage the object in question once it has been successfully attacked. Each hit that causes more damage than the object’s Durability will then reduce the object’s Integrity by one point. Impact, Ballistic and Penetrating damage makes no difference to objects. Some kinds of special attacks, such as Acid, Arcane, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Psychic, Sonic, or Spiritual may have specific bonuses ore penalties where the object’s material is concerned. If the object is built from several materials, the GM should determine whether the most vulnerable parts are exposed. If so, then use the lowest listed Durability. If not, use the highest.

Note that an object carried by a character adds that characters’s Dexterity to the target TN for the object. Enchanted items usually have additional Durability.

Integrity is a quick and easy way of tracking how well the object survives damage. Every time damage exceeds an object’s Durability, reduce its Integrity by one point. When the object runs out of Integrity, it falls apart, is destroyed, or otherwise becomes nonfunctional. The GM is encouraged to describe the Integrity as having different qualities based on the type of object: a simple sword should be harder to destroy than the mechanism of a crossbow or the workings of an engine.

Different materials have specific bonuses or penalties to Durability and Integrity. Check the listing for Materials in the Enchanted Items page for the guidelines.

Repairing objects usually requires an Advanced Test in a workshop, or with appropriate tools and materials available. Each check should take at least five to ten minutes (determined by the GM). The TN for the repair should be based on the object’s Durability + 10 (rather than the usual TN for the object’s size). Every Threshold Success repairs one point of Integrity, although the GM may rule that available resources cannot fully repair the object. Note that the True Smithing Arcana can speed up repairs, bypass the need for proper tools, or just directly repair the object without the need for the repair test.

The listings for materials and their Durabilities and Integrities, as well as how much Mana they can store, for low long, can be found on the Enchanted Items page. Here are the basics for a few common materials, for reference. 

• Liquids
  • Durability: 0. 20 vs. Acid. 10 vs. Cold (becomes frozen). 5 vs. Fire, Lightning.
  • Integrity: 2
• Metals
  • Durability: Steel: 15. Alloys: 13. Precious metals: 11. Mystic metals: 18+. -3 to Acid, Cold. +5 vs. Fire, Lightning, Sonic
  • Integrity: Steel: 10. Alloys: 12. Precious metals: 4. Mystic metals: 12+.
• Wood
  • Durability: 4 (hardwoods have 8). -3 to Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning.
  • Integrity: 4 (hardwoods have 6)

Conditions

Environmental hazards, Stunts, Consequences due to Backlash, and large amounts of damage may cause Conditions. A player may also accept a Condition in order to reduce the amount of incoming damage.

Instead of Health loss: If the player does not want their character to lose Health, they may exchange 2 points of incoming damage for 1 point in a Condition of their choice (negotiated with the GM depending on circumstances). This exchange happens before Toughness or Armor is applied; if the resulting damage causes no actual Health loss, the Condition still takes effect but is considered one point less severe (for example, if they are

Stunt Attacks to Cause Conditions: The player who generates Stunt Points with an attack may choose to spend a certain number of SP, listed next to each condition, to cause the target to take that Condition. The GM may also decide a hazard or special attack can cause Conditions without the use of SP. Note that the nature of the attack must make sense for the attempted Condition—shooting someone with a bullet isn’t going to allow you to impose the Controlled Condition.

If normal healing cannot lead to recovery from a Condition, add +2 to its value (for example, permanent Blindness is worth 7 points).

Recovery from a Condition: Whenever the character is allowed to Recover (during a Breather, when being Treated magically or through medical skill, after a certain period of time and rest), they may make a roll. Without magical or special skills, Conditions can be overcome with a Constitution (Stamina) roll, TN of 9 + SP used to create the Condition. Check the Stunt Die result; this number reduces the points in the Condition by that amount. With Magical healing, usually two points of healing remove 1 point of Condition. When the Condition reaches 0 points, the Condition goes away. 

• Blinded (5): A blinded character cannot see and automatically fails ability tests reliant on sight, such as Perception (Seeing). Fighting while blind imposes a –5 penalty to attacks and other actions. This penalty also applies to ranged attacks made at short range or within ten yards, whichever is less. Any ranged attacks beyond that simply fail. Finally, if you are fighting while blinded against opponents who can see, you lose the benefit of adding your Dexterity to your Defense. Individuals used to severe visual impairment may experience reduced penalties from this condition, at the Game Master’s discretion.
• Broken or Maimed (4-6): A limb is rendered useless for a while, either from broken bones, traumatized muscles, or other reasons. This imposes a -4 penalty to all tests using that limb, and the GM may rule that some actions simply can’t be attempted. This may be increase to Maimed for 6 points; the limb simply is gone until replaced, regenerated, or otherwise magically healed. Actions relying on that limb are either at -5 or simply impossible, depending on the circumstances.
• Choking (3-6-9): The character has some trouble breathing. At 3 points, they are at -1 to all tests and must make a Con (Stamina) roll TN 11 to move full speed. At 6 points, they are at -3 to all tests and must make a Con (Stamina) roll, TN 13, to take a major action. At 9 points, they are at -4 to all tests and must make a Con (Stamina) roll to take any action. If the character fails any of their Con checks during this time, they take 1d6 penetrating damage per 2 points in the condition.
• Comatose (10): The character is unconscious, but cannot be revived without considerable effort or expertise, as chosen by the GM.
• Compelled (4): The character’s will is overwhelmed. A compelled character can perform only a minor or a major action on their turn (not both) and the GM chooses their action, which is impeded (–2 penalty to the test).
• Confused (3): The character has lost their bearings and focus. Roll a TN 13 Willpower (Self-Discipline) test at the start of each of the character’s turns. On a failure, the GM determines the character’s major action based on the circumstances surrounding them. With a success, the player determines the character’s major action that turn normally.
• Controlled (6): The character’s will is completely overwhelmed. A controlled character’s actions are all dictated by the GM while the condition lasts, usually on behalf of an antagonist or hazard that caused the condition.
• Cowed (3): The character is frightened or intimidated by the target, and suffers a –3 penalty to attack tests and Defense against the source of the fear while this condition persists. They are at -1 to attack and Defense against other opponents while Cowed.
• Dazed (2): A dazed character can only perform a single minor action, not a major action. This usually lasts for one turn.
• Deafened (3): A deafened character cannot hear and automatically fails ability tests reliant on hearing, such as Perception (Hearing). The character suffers a –5 penalty to Defense against any opponent they cannot see.
• Defenseless (5): A defenseless character has a –5 penalty to attack tests and has an effective Defense of 0.
• Dying (only at 0 Health Points from wound damage): A dying character is helpless and in danger of perishing. They may perish after a number of rounds equal to 2 + Constitution, unless they receive treatment. In Gritty mode, dying characters must succeed on a TN 9 Constitution (Stamina) test or they fall unconscious and remain so until they regain at least 1 Health. In Pulpy mode, dying characters remain conscious automatically. At the end of their survival time, the character can roll a TN 9 Constitution (Stamina) test to survive additional rounds equal to the result of the Stunt Die. They can test again each time their survival time runs out, but the TN increases by +2 per additional test. In Cinematic mode, dying characters follow the Pulpy rules, and are not entirely helpless; they can take a Minor action each round. If they roll Stunt Points on the survival test, they can spend 3 SP to take a Major action on their turn as well.
• Enraptured (2): An enraptured character is completely focused on a particular person or thing. The character has a –3 penalty to Perception tests not involving the target of their fascination and can only take major or minor actions that involve interacting with the source of fascination (usually in an helpful or friendly way) until the condition ends.
• Exhausted (6): An exhausted character has a –4 penalty to all tests and Defense, and is slowed, moving at half speed (round up). Additionally, if the character loses more than half their Health while exhausted, they become unconscious for 1d6 hours or until restored to greater than half their maximum Health. After six hours unconscious, they regain 10 + Constitution + Level Health and regain consciousness. An exhausted character who receives an additional fatigued or exhausted condition becomes helpless.
• Fatigued (4): A fatigued character has a –2 penalty to all tests, and is at -2 Defense and Speed. A fatigued character who receives an additional fatigued condition becomes exhausted.
• Grabbed (2): A grabbed character has their maneuverability somewhat limited, imposing a –2 penalty to their Defense. They cannot move from their spot until freeing themselves from the grabbed condition. A grabbed character who received an additional grabbed condition is restrained. Note that this condition can add to the Grapple Stunt—a Grabbed character who is the target of a Grapple Stunt adds +2 to the SP being used on the next stunt.
• Hamstrung (2): The character’s Speed is reduced by 4. This Condition can be applied multiple times. If Speed becomes 0, the character is immobile. In Gritty games, the character will also fall prone and cannot stand without a Dext (Acrobatics) check at TN 12.
• Helpless (4 or 7): A helpless character is incapable of doing anything. The character has -5 Defense and cannot take any actions. This lasts for 1 round for 4 points, 2 rounds for 7 points.
• Hindered (1-3): The hindered character can’t exert their full force, causing -2 physical damage per point in Condition, or suffering -1 to physical tests per point.
• Immobile (3 or 6): An immobile character’s Speed becomes 0 and they effectively cannot move. For 3 Condition points, the character can move everything but their legs normally, meaning they still have full Defend and can take other actions. For 6 Condition points, they have trouble moving in any way, have Speed 0, and are at -4 to all physical tests or Defense
• Impaired (4): The character’s is either drugged, poisoned, concussed, or otherwise unable to perform at full capability, imposing a –3 penalty on all Ability tests.
• Impeded (2): An impeded character’s overall effectiveness is reduced, with a –2 penalty to tests with one or more Abilities related to the nature of the condition and its cause.
• Injured (1-6): An injury requires the GM or player to decide where the injury took place. The character is at -1, or -2 to appropriate tests depending on Condition value when using that part of the body. At 3 points of Condition, the injury becomes a Wound, which will not heal normally over short periods of time and regular at least one day of full medical treatment and rest before a recovery check can even be attempted. At 4 or 5 points of Condition, the body part is Disabled, meaning it is useless and cannot be used to perform tests requiring that part; attempts to perform feats that used to take two of the body part are now at -4 or -5 to the test. At 6 points, the character is Maimed, losing the body part completely. It can only be healed through magic, and might cause backlash in the attempt.
• Muted (4): A muted character cannot speak or use any Communication focuses or talents that require speech.
• Nauseated (4): While this condition persists, the character must reroll any die that has a result of 5-6, and take the second result.
• Pinned (4): Either the character has had heavy objects falling on them, or they’re being held in a grapple. A pinned character’s maneuverability is seriously limited. The character is immobile and can only take free actions on their turn, or attempt to free themselves using Fighting (Grappling) or Strength (Might), against a default TN of 13. Success will come with damage, at least 1d6+Strength (if caused by a grappler) or modified by the weight of the objects holding them.
• Prone (2): A prone character is lying on the ground. The character cannot take the Charge or Run actions, and standing up from prone requires a Move action using half the character’s Speed. Ranged attacks have a –1 penalty against prone characters, but melee attacks gain +1 to hit.
• Reeling (5): The character’s bell has been run, and they are severely off their game. While the Condition persists, their Stunt Die comes up a 1 or 2 on a test, they automatically fail it.
• Restrained (5): A restrained character is tied up, handcuffed, or otherwise unable to move freely. They have a–4 penalty to their Defense, and they can’t take any action other than try to escape their bonds.
• Shock (2): For the next entire turn, the character is in shock, either from damage taken or from being overwhelmed by events. On their next turn, they will either do nothing or only take actions to find cover or protect themselves. Even so, they are at -1 to all tests.
• Slowed (3): A slowed character’s Speed is halved (round down), and they cannot take the Charge or Run actions.
• Unconscious (8, or when target reaches 0 Health points from stun damage): An unconscious character is unaware of their surroundings or the passage of time. The character falls prone and is helpless, unable to take any actions. Typically, an unconscious character remains so for 2d6 minutes or until revived by another character using the First Aid action. Weakened: One of the character’s ability scores is reduced by 1d6. This condition is cumulative, and multiple instances of weakened can reduce multiple abilities or a single ability multiple times. Lost ability score points recover at a rate decided by the GM (see Removing Conditions, previously).
• Weakened (4): One of the target’s Abilities (usually physical, but other options may exist) is reduced by or by 1d6. Multiple instances can apply to the same Ability, if desired.
• Winded (2): The character has a –1 penalty to all tests and cannot take the Charge or Run actions. A character who received an additional winded condition is fatigued.

Fatigue: Besides the above causes, Fatigue may also result after intense or long periods of effort. You must make a Fatigue Test after every combat that lasts more than one round per Con bonus, walking eight hours with a light load or four hours with a heavy load, long physical Challenge Tests (such as a Chase), 16 hours of solid work that’s not necessarily physical labor, 24 hours without sleep, or as the GM sees fit.

Firearms

While firearms and cannons are an old technology, there are significant obstacles that have complicated their widespread adoption. The primary issue is that most people do not fully understand how these weapons work, and are frightened when they see them used and often, when they use the weapons themselves. Both of these elements can combine to cause unconscious magical dangers when using guns. Quite often, training of soldiers involves trying to reduce the effects of this instinctive fear, as well as improving understanding of the chemistry involved.

Whenever a person wants to use a gun in combat, they must roll a Willpower test, adding the appropriate Firearms focus if they have it, against a target number based on the apparent complexity of the weapon. The weapon usage roll should happen at the start of combat. Unless the weapon takes some form of damage, the user will then generally trust it for an entire combat encounter.

Some magical effects may temporarily add to this test or make it unnecessary. The best firearms are ritually enchanted to be reliable and will add up to +3 to the test. Bullets can also be enchanted (doubling the cost of the ammunition) to add up to another +3 to these tests.

• Blunderbusses, Cannons, Muskets, Revolvers: TN 9
• Pocket Pistols, Semiautomatic Pistols, Hunting Rifles, Shotguns: TN 11
• Artillery, Carbines, Pump Shotguns, Semiautomatic Rifles, Automatic Rifles, Sniper Rifles: TN 13
• Rocket-Propelled Grenades, Vehicle-Mounted Weapons: TN 15.

If the roll is a failure with a 1-2 on the Stunt Die, the weapon will explode, causing its listed damage +2 to the user. If the roll is a failure with a 3-4 on the Stunt Die, the weapon breaks in a significant way and the user takes 2 damage. If the failure has a 5-6 on the Stunt Die, the weapon jams and will need maintenance to be used again.

One side effect of the War of Empires was that firearms have been mass produced for the first time, and large numbers of soldiers were trained in their use. Some scholars believe that now that firearms are being used more often, even by ordinary people, that the magical interference may start to fade away.

Stunts

Stunt Points can only be generated by a character for one test in a single turn, and that test must be an active decision, not in reaction to something or as a resistance roll. For example, a character who rolls an attack may get Stunt Points to use on Lightning Attack; however, this second attack cannot generate SP.

Stunt Attack: this action generates 2 SP, not 1.

Group Stunt Pool: Once everyone in the group has a Relationship with at least 1 rank of Bond with another member of the group (M:AGE, pages 28-29, “Relationships”), the group will start every session with a Stunt Pool. This pool represents Stunt Points that can be used during the session to either add to generated Stunt Points, or to be used on a successful active roll (not a reaction or resistance roll) even if doubles were not rolled.

This pool will start with 1 SP per rank in Bonds shared among the group. Whenever a group member generates Stunt Points, they may choose to place one or more SP into the Pool. At the end of the session, the Pool returns to its base number of SP.

Stunts and Conditions: As noted in the Conditions section, Stunt Points can be used to impose a Condition on a one-for-one basis.

New Stunts

These are just a few examples of other stunts that can be used by characters, or modifications to existing Stunts.

Called Shot (4-5): This Stunt can be found in M:AGE, page 84, and is intended for Firearms. In this game, there is a 5 SP version that allows the current melee attack to temporarily ignore Armor (but not Toughness).

Clinch (Grapple, 3): If you successfully Grapple the target, you may also cause your normal melee damage to the target while holding them or performing any other grapple stunt.

Frighten (General, 3): You successfully perform some physical or social feat that threatens the target or someone close to them. They may roll Willpower (Courage) against a TN of 12+ character’s Communication (Persuasion) or Strength (Intimidation). If they fail, they have the Cowed condition. The target has a –3 penalty to attack tests and Defense against the character while this condition persists, and have -1 to attack and Defense against other opponents. Each turn the target may roll again, with a +1 to the roll, until they overcome the Condition.

Full Force (Combat, 5): The characters sacrifices their Minor Action to focus all their attention on harming the target. If the attack is ranged, add the character’s Accuracy score to damage. If the attack is melee, add the character’s Fighting score to damage. If the attack is magic, add the character’s Willpower score to damage.

Glean Motives (Investigation, 2): The character studies the target and has a flash of empathic insight into their true motivations for doing something. The GM should truthfully answer two questions about the reasons the target might have for acting a certain way, doing a certain thing, or holding onto a specific idea.

Hit Where It Hurts (Combat, 2): When the character successfully attacks, they should note the difference between roll to hit and the target’s Defense. For every 2 points of difference, the attack does an additional +1 damage.

Lock (Grappling, 3-6): Once the character has successfully Grappled a target, they may perform another Stunt Attack, or generate SP with a successful attack next turn, to put their target into a joint or limb lock. For 3 SP, the lock is relatively gentle, only seriously hurting when the target moves too much–the target suffers -2 to actions related to trying to escape the hold. For 5 SP, the lock is actively painful, and the target is Impaired in any physical action. For 6 SP, the target is Restrained, at -4 Defense and unable to move in any way that doesn’t involve trying to escape the grapple. If the target attempts to escape the grapple and fails, they suffer 1d6 +1 per SP spent penetrating damage.

Mentalist’s Trick (Social, 3): The character offers a false choice to the target, using fast talk, sleight of hand, and similar tricks to convince the target to choose what the character wants. The target may roll Perception (Empathy) vs. TN 12 + character’s Communication (Deception). If the target fails, they choose what the character wants and will not know they’ve been tricked. If they succeed, they will still make the choice, but on the next turn will they’ve been fooled.

Opportunist (Combat, 3): The character prepares to interfere with the enemy’s mobility in some way. The character gives up their Minor Action; if a target in melee range tries to move out of that range, or through the character’s melee range, or does something complex such as cast a spell or work with a device, the character may roll a prepared melee attack (without generating SP) before the target finishes their action.

Precise Force (Combat, 2-3): This Stunt is already listed in the table of M:AGE, page 82, and is also called Pierce Armor in F:AGE, page 36. For this game, there is also a 3 SP option that allows the strike to reduce magically-created Armor (as opposed to worn equipment) by half. 

Quick Assessment (Investigation, 2): The character quickly glances at a situation and can determine the most dangerous, the most vulnerable, and most important elements of the scene. They don’t necessarily gain details or have any insight into what makes someone dangerous or important, but they can tell the basics of what is what.

Skillful Attack (Combat, 2): If you have an appropriate Focus for the attack, you may add that bonus to your damage.

Suggest Action (2-4): In addition to making an impression on someone, you can spend 2 Stunt Points to suggest how a person should act the next time they’re given an opportunity; to do something as a minor favor, to overlook something, or to hesitate to do something to you, or things of that sort. At 4 Points, you make a Command; the target should roll Willpower (Self-Discipline) vs. TN 9 + character’s Communication (Persuasion). If the target fails, they follow one order for their next turn unless it would hurt themselves or someone with whom they have a Bond. If the target succeeds, they will still act as if given a suggestion for two turns.

Throw (Grappling, 4): After successfully grappling a target, the character may throw them up to 1 meter for every 2 points in Fighting (Grapple) or Strength (Might), in any horizontal direction. The target will take 1d6+ 1 Impact damage per meter thrown (more if the GM thinks circumstances warrant) and end up Prone and Dazed, but not Grappled, on their turn.

Focus

At 11th level, your focus bonus goes up to +3. You may also take a double focus, using a focus advancement to increase a bonus to +4.

New Focuses

Communication: Divine, Fae, Ghosts, Ideals, Monsters, Spirits, Totems

Constitution: Healing (bonus to add when being healed through time or medicine).

Intelligence: Arcana (theory and practices taught in the Academy), Artillery (using large guns to properly place cannon or artillery fire), Occult (myths and rumors not always taken seriously), Realms (about the rules, structure, and qualities of the spiritual planes), Rituals (creation, instruction, and leading), Spirits (general knowledge about denizens of other realms).

Perception: Details, Ghosts, Magic (general sense of Mana, either gathered in one place or at work), Spirits.

Strength: Breaking (causing damage, especially to objects)

Talents

These are in addition to the talents found in M:AGE, pages 55-63, M:AGE-C, pages 22-27, F:AGE, pages 42-47, and F:AGE-C, pages 21-22.

Brilliance

Requirements: Intelligence 3

You have flashes of genius that can spur your understanding, allowing you to come up with new ideas or new applications for concepts that can seem almost impossible.

• Novice: You can quickly learn almost anything, at least in the short term. If you’re allowed at least a short time, at least five or ten minutes, to study something, you can make an Intelligence roll to understand that thing or concept as if you had a Focus in that specific field of knowledge, no matter how esoteric it might be. This does require you to have some some kind of reference text, person, or time enough to piece together the clues yourself
• Expert: When making an Intelligence or other test to develop a new idea, from a new Spell, Ritual, scientific concept, or piece of techne, you can reroll 1s
• Master: When attempting to study, modify, or build something based on something for which you have an Intelligence Focus, double your Focus bonus
• Grandmaster: When performing an Advanced Test to create, modify, or understand something for which you have an Int Focus, double the number of Threshold Successes generated per successful test
• Apex: You have flashes of total comprehension; once per day you may choose a single Intelligence Test to simply succeed in without rolling, regardless of Target Number

Evaluation

Requirements: Intelligence (2), Perception (2)

You’ve developed a keen sense of awareness and can not only notice details, but put them together to gauge important facts.

• Novice: You may attempt an Intelligence or Perception roll, plus appropriate focus regardless of normal Ability, to determine some quality about a person or object: such as relative Ability + Focus score, how tough an object is, how new it is, where it belongs, how much its value is, etc
• Expert: You may reroll 1s on any Perception or Intelligence roll related to figuring out something about a person, object, or situation
• Master: You gain +1 SP when you generate Stunt Points during an Investigation
• Grandmaster: You double the appropriate Focus bonus being used in a current Investigation
• Apex: You get one free Unlock in a complex Investigation

Manipulation

Requirements: Communications (2)

It’s easy for you to sell a story and convince people to listen to you, at least in the short term. Given time and effort, you can manipulate people into believing almost anything and at least giving you the benefit of the doubt when contradicted.

• Novice: You gain +1 SP when generating Social Stunt Points
• Expert: The “And Another Thing” and “Sway the Crowd” Social Stunts cost -1 SP
• Master: If the target of your manipulation has is allowed to Contest your tricks, they are at -1 to the roll
• Grandmaster: It takes longer for the target of your manipulation to notice something is wrong; double the usual duration for the social effect or Stunt
• Apex: If no one tells the target the truth, they may never now they were fooled. Even if they are told the truth, you may make an immediate contested Communication roll vs. their Willpower to represent them denying that they were tricked

Rituals

Requirements: Intelligence 2 or Willpower 2

You’re adept at creating, learning, or performing Ritual magic. This is often picked up by professionals who work Rituals every day as part of their jobs.

• Novice: You have a +1 to any roll involving Rituals
• Expert: If you are the Ritual leader, you can add one more participant than normal. If you are a participant, on a successful roll you can either contribute Willpower Ability additional Mana or +1 Threshold Success
• Master: You may reroll 1s on any Ritual roll
• Grandmaster: If either the leader or a participant would fail a Ritual roll, you may immediately spend Conviction to allow that person to reroll
• Apex: You may ignore the first point of Backlash given to you during a Ritual

Synergy

Requirements: Communications (1), Perception (1)

A team is your favorite place to be.  You’re good at working with others, especially when the chips are down. You can pick up on cues from your friends, allies, and teammates and offering support where needed. (Note that these rules relate to Cooperation, explained in M:AGE, page 120.)

• Novice: You have +1 to tests to notice, communicate with, or be aware of the people you have Bonds with or who you’ve cooperated with in the past scene. You may add one additional person to any cooperative test above the usual limit
• Expert: You add +1 to your roll when cooperating
• Master: While cooperating on a test, you add +1 to your Stunt Die result, either for Force Multiplier or 
• Grandmaster: Everyone who rolls doubles on a cooperative test may generate Stunt Points, to be spent by the individual who is primarily performing the test
• Apex: You may add the Focus bonuses of all participants to your Stunt Die results for any cooperative test

Specializations

Adventurer

The thrill of the chase, the lure of the unknown, the sweet music of two fists, this is the rhythm of your life. For some reason, you find yourself in wildly dramatic situations all the time, and you’ve become an expert at finding and surviving adventures. You in fact can make a living at diving into problems head-first and coming back out with a fistful of secrets or treasures.

Requirements: Constitution (2) and Willpower (2)

• Novice: You’re an expert at finding clues to the next part of your adventure.  The Aha!, Intuition, or Lucky Break stunts cost -1 SP for you.
• Expert: Surviving dangerous situations comes naturally to you. When combat breaks out, you may either add +1 to  your Initiative, your Defense, or your Speed. If you’re trying to avoid a Hazard, you may instead add +1 to your roll to resist.
• Master: You’re a lucky SOB as well. You get +1 SP when using either the When a Plan Comes Together, Pay Dirt, Momentum, or Duck and Weave stunts.
• Grandmaster: Once per combat encounter, you may spend one Conviction point to completely avoid the damage from a single attack or the consequences of a Hazard.
• Apex: Whenever you spend Conviction during an encounter, you may also add +3 to any part of the roll that results. You may also choose to add that bonus to your Stunt Die if you generate SP

Leader

People naturally look to you for direction and purpose. You have the kind of charisma that makes it easy for people to listen to what you have to say, but also, you have good instincts for making sure talents are being applied in the best way. You’re not just someone with a rank and title, you’re a natural at being in charge.

Requirements: Communications (2) and Intelligence (2)

• Novice: You can reroll 1s on any Communication (Leadership) or (Persuasion) roll.
• Expert: You get +! SP to use on the Group Tactics, Double-Team, When a Plan Comes Together, or Class Clown stunts.
• Master: When you are nearby, can see an ally, and have the freedom to communicate, you can distract yourself for up to -3 on your next test to give that ally up to +3 on their next test.
• Grandmaster: Your presence nearby is enough to give all allies +1 to any combat-related test.
• Apex: Once per turn, you may spend Conviction on behalf of any member of your group you can see and communicate with, giving them the benefit of the Conviction point.

Ordinarius

Every mind of a certain level of complexity unconsciously works magic all the time. Most people without much talent still cause small effects from wishes, fears, and so on. But some people are either so stubborn, have so little talent, or are somehow so determined not to let magic affect them that they actually make the world a little less magical in their presence. Not all magical scholars are willing to believe in the ordinarius, but these people are actually more common that most realize; it’s just that they’re usually outnumbered by people who do believe enough in magic to counter them.

Requirements: Willpower (3)

• Novice: You have +1 to any roll to resist magic cast on you. If there”s no resistance roll, the Magic Test is at +1 to target you
• Expert: Your presence makes magic harder to activate: all Mana costs within your Willpower ranking in meters are at +1. If a spell targets you, it costs +2 Mana
• Master: Once per turn, you may unconsciously disbelieve in a magical effect. You may spend one point of Conviction and roll Willpower (Faith) or (Self-Discipline) as a contested roll against a Spell that you are aware is being cast. If you succeed, the Spell does not take place. Even if you fail, the spell will cost +2 Mana, +3 if it targets you
• Grandmaster: Spells, Rituals or Powers that are meant to target you will automatically generate 1 Backlash.
• Apex: Spell or Powers that take place within your Willpower (Self-Discipline) total meters are at +3 to their target numbers, and those spells will generate +1 Backlash.

Shaman

More of a general category than the Academy-trained Summoners, a Shaman is more about native traditions and folk understandings of spirits and the spirit realms. Shamanistic practice is often taught within family groups or small social circles, and involve a fair number of meditative and mind-altering rituals.

Requirements: Perception (2) and Willpower (3)

• Novice: You gain +1 to any roll involving Spirits, which can instead be added to the Stunt Die when generating Stunt Points
• Expert: You my reroll 1s on any test involving Spirits, including damage
• Master: Spirits are at -1 to any roll to harm or mislead you, and once per encounter you may reroll one test involving Spirits.
• Grandmaster: Novice-level Spirit Arcana spells cost -1 Mana, and you may keep them going beyond their normal duration for 1 Mana.
• Apex: You have +2 to all rolls involving Spirits (including adding Threshold Successes in a Ritual), and may directly bribe Spirits with Conviction points as well as Mana.

Trickster

You’re just good at misdirecting, misleading, and bringing some chaos to almost any situation. Quite often the tricks you play can backfire on you, but just like the Trickster gods that inspire you, some of those lessons can lead to fun adventures as well.

Requirements:

• Novice: Targets you are trying to trick are at -1 to their Tests to resist
• Expert: You can reroll 1s on attempts with Deception, Sleight of Hand or Stealth
• Master: You gain access to the special Stunt: “Discombobulation, 3” where a single target of a Melee Attack or a Sleight of Hand attempt will automatically fail their next physical action
• Grandmaster: You may choose to roll Deception to resist mental effects, or Stealth to resist physical ones, so long as those rolls can make sense in context
• Apex: You may spend a Conviction point to automatically succeed in a Deception or Sleight of Hand attempt

Warrior

Whether by natural inclination or a lot of focused training, you’re a dangerous combatant. Even if you don’t normally find yourself in violent situations, when it comes to fight, you’re ready, willing, and able–sometimes surprisingly so. This isn’t quite the same as the formal training of a Martial Artist or Sniper. Being a Warrior is more about battle sense and a killer instinct.

Requirements: Constitution (2) and Fighting (2)

• Novice: You gain +5 Health and one Accuracy or Fighting Talent
• Expert: Choose three General Combat, Melee, Ranged, or Grappling Stunts. These stunts costs you -1 SP
• Master: When you make an attack, you can take up to a –3 penalty on your attack roll to receive a corresponding bonus to your damage roll. For example, you can take a –2 penalty on your attack roll to get a +2 bonus on your damage roll. Alternately, you can receive up to a +3 bonus on your attack roll if you take a corresponding penalty on your damage roll. You must choose before you roll
• Grandmaster: You may always add your Focus bonus to your damage rolls with weapons involving that Focus
• Apex: Choose one Accuracy and one Fighting Focus. You may double your normal Focus bonus with those weapons. You may also reroll 1s on any hit or damage roll using the Focus weapons

Wizard

While Academy-style teaching is the norm for mages, some develop their skills outside of formal institutions of learning. This can be dangerous, especially for those who can perform Theurgy, but there have been Wizards (also sometimes called Sorcerers) at least as long as there have been Magi. Some people believe there might actually be more Wizards even now than there are Academy-trained Magi.

Requirements: Intelligence (3) or Willpower (3)

• Novice: You have +1 to any Novice-level magical Test, and may add +1 damage to any Novice-level Spell attack
• Expert: Chose one Arcana; all Spells from that Arcana cost -1 Mana (minimum of 1 Mana), and you may reroll ones on their magical Tests
• Master: You may immediately roll Intelligence (Arcana) or Perception (a particular Arcana Focus) to identify a magical effect that’s currently in place or a Spell that’s being cast. If you have the same Spell, you may spend Conviction to immediately try to counter it as a resisted roll; if you have the same Arcana, you may try with the highest-rank Spell you possess, +2 to Target Number and Mana Cost
• Grandmaster: You may spend Conviction to counter any Spell as a resistance roll that you’re aware of within your Magic Ability meters, using your highest-rank Spell’s TN and Magic Cost, +2 to each
• Apex: You may spend 1 Conviction once per turn to avoid or get rid of 1 Backlash. This does not effect any Permanent Backlash or current Backlash Consequences