From: pfstrack@email.unc.edu (Paul Strack) Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.storyteller Subject: Re: MAGE: Staying in Paradigm Date: 12 Sep 1995 04:16:11 GMT Organization: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill NNTP-Posting-Host: login1.isis.unc.edu SnowDog wrote: >Hya all. > >I've been playing Mage for about 4 months (I think...time's funny like >that, eh?) now, and I've come to the conclusion that the toughest thing >about playing mage is definitely maintaining an "in-paradigm" mindset >while playing your character. Storytelling, I'm sure, has its own >challenges (the less-than-adequate 1st ed. rules are one of them), but >as a player, I think maintaining paradigm is the toughest challenge. OK, here are some suggestions: 1) To maintain a magickal paradigm, make up Rotes, Rotes, and more Rotes. I strongly encourage every player to create several Rotes that are "theirs", that help define their personal magickal style. I tend to give them breaks on things like fast casting and paradox when they are using "their" rotes. I frown on them when they use Rotes from another tradition. However, I encourage them to "translate" Rotes from one tradition to another. This helps them concentrate on their magickal mind set. Mind you, rules wise most of the Rotes for different traditions are exactly the same. However, the props and methods needed to bring them about and the "reasons" behind why the Rote works change from Tradition to Tradition. 2) Have strong goals. Mages should be dynamic beings, seeking to actively change the world, and as such should have strong and grandiose plans for their lives, both short and long term. These goals should reflect the basic mindset of a mages paradigm, and should try to "push" reality in the right direction. Constructive goals are preferable to destructive ones. For example, a Verbena seeking to problem holistic, herbal healing within her community is doing more to promote her paradigm than a Verbena destroying the Technocracy. 3) Encourage "interdisciplinary" disputes between mages of different Traditions. This is especially easy between the Techno-mages and the more fantastic mages, but can be especially interesting between two Techn-mages or between two fantastic mages. -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Paul Strack | Madness takes its toll. pfstrack@email.unc.edu | Please have exact change.