From: Blake (blake1001@technologist.com) Subject: Re: [Mage] Beginner Rote Ideas Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.storyteller,alt.games.whitewolf.mage Date: 19 Jun 1997 11:07:02 -0700 Organization: Virtual Adepts Path: news.kth.se!nntp.uio.no!news.radio.cz!news-feed.inet.tele.dk!cpk-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.bbnplanet.com!feed1.news.erols.com!zdc!super.zippo.com!szdc!zippo!drn Lines: 176 Message-ID: <5obsg6$1qa@drn.zippo.com> References: <5o6r9u$kg0$1@news-2.csn.net> <5o9idk$b3g@drn.zippo.com> X-No-Archive: Yes Xref: news.kth.se rec.games.frp.storyteller:73406 >In article <5o6r9u$kg0$1@news-2.csn.net>, mcrouch@csn.net says... > >> I have just begin playing in a Mage chronicle and am still >>familiarizing myself with the rules of the magic system. My GM is allowing >>beginning characters to know three rotes, either real or made up. My >>sphere levels aren't equivalent to what's in the Player's guide (the only >>book I have after the main rules), so I was wondering if anyone could make >>any suggestions for what I have to work with. I'm playing an Euthan who is >>a believer that conflict helps people achieve ascention. I'm starting with >>entropy 2, forces 1, life 2, mind 1, and prime 1. Any help would be >>appreciated. >>Thank you. >> >>Matt > >From the begining, Mage has been pretty light on the low-level rotes. >I have a number of 1 and 2 dot Rotes written up from when I started, and >I'll post or mail them to you when I get the chance. Hope you like "Slowing the Wheel." Here are some from my personal Rote Library. Some of them are very V-dept oriented, but I'm sure you can bring them around to a Euthanotos aproach. (Warning most of these came from when I first started and may still have some 1st Edition stuff in them). Pain Resistance Mind * Life * A classic Akashic Rote that builds a serene haven for the Brother's mind, neutralizing excessive amounts of pain that might hamper the mage's ability to function. Pain Resistance is dangerous because the mage using it cannot tell the severity of her injury without carefully examining her pattern. She can feel enough to tell she was hurt and where the damage is but not how dangerous it is. In any case, the Rote in no way reduces the damage taken. [Each success reduces the penalty and action restrictions on the wound chart by one level. The mage can even act while Incapacitated for up to one turn per success. Duration is otherwise normal. If the mage takes particularly strenuous or inappropriate actions, the Storyteller may call for a Stamina Roll (Difficulty = current wound level + 3) to avoid taking an additional wound.] Lightning Calculator Mind * This Rote allows the mage to utilize the brain's vast, untapped computational power. While it is in effect, the mage can perform mathematical calculations at a rate rivalling the most powerful computers. [Successes indicate the speed at which the mage can perform computations: 1 to 3 grant normal computer speeds from micro to mainframe, 4 give the mage the power of a super computer, and 5 or more allow virtually impossible computations (the kind it would take a Cray centuries to solve. Successes can be added directly to appropriate actions like cryptography.] F/X - This Rote remains Static at the level of 1 to 3 successes, at higher levels it must be covered with Coincidental Effects of some sort. Eidetic Memory Mind * This Rote allows the mage to remember large amounts of data with perfect clarity. Mages who store too much information can experience side effects like confusion as sensory cues cause a flood of associated memories or an inability to remember without using the Rote. Combined with other senses and Mind effects, the effect becomes even more useful. For instance, the mage can flip through a book, then Multi-Task and have one task carefully read it from memory or 'rewind' her memory of a recent encounter to look for details that her conscious mind overlooked. [To imprint a photographic memory, the mage rolls her Arete with the number of successes indicating how long (on the normal duration chart) the memory is retained with perfect clarity. During this duration the mage can look back just as if she were still experiencing the memory even to the point of noticing details for the first time. After the duration is up, the memory fades to normal levels of recall.] Critical Hit Entropy * * Life or Matter * This is an enhanced version of Dim Mak that not only detects weaknesses in a target but alters random factors to insure that that such vulnerable areas are hit for maximum effect. A successful Critical Hit is dependent upon extremly transient factors, so the Rote must always be performed at the moment of the attack. Because a 'crit' can be so wildly lucky, the actual attack form used often has little effect. In fact the Rote can be used in a Direct form, a Critical Fumble, to cause the victim to have an unfortunate 'accident.' [A Critical Hit does 2 HL per success instead of the normal damage for the attack in question. In some cases, such as firearms or heavy melee weapons, this can actually end up being less than the attack would normally have done - such are the vagaries of Entropy. This effect can never have a durration. It must be cast at the precise moment of the attack, requiring the mage to split her dice pool or use Multi-Tasking. A Critical Fumble is a Direct effect that does the same amount of damage. It is resisted by Willpower (dificulty 8, each success reduces the Rote's sucesses by 1) and any remaining damage can be soaked. F/X - This effect will usually remain coincidental as long as the damage done does not greatly excede the potential of the attack/accident in question. Extended Memory Manager Mind * This Rote allows the mage to remember large amounts of data with perfect clarity. It can be used to preserve specific memories or to retrieve largely forgotten ones. Mages who store too much information can experience side effects like confusion as sensory cues cause a flood of associated memories or an inability to remember without using the Rote. Some mages find it necessary to 'purge' old memories to make way for fresh data. Combined with other senses and Mind effects, the EMM becomes even more useful. For instance, the mage can flip through a book, then Multi-Task and have one task carefully read it from memory or 'rewind' her memory of a recent encounter to look for details that her conscious mind overlooked. [To imprint a photographic memory, the mage rolls her Arete with the number of successes indicating how long (on the normal duration chart) the memory is retained with perfect clarity. During this duration the mage can look back just as if she were still experiencing the memory even to the point of noticing details for the first time. After the duration is up, the memory fades to normal levels of recall. To retrieve a forgotten experience, the mage rolls with successes read on the duration chart to indicate how far back she can remember. Clarity is high but she cannot notice new details - only those which she noted at some point but has forgotten.] F/X - Photographic and Eidetic mnemonic abilities are a documented fact, making this Rote static magic. Threat Assessment Forces * Entropy * Life * The Virtual Adepts use this Rote to estimate the relative danger posed by an opponent or other hazard. Threat Assessment does not reveal unknown dangers, it merely quantifies those the mage is already aware of. Thus, it is usually used in conjunction with another sense such as normal sight, Inertial Location or Composite Virtual Imaging. Threat Assessment gives the mage a good idea of the power of attacks the opponent can throw and of the attackers speed and skill. Use of this Rote can make dodging attacks a little easier but does no otherwise overtly effect combat. [The 'area' affected indicates the number of opponents 'Assessed.' For instance, one success would give the mage information about a single attacker in melee. Regardless of the number of successes, the mage can tell the approximate size of the subject's attack and damage dice pools. Assessed attacks can be dodged at a -1 difficulty. It has no effect on magical attacks unless the mage is a disciple of all the spheres involved.] F/X - The mage has heard (accurate) rumors about the subject, is familiar with subject's style (Ah...You trained with Master Wu.), has made a study of the types of weapons being employed, etc. Riker's Island Mind * Life * Many V-depts are classic 'computer nerds' with limited social skills. Sure, you can countermagick Thought Probes in your sleep, but the wily Toreador can tell almost as much from the way your eyelid's flutter when she asks you a question. This is what we call a non-trivial problem. The answer is Riker's Island, a Module that edits out unconscious reactions and body language - even controls respiration and galvanic skin response. With it you have the ultimate poker face and can even beat lie detectors. Iteration X uses this Rote under the name 'Machine Interface' and the Men In Black seem to have it hardwired into their brains. [For the duration of the magick, all attempts to read the mage using skills like Subterfuge as well as non-magical lie detectors automatically fail. Users of subterfuge will note that the character is concealing something (even if he isn't) but can't tell what.] F/X - No man is an island - except for this guy. The mage is a sociopath, completely cut off from normal human interaction, or has been trained using bio-feedback or self hypnosis, or just has the perfect poker face (like a certain 1st Officer in a popular SF series).