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In Short

In Mage players take on the role of Awakened humans who have discovered that there’s more to the world than they thought and who have inherited the ability to perform powerful magic. This magic normally has to be subtle, as the Abyss constantly reaches out to repress and twist magic. A large variety of themes and potential goals are present, but the largest one involves the corrupting nature of power. A robust magic system that involves both predetermined spells and freeform spellcasting is presented along with a plethora of mystical concepts.

Be advised that if you are a fan of the earlier Mage: The Ascension that this is not the same game, a reimagining of that game, or in any way derivative of that game. This game requires the World of Darkness corebook to play.

The Physical Thing

There are two downsides here, however. The book uses golden text in many areas which can be difficult to read in certain lighting. Additionally, the artwork is likely not to everyone’s taste and is somewhat unusual. I would have preferred a variety of artists instead of just a single one.

The Ideas

After the fall of Atlantis the surviving mages fled to the far corners of the world, giving rise to many of our greatest achievements, such as the Pyramids of Egypt. Centuries pass. Today a rare few souls continue to Awaken and join local magical societies. Their goals are many and their enemies great – sometimes just surviving is enough. However, the Exarchs and Oracles still exist and continue to exert their influence on the world. More than any other World of Darkness game to date, Mage has the potential for global play as well as small scale local play. Whether you want a local underworld of mystery and discovery or large scale plots that could shake the foundation of the world, Mage has a lot to offer.

Under the Cover

Chapter 1 Arcanus Mundus (The Secret World) 40 pages.

This chapter begins with a history of Awakened magic in the world, much as I described in The Ideas above. Those who Awaken go on a deeply spiritual quest through their soul until they encounter a Watchtower, a shining beacon of magic. The mage then writes his name on the Watchtower, signifying that he is reborn as a new person, and the quest ends with the person now able to bend reality and perform magic. There are five Paths in Mage, each representing a different Supernal Realm with their own slightly different ways of going about things. Know that each path will somewhat color the magic of a mage.

Arcadia is the realm of the fae, with glamours, dryads, and faerie courts. Mages who walk this path are called the Arcanthus and they specialize in Fate and Time magic. These mages are known for rash decision making and leaving things up to chance.

Pandemonium is the realm of nightmares, a place of dark dreams and unfettered fears. Mages who walk this path are called the Mastigos and they specialize in Mind and Space magic. These mages are known for being infernalists who master their inner demons.

Stygia is the realm of death, a place of haunted souls held back by their greed. Mages who walk this path are called the Moros and they specialize in Death and Matter magic. These mages are known for being downcast and gloomy, for they have seen the worst death has to offer.

The Aether is the realm of angels and energy, a crackling realm full of power. Mages who walk this path are called the Obrimos and they specialize in Forces and Prime magic. These mages are known for being temperamental, alive with the energy of their chosen path.

The Primal Wild is the realm of the natural, filled with plants, animals, and associated myth. Mages who walk this path are called the Thyrsus and they specialize in Life and Spirit magic. These mages are known for celebrating life and embracing all the natural world has to offer.

In addition to five different types of magic users there are five major political organizations that bind these mages together.

The Adamantine Arrows are a martial group focused on the humble and disciplined protection of mage society from foreign enemies. These battle mages hone their skills and fight on the front lines against everything from servants of the Exarchs to monsters from the Abyss to larger than life creatures straight out of mythology.

The Free Council is an intensely philosophical group interested in questioning older ideas about magic and embracing the modern world in its continued exploration of magic. The group has a strong interested in personal freedom and individual discovery and encourages members to challenge tradition and go about things as they think best.

The Guardians of the Veil seek to preserve magic as a secret art known only to the few truly worthy souls. They create misdirection in order to fool Sleepers (non-mages) and lead them onto false paths in order to protect mage society from discovery. One reason they do this is the belief that Paradoxes, strange events that occur most often when Sleepers witness magic being performed, strengthen the Abyss and make it more difficult to perform magic. Thus they want to keep Sleepers and the Awakened as far apart as they can.

The Mysterium is focused on the acquisition of and preservation of secret magical knowledge. While they’re willing to share this knowledge with other mages – for a price – the organization understands the value of such hidden information and dedicates itself to maintaining large stores of otherwise unknown magical insight.

The Silver Ladder is more of a traditionalist organization that seeks to unite and lead mages towards the destruction of the Exarchs and dissolution of the Abyss. They seek a return of Atlantis and focus their efforts towards that end.

A large variety of other concepts are also included in this chapter, always of a flavorful and mystical tone. Mage society, the sympathetic aspect of magic, and mystical places are all presented as well. Each of these three topics receives a moderate degree of attention, and mystical places in particular are flavorful and interesting. The chapter wraps up with a simple drawing that explains the entire cosmology, and I consider it one of the best parts of the book.

Chapter 2 Character 46 pages.

As you would image, this chapter is dedicated to character creation. Players begin by creating a normal human using World of Darkness and then add on some mage specific changes. Unlike many other games, mages aren’t any tougher than normal humans unless they’ve used magic to fortify their bodies in some way. A gunshot could kill a mage just as easily as a human.

To start, a player chooses a Path for his mage. This is one of the five Paths mentioned above, and each gives slightly different benefits. First, a Path colors the mage’s magic. A Moros many manifest spells that are pale in appearance, that seem to be made out of ghosts, or that drain the color away from the area. Second, a Path determines the Ruling and Inferior Arcana for that mage. Each Path gets two Arcana (magic areas) that they’re really good at and one that they are poor at. Third, a Path gives a mage a +1 dot bonus to either Composure or Resolve depending on the Path.

Next, a player may choose an Order for their character. Beyond the obvious benefits of belonging to any close political group a mage gains specialized teaching in specific ways to manifest magic. These frequently used methods, called Rotes, give a mage a big advantage over improvised spellcasting. Rotes are based on an Attribute + Skill + Gnosis roll, and each Order has three skills that get +1 die when used as part of a Rote. The Free Council, for example, gives a 1 die bonus to any Rote that uses Crafts, Persuasion, or Science. More on Rotes and Arcana below in Chapter 4: Magic.

Three points are then spent on Arcana, two of which must go into Primary Arcana. For example, a Moros (Death/Matter) could begin with Death 1, Matter 1, and Mind 1 or Death 3 or any other similar combination. A mage also has Gnosis, their fundamental understanding of magic which powers spells and determines a variety of other benefits. Gnosis is rated from 1 to 10 (with a default of 1 at character generation) and is the “power stat” of this game.

A few other changes are presented as well. Morality becomes Wisdom in this game, which is generally meant to measure a mage’s respect for magic. I’m not entirely happy with the Wisdom chart, but it’s easy enough to modify or throw out should you find yourself unhappy with what the authors consider to be wise behavior. Mana is a pool of magical energy that must be used to cast sympathetic magic, magic that deals aggravated damage, and certain other powerful spells. It can also be used to heal a mage a small amount.

A variety of new Merits are introduced as well, and they tend to be interesting and flavorful. Occulation will allow a mage to mask her presence from attempts to divine who she is, Familiar provides a spirit that inhabits a mundane animal and helps the owner, and Dream allows a mage to receive prophetic dreams of the future. Several others are provided as well.

Chapter 3 Magic 184 pages.

Yes, the magic section is 184 pages long. It’s enormous and at first may seem intimidating. However, the magic system is quite nice in that it can satisfy both those who want lengthy spell lists and those who want to most improvise their magic. However, be advised that this isn’t the casual magic of most swords and sorcery roleplay. All improvised magic has a chance for mishap, a lot of the magic requires Mana, and under the wrong circumstances using magic at all can be disastrous for the mage.

If your character is casting a spell you’re doing one of two things. Either you’re using improvised magic or you’re using a Rote. If it’s improvised then you look at your relevant Arcanum and figure out what you want to do. Say you wanted to hurt someone with Death 5. In that case you could just flip through the Death spells listed in the book and find an appropriate one, or create your own using the guidelines presented (though the example spells are very thorough). You roll Gnosis + Arcana, apply your successes, and move on. While a Death 5 caster is likely to succeed easily, a new mage with Death 1 and Gnosis 1 is only rolling 2 dice for this spell.

While improvised magic can allow a mage to do a hell of a lot, it pales in comparison to Rotes. First of all, Rotes make it less likely Paradox will occur which is quite a boon. Second, they’re fairly inexpensive at 2xp*Arcana rank each (so a Rote using a rank 3 Death spell would cost 6xp). Most importantly, the dice pool is different. Rotes use Attribute + Skill + Arcanum, and the exact combination depends on each Rote. If our mage with Death 1 and Gnosis 1 wants to cast Speak with the Dead she would normally roll 2 dice. However, if she knows Clamor of the Departed, a Mysterium Rote, she rolls Wits + Occult + Death. If our mage has Wits 4 and Occult 3 then she would be rolling 8 dice instead of 2, and incredible boost. For commonly used spells (attacks, defenses, divinations, etc) it is often very worthwhile to invest in a few Rotes. (As an aside, appropriate magical tools such as wands and incense can be used to gain dice on spellcasting attempts. A starting character with a Rote could easily be rolling 11+ dice.)

Another magical distinction is between Covert and Vulgar magic. A spell is Covert if someone would look at it and go “Wow, that’s incredible!” but otherwise find the chain of events believable. A freak car accident, lightning striking a person out in the open, and a person winning the Mega Power Ball lottery would all qualify. The book uses the word “probable” which was a horrible choice to communicate this concept, but it’s trying to say what I’ve just outlined. Vulgar magic could be Covert magic happening repeatedly (the same person winning two or three realities, being struck by lightning twice, etc) or something more extreme. Imps appearing out of thin air, horrible wounds being healed, and a person flinging fire from their hands are all examples of Vulgar magic. For the purpose of Mage there is *always* an outside observer – the Abyss – so even if a spell is cast where no one can possibly see it it may still be Covert or Vulgar. If a Sleeper (non-mage human) witnesses the magic, however, and notes that what just happened was improbable then the Paradox backlash is going to be far worse. Some spells are specifically Covert or Vulgar in their description.

Paradox occurs through casting Vulgar magic or Covert magic witnessed by a Sleeper who believes the event is impossible. A variable number of dice are rolled before the spell is resolved, and the Paradox is applied immediately. This can range from losing control of a spell (it hits a random target) to temporary insanity and worse. As a mage begins to understand the nature of magic better (through an increased Gnosis) they also tend to invoke more Paradox due to the increased potency of their magic.

Rules are also presented for extended spellcasting, casting spells on others from a distance, how to modify existing spells, how to Counterspell, and natural resistance to magic.

10 Arcana are presented in Mage and they include: Death, Mind, Prime, Spirit, Fate, Matter, Space, Forces, Life, and Time. These are basic concepts and self explanatory except for Prime. Prime is magic itself, so Prime spells often involve changing magic, creating purely magical constructs (such as a magical dueling arena), and otherwise creating and changing raw magic.

A mage can normally have between 1 and 5 ranks in an Arcana. At Rank 1 a mage can gain knowledge and manipulate the Arcana on a very small scale. At Rank 3 a mage can directly harm others and strongly alter the balance of the Arcana. At Rank 5 a mage can create things out of nothing (Spirit could create an entirely new type of spirit), completely destroy aspects of the Arcana, and otherwise exercise a frightening degree of control over the arcane. It’s a little involved to reproduce in a review, but between the book’s description and the many example spells a reader will have a good idea of how different Arcana work.

Discussion is also presented on soul manipulation (a big part of the game involves taking, recovering, damaging, and repairing souls), Item Enchantment, Resonance (all spells leave Resonance which can be traced back to the caster), Disbelief, magical dueling, the different levels of reality, and several other concepts. There’s a lot of meat here, both in terms of mechanical support and investiveness. The different levels of reality, in particular, are clearly explained and just seem to work really well.

Chapter 4 Storytelling and Antagonists 50 pages.

This chapter includes the standard Storytelling advice one would expect from having read other RPGs, though it is tailored to the secret filled mystical setting of Mage. Themes, cabals, mage society, symbolism, and other similar sorts of information. It’s high quality stuff, clearly identifying the sorts of games Mage works best for and discussing what a Storyteller can do to make her game really shine.

Numerous major antagonist groups are also presented. The most notable of all of these is the Seers of the Throne, who serve the Exarchs – prideful mages that long ago ascended to powerful positions and now rule over much of the Earth. The Banishers believe Awakening is a curse and they seek to kill other Awakened.

Extensive information on building and using Spirits is presented, including the powers available to Spirits. Mad mages, ghosts, tomb guardians, and stranger things still are presented. Example artifacts, strange locations, and the experience system for Mage are all presented as well. In addition to normal experience mages can earn Arcane Experience which is given for learning more about magic and may only be spent on magic-related things (such as Rotes and Arcana).

Appendix 1 Legacies 26 pages.

Legacies are special magical traditions taught to a mage through a master/apprentice relationship. They are not entered into lightly, as the master has to sacrifice a permanent dot of Willpower. The benefits the apprentice stands to gain are incredible, several very powerful magical abilities that never invoke Paradox. The Legacies also do a great job of filling classical mage roles (Druids, Eastern Monks, etc.) which makes them a welcome addition to the game. As a mage progresses there are requirements they must meet in order to continue learning these arcane secrets, but the requirements tend to be sensible and easy to achieve.

The Orphans of Proteus are shape shifters who are at one with the natural world. As they progress they learn to heal their bodies and mold them into plant and animal life as well as mineral forms (if they also possess Matter magic). Orphans typically derive from the Thyrsus.

Perfected Adept are mystical martial artists who dedicate themselves to physical and spiritual discipline. This Obrimos or Adamantine Arrow derived Lineage learns telekinetic martial arts, how to increase their physical Attributes, and how to perfectly control their bodies.

The Subtle Ones are a Mastigos or Guardians of the Veil Lineage focused on bringing order to the world through mind control and geomancy. Creating sympathetic connections, becoming effectively invisible, and altering memories are all abilities common to this Lineage.

The Uncrowned Kings are a Moros or Free Council lineage of spiritual alchemists who learn to strength the mind through boosting mental Attributes and shielding the soul from attack. They are philosopher kings, filled with the inner strength that creates wise rulers.

A Walker in the Mists is a mage who wanders throughout the world, exploring the most natural and uncivilized locations in order to tap into the spiritual power of nature. This Acanthus or Mysterium Lineage gains a variety of divinatory and movement abilities that aid his travels and provide an unearthly insight into the world.

The Accursed and the Tremere Lichs are two Lineages meant for Storyteller characters. The first represents mages who serve demonic entities. The second represents mages who work to extend their life by capturing and consuming souls, gaining a dark sort of immortality.

Appendix 2 Boston 22 pages.

In addition to a helpful setting with a number of interesting plot hooks this chapter provides a host of example PCs, which are a useful resource for any Storyteller.

My Take

There are some problems here, however. The discussion of how magic works (specifically the Vulgar/Covert distinction) is vague and confused at times, making it difficult for some readers. Unless a Storyteller does some hand waving with the improvisational magic it can be time consuming to create an improve spell on the fly unless the player is just using one straight out of the book (which does cover an awful lot of material). This is definitely a game where participants need to buy in – a group with only one or two copies of the book might have a tough time with their game.

Nevertheless, this is an excellent product that provides a journey into realms of the fantastic, filled with imagination and wonder while still maintaining a backdrop familiar to us all. If you enjoy the idea of mystics subtly working their craft while fighting an invisible war then check out Mage: The Awakening.

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