Magitech: The Kludge
by Dave Sherohman


OK, here it is, as promised: My kludge for handling magical development, instead of just saying, "If you can do magic, you can create any effect your Origin supports." Enjoy, rip, tear, shred, comment upon, and generally criticize it as you see fit...

(I won't go into detailed descriptions of rule mechanics because they're identical to the rules for technological development presented in Aria Worlds. If you don't have Aria Worlds yet, you should seriously consider buying a copy; it's a very worthwhile investment. (So, Christian, when do I get my check? ;) )

Magical development, like technological development, is described by a set of 7 values. These 7 values are averaged to obtain the overall Magic Value of the society or Omni. The values are: Power, Change, Control, Creation, Illusion, Knowledge, and Mind. Like the Dominant Materials Value for conventional technology, the Power Value serves as the upper limit for the other 6 values. Rates of Advancement and Assimilation are determined as for technology, though I would suggest raising the Rate of Assimilation (ie, slowing the process) unless the workings of magic are fairly obvious.

I considered adding a mechanic to reduce the effectiveness of magic as conventional techologies develop (reflecting a loss of belief in magic as science advances), but decided against it. I was working along the lines of reducing Power Value by 1 for every n points of technological development (all other areas of magical development could suffer the same loss or only those in excess of the new Power Value; all losses could be regained normally). Another possibility would be to put a cap on the sum of Magic and Tech Values.

Before presenting the tables for the capabilities resulting from each level of magical development in each area, I'll present some basic (and relevant) details of the Origin which this system is being used with.

The world in question is inhabited by several sentient races, each of which has a unique relationship with magic. The in game terms, each race has different Access Facilities and Casting Methods. As a result, members of one race may only benefit from the magical knowledge of other races on very broad, theoretical levels. (There is one exception, Akie, which I'll go into in at another time.)

The Origin may produce any effect (all Archetypes and Dominions are rated at 5) within the limits of the available magical development.

No Temper Aspects or Resistance are initially available, but they can be gained as a result of increasing magical development.

Spellcasting within the Origin requires an Insight Trial to avoid Omnessence waste. The Difficulty of the Trial is a base 7, reduced by (Power Value)/4, always rounded against the Adept's favor. If the Trial fails, each Degree of Failure increases the spell's Omnessence cost by 1 (this is purely waste energy; Might values are not affected). If the Omnessence waste causes the spell's cost to exceed the Adept's available Omnessence, the spell does not take place and all Omnessence spent on it is lost.

(Christian: Is there any 'official' way to determine Insight? Aura is based off Empathy and Faith is bought up from 0, but I haven't found anything on determining Insight...)

Now for the tables: (All descriptions of effect types are taken directly from the Potency/Intricacy table on MG 139-140.)


Power Value

In addition to the effects listed on the table, Power Value is the upper limit on development in other areas, plays a part in reducing Omnessence waste (see above), and affects Omnessence Storage (capacity of vessel is multiplied by (PV * 10)% to determine how much Omnessence an Adept may store in it). Development Trials for Power Value are at +3 Difficulty.

At any PV, the maximum Effect Might for spells = PV.

	Value   Description
	1       Must Memorize Solidified Paradigms
	2       Alter Potency/Intricacy Temper Aspect
	3       Counter Resistance at +4 on Effects Trial, spontaneous spells
	        available
	4       Participation with Principal, Extend Temper Aspect
	5       Widen Temper Aspect
	6
	7       Counter Resistance at +3 on Effects Trial
	8
	9       Co-equal Participation, Invited Temper Aspect
	10
	11      Counter Resistance at +2 on Effects Trial
	12      Overpower Temper Aspect
	13
	14      Alter Resistance
	15
	16      Counter Resistance at +1 on Effects Trial
	17
	18      Contagious Temper Aspect
	19
	20      Absorb Resistance
	

Change

	Value   Description
	1       Nature of Change: Slight, Energy: Slight
	2       Size: Slight
	3
	4       Energy: Moderate
	5       Size: Moderate
	6       Nature of Change: Moderate
	7       Energy: Impressive
	8
	9       Size: Impressive
	10      Nature of Change: Impressive
	11
	12
	13      Size: Epic
	14
	15      Nature of Change: Epic
	16
	17      Size: Mythic
	18
	19
	20      Nature of Change: Mythic
	

Control

	Value   Description
	1       Target Temper Aspect, Targeting at +3 Difficulty
	2       Targeting at +2 Difficulty
	3       Delay Temper Aspect
	4       Penetration: Moderate
	5       Sophistication Temper Aspect, Targeting at +1 Difficulty
	6       Build Temper Aspect
	7       Targeting at Base Difficulty
	8       Removed Temper Aspect, Penetration: Impressive
	9
	10      Mechanism Temper Aspect
	11      Chain Temper Aspect
	12      Penetration: Epic
	13
	14
	15      Targeting at -1 Difficulty
	16
	17      Penetration: Mythic
	18
	19      Targeting at -2 Difficulty
	20      No Passive Resistance Temper Aspect
	

Creation

	Value   Description
	1       Restoration: Slight
	2
	3       Maintain Temper Aspect
	4       Creation: Slight
	5       Restoration: Moderate
	6
	7       Imbed Temper Aspect
	8       Creation: Moderate
	9       Restoration: Impressive
	10
	11      Restoration: Epic
	12      Anchor Temper Aspect, Creation: Impressive
	13
	14      Restoration: Mythic
	15
	16
	17      Creation: Epic
	18
	19      Creation: Mythic
	20      Permanence Temper Aspect
	

Illusion

All capabilities listed below are in relation to the Perception/Illusion group of effects.

	Value   Description
	1       Slight Image, Slight Effect
	2
	3       Moderate Effect
	4
	5
	6
	7       Impressive Effect
	8       Moderate Image
	9
	10
	11
	12      Epic Effect
	13
	14
	15
	16
	17      Mythic Effect
	18
	19
	20      Impressive Image
	

Knowledge

All capabilities listed below are in relation to the Divination/Sensitivity/Detection group of effects.

	Value   Description
	1       Familiar target, Thought-based Effects, Slight Contact
	2
	3
	4
	5       Moderate Contact
	6       Unfamiliar target
	7       Moderate target element
	8       1 Physical Effect
	9       Impressive Contact
	10
	11      2 Physical Effects
	12      Impressive target element
	13      Epic Contact
	14      3 Physical Effects
	15
	16
	17      4 Physical Effects
	18      Epic target element
	19
	20      5 Physical Effects, Mythic Contact
	

Mind

At any Ability Value, mages may apply a maximum of Mind Value * 3 Omnessence (total) for Conflict and Enhancement/Hindrance Effects.

	Value   Description
	1
	2       Fundamental Inertia: Slight
	3
	4
	5       Fundamental Inertia: Moderate
	6
	7
	8
	9
	10
	11      Fundamental Inertia: Impressive
	12
	13
	14
	15      Fundamental Inertia: Epic
	16
	17
	18
	19
	20      Fundamental Inertia: Mythic
	


The main source of holes so far is, of course, that not all effects are covered on the Intricacy/Potency table and, thus, didn't make their way (explicitly) into the tables. (The most glaring omission is Destruction.)


©1995 Dave Sherohman (dave@sherohman.org)
Converted to HTML 24 April 1995 by Sixten Otto (sixten.otto@dartmouth.edu)