HOUSE RULES

• Diceless Ars Magica
• Starting Age
• Virtues and Flaws
• Abilities
  • Certámen
  • Parma Magica
• Spells
  • Ice Magic
  • Mastered Spells
  • Perdo Imáginem
  • Spell Colour
  • Spell Guidelines
  • Spell Modifications
• Other Magics
  • Auras
  • Books
  • Enchanting Items
  • Sigils
  • Wizards' Twilight

STARTING AGE

VIRTUES AND FLAWS

• Armor: This new skill represents the ability to move around in armor more easily and with less fatigue. Each point in the skill reduces the encumbrance penalty of armor by one, to a minimum of zero.
• Certámen: When engaging in Certámen, add twice the magus' score in this ability to any total based on the Certámen ability.
• Magic Sensitivity: Magi are automatically considered to have a Magic Sensitivity rating equal to (Vim/5). A magus with the Magic Sensitivity Virtue adds (Vim/5) to their Magic Sensitivity rating.
• Penetration: When casting a spell that targets someone with Magic Resistance, add twice the magus' score in this ability to the spell's Penetration total. This is intended to make the Penetration skill more useful than the book rules allow.
• Second Sight: This ability encompasses the former Faerie Sight ability.
• Scribe (Alphabet): The Scribe ability now deals specifically with the ability to read and write a chosen alphabet, such as Latin, Greek or Hebrew. When reading or writing a specific language, use the lower of the character's relevant Speak and Scribe abilities. Note that writing a text is treated as "practice" for purposes of accumulating experience in the Scribe ability.
• Verditius Magic: Instead of giving a bonus to Lab Totals dealing with magical devices (Invested Devices, Lesser Enchanted Items, Potions, and Longevity Potions), Verditius Magic reduces the effective level of the device by the enchanter's score. For example, a wand that can cast a level 20 CrIg spell six times a day is normally a 23rd level project; with Verditius Magic of 3, it becomes a 20th level project. In the case of potions, including longevity potions, the effects of Verditius Magic are unchanged.

Parma Magica

Mastered Spells

If you have mastered a spell, you may use any one of the following enhancements when you cast the spell:

• Flawless Casting: Roll a simple die, rather than a stress die, unless using vis to boost your casting total; and even then, you use one less botch die.
• Multiple Casting: As per p.75 of the main rulebook. The Storyguide will determine whether any given spell can be multiple cast at a single target on a case by case basis.
• Perfect Casting: You may add your Magic Theory to the casting roll, allowing you to cast more difficult spells without fatigue and increasing your penetration total.
• Power Casting: You may add twice your Penetration score to the casting roll, increasing your chance of breaking through an enemy's magic resistance.
• Quick Casting: Allows you to let off a spell earlier in the combat sequence and follows the rules for spontaneous fast-cast spells, including the -5 casting penalty and 3 extra botch dice.

Perdo Imáginem

Spell Colour

Spell Guidelines

Spell Modifications

Books

Enchanting Items

Sigils

There are two different kinds of sigils. The first is a characteristic side effect of a magus' magic. All spells cast by a magus have this side effect, as do magic items and potions he invents. Note that formulaic spells designed by a magus do not reflect his sigil. The spell framework is merely the vessel for a magus' power, and it is in that inner power that the sigil resides.

The second is a physical object that a magus uses to signify his membership in the Order of Hermes, and to demonstrate his right to vote in Tribunal. This sigil is an Arcane Connection to the wizard it represents. A Hermetic magus can recognize an authentic sigil just by looking at it, and know when he has seen that sigil before, as surely as any person can remember the face of someone he has seen before.

A sigil is enchanted through a simple ritual, the ritus sigilli, which takes one night to perform. The object to be made into a sigil need not be created by the magus, and may be virtually any inanimate object, though a set of regulations exist in the Peripheral Code delineating the appropriate form for a sigil. Normally, the ritual may only be used to create one's own sigil. For the benefit of ungifted members of House Mercere, a variant exists by which a sigil may be crafted for another, but such sigils are clearly 'lesser' sigils and can be distinguished as such at a glance by Hermetic magi.

This second kind of sigil is taken for granted, but may be almost as important a breakthrough on the part of Bonisagus (probably with some help from Verditius) as the Parma Magica.

The standard sigil within the Order is a wand or rod, bearing the owner's Hermetic name along its length. Most magi embellish their sigils with various sorts of ornamentation, such as precious metals and gems, carvings of animals or plants, small mirrors, and so forth. Note that contrary to the main rulebook, magi of House Tremere do not relinquish their sigils to their masters. They often vote as a bloc on major issues, it is true, but this is generally seen as a testament to that House's loyalty and unity.

Wizards' Twilight