House Rules for Vidua Vasta (ArM5)

Chapter 7: Hermetic Magic

Arcane Connections [Alteration, Minor]

Arcane connections which have been fixed (ArM5, p94) do not expire, but the bonus they give to the penetration multiplier is still based on the type of arcane connection. Thus a fixed strand of hair gives the same penetration multiplier bonus as an unfixed hair (+2), but lasts indefinitely rather than expiring after several months.

Casting Spells [Clarification]

A character can only cast one spell in any round. This includes 'metamagic spells' (Muto Vim) which are cast in the round prior to the spell they are attempting to modify. The Momentary Duration is sufficient to last one round.

Exceptions:

• The magus fast-casts a spell (either a spontaneous spell - ArM5, page 83 - or a mastered formulaic spell with the Fast Caster Mastery Ability - ArM5, page 87). If the player had declared the intention to cast a different spell on his usual initiative turn, that action is negated by the fast cast defence. If the character has already acted by casting a formulaic spell, he cannot fast-cast. The fast cast spell occurs before or simultaneously with the event to which it is intended to respond, as long as the magus's Fast-Casting Speed (Qik + Finesse stress roll) beats the Ease Factor of the situation. A magus may fast-cast any number of eligible spells in a single round, but each fast-cast spell subsequent to the first incurs an increasing penalty to the Fast Casting Speed (ArM5, page 83), and once this roll fails to beat the Ease Factor, no more fast cast attempts are possible.
• The magus multi-casts a formulaic spell with the Multiple Casting Mastery Ability (ArM5, page 87). Multi-casting does *not* require a Concentration roll for each copy of the spell cast (this is the benefit of the Mastery), but *does* require a Concentration roll if the magus has already fast-cast spells this round

On the Concentration Table (ArM5, page 82) there is an Ease Factor listed for 'Casting Another Spell'. This applies to Continuing Situations only, such as casting a spell whilst one is actively concentrating on another. It does normally *not* allow two spells to be cast at the same time, despite what the Muto Vim guidelines seem to suggest (ArM5, page 159: "...you must make an Intelligence + Concentration roll of 9+ if you are casting both spells ....This is slightly easier than normal.")

A character with the Slow Caster Virtue normally takes two rounds to cast a formulaic or spontaneous spell; but can fast-cast every round as normal. (the Flaw description - ArM5, page 59 - seems to suggest that a fast-cast spell from a Slow Caster should be treated like a normal spell from a normal caster, which would mean that it would occur at the magus's normal initiative point, rather than having to beat an Ease Factor with the magus's Fast-Casting Speed. Not sure about this)

Magic Resistance [Alteration, Minor]

1. Magic Resistance protects against the magical properties of things, not the things themselves. The properties are not physically kept out. Instead, they simply fail to affect the magus.

2. Properties that have been removed or masked by magic are not present, and thus are unaffected by Magic Resistance

If anything touches a magus's Parma, even if its magical properties don't affect him, he instantly notices that magical properties are there (unless the effect penetrates). How this would break down against the commonly-cited oddball scenarios:

· Pink dot on sword: sword cuts magus, pink dot fails to affect magus.

· Flaming sword: sword cuts magus, flame does not burn magus

· Edge of the Razor: sharpness of sword is magical, so is left behind; the normal sword edge cuts magus

· Magically created arrow: all properties of a magically-created object are magical. The arrow touches the magus but he does not even feel it. His Parma lets him know that something magical touched him.

· Tree transformed into arrow: setting aside the complications of Aristotelian physics for the moment, the mass and momentum of the arrow are magical, as is its sharpness, so again the magus does not even feel it

· Boulder dropped from above: splat, same as before

· Boulder transformed to pebble: mass is magical, bounces off

· Pebble transformed to boulder: mass is magical, bounces off

· Water transformed to poison: toxicity is magical, so the magus can safely drink it (but knows it's magical)

· Poison transformed into water: wateriness is magical, so the magus immediately expels the water

· Magus falls from a height onto magically-created bridge: The property of the bridge cannot impede the magus, and he falls around it.

A physical property of a supernatural creature, which does not involve the use of a power (even a 0 Might point power), is a natural property.

Magic Resistance does not in and of itself confer magical properties other than the property of stopping magic. One magus can still punch another; but his parma may be left behind if it is weaker than his victim's parma.

A creature conjured up by a spell does not have natural properties. This is part of the fundamental distinction between God's creatures and those created magically with vis. It also implies that magically created beings can be subsequently dispelled, even if created permanently with vis.

Natural properties that are magically absent ("Edge of the Spoon") cannot affect you, so there is no effect for you to resist magically.

The following things *are* stopped by Magic Resistance:

• Physical attacks from beings whose natural abilities are enhanced through active magic (spells or Might expenditure). A cat with supernaturally-sharp claws does not need to penetrate; whereas a cat which spends might points to make its claws supernaturally-sharp does.
• Physical attacks from shapechangers whose magic has a defined duration. 'Natural' shapechangers have D:Mom changing magic; they retain their current form until they decide to revert.

The following things are *not* stopped by Magic Resistance:

• Physical attacks from beings with Magic Resistance (this includes magi with Parma). {MR is passive}
• Physical attacks from beings who have been affected by D: Mom ritual spells (this includes spells to increase physical characteristics, and Longevity Rituals). {No magic is crossing the MR}
• Physical attacks from beings whose natural abilities (rather than weapons) have been enhanced. A grog whose strength has been increased with a D:Sun spell still does more damage if he hits an opponent with Magic Resistance, as long as he uses a weapon. If he uses his fist, he is resisted. A knight with a blessed sword has his own fighting ability enhanced by the blessing. Anyone else picking up the sword and wielding it would not receive the enhanced effect. The sword itself has no supernatural power, even though the knight gains no benefit if using a different sword. {No magic is crossing the MR}
• Continuing magical effects that alter or destroy species rather than qualities. A sword made to be bright pink by MuIm is still steel-coloured, it is just emitting pink species. The sword is not stopped by parma. Neither are invisible weapons. A MuTe to make the sword into highly unnatural pink steel *would* be resisted; its quality has been changed.
• Objects that contain vis which are not subject to the things which Magic Resistance normally stops. Thus raw vis and enchanted items may be handled with impunity, unless they are currently expressing a magical effect. {MR doesn't stop mere potential to produce supernatural effects}
• Effects generated by a Talisman which affect its creator
• Effects generated by a Familiar which affect its magus

Certamen [Alteration, Minor]

The Final Strike spell of a Certamen need not match both the Technique AND Form of the certamen itself, but must match either the Technique or the Form.

Chapter 8: Laboratory

Talisman Attunement [Clarification]

An item intended to be a talisman must be prepared for enchantment (ArM5, p97) just like any other enchanted device, through the investment of a number of pawns of vis appropriate to the shape and material of the item. It may then be attuned as a talisman, following which it can be prepared for further enchantment, up to the limits described in the main rules.

Chapter 9: Spells

Magical Wards [Alteration, Major]

Form specific wards defend against all Realms of the specified Form, just as Vim wards defend against all Forms of the specified Realm. Therefore Ward against Faeries of the Water is now Ward against Creatures of the Water, and protects against magical, faerie, infernal, and divine creatures with a Might aligned to Aquam.

Target: Part [Alteration, Minor]

This target is under-used, in spells where it clearly should be (Cripple the Howling Wolf, for example). For all such spells (particularly those which cure or inflict wounds), reduce the base level by 1 magnitude, and raise the target to Part (i.e. no overall change in level). Thus Chirurgeon's Healing Touch is now T: Part, but Cleanse the Verminous Infection is not, as it affects total wound penalties rather than a single wound.

Chapter 11: Obstacles

Non-Lethal Combat [Addition]

When Grappled, in addition to those effects listed in the book (i.e. when grappled, can't move, or strike opponent with non-Brawl weapon); Grapple Strength also applies a penalty to all actions.

Grapple Strength of 1-5: -1 to all actions (as if having a light wound)

Grapple Strength of 6-10: -3 to all actions (as if having a medium wound)

Grapple Strength of 11-15: -5 to all actions (as if having a heavy wound)

Grapple Strength of 16+: incapacitated, i.e. held in a headlock, etc.

These ranges change according to Size, just like wound ranges.

Covenants

Chapter 3: Governance

Example of the Effects on Loyalty of Changing Membership [Alteration]

The third paragraph should have said:

What would happen if they recruited a new magus with the Blatant Gift instead of new covenfolk? In this case, the Base Loyalty needs to be recalculated, to -(225+105)/7 or -47. They have accumulated 38 loyalty points through Familiarity, which is now shared between 7 magi rather than 6, so it is necessary to dilute this Familiarity to six sevenths, or 33 loyalty points. Together with the 18 points from specialists, they have a total of -5 loyalty points, which is a Prevailing Loyalty Score of -1. The addition of this new magus has shaken the resolve of the covenfolk.

[Alteration]: changes the rule to something else

[Addition]: elaborates on an existing rule without changing the base effects

[Clarification]: No alteration or addition to the rules, simply clarifying their meaning