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= Merits =
= Merits =
'''THIS LIST IS INCOMPLETE'''
A lot of Merits in M20 either just don't work in a MUX environment, or run counter to the Themes we're trying to develop.  Below is a list of edits/notes/expectations for Merits.  Any Merit not on the list can be taken by players without restriction or additional information necessary.
A lot of Merits in M20 either just don't work in a MUX environment, or run counter to the Themes we're trying to develop.  Below is a list of edits/notes/expectations for Merits.  Any Merit not on the list can be taken by players without restriction or additional information necessary.


# '''Acute Senses''' -- If you take the 1-pt version, please add a +note specifying which Sense is Acute.
# '''Acute Senses''' -- If you take the 1-pt version, please add a +note specifying which Sense is Acute.
# '''Artistically Gifted''' -- In what can only be an editing mistake, this Merit ''does'' enhance magick-casting rolls just as other Merits of its type (since all the other ones do).  However, that enhancement only comes in the form of the 'Abilities Enhancing Magick' rule on M20 p533.
# '''Artistically Gifted''' -- In what can only be an editing mistake, this Merit ''does'' enhance magick-casting rolls just as other Merits of its type (since all the other ones do).
# '''Berserker''' -- This Merit is not allowed for Mage PCs.
# '''Berserker''' -- This Merit is not allowed for Mage PCs.
# '''Circumspect Avatar''' -- An Avatar that you don't interact with? Are you even playing Mage at this point?  This will not be allowed for PCs.  NOTE: Many if not most Avatars will attempt the more subtle acts of getting your attention described in this Merit first.  Ignore them long enough, well...
# '''Concentration''' -- This Merit is just... really, really good.  That's all.
# '''Concentration''' -- This Merit is just... really, really good.  That's all.
# '''Code of Honor''' -- Please list your code of ethics (in particular, what can violate it) in a +note.
# '''Code of Honor''' -- Please list your code of ethics (in particular, what can violate it) in a +note.
# '''Enchanting Feature''' -- Please specify which Feature is Enchanting
# '''Enchanting Feature''' -- Please specify which Feature is Enchanting
# '''Faerie Affinity''' -- Nope! Go make friends on the grid or something.
# '''Favor''' -- Please describe the Favors you are owed in a +note.
# '''Favor''' -- Please describe the Favors you are owed in a +note.
# '''Fae Blood''' -- This Merit is not available to PCs.
# '''Ghoul''' -- This Merit is not available to PCs.  Additionally, finding yourself under this affliction IC will come with drastic IC consequences.
# '''Immortal''' -- This will not be available to PCs. If you want to roleplay through the pangs of an unending existence, Vampire is right over thataway.
# '''Insensate to Pain''' -- This Merit will incur some scrutiny.
# '''Insensate to Pain''' -- This Merit will incur some scrutiny.
# '''Language''' -- Please specify which Languages you have learned by adding the 'Lang <Language>' trait to your character at level five (for example, to show that you know German, add the 'Lang German' stat at 5 dots).  You need not add the 'Language' Merit as long as the Languages are specified.
# '''Language''' -- Please specify which Languages you have learned by adding the 'Lang <Language>' trait to your character at level five (for example, to show that you know German, add the 'Lang German' stat at 5 dots).  You need not add the 'Language' Merit as long as the Languages are specified.
# '''Local Hero''' -- Please describe your locality (which cannot be 'the City of Houston') in a +note.  
# '''Local Hero''' -- Please describe your locality (which cannot be 'the City of Houston') in a +note.  
# '''Loyalty''' -- Please describe the target of your loyalty in a +note.
# '''Loyalty''' -- Please describe the target of your loyalty in a +note.
# '''Mark of Favor''' -- Mark of Favor is allowed, however, the chosen 'renowned god-form' may not be from the mythos of other supernatural creatures.
# '''Natural Leader''' -- This Merit is a 1-pt merit rather than 2.
# '''Natural Leader''' -- This Merit is a 1-pt merit rather than 2.
# '''Nephilim''' -- We do not use the optional rule to allow seven points of Advantages.
# '''Noble Blood''' -- Please specify which 'royal' family you are a member of, and how that shows itself in your appearance.
# '''Noble Blood''' -- Please specify which 'royal' family you are a member of, and how that shows itself in your appearance.
# '''Noted Messenger''' -- This will require approval from the staff of the 'other group' you wish to be a Messenger to as well as Mage staff.
# '''Noted Messenger''' -- This will require approval from the staff of the 'other group' you wish to be a Messenger to as well as Mage staff.
# '''Power Ally''' -- We don't allow Supernatural Companion, so this one makes even less sense.  Not allowed for Mage PCs.
# '''Presitgious Mentor''' -- This Merit can be taken without the Mentor Background, as it represents a Mentor who you no longer have an active relationship with.  If this is the case for your character, please describe your Mentor in a +note.
# '''Presitgious Mentor''' -- This Merit can be taken without the Mentor Background, as it represents a Mentor who you no longer have an active relationship with.  If this is the case for your character, please describe your Mentor in a +note.
# '''Secret Code Language''' -- This Merit only costs 1 dot if the Mage also has 'Natural Linguist'.
# '''Secret Code Language''' -- This Merit only costs 1 dot if the Mage also has 'Natural Linguist'.
# '''Self-Confident''' -- This Merit is not allowed.
# '''Self-Confident''' -- This Merit is not allowed.
# '''Shapechanger Kin''' -- This Merit is not available to PCs.
# '''Sphere Natural''' -- The chosen Sphere, during character creation, must be at least one dot below your Arete.
# '''Sterile''' -- Without stepping into the morass of the pros and cons of child birth, this Trait is considered a 0-pt Merit and never a Flaw.  In essence, you can choose to be Sterile (or not) for whatever story purposes matter to you, and take this Merit if you need it.
# '''Sterile''' -- Without stepping into the morass of the pros and cons of child birth, this Trait is considered a 0-pt Merit and never a Flaw.  In essence, you can choose to be Sterile (or not) for whatever story purposes matter to you, and take this Merit if you need it.
# '''Stormwarden''' -- What Avatar Storm?
# '''Subculture Insider''' -- Please describe the subculture you are an Insider of in a +note.
# '''Subculture Insider''' -- Please describe the subculture you are an Insider of in a +note.
# '''Supernatural Companion''' -- This Merit is not allowed for PCs.  If you want a Changeling friend, go out on the grid and make one.
# '''Ties''' -- Please specify which group(s) you have Ties to in a +note.
# '''Ties''' -- Please specify which group(s) you have Ties to in a +note.
# '''Too Tough to Die''' -- This Merit will incur strict scrutiny.
# '''Too Tough to Die''' -- This Merit will incur strict scrutiny.
# '''True Faith''' -- Believing in your Paradigm with all of your Will is part of being a Mage.  Providing system benefits for those who happen to believe in a separate being doesn't really make sense.  This is not available for Mage PCs.
# '''True Love''' -- This will not be allowed between two PCs.


=Flaws=
=Flaws=
'''THIS LIST IS INCOMPLETE'''
A lot of Flaws in M20 either just don't work in a MUX environment or run counter to the Themes we're trying to develop.  Below is a list of edits/notes/expectations for Merits.  Any Flaw not on the list can be taken by players without restriction or additional information necessary.
A lot of Flaws in M20 either just don't work in a MUX environment or run counter to the Themes we're trying to develop.  Below is a list of edits/notes/expectations for Merits.  Any Flaw not on the list can be taken by players without restriction or additional information necessary.


# '''Aging''' -- We do not allow Child PCs, so any versions of this merit are for the olds.
# '''Addiction''' -- Please specify your Addiction in a +note.
# '''Addiction''' -- Please specify your Addiction in a +note.
# '''Beast Within''' -- This Flaw is not available to Mage PCs.
# '''Bigot''' -- While NPCs may exhibit these behaviors from time to time, they are inappropriate for PCs.  This Flaw is not allowed.
# '''Bigot''' -- While NPCs may exhibit these behaviors from time to time, they are inappropriate for PCs.  This Flaw is not allowed.
# '''Child''' -- Child PCs are not allowed.
# '''Child''' -- Child PCs are not allowed.
# '''Chronic Depression''' -- PCs who take this rarely add to a game, and often detract from it.  This Flaw will draw strict scrutiny from Staff.
# '''Compulsion''' -- Please describe your compulsion in a +note.
# '''Compulsion''' -- Please describe your compulsion in a +note.
# '''Cursed''' -- Please describe your curse in a +note.
# '''Cursed''' -- Please describe your curse in a +note.
# '''Dark Fate''' -- Either 'free' Freebies because the Flaw never happens, or the end of a character.  This Flaw is just. bad. news.  It is not available to Mage PCs.
# '''Dark Secret''' -- This flaw not only represents a sordid past, it has one of its own.  More often than not, the secret never comes into play, and thus is a 'free' freebie point.  As such, this Flaw will fall under strict scrutiny.  Other Flaws often make for better RP of this sort.  Rather than a Dark Secret of running someone off the road, perhaps instead have a 2-pt Enemy who Knows What You Did Last Summer.
# '''Deranged''' -- While forms of Derangement make a lot of sense for the game of Mage: the Ascension and what a character may go through, this Flaw requires strict scrutiny from Mage staff in order to make sure that these very serious conditions are treated with the proper care.
# '''Deranged''' -- While forms of Derangement make a lot of sense for the game of Mage: the Ascension and what a character may go through, this Flaw requires strict scrutiny from Mage staff in order to make sure that these very serious conditions are treated with the proper care.
# '''Driving Goal''' -- A Driving Goal of 'reaching Ascension' or other such goals that point directly to the same will not be allowed.  Please note your Driving Goal in a +note.
# '''Driving Goal''' -- A Driving Goal of 'reaching Ascension' or other such goals that point directly to the same will not be allowed.  Please note your Driving Goal in a +note.
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# '''Hatred''' -- Please describe the subject of your Hatred in a +note.
# '''Hatred''' -- Please describe the subject of your Hatred in a +note.
# '''Hero Worship''' -- Hero Worship of other PCs will not be allowed.  A known NPC in the game, however, is an option.  Please specify the subject of your worship in a +note.
# '''Hero Worship''' -- Hero Worship of other PCs will not be allowed.  A known NPC in the game, however, is an option.  Please specify the subject of your worship in a +note.
# '''Horriffic''' -- This is to far afield for PCs to be able to get any meaningful roleplay in.  It is not allowed.
# '''Impediment''' -- Please describe the condition, how much it affects your character, and whether or not people can tell that you have it in a +note.
# '''Impediment''' -- Please describe the condition, how much it affects your character, and whether or not people can tell that you have it in a +note.
# '''Inappropriate''' -- Characters of this nature are just plain disruptive.  While they may be great for a laugh every so often, they do not foster long-term roleplaying.  As such, taking the Inappropriate flaw at greater than 1 dot will be met with strict scrutiny.
# '''Inappropriate''' -- Characters of this nature are just plain disruptive.  While they may be great for a laugh every so often, they do not foster long-term roleplaying.  As such, taking the Inappropriate flaw at greater than 1 dot will be met with strict scrutiny.
# '''Mental Lock''' -- This is one of those Merits that sounds great on paper, and is a mess for a Storyteller to administrate.  While we do allow this Flaw, it will require a lengthy discussion with your Storyteller.
# '''Mental Lock''' -- This is one of those Merits that sounds great on paper, and is a mess for a Storyteller to administrate.  While we do allow this Flaw, it will require a lengthy discussion with your Storyteller.
# '''Naive''' -- The World of Darkness is just that... dark.  At some point, the Pollyanna outlook will either crack, or become delusional... both interesting outcomes in their own right.
# '''Obsession''' -- Please describe your Obsession in a +note.
# '''Obsession''' -- Please describe your Obsession in a +note.
# '''OCPD''' -- This Merit is not in use.  The condition of OCPD is instead expressed by the 'Deranged' Flaw.
# '''OCPD''' -- This Merit is not in use.  The condition of OCPD is instead expressed by the 'Deranged' Flaw.
# '''Offline''' -- This Flaw only exists in the 1-point version.
# '''Phobia''' -- Please describe your Phobia in a +note.
# '''Phobia''' -- Please describe your Phobia in a +note.
# '''Profiled Appearance''' -- While this Flaw may seem 'simple', Houston is the 1990's was a more tolerant city among a more tolerant state (among the South, anyway) than the Bible-thumping transgender-hating hellscape that it is today.  Please describe in a +note what it is about your character that would cause their appearance to be Profiled.
# '''Profiled Appearance''' -- While this Flaw may seem 'simple', Houston is the 1990's was a more tolerant city among a more tolerant state (among the South, anyway) than the Bible-thumping transgender-hating hellscape that it is today.  Please describe in a +note what it is about your character that would cause their appearance to be Profiled.
# '''PTSD''' -- While forms of PTSD make a lot of sense for the game of Mage: the Ascension and what a character may go through, this Flaw requires strict scrutiny from Mage staff in order to make sure that this very serious condition is treated with the proper care.
# '''PTSD''' -- While forms of PTSD make a lot of sense for the game of Mage: the Ascension and what a character may go through, this Flaw requires strict scrutiny from Mage staff in order to make sure that this very serious condition is treated with the proper care.
# '''Repulsive Feature''' -- Please specify your Repulsive Feature in a +note.
# '''Repulsive Feature''' -- Please specify your Repulsive Feature in a +note.
# '''Rival House''' -- Neither Shrike's Nest nor Baker House have rivalries deep enough to warrant this flaw.
# '''Shy''' -- The mechanical effects of this Flaw do not apply when in comfortable company. (In essence, it matches the 'Shy' Flaw of V20.)
# '''Shy''' -- The mechanical effects of this Flaw do not apply when in comfortable company. (In essence, it matches the 'Shy' Flaw of V20.)
# '''Sphere Inept''' -- This Merit is not available to Mage PCs.
# '''Sterile''' -- Without stepping into the morass of the pros and cons of child birth, this Trait is considered a 0-pt Merit and never a Flaw.  In essence, you can choose to be Sterile (or not) for whatever story purposes matter to you, and take this Merit if you need it.
# '''Sterile''' -- Without stepping into the morass of the pros and cons of child birth, this Trait is considered a 0-pt Merit and never a Flaw.  In essence, you can choose to be Sterile (or not) for whatever story purposes matter to you, and take this Merit if you need it.
# '''Stress Atavism''' -- This Flaw is not allowed for Mage PCs.
# '''Stress Atavism''' -- This Flaw is not allowed for Mage PCs.
# '''Taint of Corruption''' -- This effectively makes you a Nephandus, whether you want to be or not.  We don't allow such PCs in this game.
# '''Vanilla''' -- We consider this a roleplaying choice, rather than a true detriment.  This Flaw is not allowed.
# '''Vanilla''' -- We consider this a roleplaying choice, rather than a true detriment.  This Flaw is not allowed.
# '''Whimsy''' -- This flaw universally ends up a rather large barrier to roleplay.  Use caution before taking it.
# '''Whimsy''' -- This flaw universally ends up a rather large barrier to roleplay.  Use caution before taking it.
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# Roleplaying Notes for the Avatar (Mage staff will be playing this NPC during Seekings/Epiphanies)
# Roleplaying Notes for the Avatar (Mage staff will be playing this NPC during Seekings/Epiphanies)
Within the metaphysics of Mage, your Avatar is the one doing the Ascending, the Mage is just the vehicle by which they achieve it.  This existence is symbiotic: A Mage must broaden their understanding so that an Avatar can experience that understanding. A Mage must embody that Paradigm so that an Avatar can experience the embodiment of that Paradigm. But from a roleplaying game standpoint, your Avatar is as much a part of your character as the Mage is.
Within the metaphysics of Mage, your Avatar is the one doing the Ascending, the Mage is just the vehicle by which they achieve it.  This existence is symbiotic: A Mage must broaden their understanding so that an Avatar can experience that understanding. A Mage must embody that Paradigm so that an Avatar can experience the embodiment of that Paradigm. But from a roleplaying game standpoint, your Avatar is as much a part of your character as the Mage is.
=Backstory=
While a Backstory technically is not required, the likelihood of being able to approve a character without one is intensely low.  Please feel free to write one, and please feel free to be detailed!  We will read every single word about your character that you are willing to write.  That said, a collection of bullet points that touches on the highlights in one convenient place helps immensely when we need to reference events in the backstory.  The commands in +help +bg are good for this.
=Starting XP=
Mage is a game that at its core is rather cerebral and requires a strong attention to detail from both the player and the Storyteller. Mage Staff will ask you (many) questions about your character during the approval process. Why? Because at the end of the day, we are your Avatar, and your Avatar knows everything there is to know about you! We need to know why you have that Enemy and what they are like, so we can bring them to life in the middle of a plot. This means that the approval process will take time, and our goal is to make it as collaborative as possible. The more effort you put into your character, the more we have of your character to weave into our stories.
With the above in mind, the Starting XP that we offer for Mages is quite flexible. There are 3 main pillars that we base this decision on:
# Concept Draw - What does the Mage splat gain from adding this concept? Will this character make the (currently Traditions) Mages a stronger/better group, and enhance the experiences of existing players? Is a reclusive Virtual Adept what we need right now, or would a gruff but protective Verbena fit better?
# Game Knowledge - How well does this player appear to understand the themes, lore, and mechanics of Mage? Does this character feel like they have lived in the world of Mage? Can staff easily run a Seeking for this character, based on the Focus and Avatar notes? Did you remember to specify your Personalized Instrument?
# Character Experiences - What kind of live experience and adversity has this character gone through? The skills of an ex-Marine who has served as a Courier for House Janissary is quite different than a semi-pro gamer who recently hooked up with Klubwerkz.
While Starting XP is part of the approval conversation, it occurs afterward.  Build your character sheet with the standard Character Generation points and required notes above.  Upon approval, any Starting XP will be granted, which can then be spent according to standard +xpspend and +xpreq commands (without any enforced wait times).

Latest revision as of 21:44, 30 May 2025

Traits

Points

Trait Points
Attributes Primary 7 / Secondary 5 / Tertiary 3
Abilities Primary 13 / Secondary 9 / Tertiary 5
Note: No Ability may be over 3 without Freebies
Spheres 5 + 1 in Affinity Sphere
Backgrounds 7
Willpower 5
Freebies 15

Freebies

Trait Cost
Attribute 5
Ability 2
Sphere 7
Background 1
Willpower 1
Merit Merit Cost
Flaw Flaw Gain. Note: You can take more than 7 dots in Flaws,
but can only gain 7 Freebies from Flaws.

Affinity Sphere

Please remember to choose your Affinity Sphere based on the selections available to your Tradition in M20. Order of Hermes Mages may choose the Sphere associated with their House (see Tradition Book: Order of Hermes Revised for details).

Abilities

As per the game-wide House Rules, any Secondary Ability is full cost, but grants a -1 difficulty (except when used in combat).

Mage Staff, however, will never ask you to roll a Secondary Ability (they really are just stat bloat). If you have an Ability not on the Mage Primary Abilities list, you may ask to substitute it, but allowing this (and any other modifiers to the roll that may ensue) are at the discretion of the StoryTeller for the scene.

Primary Abilities

The Mage Primary Abilities are:
Talents -- Alertness, Artistic Expression, Aethletics, Awareness, Brawl, Empathy, Expression, Intimidation, Leadership, Streetwise, Subterfuge
Skills -- Crafts, Drive, Etiquette, Firearms, Martial Arts, Meditation, Melee, Research, Stealth, Survival, Technology
Knowledges -- Academics, Computer, Cosmology, Enigmas, Esoterica, Investigation, Law, Medicine, Occult, Politics, Science

Backgrounds

Please see the information below for each Background you have on your character, and follow the instructions listed. (In particular, please look at Avatar.)

  1. Allies -- For each ally, please supply a NPC note with the name 'Ally - <Name>'. (Details on NPC notes can be found below.)
  2. Alternate Identity -- Where applicable, please specify the name, criminal record, and very basic background in a +note
  3. Arcane -- This Background is considered 'restricted', see Mage staff for details. No +notes are required.
  4. Avatar -- Mages without at least 1 dot in Avatar will come under strict scrutiny. Please specify a +note describing your Avatar based on the information in 'Avatar' below.
  5. Backup -- Please describe the type of Backup you have (based on the suggestions in M20 p306) in a +note.
  6. Blessing -- Please describe what your Blessing does, where your Blessing comes from, and what acts might be considered anathema to the source of your Blessing in a +note.
  7. Certification -- This Background is not in use. See the 'How To...' Merit in the Merits section.
  8. Chantry -- This Background is not available to characters during Character Generation.
  9. Contacts -- For each contact, please supply a NPC note with the name 'Contact - <Name>'. (Details on NPC notes can be found below.)
  10. Cult -- Cult is not allowed for Mages. For an IC representation of a Cult, see 'Backup' above.
  11. Demesne -- Please describe your Demesne in a +note
  12. Destiny -- Staff will work with you to determine (in the vaguest terms) your character's Destiny and +note it.
  13. Dream -- No notes necessary
  14. Enhancement -- As per M20, the costs for this Background are doubled. Mystic Mages may take the Enhancement background. Please describe in a single +note what your enhancements are. Static Attribute/Ability adjustments will be made to the +sheet via the +effect system by staff.
  15. Fame -- Please describe what you are famous for, and who your target group is in a +note
  16. Familiar -- Please build out a statblock for your Familiar using the rules in Gods and Monsters 20th Anniversary (GM20). (See the Companion tab for additional details). Specify the statblock and any RP notes in a +note.
  17. Influence -- Please note that we use the stock rules for this background found in M20, p316. Specify the source of your Influence in a +note.
  18. Legend -- This Background is not available to characters during Character Generation.
  19. Library -- For each dot in Library, please choose either 2 Abilities or 1 Sphere, and place them in a +note. Your Library rating may be substituted for any of the chosen Abilities for research purposes (as per M20, p318). Choosing a Sphere for this Background provides automatic Justification for raising that Sphere for the first 3 dots of that Sphere.
  20. Mentor -- Please describe your Mentor using a NPC note. (Details on NPC notes can be found below.)
  21. Node -- This Background is not available to characters during Character Generation.
  22. Past Lives -- No Notes necessary
  23. Patron -- Please describe your Patron using a NPC note. (Details on NPC notes can be found below.)
  24. Rank -- This Background is not in use.
  25. Requisitions -- As per M20, this Background is only available to Technocracy PCs. Note: Technocracy PC Applications are currently CLOSED.
  26. Resources -- Please specify how your Resources are earned and managed (regular job with a regular bank account, drug running income buried in shell corporations, drug running income in cash in a storage locker, etc) in a +note.
  27. Retainers -- Please specify (in a single +note) each Retainer's name and what purpose they fulfill for your character.
  28. Sanctum -- As per M20, ththe costs for this Background are doubled. Please describe your Sanctum, including location, in a +note.
  29. Secret Weapons -- As per M20, this Background is only available to Technocracy PCs. Note: Technocracy PC Applications are currently CLOSED.
  30. Spies -- No notes necessary.
  31. Status -- Please describe what your character has done to build their status in a +note. Note: This Background relates strictly to Tradition/Faction. For 'Status' among mortal institutions, see the Influence background.
  32. Totem -- Totem is not allowed for Mages.
  33. Wonder -- Please describe the Wonder based on the stats in the Toybox section of M20 (p651-653) in a +note.

NPC Notes

For each NPC Note, please include the NPCs name, their relationship to the character, what is is they can do for your character, and some basic roleplaying notes. This doesn't need to be heavily detailed. For example: "Damon and Lil' Fade grew up on the same streets, and almost ended up with the same life, until Lil' Fade saw the potential in Damon and forced him out of the gang. Lil' Fade still has a paternal instinct toward Damon, and will occasionally secure illicit goods, or step up to violence."

Merits

A lot of Merits in M20 either just don't work in a MUX environment, or run counter to the Themes we're trying to develop. Below is a list of edits/notes/expectations for Merits. Any Merit not on the list can be taken by players without restriction or additional information necessary.

  1. Acute Senses -- If you take the 1-pt version, please add a +note specifying which Sense is Acute.
  2. Artistically Gifted -- In what can only be an editing mistake, this Merit does enhance magick-casting rolls just as other Merits of its type (since all the other ones do).
  3. Berserker -- This Merit is not allowed for Mage PCs.
  4. Circumspect Avatar -- An Avatar that you don't interact with? Are you even playing Mage at this point? This will not be allowed for PCs. NOTE: Many if not most Avatars will attempt the more subtle acts of getting your attention described in this Merit first. Ignore them long enough, well...
  5. Concentration -- This Merit is just... really, really good. That's all.
  6. Code of Honor -- Please list your code of ethics (in particular, what can violate it) in a +note.
  7. Enchanting Feature -- Please specify which Feature is Enchanting
  8. Faerie Affinity -- Nope! Go make friends on the grid or something.
  9. Favor -- Please describe the Favors you are owed in a +note.
  10. Fae Blood -- This Merit is not available to PCs.
  11. Ghoul -- This Merit is not available to PCs. Additionally, finding yourself under this affliction IC will come with drastic IC consequences.
  12. Immortal -- This will not be available to PCs. If you want to roleplay through the pangs of an unending existence, Vampire is right over thataway.
  13. Insensate to Pain -- This Merit will incur some scrutiny.
  14. Language -- Please specify which Languages you have learned by adding the 'Lang <Language>' trait to your character at level five (for example, to show that you know German, add the 'Lang German' stat at 5 dots). You need not add the 'Language' Merit as long as the Languages are specified.
  15. Local Hero -- Please describe your locality (which cannot be 'the City of Houston') in a +note.
  16. Loyalty -- Please describe the target of your loyalty in a +note.
  17. Mark of Favor -- Mark of Favor is allowed, however, the chosen 'renowned god-form' may not be from the mythos of other supernatural creatures.
  18. Natural Leader -- This Merit is a 1-pt merit rather than 2.
  19. Nephilim -- We do not use the optional rule to allow seven points of Advantages.
  20. Noble Blood -- Please specify which 'royal' family you are a member of, and how that shows itself in your appearance.
  21. Noted Messenger -- This will require approval from the staff of the 'other group' you wish to be a Messenger to as well as Mage staff.
  22. Power Ally -- We don't allow Supernatural Companion, so this one makes even less sense. Not allowed for Mage PCs.
  23. Presitgious Mentor -- This Merit can be taken without the Mentor Background, as it represents a Mentor who you no longer have an active relationship with. If this is the case for your character, please describe your Mentor in a +note.
  24. Secret Code Language -- This Merit only costs 1 dot if the Mage also has 'Natural Linguist'.
  25. Self-Confident -- This Merit is not allowed.
  26. Shapechanger Kin -- This Merit is not available to PCs.
  27. Sphere Natural -- The chosen Sphere, during character creation, must be at least one dot below your Arete.
  28. Sterile -- Without stepping into the morass of the pros and cons of child birth, this Trait is considered a 0-pt Merit and never a Flaw. In essence, you can choose to be Sterile (or not) for whatever story purposes matter to you, and take this Merit if you need it.
  29. Stormwarden -- What Avatar Storm?
  30. Subculture Insider -- Please describe the subculture you are an Insider of in a +note.
  31. Supernatural Companion -- This Merit is not allowed for PCs. If you want a Changeling friend, go out on the grid and make one.
  32. Ties -- Please specify which group(s) you have Ties to in a +note.
  33. Too Tough to Die -- This Merit will incur strict scrutiny.
  34. True Faith -- Believing in your Paradigm with all of your Will is part of being a Mage. Providing system benefits for those who happen to believe in a separate being doesn't really make sense. This is not available for Mage PCs.
  35. True Love -- This will not be allowed between two PCs.

Flaws

A lot of Flaws in M20 either just don't work in a MUX environment or run counter to the Themes we're trying to develop. Below is a list of edits/notes/expectations for Merits. Any Flaw not on the list can be taken by players without restriction or additional information necessary.

  1. Aging -- We do not allow Child PCs, so any versions of this merit are for the olds.
  2. Addiction -- Please specify your Addiction in a +note.
  3. Beast Within -- This Flaw is not available to Mage PCs.
  4. Bigot -- While NPCs may exhibit these behaviors from time to time, they are inappropriate for PCs. This Flaw is not allowed.
  5. Child -- Child PCs are not allowed.
  6. Chronic Depression -- PCs who take this rarely add to a game, and often detract from it. This Flaw will draw strict scrutiny from Staff.
  7. Compulsion -- Please describe your compulsion in a +note.
  8. Cursed -- Please describe your curse in a +note.
  9. Dark Fate -- Either 'free' Freebies because the Flaw never happens, or the end of a character. This Flaw is just. bad. news. It is not available to Mage PCs.
  10. Dark Secret -- This flaw not only represents a sordid past, it has one of its own. More often than not, the secret never comes into play, and thus is a 'free' freebie point. As such, this Flaw will fall under strict scrutiny. Other Flaws often make for better RP of this sort. Rather than a Dark Secret of running someone off the road, perhaps instead have a 2-pt Enemy who Knows What You Did Last Summer.
  11. Deranged -- While forms of Derangement make a lot of sense for the game of Mage: the Ascension and what a character may go through, this Flaw requires strict scrutiny from Mage staff in order to make sure that these very serious conditions are treated with the proper care.
  12. Driving Goal -- A Driving Goal of 'reaching Ascension' or other such goals that point directly to the same will not be allowed. Please note your Driving Goal in a +note.
  13. Echoes -- Please describe your Echoes in a +note.
  14. Enemy -- Please describe your Enemy using the 'NPC Notes' section above.
  15. Construct -- This Flaw may only be taken by Awakened Mage PCs (For Construct characters, please see the Companion tab).
  16. Extreme Kink -- C'mon, really? You can roleplay this, but you're not getting freebies for it.
  17. Hatred -- Please describe the subject of your Hatred in a +note.
  18. Hero Worship -- Hero Worship of other PCs will not be allowed. A known NPC in the game, however, is an option. Please specify the subject of your worship in a +note.
  19. Horriffic -- This is to far afield for PCs to be able to get any meaningful roleplay in. It is not allowed.
  20. Impediment -- Please describe the condition, how much it affects your character, and whether or not people can tell that you have it in a +note.
  21. Inappropriate -- Characters of this nature are just plain disruptive. While they may be great for a laugh every so often, they do not foster long-term roleplaying. As such, taking the Inappropriate flaw at greater than 1 dot will be met with strict scrutiny.
  22. Mental Lock -- This is one of those Merits that sounds great on paper, and is a mess for a Storyteller to administrate. While we do allow this Flaw, it will require a lengthy discussion with your Storyteller.
  23. Naive -- The World of Darkness is just that... dark. At some point, the Pollyanna outlook will either crack, or become delusional... both interesting outcomes in their own right.
  24. Obsession -- Please describe your Obsession in a +note.
  25. OCPD -- This Merit is not in use. The condition of OCPD is instead expressed by the 'Deranged' Flaw.
  26. Offline -- This Flaw only exists in the 1-point version.
  27. Phobia -- Please describe your Phobia in a +note.
  28. Profiled Appearance -- While this Flaw may seem 'simple', Houston is the 1990's was a more tolerant city among a more tolerant state (among the South, anyway) than the Bible-thumping transgender-hating hellscape that it is today. Please describe in a +note what it is about your character that would cause their appearance to be Profiled.
  29. PTSD -- While forms of PTSD make a lot of sense for the game of Mage: the Ascension and what a character may go through, this Flaw requires strict scrutiny from Mage staff in order to make sure that this very serious condition is treated with the proper care.
  30. Repulsive Feature -- Please specify your Repulsive Feature in a +note.
  31. Rival House -- Neither Shrike's Nest nor Baker House have rivalries deep enough to warrant this flaw.
  32. Shy -- The mechanical effects of this Flaw do not apply when in comfortable company. (In essence, it matches the 'Shy' Flaw of V20.)
  33. Sphere Inept -- This Merit is not available to Mage PCs.
  34. Sterile -- Without stepping into the morass of the pros and cons of child birth, this Trait is considered a 0-pt Merit and never a Flaw. In essence, you can choose to be Sterile (or not) for whatever story purposes matter to you, and take this Merit if you need it.
  35. Stress Atavism -- This Flaw is not allowed for Mage PCs.
  36. Taint of Corruption -- This effectively makes you a Nephandus, whether you want to be or not. We don't allow such PCs in this game.
  37. Vanilla -- We consider this a roleplaying choice, rather than a true detriment. This Flaw is not allowed.
  38. Whimsy -- This flaw universally ends up a rather large barrier to roleplay. Use caution before taking it.

Focus

The culmination of how your Mage approaches their Magick is known in M20 as 'Focus' (M20, p565), and is broken down into 3 sections:

  1. Why your magick works, also known as Paradigm
  2. How your magick works, also known as Practice
  3. What your magick uses, also known as Instruments

Paradigm

The Paradigms presented in M20 and Book of Secrets (BoS) are given so that the player understands the paradigm. What I want to see is your character's understanding of their Paradigm. These cannot be the same, because if they were, your character would have already Ascended, and we could all go home. The Paradigms of PCs should not involve blocks and limits in them so that said blocks and limits can be removed by future Seekings. Does this mean custom Paradigms aren't allowed? Yes and no. The Paradigms presented in the books are quite broad as far as belief systems go, and I've yet to see a good Paradigm which couldn't fit into one of them. Please include the title of one of the Paradigms in the books, and then explain your character's understanding of that Paradigm.

Practice

Your practices (please list 2-3) define how you do your magick. These are broad categories and often overlap. Much of Yoga can also be Medicine Work. Much of Witchcraft can also be Gutter Magick... and just as much of Witchcraft can be High Ritual. Pick the 2 or 3 that most commonly make sense for your character.

Instruments

The minimum requirements for Instruments are as follows:

  1. 5-7 Instruments
  2. One **Personalized Instrument** which is bound to your Affinity Sphere (M20 p587). Remember, when using your Personalized Instrument with your Affinity Sphere, you get a -1 difficulty modifier on your magick!
  3. Any Unique Instruments (M20 p588) must be identified, including which Sphere they are used with. Please keep in mind, Unique Instruments are risky! Losing access to them can be debilitating, and Mage Staff are not unwilling to do so.

Separately, we also recommend picking a 'favorite' instrument for each Sphere you have and explain why that embodies your character's understanding of that instrument. Fleshing out your Paradigm further through small tips like these is both fun and helpful.

Avatar

Please include a note describing your character's Avatar. We are looking for 3 key things:

  1. How your Avatar interacts with you.
  2. What your Avatar's goals are (what does Ascension look like for them?)
  3. Roleplaying Notes for the Avatar (Mage staff will be playing this NPC during Seekings/Epiphanies)

Within the metaphysics of Mage, your Avatar is the one doing the Ascending, the Mage is just the vehicle by which they achieve it. This existence is symbiotic: A Mage must broaden their understanding so that an Avatar can experience that understanding. A Mage must embody that Paradigm so that an Avatar can experience the embodiment of that Paradigm. But from a roleplaying game standpoint, your Avatar is as much a part of your character as the Mage is.

Backstory

While a Backstory technically is not required, the likelihood of being able to approve a character without one is intensely low. Please feel free to write one, and please feel free to be detailed! We will read every single word about your character that you are willing to write. That said, a collection of bullet points that touches on the highlights in one convenient place helps immensely when we need to reference events in the backstory. The commands in +help +bg are good for this.

Starting XP

Mage is a game that at its core is rather cerebral and requires a strong attention to detail from both the player and the Storyteller. Mage Staff will ask you (many) questions about your character during the approval process. Why? Because at the end of the day, we are your Avatar, and your Avatar knows everything there is to know about you! We need to know why you have that Enemy and what they are like, so we can bring them to life in the middle of a plot. This means that the approval process will take time, and our goal is to make it as collaborative as possible. The more effort you put into your character, the more we have of your character to weave into our stories.

With the above in mind, the Starting XP that we offer for Mages is quite flexible. There are 3 main pillars that we base this decision on:

  1. Concept Draw - What does the Mage splat gain from adding this concept? Will this character make the (currently Traditions) Mages a stronger/better group, and enhance the experiences of existing players? Is a reclusive Virtual Adept what we need right now, or would a gruff but protective Verbena fit better?
  2. Game Knowledge - How well does this player appear to understand the themes, lore, and mechanics of Mage? Does this character feel like they have lived in the world of Mage? Can staff easily run a Seeking for this character, based on the Focus and Avatar notes? Did you remember to specify your Personalized Instrument?
  3. Character Experiences - What kind of live experience and adversity has this character gone through? The skills of an ex-Marine who has served as a Courier for House Janissary is quite different than a semi-pro gamer who recently hooked up with Klubwerkz.

While Starting XP is part of the approval conversation, it occurs afterward. Build your character sheet with the standard Character Generation points and required notes above. Upon approval, any Starting XP will be granted, which can then be spent according to standard +xpspend and +xpreq commands (without any enforced wait times).

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