So the Technocracy, Traditions and Disparates all have Sorcerers working for them as Specialists, in some number or form. The Technocracy is mostly Unawakened Extraordinary Citizens, and among those (if the ST is using Sorcerers) there are many Sorcerers. So, it's not impossible that a group of Mages could be assigned a Specialist Sorcerer to assist them in some regard they excel in (transport, requisition, combat, exploration).
Here are the two major questions: (1) Would you allow a PC to play a Sorcerer? What sort of games/settings would they suit? (2) If you did include a Sorcerer PC, how would you run Character Creation? Equal For All is an obvious choice, but Mages get 6 dots in Spheres and Sorcerers get 5 dots in Paths. What balancing factors would you include?
(1) From what I can see, this would be best suited to a Chronicle where the Players have a certain defined goal (at least at the beginning) or unifying cause, which could allow for a certain role to be filled by a Specialist. An example might include a Scouting party into an area controlled by another group, unraveling a Technocracy/Tradition plot, dealing with some Night-Folk menace, attempting to fulfill some goal on the way to Mass Ascension. Alternatively, you have a tabletop Classic; the prison-break scenario. The PCs all begin captured by the Technocracy in a mid-sized base, all having been detected, betrayed or outsmarted. This allows for a mix of Traditions, Disparates (even Orphans) and potentially a Sorcerer. This assumes your Technocracy doesn't Kill On Sight and at least attempts conversion or study. The group break out together and this leads to the discovery of Story Threads which take them towards the Plot at large. Obviously there are notable benefits to a group including a Sorcerer, since they can ignore Paradox and Reality Zones, have good Counter-magic and are precisely limited in what they can do (potent but static) making them less prone to unexpected and frightening effects. Since they don't need to deal with The Quiet or the other downsides of being Awakened, they can more easily keep an eye on their comrades' mental health and sanity.
(2) There are some options here. Your Sorcerer could simply be given extra Freebie points, 10 starting dots in Paths, extra Backgrounds... or they could be given some alternative source of power. Perhaps they're a Lost Revenant, giving them healing powers, blood pump, ability to soak Lethal and 2 dots in Disciplines. Revenants are sources of Quintessence roughly akin to a weak Vampire (20 I believe), making them potent Apprentices and Allies. You could simply give the Sorcerer a head-start on EXP; run character generation and then give them the EXP of someone who has been studying for 10 years rather than 5 and apply it to the sheet.
How do you all address (1) and (2)? Does anyone have any experience with this?
Here are the two major questions: (1) Would you allow a PC to play a Sorcerer? What sort of games/settings would they suit? (2) If you did include a Sorcerer PC, how would you run Character Creation? Equal For All is an obvious choice, but Mages get 6 dots in Spheres and Sorcerers get 5 dots in Paths. What balancing factors would you include?
(1) From what I can see, this would be best suited to a Chronicle where the Players have a certain defined goal (at least at the beginning) or unifying cause, which could allow for a certain role to be filled by a Specialist. An example might include a Scouting party into an area controlled by another group, unraveling a Technocracy/Tradition plot, dealing with some Night-Folk menace, attempting to fulfill some goal on the way to Mass Ascension. Alternatively, you have a tabletop Classic; the prison-break scenario. The PCs all begin captured by the Technocracy in a mid-sized base, all having been detected, betrayed or outsmarted. This allows for a mix of Traditions, Disparates (even Orphans) and potentially a Sorcerer. This assumes your Technocracy doesn't Kill On Sight and at least attempts conversion or study. The group break out together and this leads to the discovery of Story Threads which take them towards the Plot at large. Obviously there are notable benefits to a group including a Sorcerer, since they can ignore Paradox and Reality Zones, have good Counter-magic and are precisely limited in what they can do (potent but static) making them less prone to unexpected and frightening effects. Since they don't need to deal with The Quiet or the other downsides of being Awakened, they can more easily keep an eye on their comrades' mental health and sanity.
(2) There are some options here. Your Sorcerer could simply be given extra Freebie points, 10 starting dots in Paths, extra Backgrounds... or they could be given some alternative source of power. Perhaps they're a Lost Revenant, giving them healing powers, blood pump, ability to soak Lethal and 2 dots in Disciplines. Revenants are sources of Quintessence roughly akin to a weak Vampire (20 I believe), making them potent Apprentices and Allies. You could simply give the Sorcerer a head-start on EXP; run character generation and then give them the EXP of someone who has been studying for 10 years rather than 5 and apply it to the sheet.
How do you all address (1) and (2)? Does anyone have any experience with this?
Comment