Ask a simple question, Awakened edition

[Satchel]

Regarding spells that impose Environmental Tilts, such as Swarm of Locusts and Control Weather, how wide is the area affected by them ? Would it be determined by the Area of Effect scale factor or would it instead be anything that seems thematically appropriate ?

The former.

[KaiserAfini]

Cool, thank you.

[Isator Levi]

I have a more substantial background in Ascension, so I’m used to the characters’ capabilities being heavily limited by their beliefs and practices. In Awakening, however, it seems like mages possess a gnostic understanding of how to disrupt the Lie via their connection to the Supernal, their own beliefs becoming somewhat secondary.

In addition to what Satchel said, I would put forward that the depiction in various parts of First Edition often present matters including cultural imagery and occult ideas that might be picked up after Awakening can often form the manner in which mages form terminology and concepts for processing their encounters with and ideas about the Mysteries, as well as the symbols that they might form imagos out of. They're not empowered above and beyond those things specifically, and the culture of the Orders broadens horizons a bit, but it still often helps them to form ideas.

Plus, the Free Council is liable to have mages who more deeply immerse themselves in specific cultural motifs out of a combined belief that those motifs will be the result of a common Supernal awareness of humanity and that those ideas can themselves influence the nature of the Truth that one Awakens to.

And there's always Legacies, which often emerge very strongly from particular larger cultural practices that mages can be part of or inspired by. And because they represent something that a mage is more deeply dedicated to pursuing or developing, I'd say they often inform practices even apart from their specific powers and oblations. Like, if you're one of the Thrice-Great, it's not just that you've become empowered to do things that resemble the pursuits of Hermeticism, you're part of a tradition with deep roots in Hellenistic philosophies and mysticism that maintains that they've got a stronger insight into the Supernal than many others, even to the point of having a guidepost to Ascension. I think that's the kind of thing that creates an inclination towards related yantras, rituals and Obsessions even when they're not directly part of the Legacy practices.

[EW-Matias]

Hey all! A few questions from a soon-to-be Awakening ST. If the questions below are too complex to be in this topic, please let me know! In your experience, does magic in MtAw 2e feel magical? What do you do to prevent it from becoming straight up miracle working?

I have a more substantial background in Ascension, so I’m used to the characters’ capabilities being heavily limited by their beliefs and practices. In Awakening, however, it seems like mages possess a gnostic understanding of how to disrupt the Lie via their connection to the Supernal, their own beliefs becoming somewhat secondary. Am I correct in this reading or am I just overthinking? Yantras seem like a wonderful way to get my players more immersed in the mage fantasy, but are they enough? Maybe I should house rule a negative dice modifier for casting with no attached semiotics?

Sorry if this is incoherent. I’m glad there is a place to go to with this kind of questions.

To add to what others have said, I would also contend that miracle working is also quite magical, to me at least.

If you want to foster certain aesthetic, in which magic is arcane words and gestures and long arduous rituals and onoreous preparations, then one suggestions is that you talk to your players about not using the Shadow Name merit, and encourage them to lean into their Orders Tools, like Techné, Adamant Hand and Lex Magica. Especially Techné, better if they all agree on the same focus on some real world occult practice.

[KaiserAfini]

Can Mind spells detect beings in Twilight without other Arcana, such as locating a ghost or spirit by searching for minds nearby ?

[Neos01]

Can Mind spells detect beings in Twilight without other Arcana, such as locating a ghost or spirit by searching for minds nearby ?

Only goetia i think

[KaiserAfini]

Got it, thank you.

[Newes]

Can Mind spells detect beings in Twilight without other Arcana, such as locating a ghost or spirit by searching for minds nearby ?

Dave Brookshaw has verified that Mind magic can detect the minds of things in twilight (ghosts etc.) with no additional arcana needed.

[Isator Levi]

Do people suppose that firearms are sufficiently complex to be disabled by the blackout zones of Temples?

[Michael]

Do people suppose that firearms are sufficiently complex to be disabled by the blackout zones of Temples?

It looks like it. Perhaps especially modern firearms using propellants discovered in the past century or two.

[KaiserAfini]

Do people suppose that firearms are sufficiently complex to be disabled by the blackout zones of Temples?

I think that anything more complex than a crossbow would probably be disabled. A flintlock pistols may get a pass, perhaps the number of moving parts could be the deciding factor. This could have all sorts of interesting ramifications on how archeomancers prepare for an expedition. It could also create a whole niche for items that have been made functional due to Supernal engineering and perfected materials being used to reduce the number of parts, but it might also make the life of a character that fights with firearms more difficult than it needs to be.

[Isator Levi]

it might also make the life of a character that fights with firearms more difficult than it needs to be.

Well, it's one reason for the Adamantine Arrow to value adaptability.

[Michael]

perhaps the number of moving parts could be the deciding factor.

Well, the main quote is:

Blackout usually affects all electronics and any technology that relies on complex chemical processes.

but it might also make the life of a character that fights with firearms more difficult than it needs to be.

On the other hand, it's an excuse to actually break out the cool melee weapons.

[Chris_John]

Do Mages get to know the withstand rating of a target while casting a spell? Or do they determine the Potency first and hope it works?

Like, as a Storyteller do I tell a player that they'll have a -4 penalty or something or do they need to learn it's beyond the potency of the Spell when the Spell simply doesn't work?

[21C Hermit]

Do Mages get to know the withstand rating of a target while casting a spell? Or do they determine the Potency first and hope it works?

Like, as a Storyteller do I tell a player that they'll have a -4 penalty or something or do they need to learn it's beyond the potency of the Spell when the Spell simply doesn't work?

I believe it was the latter, and that a mage wouldn’t inherently know whether her spell lacked enough Potency or the spell doesn’t work for some other reason.