Yes, I suppose you can replace eyes with magic, but remember that you cannot learn to read until you have learnt the required magic, which is probably at the very end of apprenticeship as best.
I don't see anything wrong in a blind magus, but I could not play it. There is a risk of making it comic, destructive, or misfitting. It helps if you have RL experience working with blind people.
I don't. It makes me think it's an interesting character I'd like to read about in a book, but logistically I don't know. I blame Netflix and Daredevil. Swapping out the problematic two flaws, Blind and Fury, how does the rest of the character look ?
Eyes of the Elementalist InAu[Te][Aq][Ig] 30
Base 4 : 4 : 4 : 4, per,+2 sun, +4 Sight
Should be good. Also can make one for hearing and touch.
It looks like a magus who can take up a lot of space in the party. Elementalists tend to do this, with many flamboyant effects. Personally, I think that is fine in ArM, if the character is not played too often on adventure.
What you write sounds reasonable, but I am left with the impression that I should know the «flame dancer« concept at the «magic blood» virtue from the books, and I could not find either.
Yah, it is possible she could steal the show so to speak. Which is why I wanted to force the character into being reclusive and subtle with flaws, until such time she needs to go Firestarter. Fury and Wrathful were there for shtick value really. In retrospect having the blood of Fire and a sinful personality trait may not be a good idea.
Which gives me an idea, what if instead of Blind and Disfigured, she's Aching Beauty or... I forget what it's called. But it basically it causes jealousy etc, so she pretends she's blind and disfigured? I'll work on it. The intent is to be more like Firestarter and not an always on fire Marvel super hero.
Magical Blood is found in RoP:M pg46
Monstrous Blood the flaw on RoP:M pg49 as a reference for ideas
Flame Dancers are on page 90 . RoP:M does a magical human for each Form. Flame Dancers are both fire and moths to flame.
Atlantian Magic on page 43. I was proposing a substitution of Fire for the water in that virtue, but I'm not married to the virtue, was flavour. Atlantians are on page 90 as well. Rereading the section, the fact it can be initiated into cults makes it easy to get out of hand. So probably should scrap it.
Unfortunately. I don't have the RoP:M so I will not have an opinion of the character as a whole. I have read your posts referring to this character from other threads, so I see that you are considerate about the risk of dominating the story, and then there is probably not a problem. Nobody can tell how a character will work without looking at the player, and I have not seen you play yet 
I think Blind Fury can work with the right player, most of the time, but a powerful elementalist and a fury botch is a calamity. You can to some extent contain the damage by exerting yourself, aiming to pass out from fatigue loss before you have killed all your friends. Hopefully your remaining friends are very sympathetic with your condition.
My imaginings were she would charge at someone or throw things, losing concentration on whatever Intellego magics she had, so just keep throwing things. While a botch she'd fight to just to get her hands on whomever... but disoriented. While Wrath doesn't force action, I view it as calculated vengeance.
It was to go with the Tempest idea, the wild and angry storm.
I'm still playing with her flaws. I might make her over sensitive vision so like blind half the time. Switch up Fury for a different story flaw.
I have a tendency to power game in reverse. Speaking of... I should post Whistler.
Whistler
Age: 15
Int: 0, Per: 2, Com: 0, Pre: 0, Str: 0, Sta: 1, Dex: 2, Qui: 2
Imp Characteristics Minor
Warrior Minor
Wilderness Sense Minor
Venus Blessing Minor
Animal Ken Minor
Ways of the (environment we are in) Major
Puissance Awareness minor
Second Sight Minor
Feral Upbringing (Minor general)
Animal Companion (Dog, mundane Hound) Minor story
Mute Major general
Incomprehensible (Minor General)
Humble (Minor personality)
Outsider (Major social status)
Abilities
4 or 5 Awareness for a 6 or 7 with Puissance
4 Bow - (all points from warrior)
4 Brawl
Stealth, hunting, Area lores etc.
Hey everyone,
I'm teaching myself AM and starting by making some Grogs. Here is the first one I made. Are there any glaring omissions or errors?
BROTHER BERNARDO
Concept: Franciscan Friar
Characteristics: Int +2 Per +1 Pre +2 Com +1 Str +0 Sta +1 Dex -1 Qik -1
Size: 0
Age: 26 (26)
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0
Virtues and Flaws: Busybody, Compulsion (Drinking), Educated, Mendicant Friar
Personality: Drunk +3, Gregarious +1, Nosy +3
Combat:
Dodge: Init -1 Atk n/a Def -1 Dam n/a
Fist: Init -1 Atk -1 Def -1 Dam +0
Kick: Init -2 Atk -1 Def -2 Dam +3
Soak: +1
Fatigue Levels:
Wound Penalties:
Abilities: Artes Liberales (rhetoric) 2, Awareness (alertness) 2, Carouse (drinking songs) 3, Charm (being witty) 3, Church Lore (parables) 2, Chirurgy (setting bones) 2, Folk Ken (peasants) 3, Guile (lying to authority) 4, Intrigue (gossip) 4, Italian (preaching) 5, Italy Lore (towns) 2, Latin (Church usage) 4, Occitan (preaching) 4, Provence Lore (towns) 2, Theology (history) 3
I think my only real point is that grogs are only meant to have one personality flaw, whereas he has two.
Technically Mendicant Friars are meant to take the Monastic Vows flaw, but I'd be inclined to ignore that - it's a major story flaw, which grogs aren't allowed to take, and there is room for the relaxation in the rules elsewhere if you don't want to tell stories about the character's interactions with his vows.
Other than that, it's traditional to write the virtues before the flaws, and he's missing his fatigue and wound penalties, but those are pretty minor points.
I didn't see that in the book, but that makes total sense. One thing I noticed is that the gulf between a companion and a grog isn't as big as I thought and that major virtues and flaws are really the keys to a companion's power.
Yeah, and being a drunk who is pretty good at lying to his bosses makes him not always the "best" friar, although his skills are pretty well set up for spreading the good word.
I appreciate the little details as well. Thanks for the quick response!
It's in the box on page 37, for reference.
The contradicts itself by encouraging multiple personality flaws on Grogs to make hem fun. The book actually recommends making Grogs fun personalities. Most players ignore it because rules > fun on these forums. I advise doing what is fun. Even going so far as sometimes making a grog with a story flaw.
Because apparently it's impossible to have fun within the rules. You should put that "rules > fun" part in your signature: it would save you a lot of time.
Contradicting personalities can be achieved through Personality Traits, not requiring any Personality Flaw. And Story Flaws are flaws will be the focus of stories; bringing a grog to that position isn't reasonable, because that's not the role grogs are meant to fill: that's so within the role of companions that I would just allow you that grog, but consider him a companion anyway. And then you could even get him that second Personality Flaw that makes life worth living!
That being said my main concern with Brother Bernardo is that the drunk preacher is a bit of a cliché; if he were also fat you would get Robin Hood's monk! He's a grog, there must be something that draws him to the magi and the other grogs, and unless the Covenant's main income source is a brewery I don't see what would fill the role. So why not adding him something like Second Sight (and a related flaw, maybe Infamous, for that time when, in the middle of a preach, he started arguing with someone nobody else could see)? Then maybe he sees things he cannot interpret through his theology, so maybe he seeks magi to fill his gaps, or joins them after having them dealing with the things he saw in a more comprehensive way that his church fellows.
On this point, the books are contradictory. There are published adventures which really do promote grogs to pivotal characters (Pact of Pasaquine springs to mind). The main reason in ArM5 to limit story flaws is to give time to give each one sufficient time in the limelight. A three-player troupe playing twice a week for years may very well allow grogs with story flaws. They have time to play all the stories. A six-player troupe playing once a month will have a hard time covering all the companions and magi.
But you are right Ourobos. The challenge is not to make good characters with a potential for good stories, but a to design a good party of characters who fit well together and make good stories together. A saga can only afford so many centre-stage characters.
I created this proof of concept just for fun when one of my players told me that there was absolutely no reason to take a wolf heartbeast over a bear one. According to him, all other heartbeasts are the poor brothers, at least in the fighting department. So I checked them and decided to create a she-wolf that could take advantage of leadership score of wolves and pack fighting /group combat rules (+18 to attack or defense with a pack of six wolves).
Mara is the result of this theorycrafting. I don't know if a bear Bjornaer would be scarier than a pack fighting she-wolf magus, but she seems like a fun specialist to play with to me. I share her for your amusement:
Our house rules: Magi start with 25 years, just out of the gauntlet (so they started training with 10). Advancement is done following the general rules of the book with these exceptions: spells are learned as lab work (for any spell in the core rulebook) or invented as lab work (for any new spells). Starting spells must be from the core rulebook except one, that can be a "signature spell" designed by the player (the magus should be able to learn it but nothing more is required).
Note: Edited to reflect comentaries
Mara, Follower of Bjornaer (at Gaunlet)
Characteristics: Int +3, Per 0, Pre +2, Com -2, Str +1, Sta +1, Dex +1, Qik +1
Size: 0 Age: 25 Decrepitude: 0 Warping Score: 0 (0) Confidence Score: 1 (3)
Virtues: The Gift (0); Hermetic Magus: Bjornaer (0); Heartbeast (0), Improved Characteristics (1), Affinity with Animal (1), Puissant Animal (1), Deft Form: Animal (1), Minor Magical Focus: Canines (1), Flexible Formulaic Magic (3), Puissant Brawl (1), Inoffensive to animals (1).
Flaws: Wrathful (-3), Driven: Protect the Forests (-1), Magical Animal Companion: Big Wolf (-1), Infamous: brutal an vicious killer (-1), Feral Upbringing, (-1), Vulnerable magic: when touching silver (-3).
Personality Traits: Wrathful +6, Cruel +2, Brave +3, Protective of her own +1.
Combat:
Dodge: Init +1, Attack NA, Defense +5, Damage NA
Soak: +1(+4 if using doublet of impenetrable silk)
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, –1, –3, –5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: –1 (1–5), –3 (6–10), –5 (11– 15), Incapacitated (16–20), Dead (21+)
Abilities: Athletics (acrobatics) 2, Animal Handling (canines) 2, Awareness (alertness) 2, Brawl 1 +2 (dodge), Hunt (tracking) 1, Stealth (forest) 4, Survival (forest) 1, Swim (diving) 1, Pomeranian Forest Lore (legends) 1, Low German 3 (Pomeranian), Leadership (intimidation) 2, Concentration 3 (spells), Artes Liberales 1 (ceremonial magic), Latin 4 (hermetic usage), Magic Theory 3 (Animal), Parma Magica 1 (Mentem), Code of Hermes (wizard marches) 1 , Finesse 1 (Animal), Order of Hermes Lore 1 (Personalities), Penetration 1 (Animal), House Bjornaer Lore (self initiation), Magic Lore (creatures) 1, Heartbeast (wolf) 1.
Arts: Cr 7, In 0, Mu 1, Pe 0, Re 7; An 13(2)+3, Aq 0, Au 0, Co 1, He0, Ig0, Im0, Me 0, Te 0, Vi 0 Twilight Scars: none Equipment: - Encumbrance: 0
Spells Known:
Conjuring the Servant of the Shadow Pack(Cr[Re]An 30/+31 -with minor magical focus-)
True Rest of the Injured Brute (CrAn 20/+24)
Doublet of Impenetrable Silk (MuAn15/+17)
Commanding the Harnessed Beast (ReAn30/+24)
Opening the Tome of Animal Mind (InAn 25/+17)
Appearance: Mara is a raven-black haired woman with an athletic body and a piercing and intimidating gaze.
Casting Sigil: Black wolves. Her heartbeast infuses her magic and manifests in different ways in her spells: the color black, the shape of a wolf, howls…
Voting Sigil: A rod with a silver head in the pommel.
Mara’s Heartbeast:
Characteristics: Int +3, Per 0, Pre 0, Com -2, Str 0, Sta +3, Dex +2, Qik +2
Size: -1 Confidence Score: 1 (3) Virtues: Improved Characteristics (x2), Long-Winded, Sharp Ears, Affinity with Animal, Puissant Animal, Deft Form: Animal, Minor Magical Focus: Canines, Flexible Formulaic Magic, Puissant Brawl, Inoffensive to animals.
Flaws: Wrathful (major), Driven: Protect the Forests, Magical Animal Companion: Wolf, Feral Upbringing, Vulnerable magic: when touching silver, Compulsion (killing), Infamous.
Qualities: Aggressive, Hardy, Keen Sense of Smell, Pack Leader, Pursuit Predator, Sharp Ears, Thick Fur, Vocal Personality Traits: Wrathful +6, Cruel +2, Brave +3, Protective of her own +1. Reputations: Bloodthirsty (local) 4 Combat: Teeth: Init +2, Attack +13, Defense +11, Damage +0 Soak: +4 Fatigue Levels: OK, 0/0, -1/-1, -3, -5, Unconscious Wound Penalties: -1 (1-4), -3 (5-8), -5 (9-12), Incapacitated (13-16) Abilities: Athletics 5 (distance running), Awareness 3 (smell), Brawl 5+2 (teeth), Hunt 4 (track by smell), Survival 5 (forest), Leadership 5 (wolves), Music 3 (howls) Natural Weapons: Teeth: Init 0, Atk +3, Def +1, Dam +1. Its thick fur gives it a Protection of +1. Appearance: The wolf has erect, triangular ears, a narrow muzzle, and a coat of shaggy fur. Its eyes are usually yellowish and have a steady, unsettling gaze. Its fur is raven black. The wolf can bark, but its better-known sound is its eerie, piercing howl. Special: +3 to rolls involving scent, +2 to hunt rolls, +3 to hearing rolls, +3 to fatigue rolls (not counting spellcasting)
You should consider her animal companion something similar to Tremere white wolves (big wolf of size 0 or +1) with slightly better combat statistics than normal wolves that could lead a group. The difficulty of going around with a big wolf in middle ages should account for the minor flaw.
Mara, Follower of Bjornaer (+18 years)
Characteristics: Int +3, Per 0, Pre +2 , Com -2, Str +1, Sta +2, Dex +1, Qik +1
Size: 0 Age: 43 (39) (longevity ritual -6) Decrepitude: 0 Warping Score: 2(1) Confidence Score: 1 (3)
Virtues: The Gift (0); Hermetic Magus: Bjornaer (0); Heartbeast (0), Improved Characteristics (1), Affinity with Animal (1), Puissant Animal (1), Deft Form: Animal (1), Minor Magical Focus: Canines (1), Flexible Formulaic Magic (3), Puissant Brawl (1), Inoffensive to animals (1), Special circumstances: in the presence of other Bjornaer (-), Mystery of Epitome (-).
Flaws: Wrathful (-3), Driven: Protect the Forests (-1), Magical Animal Companion: Big Wolf (-1), Infamous: brutal and violent killer (-1), Feral Upbringing, (-1), Vulnerable magic: when touching silver, Oversensitive: has vowed to never allow an insult to Bjornaer magi to go unpunished (-), Restriction: as a choleric beast, cannot use magic at sea (-).
Personality Traits: Wrathful +6, Cruel +2,
Combat:
Dodge: Init +1, Attack NA, Defense +5, Damage NA Soak: +1(+4 if using doublet of impenetrable silk) Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, –1, –3, –5, Unconscious Wound Penalties: –1 (1–5), –3 (6–10), –5 (11– 15), Incapacitated (16–20), Dead (21+)
Abilities: Athletics (acrobatics) 2, Animal Handling (canines) 2, Awareness (alertness) 2, Brawl 1 +2 (dodge), Hunt (tracking) 1, Stealth (forest) 4, Survival (forest) 1, Swim (diving) 1, Pomeranian Forest Lore (legends) 1, Low German 3 (Pomeranian), Leadership (intimidation) 2, Concentration 3 (spells), Artes Liberales 1 (ceremonial magic), Latin 4 (hermetic usage), Magic Theory 4 (Animal), Parma Magica 4(1) (Mentem), Code of Hermes (wizard marches) 1 , Finesse 1 (Animal), Order of Hermes Lore 1 (Personalities), Penetration 3 (Animal), House Bjornaer Lore (self initiation) 5, Magic Lore (creatures) 1, Heartbeast (wolf) 3.
Arts: Cr 10, In 5(3), Mu 10, Pe 1, Re 10; An 17+3, Aq 0, Au 0, Co 6, He0, Ig0, Im0, Me 0, Te 0, Vi 0 Twilight Scars: none Equipment: - Encumbrance: 0
Spells Known:
Conjuring the Servant of the Shadow Pack(Cr[Re]An 30/+42 -with minor magical focus-) Mastery 3 (multicast, penetration, obfuscated casting)
True Rest of the Injured Brute (CrAn 20/+32)
Doublet of Impenetrable Silk (MuAn15/+32)
Commanding the Harnessed Beast (ReAn30/+32)
Opening the Tome of Animal Mind (InAn 25/+27)
Gift of the Wolf’s Fortitude (MuAn25/+42)
The voice of the Bjornaer Magus (MuAn 15/+32)
Form of the Choleric Heartbeast (MuAn20/+32)
Transformation of the Ravenous Beast into the Torpid Toad (MuAn25/+32)
Decay Fur and Hide (PeAn10/+23) Agony of the Beast (PeAn 15/+23)
The Language of Beasts (InAn20/+27)
Rejuvenation of the Wolf Pack (CrAn30/+42)
Appearance: Mara is a raven-black haired woman with an athletic body and a piercing and intimidating gaze.
Casting Sigil: Black wolves. Her heartbeast infuses her magic and manifests in different ways in her spells: the color black, the shape of a wolf, howls…
Voting Sigil: A rod with a silver head in the pommel.
Mara’s Inner (Epitome) Heartbeast:
Characteristics: Int +3, Per +1, Pre 0, Com -2, Str +1, Sta +6, Dex +3, Qik +3 Size: +1
Confidence Score: 1 (6)
Virtues: Improved Characteristics (x2), Long-Winded, Sharp Ears, Affinity with Animal, Puissant Animal, Deft Form: Animal, Minor Magical Focus: Canines, Flexible Formulaic Magic, Puissant Brawl, Inoffensive to animals, Special circumstances: in the presence of other Bjornaer, Mystery of Epitome, Though, Enduring Constitution.
Flaws: Wrathful (major), Driven: Protect the Forests, Magical Animal Companion: Big Wolf, Feral Upbringing, Vulnerable magic: when touching silver, Oversensitive: has vowed to never allow an insult to Bjornaer magi to go unpunished, Restriction: as a choleric beast, cannot use magic at sea, Compulsion (killing), Infamous.
Qualities: Aggressive, Hardy, Keen Sense of Smell, Pack Leader, Pursuit Predator, Sharp Ears, Thick Fur, Vocal Personality Traits: Wrathful +6, Cruel +2, Brave +3, Reputations: Bloodthirsty (local) 4
Combat: Teeth: Init +3, Attack +15, Defense +12, Damage +4 Soak: +10
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0/0/0/0, -2, -4, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: (one less due enduring constitution) -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20), killed (21+) Abilities: Athletics 5 (distance running), Awareness 3 (smell), Brawl 5+2 (teeth), Hunt 4 (track by smell), Survival 5 (forest), Leadership 5 (wolves), Music 3 (howls)
Natural Weapons: Large Teeth: Init 0, Atk +4, Def +1, Dam +3. Its thick fur gives it a Protection of +1.
Appearance: The wolf has erect, triangular ears, a narrow muzzle, and a coat of shaggy fur. Its eyes are usually yellowish and have a steady, unsettling gaze. Its fur is raven black. The wolf can bark, but its better-known sound is its eerie, piercing howl.
Special: +3 to rolls involving scent, +2 to hunt rolls, +3 to hearing rolls, +3 to fatigue rolls (not counting spell casting), Feat of Stamina spending 1 confidence.
Special spells
Conjuring the Servant of the Shadow Pack Cr(Re)An30.
Range: Touch. Duration: Diameter. Target: Individual.
This spell conjures a mundane wolf that will fight under the command of the caster (requisite Rego) for the duration of the spell. If more than one wolf is conjured or if there are other suitable canids, they will fight as a trained group because they have all the virtues and qualities that normal wolves have (including Leadership 5 with a specialty on wolves). Note that for the wolf to be able to attack anybody with Parma Magica or other resistance, this spell needs to penetrate.
This spell is the signature spell of Mara, follower of Bjornaer, which always conjures a menacing black wolf.
(Base 15, +1 touch, +1 diameter +1 req Rego)
Gift of the Wolf’s Fortitude
MuAn 25. R: Per, D: Sun, T: Ind
Like Gift of Bear’s Fortitude but it only works on canines and the penalty for manipulation does not apply to them.
While the version of Mara, follower of Bjornaer, is in effect, the target recibes a mark, similar to a tattoo, of the head of a black wolf.
(Base 15, +2 sun)
The Language of Beasts
InAn20. R: Touch, D: Con, T: Ind
The caster is able to communicate with an animal that is touching as if they shared a common language. Note that most magi will impose the effects of the Gift to the animal, that consequently will resist an try to avoid touch.
The version of Mara, follower of Bjornaer, requires the caster to emit growls and howls to communicate, even if she is communicating with other kind of animals.
(Base 10 +1 conc +1 touch)
Rejuvenation of the Wolf Pack
CrAn30. R:Touch, D: Momentary, T: Circle. Ritual.
Similar in some ways, Soothe Pains of the Beast, this spell permanently heals up to a heavy wound from each animal (if the target does not have heavy wounds, it will heal a Medium wound instead, and if it does not have Medium wounds, it will heal a Light wound instead) inside the drawn circle. Note that the Magus will probably need some kind of other magic effect to keep all the animals inside the circle for the time necessary to cast the ritual.
Mara designed this this spell to affect only canines in order to take advantage from her magical focus, although a version of this spell could be made to affect any animal with exactly the same level. Wounds healed by her spell will leave black scars for a week before fully healing.
(Base 25 +1 touch)
Some design notes: use of laboratory/initiation seasons (5 years of 18 in total):
12 seasons of initiations: Initiation in Clan Midusulf, two seasons of questing to communicate with mythic beast, 1 season to initiate Inner Beast, 8 refinement seasons (1 size increase, +1 strenght, +1 dex, +1 quick, +1 per, 2 Virtues, 1 quality)
8 seasons of Lab Work: Ritual of longevity, Invent: Gift of Wolf’s Fortitude (Lab total 50), Learn (The voice of the Bjornaer Magus MuAn 15 and Form of the Choleric Heartbeast MuAn 20, Lab Total 50), Learn (Beast of Outlandish Size MuAn15, Transformation of the ravenous Beast into the torpid toad MuAn25), Learn (Decay Fur and Hide PeAn10, Agony of the Beast PeAn 15), Invent experimenting (The language of Beasts InAn 20) +3 risk Lab total 40 Discovery +15xp animal +3 xp intellego, 2 seasons to Invent (Rejuvenation of the Wolf Pack CrAn 30, Lab total 51)
Initiations:
Clan Midusulf: The Oath of Steadfastness: Special circumstances (in the presence of other Bjornaer)/ Oversensitive (vows to never allow an insult to Bjornaer magi to go unpunished).
Inner Beast : Mystery of Epitome / Restriction (as a choleric beast, cannot use magic at sea)
8 Refinements: 1 size increases taking advantage of ordeal bonus, +1 strenght, +1 dex, +1 quickness, +1 perception , Though virtue , Lightning Reflexes, Large teeth quality (no flaw inflicted, 8 warping)
Wolf packs are indeed scary - with the leadership bonus you've got an attack of +29, with an extra +6 from exertion, doing six attacks a round (only +0 damage without buffing though, sadly). It's worse than a multicast Ball of Abysmal Flame in terms of pure damage, but the wolves can attack on multiple rounds and defend you as well. I think your level calculation for the Shadow Pack spell is 5 levels too low, though - you need to add a magnitude for the Rego requisite, as the control is an extra feature above just summoning the wolves. (You've also got too many minor flaws - the box on page 37 says you shouldn't have more than 5).
Enduring Constitution is probably a bit more worth considering for the build than it would normally be, as then you get 0/0, 0/0 fatigue levels in wolf form, rather than 0/0, -1/-1.
I created a character using the same basic idea, but going in a different direction - a Tremere master of auxillaries, with Flawless magic, Harnessed and Tethered Magic. Conjure a multicast pack of 6 wolves, hand them over to someone else to control, repeat, cancel once you've done with them. Buff them if you want them to be particularly nasty (but have even less penetration). Of course, they were also all arcane connections to her, but that's a story seed. I think the big downside of your approach is that if you're part of the pack, you're either using your leadership bonus on defense (in which case you lose most of the "killing things" potential), or you're vulnerable. Setting someone else to be the vanguard will help mitigate this (in so much as if the pack is only taking one wound a round, it'll go to them instead). The plus side is you're always going to have at least one wolf in the pack who can penetrate.
I think one needs to consider how quickly after conjuring the wolves can form a trained group. I decided that the Pack Leader/Animal quality meant that they didn't have to spend a season training together, but made them spend the round they were conjured forming up if they wanted the trained group bonus. I don't think the Rules are specific on the point, though, so different troupes may have different interpretations.
You are completely right. I have edited the original post to reflect those changes.
I wanted to have the option to fight alogside the wolves. Perhaps I put too much in that. As you pointed, it is not very practical. It is just cool
My main problem with tremere wolf conjurers is that without a focus they have problems to overcome magic resistances.
You're right that the penetration tends to be low (and in fact, I had to stat the character quite carefully to be able to learn without a focus a Cr(Re)An 30 spell at gauntlet at all). I did consider making the character a Flambeau from the School of Ebroin School of Sebastian (and therefore entitled to a magical focus in "Conjuring animals" as their House virtue), but the co-operative nature of the character fitted better with the Tremere. Ultimately, the Tremere do specialise, and in this case you have a character that's very good at dealing with large numbers of mundane or low might foes (especially once they have the level 45 spell which lets you summon ~20 wolves per copy of the spell for sun duration x Enduring Magic), but needs back-up or to run away quickly when powerful ones show up.
Hello gentlefolk and magi.
About to start up in my first campaign as a player and being utterly new to the rules and such I'm having a bit of trouble fleshing out a char around my concept. I know what he should be focused on and do, but finding the right spells and balance of abilities is another matter.
Concept: "battle magus", either Flambeau (school of Raimus or Vilano) or Verditius. Should be able to appear to be a skilled warrior using either mundane weaponry (Raimus) or enchanted items (Verditius warrior). His other concept is to affect both loyal and enemy soldiers with indirect/subtle spells which affects their bravery, fortitude, armor and such. No grand visual magic like fireballs and ripping the ground open 
(I don't think our campaign will have a lot of large scale battles but his background fits the setting and location we're in and gives the GM some good hooks).
What I mainly need a little help with is suggestions on spells and what arts to pick/focus on for a character aged around 35-38 years.
Some virtue/flaws are a given (warrior for instance, knight (and/or maybe landed noble) for flavor), but I'm open for some suggestions for affinities and such.