Automata, Anima and Animae

Hello there!

So far in the RAW we have 3 kinds of constructs that supernatural users can create (maybe there is a 4th since I do not recall if there is an option to create a Golem in ROP:D). Those are Automata (Verditius Magi), Anima (Mechanicians of Heron) and Animae (Augustan brotherhood).

In ll cases the creatures have a series of powers and a Might score. However, in none of those cases their might has ANY kind of usefulness besides magic resistance (and the limit of vis to be invested in them). Their powers are boosed like plain old magic items, so they do not power it with might points. In the case of Mechanica of Heron the case is even more spectacular since there is no "vis limit" to cap the number of extra powers that the Anima can have: they do not use vis to invest powers in the Anima.

Am I reading it right?

Thx :slight_smile:

Xavi

There is indeed!

In the case of the Animo used by the Augustan Brotherhood, Might determines the maximum EF of the effects that can be inscribed.

Mechanicians are unusual in a lot of ways and their ability to construct their devices without Vis is powerful, the fact is they don't have any other powers to call upon so I don't find the situation too unfair in that respect. Interestingly, while perusing my Ars Magica books the other night, I noticed another partially defined magical tradition whose members could substitute Mythic Pounds for Vis - Fenicil's Rituals. Perhaps the two traditions share a common background in ancient Greco-Roman magical practices?

As per Golems, IIRC they don't require Vis to construct either, but since they were in the (now revised) Judaism chapter of RoP: TD, what I remember about the mechanics may now be wrong anyway...

The Animo limit sounds sensible. As per the RAW, I could have a thousand magnitudes of effects in a might 6 Mechanic magpie and the Mechanician could still wonder what to add next :laughing:

Fenicils rituals certainly derive their background from grecoroman rituals, so they should share some similarities with this, yep. Constructing Anima is expensive as hell after all (1 mythic pound per point of Might of the Anima), so it would seem correct.

Xavi