Very simple question.
Do virtues bonus apply AFTER dividing instead BEFORE.
For example:
Cyclic magic adds +3 and then /5 to an spontaneous (so +.6) or just +3.
You can look this up on ArM5 p.81 Casting Spells.
Bonus adds to the Casting Score are added before division, and bonus adds to the diverse Casting Totals after division. Usually bonus adds are defined to add to the Casting Score.
You find the errata for bonuses and maluses from ArM5 p.41/p.52 Cyclic Magic and ArM5 p.98 Talisman Attunement here: atlas-games.com/arm5/arm5errata.php#AG0205-2 , .
Cheers
In general afterwards. Many virtues have language similar to cyclic magic positive "you receive a+3 bonus to all spell rolls". Looking at the magic chapter page 81, we see that the die roll + the casting score make the casting total, then the casting total is divided.
edit: I see One shot has beaten me to the post. It's nice to see that we agree.
Hi Erik,
we were both a little too fast - as the punctuation in my post above shows.
Are you aware of any ambiguous ArM5 "you receive a+3 bonus to all spell rolls" or similar, which survived the errata?
Cheers
so... the Final score = ( Verb + Name + all kind of Bonus, including characteristic, auras, virtues and so on... ), then halved or divided by five if spontaneous
Some clarifications:
Realm Auras insert (p. 183): Under "Penetration", change both references to "Casting Total" to "Casting Score".
Talisman Attunment (p. 98): Change the second sentence in the final paragraph of the section to read "They apply to Casting Scores for Ritual, Formulaic, and Spontaneous magic, but they do not apply to Magic Resistance or any laboratory activities".
Weak Spontaneous Magic (p. 61): In the first sentence, replace "Casting Total" by "Casting Score".
No Hands (p. 56): Change the second half of the second sentence as follows: "and magi with this Flaw take a -5 penalty to all Casting Scores."
Cyclic Magic (negative) (p. 52): Change the second sentence to "You have a -3 penalty to all Lab Totals and Casting Scores during that time".
Afflicted Tongue (p. 51): Change the second sentence to read "You suffer a -2 penalty to all rolls involving the voice, and all Casting Scores if you cast the spell using words."
Ways of the Land (p. 50): Change the beginning of the third sentence to read "You get a +3 bonus to all rolls, including combat, and Casting Scores that directly involve that area and its inhabitants;..."
Special Circumstances (p. 49): Change the second half of the first sentence to say "gaining a +3 bonus to your Casting Scores and Magic Resistance. (A character only gains a bonus to Magic Resistance if she has Magic Resistance from another source.)"
Cyclic Magic (positive) (p. 41): Change the second sentence to "At those times, you receive a +3 bonus to all Casting Scores".