House Rules

Play by Post Campaigns Ars Magica 5th Edition: Base Camp
1

Magic Resistance

Entirely magical objects that fail to Penetrate Magic Resistance (MR) are deflected, as described in the Rules as Written (RAW). However, objects with both magical and mundane properties are not deflected by MR; instead, their magical properties are suppressed temporarily by any MR they fail to Penetrate. This means that a magical weapon or creature can still do mundane damage to a target protected by MR. A target with MR will, however, be aware if a magical object begins to cross his MR, which means that magical "traps" of harmless, possibly edible objects that transforms into something harmful when their magic is suppressed by MR are unlikely to work on a conscious opponent. Moreover, a large object transformed into a small one and then hurled at a target slows down proportionally and strikes with only the force of the small object, not of a large object hurled at the same speed. This also means that a large, dangerous object, such as a burning blanket, transformed into a small one, strikes so slowly that it can easily be pushed away before it does significant damage.

Wards or similar spells whose guidelines take MR into account need not Penetrate. However, wards or similar spells whose guidelines do not take MR into account (for example, a ReCo ward against all humans) must Penetrate MR.

2

Familiar Advancement

When a familiar learns from his magus through Teaching or Training, or through Exposure when helping the magus to perform a joint project (this will almost always be lab work), he reduces the advancement penalty for Might by 5.

Familiar Traits

A familiar must be purchased with Positive and Negative Traits, using the usual +1/+3/-1/-3 system. Each familiar starts with default traits, and 1 extra point. The default familiar is a Summer (360 XP’s) grog-level character (base Might 3), of a species that’s not typically taken as a pet, with Int –3 (formerly had Cunning; the familiar does get 6 Characteristics points for this Int) and Size 0 or less.

Positive

Autumn Character (Major): the familiar starts with 720 XP’s.

Companion-level Character (Major): the familiar has a base Might of 10.

Human Intelligence (Minor): the familiar has a maximum Int of +1.

Inconspicuous (Minor): the familiar is of a species normally kept as a pet, or small enough not to be taken notice of by most mundanes. A familiar capable of taking an inconspicuous shape or otherwise hiding his true shape from mundanes must take this Trait.

Non-Hermetic Power (Major): the familiar has a Ritual Power that enables it to do something not usually achievable by Hermetic Magic (such as grant Virtues). This trait must be taken once for each relevant Ritual Power. Note that this Trait is not required for Ritual Powers that could be duplicated by Hermetic Magic (such as permanent healing).

Positive Intelligence (Major): the familiar has a maximum Int of +5.

Negative

Ability Block with Magic Theory (Major): the familiar has an Ability Block that includes Magic Theory, and therefore is unable to serve as a lab assistant.

At odds (Major): the familiar often disagrees and argues with the magus, and they have trouble cooperating. This familiar should be played by another player.

Independent (Minor): the familiar has his own agenda, and may not always do what the magus would wish (he’ll probably help out in critical lab projects, but he may not want to spend all his free seasons studying Magic Theory). This familiar should be played by another player.

Large (Minor): the familiar is Size +1 or larger, and requires a Minor Lab Virtue rather than a Free Lab Virtue as a lab assistant.

Monstrous appearance (Minor): because of his size or appearance, the familiar tends to inspire panic and/or loathing in mundanes. A familiar capable of taking a less threatening shape or otherwise hiding his true shape from mundanes may not take this Trait.

Noncombatant (Minor): the familiar has the Noncombatant Flaw.

Spring Character (Minor): the familiar starts with 120 XP’s.

Transformed Animal (Minor): the familiar is magical, but has a base Might of 0 and no Magic Qualities, unless he takes matching Inferiorities. A Transformed Animal starts with normal Abilities for his species (with, perhaps, a few more XP’s for any Abilities necessitated by magical traits).

Vis requirement (Minor): whether due to a Hunger for (Form) Magic, a deal made as part of the familiar agreeing to be bound, or for some other reason, the Familiar must be provided with at least one pawn of vis per season.

Warped Animal (Major): the familiar is a Warped Animal, with no Might; he may begin with any Warping Score chosen by the player. A Warped Animal starts with normal Abilities for his species (with, perhaps, a few more XP’s for any Abilities necessitated by magical traits).

3

Virtues

INNATE SPONTANEOUS MAGIC

Major, Hermetic

To qualify for this Virtue you must have an extremely strong faerie nature. Examples include Faerie Blood, substantial Warping from a Faerie source, being bound by a Faerie Familiar, or the Inner Mystery of Becoming. All script variations for this mystery have one or more of these as a prerequisite. This and other new Arcadian Mysteries are available to Faerie magi outside of this group as well.  
This Mystery taps into the power inherent in your Faerie nature, allowing you to handle magic with greater fluidity.  When you cast a spontaneous spell without expending fatigue, you may choose to divide by five or by two.  If you choose to divide by five, you need not roll a stress die, and cannot botch, just as normal.  If you choose to divide by two, you must roll a stress die, and can botch.

POTENT SPONTANEOUS MAGIC

Major, Hermetic

This Inner Mystery is an extension of Innate Spontaneous Magic, and uses your Faerie nature to bring your Magical essence closer to the surface. The rationale is that you are mostly a faerie being that, because of your human blood, has the Gift of Magic. Other magi are humans who would otherwise be mundane if not for their magical Gift, just as you would be a full faerie if not for the dollop of human blood that allows you to have the Gift for Magic. It is the Mysteries of Faerie Magic allow you to harmonize the two forces, and for this reason this Mystery is incompatible with Becoming. You cannot be initiated into one if you already have been initiated into the other. 
Because your magic is brought even closer to the surface, you can get greater potency out of your Spontaneous Magic. This doesn’t work with Formulaic spells because the magic has to be quick and impulsive, and for the same reason it won’t work with Ceremonial Casting. Whenever you expend fatigue on casting a spontaneous spell, the lowest applicable Art is doubled before the whole total is divided by two.  You still roll a stress die, and may botch.

Flaws

EXTRA SLEEP

Major, General

The character requires twice the normal amount of sleep. This may restrict her activities, such as travel, and reduces her number of free seasons a year by one.

WEIRD MAGIC (ArM5, pg. 61)

Minor, Hermetic

The special "botch" die for Weird Magic is rolled on any stressed casting, not just a 0 on the casting die. However, a Weird Magic "botch" never results in Warping or the total failure of the spell.

4

Transformation: Transformation by a magic character requires five time as many XP's as indicated in Realms of Power: Magic (pg. 52). Hence, a new Minor Quality would require 50 XP's, for example.

5

Books and Correspondences

We're using the extended books rules from Covenants, including the Correspondences rule on pg. 90.

In order for a character to earn an XP from a Correspondence in a given season, the correspondence must touch on the Art or Ability in which the XP is earned (this means that both correspondents will earn an XP in the same Art or Ability), and that Art of Ability must have been the subject of the character's research or reading in the previous four seasons. For these purposes, "research" includes any work in the lab, including teaching, though for some activities, such as setting up a lab, the only Art of Ability that the character will be able to gain an XP for will be Magic Theory. The correspondents need not discuss the same Art or Ability each season, but their letters cannot be bound into a Tractatus until they have eight seasons' worth on a given Art or Ability. The troupe sees Correspondences as a mean to encourage roleplay, and so players are encourage to flesh out their characters' correspondents, and SG's are encouraged to involve those correspondents in plots.

6

Taking over a Laboratory

For purposes of the rule on pg. 118 of Covenants, a character must take a season to familiarize himself with any laboratory with positive Refinement built or used by another character before using or modifying it, even if the lab in question was built at the first character's request, and even if the lab is his own lab, but was modified by the second character. However, a character who has assisted another character in a lab for at least one season has familiarized himself with it, and need not spend an extra season before using or improving the lab on his own.

Modified Lab Virtues

Magical Heating, Magical Lighting: Add Upkeep -1 to each of these Virtues.

New Lab Flaw

Transient Use (Free, Outfittings): The lab has been designed to be used by any magus. As such, its layout and equipment are not quite as optimal as in a lab designed for a particular magus, and a magus' lack of intimate familiarity with the lab poses safety problems. This Flaw can be added to any newly constructed lab, or to any other lab in a season in which it's Refined, or Major or Minor Virtues or Flaws are added or removed. -1 General Quality, -1 Safety

Ring Spells for Laboratories

For purposes of the "Spells for Laboratories" rules on pp. 122-3 of Covenants, an effectively permanent spell with a duration of Ring is treated the same as any other spontaneous or formulaic spell; that is, it cannot contribute a bonus to one of the Arts used in the spell, and it raises the Warping of the lab by one.

7

Spell Mastery for Rituals

The rule that a mastered spell cast in relaxed circumstances cannot botch (ArM5 pg. 86, under "Spell Mastery") applies to rituals. This prevents the yearly Aegis of the Hearth casting from being a ticking time bomb.

8

Shape and Material Bonuses

Shape and Material Bonuses are not limited to those found in published lists, though shapes and materials with longstanding associations with magic are likely to be more resonant (that is, to give bigger bonuses).

Anyone with an idea for making Vulgar Alchemy useful without the need to limit S & M Bonuses is welcome to pipe up.

9

Seasons

For purposes of keeping track of time the seasons start and end on the modern dates: the solstices and equinoxes. Thus, Winter (the first season of each game year) starts in late December, Spring in March, Summer in June, and Autumn in September.

10

Apprentices

The minimum Intellego Vim Lab Total required to open an apprentice with a Major Supernatural Ability (pg. 107, under "Training Your Apprentice") is 20, rather than 30 (that is, equivalent to the apprentice's having an Ability score of 4).

11

Inventive Genius

Inventive Genius applies only to activities that generate a lab text: inventing a spell, enchanting an item, enchanting an effect into a familiar bond, and a creating a longevity ritual.

In addition, Inventive Genius applies whenever Experimentation (pp. 107-109) is used in the lab; this applies in only a handful of cases, most notably investigating an enchanted item.

12

Aegis in a Regio

The Aegis of the Hearth does not extend into a regio, though of course it could be cast inside a regio. An effect cast into the regio from a point within the Aegis is nonetheless affected by the Aegis, though an effect that somehow bypasses the mundane level (e.g., an attempt to enter a faerie regio from Arcadia) is not affected by the Aegis.