Is this a valid Magic Animal Companion? (New Player)

Games Discussion Ars Magica
1
Wren

Wren

Magic Might: 10 (Animal)

Characteristics: Int +2, Per +2, Pre -2, Com 0, Str 0, Sta +2, Dex +1, Qik +2

Size: 0

Season: Summer

Age: -- (--), Height: 5'6'', Weight: 158 lbs, Gender: Female

Decrepitude: 0

Warping Score: 0 (0)

Confidence: 1 (3)

Virtues and Flaws: Magic Animal, Long-Winded (Fatigue Rolls: +3), Sharp Ears (Hearing: +3), Tough (Soak: +3), Strong Sidhe Blood [Physical Quirk: Blue blood], Second Sight*, Lightning Reflexes (Initiative on Surprise Attack: +9), Magical Covenfolk, Carefree, Black Sheep, Offensive to Beings (Spirits), Baneful Circumstances (Cold Iron), Outcast, Environmental Sensitivity (Extreme heat) [Penalty: -3]

Qualities and Inferiorities: Improved Fatigue × 1, Keen Sense of Smell, Lesser Power × 1: 25/25

Personality Traits: Hound +0

Reputations: Ferocious 2

Combat:

Bite: Init: +2, Attack +10, Defense +9, Damage +1

Dodge: Init: +2, Attack --, Defense +7, Damage --

Soak: +5

Fatigue levels: OK, 0/0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious

Wound Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20), Dead (21+)

Abilities: Athletics 5 (distance running), Awareness 4 (keeping watch), Guile 2, Etiquette 1, Brawl 5 (bite), Hunt 4 (track by scent), Second Sight 1, Norse 3, Italian 3, Stealth 2, Charm 2

Equipment:

Encumbrance: 0 (0)

Powers:

The Inexorable Hunter (Lesser: 25), Points: 5, Initiative: Qik-10, Form: Corpus, Range: Arc, +4, Duration: Conc, +1, Target: Ind, +0, Level: InCo25, Requisite: Animal, Design: 25 levels, Base 3, +4 Arc, +1 Conc, +1 An requisite

Terrifying Howl, Points: 4, Initiative: 0, Form: Mentem: Anyone who hears the wolf’s howl is
struck with fear of the wolf and of wilderness
places away from the haunts of men.
Someone already in a house will merely
not want to leave. Overcoming this fear
completely requires a Brave roll against an
Ease Factor of 12. Acting sensibly while
responding to it, such as heading back to
the village carefully, requires a Brave roll
against an Ease Factor of 6. Those who
fail the easier roll simply flee in panic.

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Welcome to the Forum, Anish!

I reckon that 'Wren' isn't a wren, but a very big wolf or dog.

In that case, by ArM5 (The Core book) p.56 the Magical Animal Companion is very cunning, but not intelligent. Whether you can build your Magical Animal Companion (that is a flaw!) as a RoP:M (Realms of Power: Magic) p.34 Summer character depends on the power level of the saga in general, and your troupe in particular. But it can make sense in a saga with magi already many decades after gauntlet.

You might perhaps consider to play that dog - the way you describe it - as a companion instead of a flaw in an ArM5 p. 68 Summer saga like TtA (Through the Aegis) p.38 Jardin, with players playing magi like Joia du Lua.

In any case, have fun with it!

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Hi and welcome!

As a being wholly aligned with the Magic Realm (assuming its Might is from Magic, seems built that way) Wren should not have any Virtues/Flaws associated with other Realms, ie, Strong Faerie Blood.

Outcast also seems inappropriate for an animal, but perhaps there is a huge hidden dog society in your Saga and this inconveniences Wren enough to rate being a Flaw. Same goes for Black Sheep, plus having these two together seems odd.

As a Magic being, Hound should be a +3 Personality Trait, an Essential one at that. Again, I might be mistaken, as it looks like you are using some rules from Realms of Power:Magic, but then again you might not be.

It looks like you only purchased Lesser Power, Inexorable Hunter should be a Personal Power, I think, so that has to be added.. A10 Might size 0 Animal has 10 points to buy Magical Qualities, and could take Inferiorities as well.

Such a being should purchase some Qualities/Virtues to be able to purchase language skills, being a Magic Animal and all. Maybe the Quality that allows her to speak as well might be useful.

Any way, hope you enjoy the game!

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also worth pointing out: size 0 is big for a dog- I don't know if that is intentional, but given some of the other issues with the character as written it could also be an oversight...

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@Ignes.Festivus @OneShot
So I am trying to flesh out the Magic Hound (but making it a wolf) from RoP:M page 31. I understand the lesser power Inexorable Hunter because of how it is stated out as 25, so lesser power 1, but I am not sure how to stat out the powers from the wolf from ArM5 193.

I am have removed Strong Faerie Blood, Outcast, and Black Sheep.

Size was taken from the example.

Thank you for your help!!

6

You can still give it Second Sight, just from the Magic Realm.

The Mentem (and Animal, presumably, right?) effect seems quite like Panic of the Trembling Heart for Diameter, created with something akin to HoH:MC Sensory Magic for R: Personal, T: Sound. So that looks like Base 4, +1 Diameter, +3 Sound, +1 for Animal as well; so I would rate it as a level-25 effect Lesser Power.

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@callen

That was very helpfull. How would you stat "Silent Running" on ArM5 Pg. 195?

Thank you

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PeIm Base 3, +1 Part, +2 Sun, +1 Constant (RoP:M p.36)
So Personal Power with a level-15 effect.

It doesn't really work at all right with Concentration. So I figured the closest would be Part so that the parts of the wolf that don't make sounds are silent, while the other that the wolf wants to have make noise are not. This is akin to what I do with magi: PeIm for sound with Part to make most of the body silent but not the head.

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@callen @Ignes.Festivus

Here is the updated Wolf

Wren (Wolf)

Magic Might: 10 (Animal)

Characteristics: Int +1, Per +1, Pre ‑2, Com 0, Str +1, Sta +2, Dex +1, Qik +2

Size: 0

Season: Summer

Age: ‑‑ (‑‑), Height: 5'6'', Weight: 158 lbs, Gender: Female

Decrepitude: 0

Warping Score: 0 (0)

Confidence: 1 (3)

Virtues and Flaws: Magic Animal, Long‑Winded (Fatigue Rolls: +3), Sharp Ears (Hearing: +3), Tough (Soak: +3), Lightning Reflexes (Initiative on Surprise Attack: +9), Magical Covenfolk, Size: 0, Carefree, Offensive to Beings (Spirits), Baneful Circumstances (Cold Iron), Environmental Sensitivity (Extreme heat) [Penalty: ‑3]

Qualities and Inferiorities: Improved Fatigue × 1, Gift of Speech, Keen Sense of Smell, Lesser Power × 2: 50/50, Personal Power × 1: 15/25, Improved Attack × 1 (Bite: +2), Thick Fur, Improved Initiative × 1 (Bite: +3), Improved Damage × 1 (Bite: +3), Improved Defense × 2 (Choose: +4), Extra Natural Weapons [Weapon: Claws]

Personality Traits: Wolf +3

Combat:

Bite: Init: +5, Attack +12, Defense +9, Damage +5

Claws: Init: +1, Attack +8, Defense +10, Damage +3

Dodge: Init: +2, Attack ‑‑, Defense +7, Damage ‑‑

Soak: +6

Fatigue levels: OK, 0/0, ‑1, ‑3, ‑5, Unconscious

Wound Penalties: ‑1 (1‑5), ‑3 (6‑10), ‑5 (11‑15), Incapacitated (16‑20), Dead (21+)

Abilities: Athletics 5 (distance running), Awareness 4 (keeping watch), Guile 2, Leadership 1, Etiquette 1, Brawl 5 (bite), Hunt 5 (prey), Norse 3, Italian 3, Stealth 3, Carouse 1, Charm 2

Equipment: Thick Fur (Soak: 6) (Soak: 6; Protection: 1)

Encumbrance: 0 (0)

Powers:

The Inexorable Hunter (Lesser: 25), Points: 5, Initiative: Qik‑10, Form: Corpus, Range: Arc, +4, Duration: Conc, +1, Target: Ind, +0, Level: InCo25, Requisite: Animal, Design: 25 levels, Base 3, +4 Arc, +1 Conc, +1 An requisite: Once the hound is set on the scent of a creature or person, it can follow flawlessly for as long as is needed to locate it. The hound is not fooled by the various ruses of his prey, such as heading through water or doubling back. If the prey has Magic Resistance, this effect has to Penetrate in the usual fashion.

Silent Running Wolf (Personal: 15), Points: 2, Initiative: Qik‑1, Form: Imaginem, Range: Per, +0, Duration: Sun, +2, Target: Part, +1, Level: PeIm15, Design: 15 levels, Base 3, +2 Sun, +1 Part, +1 constant

Terrifying Howl Wolf (Lesser: 25), Points: 5, Initiative: Qik‑10, Form: Mentem, Range: Voice, +2, Duration: Recitation, +1, Target: Hearing, +3, Level: CrMe25, Requisite: Animal, Design: 25 levels, Base 3, +2 Voice, +1 Recitation, +3 Hearing: Anyone who hears the wolf’s howl is struck with fear of the wolf and of wilderness places away from the haunts of men. Someone already in a house will merely not want to leave. Overcoming this fear completely requires a Brave roll against an Ease Factor of 12. Acting sensibly while responding to it, such as heading back to the village carefully, requires a Brave roll against an Ease Factor of 6. Those who fail the easier roll simply flee in panic.

10

I think you mixed up some copy-paste with the first power. Imaginem, not Ignem. Part, not Sound.

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@callen. Thanks Edited prior post.

12

I might be missing something, but the height looks off to me. If Wren is a Wolf in a typical wolf shape, 5'6" seems awfully tall. Or was that meant to be body "length" minus tail?

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@Chad

Yeah it is Length.