Recognising vis with Magic Sensitivity

IMO this should be allowable.

What do others think?

Thanks,

Jarkman

Or just take the Vis Sensitivity Virtue from the Mercere Chapter for your character. Much simpler and without the MS drawbacks.

Ah, but Vis Sensitivity is a Major Virtue and a Heroic one at that - the RAW require either Blood of Heroes, Mythic Blood or the Legacy Flaw to take a Heroic Virtue.

So back to my original question...

Jarkman

Magic sensitivity would sense vis - after all vis is pure magic.
It will not allow you to distinguish the type, nor the amount - but you will be able to tell that it is vis.

Ah you have a point Jarkman, however it also goes on to say that Heroic Virtues could be had by those with Mythic Blood or the Latent Magic Virtue. If neither of these fit with your character than by all means use Magic Sensitivity for that purpose as per the comments made by ulf.

So I'm wondering if this is how Mercurian magi and other hedge wizards would have recognised vis?

Regards,

Jarkman

In our AM Group we found that vis sensitivity as a major virtue is not good enough compared to the major hermetic virtues in core book like (flawless magic, flexible formularic magic,..). So we decided to change it to a minor heroic virtue similar to Magic sensitivity:

Vis Sensitivity, min. heroic
You get ability vis sensitivity 1. You are often able to identify an object or creature containing vis by touching it. You cannot identify by other senses. While holding an item you get a new Roll once every minute. The object or creature must be corporal. (it’s not working in contact with ghosts). Clothes or Boots you are wearing are no hindrance. Specializations: magic items, creatures of type of realm, raw vis

Roll: simple die + vis sens. + perception vs. EF

Detect existence and amount of raw vis: EF: 9 - amount of pawns of vis (z.B.: 4 He-Vis in one item touched = EF 5)
Detect type of raw vis: EF: 12 - amount of pawns of vis (detects realm alignment and Form / Technique
Detect magic item containing vis: EF 15 – amount of vis of highest spell effect
Detect supernatural creature: EF: 15 – 1/5 might score (any creature which has might, detects which type of vis, and which realm alignment)

What do you mean by 'Recognize Vis'?

Who is the user using Magic Sensitivity?

  • A creature with Might: plausible to allow sensing Vis atonement / realm affinity by default. Would a Faerie recognize Daemon tainted Vis... I am fairly convinced if she is experienced using her kind's
    talents, she should be able to recognize the danger using different (or her own) realms traces on the Vis.
  • Hermetic Magi with talent in Arts, I can easily envision the current InVi spells were originally Magical Sensitivity premonitions/feelings and that's why we have much more better working spells integrated to our great Hermetic tradition.
  • A Hedge Mage: plausible to allow sensing Vis according to her own magic tradition.

Overall... I would suggest to allow it. If you want to complicate it, you could include Realm Lore ability and Magic Theory based checks to recognize the Vis 'type', saying if you at least heard about it you can recognize it.
If you do not want to add additional rolls to the game, you can simply limit it, similar to the Nature Lore Ability 'powers'... at least this how I would do it.

'You would like to sense what kind of Vis this Copper Horn (of the fiery bull, you just killed) holds? Hmm... have you ever sensed anything Infernal or Faerie? No? Hmm... you sense itch in you palm as you hold the horn. A bit warm or is it in reality so chilly you feel it would nearly burn you? You feel the power ready to be used, wanting you to be used. You feel the ferocity of the bull lingering in it's last earthly remains, shape your future and extend your power and vanquish your enemies, avenge all the atrocities committed against you.' - Tainted Ignem vis, with passed Magic Theory check, wo any Faerie or Infernal Lore abilities.

Hedge Magic: Revised Edition, in the introduction, has rules for using Magic Sensitivity to detect whether an object contains/is vis.