Review Request: Aligned to Realm - Major Supernatural Virtue

Games Discussion Ars Magica
1

Final Version after Troupe discussion

[size=150]Affinity (Realm)[/size]
Major, Supernatural

You have a close affinity with a chosen Realm (Magic, Faerie, Divine, or Infernal). As your essential nature is tied to your chosen Realm, you gain a Minor Supernatural Virtue that derives its power from your chosen Realm. You may take the Lore appropriate for your chosen Realm at character generation even if you cannot learn other Arcane Abilities.

Beings of the chosen Realm are naturally inclined to react positively to you; granting a +3 bonus to all interaction rolls. You do not suffer from the normal negative interaction roll modifier due to your Gift, if you possess it, when interacting with beings of this Realm.

Additionally, any bonus conferred from being within an aura is increased by +1.

You may take this Virtue only once.

I have an idea for a new Supernatural Virtue and before I present it to my SG I'd like to get some feedback.

Thanks in advance :slight_smile:

[size=150]Aligned with (Realm)[/size]
Major, Supernatural

You are closely aligned with a chosen Realm (Magic, Faerie, Divine, or Infernal). Beings of the chosen Realm are naturally inclined to react positively to you; granting a +3 bonus to all interaction rolls. You do not suffer from the normal negative interaction roll modifier due to your Gift, if you possess it, when interacting with beings of this Realm.

Additionally, any bonus conferred from being within an aura of your chosen Realm is increased by +1. However, as you are closely aligned with a specific Realm all positive modifiers from auras of other Realms are reduced by -1 and negative modifiers are increased by 1/2 the Aura rating (round down).

Take Two [edited]

[size=150]Affinity (Realm)[/size]
Major, Supernatural

You have a close affinity with a chosen Realm (Magic, Faerie, Divine, or Infernal). Beings of the chosen Realm are naturally inclined to react positively to you; granting a +3 bonus to all interaction rolls. You do not suffer from the normal negative interaction roll modifier due to your Gift, if you possess it, when interacting with beings of this Realm.

As your essential nature is tied to your chosen Realm, any time you gain Warping points from a source aligned with your chosen Realm you gain 1 less Warping point. As such, you do not gain Warping from being under a continuous magical effect or for time spent in a high aura of your chosen Realm.

It is less dangerous for you to use vis aligned to your chosen Realm. You only gain an extra botch die per 2 pawns of vis used. And you add your Warping score to your seasonal vis limit as long as the vis you use is aligned to your chosen Realm.

Additionally, any bonus conferred from being within any aura is increased by +1. However, as you are closely aligned with a specific Realm all negative aura modifiers are increased by 1.

Take Three

Affinity (Realm)
Major, Supernatural

You have a close affinity with a chosen Realm (Magic, Faerie, Divine, or Infernal). Beings of the chosen Realm are naturally inclined to react positively to you; granting a +3 bonus to all interaction rolls. You do not suffer from the normal negative interaction roll modifier due to your Gift, if you possess it, when interacting with beings of this Realm.

As your essential nature is tied to your chosen Realm, any time you gain Warping points from a source aligned with your chosen Realm you gain 1 less Warping point. As such, you do not gain Warping from being under a continuous magical effect or for time spent in a high aura of your chosen Realm.

If you have the ability to use vis It is less dangerous for you to use vis aligned to your chosen Realm. You only gain an extra botch die per 2 pawns of vis used. And you add your Warping score to your seasonal vis limit as long as the vis you use is aligned to your chosen Realm.

Additionally, any bonus conferred from being within any aura is increased by +1. However, as you are closely aligned with a specific Realm all negative aura modifiers are increased by 1.

If you do not have the ability to use vis you gain a +3 Soak and a Minor Supernatural Ability virtue.

2

there is definitely room for a virtue of this sort in the game. I would change the virtue you posted a bit however;

I would have the character not gain warping from the realm that they are aligned with due to prolonged exposure to a high aura.

I would actually make this minor, (compare it to faerie magic and gentle gift).

I would also change the name. Being aligned with a realm already has a game mechanical meaning in fifth edition. You'd be giving the words two similar but different meanings.

3

Definitely agree with changing it to Minor , it does not give a significant bonus for a Major Virtue.
The no warping is also in keeping with the rules mechanics.
The increased penalty of 1/2 the aura rating also seems a bit high for the benefit given.
Affinity (Realm) possibly.
Blessing of (Realm) , Curse of (Realm) if you want a corresponding Flaw.

4

That's a very good point. Though I think also that a character with the virtue should start with 1 Warping point (similar to Faerie Magic).

I figured that by negating the effects of the Gift to beings of the chosen Realm was rather significant - as Gentle Gift is a Major Hermetic Virtue. But both you and Ravenscroft think it's minor. And well, that won't do- if only because I want this to be my new Ex Misc's free Major virtue.

After comparing Faerie Magic with Gentle Gift, which is a fascinating comparison by the way, I'm going to add some extra umph to make this a major virtue.

Good point. I'll change the name. I'm liking Affinity with (Realm) but am going to think about in on my bus ride home. I'll update the thread probably tomorrow.

5

Isn't that already automatic when you do have a supernatural virtue from a given realm?

6

Yup. Also, IIRC you do not get penalties for your gift when dealing with supernatural creatures, so anyone that is "aligned to a realm" will already react to you normally. I might be wrong here since I do not have my book handy. If this is not true we have been playing it wrong for the last 10 years :stuck_out_tongue:

Xavi

7

This must be different in 5th ed as magi and other magical beings do react negatively to those with the Gift but the Parma Magica reduces the penalty by 3. The HoH:MC has two virtues that exemplify this, Inoffensive to (Beings) and Alluring to (Beings), in the Marinita chapter.

8

Ok. I've incorporated comments and beefed up the virtue.

What do you think?

9

I think you could add +03 to Soak versus any physical attack by a creature with a (Realm) Might Score.
Your Affinity makes you more resilient to damage from sources with the same Realm.

Is this strictly a Supernatural Virtue?
The Vis benefits would apply to Hermetic Magi , as well as anyone using Methods & Powers.
(also any other unspecified Hedge Wizard types)

These benefits are not much use to a Companion Type that does not use magic.
An alternate benefit could be included for the non-Gifted.
But as you are playing a Magus , it probably is not too important for the time being.

10

Good points. Especially how it may be too Magi-centric. I do want this virtue to be broader in application and not a Hermetic virtue. As other non-hermetic traditions also use vis, I thought that would be acceptable but maybe instead I should look at a new way to use vis or maybe even their presence increases the local aura as long as it is of the same Realm...

I'll have to add something for non-magic oriented characters though, that's definite.

I'm hesitant to add a damage mitigation mechanic to the virtue though.

11

For a Companion , it could be useful.
As a Magus , how often will you be going Hand to Hand anyway.
(which you could point out to the SG , or make it optional)

With a New Virtue being used , i would tell a player that there would be a play-test period to see how it works.

The Base Guideline from MuCo (page 132) is Level 15 for +03 Soak.
Mythic Blood (page 47) could give you up to a +05 Soak and a Minor Magical Focus.
Skinchanger (page 48 ) is minor and gives +03 Soak.

12

Ok, I've added something for non Vis users.

Thoughts?

13

Rather than tacking on bonuses to supernatural abilities, vis use and soak, I'd give the character the ability to automatically perceive and cross regio boundaries of his chosen realm. It jives more with the bonus to interaction. If all you want is an additional bonus to spellcasting, try "special circumstances (magic aura)" - it won't help your lab total, but still give you extra oomph, and is only a minor Virtue.

I am very much against the Warping reduction, which I see as striking at one of the core balancing idea of the game, that magic causes warping, and thus you have to be careful around it. Granted there are ways of getting a Might score, which has the same end result, but it brings on its own drawbacks (e.g. wards) and is the hallmark of a Mythic Companion (or a magus that has achieved immortality). Furthermore, it pretty much insulates a magus from Twilight (while increasing his vis use limit, no less). That alone would make it a major virtue in my book.

The individual ideas are quite interesting, but I feel the virtue you propose lacks cohesion and is a rather bland grab bag of bonuses you want to have for your magus, who would of course spend most if not all of his time in the magic aura of the covenant :unamused:. The fact that you push it as a supernatural virtue and not as the hermetic virtue it should rightfully be (the bonuses for the ungifted were tacked on) is further offensive to me, as it tells me you aren't even willing to sacrifice your Major Hermetic Virtue slot.

14

You might want to consider how Affinity (Infernal or Magic) would stack with Cthonic Magic (page 123 , RoP:TI).

This is not a specific problem by the RAW ,
but it does allow more significant Infernal Vis use at higher values of Warping & Cthonic Magic.
(Commonality of Vis being Saga dependent)
Most PCs will probably not be designing Affinity(Infernal) Verditius magi that use Cthonic Magic and have a magical focus.
The SG might though.

15

How would Affinity (Magic) work with a Longevity Ritual?
Seems like you would not get the Warping for Continuous Mystical Effect.

16

Yes, that was my understanding. :neutral_face:

17

And I agree that it is a big problem with the way the Virtue was written up.

I went back to the core theme I wanted to design the Virtue around and after discussing it with my troupe, came up with the version that is at the top of the thread.

I just wanted to share the final result with everyone who gave me feedback.

Thank you everyone for your thoughtful and helpful questions and criticisms.

18

Affinity (Realm)
Major, Supernatural

Compared to other Major Supernatural Virtues , i think you have watered this one down too much.

The Warping Mechanic would make a good Mystery Virtue by itself.
(as mentioned previously)
So leaving that out is sensible.

You could take 03 Minor Supernatural Virtues and get more benefit , imo.
As written now , if it was my free House Ex Miscellanea choice , i would choose something else.

19

I can understand that but I think it is pretty comparable. I think there are, in essence, three minor virtues here. One is the Minor Supernatural Virtue. The second is the +3 modifier to interactions with beings aligned with the chosen Realm (see Alluring to (Beings) in HoH: MC, Merinita for comparison). And the third is the +1 bonus to aura modifier.

Which of these do you think is not worth a Minor Virtue slot?

20

Just tossing in an idea. Something equivalent to Wilderness Sense, but for auras and regios of your chosen realm might be a good choice for your "leftover" Supernatural Virtue.