Howdy, everyone
I had been thinking about Suleimanic integration and the future of the eastern Tribunals of the Order for my own game when I realized I wasn't even clear on what an "ideal" Hermetic integrator looked like. What do you folks consider the most useful Virtues and/or Attribute spread for a magus interested in integrating other magic into Hermetic theory? How much would it differ from an "ideal" Hermetic researcher, pursuing original research?
An integrator relies on outside sources of Insight, meaning he must either be a capable adventurer or a good friend slash covenmate of one. For would-be integrators of active hedge/rival traditions, the Gentle Gift is likely to be extremely useful for dealing with suspicious Gifted magicians who do not have the benefit of Parma. Also, a very good Parma of your own, in case things go poorly.
An integrator does not get to choose the effect for which he receives insight from a given source, meaning he must be a competent generalist able to produce a moderate to high lab total in as many TeFo combinations as possible.
For some integrations, particularly if sources of insight are hard to come by, it may be easier to develop an initiation script for it than to repeat the research process to fully integrate it into baseline Hermetic Theory; for this the integrator will want good Presence and his player will want a cool idea for a Cult Lore.
A hermetic researcher only needs the relevant Arts for her desired breakthrough, or even a subset of them, since she can choose what to experiment on. She needs good Stamina+Concentration+Vim form bonus, and a lab in a low (or no) aura, because she's going to be rolling to avoid Twilight on a regular basis. She wants 15 Magic Theory to give her maximum flexibility on her Experimentation Result roll, so almost certainly Affinity+Puissant MT. And finally, she wants Cautious Sorcerer and a lab with a very high Safety score, because she'll be making a lot of rolls on the Experimentation Results chart, probably at high Risk Factors.
I think the ideal Hermetic Integrator would have:
Alluring to Magical Beings (includes those aligned to the magic realm such as anyone with the gift, requires either Gentle Gift or Inoffensive to Magical Beings)
Affinity with/Puissant Magic Theory
Inventive Genius
Intelligence would also be important, as would communication and linguist.
I would probably build them as a member of ex Misc Lineage of Pralix. It is mentioned that Comprehend Magic should give a bonus to gaining insight but provides no definitive mechanical benefit so it’s up to the SG.
Beyond the obvious virtues boosting Int and MT, and the obvious inventive genius, Exciting experimentations may be an interesting flaw for someone who is constantly experimenting, so long as your GM is not a sadist. Comprehend Magic likewise seems geared to facilitate integrating non-hermetic powers.
Also, unless you can count on people fetching sources of insight for you while you remain in the lab... anything that helps while adventuring is likely of interest. This incidentally means independent study may be a better option than the usual book learner for this character.
Sub rosa #16 p.43 box has a MInor Hermetic Virtue Cooperative Hermetic Integration, which is reserved for old style Bonisagi. It makes insights easier to get and increases lab totals when working after these, provided a magus works with a representative of the magic to be integrated.
I didn't actually think so much about the social aspect, Gentle Gift is probably a must, yeah. I tried to mitigate the non-lab concerns (the integrator is going to be working at a Mythic version of Nasir al-Din's Tusi's Rasadkhaneh library-observatory complex, alongside lots of mundane scholars and a few suhhar and elementalists) by giving the planned integrator easy access to living and textual sources of insight but the Pralician and that Sub Rosa Minor Hermetic Virtue are both interesting as well.
You really wouldn’t need gentle gift. Everyone with powers you can integrate are going to be linked to the Magic Realm whether through The Gift or initiation into another magic realm-aligned supernatural ability so Inoffensive to Magical Beings should be plenty and since you’re not spending the 3 on a major you can spend a second to boost that to Alluring to Magical Beings.
There's always extending your parma onto a contact to mitigate the effect of the gift, but whether that goes well is a different story...
You have to convince them first. Don’t think it can easily be done on a wary target particularly one versed in the powers of magic.
Also risky, but a quiet and still Trust Me (HoH:TL p. 73) would do the trick.
Very fair, I stand corrected! Alluring to Magical Beings is a solid pick as well, I was wondering if at least a little bit of investment in Presence wasn't required to get feet in doors but that would take care of it nicely. Presence would still be useful in consideration of Psyborg's suggestion to sidestep full integration and just build initiation scripts around your cool new trick, though. I actually wasn't too concerned with the points allotment for Gentle Gift in my case, since the planned integrator magus here is actually a Criamon on the Path of Walking Backwards, who would get the Virtue very early into their career (both an attempt to make a fun reference to the growth of the "rationalist-Sufis" or the "Verificationists" like Sadr al-Din Konevi or Qutb al-Din Shirazi in this period and just to have an atypical research bunny Criamon.)