Why do the chthonic magic - errata exist? what does it do?

Games Discussion Ars Magica
1

Hi,
while looking to have an answer to the simple question (how much bonus a pawn of vis PRAVA gives to a maleficium from someone who has incantation [because incantation speaks about +2 per pawn, as an hermetic magus, but vis prava say +5 per casting total. The solution was found when the Method +Power thing is called a casting total in the example of Richard page 103 and also in the powerful maleficia box page 104]), I found the following erratum:

"Cthonic Magic (p. 123): Delete the parenthetical "(and which Technique and Form)" in the first paragraph on page 124. "

And I don't get why it was deleted.

That part of the virtue says:
If he has unholy Methods or Powers, he may substitute his scores in those Abilities for Philosophiae and Artes Liberales when casting appropriate rituals, so long as he performs the necessary actions associated with them. Use the guidelines for maleficia to determine which Method and Power (and which Technique and Form) are necessary for a particular effect.

Previously I thought it meant: the magus can cast (hermetic spell) using guidelines of maleficia. I had a question about the fact that they should always be rituals or not but thought I found an answer from an old topic from 15 years ago (Maleficia & hermetic magic & warping ? - #9 by ExarKun). But at least it was clear that we should use the guideline to decide what TeFo in hermetic magic was to be used. And artes liberales + philosophiae for ritual were replaced by Method and power.

Now I notice the errata. What does it mean?

if you can't know which technique and form is used in a (hermetic spell) using the maleficia guidelines, what are the technique and form of the spell using the maleficia guideline?
It's still clear that the maleficia can be cast by hermetic spell (because other wise the part about Method and power replacing artes liberales and philosophiae makes no sense) but what are the technique and form? It can't be the method and power, which are not arts (and would be counted twice if they were, since it would be Te = Method , Fo = Power, artes = Method, Philosophiae = Power so for a ritual casting it would be Sta + Method + Power + Method + Power) but the erratum removes the link with the technique and form system (which is logical).

But why the errata? what does it mean? what does it do?
Maybe it was "simply" because obviously the guideline will guide to what TeFo should be used? but if it's so, why remove the parenthesis? it was not saying anything wrong and was helpful.

Do anyone know where it comes from, and what it was meant to achieve?

Thanks for the answer.

Exar.

2

That is exactly why it was deleted. I had thought it was this as well, as that would be consistent with Hermetic Rites (Faerie) and Holy Magic, so all three realms would behave similarly. But it wasn't really clear. So I checked with David. David said this was not the intent and so removed it.

3

OK I understand that hermetic magic cannot use the guidelines of maleficia (too bad but well the maleficia are useful enough with a bit of vis prava and ceremony participants) but then why would the part about artes liberales and philosophiae remain and not be deleted when speaking about casting a ritual? That really makes it so confusing.

Or does the fact that that part remains mean that if for example a magus cast a hermetic spell (ritual) boosting strength (something that hermetic magic can do normally and debauchery + consumption can do with a victim as it's always the case for consumption), he can use debauchery + consumption instead of artes liberales +philosophiae?

4

You can use the Method + Power in place of Artes Liberales + Philosophiae when casting rituals (so that part retained). You just cannot make Hermetic spells using Maleficia guidelines (so figuring out the relevant Arts makes no sense, and it was removed).

5

OK thank you it's more clear.