Detailed Character Creation (How To) - Magi

[Bhart]

If anyone wants to try this game but does not want to go through the detailed character creation then PM me. Send me a description of the type of mage you want and I'll put together a character for you.

Let's start with the most complicated of the types, the magus...

Step 1: Pick a character concept. I've never been sure why they put this first (maybe they mean pick a character type, we are working on a magus). I've found that the concept will begin to reveal itself some time between step 2 and 8, so ignore this for now.

Step 2: Pick a House of the Hermetic Order. (pg 11-12 of the 5e book)
House Bjornaer:
Magi of this house are shapeshifters and are concerned with beasts and the animalistic side of humans.
Benefits...Hearbeast Virtue, and Heartbeast Ability with beginning score of 1. This allows you to take the form of a single mundane creature.

House Bonisagus
The most prestigious of the houses founded by the inventor of the Hermetic theory of magic who masterminded the formation of The Order. The house is divided into researchers and politicians.
Benefits...Puissant Ability virtue. Give a bonus to Magic Theory ability for researchers or Intrigue ability for politicians.

House Criamon
Members are known to mark their bodies with arcane symbols. They are philosophers that seek the "Engima". A mystical experience that they hope will help them understand the true nature of magic itself.
Benefits...The Enigma virtue, and Engmatic Wisdom ability with starting score of 1 (pg 92). This gives you a bonus to understanding dreams, riddles, and mysterious situations.

House Ex Miscellanea
A large and diverse house of magi from many different traditions. They accept anyone. Not all members practice fully hermetic magic.
Benefits...A free minor hermetic virtue, a free major virtue (non-hermetic), and a required major hermetic flaw (free).

House Flambeau
Magi of this house specialize in fire magic and spells of annihilation. They are aggressive and militant.
Benefits... Puissant Art virtue in either Ignem or Perdo arts

House Guernicus
The magi of this house are investigators, lawyers, and mediators. They are the judges of the Order and bring cases against those who break the Code of Hermes.
Benefit...Hermetic Prestige virtue

House Jerbiton
Made up of nobles, scholars, and lawyers. The magi of this house are concerned with the mundane world and maintaining relationships between the Order and the Nobility and Church. They tend to have the Gentle Gift virtue.
Benefit...A minor virtue relating to scholarship, arts, or mundane interaction.

House Mercere
Messengers of the Order also known as Red Caps. A small percentage of the members have the Gift. Most cannot wield magic but are considered Magi of the Order none the less.
Benefit...Puissant Art virtue, in the Creo or Muto arts. (Note un-gifted red caps are created as companions.)

House Merinita
Magi of this house focus on faeries and their realms.
Benfit...Faerie Magic (pg 92) This gives you access to special ranges, durations and targets for your spells. Targets such as all members of a bloodline, ranges like anyone or thing on the same road or path as you, and durations like the spell taking affect if a bargain is broken, etc.

House Tremere
A hierarchical and disciplined house, run like the military with a clear chain of command and authority. They specialize in magic duels called "certamen".
Benefit...Minor Magical Focus virtue in Certamen

House Tytalus
Magi of this house thrive on conflict and challenge of any sort. They are perpetually testing the strengths and weaknesses of others.
Benefit...Self Confident virtue. This lets you start with 5 confidence points instead of 3 and can spend 2 at a time. The points can be spent to get a bonus on most die rolls.

House Verditus
The magi of this house specialize in the crafting of enchanted items.
Benefit...Verditius Magic (pg 92) This gives you bonuses in the magic item creation process.

A chart listing the benefits of each house is on page 30 of 5e book. Benefits are free and do not count against your available points at character creation.

I encourage you to read more about the houses in the rule book. It contains more info than I can provide here in my summary.
The sites below can provide a lot of valuable information.
http://arsmagica.wikia.com/wiki/Ars_Magica_Wiki
http://www.redcap.org/page/Main_Page

[Bhart]

Step 3: Pick Virtues and Flaws.
Major virtues and flaws = 3 points
Minor virtues and flaws = 1 point

You may spend up to 10 points on virtues and an equal number on flaws. You do NOT have to spend all or even any of the points. You can spend no points and still have an effective and workable character. They may be plain and boring but you won't be at a disadvantage.

Virtues awarded as a benefit of your house are free. In addition you get the following virtues for free...
The Gift
Hermetic Magus

Rules and guidelines for purchasing additional flaws and virtues...
1. You may not have more than 5 minor flaws
2. You can have only 1 Major hermetic virtue, no limit on minor.
3. You must have at least 1 hermetic flaw (major or minor)
4. Take only 1 story flaw.
5. Personality flaws are limited to 1 major and 2 minor 2 only 1 can be major.

I now many of the virtues and flaws can be hard to assess because they mention rules and terms you may not understand yet. If you post the things you're curious about I'll do my best to give the quick and dirty explanation of the impact on your character.

I realize the guidelines above may be confusing so here is a simpler outline of a 10 point build, for you to fill in the blanks. Hopefully this is easier.

Virtues-Major virtues can not be from the same category except General.
Major:
Major:
Minor:
Minor:
Minor:
Minor:

Flaws-Pick one story, one hermetic, 2 personality, then fill in the rest from any category except story. Major flaws can not be from the same category except General.
Major:
Major:
Minor:
Minor:
Minor:
Minor

[Bhart]

I moved the character sheets to their own thread to keep things neat. We'll handle questions and discussions here and keep just the sheets in the other thread.

[Bhart]

Step 4:Buy Characteristics
These are like your ability scores in D&D.
You have 7 points to spend.

Score Cost
+3 6
+2 3
+1 1
0 0
-1 gain 1
-2 gain 3
-3 gain 6

Intelligence: Important for magi because it is a factor in your lab work and research rolls.

Perception: Is important for abilities such as Awareness, Hunt, and Folk Ken. It modifies rolls to check for insight into a situation or knowledge. It also plays a part in several of your spell casting rolls.

Strength: Effects your damage in melee attacks

Stamina: Used heavily in spell casting rolls. Effects your Soak (damage reduction) total in combat.

Presence: Acts like Comeliness and Charisma in D&D

Communication: Plays an important role in the quality of books you can write and how well you teach your apprentice.

Dexterity: Modifies your all your attack rolls with weapons.

Quickness: Modifies Initiative and Defense rolls in combat.

[Bhart]

Step 5: Choose Age and Buy Abilities.

Age: The earliest a child can start as an apprentice is 7 years old. Apprenticeship takes 15 years, so the youngest a magus can be is 22. An older magus will have more points to spend on abilities, but keep in mind that you start making aging rolls at 35. ( Aging rolls check to see if your characteristics begin declining. )

Abilities: Early Childhood (The first 5 years)
-Native Language 5 for free.
-45 points to spend. They may be spent on... Area Lore, Athletics, Awareness, Brawl, Charm, Folk Ken, Guile, a Living Language, Stealth, Survival, and Swim.
-Ability descriptions start on page 62 of the rule book. The cost chart is on Page 31.

Abilities: Later Life (Age - 20 = Later Life Years)
-15 points per year to spend.
-Academic, Arcane, Martial, and Supernatural abilities may not be bought without the proper virtue.
-Ability descriptions start on page 62 of the rule book. The cost chart is on Page 31.

Cost: Buy=cost to raise from 0 to that score; Raise=cost to raise score by one point to that score (5 increased to 6 =30)
Score--Buy--Raise
1------5-----5
2------15---10
3------30---15
4------50---20
5------75---25
6-----105-- 30
Etc...
See page 31 of the 5e rulebook for the complete chart.

[Bhart]

Step 6: Apprenticeship

-240 experience points to spend on Arts and Abilities.
-Cost is detailed in the Advancement Table on page 31 of the 5e book.
-The 15 Hermetic Arts are explained on page 77 of the 5e book.

Recommended Minimum Abilities for Magi...
-Artes Liberales 1
-Latin 4
-Magic Theory 3
-Parma Magica 1 (No higher than 1)

Consider putting points into...
-Code of Hermes
-Concentration
-Finesse
-Order of Hermes Lore
-Penetration
-Profession (Scribe)

[Bhart]

Step 7: Choose spells (Formulaic Magic)

-You can choose 120 levels worth of spells
-The highest level spell you can learn is equal to Technique+Form+Intelligence+Magic Theory+3
-Technique+Form+Stamina = Highest level of spell you can cast with out fail or fatigue 100% of the time.
-Technique+Form+Stamina+10= Highest level of spell you can cast with out fail 100% of the time.

Check the rules primer thread as a reminder on how casting rolls work. For quick reference...

Technique+Form+Stamina+Aura (if any)+Die Roll -vs- Spell Level
-Total exceeds spell level = spell is cast with no ill effects
-Total falls short within 10 of the spell level = spell is cast, fatigued
-Total falls short by more than 10 = spell fails, fatigued