[Mage: The Awakening 2nd Edition] Spellcasting Cheat Sheet

Out of Character (OOC):

Chronicle: Mage 2: The Dethroned Queen

Venue: Mage: The Awakening 2nd Edition

Chronicle Storyteller: Jerad Sayler

Assistant Storytellers: Hannah Nyland & Alex Van Belkum

Spellcasting Quick Reference Guide

My comments are in yellow and are regarding my reviews of the system and my own personal and Storyteller's perspective recommendations for use in our Chronicle. 

Sources: The text in grey is from Mage: The Awakening 2^nd Edition Advanced PDF and Open Development.

Summary of Casting Steps:

• Step One: Choose Spell

• Step Two: Choose Casting Method

• Step Three: Assign Reach 
• Step Four: Set Spell Factors

• Step Five: Determine Yantras 
• Step Six: Check Dice Pool

• Step Seven: Pay Mana

• Step Eight: Paradox

• Step Nine: Roll Spellcasting

Step One: Choose Spell

Select spell from examples or use the Creative Thaumaturgy guidelines to get the effects you want. What Arcana would this spell be? The character must have all Arcanum dots used in the spell. Determine Practices and other considerations. What about using your Non-Legacy Attainments to achieve special effects. 

Step Two: 
Choose Casting Method

Improvised: Costs one Mana if spell includes Common or Inferior Arcana 

Rote: Gains free Reach as though character had five dots in Arcanum. May use Mudra Yantras. If cast out of Grimoire, can not use instant casting and doubles ritual interval. If cast out of Grimoire or by creator, gains rote action quality on spellcasting roll. 

Praxis: Gains exceptional success on three spellcasting roll successes.

Step Three: Assign Reach

Characters gain free Reach according to dots in the spell’s highest Arcanum:

Assign any amount of Reach. Every Reach beyond free amount gains Paradox dice according to Gnosis.

All spells have these starting attributes:

Common Reach Effects

Most spells list Reach effects, and several Attainments that modify spellcasting require Reach to use. In addition to these, one Reach may:

Step Four: Set Spell Factors

All spell factors start at Standard version. Spend Reach to use Advanced version. After taking penalties as desired to advance spell factors that allow it, increase the spell’s primary spell factor by Arcanum dots in primary Arcanum –1.

Step Five: 
Determine Yantras

Characters may incorporate Yantras up to limit from Gnosis (see above). In instant spellcasting, only one Yantra may be reflexive. All others become Instant, and extend casting time by one turn. Maximum bonus is +5 after offsetting spell factor penalties.

Step Six: Check Dice Pool

Ritual casting may extend casting time.  +1 die per ritual interval, max. +5.  If dice pool after Yantras is –6 or less, spell is impossible. –5 to 0 becomes a chance die.

Step Seven: Pay Mana

Pay Mana required by spell, for improvising Common or Inferior Arcanum spell, for Indefinite Duration, and any intended to mitigate Paradox. Mana costs above characters max. Mana /turn  extend casting time in instant spells.

Step Eight: Paradox
And if you are looking for hard mode check out our custom Paradox Rules (v2.1)

Determine Paradox Dice Pool

If Paradox pool never gains dice, skip to Step Nine. If Paradox pool is gained then removed by penalties, roll chance die.

Contain or Release Paradox?

Characters contain Paradox within themselves or release it. Characters with no souls cannot contain Paradox. 

Paradox Roll

Roll the Dice pool as above.

Roll Results

Dramatic Failure: The mage does not invoke a Paradox, regains a point of Willpower, and the next Paradox roll made for her in the same scene does not suffer the usual, cumulative +1 dice modifier.

Failure: The mage does not invoke a Paradox.

Success: A Paradox occurs, regardless of the spell casting’s success or failure.

Exceptional Success: The mage gains a Paradox Condition and a Paradox occurs.

Released Paradoxes

Spend Paradox Successes to apply Paradox Reach to spell

Also apply Paradox successes as dice penalty to spellcasting roll. If spellcasting roll results in dramatic failure, apply Paradox Condition to caster.

Contained Paradoxes

Roll caster’s Wisdom. Successes remove successes from Paradox pool, but inflict one resistant bashing damage to caster each. If Paradox successes remain, apply Paradox Condition to caster. Do not penalize spellcasting roll.

Paradox Conditions: Abyssal Imago, Abyssal Nimbus and Abyssal Backlash

Step Nine: Roll Spellcasting

Take dice pool from Step Six, apply any final penalties due to released Paradox.

Roll Results

     
Dramatic Failure: The magic does not work. The caster gains a Condition based on the intended outcome of the spell.

Failure: The magic does not work, the mage’s imagination is not made real.

Success: The spell’s effect takes place as imagined.

Exceptional Success: The spell’s effect takes place better than imagined. The character regains one spent point of Willpower, and the player may choose one of the following results: