Magical Specialization Perks

Magical Specialization Perks

Some mages are particularly adept at a specific school of magic, and still others put in extra time at their craft to become better spellcasters overall. Below are perks which represent mages' mastery of magic overall.

Generalist
Your study of a large volume of spells has made you a better spellcaster overall.
You gain 2 additional spellpool dice. You also gain an additional spellpool die for every 6 points worth of spells that you know.

Totemist
Your affinity for your totem's spells is stronger than most
Spells covered by your totem bonuses cost you one less karma to learn, to a minimum of one Karma.

Totem Master
Your exceptionally strong connection to your totem is impressive even to other followers.
You gain 1 additional die to your totem bonuses. If you are required to make a test against totem penalties, such as for Bear, or Horned Man, you may use spellpool on that test.
Prerequisite: Totemist

Combat Mage
You've learned to cast combat spells more effectively and efficiently
You gain +2 dice for combat spells, and gain a -1 bonus to their drain TNs.

Diviner
Your extensive delving into ESP has not only increased your familiarity with the spells, but heightened your senses generally and made you more perceptive.
You gain +2 dice for detection spells. You also gain +1 die to perception tests for every 2 detection spells you know at a force of 2 or greater.
Prerequisite: 2 Detection spells

Healer
Your extensive experience with magical healing has made healing spells much easier to cast.
You gain +2 dice for health spells. When healing damage with magic you may generate a number of automatic successes equal to your magic attribute each day.
Prerequisite: 2 Health spells

Illusionist
Your mastery of illusion spells has made them easier to cast, and given you insight into manipulating appearances and perceptions.
You gain +2 dice for illusion spells. You also gain +1 to stealth and disguise rolls for every 2 illusion spells you know  at a force of 2 or greater.
Prerequisite: 2 Illusion spells.

Elementalist
Your experience with elemental forces has made you better at dealing with them.
You gain +2 dice for elemental manipulation spells. You also gain 2 extra dice on resistance tests against elemental attacks that match spells you know at a force of 2 or greater.
Prerequisite: 2 Elemental Manipulation spells

Mentalist
You have become a master of the mind.
You gain +2 dice for control manipulation spells. Net successes on a control manipulation spell that fails to meet threshold may be applied to the spell's drain test as automatic successes.
Prerequisite: 2 Control Manipulation spells

Telekineticist
Your expertise with telekinesis has made you adept at dealing with currents of force.
You gain +2 dice for telekinetic manipulations. Your dodge TNs are reduced by 1 for every 2 telekinetic manipulations you know at a force of 2 or greater; this perk will not reduce dodge TNs to less than 3.
Prerequisite: 2 Telekinetic Manipulation spells

Transmuter
Your experience with transmutations has given you insights into the mutability of matter.
You gain +2 dice for transformation manipulations. The total ballistic and impact armor ratings for your worn clothing are increased by +1 for every two transformation manipulations you know at a force of 3 or greater.
Prerequisite: 2 Transformation Manipulation spells

Summoner
You've developed a pronounced affinity for spirits
You gain +2 dice on conjuring tests. Your summoned spirits with a force of less than 1/2 your charisma find your presence either charming or fearful, and grant you 1 additional service.

Magic Authority
You've come to be well respected in magical circles, and your expertise is recognized.
You may add dice equal to your magic attribute to etiquette tests for purchasing magical gear, and may use your magic attribute as a supplement when speaking on magical matters. Your attribute rating is added directly to your Grey Hat score.
Prerequisite: Any four Magical Specialization perks, Knowledge magic 6, and Magic Attribute 8

Drow

Drow

Appearing relatively recently in the sixth-world are the Drow. Small numbers of elves born with pigment anomalies were not thought to be medically relevant or unusual until, in recent years, it became apparent that some of them were a new meta-type of elves. As a recent occurrence, most known drow are teenagers, with the oldest being young adults, their additional traits having manifested only during puberty.

Drow hair colors fall between blonde and stark white, with skin tones between deep-tan and ebony, or even blueish through deep indigo. Eyes can be nearly any color, with exotic shades like red or violet being commonplace. Drow are slightly shorter than other elves, being close to human height on average. Drow are born to a small percentage of elves, or even less commonly, to humans. The few examples of children born to drow have yet to enter puberty, but most appear to be drow themselves.

Drow are naturally talented with magic. Drow characters created with spellcasting ability know an additional 6 points worth of spells. Drow characters created without spellcasting ability receive the Arcane Awakening perk, even if they do not meet its prerequisites. Drow have thermographic vision in addition to normal elven low-light vision.

+1 Quickness

+1 Willpower

+2 Charisma

Low-light and Thermographic vision

Magical Talent

Spell resistance: +1TN to hostile spells targeting the drow, +1 die to resist spells

Sensitive System flaw

BP Cost: 15

Drow Perks

Drow qualify for these perks in addition to elven ones.

Improved Magical Talent

You gain a -1 TN bonus for drain resistance tests

Improved Spell Resistance

The target number penalty for hostile spells targeting you is increased to +2, and you gain a -1 bonus to spell resistance TNs.

Drow Nobility

You gain +1 die for illusion and control manipulation spells. When you learn such spells, you learn them at 1 force higher than you normally would.

Prerequisite: (Intelligence + Charisma) ≥ 10

Drow Edges and Flaws

Edges

Magically Connected

Value 3

People view you as a magical prodigy, and the recent interest in the magical abilities of Drow has benefited you. You gain +1 die on social rolls with magically active characters, and do not pay street index for magical goods.

Arachnophile

Value 2

You are immune to spider venom. If you are a spider shaman, you do not suffer magical target number penalties from being in the open.

Flaws

Light Blindness

Value -2

You suffer a +1 visibility modifier in areas of bright light.

Sun Aversion

Sunlight allergies return an additional 1 point for Drow characters.

New Digital Trace and Hacking Rules

New Simplified Matrix and computers rules

To be used with the Computers Update

Digital Tracing is used to locate people and systems, or to find out restricted information on the Matrix. It consists of finding a pattern or bit of information or "Digital Trace" on the matrix, and stealthily investigating it through hacking. Hackers have sophisticated heuristics, programs and NUMB3RS style cross-referencing that they use to track a target in combination with breaking into and passing through restricted systems and channels. Modern matrix security and identity protection are ubiquitous, and effective, so the process isn't easy; nonetheless it's often a first resort for finding someone. There are a few steps:

1. Find a Digital Trace
The attacker attempts to find a lead in locating his target in the matrix. To do this, he rolls an open computers test against a base target number of (4+ the defender's digital stealth ranks) +or- any of the following modifiers

Social Modifiers
target known well*: - 6
superficial details(appearance, habits): - 1~2
personal info(Name, CC#): -4
Target hunted: -2~-6
*This is the sum of personal info and superficial details, and replaces them if they are maxed.

Evidentiary Modifiers
Contact With system defender has interacted with: -2
Access to personal system of defender: -4
Digital Contact: -4

Defender Bonuses
Protected by Engineer or VI: +Rating
Defender has Fake ID: + 1/2 Rating
Defender Sheltered by a group: + 2~6
Previous Session*: +2
Blind Search**: +6
*The matrix as a whole, and individual defenses are adaptive, and each previous attempt at tracing a target imposes a 2 point penalty, these stack each time the same attacker goes after the same defender.
**If none of the above negative modifiers apply, then the attacker has no "hook" to find his target, and this penalty applies on top of all others.

Many of these modifiers will be known only to the GM. Thus; the attacker rolls an open test and the GM reports his success or failure in finding a Trace. Failure could mean either that he didn't roll high enough, or that there was nothing to be found. It is similar in this way to checking a device for tampering. If the Attacker succeeds the GM informs him of the target number that he will have if he chooses to begin a session. Finding additional information or evidence can lower the target number before the session, if the attacker chooses to go out and find it through old-fashioned means, or during the session if the attacker picks it up digitally as he goes along.

1. The attacker first divides his Tech Pool Dice (if any) between his computers and Digital Stealth skills. They remain allocated in this way until the session ends or contact is made with the defender.

2. The Attacker rolls an open Digital Stealth test. This determines how hard it is for the defender to detect him, how long he has, and how close he can get. At this point the session is begun, and if the attacker backs out, he receives a +2 previous session TN penalty.

3. The Attacker attempts to find information about the target by rolling computers versus the established TN. Depending on how specific or sensitive the information is, a penalty is applied to digital stealth:

Level 1: -2 penalty, vague information: country, race, sex
Level 2: -4 penalty, more descriptive: city, hair color, archetype
Level 3: -6 penalty, good info: City district, photo, modus operandi
Level 4: -8 penalty, exact info: Building, Name, SIN, Deploy Hacking Power

Every attempt has a 50% chance to cause digital stealth to degrade by 2 points. Each failed attempt permanently lowers digital stealth by the level the attempt was failed at.

Before the Attacker actually gains the information, the defender has a chance to roll computers+tech pool (if any) to see if the attacker is exposed. If this roll fails, the Attacker continues unimpeded. If it succeeds, the defender may respond in various ways such as counter-hacking, or the deployment of IC.

If you get caught...

Counter-hacking

The Defender may try to further expose the Attacker by rolling computers vs. the Attacker’s current digital stealth rating. Each success reduces digital stealth by 1 and imposes a +1 penalty on current and future trace attempts.

The Defender may attempt to gain information about the Attacker by rolling computers vs a TN of the Attacker's current digital stealth level + the level of information desired.

The Defender may attempt to end the attacker's session outright with an opposed computers roll. The defender gains a -1 bonus, and the attacker gains a +1 penalty for each round since the attacker has been exposed.

Intrusion Countermeasures (IC)

The Defender May use their action to deploy Intrusion Countermeasures, or IC. Once deployed, IC remains in effect for the duration of the session, acting each turn. Defenders may allot tech pool dice to their IC. A user may control a number of defensive programs equal to their computers skill.

White IC

White IC rolls its user's computers skill against TN 4 and can be avoided by using tech pool to negate successes. It is resisted by rolling computers against a target number equal to its rating. Each net success from the IC reduces the attacker's computers skill by one for the duration of the session. Attackers reduced to 0 computer's skill may not take actions other than to attempt to leave the session.

White IC programs cost ¥1000*rating

Black IC

Black IC rolls its user's computers skill against TN 4 and can be avoided by using tech pool to negate successes. It is resisted by rolling computers+body against a target number equal to its rating. Black IC has a base damage code of moderate, and stages up as ranged damage. The IC is capable of frying hardware or killing hackers.

Cost: ¥10,000*rating, avial: rating*1.5, street index: 2

Tar bombs

Defenders may deploy Tar Bombs to hamper attackers. The defender rolls computers vs a TN of the attacker's current digital stealth level. Each success imposes a +1 penalty on the attacker's rolls, up to a maximum of the Tar's rating. Attackers effected by tar cannot choose to leave a session. The penalties from Tar are reduced by 1 each turn, and can be negated by using an action to roll computers vs the Tar's rating, with each success lowering them by 1. A Tar Bomb program can be used once per session.

Tar Bombs cost ¥1500*rating and have an availability of their rating, with no street index.

Barriers

Defender's may place barriers to protect their information and systems, causing attackers to require extra successes to gain access. The defender rolls computers vs TN 6, with each success placing an additional barrier, up to a maximum of ½ the program’s rating.

Cost: ¥1000* rating, avail: rating/rating days, street index: 1

Summoning help

Attackers or defenders may use their actions to summon help from others they can contact who can link to their session. New participants arrive at the start of the next turn, and participate as either attackers or defenders accordingly. Participation in a session counts as digital contact.

Leaving a session

The attacker may choose to leave a session at any time prior to being discovered, or as their chosen action after being discovered. Attackers may choose to abort an action and leave the session instead after a defender has responded.

Data-jacks and computers

Being linked into a system with a data-jack gives a user the ability to supplement computers tasks with intelligence, and a tech pool equal to ½ their intelligence if they would not normally have one.