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

Fey Magic Perks

The Rescue rangers were able to come to the aid of Millicent Castillo; a nymph fashion-designer rumored to be magic-proof. In return she offered to instruct their fey membership in advanced magical techniques.

Fey Shield
You add 1/2 your essence to the target numbers of spells targeting you, and receive 1/2 your essence as bonus dice to resist spells. The TN penalties from this perk overlap with those from regular shielding.
Prerequisite: Fey Aura, Training

Fey Focus
You are considered to have a power focus with a force equal to 1/2 your essence.
Prerequisite: Faerie Magic, Training

Fey Sorcery
You may add your essence to your spell pool.
Prerequisite: Faerie Magic, Training

Magical Awakening Perks

Characters usually learn magic very early in life, but it's not unheard of for people to awaken after adulthood. The following perks represent characters slowly coming into magic over the course of a story, or having an aspected or  incomplete set of magical talents.


Arcane Awakening
You gain 1 rank of the sorcery skill, and the ability to learn spells; you must choose a magical tradition when you take this perk. You learn a new force 2 spell when you take this perk, and each time you take a Magical Awakening perk. Your magic attribute increases by 1.
Prerequisite: Willpower 4, Unable to learn spells normally

Conjurer's Awakening
You gain 1 rank of the conjuring skill, and the ability to summon spirits. You must choose a tradition if you do not already have one. Your magic attribute increases by 1.
Prerequisite: Charisma 4, unable to summon spirits normally

Astral Awakening
You gain the ability to use astral sight. You gain 1 rank of the aura reading skill. Your magic attribute increases by 1

Spiritual Awakening
You gain the ability to use astral projection; your magic attribute increases by 1.
Prerequisite: Astral sight ability

Focus Awakening
You gain the ability to bond to foci as awakened characters do. Your magic attribute increases by 1.

Full Awakening
You are considered to be a fully awakened character; you gain 1 rank in each magical skill you possess. Your magic attribute increases by 1, and you may initiate as normal.
Prerequisite: 5 awakening perks

Adept's Awakening
You gain 1 point worth of physical adept powers. Your Magic attribute increases by 1. You are considered to be a physical adept and may initiate, but not bond to foci.

Aspected Awakening
Choose an element or totem equivalent; you may now learn spells and summon spirits that match it. You learn a force 4 spell that matches your aspect, and learn another whenever you take an awakening perk. Your magic increases by 1. You may not take the Arcane Awakening or Conjurer's awakening perks.
Prerequisite: Mental stats ≥ 10, cannot have Arcane awakening, or Conjurer's awakening, Magic attribute ≤ 2

Initiate's awakening
You may initiate despite your incomplete awakening. This perk does not increase your magic attribute, but does count as an awakening perk. This perk also grants you 1 rank in a skill that can only be used with metamagic techniques (ie: not sorcery or conjuring) for each awakening perk you possess.
Prerequisite: None

Metahuman Perks

Elves always make the cover

Dwarves

Magic Resistance
You roll dice equal to your body+willpower when resisting magic effects that targets either of the two.
Prerequisite: Dwarf

Toxin resistance
You may add dice equal to your willpower to your resistance tests against poisons and drugs.
Prerequisite: Dwarf

Elves

Aura Sensitive
You gain 1 rank of aura reading, and may thereafter raise the skill normally. You may assense targets you can see by rolling Aura Reading directly (rather than as a supplement) even if not awakened or able to perceive astrally.
Prerequisite: Elf, Essence ≥5

Elven Glamor
You're precisely the kind of glamorous elven shadowrunner that elven stereotypes are based on. As long as the total ballistic+impact values of your armor pieces are less than half your charisma you gain +1 power to your attacks and +1 die on social rolls.
Prerequisite: Elf

Orks

Gritty Soul
Your essence is treated as 1 higher for purposes of calculating essence loss or bio-index from cyber/bioware.
Prerequisite: Orc

Orcish Grit
You may reduce the damage you receive from an attack by 1 box a number of times per day equal to ½ your essence (round down).
Prerequisite: Orc

Trolls

Fearsome Presence
You may supplement your interaction rolls with strength.
Prerequisite: Troll

Hulk Smash!
As a free action you may roll a melee weapon skill test against a tn equal to the barrier rating of an object. Each success allows you to treat the barrier rating as one lower when you attack the barrier with the melee skill.
Prerequisite: Troll

Shapeshifters

Hybridization
You have finer control of your shapeshifting abilities, and may transform only partially if you choose.  You also find it easier to integrate your advancements. Non-magical increases to your physical stats apply to both your human and animal forms. This applies principally to perks, backgrounds and karma-based stat purchases.
Prerequisite: Shapeshifter

Bio-acceptance
Your refinement of your shapeshifting abilities has trained your body to accept limited bioware.
You may buy up to 3 points of cultured bioware. Stat bonuses apply to both forms.
Prerequisite: Shapeshifter, Hybridization

There are also 9 new perks in the general section as of this posting.

New Metamagic

New Metamagic

For Mages
*Only Resist and repel Physical are Perks, other entries are metamagics

Mana shield
A mana shield has a rating and resilience equal to it's user's magic. Users can use spellpool dice for shield damage resistance tests. The mana shield is considered Magitech shielding. The mana shield is not specially vulnerable to shield-piercing bullets or electricity, but its rating and resilience are reduced by background counts. The mana shield has immunity to normal weapons as a spirit with a force of 4. A mage can restore their mana shield by taking a complex action to roll sorcery vs a target number of their own magic rating with each success restoring a box of damage; spellpool dice may be used.
Prerequisite: Barrier

New Perks

Resist Physical
Increase the force of your mana shield's immunity to normal weapons ability by 1.

Repel Physical
Increase the force of your mana shield's immunity to normal weapons ability by 1, your Mana Shield is effective against melee attacks, and you roll its rating in place of your melee counterattack roll. Your Shield's counterattack inflicts (rating)M stun damage.
Prerequisite: Resist Physical

Mages with Mana shield may take the Area shield perk as though they were engineers.

Arcane Switch
You may activate or deactivate your quickened spells as though they were foci. You may have a total force of spells operable in this way equal to double your magic attribute.
Prerequisite: Quickening

Arcane Fire
You've developed a potent form of magical offense. The mage projects a blazing beam of raw magical energy. Arcane Fire may be used to attack any target within line of sight, dealing raw magic damage; it's power is equal to 1/2 the mage's magic attribute, and it's damage code is always base M. The mage uses the higher of willpower or charisma as their attack skill, and suffers only half visibility modifiers if perceiving astrally. Arcane Fire bypasses normal armor, though not shields, but is affected by the target's willpower or body as though it were armor. Arcane Fire may strike multiple targets simultaneously, but the mage must split dice between them. Arcane Fire functions as an innate spell for purposes of drain.
Prerequisite: Centering, Knowledge Magic 6, Initiate grade 2

Chronomancy
This powerful metamagic technique allows a mage to shift her perspective in time. During her phase, the mage may spend 1 KP to change her actions after having seen their immediate outcome. Use of this ability leaves others on the battlefield with a sense of deja vu, and a feeling that the mage was going to follow her original course of action. The mage's spent Karma Points are never restored by use of this ability. This ability may only be used once per phase, and multiple uses across a turn are considered to stack with each other for the purposes of karma pool cost.
Prerequisite: Divination

Time Stop
This arcane technique allows the mage to seemingly make time stand still. At any time the mage may spend 1 KP and make a magic attribute 10 test. Success means that the mage generates an immediate bonus phase. At the end of this phase the mage must resist 10D drain using the higher of willpower or charisma, and must make a raw magic attribute test vs. TN 5, with any failures resulting in points of temporary magic loss. Mages that have more than half of their magic score drained in this way must check for permanent magic loss, points otherwise return at a rate of 1/hour.
Prerequisite: Chronomancy metamagic, any perk capable of generating a bonus phase.

Galaxy Stop
This technique allows a mage to disrupt opponents and potentially freeze them in place. The Mage chooses a number of opponents within line of sight equal to their magic rating and rolls magic vs. TN 6. Opponents resist by rolling their high stats against the mages magic attribute; those who don't match or beat the mage skip their next initiative passes. The mage must resist (Magic)D drain using the higher of willpower or charisma, but may lower their opponent's target numbers in order to make the drain test easier.
Prerequisite: Chronomancy

For Adepts

Void Meditation
The adept sinks into a trance and contemplates the nature of reality, restoring lost focus and refreshing fortunes. The adept takes 2 hours to make a centering (6) test. Every 2 successes restore a point of spent karma pool. Individual successes may also be used to heal boxes of damage.Void meditation may be attempted once per adventure.
Prerequisite: Centering

Last Breath
Once per session the adept remains conscious and receives a bonus phase upon sustaining a deadly wound. Note that this does not remedy the deadly wound; the adept falls normally at the end of the bonus phase. Adepts with endure may forgo it's activation to allow last breath to activate.

Perfection of  Fortune
You gain a bonus to your Karma Pool equal to half of your initiate grade, and may use successes generated by void meditation to create bonus pool dice on a 1:1 basis. Unlike normal bonus pool dice however, these dice are permanently expended once used.
Prerequisite: Void Meditation.

Health and Wellness Services

Health and Wellness Services

Arcadia Aura Balancing

Aura Balancing

In addition to Essence Restoration, Arcadia offers Aura Balancing as a part of its spa and massage services. After an initial aura assessment an appointment is made. The treatment is offered as part of a full-day relaxation package, it uses many exotic materials, oils, and rare minerals, and it is available in 3 levels.

A level one Aura Balancing relaxes the recipient and boosts confidence, providing one bonus pool die, and one extra die on the recipient’s social skill rolls.

A level two Aura Balancing provides the previous benefits, but also clears the user's mind, boosting a mental stat of the user's choice by 1, and providing both an additional bonus pool die and an additional die on social skill rolls.

A level three aura balancing can be truly enlightening; boosting a second mental stat by 1, granting a third bonus pool and social skill die, and allowing the recipient to roll 3 additional dice on all healing and recovery tests. Furthermore, during a level 3 Aura Balancing, the recipient may pay 1 good karma to roll an essence test against a target number of 6; success permanently increases the recipient’s Karma Pool by 1.

The effects of Aura Balancing last a number of days equal to 5 x the recipient's essence.

Price*: 5,000¥, 10,000¥, or 20,000¥, Appointment Availability**: Level+7/ Level+ 11 days

*Potential recipients may subtract 10x their white hat score from the price of the treatment.

**Potential recipients add 1/5^th of their black hat rating to the availability and time of finding an appointment.

Aztechnology Hemoglobin Augmentation

Using a secret and proprietary process, Aztechnology is able to boost patient's physical performance. The procedure involves sedating the patient and injecting them with a set of special reagents, after which a quantity of blood is removed, taken to a separate area to be augmented, and is then re-administered to the patient. Each level boosts any 2 physical attributes by 1 apiece, and the treatment is available in 3 levels. Aztechnology is concerned with patient wellness and is willing to offer this service on credit. (payment plan 10% minimum payment per month, 10% monthly interest). Rumors persist that a version of this treatment can boost the magic attribute and spellpool, or even grant permanent boosts, but that such a service requires “special materials” and is only available in exchange for significant favors to Aztechnology.

Treatment lasts 14 days

Price: Level*10,000¥ Availability: Always

Renraku Cyber Synchronization

Renraku is currently allowing cyberware-using members of the public to buy into trials of its “Cyber Synchronization” service, a procedure said to enhance the interface between man and machine. The procedure requires general anesthesia, but boosts strength and body by a total number of points equal to 6 – the patient's essence. Deeper treatments somehow provide a similar number of extra dice on spell resistance tests, and the highest level of the treatment provides the Endure perk. It is unknown how this procedure operates, although Renraku does request that patients return regularly to allow the long-term effects of the procedure to be studied.

Effects of treatment last 30- 2x essence days

Price: Level*7,500¥ Availability: 3+2x essence/2 weeks

Langrisser Omnitool Optimization

Most engineers are far too hard on their Omnitools to keep them running at optimal efficiency. Langrisser Omnicorp offers tuneup services that improve the omnitools functionality... at least until the engineer goes and overclocks it again. The Optimization procedure involves a thorough assessment of the Engineer's biology, as well as omnitool software, followed by software and hardware calibration, plus a nanite boost. This temporarily boosts an omnitool's rating by 1, and provides temporary Tech Pool dice equal to twice the omnitool's normal rating; when used, these dice do not refresh, but are gone permanently, when all have been used, the treatment is expended, and the omnitool returns to its normal rating.

The optimization lasts for 30 days or until expended

Price: Omnitool rating x2,000¥ Availability 10

Arcadia Equipment

Essence Restoration
Arcadia has developed special techniques for restoring a creature's lost essence. This can restore essence lost for any reason, even existent cyberware, in the case of retained cyberware however, the treatment can only restore half of the essence that the cyberware cost. It is thus possible for a person to shed their cyberware and recover their essence, or keep it and recover half. Bio-index may also be reduced similarly. Cyber or bioware complicates matters however, and makes the procedure more costly.
The treatment is an in-patient procedure done at special facilities. It takes a number of days equal to twice the essence to be restored. During this time the patient is kept in an induced coma.
The availability of the service is equal to 20 minus the patient's current essence, or 16 minus essence for mages. The service is in high demand, though it can be hard to find. Special arrangements are often made.

Prices:
Patient will retain no cyber or bioware:        Missing essence* x10,000¥
Patient will retain bioware:                           Missing essence  x50,000¥
Patient will retain cyberware (inc omnitool): Missing essence x100,000¥
*Missing essence is always rounded up to the nearest whole number, and in the case of patients with 'ware, is calculated according to how much they are missing, not how much they will recover.
Bio index counts as missing essence for this purpose.

Astral Scrubbers

As a result of their magitech research, Arcadia has developed relatively discreet devices which can be used to “scrub down” background counts. Such devices take the form of fractal antennas with various augmentations. They can be built into panels or banners, or constructed as free-standing devices. Astral Scrubbers will cut down an area's background count over a matter of hours or days depending on the nature of the energy. The Scrubbers must be regularly serviced by a technician.

The service does not prevent new background counts from being created, and is not effective in areas where ongoing pollution or toxicity is the cause of the count. As such, Arcadia deploys them only too areas where a background count is or has been caused by emotion or magical phenomena.

Arcadia provides the service to venues such as clubs, concerts and magical gatherings for free, or in exchange for a bit of advertising (typically built into the scrubber panels themselves) or for a fee to clean up such areas as crime scenes or sites of oppression.

Anti-HMVV bullets

Arcadia Agents have access to small amounts of specialized anti-vampire bullets. Wounds inflicted by these rounds do not regenerate, but must be healed by alternate means. For various reasons they are only manufactured and issued in small amounts, and it's rare for an Agent to possess more than one or two clips, if they have any at all.

Metamagic Technique: Barrier
You can use magical energy to deflect and absorb attacks. A vivid
barrier of magical energy flares into view around you.
You may use your spellpool dice as additional combat pool dice on
dodge and damage resistance tests. Your barrier is effective even against surprise attacks.

Magitech shielding
Your shields interfere with hostile magical energies.
Your shields add up to 1/2 of their rating to your resistance tests
against hostile spells.
Price: ¥20,000*rating of the shields.
Avail: Arcadia Faction

Priestess Card
This card releases a bright aura as an image of an angel appears dispenses healing to a target within line of sight as though using the heal spell. The card rolls a number of dice equal to its rating. These cards may be used by mundanes who have had the knowledge of how to use  them imparted by certain spirits These are sometimes issued as an emergency backup measure to agents. Some people with close ties to Arcadia like to keep them around.
Price: ¥1000*rating, Availability (rating)/24 hours, Arcadia Faction

Spell Cards
Arcadia's Magic research has allowed them to create cards, typically tarot-themed, which contain a variety of spells. Sustained spells cannot be made into cards. The card's force is both the force of the spell, and the number of dice rolled in casting it. These cards may be used by mundanes who have had the knowledge of how to use them imparted by certain spirits, and are often issued to agents as emergency countermeasures. These cards are rarer than the priestess cards, and not all spells are available.
Price ¥2,000 x force, Availability: (force)/(force days), Arcadia Faction street index: N/A

Capture Card
This card emblazoned with symbols of sealing can capture astral entities such as spirits or astrally projecting mages.
The card rolls an opposed test between its and its target's force or magic rating. If the card wins then the target must resist (rating)D damage using magic or force. The damage is  staged up by the card's net successes. Targets brought to a deadly wound by this effect are confined within the card, changing the card's imagery to contain a stylized portrait.  Entities may be stored in these cards indefinitely, although agents are careful to track down the bodies of mages before they expire..

Alpha Wave Generator
The Alpha-wave generator is a powerful secret weapon of Arcadia agents. This small, hand-held device emits Alpha modulated neural waves putting its target to sleep and removing items from short-term memory. In order to use this device, its two emitters must be deployed relatively close to the target's face, this can be accomplished in a few ways:
If not in combat you may roll an etiquette test against a target number of the target's intelligence to get them to look at the device. Otherwise you may use sleight of hand. In combat or against a resisting target you must make a successful unarmed attack with the device in hand. When you do this, you deploy the device rather than damage the target.
Once deployed the device rolls its rating against a TN of the target's willpower. If the Alpha-wave emitter gets successes, then the target must resist (Rating) D stun damage using willpower. Successes generated by the emitter can stage up this damage as though it were a ranged attack.
Targets rendered unconscious by an Alpha-wave emitter remain in a state of restful sleep for (Rating) hours, but can be roused by sufficiently strong stimuli (subtract the device's rating from the target's tests to perceive a stimulus). Targets do not retain stun damage after being roused.
Targets also lose a number of minutes of memory equal to the device's rating, starting with when the device was used and going backwards. The emitter may be adjusted to lessen either the sleep or memory loss effects independently of each other.
Price ¥10,000 x Rating, Availability (rating)/14 days, Arcadia Faction concealability 7

Manx KiTN X3
Based on advancements in mana-sensitive film and its derivatives,
Arcadia has managed to make a serious breakthrough and effectively
created a magitech optics system capable of perceiving astral phenomena.

This special KiTN X3 comp has the ability to use astral perception. The

onboard VI receives aura reading as a bonus skill. These comps are
issued individually only to highly trusted agents.

Arcadia Ziodyne Tazer
Damage: 10D stun electrical
Ammo: Microfusion Cell 10 shots
Concealability: 6
The Arcadia Ziodyne tazer uses an ion beam as a conduit for its
electrical discharge, eliminating the need for physical projectiles.
This nearly eliminates recoil, however the weapon's compact but powerful
turbine and magnetron give it a significant gyroscopic kick.
Effectively, the weapon has 3pts of recoil compensation. The weapon's
own ion beam can be used as a laser sight, and it can accept a
smartlink. It uses heavy pistol ranges, and can be fired equally well with

either the pistols or energy weapons skills.
Price: ¥5,000 avaiil 12/24 days, Street index 4

Zoe Armor Line

Arcadia's Zoe Armor line has continued to make advancements not only in personal protection, but also in personal style. The Zoe line now offers armor guaranteed to match anyone's look.

Any armor with a concealability rating of 10 or more can be made as an article of fine clothing by increasing the price by 100%, or as a tres chic outfit by increasing the price by 200%.
Avail: as armor+4, anyone