Path/Book Magician Lens

[macphersonrants]

I'm running an occult espionage/secret magic game set in the modern day. I could use some help developing a 50 point lens or two for path/book magicians.

All the characters will have a basic template for an agent and then tack on discrete packages of lenses in 25 point increments. My guess is that the basic magician package will be over 25 points, so I'm shooting for a 50 point lens. It doesn't need to include any rituals. I can do these in 25 point packages, but some ideas on how to focus those would be appreciated as well.

I'm envisioning the most common lens being for a western traditional magician in something along the lines of The Golden Dawn tradition, but I'd be fine seeing some other 'real world' variants as well- perhaps shamans, witches, voodoo practitioners, and so on.

[macphersonrants]

If I crib my own GURPS Voodoo 4e conversion thread I get the following:

Detect (Supernatural, very common, -50% for Vague limitation)[15 pts] and Magery 1 [10] for a total of 25pts.

Skills should obviously include Ritual Magic or Religious Ritual. Astronomy, Occultism, and Theology are also referenced in the Path/Book chapter in Thaumatology. Hidden Lore and Symbol Drawing seem potentially appropriate. Is Thaumatology skill needed to take advantage of decanic bonuses if I want to allow them?

Visualization [10], Channeling [10 pts], Mystic Symbol [see Thaumatology p. 124], Empathy [10], Spirit Empathy [10], and Spirit Allies are the advantages I came up with previously.

What other advantages and skills would be useful to a 'realistic' ritual magician. I can see Savoir Faire (Lodges) or something along those lines. Research skill sounds useful. Perhaps Rank (Lodges) and a Patron?

Anyone have additional ideas?

[Peter Knutsen]

Originally Posted by macphersonrants

Skills should obviously include Ritual Magic or Religious Ritual. Astronomy, Occultism, and Theology are also referenced in the Path/Book chapter in Thaumatology. Hidden Lore and Symbol Drawing seem potentially appropriate. Is Thaumatology skill needed to take advantage of decanic bonuses if I want to allow them?

What specialization should Hidden Lore have? AFAIK, it has a mandatory specialization, so you need to decide on one, or else include it multiple times in the Lens each with a new and different specialization.

[aesir23]

50 points:

Magery 0 (5), ONE OF Magery (Path/Book) 3 (30), OR Magery 3 (20), Adept 1 (Choice of Any Element +40%, One Path Only (Choose any from your tradition)-40%) (10).

Ritual Magic (Pick one Tradition, must match your lens) IQ + 1 (12), 3 points in Hidden Lore (Magical Societies) and (Occultism).

Some 25 point lenses:

Voudon: Symbol Drawing IQ -1 (2), Path of Health IQ -1 (4), Path of Luck IQ -1 (4), Path of Protection IQ -1 (4), Path of Spirit IQ -1 (4). Distribute remaining 7 points in improving Rituals and or increasing one Path to IQ.

European Witchcraft: Pharmacy (Herbal) (TL 4) IQ-1 (2), Path of Health IQ -1 (4), Knowledge IQ -1 (4), Luck IQ -1 (4), Nature IQ -1 (4), Distribute remaining 7 points in improving Rituals and or increasing one Path to IQ.

[macphersonrants]

Originally Posted by Peter Knutsen

What specialization should Hidden Lore have? AFAIK, it has a mandatory specialization, so you need to decide on one, or else include it multiple times in the Lens each with a new and different specialization.

I figured most would be appropriate, so I'll probably put three or four of them (demons, conspiracies, faeries...) on a pick from list.

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by macphersonrants

I figured most would be appropriate, so I'll probably put three or four of them (demons, conspiracies, faeries...) on a pick from list.

Something to the effect of "Choose an appropriate specialty: Examples might include: XXXX; YYYY; ZZZZ" would probably suffice, unless you have an exact list of all the choices available.

[macphersonrants]

Originally Posted by Not another shrubbery

Something to the effect of "Choose an appropriate specialty: Examples might include: XXXX; YYYY; ZZZZ" would probably suffice, unless you have an exact list of all the choices available.

That was my plan. I'll follow the standard lens/template format- it'll be something like pick three of ___ with the Hidden Lore options plus whatever else needs to be included.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by aesir23

Magery 0 (5), ONE OF Magery (Path/Book) 3 (30), OR Magery 3 (20), Adept 1 (Choice of Any Element +40%, One Path Only (Choose any from your tradition)-40%) (10).

Whether Magery has any effect, and whether Adept is even available are options in Path/Book magic. Should a generic template require them?

[macphersonrants]

I'll be using Magery in my game. I'll probably allow Adept, but I'm not 100% on that or how many levels I'll allow starting characters.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by macphersonrants

I'll be using Magery in my game. I'll probably allow Adept, but I'm not 100% on that or how many levels I'll allow starting characters.

Ah, it wasn't cleat to me that you have a specific setting in mind. Can you break it down a little more? Path or Book? Effect Shaping or Energy Gathering? Any other options in play?