[Thaumatology] Specialist Magic-Users

[Prince Charon]

Embodier lenses

A few specialist lenses centered around a quite versatile ritual, starting with a sort of 'core' lens:

Embodier

Advantages
Magery 0 [5] and 25 points selected from Allies [varies], Energy Reserve [3/level], Higher Purpose [5/level], Magery [10/level], Modular Abilities (Only for Allies with Minion, -40%; Magic, -10%) [varies], Path/Book Adept (Embody Only, -80%) [2/level], Reputation [varies], or Social Regard [5/+1 reaction].

Perks

Extra Option: Penalty Adjustment (Embody). [1]

Subtotal: 31


Disadvantages

Up to -25 points selected from Compulsive Behavior, Obsession, Overconfidence, Megalomania, Reputation, Social Stigma, Stubbornness, or appropriate Quirks.

Subtotal: Up to -25


Features


Skills

<core skill> [8] IQ or IQ+1
Path of Spirit [IQ/VH] [8] IQ

and 8 points in Craft skills, Hidden Lore ('Spirits' or '<spirit type>'), Leadership, Savoir-Faire ('Spirits' or '<spirit type>'), or Tactics.

Techniques

Embody (H) Path of Spirit-5 [10] Path of Spirit-0 (Path of Spirit+4; see Notes)


Subtotal: 34

Total: 40 to 65

Notes

'Extra Option: Penalty Adjustment' is a perk which must be bought separately for each ritual: The two skill levels listed for Embody are the effective skill (which cannot exceed the technique's base skill) and the skill for purposes of removing penalties only. In this case, the Embodier may have additional penalties of up to -4 without lowering effective skill, but still cannot raise effective skill above their base skill. GMs may prefer to forbid this perk, or require it to be a leveled perk, in which case the costs should be adjusted accordingly.

Leadership is useful for getting self-willed Embodied spirits to do what you want, but isn't needed for instinctively-obedient minions (those with Reprogammable, Slave Mentality, or similar). Tactics, on the other hand, is useful for combat regardless of whether your minions obey automatically, or need convincing. Savoir-Faire (Spirits) or Savoir-Faire (<spirit type>) depends on how granular your setting is in this context: Savoir-Faire could be one skill for all types of spirits, or different required specializations for demons, angels, elementals (or each type of elemental), Fae (if they're spirits), nature spirits, et cetra. The same is true for Hidden Lore.

(I might build a rather ambitious Embodier later, who plans to create a new race or group of races. Also have thoughts on creating an Imporviser, below, with a concept that works mostly for Supers settings.)


Continued below.