Rotes

[Justin]

You gain one rote automatically for each level that you learn in a sphere. Therefore, you have an apprentice-level rote for the apprentice level of a sphere, an initiate level rote when you learn the initiate level of the sphere and so on. You can learn additional rotes with experience, although you can usually learn only one rote per game session. You should have a card for each rote you know, with a description of its Effect. Such a card is not only a helpful rules reminder, but it also serves as proof you know the rote in question.

You can cast any rote you know, as shown on the casting chart of page 134. If you want to cast a rote you don't know, you must fast-cast. If you want to do an Effect for which no rote exists, you must either use dynamic magic and fast cast the Effect or else approach your ST and work out a new rote and have it approved for play.

Note: Instead of referring to page 134 of Laws of Ascension, we will use page 208 of the Mage mainbook for tabletop, a chart many of you are already familiar with for the use of determining difficulties of Effects.

Note: These 'comes with your sphere' rotes are only to be taken from the Mage: The Ascension mainbook, and your Tradition book.

Note: Experience cost for additional rotes is 1x the highest sphere in the rote in xp.

Note: How this works for Hollow Ones? Their 'default' rotes also come from the mage main book, and they can also pick rotes from the Hollow One book.

Note: How does this work for Orphans? 'Default' rotes come from the main book. That's it. Hey, Orphans aren't called magically $#@!*& for nothing.

Note: If they are combined rotes (rotes involving more than one sphere) you only use the highest sphere level as your consideration (i.e. if the highest sphere is Corr 3, it would be your Corr 3 rote.)

Note: For the sake of all our sanities, Ban is a single rote, regardless of which spheres you throw into it.

((Thank you Lily for all your hard work. ))

[Squirrels / Constant]

We have a system for people to research rotes!

Step 1) Submit the rote for approval. It needs to fit the power level and theme of the game for your STs to say "Awesome! Let's do it!"

Step 2) Start your research! Your research roll will be as follows: Int + (relevant ability that makes sense to the rote. MOST of the time, this will be Occult) Difficulty 5 + highest level sphere of the rote.

2a) Library! Your library can help you by dropping the difficulty by 2 if you have a Library the same level as the Rote. (a.k.a. Need a library 4 for a difficulty drop of 2 on a level 4 rote.)

Step 3) Get a total number of successes on your research roll that equals a total of all the spheres involved times 3. (Rote uses Mind 2, Time 3 and Life 1. That's 6 total sphere dots. You would need 18 successes on an extended research roll.)

Step 4) Once you have all your successes, fill out an XP Expenditure card and have an ST sign it. Turn that in to the paper table.


Here's the big important part!
If this is a custom rote that is not in any book, make sure our paper table gets a copy of it. This will be the players responsibility. Do not assume that sending it to the STs means the paper table is getting a copy. STs are careless with paperwork. We like to eat it and do weird things with it. This is why we have a paper person. (She would also prefer it get e-mailed to her, since she can copy and paste easily then.)

The paper person will make sure your rote ends up in the database. This way, when staff changes over, the new team still has a copy of your rote and doesn't have to wonder what this weird thing is that you have on your sheet!