I'm in the process of designing a magic system based on the Tarot, and I'm looking after some help, but first I'll have to briefly describe what I have so far...(this may take a few posts and a little bit of time to get through):

There are 6 Laws of Magic (Legis Magicae), including the Primary Laws (Legis Primus), which apply to every spell:

I. Lex Demergo "The Law of Equivilance"
All magik has a cost. This cost is determined by the intended target of a spell.
II. Lex Nominis "The Law of Names"
The target of a spell must be named. In order to cast a spell on a person or intelligent entity, its True Name must be known to the caster.
III. Lex Aequitis "The Law of Reciprocity"
Also known as the threefold law. The cost of any spell that harms another being is tripled.

And the Secondary Laws, which may be employed to make the spell easier or faster to cast (more on these in a bit):

IV. Lex Iunctio "The Law of Correspondence"
V. Lex Desidero "The Law of Contagion"
VI. Lex Illecetra "The Law of Sympathy"

A Magus, or magic-user, is defined by the following Characteristics:

Paradigm: This determines a Magi's awareness of the greater reality beyond themselves and the physical world, and is represented by one of the Major Arcana of the Tarot. A character with no awareness of the occult (a "norm") defaults to the Fool (0), with a Magi starting at the Magician (I) and increasing this as they become more accustomed to dealing with magikal reality and deconstruction of their identity.

Praxis: This is the school or tradition of magik that a Magi follows, whether Voodoo, Witchcraft, Sorcery, Hermetic or Platonic Magic, Shamanism, etc.

A Magus's Praxis determines their Arts (Ars Magicae) and Techniques (Techne Magicae) (see below)

Arcana: Each Magi has a score in the four suits of the Tarot: Swords, Cups , Wands, and Coins. When crafting a spell, a Magus determines which of the Arcana is used as the Primary Arcana of that spell and may draw a number of cards per turn equal to their score in that Arcana.

The Primary Arcana is determined by the target of a spell, as is the Spell Cost, according to the following chart:

____________SWORDS____CUPS_____WANDS____COINS
Page (9)____ Dimicare_____Fabrili_____Thyrsus____Machinae
Knight (18)___Volucris_____Aquatile____Prodigi_____Beastiae
Queen (27)___Cogitare____ Alucinare__Memoriae___Corpus
King (81)_____Tempastatis_Domusus___Silvae______Moeniae
Ace (*)_______Aeria_______Mare______Pyros_____Terras

The Page represents tools, props, objects, etc, with a spell cost of 9.
Dimicare would be used to affect weapons or armour, Fabrili for any crafted tool, Thyrsus for any plant, herb, or simple object crafted out of wood, and Machinae for any machine, artifice, or complex device.

The Knight represents animal life, and carries a spell cost of 18.
Volucris would be used to affect birds or flying insects, Aquatile for fish, aquatic mammals, and other sea life, Prodigi for monsters or supernatural creatures, and Beastiae for any land animals.

The Queen represents people and intelligent entities, and carries a spell cost of 27.
Cogitare would be used to affect the mind, thoughts, and acquire knowledge, Alucinare is used to affect dreams and emotions, Memoriae is used to affect memories or acquire skills, and Corpus is used to affect the body.

The King represents places and the environment, with a spell cost of 81.
Tempastatis would be used to affect anything to do with the sky, including the weather, Domusus is used to affect anything to do with the home, Silvae represents the forest or natural landscape, and Moeniae is used to affect a city, castle, or palace.

The Ace, on the other hand, represents pure control of a specific Classical element (Air, Water, Fire, or Earth, and has a variable cost based on the size/intensity of the desired effect.

Magi possess skill in a number of Arts, Techniques, and Domains.

There are 9 Arts, each describing a specific "verb" or "action" desired from the spell:

Abjuration                   "Banish"
Apportation                "Move"
Conjuration                "Create"
Divination                  "Sense"
Domination                 "Control"
Execration                 "Destroy"
Nexation                    "Bind"
Obfuscation                "Hide"
Transmutation             "Alter"

There are also 9 Techniques, which describe how a Magus powers a spell. These are divided into 3 categories: Invocation ("Channeling"), Evocation ("Summoning"), and Incantation ("Enchanting").

Each Magus also possesses a number of Domains (Regnem Magicae), which describe various motifs informing what effects a Magus can create, or at least their approach to performing magic. These are also called "The O'Mancies", as they are based on the -mancy suffix.

(Note that this is actually a linguistic misnomer, as "-mancy" historically specifically refers to divination techniques, but it works aesthetically, most people don't know the difference, and word conceptions alter as time goes on anyways, so I'm allowing myself this concession).

There are over a hundred Domains, and hundreds more possible with a bit of linguistic ingenuity, but Magi typically focus on 3 to 5 of them. Some examples include: ailuromancy (cats, felines), cromniomancy (onions), epidiomancy (diseases), necromancy (death), ophiomancy (snakes), and tyromancy (cheese).



to be continued...

Okay, so with that info-dump out of the way, the process of crafting a spell is actually quite simple:

The caster choses an Art and a Domain to fit the effect they are trying to produce
( Arachnomancy + Apportation for "spiderwalk" for example, or Pyromancy + Conjuration for "fireball").

The intended target of the spell defines the spell's Primary Arcana and Cost
(the aforementioned "spiderwalk" spell is cast on a person, so uses Corpus, meaning the Primary Arcana is Coins and the Spell cost is 27. The fireball spell, on the other hand, is a primal manifestation of elemental energy, with Wands as the Primary Arcana and the cost determined by the intensity of the flame/how much damage the fireball will inflict/etc, tripled because its an offensive spell.)

The spell is then cast, once the Magi pays the Spell Cost.

to be continued...

So, in order to cast the spell, i.e. cover the spell cost, the caster uses one of their Techniques. I'll limit this discussion to Invocation ("channeling") for now, as Evocation and Incantation have their own separate sub-systems.

The easiest and least risky Invocation technique is Exousia, whereupon the caster draws upon their own energies to power the spell (Arete). The caster need not draw any cards, simply pays the price, but for every point of Arete spent in this manner the Caster takes an equivalent number of points of Fatigue. Additionally, a Caster may only spend a total number of points of Arete per turn equal to their Arcana score in the Spell's Primary Arcana. Extremely potent spells can thus cause a caster to suffer serious physical damage, and take a long time to cast.

More common thus is the technique of Thaumoturgy, which draws upon the natural ambient magical energy of the universe (Dynamis). The caster draws a number of cards per turn up to their Arcana score in the spell's Primary Arcana .

(ex: a caster with a score of 6 in Cups, may draw up to 6 cards per turn for any spell that uses Cups as its Primary Arcana).

If a Suit card is drawn, and that Suit matches the spell's Primary Arcana, it garners 1 point of Dynamis if a pip (A-10), or 3 points of Dynamis if a Court Card. Otherwise, the card is discarded. A Caster takes 1 point of Stress for every discarded Suit card.

If a Trump (Major Arcana) is drawn, it is compared to the caster's current Paradigm. If equal to or below, the card garners 9 points of Dynamis. If the Trump is higher than the caster's Paradigm it is discarded and the Caster takes a number of Stress equal to the Trump's value.

However, a caster may also employ one or more of the Secondary Laws to aid in the casting of a spell. This involves crafting a Ritual, the elements of which determined by the Law:

Lex Iunctio, the "Law of Correspondence"  can be invoked by involving symbolic associations in the casting. The Primary Arcana of the spell must be represented, first off, and for every additional Arcana represented, the caster may then use Suit cards of that Arcana to power the spell as if they were of the Primary Arcana.

Lex Desidero, the "Law of Contagion" can be invoked if the caster utilizes a personal effect or piece of the intended target of the spell, reducing the target's defenses.

Lex Illecetra, the Law of Sympathy, allows the caster to reduce the spell cost by using Foci.

So, putting it all together, say you have a Magus with the following stats:

Larry Kotter Jr.
Paradigm: The Hermit (IX)   Praxis: Wizard

Daring: Normal  (5)                    
Agility: Good (10)
Might: Puny (3)
Durability: Good (10)
Wits: Exceptional (15)
Intelligence: Exceptional (15)
Courage: Legendary (20)

Stamina: 28
Psyche: 50

Arcana
Swords: 3   Cups: 3   Wands: 6  Coins: 3

Arts: Abjuration, Apportation, Conjuration
Domains: Ceranomancy (lightning), Integomancy (protection), Ophiomancy (snakes)

Larry, wandering in the dark woods, is confronted by a Spectral Twisp. Being of a contentious disposition, Larry decides to fend it off with a lightning bolt.

The Art & Domain for this are Conjuration + Ceranomancy.

The target being a supernatural being means the Primary Arcana is Wands (Prodigi), so the Spell Cost is 18, x3 because this is an offensive spell, so 54.

However, Larry is using his trusty Simurgh-feather wand as a Foci, reducing the spell Cost to 9 (x3), so his adjusted Spell cost is 27.

As Larry's score in Wands is 6, he can draw up to 6 cards the first turn. He gets:

Ace of Cups
Knight of Wands
The Hierophant (V)
5 of Swords
3 of Wands
and The Hanged Man (XII)

First Larry discards the Ace of Cups and 5 of Swords, taking 2 Stress. Additionally, The Hanged Man is discarded for a whopping 12 Stress. This temporarily reduces his Psyche to 36.

Larry has left the Knight of Wands, worth 3 points of Dynamis, The Heirophant, worth 9 points, and the 3 of Wands, worth 1, for a total of 13. He's about halfway to the point of casting spell. Once he garners 27 or more points of Dynamis, and Names his target ("Spectrum Vexatio!") a bolt of lightning will hurl from his Wand.

Okay, so obviously there's a bunch more to it, but that's the gist of what I've got conceived.  Obvious major influences were Ars Magica (sic), Changeling: The Dreaming, and Cineflex.

There's parts I'm still playing with (like possibly letting Nexation "Bind" cover "Control" as well, and replacing Domination with something like Consecration ("Preserve") or Purification ("Restore").

But the main issue I'm having is the Spell Cost totals and how those are affected by different levels of Ability. I've considered at various times using the values on the cards, but that seemed unweildly and too math-heavy. As I'm no math whiz, does anyone know how I might go about calculating probabilities on a Tarot deck based on the system as outlined? Are there areas anyone can see that I can streamline without giving up the ...well, I guess aesthetics of the system? Does this kind of system have an appeal to anyone besides myself?

Quote from: TristramEvans;602222Okay, so obviously there's a bunch more to it

Okay, your topic, the 'pitch' if you will, got me interested enough to click on your topic, so I like this idea enough to want to know more.  The thing is, and this might just be me, but I feel my eyes glazing over as I read the rules you've set up here.  I read and don't comprehend.

I'm trying not to be a douchebag, but I don't feel like I understand what you just told me.  In order for me to help you, may I make one request?  Could you re-issue the description of how this system works without the use of Latin or terms unique to your system?  Just what is it, what does it do, what is the procedure to make that happen?  I feel all tangled up in the language.

Quote from: Popillius_Scipio;602546Okay, your topic, the 'pitch' if you will, got me interested enough to click on your topic, so I like this idea enough to want to know more.  The thing is, and this might just be me, but I feel my eyes glazing over as I read the rules you've set up here.  I read and don't comprehend.

I'm trying not to be a douchebag, but I don't feel like I understand what you just told me.  In order for me to help you, may I make one request?  Could you re-issue the description of how this system works without the use of Latin or terms unique to your system?  Just what is it, what does it do, what is the procedure to make that happen?  I feel all tangled up in the language.

No, that's a perfectly fair assessment, as I was basically regurgitating my notes. I'll try to rephrase it in plain language as if I was explaining it in a rulebook.

It is, admittedly, a "crunchy" system. Plus I use a lot of Latin, simply because it sounds all "magicky" to me (and is one of the few languages I'm moderately fluent in).

Glad to hear it.  I'm often accused of being brutally honest, emphasis on brutal.  I want to be careful handling someone else's work.

I used to think as you do, that colorful, well-researched, baroque names are cool, but after putting a few designs in front of my players and getting questions like 'Which one is Ad Captandum again?  Is that the one that gives bonuses to my roll or my opponent's?' I realized that simpler language was the reason why D&D's spells are named things like 'comprehend languages.'

Just wanted to say this is a cool idea. Please post more (especially some descriptive examples).

A diagram showing the main aspects would be useful, but yeah I'd probably reduce it to two stats and a list of schools if possible, it drills down a bit too deeply.

Okay, this is going to take a few days for me to get everything typed up, but to start with, for clarity's sake, here is a brief overview of the underlying system that I'm using with the magic system. It's a streamlined revised version of FASERIP with some tweaks I've been GMing for a while. This is a brief primer I wrote up a little bit ago for new players. I've tried to be as clear and concise as possible, so it's possible for a player to simply read this and the one page combat primer, grab a character and start playing:


PHASERIP SYSTEM PRIMER

Here is what a typical Hero might look like defined in game terms:



ROBIN HOOD

GIVEN NAME: Robin of  Locksley  
OCCUPATION: Outlaw Chief
ORIGIN: Legend
ARCHETYPE: The Archer   
CALLING: Rebel  

DARING: Exceptional         
AGILITY: Legendary         

MIGHT: Good         
DURABILITY: Exceptional      

WITS: Exceptional

INTELLIGENCE: Normal

COURAGE: Uncanny

STAMINA: 60
PSYCHE: 50

TRAITS: Archery x2  Charm  Chicanery  Leadership  Ride  

LIMITATION: Cannot Resist a Challenge (Pride, Legendary)

Heroes are defined by 2 basic types of characteristics in game terms: Attributes and Traits. Attributes are divided into Primary, Secondary and Special Attributes.

All Heroes share 7 Primary Attributes, essential faculties possessed to some degree by every character in the game: Daring, Agility, Might, Durability, Wits, Intelligence, and Courage.

DARING is a measure of a Hero's boldnes, valour, and raw combat ability. A Hero with high Daring is a great warrior, while a Hero with low Daring is probably a bit of a pushover.
AGILITY is an evaluation of a Hero's nimbleness, flexibility, and reflexes. A Hero with low agility is clumsy and uncoordinated, while a Hero with high Agility is capable of performing astounding acrobatic feats
MIGHT is an estimate of a Hero's strength and physical power. A Hero with high Might is able to lift great amounts of weight and inflict devastating blows inb combat, while a Hero with low Might is weak and impotent in combat.
DURABILITY represents a Hero's ability to resist or recover from injury. A Hero with high Durability is tough and difficult to injure, while a Hero with low Durability is frail and wounds easily.
WITS estimates a Hero's perceptiveness, intuition, and situational awareness. A Hero with high Wits is observant and  difficult to surprise, while a Hero with low Wits is easily distracted and often caught off-guard.
INTELLIGENCE is an evaluation of a Hero's ingenuity, reason, and memory. High Inttelligence denotes creativity and diligence. A Hero with low Intelligence is not necessarily stupid so much as banal, irrational, or uneducated.
COURAGE represents a Hero's willpower, bravery and resolve, A Hero with low Courage is cowardly and easily influenced, while a Hero with high Courage is dedicated and steadfast.

Daring, Agility, Might, and Durability are referred to as a Hero's Physical Attributes, while Wits, Intelligence, and Courage are referred to as a Hero's Mental Attributes.

ECHELONS

Each Primary Attribute is qualified by a descriptor or adjective, called an Echelon. Echelons reflect the character's competency in that Attribute, and other Phaserip characters with the same Echelon in an Atribute are of commensurate proficiency. Each Echelon is associated with a numbered Echelon Rank between 1 and 10, and an Echelon Rating between 1 and 100.

The ten standard Echelons and Echelon Ranks used in Phaserip are Puny (1), Normal (2), Good (3), Exceptional (4), Legendary (5), Uncanny (6), Fantastic (7), Amazing (, Incredible (9), and Unearthly (10).

The ten standard Echelon Ratings are Puny (3), Normal (5). Good (10), Exceptional (15), Legendary (20), Uncanny (30), Fantastic (40), Amazing (50), Incredible (75), and Unearthly (100).

Looking back to Robin Hood's character description, we see that his two most significant Attributes are his Uncanny Courage and Legendary Agility. Robin Hood faced overwhelming odds, turning to outlawry and organizing a band of rebels against the insurgent monarch, King John. He was renowned for his swashbuckling feats and extraordinary accuracy with a bow. Robin's Daring, Durability, and Wits are all well above average (Exceptional), and he possesses average Intelligence (Normal).

Robin Hood's Might of Good indicates that, while not the strongest of fellows, he can easily lift up to 200 lbs. However, imagine that Robin somehow gets trapped under a fallen tree trunk, weighing close to 600 lbs. Robin must escape soon, or Maid Marian will fall prey to an ambush by the notorious Sheriff of Nottingham. This is where GESTs come into play.

GESTS

GEST is an acronym for "Gauge of Extraordinary Skill or Talent". A GEST roll is made whenever a Hero is attempting an exceptional act or extraordinary feat.

When attempting a GEST, a Player rolls percentile dice (2d10, one die set as the "tens" and one die set as the "ones"; a result of "00" equalling 100) and compares the result to the corresponding row on the ARG! (Action Resolution Graph).

The ARG! provides one of 5 Phase Results, each dileanated by a colour, which determine if and how well a character succeeds at the attempted GEST. A Green, Blue, or Red Phase Result indicates success, while a Yellow or Purple Phase result indicates failure.

GEST Rolls are primarily modified in two ways: Phase Shifts(PS) and Echelon Shifts (ES).

A Phase Shift is applied after the GEST is rolled, and alters the Phase Result. An Echelon Shift, on the other hand, is applied before a roll, and alters the Echelon of the Attribute used for the GEST . (For example, a character with Typical Agility who receives a +1ES would roll on the Good Echelon row of the ARG!) 



A GEST roll may also be modified by the Difficulty of the action attempted, as set by the GM. If the Difficulty of a GEST is below the Echelon used for the GEST, a Green Phase result is all that is needed to succeed. To succeed at a GEST where the Difficulty is equal to the Echelon used, the player must roll a Blue Phase Result to succeed. If the Difficulty is above the Hero's relevant Echelon, the player would need a Red Phase Result to succeed.

To continue with our previous scenario, Robin Hood is trapped beneath an overturned tree trunk weighing roughly 600lbs, so the GM sets the Difficulty of Robin's GEST as Exceptional. As this is one Echelon higher than Robin's Might Echelon, he would need a Red Phase result on his GEST to succeed.

Normally, any Difficulty that is more than one Echelon above the relevant Attribute is considered impossible, though ultimately it is left up to the determination of the GM, who may instead impose an additional modifier to the roll. Any GEST with a Difficulty that is 3 or more Echelons below the player's relevant Attribute might be considered automatically successful, with no need to roll  (again at the discretion of the GM).

An Opposed Roll occurs when a Hero is attempting a GEST and another character is activelly attempting to resist or otherwise prevent them from succeeding. For an Opposed Roll, the Difficulty of the GEST is determined by the relevant Trait of the opponent/defender.

Robin Hood, managing to escape from underneath the fallen tree, must now race to Maid Marian's location before the Sheriff arrives. Unfortunately, to reach Marian, Robin must make his way past a group of King's Guardsmen posted on the main road. Wanting to avoid a fight (so he can save his energy for the inevitable clash with the Sheriff), Robin decides to try and trick the Guards into letting him pass. Taking a moment to disguise himself beneath a peasant's cloak, Robin attempts to convince the Guardsman that he is merely a villager passing through on his way home. The GM decides this will require a Wits GEST, with the guards' Intelligence setting the Difficulty. In this case, the guards are all of Normal Intelligence, meaning that Robin only needs a Green Phase result to succeed. If the GM decided the guards were not particularly bright (Puny Intelligence), he might declare that Robin does not even need to roll a GEST.

When a Hero must succeed at a GEST, the player may spend Arete to modify the results of the roll. Arete is spent on a 1:1 basis to increase the result of a percentile roll. All Heroes start with an initial pool of Arete points equal to their Psyche and during play a Hero may earn Arete by acting heroically.

TRAITS

A GEST roll may also be affected by a Hero's Traits. Traits are characteristics that define a Hero's unique skills, aptitudes, and quirks. Traits may provide either an Echelon Shift or Phase Shift modifier to a roll, depending on whether they are applied actively or passively.

If a Hero is attempting a task that specifically employs one of their Traits (such as a character with the Trait Science! attempting to mix a chemical compound), they are actively using that Trait. On the other hand, Traits provide a passive bonus in situations where the Trait does not directly apply, the Trait is used to supplement an action primarily employing another characteristic, or during an Opposed Roll, wherein two characters are trying to succeed at the same goal or to prevent the success of their opponent's endeavour.

Robin Hood possesses the Trait Ride. If he were to attempt a complicated horseback maneuver, such as riding down a sheer cliff-face, the GM may call for an Agility GEST, and as this is an active use of his riding Trait, Robin's player could then increase the result of the GEST by one Phase. If the aforementioned horse were to become spooked by a phantom and Robin attempts to calm it down before he's thrown from the saddle, the GM may call for a Courage GEST and allow Robin's player a +1ES to their roll to represent how their Ride Trait implies experience dealing with the moods of horses. Thus, Robin rolls the GEST as if he possessed Fantastic Courage.

Traits may be doubled (x2) or, in extremely rare cases, tripled (x3), providing increasingly better modifiers to a roll.

Robin Hood is famed worldwide for his Archery skills, which border on the inhuman. His Archery Trait is doubled (Archery x2), providing Robin with either a +2 Echelon Shift or a +2 Phase Shift whenever he uses that Trait!

There are several Standard Traits defined for every Hero in the game, including their Origin, Archetype, Calling, and Occupation.

While a Hero's Primary Attributes are generally not altered during play except for temporary modifiers, Secondary Attributes may change often over the course of a game. Secondary Attributes include Stamina, Psyche, Renown, Resources, Arete and Continuity.

STAMINA is an abstract measure of a Hero's capacity to sustain, absorb, or avoid physical injury. Stamina is represented by a pool of points equal to the sum of a Hero's Physical Atrribute Echelon Ratings.

Robin Hood possesses Exceptional (15) Daring, Legendary (20) Agility, Good (10) Might, and Exceptional (15) Durability, thus his Stamina pool is 60.

PSYCHE is an abstract evaluation of a Hero's mental equilibrium, emotional stability, and capacity to cope with Stress. Psyche is represented by a pool of points equal to the sum of a Hero's Mental Attribute Echelon Ranks.

Robin Hood possesses Exceptional (15) Wits, Normal (5) Intelligence, and Uncanny (30) Courage, thus his Psyche pool is 50.

RESOURCES is an abstract measure of a Hero's financial stability, personal wealth, and economic class. A Hero's Resources are represented by an Echelon that is used to determine if a Hero can afford a particular item or service.

RENOWN is an approximation of how well-known and popular a Hero is, and their general reputation for honesty and fair play. Renown is represented by an Echelon and a pool of points that may increase or decrease during play depending on a Hero's actions. Renown influences the reactions of other characters to the Hero.

ARETE is a pool of points that are earned for acting heroically or selflessly, or lost for acting selfishly or immorally. Arete points are spent to modify GEST rolls. A Hero gains a number of Arete points up to their Psyche Echelon Rank x10 Daily, unless their current reserve exceeds this amount.

CONTINUITY represents a Hero's experience and consistency, dileanated by a pool of points and an Echelon based upon the maximum total continuity possessed by the Hero at any one time. Continuity points may be used to improve or expand upon a Hero's characteristics or for Retcons (rerolls) of failed GESTs.  

(Arete and Continuity vary so often between and during games, they are thus not included in character write-ups for the game)

Arete is awarded frequently throughout play, while Continuity is awarded at the end of a game session.

The third category of Attributes are Special Attributes, which are unique to each Hero and are divided into Advantages and Disadvantages.

ADVANTAGES include superhuman powers, gadgets, and vehicles employed by a Hero, as well as allies, contacts, and headquarters.

DISADVANTAGES are hindrances or obstacles to a Hero's success and are categorized as either Limitations or Weaknesses. A Limitation impedes a Hero's efforts, while a Weakness causes them harm.

Ok, with that out of the way, the only further thing worth noting before getting into the magic rules is that when a character takes Fatigue, it temporarily reduces their Stamina, and if Fatigue surpasses a character's Stamina then they take wounds, in the form of losing levels of their Attributes.

Likewise, if a character takes Stress, it temporarily reduces their Psyche, and if Stress surpasses a character's Psyche, it induces psychological effects, up to and including taking a Derangement.

And with that said, let me get into this...

Magus (pl. Magi) is used here as a general term for any character capable of using magik* or casting spells. Magi are further distinguished by their Paradigm, Praxis, and Arcana.

A magus' Paradigm is a signifier of their experience using magik, awareness of the supernatural world and greater nature of reality, and their overall knowledge of the occult. Paradigms are represented by 1 of the 22 Major Arcana of the Tarot. In essense, Paradigm may be viewed as a magus' "spellcasting level". All magi start at level I: The Magician. Any character with no knowledge of or experience with magik is considered, by default, to possess a Paradigm of level 0: The Fool.

Praxis describes the school or tradition of magik that a magus follows, as well as their general philosophy of how magik works. A Praxis represents a specific view of reality and informs the process of spellcraft employed by a magus.

Arcana are 4 characteristics rated between 1 and 10, named for the 4 Suits of the Tarot: Swords, Cups, Wands, and Coins. Each suit possesses numerous associations and symbolic meanings, and a magus' rating in an Arcana represents their proficiency in affecting targets of a spell that fall within the scope of that Arcana.

• Swords are used to affect air, the mind, flying creatures, and armorments.
  
• Cups are used to affect water, emotions, dreams, and art.
  
• Wands are used to affect fire, animals, plants and spirits.
  
• Coins are used to affect earth, machines, devices, and the body.
  

* - The alternate spelling "magik" is used here to disassociate the word from the various alternate meanings applied to the term.

As Paradigm, Praxis, and Arcana are essentially a magus' "magikal attributes", a magus' "magikal skills" are in turn represented by their Arts, Domains, and Techniques.  

ARTS (Ars Magicae) define the specific effects a magus can accomplish through spellcraft. There are a total of 9 Arts, each associated with a single verb that encompasses their effect.

ABJURATION  "Banish"
Used for protection spells, countermagic, wards, and exorcisms.

APPORTATION  "Move"
Used for spells of flight, levitation, teleportation, and telekinesis

CONJURATION "Create"
Used to alter reality, form objects from thin air, and pull animals from empty hats

DIVINATION "Sense"
Used to gain information, foretelling the future, and astral projection

EXECRATION  "Destroy"
Used for curses, eldritch blasts, and most of what is considered "black magic"

NEXATION "Bind"
Used for spells of domination, control, connection, and combination

OBFUSCATION "Hide"
Used for illusions, spells of invisibility, and general chicanery.

PURIFICATION  "Restore"
Used for healing spells, consecration, and attempts at enlightenment (Henosis)

TRANSMUTATION  "Alter"
Used for shape-shifting, metamorphosis, and transmogrification spells.

If a magi is trained in an Art, they may craft any spell to achieve that effect "on the fly". Otherwise, they must employ a proscribed ritual from a spellbook or grimoire.

DOMAINS (Regnem Magicae) represent the scope and nature of a magus' spellcraft and the overall character of their magik. It's often possible to achieve the same effects or ends using any one of various domains, but the methodology and approach to achieving that result are characterized by the specific Domain utlized.

Each Domain is defined by 1 or more motifs indicating their sphere of influence.

Example Domains include:

Aeromancy "air, wind" ; Ailuromancy "cats, felines" ; Bellomancy  "battle" ; Bibliomancy "books" ; Chronomancy  "clocks, time" ; Cynomancy  "dogs, wolves" ; Dendromancy "trees" ; Dracomancy "dragons" ; Entomancy  "insects" ; Geomancy  'earth' ; Haematomancy  "blood" ; Heliomancy "light, The Sun" ; Hydromancy "water" ; Integromancy "counter-magik" ; Metallomancy  "metal" ; Meteoromancy  "weather" ; Necromancy  "death" ; Neuromancy  "mind"  ; Onieromancy  "dreams" ; Ophiomancy  "snakes" ; Osteomancy "bones" ; Psychagogomancy "ghosts" ; Pulvisomancy "dust, sand" ; Pyromancy  "fire" ; Sciomancy  "darkness, shadows" ; Technomancy  "technology, computers" ; Tyromancy  "cheese"

Spells are formed, at their most basic, by combining and Art with a Domain. Thus a "fireball" spell would be most easily accomplished by using Conjuration + Pyromancy ("create" + "fire"), while a lycanthropy spell would use Transmutation + Cynomany, etc.


TECHNIQUES (Techne Magicae) describe how magi accomplish a spell casting, or more specifically, the power that lies behind a spell. Techniques are divided into 3 categories of 3, and are deileanated by a magus' Praxis.


INVOCATION ("Channeling")

*EXOUSIA - Drawing upon one's personal energies (Arete) to power a spell.
*THAUMOTURGY - Channeling the mabient magikal energy of the universe (Dynamis) to power a spell.
*THANOTURGY - Utilizing the negative energy of Death (Miasma) to power a spell.

EVOCATION ("Summoning")

*GOETIA - Binding daemons and lower spirits to do one's will.
*PHYSIKOS - Forging contracts with spirits of nature and elementals to achieve magikal effects.
*THEURGY - Entreating higher spirits and gods for divine assistance.

INCANTATION ("Enchantment")

*GRAMAYRE - Use of Glamours and Pishogues by those of Fey blood.
*TELESMA - Crafting of magik tools and weapons, Runecraft.
*THELXIS - Use of songs, music and chanting (Carmen) to imbue another with magik.