Clarifications and Additions to Thaumaturgical Powers and
Rituals
The Focused Mind (StG)
"One-Tracked Mind"
- In addition to the effects described, for the duration of this power other
characters may invoke the Negative trait: Oblivious against the target
in applicable challenges not related to the target's fixation.
The Green Path (GtC)
"Dance of Vines":
- Characters entangled may attempt to break free each round with a Physical
challenge; characters with Intermediate or higher Potence must simply spend
an action. The plant does not have health levels per se, but each level of lethal
damage grants the entrapped character 2 bonus traits in escape attempts.
- Crushing attacks are possible, using the rules for Neptune's Might, "Prison
of Water." A choking attack causes an automatic one level of Lethal damage
per turn to creatures that breathe.
- Stabbing attacks (with roots or branches) are possible, causing one level
of Lethal damage.
- Using this power to attempt to stake a vampire requires the roots or branches
of a woody plant and the usual game mechanics (two simple tests after a successful
attack).
"Verdant Haven"
- The healing power hinted at in this Discipline description is available as
an Intermediate ritual to anyone with this level of Green Path mastery.
While in the "Verdant Haven," double all other healing capabilities:
time required to heal naturally is halved; health levels healed by Mana expenditure
or other magical means are doubled.
"Awaken the Forest Giants"
- Animated trees cause Lethal damage because of their great strength. The thaumaturge
can grant a tree "Might" retests by spending an additional Willpower
trait.
Lure of Flame (LotN:R)
Alternate versions of this path are possible (one that creates ice rather than fire, for instance); details should be worked out with the Storyteller. Each version must be learned separately.
Mastery of the Mortal Shell (StG)
"Marionette"
- Characters with Fortitude may attempt a Physical challenge (difficulty of
the thaumaturge's Willpower) each turn to break free.
Movement of the Mind (LotN)
"Manipulate"
- As a rule of opposable thumb, assume that anything that couldn't be done while
wearing thick mittens requires risking the extra trait.
"Flight"
- Lifting someone off the ground does not cause damage, but dropping them might.
[Falling rules from Laws of the Hunt?]
Neptune's Might (GtC)
"Prison of Water"
- "Automatically drown a mortal subject": This means the mortal (or
living immortal) suffers one level of Lethal damage per turn until s/he breaks
free.
"Blood to Water"
- (Rewritten to avoid low-Intermediate-level instant death spells): This power,
if used on blood inside a living or undead subject, causes the blood to be expelled
from the body as water. The process is painful but not automatically fatal to
mortals. The Undead lose blood (Mana) traits as described and suffer penalties
equivalent to being "Wounded" (without actually suffering any health
levels of damage, but cumulative with any actual wound penalties) for 10 minutes
per Mana trait lost. Other creatures suffer one Lethal wound per blood trait
lost and such wound penalties as are appropriate. Note: The thaumaturge may
spend Mental traits up to an amount equal to his dots in Neptune's Might.
Path of Blood (LotN)
This path always requires blood. If the thaumaturge is not a vampire, in addition
to any Mana expenditure the caster will need to bleed out one Blood trait's
worth of blood (causing damage as applicable).
"Blood Rage"
- This power normally has no effect on non-vampires. A Basic ritual exists that
allows use on other creature types (one use per casting of the ritual); the
caster can force the target to spend a Mana trait for healing or to boost Physical
traits OR to bleed out a trait of blood, causing one level of Lethal damage.
"Blood of Potency"
- Substitute "increase Rank" for "lower Generation." Rank
may not be increased above 5.
Path of the Blood's Curse (StG):
This Path always requires vampire blood; thaumaturges without their own internal
supply will have to get some from somewhere and sacrifice a trait of it for
each use (in addition to regular Mana expenditure). If the blood belongs to
the vampire who is being targeted, the thaumaturge gains a free retest against
the target; if the blood belongs to a vampire of the same direct lineage (a
sire, a broodmate, or a childe), the thaumaturge gains a two-trait bonus. Vampire
thaumaturges "upgrade" their benefits to using extra blood from the
target or his "relatives" to "win all ties" and "a
free retest," respectively.
"Treacherous Bonds"
- If this power is used on a regnant, the thaumaturge may spend Willpower traits
(up to 3) to affect additional thralls (one per WP).
Path of Conjuring (LotN)
"Reverse Conjuration"
- Fairies may use this power against chimerical objects created with Chimerstry.
"Power over Life"
- Creatures conjured with this power have Physical traits and Health levels
appropriate to a normal non-supernatural creature of its type, but no Mental
or Social traits.
- Vampires may ghoul these creatures, granting them 4 Mana traits and one level
of a Physical Discipline known to them, but the creatures do not gain an extended
lifespan.
- Conjured simulacra may be possessed by spirits or characters who know appropriate
spells or Disciplines. If the thaumaturge who created the simulacrum is willing,
such possession is automatic; otherwise, the would-be possessor must make a
static challenge targeting the thaumaturge's traits as appropriate (with a two-trait
bonus), although the thaumaturge has no special way of knowing this is happening.
- Conjured simulacra do not need to eat, sleep, or breathe. They do have blood,
but it is not very nourishing for vampires and other such predators; in game
terms, a vampire gains 1 Mana trait for every three traits of blood consumed.
Still, it can be a handy snack for a thaumaturge too busy to hunt.
- It is said that Advanced rituals exist to extend a conjured construct's "lifespan" and to grant it rudimentary Mental and Social traits.
Path of Curses (StG)
"Pariah"
- Auspex cannot see through this power, but characters with bonuses in
resisting emotional control may make a static Willpower challenge (with their
usual bonus) against a difficulty equal to the thaumaturge's permanent Willpower
in order to see the accursed subject as s/he really is. This does not cancel
the power for the accursed or for other observers, however. The thaumaturge
has no mystical way of knowing that someone has seen through the illusion.
"Corrupt Body"
- Targets able to ignore wound penalties do not spend a turn wracked with pain.
Targets with Fortitude gain bonus traits equal to their rating in that
Discipline when defending against this power.
"Fall from Grace"
- The duration of this curse is one hour per Mental trait the thaumaturge spends;
the thaumaturge must also spend a Willpower trait.
Path of Oneiromancy (StG)
"Portents"
- Instead of a Simple test, this power requires a static Mental challenge against
a difficulty of 5 (which may vary at Storyteller whimsy).
"Foresee"
- This power requires a static Mental challenge against a difficulty equal to
the target's Mental traits (even with willing subjects).
"Augury"
- Instead of a Simple test, this power requires a static Mental challenge against
a difficulty of 7 (which may vary at Storyteller whimsy).
Path of Transmutation (StG)
The thaumaturge may make any transformed substance or object revert to normal
at any time before its duration expires by concentrating for one turn while
in sight of it.
"Crystallize the Liquid Form"
- If used to congeal the thaumaturge's blood, his or her last Blood trait cannot
be drunk or spent so long as the power lasts, providing a defense against diablerie.
Path of the Vine of Dionysus (StG)
Fae practicing this path do not lose the permanent Willpower trait.
"Oinos Aimatos"
- Non-vampire practitioners of this Path(*) spend a Mana trait and a Willpower
trait, but do not have to lose a whole trait's worth of blood; just a few drops
suffice.
- (*) I can't bring myself to call them "thyrsi"; maybe someday someone
at White Wolf will look that word up and realize it means a pine-cone-tipped
rod and stop using it to refer to people (vampires, bands of satyrs, whatever).
--I'd be slightly happier about the Greek if this power were called "Oinos
Haimatos."
Spirit Manipulation (GtC)
"Hermetic Sight"
- When used to view spirits on the earthly side of the Gauntlet, it does allow the user to view spirits of the dead (but ghosts are immune to other powers
of this Path). Fairy creatures on earth lacking physical bodies are treated
as "normal" spirits.
Thaumaturgical Countermagic (GtC)
This works at full strength against any Discipline presented in rulebooks as
a path of Thaumaturgy, and with the described penalties against Dark
Thaumaturgy, Necromancy, Assamite and Setite sorcery, Koldun blood magic, mortal sorcery paths, and Sphere magic rotes cast by Liches. It
has no effect on other Disciplines or Sphere magic (even rotes) cast by mortals
or the fae. Thaumaturgical Countermagic cannot be used to nullify itself
or other means of countermagic.
