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Magic

Apprentices

Apprentices are counted as Aspected Magicians, so they get group skills at Magic B/C as other Aspected Magicians. Apprentices have access to Banishing, Binding, Counterspelling, and Ritual spellcasting; their limitation rests in school of magic and spirit types, not skills.

Blood / Insect / Toxic / etc. Magic

The above types of magic, as well as any spells, powers, spirits, metamagics, mentor spirits, etc., tied to them ("Dark Magic" chapter, p.78 Street Grimoire) are not allowed for player use on RunnerHub.

Blood Crystal Qualities

These are not available on RunnerHub.

Corpse Cadavre and Zombies

The Corps Cadavre (Hard Targets 128) and Zombie (Hard Targets 131) rituals, as well as the Zubembie Powder drug used to create Zombies are not allowed for use by player characters on RunnerHub. This ban does not include the Zombie Dust (Chrome Flesh 187) drug, which is not involved in the creation of Zombies and simply makes the creature dosed with the drug a Prepared Vessel for possession/inhabitation over the duration.

Essence Loss and Burning Out

If a character's Magic or Resonance attribute reaches 0, they are permanently burned out. This means that they have lost their magical or technomancer abilities and cannot raise the Magic or Resonance attribute above 0 again (see p.250, SR5 and errata).

During character creation, apply any special attribute points or karma used to raise either of these attributes before applying reductions from Essence loss.

After character creation (i.e. in play), the Karma cost for raising the Magic attribute is based on the attribute’s current rating, after any reductions from Essence loss have been applied.

Focused Awakened

A character may choose one, and only one, of the types of Focused Awakened listed on page 42 of Forbidden Arcana.

Reagent Harvesting

Players may not harvest reagents in downtime. The harvesting of reagents during a run is allowed, using the rules on page 317 of the Core Rulebook, with the grade of reagents determined by the game master.

Saving Power Points

Adepts and Mystic Adepts may choose to leave Power Points acquired after character creation unused, and assign Adept Powers to these points at a later date. The permanent assignment of powers to these Power Points may only be done in downtime.

All Power Points must be used during character creation.

When Alchemy Counts As A Spell

If something refers to the Spellcasting skill specifically, and not Alchemy, then only spells (and not preparations) apply. This applies to "Innate Spell" and "Dedicated Spellcaster".

Drain

Reckless Spellcasting

All Drain modifiers are calculated at the same time. Thus, if casting a Force 2 spell that normally has a Drain value of F-4, the drain is modified to be F-1, or 1, and modified up to the minimum drain value of 2.

Stim Patches

Stim patches do not heal Stun damage. They temporarily remove the damage, so can be used to negate any Stun damage from Drain. However, when the patch wears off, the Stun damage returns plus one additional box of Stun damage. This additional box is counted as Drain damage, and cannot be healed magically

Spells

Fetishes & Limited Spells

These are limited to one spell per fetish. Fetishes can be replaced if lost, at a cost of 2,000 nuyen. Replacement fetishes must also be attuned to their new owner.

Learning Spells

To learn Spells / Preps / Rituals, you must have at least one rank of Spellcasting, Ritual Spell Casting, or Alchemy. Adepts may take rituals with the Adept tag if they have a rank of the linked skill. Anyone may take the Calling ritual if they have at least one rank of Arcana. These must be ranks as an active skill, NOT a knowledge skill.

Mental Manipulation Spells

The target(s) resisting a sustained Mental Manipulation spell do not receive a dice pool penalty equal to the spell’s Force as found on CRB292.

When using a Mental Manipulation spell to force or coerce a target into performing a Notorious act (as defined on CRB368), the GM is free to award the magician the associated Notoriety.

The dice pool penalty for having a target under the effects of a Control Thoughts/Emotions spell on CRB140 should be treated as a bonus.

It is a Simple action to to give a victim of Control Thoughts/Mob Mind a command.

Detecting that a mental manipulation spell has been cast on you relies on the standard rules for perceiving magic (CRB280) and may be supplemented by knowledge skills at GM discretion. More obvious spells (such as Control Actions), and obvious orders (such as "Shoot yourself") may grant a bonus to these tests, or even grant automatic knowledge that one has been affected by mental control, at GM discretion.

Regardless of whether or not a target has noticed a mental control spell cast on them, they may make the roll to break free of mental control as described on CRB292. This roll takes place at the end of each of their passes, and may be made even if the target has no actions left for that pass. They may roll at the end of each of their passes as long as the spell is sustained. Mental manipulation spells which have become permanent are resisted per the text of the spell over time.

Multicasting (Casting Multiple Spells with a Single Action)

See the Multiple Attacks Free Action rules.

Touch Range Combat Spells

Attacks using combat spells with a range of Touch are resolved with a standard (Spellcasting + Magic [Force]) test, opposed either by the target's (Reaction + Intuition) for indirect spells, and Body or Willpower for physical or mana-based direct spells, respectively.

An unarmed attack to touch the target is not necessary. The defender’s roll is treated like a defense against a melee attack. This means that melee specific interrupt actions and similar can be used. Since the spellcasting test represents a touch attack, the attack is still successful when attacker and defender tie on their rolls. However, the attacker does not gain the usual +2 bonus for performing a touch only attack.

Sustaining Spells

Sustaining one or more spells does not make you easier to detect Astrally - whether you are projecting or not.

Specific Spells

Alter Ballistics

Alter Ballistics may be used with weapons firing in Single Shot or Simple-Action Semi Auto.

Astral Message

This spell does not have a range limitation given its specific target requirements; specifically the caster must have experience with the target's astral form or a material link.

Blood to Ichor

Banned.

Confusion/Mass Confusion/Chaos/Chaos World

A character who suffers a dice pool modifier higher than their Willpower due to any of these spells is completely incapacitated.

Detox

The Force of a Detox spell must equal or exceed the base Addiction Rating of a drug to have any effect. A single hit removes all ongoing drug effects on a person, either from active drugs or drug crashes. If Detox is used before a drug’s crash has occurred, any damage that would be inflicted by the crash is suffered immediately. Damage inflicted by drug effects, crashes, or overdoses is unaffected by the spell. Detox has no effect on addiction tests.

False Impression and Manascape

Anyone who would try to observe the Astral Form of these spells must successfully resist them first. Failure to resist the spell’s effect results in the spell’s astral form being hidden from the observer, as if it wasn’t there.

Fling

When using Fling with a throwing weapon that has a defined damage code, treat it as a ranged attack with a throwing weapon. Replace the weapon skill test with a spellcasting test, and use MAG instead of STR for all aspects of the attack.

When using Fling with any other item, roll a spellcasting test against REA + INT. It has a Damage Value equal to Force (unaltered by hits on the Spellcasting test) and 0 AP. The damage is resisted with Body + Armor as normal.

Gravity/Gravity Well

Rather than requiring the target to be held motionless for a full combat turn before they can make their resistance test, the target must be held motionless until the beginning of the caster’s next initiative pass.

Hose and Tsunami

These are available with the stipulation that electronics are generally water-resistant; the anti-machine properties of it only apply if the GM says so. Also, please note that it does not actually do damage; water 'damage' just knocks people down.

Incubus

This spell can be cast on both a single target and on multiple targets. Other people who look at the target(s) and fail to resist the illusion see an idealized version of that person.

Invisibility/Improved Invisibilty

The Invisibility/Improved Invisibility spell can only be cast on a living creature with an aura.

Mind-Link, Mindnet, Mindnet Extended

These spells can only be used on metahumans and metasapients, and can be used to share communication (verbal, text, sensory, emotive, astral).

While it is possible to share sensory information with someone who doesn’t have that sense themselves (e.g. sight with a blind person), they won’t be able to properly comprehend the information. Therefore, it has no mechanical effect.

Multiply Food

Banned.

Negative Health Spells

Health spells with the Negative keyword, such as Inflict Disease or Nauseate, are not limited to the Command alchemical trigger.

Petrify

This spell is opposed by Body + Strength (+ Counterspelling) instead of Body (+ Counterspelling). The Force requirement is unchanged.

Physical Barrier

Replace the last two sentences of the Physical Barrier description (p294 CRB) with... "The barrier can be brought down by physical attacks, but as long as you sustain it will fully regenerate at the beginning of each Combat Turn. If the barrier takes boxes of damage equal to or greater than its Structure, it collapses and the spell ends."

Shape [Material]

When taking this spell, choose Air, Earth, Fire, Water, Metal, Plastic, or Wood as the element. When shaping a material with this spell use the element that is most appropriate for the material being shaped and for composite materials such as a concrete wall with metal rebar use the one that is most appropriate for the majority of the material being shaped. This spell works on non-living matter.

Shapechange/[Critter] Form

When a character is subject to a Shapechange/[Critter] Form spell, their Body and physical Attributes are replaced with that of the chosen Critter, and the effects of any implants or racial powers cease to function for the duration.

When used offensively (with the Taboo Transformer quality), these spells are opposed by the target's Body + Strength (+ Counterspelling), instead of just Body (+ Counterspelling). The Force requirement is unchanged.

Spellblades

Manablade is not allowed for use on RunnerHub.

Powerblade is a Sustained Combat spell which does not utilize any existing rules or tags specific to Combat spells. Instead, it creates a melee weapon with DV and Accuracy equaling Force, AP equal to -(hits), and a Reach of 1. The weapon is created in the hands of the caster, requiring at least one hand (or other prehensile appendage) free, and exists only on the physical plane. The Astral Form of the spell exists on the astral plane as normal, but cannot be used as a weapon. The weapon lasts for as long as the spell is sustained, and cannot be removed from the wielder's grip. The melee weapon can be used with either the Blades or Clubs skill, and is capable of utilizing any techniques, actions, or effects that are usable with either Blades or Clubs.

This spell can also be made into an alchemical preparation, in which case the melee weapon is created with the lynchpin as the handle. The spell ends and the weapon disappears when the wielder's grip on the lynchpin is lost or the lynchpin is transferred to another individual, as well as under any other circumstances where a sustained spell from a lynchpin would be lost. Preparations of this spell may only be used by the caster, and if activated outside of the caster's grasp the preparation is wasted. It otherwise behaves as the regular spell.

Turn to Goo

This spell is opposed by Body + Strength (+ Counterspelling) instead of Body (+ Counterspelling). The Force requirement is unchanged.

Counterspelling

Spell Defense may be applied to offensive magical power used by a spirit (but not other types of critters) that require an action on the part of the critter and for which there is a defense test.

Rituals

Attune Animal

The magical nature of the connection formed by this ritual allows characters to bypass needing Tricks for simple commands - as per the rules on Sense Link found in Street Grimoire pg 198 (SG198). Animal Familiars and Attuned Animals are not immune to the Animal Control power. At GMs discretion, they may make it an opposed test following the rules of Sense Link commands: An Intuition + Charisma Test, opposed by the critter’s Willpower + Intuition, may be used to persuade the critter to obey.

Curse

A Curse ritual ends if any of the participants stop sustaining the ritual.

Homunculi

Homunculi have the Dual Natured power. Homunculi have an Astral Combat damage of 1, like Watchers, and 0 Charisma.

Imbue

Adepts may learn “Imbue” through the “Adept” tag rules. Everyone else must learn it via initiating into “Advanced Ritual Spellcasting”, and uses normal “Ritual Spellcasting” rules with it.

Inanimate Vessel Preparation

This ritual does not require the Channeling metamagic.

Living Vessel Preparation

This ritual does not require the Channeling metamagic.

Ritual Formula Cost

Since the official material doesn't list availability and price for Ritual Formulae, treat their Availability as 6R and price as 1500¥ until official values are released. This applies to formulae for all rituals, regardless of their type.

Necro Summoning

This ritual takes a number of hours equal to its Force to complete. These rituals are exclusive to practitioners of the Necro Magic tradition and are rendered unusable if the magician undergoes a Paradigm Shift.

Spirits

General

Spirits share a specific link with their summoner and will not accept requests from other people unless specifically ordered by the summoner, which uses up a service.

If so ordered, a spirit will follow the original instructions of the summoner, which does not necessarily mean it will obey specific commands from the person it was ordered to assist. Commanding a spirit, or group of spirits, is a Simple Action.

Long-Term Binding and Fettering are not allowed for use by player characters.

Unconscious Summoners

When a summoner is rendered unconscious (but not asleep):

• Unbound spirits perform their currently issued action and then loiter near the summoner in the astral until sunrise/set.
• Bound spirits perform their currently issued action and then loiter near the summoner in the astral until they awaken or die.
• A GM may request a Test the Leash from a bound spirit if the summoner is unconscious and it would be appropriate given the summoner's actions and astral reputation.

Aid Actions

A character can only benefit from a single Aid Alchemy, Sorcery, or Study service on a single magical action.

Spirit Categories

Ignore the sentence on SG41 stating that assigning tasks to a spirit which are outside their area of specialization for the summoner's tradition will fail. These categories do not limit the ability of spirits to use their own inherent powers. The restrictions detailed on CRB302 under Aid Alchemy, Sorcery, and Study remain in force.

Necro Spirits

Necro Spirits are not subject to service rules (unless conjured with the Reckless Necro Summoning Metamagic), and cannot perform Bound Spirit Services. Because they are not subject to service rules, they are also not subject to service quantity limits, or the Remote Service departure clause (CRB 302).

The Reckless Necro Conjuring metamagic allows Necro Mages to summon Necro Spirits using the normal rules for summoning spirits, where they would be bound by services owed and subject to the same rules, with the additional caveats listed in the text for the metamagic.

Spirits summoned by the Necro Summoning ritual have a Spirit-Summoner link, and may be banished similarly to an Unbound Spirit. Necro Spirits oppose the banishing test with their Force, and every net hit on the Banishing test reduces the number of net hits on the sealing step of the Necro Summoning ritual by one, shortening the duration of service for the Necro Spirit. If the remaining duration of the Spirit’s service is reduced to 0, the spirit departs.

Necro spirits count as their associated spirit (corpse spirits count as spirits of man etc) for the purpose of qualifying for initiations such as necromancy (which requires being able to summon spirits of man).

Elemental Attack and Energy Aura Damage Type

For spirits with the Elemental Attack or Energy Aura powers, the summoner can choose which elemental damage effect these powers have at the time of summoning. If the spirit has both the Elemental Attack and Energy Aura powers, the chosen elemental damage effect must be the same for both powers.

While it is possible to summon a spirit with an Elemental Attack or Energy Aura that's opposed to its own element (e.g. a spirit of water with a fire elemental attack), this can result in a very unhappy spirit. Individual GMs are encouraged to determine if and how this discontent is expressed.

Energy Aura (Radiation)

Energy Aura (Radiation) also does MAG Radiation damage as a normal Energy Aura.

Possession Spirits

A possessed (or channeling) magician may not project out of their body until the spirit stops using them as a vessel.

Spirits with the Possession power summoned by a magician may not possess a Sapient Living Vessel unless it is a Prepared Vessel, or the target is willing.

Hermetic Elementals

Hermetic Elementals are loyal to a fault and do not to take their summoner's Astral Reputation into account when being Summoned, Bound, Banished, or engaged in Social Tests.

Ally Spirits

Inhabitation Spirits

For these kinds of spirit, the Essence of the spirit and the vessel are separate. The spirit’s Essence and magical abilities are not diminished by any cyberware the vessel possesses. However, the vessel’s Essence must remain above 0, and the vessel must follow the regular rules for metahuman Essence. Player Ally Spirits may not be Inhabitation Spirits.

Aid Alchemy

Ally Spirits may perform the Aid Alchemy service just as they perform Aid Sorcery/Study - they are considered valid spirits for every spell category.

Testing the Leash

On the first action per service, a spirit may Test the Leash. It can continue to attempt to gain its freedom as long as it meets the criteria to Test the Leash and wins the opposed check against the summoner. If either criterion is not met, the spirit will not Test the Leash for the remainder of the service.

Ally Spirits do not Test the Leash.

Wild/Spirit Index/Reputation

Wild Index/Reputation, as well as Spirit Index/Astral Reputation (Street Grimoire), is in effect. Please ensure this is tracked on applicable character sheets.

Dedicated Conjuror/Chainbreaker

The new spirit types earned from Chainbreaker/Dedicated Conjurer are limited to summoning only those spirits that are available to traditions that players are allowed to take.

Spirit & Critter Powers

Endowment

Endowment cannot grant Possession, Materialization, or Great Form powers.

Energy Aura

Multiple instances of the Energy Aura power on a critter only provide extra elemental effects, and do not increase the Damage/AP granted.

Elemental Aura and Engulf Damage do not stack. A creature Engulfed does not take Elemental Aura damage and only takes Engulf Damage.

Engulf

When a Guidance or Plant spirit uses the engulf power apply the following effects:

Guidance: The victim is wracked by nightmares, visions, and madness, suffering Stun damage. The damage is resisted with Willpower + Charisma instead of Body, and armor is ignored.

Plant: The victim is entwined in vines, branches, or thorns, suffering Stun damage.

Furthermore, the secondary effects listed in the Engulf power are only available to spirits of the corresponding elements (fire to fire spirits and so on).

Immunity

This power works exactly as Hardened Armor against the specified type of damage. Therefore, add the emphasized parts to the below excerpt from the description of the Immunity power:

Immunity to Normal Weapons only acts as Armor (not Hardened Armor) against melee attacks, whether armed or unarmed.

Natural Weapon (Beast Spirits)

The natural weapon power listed for Beast Spirits has DV of F+4, AP -.

Skill Power

When Channeling, the Skill power has the Sustained duration when borrowing the power for a service.

Adept Powers

Characters may take adept powers with multiple options, such as Improved Physical Attribute, multiple times for different selections, unless explicitly disallowed.

Adept Accident

This power can only be used on living things with an astral presence. This power is treated as a critter power, so Counterspelling is not effective as a defense against the power. The power itself cannot be noticed since it is not spellcasting, though the adept touching the intended target may very well be noticeable.

Body Sculpt

Each change takes ten minutes to complete.

Elemental Strike

Elemental Strike adds the chosen elemental effect (cold, electricity, fire, etc.) to the character’s Unarmed Attack. It does not increase the Damage Value of the attack.

Elemental Weapon

Elemental Weapon adds the chosen elemental effect (cold, electricity, fire, etc.) to attacks with the character’s weapon focus. It does not increase the Damage Value of the attack.

Focused Archery

This power only applies drain once per turn regardless of how many times you fire a bow during that combat turn.

Improved Sense

This adept power cannot be used with variable rating sensory enhancements.

Kiai

Activating this power requires a Simple Action and does not affect the adept using it. This power is treated as a critter power, so counterspelling is not effective as a defense against the power.

Using Kiai is obvious, and very likely to be noticed.

Kinesics

Adepts with this power may chose for it to not apply to resisting Assensing tests. This must be done before any defense test is rolled. The GM may decide that Kinesics affects other attempts to judge the character's truthfulness (e.g. using the Analyze Truth spell), and how it affects them.

Magic Sense

To use this power the adept must first make a (Perception + Magic [Mental]) test. The threshold for this test is half the Force of whatever the adept is trying to detect, rounded up.

The adept can use this power to detect the presence of foci (active and inactive), spells, wards, magical lodges, alchemical preparations, active rituals and spirits within range, but not awakened characters, critters, astral signatures, previously expired or triggered alchemical preparations, or the effects of permanent spells once they have become permanent.

Melanin Control

This power also affords adepts the ability to control the color of their iris (but not retina).

Mimic

The adept must spend 1 second in physical contact with the target, with each second increasing the quality of the copy.

The copies of the prints last for Adept's MAG hours.

Missile Mastery

Missile Mastery uses Throwing Knife ranges when used with Improvised Throwing Weapons.

Mystic Aptitude

Power foci do now increase your Magic rating for the purposes of this power, nor does worn Grey Mana negatively effect it.

Nerve Strike

This power may only be used with an Unarmed Combat attack. It does not function with a melee weapon of any sort, including those that use the Unarmed Combat skill.

Nimble Fingers

Nimble Fingers may also apply to nocking arrows. The Reload Firearm Complex Action is also reduced to a Simple Action with the power.

Osmosis

The adept must spend 1 second in physical contact with the target, with each second increasing the quality of the copy.

The replication lasts for Adept's MAG hours before the adept's body reverts back to its natural patterns.

Rapid Draw

Rapid Draw may only be used to make attacks during the character's action phase.

State of Purity

Magician's Way does not reduce the cost of this power.

While using the "State of Purity" adept power you may receive other bonuses to your unarmed DV.

You may consider the section of that quality which reads: "but no additional DV may be added" to be removed on the Hub.

Supernatural Prowess

Power foci do now increase your Magic rating for the purposes of this power, nor does worn Grey Mana negatively effect it.

Foci

Addiction

A test for Foci Addiction, using the Drug and Addictive Substances rules, occurs whenever a focus is activated which causes the summed Force of active foci to exceed a character's Magic, even if this summed Force already exceeds the Magic rating.

Focus Addition is always Psychological in nature.

Crafting Foci

In the process of making a focus, the final force of the focus can not exceed the formula used to craft it, regardless of limit modifications.

Power Foci

Power Foci add their Rating as a dice pool bonus to all tests that include the Magic attribute. They do not increase the Magic rating for other purposes, such as maximum spell Force, determining Drain type (Stun or Physical), etc.

Tattoo Foci

Any focus may be bought as a tattoo, using the normal focus costs. However, these foci are permanent magical markings on the character’s body that cannot be hidden. They may be turned off, but still appear in the Astral plane as magical foci. As a result, they can make the owner very conspicuous, since the foci cannot just be left at home or locked up when the owner needs to be inconspicuous.

Upgrading Foci

Foci can be upgraded to a higher Force. Doing so requires success on a regular Availability roll for the focus at the new Force, then a payment of the price difference between the old and new Force, and a payment of the difference in Karma between the costs of bonding the focus at the old and new Force.

The delivery time for the new focus is the same as if buying a new focus at the same Force, and the time to re-bind the upgraded focus is equal to the new Force of the focus in hours.

Weapon Foci

Cyberimplant Weapon Foci are allowed, but may not be upgraded using the Foci or Cyberware upgrade rules, they must be replaced and re-bound outright. When selling a previously implanted weapon focus, the item must be fenced, with the base price determined by the combined cost of the cyberware, calculated as used, and the focus. They are hidden from visual detection like regular implant weaponry, but are still obvious to astral perception without the use of Masking. Bio-Weaponry cannot be made into weapon foci.

Background Counts (BGC)

RunnerHub does not use Street Grimoire's rules for when environmental background counts are present, or how strong they would be. This is left to GMs to implement on their runs as appropriate. All other rules regarding background counts from the official material are used as written.

Background counts impose a negative dice pool penalty on any action made while dual natured or purely astral, or on any test made using magic(such as tests affected by magical buffs, tests using magical powers, or tests using Magical Active skills other than Arcana)

Mentor Spirits

Capricorn

Capricorn climbs the mountain and defies the abyss. A master of decision and steadfastness. There is no time to delay decisions.

• All - +2 dice pool modifier when using the Gymnastics skill
• Mages - +2 dice pool modifier when summoning earth spirits.
• Adept - 2 Levels of Hang Time.
• DISADVANTAGE - If a decision making process seems too convoluted or starts taking too long, succeed Composure (3) or immediately begin to set out and enact the solution you think to be best at the time.

Similar archetypes: Determination, Aries

Death

Plague Cloud is not an option for Adepts.

Dolphin

The -2 penalty applies to tests involving Magic (much like a background count). Atonement for Dolphin requires a donation of time (karma) or money (nuyen) of around 5 GMP (GMs may increase or decrease this according to the severity of the transgression).

Eurasian Jay

Banned.

Fox

Smart, cocky and deceptive, making fun of dumber people and taunting them.

• General: +2 dice pool modifier for tests using the Perception skill
• Mages: +2 dice pool modifier when casting Illusion spells, rituals, and preparations
• Adepts: 2 levels of combat sense for free
• DISADVANTAGE - If Fox fights, it's to kill. A follower this mentor spirit must make a Willpower + Intuition (3) test to stop from killing a defeated foe

Similar archetypes: Odysseus, Robin Hood

Heinzelmännchen

A race of tiny creatures connected to a tale about the city of Cologne, in the Rhein-Ruhr-Megaplex. They are a friend of humans and help them in their every-day labor, day or night, working diligently at all times. Computers are weird to them, however.

• General - +1 dice pool modifier for all tests using the Artisan skill and the Engineering skill group
• Mages - +2 dice pool modifier to Manipulation Spells, Rituals, and Preparations.
• Adepts - 1 Level Improved Skill for artisan or any skill in the engineering group.
• DISADVANTAGE - Heinzelmännchen prefer to do their business unseen. If you want to do magic in public or under close scrutiny, you must succeed Composure (3). Otherwise, your magic fails you for the moment.

Similar archetypes: House Spirit, Helping Hand

Holy Text

Banned.

Horse

Horse's metamagic can be selected for an initiation reward, like any other metamagic.

Groundhog

Groundhogs understand the importance of familial and friendly ties and believe in strength in numbers. Not fighters by nature, they are constantly on the lookout for danger and escape routes.

• All - +1 dice pool modifier when using the Etiquette and Perception skills
• Mages - +2 dice pool modifier when casting Detection Spells, Rituals and Preparations
• Adepts - 2 Levels of Attribute Boost (Reaction) or 1 Level of Motion Sense (pick one)
• DISADVANTAGE - Whenever in combat, whether planned or not, succeed Composure (3) or immediately flee combat.

Similar archetypes: Prairie Dog

Pig

The pig is seen as a hedonist amongst mentor spirits, being sociable and fun-loving. From their rather big stature it is apparent that they avoid stress and generally calm, rather enjoying the nicer things in life.

• All - +2 dice pool modifier when using the Con skill
• Mages - +2 dice pool modifier when casting Manipulation Spells, Rituals and Preparations
• Adepts - 1 Level of Improved Skill for any one skill in the Acting or Influence group.
• DISADVANTAGE - Succeed Composure (3) to be able to pull away from an enjoyable activity such as food, sleep, drink or drugs.

Similar archetypes: Connoisseur, Bacchus

Planar Entity

Banned.

Raven

Adept Power bonus is a choice between Traceless Walk or 1 Level of Voice Control

Seal

Seals are driven by yearning and curiosity, explorers by heart. Often seen as a symbol of introspection. Likes humans and being close to them.

• All - +2 dice pool modifier to Judge Intentions tests.
• Mages - +2 dice pool modifier when summoning water spirits or +2 dice pool modifier when casting Illusion Spells, Rituals and Preparations (pick one)
• Adepts - Free Astral Perception.
• DISADVANTAGE - Has problems judging what is socially acceptable to talk about, or respecting private boundaries. Whenever you are witness to deep emotions of another being, succeed Composure (3) to stay discreet. Glitches on social tests are always automatically critical glitches.

Similar archetypes: Mirror Worlds, Nymph

Spider

Adepts only get 1 rank of Spirit Claw.

Squirrel

Good climbers, vulnerable on the floor, love elevated positions.

• General - +2 dice pool modifier for tests using the Gymnastics skill
• Mages - +2 dice pool modifier when casting Detection spells, rituals, and preparations
• Adept - 2 levels Light Body
• DISADVANTAGE - When a follower of squirrels is in a confined space, they must succeed on a Willpower + Charisma (3) test or take a -1 dice pool penalty on all tests while feeling cramped.

Similar Archetypes: Ratatosk, Whirlwind

Tatzelwurm

The Tatzelwurm mentor spirit from the German translation of Street Grimoire is allowed for use on the RunnerHub.

Magicians who follow Tatzelwurm are short-tempered, impatient and think of violence in many cases the right solution. Followers of Tatzelwurm often live alone and withdrawn near mountains or underground, where they feel more comfortable than anywhere else.

• Magicians who follow Tatzelwurm gain +2 dice when summoning spirits of earth.
• Adepts who follow Tatzelwurm gain Critical Strike for free.
• All who follow Tatzelwurm gain +2 dice for unarmed combat.
• The disadvantage for following Tatzelwurm is: you gain the Combat Junkie negative quality without gaining any karma bonus for it

Tides

The tides are a continuous force, in constant change, steadfast and persistent.

• General +2 dice pool modifier to tests using the Ritual Spellcasting skill
• Mages - +2 dice pool modifier to summoning water or earth spirits. Which changes every six hours with the tidal rhythm.
• Adepts - 2 Levels of Heightened Concentration.
• DISADVANTAGE - Should your natural rhythm be interrupted, for example due to lack of sleep, illness or similar, suffer −1 dice pool modifier to all tests until the rhythm has been reinstated.

Similar archetypes: Change. Glacier

Tohu Wa-Bohu

This mentor spirit is not allowed for use by player characters on RunnerHub.

Whale

Atonement for Whale requires a donation of time (karma) or money (nuyen) of around 5 GMP (GMs may increase or decrease this according to the severity of the transgression). Characters which need to make atonement to Whale cannot raise their Magic until they atone.

Wild Hunt

An old legend of the Wild Hunt tells of a wild, mounted hunting society of spirits who in life were sinners and blasphemers. Now they do penance by striking down the enemies of the gods. The Wild Hunt is a dark mentor spirit; only its self-conception of an executioner of higher powers separates it from (toxic) concepts like vengeance or destruction. Often seen in members of biker gangs.

• All - +2 dice pool modifier when using Pilot Ground Craft or Intimidate skills (pick one)
• Mages - +2 dice pool modifier when summoning Guardian or Man Spirits
• Adepts - Free Berserker power.
• DISADVANTAGE - A follower of the Wild Hunt does not care for any casualties that arise from carelessness on the hunt. If they want to be actively mindful and careful of third party bystanders, they need to succeed Composure (3) or they suffer a −2 to all tests for the remainder of the scene.

Similar archetypes: Valkyrie, White Horseman

Initiation

The Karma cost to initiate is (10 + (New Grade x 3)). This cost cannot be reduced by ordeals, solo initiation runs or similar.

The test to initiate is an extended (Arcana+Intuition [Astral]) (New Initiate Grade, 30 days) test. The new Initiate grade is gained once the total time for the test has passed. This time can be interrupted (e.g. by runs), and during this time the character may concurrently advance contacts, await delivery of an item, or perform similar advancements that require time.

Alternatively, the character can bypass this test by going on a solo Initiation run. In this case, the character gains the new Initiate Grade upon successful completion of the run. The character then must wait 30 days to Initiate again. Mechanics aside, solo Initiation runs are also a great way to do some character development.

Schools of Magic

Magicians and mystic adepts can Initiate into a school of magic, allowing them to obtain its special rituals, metamagics and enchantments. Initiating into a school, unsurprisingly, requires the magician to dedicate an Initiation to the chosen school. For most schools, this means picking the prerequisite metamagic for that school as the metamagic for that initiation. Characters can then gain further metamagics within that school on subsequent initiations.

Some arts such as Geomancy and Necromancy have no metamagics. When initiating into those arts, a character may take a metamagic from a different art providing they have previously initiated into the art in question.

Arts such as Advanced Alchemy, Advanced Ritual Spellcasting and Advanced Spellcasting list several metamagics with no prerequisite metamagic. In these cases, the character initiates into the school by choosing any of the metamagics within that school for their initiation.

A character that Initiates into the Divination school may take the Danger Sense metamagic, provided they pay the additional 5 Karma to pick up the Augury and Sortilege Rituals.

Adept Ways

Physical Adepts(non Mystic Adepts) must follow an Adept way to purchase metamagics, rituals and enhancements. However, adepts can always choose metamagics, rituals and enhancements from the Undecided Way, even if they are already following another way or not following any Way at all.

Adept Ways cost 20 karma postgen. This is retroactive - anyone who purchased an Adept Way for 40 Karma before 28 June 2017 is entitled to a refund of 20 karma.

The Beast's Way

Adepts following The Beast's Way gain the benefits and drawbacks of following an animal totem. This effectively means they receive the Mentor Spirit quality for free (i.e. at no additional Karma cost) when purchasing the Beast's Way quality. As such, followers of The Beast's Way can't take a separate Mentor Spirit outside of the one provided by the quality itself. Mystic adepts must pick either the listed Magician or Adept advantage as usual.

The Street Grimoire Errata Sheet takes precedence over the Second Printing; Beast’s Way does not allow the adept to discount a power not listed in its text.

The chosen Mentor Spirit must be an animal totem (e.g. Bear, Cat, Rat, etc.) and will have to be approved by either CCD (during character creation) or TD (after character creation).

If a character is purchasing The Beast's Way and already has a fitting mentor spirit, the Karma cost of the way is discounted by the cost of the Mentor Spirit quality (i.e. down to 15 Karma).

If a character wants to purchase The Beast's Way and already has a non-animal Mentor Spirit, they first need to remove the old mentor spirit as if it were a Negative quality, as outlined in the description of the Mentor Spirit quality.

The Spiritual Way

Adepts following The Spiritual Way gain the benefits and drawbacks of following a spiritual mentor spirit. This effectively means they receive the Mentor Spirit quality for free (i.e. at no additional Karma cost) when purchasing the Spiritual Way quality. As such, followers of The Spiritual Way can't take a separate mentor spirit outside of the one provided by the quality itself. Mystic adepts must pick either the listed Magician or Adept advantage as usual.

The chosen Mentor Spirit must be of spiritual nature (e.g. Dragonslayer, Fire-Bringer, Mountain, etc.) and will have to be approved by either CCD (during character creation) or TD (after character creation).

If a character is purchasing The Spiritual Way and already has a fitting Mentor Spirit, the Karma cost of the way is discounted by the cost of the Mentor Spirit quality (i.e. down to 15 Karma)

If a character wants to purchase The Spiritual Way and already has a non-spiritual Mentor Spirit, they first need to remove the old Mentor Spirit as if it were a Negative quality, as outlined in the description of the Mentor Spirit quality.

Metamagics

Advanced Alchemy

Fixation is not a prerequisite to take the Advanced Alchemy metamagic.

Astral Bluff

Astral Bluff is treated as a metamagic, and as such can be acquired through Initiation.

Channeling

Replacement of Mental Attributes while channeling is capped to the Magician's original Augmented Maximum, and Special Attributes are unaffected. If the character cedes control of their body to the spirit as a service, the spirit's Mental and Special attributes are used as normal.

As an example, a summoner with 6 Magic and 5 Logic channeling a Force 10 spirit will have 6 Magic, and 9 Logic while in control of their body. If the character cedes control as a service, the spirit's 10 Magic and 10 Logic will be used. If the same character channeled a Force 8 spirit, they would still have 6 Magic, and only 8 Logic.

Exorcism

The exorcism metamagic does not provide a general bonus of Willpower to all banishing tests. It does allow the magician to use a Banishing skill test (Banishing + Magic) for Exorcism in lieu of Charisma + Willpower, and add their Willpower to that Banishing test.

Flexible Signature

The reference in Flexible Signature to changing the appearance of your Aura on page 325 of the core rulebook (pg 325 CRB) should refer to your Astral Signature. This metamagic has no impact on the appearance of the initiate's Aura or Astral Form.

Harmonious Defense/Reflection

Banned.

Infusion

The damage inflicted by this metamagic is unresisted stun damage, not drain.

Noble Sacrifice

Banned.

Paradigm Shift

Characters who take the Paradigm Shift metamagic no longer benefit from their current Lodge, and their reagents will be out-of-tradition and unusable. Fetishes, Learned Spell Formulae, Foci, Bound Spirits (including Ally Spirits) and other magical equipment will remain usable.

Qi Sculpt

The damage inflicted by this metamagic is unresisted stun damage, not drain.

Quickening

Quickening a spell requires rolling for the effects. If this is done during downtime, Edge may not be spent.

Spirit Expansion - Shedim

Banned.

Astral Projection

As per the rules on astral projection, anything done to an astrally projecting mage's body also applies to the spirit. This includes health spells, damage/death, drugs, augmentations, etc.

Astral Combat

Against wholly astral entities (e.g. non-materialized spirits or projecting magicians), characters attack with the Astral Combat skill and their Mental Attributes as per the "Astral Combat" rules on CRB315, regardless of if they are unarmed or using a weapon focus.

The only exceptions are characters that have the Natural Weapon (Melee) Critter Power and are dual-natured, or adepts with the Killing Hands Adept Power. In both of those cases, the character uses the Unarmed Combat skill and their Physical Attributes for their attack rolls and damage calculations.

Be aware that in astral combat, characters soak damage with Willpower instead of Body. The only forms of armor that apply in astral combat are the Mystic Armor Adept Power and the Astral Armor spell.

Astral combat follows the procedures for Combat Resolution on p. 172-173, SR5, with the noted substitutions (e.g. Logic + Intuition instead of Reaction + Intuition to dodge). The only modifiers that apply to astral combat are those that would apply to all tests (such as Wound Modifiers), those that would apply to magic in particular (such as Background Counts), Running Modifiers (per CRB 314), and Reach (such as from weapon foci, or the Spirit Ram power).

Dodge uses Gymnastics, blocking uses Astral Combat, Full Defense uses Willpower, qualities that substitute other things for Willpower work as normal with the exception of Agile Defender which substitutes Logic because it is a character’s Agility in the Astral plane.

Adept powers are generally physical in nature and do not apply to astral combat unless otherwise specified (e.g. Killing Hands, Mystic Armor, Cloak). When using Killing Hands against astral entities, the adept uses Unarmed Combat instead of Astral Combat, Physical limit instead of Astral limit, and Strength instead of Charisma for their Astral Combat DV.

Martial arts do not apply in Astral Combat per the sidebar on p.140 on Run & Gun. In fact, they may not even apply to spirits that have manifested, depending on how they manifest! No single martial art style deals directly with fighting spirits, except Neijia, which is always effective.

Spirits soak damage in astral combat, and from Neijia, with Willpower x 1 (which in all cases is Force), not Force x 2.

For physical combat, the Materialization power gives spirits immunity to normal weapons, which means they have Hardened Armor equal to (Force x 2) against attacks that are not somehow magical or composed of their 'allergy' (such as a fire spirit's allergy to water), which means they ignore attacks where [(Base DV + net hits) < Force x 2 – AP], and they get (Force) automatic hits on the soak roll even if it does exceed their hardened armor rating – but only against physical attacks while materialized.

SURGE Quality Natural Weapons

Weapons gained from SURGE qualities (such as fangs or claws) count as natural weapons and may be used in astral combat as such.

Traditions

Armanen

Banned.

Black Magic (Alt)

Banned.

Buddhist (Alt)

Banned.

Christian Theurgy (Vigilia Evangelica)

Banned.

Christian Theurgy (Westphalian Theurgists)

Banned.

Cosmic

Cosmic mages may take the Oracle mentor spirit as a stand in for Star.

Dianism

Banned.

Draconic

Banned.

Elder God

Banned.

Frisian Magic

The tradition from the German 5th edition book State of the Art: ADL is legal for use on the Hub.

Islamic Alchemist

Islamic Alchemists are not required to take Quickening and Anchoring. They must still take Fixation and then Advanced Alchemy as their first two metamagics. All other requirements and restrictions remain unchanged.

Islamic (Licit Qur’anic Mage)

Banned.

Missionist

The Grade 3 Initiation is not required.

Necromantic

Due to their complexity, major mechanical differences from other magical traditions, and thematic oddities, characters who take the Necromantic Magic tradition are counted as Special Characters.

For more on Special Characters, please see the section regarding them in the Chargen Rules.

Norse (Alt)

If a character chooses the Norse Godi / Runemaster optional rule (FA 68), they receive the Durable Preparations quality for free. This does not stack with any other source of Durable Preparations.

Path of Pariah

The Drain stat for this tradition is [Logic + Willpower]. At Initiate Grade 2, the Reflection must be taken.

Planar

• The PC must have a Mentor Spirit to be part of the Planar Magic Tradition.
• The PC must have a 1/6 contact representing the Mentor Spirit to be part of the Planar Magic Tradition. This contact cannot be upgraded.
• The Planar Entity Mentor Spirit Mechanics are not in use. The PC must choose a legal, non-Planar Entity mentor spirit as their mentor, which they can reflavor as a Planar Entity while leaving the mechanics unchanged.
• The PC is not required to take a Spirit Pact; taking one is thematic and recommended.
• Planar mages do not use the special initiation rules specified in their tradition. They initiate as normal mages.

Roma and Street Nomads

The tradition from the German 5th edition book State of the Art: ADL is legal for use on the Hub.

Romani

Banned.

Svetovid/Svetoid/Svetoism

The tradition from the German 5th edition book State of the Art: ADL is legal for use on the Hub.

Traditional/Hedge Witchcraft

The Traditional/Hedge Witchcraft tradition from the 4th edition book Street Magic is legal on the hub.

Troll Shamanism

The tradition from the German 5th edition book State of the Art: ADL is legal for use on the Hub.

Temporary Lodges

The time required to construct a temporary lodge is (Force x 10 minutes)

Misc. Magic Rules

Mystic Adepts do not get Astral Perception for free as noted in the Forbidden Arcana rulebook. This is an official CGL typo.

Mystic Adepts may choose which magical skill group (Conjuring, Enchanting, or Sorcery) to lose at gen, and must mark which one in their post to /r/hubchargen.

Numinous Perception’s range is ultimately GM fiat. The only information anyone passing it gets is "magic of some sort happened nearby". This can include, but not be limited to: Spirits doing things, a spell being cast, Adept with Mentor’s Mask using an active power, or a ritual being performed.

Dispelling is a complex action.

When moving sustained AoE spells, the spell vanishes from it's origin point and reappears at it's destination. Spells may not be moved to a location that would cause an Astral Intersection.

Activating Alchemical Preparations

• A Mage may activate 1 Command Prep per Initiative Pass, as a Simple Action.
• Anyone may activate a single Touch Prep (that is easily accessible) Intentionally as a Simple Action.
• Anyone may activate multiple Touch Preps (that are easily accessible) Intentionally as a Complex Action.
• Activating a Touch Prep unintentionally (such as getting hit with a knife that is a fireball prep) is automatic, but limited to once per attack roll.

Optional Rules

Hybrid Traditions

Banned.

Mentor's Mask

If taken by a Mystic Adept, the character receives the benefit according to the choice made when they took the Mentor Spirit quality, and the corresponding downside, per Errata.

As per Errata, the use of Adept powers only triggers the mask for active powers, not passive powers. Additionally, anyone that could detect the Adept still needs to pass the Numinous Perception test, and the Adept’s sneak test, if they are sneaking. These conditions also apply to Mages using magic.

Remember that this is a one-way door. A character can choose to accept the mask but cannot take it off once it is put on.