Wielders of arcane magic who bend reality to their will. Mages sacrifice physical resilience for raw magical power. Also known as Maegester, they have few combat abilities, but access to a large pool of powerful spells.
Hit Die
D4 (lowest - mages are fragile!)Class Features
Arcane Spellcasting
Mages have spells instead of class skills. They use MAG for spellcasting.Each time a Mage levels up, they choose two new known spells. They may also find, learn, or otherwise acquire up to two additional known spells per level, to a normal maximum of four known spells gained per level. The Spell Repertoire ability can increase this maximum.
Mages may choose any spells of their level or lower. They may learn higher-level spells if they have seen the spell, but they can only load spells of their current level or lower into a Matrix. Casting a higher-level spell applies a penalty to MAG and awry checks equal to the difference between the spell level and the Mage's current level.
| Spell Source | Known Spell Limit | Notes |
| Level up | 2 spells each level | Chosen from Mage spells of current level or lower |
| Additional learning | Up to 2 more spells each level | Found, taught, observed, researched, or otherwise acquired |
| Spell Repertoire | Increases the limit | See the ability for its rank effects |
Spellbooks and Scrolls
In addition to known spells, a Mage may carry a spellbook. A Mage may cast a spell from an open spellbook as though it were not in a Matrix, provided they can read the spell. Casting directly from a scroll destroys the scroll.Enscribing a spell in a spellbook is a ritual that takes 1 hour per spell level.
A Mage may invent their own spells. The spell description should be complete and given to the GM for approval, along with one comparable spell of a lower level and one comparable spell of a higher level. The GM may suggest alterations and has final arbitration over whether the spell is acceptable.
Casting Without a Matrix
Casting spells is exhausting. Each round spent casting a spell costs strain as though the Mage were fighting for their life.Spells outside a Matrix require a MAG check and require gesturing and chanting. If the MAG check fails, the Mage may either take 1 HP damage to complete the spell, or let the spell fail with no effect and take no damage.
If the Mage rolls a 1 on this MAG check, the spell risks going awry whether the spell is released or not. Make another MAG check. If this second check fails, the Mage suffers a mishap using the failed check result or a D6 result, whichever is higher, advancing through the Seasons of Magic table.
Armour increases the chance of spell awry. Heavier armour can make spells go awry on a 2, 3, or higher, depending on the armour type. A spell can be successfully cast and still go awry.
Matrixes
Matrixes increase the stability and power of spells. Different Matrix abilities can hold different numbers of spells and apply different effects to the spells stored within them.Once a spell is in a Matrix, it can be cast without a MAG check. Whatever spells are placed in a Matrix take effect at that Matrix's power level. Safe casting comes from the Matrix; additional damage steps or other benefits depend on the specific Matrix rank.
Matrixes are Mage-only abilities. A Matrix can hold a number of spells equal to its rank. A spell can only be in one Matrix at a time. If a spell is in a Contingency Matrix or Permanency Matrix, it cannot be used elsewhere until removed from that Matrix.
Changing spells into Matrixes requires a MAG check as though casting the spell. On success, the Mage gains 1 fatigue level. On failure, it costs a round of strain as though casting normally in combat. The Matrix Master ability can help mitigate these drawbacks.
A Mage may dissolve one Matrix at any time as a partial move action (5'/1), removing any spell from that Matrix.
Some spells are restricted to specific Matrix types. For example, ritual-only spells cannot be successfully cast from another Matrix or outside a Matrix. Sustain spells require a Sustain Matrix to be used effectively; without one, the Mage would need a MAG check each round to sustain the spell.
Mages generally avoid swapping spells in and out of Matrixes during combat because doing so costs fatigue and a round of activity, but desperate situations may require it.
Learning Spells From Casting
If an observable enemy Mage casts a spell outside a Matrix, or inside a Gesture and Chant Matrix, the Mage may elect to make a Success roll for each instance of the casting to attempt to learn the spell. This counts against the maximum number of spells the Mage may learn.Mages may learn spells from scrolls or other sources. For each level above the Mage's current level, the awry chance for casting that spell increases by 1. A magical scroll is a type of magical lattice and can be cast with a -2 bonus to the awry chance, but the scroll is consumed when cast. Crafting each scroll costs a Mage 1 max HP, which is recovered when the matrix is consumed. Destroying the scroll dissolves the matrix.
The Mage must successfully cast a spell to learn it. Very high-level spells are extremely dangerous; for example, a spell 8 levels above the Mage's current level has at least a 1-9 awry chance.
Spell Manifestations
Each Mage personalizes their own spells. A bolt might appear as a glowing arrow, a blast of force, or another distinctive magical form. Once a spell's aspect has been chosen, it can only be changed when the Mage gains a level, and only two such changes can be made each level.Casting Summary
| Situation | MAG Check | Cost or Risk |
| Spell not in a Matrix | Required | Failure can be pushed through for 1 HP damage, or allowed to fail |
| Natural 1 while casting outside a Matrix | Awry risk | Make a second MAG check; on failure, roll D12 for Seasons of Magic progression |
| Spell in a Matrix | Not required | Matrix rank may increase power or add effects |
| Constructing a Matrix around a spell | Required | Costs 1 fatigue level on success |
Weapon Training
Mage weapon training is highly limited. Select one from: Staff, Dagger, Sling, Wand, Shield.The selected weapon is trained. When wielding it, the Mage gains +1 to hit and increases the weapon's base damage step by 1. If Shield is selected, the Mage gains +1 to deflects when using a shield.
The Mage is proficient with the weapons not selected from that list. These attacks have no penalty and deal normal damage.
Attacks with all other weapons are untrained: -1 to hit and provoke reaction from opponents.
| Training Category | Weapons | Attack Modifier | Damage | Other |
| Trained | One selected from Staff, Dagger, Sling, Wand, Shield | +1 to hit | Base damage step +1 | Shield grants +1 to shield deflects |
| Proficient | The unselected Mage weapon-training options | No penalty | Normal damage | None |
| Untrained | All other weapons | -1 to hit | Normal damage | Provokes reaction |
Free Weapon Mastery
On levels 3, 5, 8, 10, 13, 15, 18, 20, 23, 25, 28, 30, 33, and 35, Mages gain a free Weapon Master ability or rank, and may select one additional weapon from the Mage weapon-training list to become trained in.This free increase may rank up an existing weapon mastery, provided the Mage meets the requirements and has not just gained or already levelled that same mastery on that level. If no existing weapon mastery is ranked, the Mage gains a new weapon mastery at rank 1.
| Level | Free Weapon Mastery / Rank | Additional Trained Weapon |
| 3 | Yes | Optional |
| 5 | Yes | Optional |
| 8 | Yes | Optional |
| 10 | Yes | Optional |
| 13 | Yes | Optional |
| 15 | Yes | Optional |
| 18 | Yes | Optional |
| 20 | Yes | Optional |
| 23 | Yes | Optional |
| 25 | Yes | Optional |
| 28 | Yes | Optional |
| 30 | Yes | Optional |
| 33 | Yes | Optional |
| 35 | Yes | Optional |
Free Matrix Ability
On levels 1, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, and 36, Mages gain a free Matrix ability increase.This free increase may either rank up an existing Matrix ability, provided the Mage meets the requirements and has not just gained or already levelled that matrix on that level, or grant a new Matrix ability at rank 1.
If the Mage selects a new Matrix ability with this free increase, they cannot then use their normal ability rank increase on that same level to raise that same Matrix ability to rank 2.
| Level | Free Matrix Ability Increase |
| 1 | Yes |
| 4 | Yes |
| 8 | Yes |
| 12 | Yes |
| 16 | Yes |
| 20 | Yes |
| 24 | Yes |
| 28 | Yes |
| 32 | Yes |
| 36 | Yes |
Armour Proficiency
Mages are not proficient in any armour.Check Bonuses
On 3rd, 6th, and 9th levels, the Mage can allocate 1 additional bonus to a check. This cannot be allocated to their best check, and cannot be allocated to a check they have already improved.Magical Taint
At 12th level, if the Mage is killed, the creature that strikes the killing blow must make a MAG check or gain D20 magical taint.Level Progression
| Level | HP | Abilities | Total Ranks | XP | Deflect | CON | AGL | MAG | WIL | SDF | LIF |
| 1 | D4 | 4 | 4 | 20 | +1 | +1 | +4 | +3 | +0 | +2 | |
| 2 | D4 | 4 | 5 | 27 | 20 | +1 | +1 | +4 | +3 | +1 | +2 |
| 3 | D4 | 4 | 6 | 55 | 20 | +2 | +2 | +5 | +4 | +1 | +3 |
| 4 | D4 | 5 | 8 | 110 | 20 | +2 | +2 | +5 | +4 | +2 | +3 |
| 5 | D4 | 5 | 9 | 170 | 20 | +3 | +3 | +6 | +5 | +2 | +4 |
| 6 | D4 | 5 | 10 | 236 | 20 | +3 | +3 | +6 | +5 | +3 | +4 |
| 7 | D4 | 5 | 11 | 302 | 20 | +4 | +4 | +7 | +6 | +3 | +5 |
| 8 | D4 | 6 | 13 | 368 | 20 | +4 | +4 | +7 | +6 | +4 | +5 |
| 9 | D4 | 6 | 14 | 434 | 20 | +5 | +5 | +7 | +7 | +4 | +6 |
| 10 | D4 | 6 | 15 | 500 | 19 | +5 | +5 | +8 | +7 | +5 | +6 |
| 11 | 1 | 6 | 16 | 566 | 19 | +6 | +6 | +8 | +7 | +5 | +7 |
| 12 | 1 | 7 | 18 | 632 | 19 | +6 | +6 | +8 | +8 | +6 | +7 |
| 13 | 1 | 7 | 19 | 698 | 19 | +7 | +7 | +9 | +8 | +6 | +7 |
| 14 | 1 | 7 | 20 | 764 | 19 | +7 | +7 | +9 | +8 | +7 | +8 |
| 15 | 1 | 7 | 21 | 830 | 19 | +7 | +7 | +9 | +9 | +7 | +8 |
| 16 | 1 | 8 | 23 | 896 | 19 | +8 | +8 | +10 | +9 | +7 | +8 |
| 17 | 1 | 8 | 24 | 962 | 19 | +8 | +8 | +10 | +9 | +8 | +9 |
| 18 | 1 | 8 | 25 | 1028 | 19 | +8 | +8 | +10 | +10 | +8 | +9 |
| 19 | 1 | 8 | 26 | 1094 | 18 | +9 | +9 | +11 | +10 | +8 | +9 |
| 20 | 1 | 9 | 28 | 1160 | 18 | +9 | +9 | +11 | +10 | +9 | +10 |
| 21 | 1 | 9 | 29 | 1226 | 18 | +9 | +9 | +11 | +11 | +9 | +10 |
| 22 | 1 | 9 | 30 | 1292 | 18 | +10 | +10 | +11 | +11 | +9 | +10 |
| 23 | 1 | 9 | 31 | 1358 | 18 | +10 | +10 | +12 | +11 | +10 | +11 |
| 24 | 1 | 10 | 33 | 1424 | 18 | +10 | +10 | +12 | +11 | +10 | +11 |
| 25 | 1 | 10 | 34 | 1490 | 18 | +11 | +11 | +12 | +12 | +10 | +11 |
| 26 | 1 | 10 | 35 | 1556 | 18 | +11 | +11 | +12 | +12 | +11 | +11 |
| 27 | 1 | 10 | 36 | 1622 | 18 | +11 | +11 | +13 | +12 | +11 | +12 |
| 28 | 1 | 11 | 38 | 1688 | 17 | +11 | +11 | +13 | +12 | +11 | +12 |
| 29 | 1 | 11 | 39 | 1754 | 17 | +12 | +12 | +13 | +13 | +11 | +12 |
| 30 | 1 | 11 | 40 | 1820 | 17 | +12 | +12 | +13 | +13 | +12 | +12 |
| 31 | 1 | 11 | 41 | 1886 | 17 | +12 | +12 | +14 | +13 | +12 | +13 |
| 32 | 1 | 12 | 43 | 1952 | 17 | +12 | +12 | +14 | +13 | +12 | +13 |
| 33 | 1 | 12 | 44 | 2018 | 17 | +13 | +13 | +14 | +14 | +12 | +13 |
| 34 | 1 | 12 | 45 | 2084 | 17 | +13 | +13 | +14 | +14 | +13 | +13 |
| 35 | 1 | 12 | 46 | 2150 | 17 | +13 | +13 | +15 | +14 | +13 | +14 |
| 36 | 1 | 13 | 48 | 2216 | 16 | +13 | +13 | +15 | +14 | +13 | +14 |
Playstyle
If you want to cast lots of spells and select from a large pool of arcane magic, the Mage is your class. Stay behind your allies and unleash devastating magical effects.
Class Skills
Mages do not use class skills. They gain spells instead.