If you are using the Magus legacy for a LARP character, reference the merits on this page instead of the core legacy page. Though some merits are untouched, others are adjusted to better facilitate live-action play.
Spell Casting with Stones
The key difference between the LARP and tabletop mechanics is how the LARP uses action stones instead of dice. This puts a lower upper-limit on how many Hits and Glances a magus can get to spend on their spell components compared to their tabletop counterparts. To counteract this limit, LARP magus characters can upgrade their stones by spending 2 of a lower tier as 1 of a higher.
For example:
2 misses = 1 glance | 2 glances = 1 hit | 2 misses and 1 glance = 1 hit.
Spell casting runs near real time within a LARP – meaning a player can cast a spell and take their time to allocate the results of their check on various spell components, but the scene around them may continue on without them.
Magus players are encouraged to keep a copy of the Spell Components Sheet for quick reference, allowing them to place their stones on the various effects to track what they are doing.
LARP Alterations to Special Mechanics
- Sympathetic Range
If using sympathetic range to cast a spell on another character, make sure a GM approves the connection before writing the spell’s effect on a card and handing it to the character with the words “you have been targeted by a spell.” The target can resist or attempt to avoid the effect of the spell at a cut of 1.
Note: because different scenes may not perfectly align in time, the player and GMs within the other scene may wait some time for the spell to take effect.
Lastly, a sympathetic spell targeting another magus will allow the magus to create their own spell following the same link to the source on the other side. - Easier Extended Spells
A magus can spend 1 esoteric instead of 2 when spell crafting to turn a spell into a temporary merit with a track of 2. - Splicing
In a LARP, a magus splices when they cast a spell and get more misses (red stones) than hits or glances.
To randomize the location of the splice, draw 2 stones:- Red Red: Arm
- Green Red: Leg
- Blue Red: Torso
- Blue Blue: Back
- Green Blue: Head
- Green Green: Eye
Merits
Merits represent the core characteristics, traits, gear, and companions that a character has at their disposal. Merits Tracks represent a form of character health, merits help make actions easier to perform, and many merits provide unique powers and abilities for a character to take advantage of.
Each legacy has 1 signature merit (underlined below), a powerful and complex merit that provides the core ability characters within that legacy are known for. Signature merits can be further enhanced with the meta merits of the same legacy, up to the number of Meta Slots the signature merit has (see the following list after regular Merits).
| Signature Merit | Effect | Track | Meta Slots |
| Spell Crafting | As long as you have at least 1 free hand, you can weave magical energies from the environment to manipulate 1 or more of your knacks. Make an action check, using your knack in-place of a skill, and allocate the hits and glances from the results on spell components and cast a spell. If you take at least a minute to cast the spell, you can add one additional glance to your results. |
1 | 3 |
| Magus Merits | Effect | Track |
| Peripheral Knowledge | Once per scene, when another player gains a lost word, you can also gain a one word lost word of your own creation, related to the same event. | 2 |
| A pair of earrings that record murmurs and mumbles. | ||
| Imbuement Gems | When creating an extended spell, you can mark this merit to add two boxes to the temporary merit representing the spell. You may do this multiple times for the same spell. |
4 |
| A collection of crystalline, gem-like bottles that slowly accumulate a magical essence only you can tap into. | ||
| Witch Sight | Mark to see the supernatural auras lingering on and left behind by magical creatures for the remainder of the scene. This does not let you things that are normally hidden, such as spirits, invisible creatures, or sneaking individuals, but does let you gain some insight on the magical nature of creatures and objects, such as their legacies and knacks. | 4 |
| Your eyes are no longer human- describe how. | ||
| Distanced Foil | You are immune to the effects of spells using a sympathetic range on you. | 3 |
| A small collection of foil jewelry that cannot rip or wrinkle. | ||
| Empathy Seasoning | Consume an esoteric to experience a recent thought or memory from a specified nearby individual. | 4 |
| A jar of swirling mist and black flaky moss used to “enhance” acroamatic meals. | ||
META Merits
Meta Merits alter or enhance a legacy’s signature merit and automatically extend that merit’s track with their own. Meta merits are unique to their legacy and cannot enhance any merit other than the signature merit of the same legacy.
| Meta Magus Merits | Effect | Track |
| Bottle of Tass | When creating an extended spell, you can mark this as a replacement of one esoteric. | 2 |
| Spell Runes | When creating an extended spell, you can spend a hit to increase the spell’s track by 1. | – |
| Engineer | When artificing, increase the track by 2 | – |
| Two Hands | If you have both hands available when spell crafting, gain an additional glance to your results. | 1 |
| Essence of Reality | When you cast a spell that creates a physical object, the object becomes real and permanent, regardless of the duration of the spell. Ignore the rule of false creations. |
– |
| Quiet Casting | Your spellcasting makes no noticeable light or sound and can easily be disguised with other casual movements. Ignore the rule of overt spells. | – |
| Animate | Gain the spell component “Animate” which cost 1 glance. “Allow a target inanimate object to act based on its innate properties. (fire will try to spread, undead will try to eat, brooms will try to sweep)” |
– |
| Enhance / Diminish | Gain the spell component “Enhance/Diminish” which cost 1 glance. “Strengthen and intensify, or weaken and diminish, an aspect of a knack. Such as its durability or heat This does not let you completely snuff out that aspect.” |
– |
| Destroy | Gain the spell component “Destroy” which cost 1 hit “Spend 1 esoteric to completely and permanently annihilate part of a target, dealing high harm if appropriate.” |
– |
| Absorb | Gain the spell component “Absorb” which cost 1 glance “Store the spell’s knack within your body for the duration of the spell.” |
– |
| Spell Sniper | When using the spell crafting ability, the “line-of-sight” range spell component is now free. | – |
| Transmogrification | Gain the spell component “Transmogrification” which cost 1 glance “Transform a knack’s state of matter. For example, the knack ‘iron’ can alter an iron ingot into liquid or into an iron vapor. |
– |
| Hidden Strength | When spell crafting, your spell’s physical strength now has superhuman strength. Ignore the rule of Spell Strength. | – |
| Boomer | You can spend 1 esoteric when spell crafting to let your spell get the area component “Targets everything within a specific nearby-sized area, up to a 30ft radius sphere.” without spending hit for the component. | – |
| Split Mental Processing | You may concentrate on up to two spells at a time. | – |
Alternative Concepts
Magi represent mortal experimentation of magic, and could easily be called wizards, sorcerers, warlocks, alchemists, mages, or a host of other names.