Hermetic Thaumaturgy

[Hematite]

Oneiromancy [BM:SoT 75]

This path is mostly concerned with prophecies. As with any prophecy power in a LARP, the Storytellers can only give their best guess as to what will happen based on our knowledge and plans. Other player characters will always be an unknown factor that cannot always be accounted for in advance.

While in the trance needed to activate powers of this path, as well as for 3 turns after, the Thaumaturge suffers penalties as if during the day for all rolls except those needed to activate the powers of this path. The Light Sleeper merit overcomes these penalties as normal.

These powers may be used while in torpor. However because they require blood expenditures as any path of Thaumaturgy, they may not be used while staked.


Oneiromancy 1: Portents [BM:SoT 75]

The visions granted by this power are always directly concerned with the Thaumaturge himself.

The visions do not give any kind of context nor reference as to when the event will happen.

The number of successes scored on the activation roll is the number of “hints” the player may request as to the meaning of the vision, which the Storyteller should endeavor to make as symbolic and cryptic as possible. These hints should never give outright answers, but may illuminate some of the symbology used.


Oneiromancy 2: Forsee [BM:SoT 75]

This power functions exactly as Portents, save that the visions pertain to the subject rather than the Thaumaturge himself.


Oneiromancy 3: Dreamspeak [BM:SoT 75]

This power allows the Thaumaturge to send one scene’s worth of dreams per success.


Upon waking the target must make a WoD test with a Storyteller. If he tests down, he does not remember his dreams at all. On a tie, he remembers his dreams but thinks nothing of them, passing them off as ordinary dreams. If he tests up, he remembers his dreams and is aware of something unnatural about them, but cannot quite put his finger on it. If he tests up twice, he is certain that these dreams were artificially implanted by an external source. Any target who is familiar with this power makes this test starting one success up.

This power is often used to fool other Oneiromancers or Oracles with false visions. There is no way to discern between dreams gained via this power and unnatural dreams gained via one’s own unnatural abilities.


Oneiromancy 4: Augury [BM:SoT 75]

This power gives hints and interpretations, allowing the Thaumaturge to look at information in a new way. The Thaumaturge enters the trance holding several pieces of relevant information to his situation in his mind. OOC he tells the ST everything he knows about what he is asking before making the roll. The ST then gives insight into the information the Thaumaturge has.

Note: This power does not actually give any new information. It does allow the player to ask the ST questions about his interpretations based on the information he already has. The player may ask one question per success.

This power is often used to help interpret the vague visions gained from earlier levels of this path.


Oneiromancy 5: Reveal the Heart’s Dreams [BM:SoT 76]

The Thaumaturge also gains knowledge of the target’s innermost fear if he scores more successes than the target’s Current Willpower.

The information revealed by this path should not be mere temporal desires. One’s innermost desire and fear should be things that speak to the heart of a character, and should likely have something to do with the target’s nature.

There is no system for specific reactions to being presented with one’s greatest desire or fear. This is an intense roleplay moment that does not need a driving system.

[Hematite]

Prey on the Soul’s Fear [DAC 94]

This path was one of the first successful projects of the Tremere Horned Society, successfully converting the Dark Thaumaturgy Path of Phobos to Hermetic Principles. Though it bears a close resemblance to its origin and an observer would be hard-pressed to distinguish Prey on the Soul’s Fear from the Infernal Path of Phobos, this path is no more Infernal than Lure of Flames in truth.

With the rise and constant paranoia around Infernalism in the Sabbat however, this path is a highly restricted one. The Inquisition rightly understands that one could learn this path legitimately, then use it to cover knowledge of the Infernal. It is further worrying as some of its powers bear close resemblance to some of the powers of Daimoinon. Anyone seen practicing anything even close to resembling this path is sure to get a prompt visit from the Inquisition and had better have very good answers for them to avoid simply being killed to avoid the risk. This path is seen by the Inquisition as a potential gateway to the Infernal and they aren’t prepared to take chances.

All of the powers of this path count as Emotional Manipulation for the purpose of effects that resist such.


Prey on the Soul’s Fear 1: Startle The Superstitious Mind [DAC 94]

This power lasts for the remainder of the scene.

Multiple uses of this power do not stack on the same target. However this does stack with other effects that reduce dice pools such as Dread Gaze, as well as with other powers of this Path.


Prey on the Soul’s Fear 2: Rout the Charging Hordes [DAC 94]

The difficulty of the Courage roll to resist is equal to the Thaumaturge’s Current Willpower.

Victims of this power must flee the vampire using any and all powers they possess to get away as fast as they can.

The effects of this power end when the victim has completely left the vicinity of the caster (left the scene).

Victim’s of this power may take no action other than to flee and to take defensive actions such as Dodge, Block, or Parry. No retaliation is possible under the effects of this power.

The Thaumaturge cannot select who is affected by this power. If there are more people present than the Thaumaturge’s successes allows him to rout, those with the lowest Current Willpower are affected first. Due to this flaw, this ability is seldom used when fighting alongside allies. Those allied with the Thaumaturge may make the Courage roll at -2 difficulty if they are familiar with this power.


Prey on the Soul’s Fear 3: Wrath of God [DAC 94]

Victims of this power may still take defensive actions such as Dodge, Block or Parry.

This power targets the subconscious fear of some kind of eternal torment, and does not literally give visions of hell. The visions are shaped by whatever eternal torment is feared most by the victim, and thus works perfectly well on victims of all faiths or of none at all.

If the Courage roll is successful, this allows the victim one full turn of actions to act as he chooses for each success scored in excess of those scored by the Thaumaturge. Unless he makes the check again the turn after his final round of clarity, the irrational fear takes him again. A roll made the turn after a round of clarity is made at -2 difficulty, the remembered logic of those few moments of rationality bolstering the psyche against the irrational fear of damnation.

The effects of this power do not end even when out of the presence of the Thaumaturge or out of danger.


Prey on the Soul’s Fear 4: The Inner Demon [DAC 95]

This power is wholly narrated by the Storyteller, and dependent on the victim’s own fears. A good guideline is 2x the successes scored by the Thaumaturge as dice pools for all actions used against the victim by the apparition. The apparition is real to the victim and can inflict real damage in the same way that Chimerstry 5 can.

No one other than the victim can sense the apparition by any means.

The apparition lasts until the end of the scene.

As with Chimerstry 5, the illusion is too ingrained in the victim to be brushed aside. No amount of proof will convince the victim that the apparition is not real or that the wounds it is inflicting are false as well.


Prey on the Soul’s Fear 5: Demonic Horde [DAC 95]

The effects of this power last for the remainder of the scene.

The effects at each level of severity of this power are cumulative.

When targeting a group, those people with the lowest current Willpower are affected first.

For every success gained above 5, the maximum number of people to be affected increases by 20.

Those who successfully resist this power with the Courage roll may not be affected by this power again for the remainder of the scene.

Unlike Rout the Charging Horde, the Thaumaturge may select his targets for this power as he wishes, though all targets must be selected before the roll is made.

[Hematite]

Path of Blood [V20 213]

This is the usual primary path taught among Clan Tremere. This is not a mystical requirement, but the tradition held firm among House Goratrix as much as with the Pyramid. This is less the case with non-Tremere thaumaturges among the Sabbat, but it is still a very common path.


Path of Blood 1: A Taste for Blood [V20 213]

This power does not require a full point of blood, only a taste. However the blood tasted must be reasonably fresh. Dried blood that might have sprayed on a coat or left on a blade is not sufficient.


The information gleaned is based on successes as follows:

1: Better or worse Generation than the Thaumaturge. Any mortal diseases present in the donor. Any blood related or feeding related sickness flaws such as Contagious or Infectious Bite. Remaining Vitae in the subject, whether or not they are a vampire, when they last fed.
2: The presence of any foreign substance such as drugs or alcohol, the existence of magic in the blood, including the presence of vitae in the blood of a mortal or a spell that changes it.
3: If the subject has committed diablerie recently enough that their aura would still show black lines. The relative generation of the donor (better, worse or equal to the Thaumaturge). The exact age of a mortal (or ghoul)
4: The presence of certain supernatural flaws that transmit through bite or skin contact such as Grip of the Damned or Touch of Frost.
5. Whether the donor has ever diablerized, whether they labor under any Curse, per the flaw or another malevolent magical effect.


Path of Blood 2: Blood Rage [V20 213]

This can be used for anything that the subject could spend blood on, including powering disciplines, masquerading, increasing physical attributes, healing, etc.

The increased difficulty to Frenzy lasts for the remainder of the scene.

If the amount of blood expended causes the vampire to reach a Hungry state (7 - Self Control or Instinct in blood) they must immediately test for hunger frenzy, at the increased difficulty.

The Thaumaturge may use Blood Rage on themselves to circumvent Generational Limits for blood expenditure.

This power may not be used to heal a vampire enough that they return from Torpor caused by damage. The wounds will heal, but they will remain in torpor until the allotted time ends based on Path rating.


Path of Blood 3: Blood of Potency [V20 213]

This power may only be used on a given subject once per night from any source. Note that normally this power may only be used on the Thaumaturge himself, however even through special circumstances that allow the Thaumaturge to cast effects on others normally limited to himself (e.g. Pebble from the Mountain), each subject may only benefit from this power once per night. Night in this case is defined as until the next sunrise.

The power of the mystically empowered blood ends when it leaves the vampire's body. Thus, they cannot embrace at their new generation and cannot be diablerized at their new generation, cannot create "elder" ghouls with improved Discipline limits.

The new Generation achieved with this power is not the one considered for powers like Dominate and Presence.


The most powerful generation that can be reached with this power is 4th.

Under no circumstances may a character who uses this power relatively constantly learn elder powers or increase their permanent trait to be elder levels to be "active" only when this power is. The only exception to this is if the subject was once truly of elder generation and learned elder traits while in that state, later having his generation raised mystically and thus losing access to those traits. In that case, this power once again allows that individual access to the powers he once had.


Path of Blood 4: Theft of Vitae [V20 214]

This power produces an obvious torrent of blood from the victim to the Thaumaturge. It is pulled through the air to the Thaumaturge's body, and can be either absorbed through the mouth, or any other exposed part of the body.


The effect of this power is incredibly painful and obvious, so using this power is neither discrete nor secret to any present.

Anyone exposed to this power, whether user, victim or immediate witness, constitutes "the sight and smell of blood" for Frenzy purposes.

Living creatures take one health level of unsoakable Bashing damage for every point stolen in this way. If they lose all of their blood in this way, they die. Mortals who lose more than 3 points of blood this way will need medical attention to avoid death. Mortals who lose more than 5 points of blood this way will die instantly.

Note this power’s range of 50 feet.


Path of Blood 5: Cauldron of Blood [V20 214]


This power destroys 1 Blood Point and does 1 level of aggravated damage per success. The damage may be soaked with Fortitude, but the blood loss cannot be prevented.

Only one success is required to kill a mortal. Mortal in this case means regular mortals with no supernatural protection, though ghouls without Fortitude count as well. Ghouls with Fortitude may attempt to soak the damage, and if successful, can prevent death. Mages without a special protection against this also die instantly. Werewolves, faeries and other creatures take one point of Aggravated Damage and one point of unsoakable Bashing damage (from blood loss) for each success, but are not killed automatically.

This power requires skin to skin touch, possibly requiring a Dexterity + Brawl attempt at an area not covered by armor, and thus an appropriate difficulty.


[Hematite]

Path of Blood’s Curse [BM:SoT 76]

This path was a point of pride for the Sabbat Thaumaturges as one of the very few developed wholly within the Sword of Caine in the early nights of the sect’s war, a weapon to fight the elders. Though its secrets have long since filtered back to the Pyramid via traitors who fled the Sabbat, it is still noted with pride as a Sabbat path of Thaumaturgy. This official story has been called into doubt somewhat when the Assamite sorcerers started joining the Sabbat after their Schism, bringing with them the same path, apparently developed independently. Thus far the official story has not been recanted, and Assamite sorcerers who claim otherwise may find themselves facing challenges for contradicting official propaganda.


Path of Blood’s Curse 1: Ravages of the Beast [BM:SoT 76]

The Frenzy difficulty is always difficulty 7, but the type of Frenzy varies.

If invoked while the subject is feeding, they will engage in Hunger Frenzy. If invoked when the subject is facing a weaker or equal opponent (as the victim understands it) the victim will test for Rage Frenzy. If invoked when the victim is facing a more powerful opponent, or in the presence of sunlight or fire, the victim tests for Rotschreck, and in this instance roll Courage difficulty 7, not Self-Control.

If this power is invoked when there is no plausible provocation for a frenzy, the target of the frenzy will be the Thaumaturge himself, the Beast sensing manipulation even if no one else can.


Path of Blood’s Curse 2: Weight of the Sun [BM:SoT 76]


The victim is entitled to a resisted roll. The victim rolls their Path Rating at Difficulty 5 and compares successes. Each success on the resisted roll negates one success from the Thaumaturge’s roll for the duration of the power. If the Thaumaturge achieves no net successes, the power fails.

Since number of scenes is a difficult thing to measure in a LARP, the duration of this power is half an hour per net success scored by the Thaumaturge.

The Light Sleeper Merit makes one effectively immune to the negative effects of this power.

The ritual Wake With Evening’s Freshness activates upon awakening and thus has no effect on this power.


Path of Blood’s Curse 3: Abated Tooth [BM:SoT 77]

At storyteller discretion, the rare case of vampires who have a Feeding type that in no way involves biting mortals may be immune to the above effect of this power, though they still lose the ability to perform the Bite combat maneuver and deliver the Kiss for the indicated time.


This power makes feeding more difficult. Mechanically this causes victims of this power to need to spend 2 actions for each feeding action as long as the curse persists.

Multiple uses of this power overlap, but don’t stack.


Path of Blood’s Curse 4: Treacherous Bonds [BM:SoT 77]

This power does affect Vaulderies as well as traditional blood bonds.

The Thaumaturge may choose whether to affect a target as a Regnant or as a thrall if a target is both. If affecting as a thrall, only the bonds the target is subjected to are affected. If affecting as a Regnant, all bonds the target is subjected to and all those he feels himself are affected. There is no way to affects only those bonds a target holds over others without affecting those he is subject to himself.

Should a Regnant have more thralls than the Thaumaturge scores successes, those with the strongest bonds are affected first. If there are still too many, those with the lowest Willpower are affected before those of higher Willpower.

Used successfully on a Cainite with the Retainers background, this causes each Retainer affected to attempt to attack her Regnant and probably provokes a combat scene unless there is some specific reason why her own Ghouls cannot reach her at this time. The Retainers are aiming for the destruction of their master, overwhelmed with hate, and will probably not stop at simply staking her unless they believe they honestly can enact an even more grisly demise somehow.

When a PC is affected by Treacherous Bonds, they are not required to necessarily attack their master, but their hate is strong and intense, and their need to disobey and harm their master is equal to their normal need to obey and protect their master, so a confrontation is very likely, though not expressly required by the power. If affecting someone under a Vaulderie, the amount of loathing is commensurate to the amount of loyalty normally shown. Those with a Vaulderie rating of 6 or higher will almost certainly attempt to kill their perceived Regnant.

If this power is used on any Tremere who does not have the “Embraced without the Cup” merit, this power turns them on Clan Tremere as a whole. For this reason, Clan Tremere almost never permits anyone below Regent level to learn this level of the Path or beyond. Apprentices known to be skilled in this power are watched closely, and possibly given a second drink of the cup on this basis alone.


Path of Blood’s Curse 5: Withering of Ages [BM:SoT 78]

This power requires touch.

The change in age occurs over the course of several rounds, losing 1 from all Physicals each round until reaching the amount dictated by their age, to a minimum of 0.

The 5 Blood points and 1 Willpower to cancel the effect need not be spent all at once on the first round for those whose Generation does not allow them to spend 5 blood in a round. So long as they begin spending as much blood as they are able to at once and do not stop, they can end the effect once they complete the expenditure.

[Hematite]

Path of Conjuring [V20 220]

Objects summoned with this power are uniform and generic. Whenever summoning a sword, a simple, unadorned sword will be summoned. The objects look so generic and uniform as to be strange if looked at carefully. The objects are strictly functional; they cannot be used to substitute for a specific item of any kind, or duplicate an object with a high degree of detail. They could summon blank printer paper, but not a 20 dollar bill that would pass for anything but obviously counterfeit.

This addendum supersedes the "father's knife" example in the text.

Objects created by this power are not real objects, closer to cosmetically altered bundles of force or a computer program than true natural objects. As such, if altered significantly from their original purpose and design, the objects begin to break down and behave erratically. A pile of conjured sheet metal can be bolted together into a wall panel, but if worked into a suit of armor, the heat of the forge and the impacts of the hammer would cause the false metal to "crash" and cease to be. This includes conjuring gadgets and attempting to install them later. The Hermetic formula does not allow for creating something from nothing.

The limits of the power have to do with size of the Thaumaturge, but mass is also a factor. One cannot make a man-sized statue that weighs 600 tons. The limit of this power is around 200 pounds of mass, as a standard, unless the user has the Huge Size merit, in which case that limit increases to 350.

The difficulty of the activation roll is based upon the familiarity of the object in question.

From imagination on the spot: Difficulty +2
Creating a replica of an item you already own (have an item card for): Standard difficulty
Creating a replica of an item you made yourself (physically, not from previous uses of this path): -2 difficulty


Successes on the activation roll are equivalent to successes on a Crafts roll to create the object for the purposes of quality. This can grant the object Masterwork qualities such as +1 damage. This can only create functional features, not artistic ones.


Path of Conjuring 1: Summon the Simple Form [V20 221]

This power does not cost a Willpower point for the original casting, only on subsequent turns to maintain its existence.

Items conjured must be all one contiguous piece and all made of one material.


Path of Conjuring 2: Permanency [V20 221]

This power summons an object as per Summon the Simple Form as part of its casting. It does not need to be subsequently cast on an already summoned object.

The 3 blood must be spent prior to casting, but may be spent over multiple turns.


Path of Conjuring 3: Magic of the Smith [V20 221]

Complex items require the Thaumaturge to gain 3 successes on the appropriate roll (Computers, Crafts, Science and Technology are most likely) to create the object. This roll is made with Wits + Ability. The difficulty is based on the complexity of the object to be created.

At this stage, the Wits + Crafts roll may substitute for the activation roll when attempting to create high quality items, but you must get the successes necessary.

The 5 blood to create such items must be pre-spent, taking as long as Generational limits permit.


Path of Conjuring 4: Reverse Conjuration [V20 221]

The difficulty of this roll is based on your own familiarity with the object you are banishing, as noted above.


You may automatically dismiss your own items once you gain this power with a mental action and no blood cost. Dismissing one’s own items does not require the Thaumaturge have line of sight to the item. He may dismiss any item he has created anywhere in the world.


Path of Conjuring 5: Power Over Life [V20 221]

Creatures and people summoned with this power have no true personality or will. They can respond in basic ways as befits the general stereotype of their purpose, though anyone interacting with them in any meaningful way will quickly realize they are false, similar to interacting with a "bot" or other computer program intended to mimic human behavior.

People summoned in this way have their stats and abilities pulled from the example characters in V20 Antagonists section (or other equivalent source material). While the thaumaturge may attempt to summon a Lupine, Inquisitor, etc, they act as they would be expected to but do not have any of their supernatural abilities such as True Faith, Discipline equivalents, or transformations.

Creatures created by this power can be possessed with Dominate or Animalism as appropriate based on the creature type.

[Hematite]

Path of Corruption [V20 221]

Although sharing a name with a known path of Dark Thaumaturgy (Rego Venalis), this path is not infernal. Its origins actually lie among the Followers of Set and their magic of Akhu, but has been appropriated by the Tremere in their early years as vampires. The Tremere of course vehemently deny this fact, claiming it as their own invention stolen by those untrustworthy snake-worshippers, but reports of this Path’s uses predating the appearance of clan Tremere contradict these tales.

This Path is considered a mind-affecting discipline for other effects that grant resistance against such powers.

Much of this path relies on the victims to appropriately roleplay the effects. As such Storytellers should keep a close eye on those who this path has been used on to ensure that the effects are being accurately portrayed.


The effects of this Path are subtle and other than level 1 which has its own system for noticing the effects; victims of this power will need to score 3 successes on a Perception + Awareness roll at difficulty 10 to notice any effect as with effects from the Presence discipline. This roll does not benefit from Auspex.


Path of Corruption 1: Contradict [V20 221]

The effects of this power will always take the form of a more negative action than the subject wished to perform. More negative action is subjective to the desires of the victim of the power. For a mass murderer, letting a victim go would be a more negative action. A good guideline is to perform the exact opposite of whatever the intended action was, with completely inverted thoughts on the subject as well.

The Perception + Subterfuge roll to resist this power does benefit from Auspex.


Path of Corruption 2: Subvert [V20 222]


For the duration of this power, the Storyteller should treat the victim as though he had a Path Rating of 4 or less in that he may approach the victim at any time and require him to spend a Willpower point to avoid committing some heinous act.

If this power extends into Downtime, the victim must make a Degeneration check for each night the power lasts unless completely subdued in a way that they take no action whatsoever (staked, imprisoned or torpored).

The course of action followed by the victim should be one that regularly provokes Degeneration checks at least once per night as the baser instincts of the victim are brought to the forefront.

The roll to resist this power does benefit from Auspex.


Path of Corruption 3: Dissociate [V20 223]

This does not reduce Vinculum ratings that others have towards the target, only those he feels for others.

Similar to the Vinculum ratings reducing by three for the duration of the effect, ordinary blood bonds to the victim will seem to reduce in severity by one step during this power’s duration. This does not actually reduce the bond, only target the emotions generated by the blood tie.


Path of Corruption 4: Addiction [V20 223]

This penalty, unlike many, is to all dice pools not merely all actions. This includes resistance rolls and reflexive rolls that normally are not penalized such as soak rolls.

This power must be used immediately after exposure to the sensation or action to which the victim is to be addicted.

Once the victim indulges in the Addiction, all previously acquired dice pool penalties fade immediately.

A botch on the roll to attempt to break the Addiction sends the victim into a mad compulsion to indulge at any cost.


Path of Corruption 5: Dependence [V20 223]

A victim of Dependence halves his current Willpower to set the difficulties of mental or emotional powers used by the caster.

Unless the victim sleeps next to the caster, he will not regain Willpower for rest during the duration of this effect.

Like Addiction, the penalty to dice pools applies to all rolls, not only all actions.

This power can be used in concert with Addiction, their penalties stacking.

[Hematite]

Path of Curses [BM:SoT 78]

Effects of this Path require either some piece of the target’s body or the victim’s True Name. If the True Name is being used it must be invoked as part of the Curse. If a body part is being used, said body part must be brandished at the victim as part of the Curse.


A victim may only attempt the reflexive Willpower roll to resist this path if he understands what is happening. If he understands the language being used in the curse this knowledge is reflexive. If not, he must succeed at a Perception + Awareness roll at difficulty 8 and score at least 3 successes to understand what is happening. This roll does not benefit from Auspex.


Path of Curses 1: Stigma [BM:SoT 79]

This increase in difficulty applies to Disciplines that use Social Attributes as well.


Path of Curses 2: Malady [BM:SoT 79]

This reduction in Physical Attributes also reduces the effective Attribute maximum that can be maintained by the victim with blood expenditures. For example, a victim of 9th Generation who has his physical Attributes reduced by 3, will only be able to increase those attributes to a maximum of 3 and be able to maintain them for the scene, and to a maximum of 7 overall.

A victim afflicted with Malady may make a new resistance roll nightly beginning on the night after the effect is invoked even if he was not able to make a resistance roll initially due to not understanding the effect.


Path of Curses 3: Stigma [BM:SoT 79]

This is a primarily roleplay power and difficult to enforce in a LARP. The affected character must wear a card announcing that they are a pariah. Other characters are required by the terms of the power to treat them with hatred and suspicion for the power’s duration. Every character who sees someone affected by Pariah believes them to be their enemy and must treat them as such.

Those who see a Pariah do not believe him to be a different person than he actually is, only that this person is now your direst of enemies.


Any frenzy checks provoked by or targeting a victim of Pariah are made at +3 difficulty. Storytellers and players are encouraged to call for more frenzy checks at lesser provocations than normal while this power is active.


Path of Curses 4: Corrupt Body [BM:SoT 80]


The duration scale of this power is reduced for LARP play. One success is a scene, 2 is a night, 3 is a week, 4 is a month, and 5 is 3 months.

The Attribute loss of this power sets the victim’s generational maximum to 1 for the full duration. Thus, for those above 7th gen, the relevant attribute will only be able to be raised to 2 with blood for the scene and only to 6 at all.

The Attribute is not reduced until the end of the 3-round transformation. The 3-dice penalty lasts for the 3 rounds of transformation. After the transformation is complete, the victim’s Attribute is cursed as per the power AND he suffers a -1 die on all rolls as a phantom wound penalty that cannot be healed until the power ends, though it can be negated with other wound penalties for the turn by spending a Willpower point.


Path of Curses 5: Fall From Grace [BM:SoT 80]

The Willpower resistance granted in this power is also subject to the general restriction of this path of knowing what is happening.

While this power is in effect, the character may still spend Willpower for an automatic success, although such Willpower expenditures no longer grant immunity from botches.

For the duration of this power the character starts at one success lower than they ordinarily would before testing. This means that any task a character starts at a fail is considered to start at a botch.

The effects of this power apply only to actions taken by the character. Reflexive rolls such as soak rolls are not affected.


The duration scale of this power is reduced for LARP play. One success is a scene, 2 is a night, 3 is a week, 4 is a month, and 5 is 3 months.

[Hematite]

Path of Father’s Vengeance [V20 226]

The victim must be able to understand the Thaumaturge’s words to be affected by this power. The medium the words are delivered through doesn’t matter; speech, writing, telepathy, all work fine as long as the victim understands the message. This does not allow these powers to be used outside of the Thaumaturge’s line of sight by passing the message in writing. The invocation in whatever form is part of the power and the message must be delivered by the Thaumaturge himself as part of the activation of any power from this path.


The Thaumaturge must have the Noddism specialty of Occult in order to be able to use this path.


Path of Father’s Vengeance 1: Zillah’s Litany [V20 226]

The knowledge gained by this power comes to the Thaumaturge’s mind after completing the invocation. There is no obvious manifestation of this power.

The Thaumaturge gains the knowledge of the identities of all those the target shares a blood bond with, whether as regnant or thrall, as well as any vinculums to or from the target. This power reveals the identities of each of these people and whether the bond is to them or from them, but not the level of the bond involved, nor does it distinguish between blood bond and vinculum.

The Thaumaturge gains the real names of the individuals who share a bond with the target, not necessarily the names or identities they are currently using. This does not reveal their True Names, only the name that they personally identify as themselves. The Thaumaturge also gets an image of them in their true form, whatever that might be.


Path of Father’s Vengeance 2: The Crone’s Pride [V20 227]

While at Appearance 0, the target gains the Nosferatu clan flaw, automatically failing all Appearance based rolls.


While this power lasts, the target suffers +2 difficulty on all Social rolls except to Intimidate.


Path of Father’s Vengeance 3: Feast of Ashes [V20 227]

The victim of this power no longer craves blood. He is not subject to hunger frenzy at the sight, smell or taste of blood.

The victim of this power does not instinctively know that he is able to consume ashes. He is however subject to hunger frenzy while at low blood pools at the sight, smell or taste of ashes while this power lasts, so it may become apparent to him quickly.

Ash points may only be used to rise. Other than spending them to rise each night, the only way an ash point is removed from a vampire’s blood pool is to be forcibly drained. If drained, all real blood points are drained first. The Path of Blood power Theft of Vitae cannot steal ash points.

This power continues to affect the victim for the game session following the one in which it is used.


Path of Father’s Vengeance 4: Uriel’s Disfavor [V20 227]


Any light brighter than a candle flame causes a level of aggravated damage. The Storyteller should increase the soak difficulty for this damage with the brightness of the light, and the damage with the amount of light. This should continue to a maximum of the damage dealt by the sun (3 health levels of aggravated damage at difficulty 9 to soak) in a situation where the victim is in a full flood of something as bright as LEDs.

With even a small amount of light of any kind present, the victim is uncomfortable and distracted, suffering a -1 die on all actions taken.

This power continues to affect the victim for the game session following the one in which it is used.


Path of Father’s Vengeance 5: Valediction [V20 228]

This power only affects generation changes due to diablerie. It has no effect on temporary changes in generation such as those from Blood of Potency, nor to permanent changes brought on by magical means such as those from the rituals From Marduk’s Throat or Quenching the Lambent Flame.

This power only affects a victim’s Attributes, Abilities and Disciplines if his generation maximum is affected by the change in generation, and then only to lower those traits that sit above the current generational maximum to that score. All traits that are lowered by this power return to their original scores when the power expires.

During the three turns it takes to cast this power, the Thaumaturge must split his dice pools in order to take any other action.

This power continues to affect the victim for the game session following the one in which it is used.

[Hematite]

Path of Levinbolt [CbR-Tr 51]

In addition to the damage suffered from the effects of this path, victims have a chance to be stunned, losing all actions for the remainder of the turn. Any time a victim is hit with an effect of this path he must succeed on a Stamina + Fortitude roll at a difficulty of 5 + the level of the path used or be stunned. This is not a soak roll and thus does not benefit from armour or any other effect that enhances soak.

The Thaumaturge may release the electrical energy gathered by this path instantly, making a brawl (or melee at levels 3 and higher) attack as part of the same action to activate the power, though this attack will cause no damage other than the effect of Levinbolt itself. He may also store the charge within himself for a number of turns equal to his Stamina score, releasing it later as part of a brawl (or melee at levels 3 and higher) attack and adding the damage of Levinbolt to the damage from the attack. Multiple charges cannot be stored in this manner. Any charge stored within the Thaumaturge when this duration expires is dealt to the Thaumaturge as damage.

Damage from Levinbolt is soaked as part of the same damage pool as the attack if delivered through a melee or brawl attack unless that attack would normally do aggravated damage. In that case the damage is soaked separately.

The damage the Thaumaturge is capable of doing increases with his mastery of the path. If he wishes, he may always channel a lesser amount of damage. As the Thaumaturge gains access to greater damage, he may still channel the increased damage through a lesser delivery method. For example a Thaumaturge with Levinbolt 5 could channel 14 dice of damage through his sword strike.

All damage generated by this path is considered lethal unless the target botches his soak roll. In this case, the damage converts to aggravated. Electricity is the only case in which botching a soak roll has an additional effect.

Unless the armour is specifically insulated against electricity (requiring a feature or a gadget) armour may not be used to soak any damage generated by this path. If damage is combined with a physical attack and soaked as one, armour may be used as normal.

If any power of this path is reactivated while already holding a charge (full or partial), the effects stack to a maximum of the highest charge the Thaumaturge can hold. For example, a Thaumaturge with Levinbolt 4 who has already expended 5 dice of damage but is still holding 5 dice of charge who reactivates Zeus’ Fury would reset his held charge to 10 dice. This does not reset the maximum duration the charge can be held.


Path of Levinbolt 1: Spark [CbR-Tr 51]


As per the general rule above, the charge may be stored for a number of turns equal to the caster's Stamina. It does not need to be discharged immediately.

If the Thaumaturge takes multiple turns to build the electrical charge within his body, he need not continue to spend actions to do so, only requiring a single action to initiate the process. This buildup time does not count against the rounds the charge can be stored before being discharged.


Path of Levinbolt 2: Illuminate [CbR-Tr 52]

This power will fully charge a battery up to the size of a laptop battery.

If this power is used to power an electrical device, it provides enough power to run the device for the scene.

This can power an electrical device up to the size of a personal desktop computer.


The intimidate bonus applies generally, not just against mortals.

If using this power to weld, the thaumaturge must make a Rotschreck roll at difficulty 6 and must soak a level of aggravated damage.


Path of Levinbolt 3: Power Array [CbR-Tr 52]

If using this power to act as a conductor, the damage taken is based on the original source of the electricity and not on the Thaumaturge's mastery of Levinbolt. Any source of electricity that would do more damage than the Thaumaturge can himself channel deals a number of dice of damage to the Thaumaturge equal to the difference. So a Thaumaturge with Levinbolt 3 who can normally channel 6 dice of damage who plugs himself into a power source that would deal 10 dice of damage must soak 4 dice of damage. The power transfer still works as normal and the intended victim in this case would still suffer the full 10 dice of damage. This damage reduction applies only to the Thaumaturge himself, not to anyone with this path.

If using this level to power an electrical object, the Thaumaturge may now power devices up to the size of an electric car.

At this level the Thaumaturge may fully charge a battery up to the size of a car battery.


Path of Levinbolt 4: Zeus’ Fury [CbR-Tr 52]

The Perception + Science roll needed to hit a target with a bolt of lightning does benefit from Auspex. This is treated as any other ranged attack roll and carry-over successes add to the damage roll. This can be dodged but not parried or blocked.


The duration the power can be held is not equal to the successes. Instead this power uses the same system as the rest of this path and the Thaumaturge may hold the charge for a number of turns equal to his Stamina.

The maximum range of this power is not 4 yards, but neither does the difficulty cap at 10. The Thaumaturge may attempt an attack at any range, but the difficulty is still 6 + the range in yards.


Path of Levinbolt 5: Eye of the Storm [CbR-Tr 53]

The automatic additional die of lethal damage suffered by touching the Thaumaturge also applies to the Thaumaturge's unarmed attacks.

Those in close proximity to the Thaumaturge who activates this power suffer +1 difficulty on all actions from the distraction of the strobe effect around the Thaumaturge.

Those with Auspex active who see the Thaumaturge using this power must make a Willpower roll at difficulty 9 + his Auspex rating to avoid being stunned from sensory overload. This roll must only be made once per scene.

The amount of electricity channeled by this power is too great to sustain for long in a vampire's body and the discharge rate described in the power supersedes the above rule allowing the Thaumaturge to store the
electricity for rounds equal to his stamina.

Channeling the full force of this power through a metal weapon will warp the weapon afterwards, increasing the difficulty to use the weapon by +2 until the weapon is repaired. Channeling the full power through the weapon a second time warps it beyond repair or recognition. A specific weapon may be crafted to supersede this with a crafting feature or gadget by being made a superconductor.

[Hematite]

Path of Mars [V20 224]

This power is significantly changed from its original printed form to correct it for balance.


Path of Mars 1: War Cry [V20 224]


In addition to its listed effects, War Cry also causes all opponents that hear or see the use of this power to make a Rotschreck test at difficulty 6. This effect can be invoked more than once per scene. The user may choose to exclude his allies from this effect.


Path of Mars 2: Strike True [V20 224]


Instead of the listed effect, when invoked, this power allows the Thaumaturge to add one automatic success to any attack roll, similar to spending a point of Willpower.

This effect is cumulative to spending Willpower on the attack roll, should the user choose to do both.


Path of Mars 3: Wind Dance [V20 224]


The user gains one automatic attempt to Dodge per round at her full dice pool while this power is in effect, regardless of other actions taken.

When taking the Full Defensive action, the user can attempt to Dodge an unlimited amount of attacks without reducing her dice pool.


Path of Mars 4: Fearless Heart [V20 224]


When under the effects of this power, any use of blood points to augment Physical Attributes do not automatically fall back down after 3 rounds, instead able to maintain levels even above Generational maximums without further blood expenditure. Furthermore, any blood spent to increase Physical Attributes increases all three Physical Attributes instead of just one.

The vampire must end the power and spend at least 30 minutes to calm down after using this power, or else loses one blood point every 15 minutes until he rests.


Path of Mars 5: Comrades at Arms [V20 224]


This power costs 2 blood points, and affects up to as many allies as the successes scored on the activation roll.

Granting War Cry or Strike True to an ally allows that ally to spend one blood and roll Willpower to activate the power, exactly as if they themselves knew the ability. A Botch on this Willpower roll is identical to a Botch on a Thaumaturgy roll in all respects.

[Hematite]

Path of Mercury [BS:TTC 64]

This Path is extremely rare among the Tremere of the Pyramid, and even rarer in the Sabbat. It was converted from the Sadhanna Path of Praapti by Indian Tremere, and the Sabbat have had little to no contact with the Brahmans who practice that magic. Nevertheless, it has made its way into the Sabbat in a few notably rare cases. Characters should have a very good story to justify this path.

This path is rare in the Sabbat for another reason. For many years, without access to or even knowledge of this path, teleportation was long seen as an infernal magic, as the only known way in the Sabbat to gain such arts was through demonic compacts. Anyone witnessed practicing this path should expect a visit from the Inquisition in short order.

The “Unfamiliar Location” modifier applies to any place that the Thaumaturge has never actually visited. This includes places the Thaumaturge has seen via scrying or other methods of farseeing, whether mystical or mundane.

This path requires a minimum of 4 successes for an accurate teleport. With less than 4 successes, the Thaumaturge will deviate off course by a percentage of the total distance traveled. With 1 success, the Thaumaturge deviates by 10%. With 2 successes, the Deviation is 5%. With 3 successes, the deviation is 1%.

Unless the Thaumaturge botches, there is no chance of teleporting inside solid material, intentionally or otherwise (so a Thaumaturge could not be dominated to do so).

This power only allows the Thaumaturge to teleport himself and a small amount of carried or worn gear (be reasonable, no teleporting while carrying cars regardless of Potence level). No living or unliving being will ever be considered an object for the purposes of this power.

[Hematite]

Path of the Shadow World [LS2 66]

This Path may only be learned by those of the Telyavelic Tremere bloodline. Though they have tried to teach it outside the bloodline since joining the Sabbat (mostly to their Tzimisce guardians) no one else seems to be able to grasp the concepts. To everyone else it appears to be based on flawed or incomprehensible math, the Thaumaturgical equivalent of saying that 2 + banana = the French National Bank. To the Telyavalic Tremere, the equations make perfect sense and they are continually confused by the fact that no one else can grasp the concepts no matter how hard they try.

This path bears marked similarities to Necromancy, however accomplished Necromancers look at practitioners of this path with just as much confusion as other Thaumaturges. As far as they can tell, this path should not work, and quite possibly should be blasting apart the Thaumaturge’s mind and soul as he runs headlong into the Maelstrom. The fact that it clearly does work is the cause of much discussion among Necromancers as to what these bizarre Thaumaturges may actually be doing.

Despite the mystery of this path, it has drawn relatively little controversy in the Sabbat as of yet. Though this would be ideal fodder for the Inquisition, the Telyavelic Tremere have realized this and have wisely kept specific knowledge of this path from falling into general knowledge. If questioned about their odd abilities, they usually just smile and cite the blessings of Telyavel.


Due to the obscurity of this path, only those with the specialty of Sielanic Thaumaturgy can be said to know any specifics about it.


Path of the Shadow World 1: See the Dead [LS2 66]

This power only targets a specific area around the Thaumaturge himself of approximately a 10 yard radius.

This power’s effects last for the scene, but the radius of the power’s activation does not move with the Thaumaturge.

This power does not actually grant full Shroudsight, only the ability to see wraiths within the targeted area.


The success scale is as follows:
1 success: See any wraiths in the area.
2 successes: Distinguish wraiths from Spectres.
3 successes: Primary emotion of each wraith in the area.
4 successes: Detect whether the Psyche or Shadow is currently in control.
5 successes: Highest Passion or Dark Passion, depending on whether the Psyche or Shadow is in control.

This power grants no ability to hear or speak across the Shroud.


Path of the Shadow World 2: Repel the Angry Dead [LS2 66]

This power can repel a wraith from any single structure, forbidding it from entering. It cannot repel a ghost from an arbitrarily defined area.


If the structure in question is a fetter for the wraith in question the difficulty of this power increases by the fetter rating.

The second use of this power does not impart any knowledge mystically, only allowing the Thaumaturge to speak with the specific wraith in question across the Shroud. This may only be used once the first application of this power has already been used, and only when in the direct physical presence of the wraith in question. Nothing prevents the wraith from lying or tricking the Thaumaturge.


Path of the Shadow World 3: Command the Freshly Dead [LS2 66]

Any tasks the Thaumaturge commands a wraith to obey must be able to be completed within the given scene. If 2 successes are spent, this duration increases to the remainder of the night. If 3 successes are spent, this duration increases to within the week.

A wraith cannot be compelled to complete any task that is directly suicidal. At base, this power cannot be compelled to any task that directly endangers it. If 2 successes are spent, the task can be moderately dangerous (spying on a dangerous target, attacking a lesser opponent who might put up a fight). If 3 successes are spent, the task can be anything short of clear suicide.

If asked questions, the ghost will answer any questions asked truthfully and as completely as he can. This includes tapping the Spectre hive mind for more information if this power targets a Spectre. Of course this might alert other Spectres…


Path of the Shadow World 4: Army of the Dead [LS2 66]

The Drones summoned by this power are not true wraiths, but rather the reflections of dead warriors. They are essentially mindless, existing only by the Thaumaturge’s will. Drones exist only in the Shadowlands and generally have the following statistics:

Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3, Charisma 2, Manipulation 1, Appearance 2, Perception 2, Intelligence 1, Wits 2
Abilities: Athletics 2, Brawl 3, Intimidation 3, Melee 3, Stealth 2
Arcanoi: Embody 2, Outrage 2, Pandemonium 4
Corpus: 10

Drones have no Pathos or Angst. The Pathos costs of any of their Arcanoi must be paid by the Thaumaturge controlling them in blood, and any Angst that would be gained must be paid by the Thaumaturge in Willpower.

The Drones do not take an action to control, acting on their own initiatives, but always at the direct control of the Thaumaturge. The control is not mental, requiring the Thaumaturge to actually give orders verbally. The Drones cannot understand or follow complex tasks (basically limited to obvious and immediate tasks such as “kill that one” or “bring me that sword”). If not given orders, the Drones will simply stand where they are left until they vanish.

If this power is reactivated while there are already Drones under the Thaumaturge’s control, the new activation supersedes the old one, replacing all existing Drones with new ones. The old ones do not vanish, but are simply left standing where they were, not taking any action until they vanish at dawn.

The Corpus of Drones is too unstable to be moliated or soulforged into anything useful. The powers of Moliate used for damage or hindering effects work fine, but nothing useful can be created from them.


Path of the Shadow World 5: Walk the Road of Shadows [LS2 66]

This power allows the Thaumaturge to physically enter the Shadowlands as per the Necromancy power Ex Nihilo, except that no door is required. See the clarification for that power for the effects of being in the Shadowlands on a vampire.

This power must be reactivated while in the Shadowlands for the Thaumaturge to return to the Skinlands, unless the Thaumaturge is forced out at Dawn when the power forcibly ends.

This power does not allow the Thaumaturge to travel deeper into the Underworld. He is only able to travel in the usual three dimensions of the Shadowlands.

This power grants no ability to peek or listen across the Shroud while in the Shadowlands, nor do the previous levels of this path work in reverse to allow this.

[Hematite]

Path of Shadowcrafting [CbR-Tr 53]

This path was created by Tremere seeking to mimic the powers of Obtenebration. With the exception of level 5, this path has nothing to do with the Abyss and can manipulate only mundane light and darkness.

This is an extremely obscure path, sealed away by its creators after they succeeded at developing the 5th level. Players should have a very good reason for acquiring this path.

Lasombra who have heard of this path generally laugh at the feeble attempts of the Thaumaturges in public. In private, there were several concerned meetings of the Friends of the Night to discuss if action needed to be taken should they get too close.

No Lasombra may ever learn this path, nor may any Cainite with the flaw Cast No Reflection.


Path of Shadowcrafting 1: Out Light [CbR-Tr 53]


As the Thaumaturge increases his mastery of this path, greater light sources may be extinguished with this power. At level 2, he may target a light up to the size of a car headlight or a campfire. At level 3 he may target a streetlight or small bonfire. At level 4 he may target a heavy duty theatrical light or large bonfire. At level 5 he may extinguish any fire up to a burning building or quench a light up to the size of a stadium floodlight.


Path of Shadowcrafting 2: Shadow Taunt [CbR-Tr 53]

Only the controlled shadow's movement changes, not its location. The controlled shadow still remains connected to the casting object or person.


The duration of this power is a full scene if used outside of combat.


Path of Shadowcrafting 3: Coruscating Shadow [CbR-Tr 54]

The Thaumaturge may attempt to fool onlookers into thinking he is using Arms of the Abyss through a use of this power. The Thaumaturge makes a Manipulation + Occult roll at difficulty 6 opposed by all onlookers' Perception + Occult at the same difficulty. Observers who possess any level of the Obtenebration Discipline or the Abyss specialty of Occult automatically pierce this deception.

At the conclusion of this power, the stolen shadows flit back to their natural places.


Path of Shadowcrafting 4: Night’s Veil [CbR-Tr 55]

Those under this power do not count as being under the night's sky for effects that require such.

The shadow extends a yard per success scored on the casting roll. The Thaumaturge may continue extending the shadow in successive turns with an additional blood expenditure and Willpower roll.


Path of Shadowcrafting 5: Abyssal Pact [CbR-Tr 55]

The Shades called by this power come from the Abyss. This is the only power of the Path of Shadowcrafting that touches that realm of primal emptiness.

The damage from the shades is considered unsoakable lethal.

When used to counter Obtenebration, this power will reduce the size of a Shroud of Night, and eliminate Arms of the Abyss, and dispel Nightshades as per its successes. If used to counter an Obtenebration effect that does not have an activation roll, the caster of said effect must immediately roll a reflexive Manipulation + Occult at difficulty 8. The Thaumaturge must score twice as many successes as the target to counter the effect. This does not need to be all at once however; the Thaumaturge may continue to reactivate this power over multiple turns, though he must pay the full cost each time.

This power may also be used to counter Abyss Mysticism as well.

[Hematite]

Path of Technomancy [V20 224]

This path is the subject of a great deal of debate within the Tremere. Most of the younger members understand the promise and power of this path, while a great many of the elders, most of whom fear the march of progress that technology promises (not to mention that power in the hands of the younger members) flatly oppose it. The Circle of 7 has approved the path for general instruction, but has yet to give a firm opinion one way or the other on its future.

Within the Anarchs and Sabbat, outside the oppressive grip of cautious elders, this path has gained more prevalence. Although the elders of the Sabbat, some of whom are Inquisitors, are starting to grow concerned about the powers wielded by technomancers.


Path of Technomancy 1: Analyze [V20 225]

This power, with at least 3 successes, allows the user to operate the device at no penalty for circumstances such as unfamiliar tasks or situations. It also allows the Thaumaturge to use a Computer without the Computers Knowledge, if the situation applies.

This power also acts like “Common Sense” when dealing with the device in a given situation, and the Storyteller may give special advice to the player regarding its use in recognition of their total understanding of its functions.


If the Thaumaturge scores 5 or more successes, this power bestows knowledge of all necessary passwords or codes needed to operate the device. This only applies to passwords stored on the device itself (though anyone using a computer to save passwords to online services such as Apple’s Keychain application will be discovered as well).


Path of Technomancy 2: Burnout [V20 225]

This power only works on devices that have an internal electrical power source.

This power can be used to disable only a specific piece of a machine, such as the fuel injector control chip in a car, rather than destroying the entire engine.

An airplane is +4 difficulty, due to size, and has 5 dice of surge hardening.

Most police or government utilities like computers or security have at least 3 dice of hardening.


Path of Technomancy 3: Encrypt/Decrypt [V20 225]

The Thaumaturge is immune to his own encryption, and can thus prevent anyone but herself from using a device with this power.

The Thaumaturge can touch the object and spend a point of willpower to end the power early. Telecommute and Remote access allow the Thaumaturge to bypass the touch requirement.

Devices or data containers encrypted with this power are still useable, technically, as the power increases difficulties for using the object. With a Computer check at the new difficulty scoring 3 successes, the user can still retain full use of the item. At 1 or 2, they can have partial use.

Despite this power’s name, it cannot be used to bypass mundane encryption, only to undo other uses of this power, whether from the Thaumaturge himself or another using the same ability.

If this power is used again within the duration, the new duration resets but does not stack.


Path of Technomancy 4: Remote Access [V20 226]

Use of Remote Access does not give you a sense of personal presence in the area of the device, such as the ability to use other powers like Telepathy or other Thaumaturgy powers, or even a sense of the object’s surroundings.

This power allows the Thaumaturge to operate a device without physically touching it, but only EXACTLY as well as they could if they were touching it or otherwise had control of its inputs and operations. Computers or other ability checks may still be called for to use a device, exactly as if they were operating it normally.

The item is only capable of doing things it could normally do. For instance, a Remote Accessed cell phone could not just turn on its camera and mic and send the data off without actually sending the data off in an email or some other form of standard communication the device was capable of. if the Thaumaturge were holding the device. The Thaumaturge *is* however, aware of the Device’s functions while they are Accessing it, and can “know” what the camera is displaying on the device’s screen at that time, or what the device is recording. Anyone looking at the device at that time would indeed see the camera and mic in use, however.

It is possible to direct a (capable) device to connect to the internet and download and install a piece of software you wrote to give the device some new functionality it could be capable of. Such pieces of Software are built using the Crafting system as Gadgets per normal.

These checks are made at a max Ability dice of the successes rolled for the activation of the power. Only the Ability dice are capped, not the Attribute.

This power lasts for one turn per success rolled in combat, or the scene out of combat.

Use of Burnout on the object that is under your control counts as destroying the item and causes 5 dice of Bashing damage.


Path of Technomancy 5: Telecommute [V20 226]

In order to reach a device through telecommute, that device must be either connected to the global internet or on an intranet with a device you are currently connected to through this power or Remote Access.

Only Path of Technomancy powers may be employed through the inhabited device while using this power, and only on the devices that the Thaumaturge is inhabiting. Like Remote Access, this power does not give the Thaumaturge any sense of the object’s location, things in its presence, or otherwise, other than what the device itself can tell (perhaps from cell tower data, or other devices on its personal network, or through the device’s camera)

Using Burnout on a device that the Thaumaturge is inhabiting counts as destruction and causes the 8 dice of Bashing damage.

Any use of this power requires a World of Darkness check to see if the Thaumaturge is impeded by hostile forces in a network, such as Net Spiders, Virtual Adepts, etc. Normal low security networks require the Thaumaturge to test down twice. High security government compounds and the like may require the user to even test up to avoid such an encounter.

Like the Auspex power Clairvoyance, the Thaumaturge may walk, talk, and take other actions while his consciousness is interacting with devices on the internet. This is distracting, so all other actions, including other powers and abilities used personally, are done at +2 difficulty. Path of Technomancy powers employed through a device contacted with Telecommute do not suffer this penalty. Thaumaturges with the Concentration merit do not take this penalty.

While a Thaumaturge using this power cannot use Telecommute to aim other Thaumaturgy (or other Discipline) effects via an inhabited effect, in the internal Tron World of the internet, should the Thaumaturge encounter a hostile entity such as a spirit, they have full access to their Thaumaturgy and other powers in such an encounter.


With 5 or more successes, the Thaumaturge may inhabit orbiting satellites as long as he has a network connection to said satellite.

Although this power comes close, it does not allow the Thaumaturge direct access to the Digital Web Umbral realm. The Thaumaturge is sending his mind into the mundane internet, not the Umbra.

[Hematite]

Path of Transmutation/Thaumaturgical Alchemy [BM:SoT 80]

For all mechanical effects, the path of Thaumaturgical Alchemy (Dark Ages Companion page 92) should be treated as identical to the Path of Transmutation.


Path of Transmutation 1: Fortify the Solid Form [BM:SoT 81]

Hardening an object can be used either defensively or offensively, and the Thaumaturge must invoke either aspect in the material. Both aspects cannot be invoked at the same time for the same object, even with two activations.

When used on a piece of armor, this power adds soak dice equal to the Thaumaturge's successes to a maximum of +5.

Used offensively, the total BONUS cannot exceed +5, not the weapon’s total damage. A Strength +4 sword that has this power used on it at 4 successes becomes a Strength + 6 sword for the scene.


Path of Transmutation 2: Crystallize the Liquid Form [BM:SoT 81]

This power may be used on blood to make it undrinkable, but not inside the body for damage. Vampires cannot consume solidified blood.

The liquid must be totally visible and available to be solidified with this power – thus, unless the Thaumaturge has a held action at better initiative, they cannot prevent a vampire from feeding directly from a vessel. However, if used directly upon a bite wound, they may prevent feeding from that wound for one round per activation success instead.

The solidified liquid does not change in temperature, so theoretically a kindred with proper preparation and handling could make a sword out of molten metal, which would deal Strength + 3 Aggravated Damage on its attack, but have a +2 difficulty to hit with and provoke a Rotschreck test in both the wielder (dif 6) and the victim (dif 8) each attack.

This power may be used to disable liquid requirements for other powers such as the path of Neptune’s Might. Water solidified by this power is unsuitable for such needs.


Path of Transmutation 3: Liquefy the Solid Form [BM:SoT 81]

Objects do not reform perfectly after using this power. Liquefying any sensitive equipment like a computer erases all of the data stored on the device. The same goes for tapes, CDs, flash drives, etc. Even books would be too smeared to be legible after using this ability. For crafted objects with fixed successes, a WoD check should be made. If the wielder tests up twice, the item reforms perfectly as it was. If the wielder test up once, the item reforms at one less success, possibly removing features. If the wielder tests even, the item reforms at 3 less successes, possibly removing features. If the wielder tests down, the item reforms deformed and damaged, imposing +2 difficulty to its use until it is repaired requiring 3 successes on a Crafts roll and a downtime action spent to fix it (at which point it will be a common item with no features). If the wielder tests down twice, the item is irreparable.

The Thaumaturge targeting an item must score enough successes to liquefy the entire item. It takes 4 successes or more to Liquefy a weapon or piece of armor being wielded by another character. You can Liquefy just a helmet at 2 successes.

To effect weapons of greater quality, a difficulty increase is added for each quality above common

Uncommon +1
Rare +2
Ultra - Rare +4
Masterpieces - Immune.

It requires the Quickened Sight discipline technique and better Initiative to Liquefy bullets in midair, though if they do, the Thaumaturge cannot liquefy an entire grouping of bullets such as those fired with Autofire or Strafing.


Path of Transmutation 4: Gaol (JAY-ohl) [BM:SoT 81]

A Thaumaturge may not Gaol just part of a person, like their head or legs – the Goal must enclose them completely.

The size of the object to be enclosed depends on the Thaumaturge's successes. 1 success will target something the size of a brick, 2 successes will get a sword, 3 will get a child or a mid-size dog. It takes 4 successes to fully capture a person. 5 successes can encompass a small car.

The Gaol is opaque, which means that Line of Sight cannot be achieved through a Gaol. A Thaumaturge may neither cast spells at someone within a Gaol, nor aim spells at others from within a Gaol himself.

The Gaol cannot be moved once it is created. It exists in a fixed point in X-Y-Z space and cannot be carried, knocked aside, broken through, or disturbed in any way.

A Gaol may be liquefied from the inside or outside with Liquefy the Solid Form. It may also be bypassed with Ghost Wall. Any effect that would allow the trapped victim to become immaterial can be used to bypass a Gaol. This only applies if the method of becoming immaterial allows the victim to pass through solid objects (such as Incorporeal Passage or Ghost Body). Effects such as Mist Form or Tenebrous form cannot phase through the solid, airtight Gaol.

The Gaol only exists on the material plane, so effects that allow the victim to jump to another plane may be used to escape the Gaol.


Path of Transmutation 5: Ghost Wall [BM:SoT 82]

Vapor objects are totally invisible, not hazy or translucent, though they keep their approximate shape and location. An object in motion, like a car, hangs roughly around the point where it was vaporized.

Unlike Liquefy the Solid Form, this effect does not damage the item at the end of the effect.

When this power ends, the vapor reforms slowly, over the course of a minute, and people trapped within the intervening space only take the damage if they have no way to get out of the area, but they have plenty of time to escape under normal circumstances.

If an object targeted with this power is in motion at the time it is targeted, the object immediately ceases all forward momentum. However anything contained within it (such as people in a car) are not so fortunate, continuing forward at the same velocity.