merits

Normal Merits

Name	Rating	Prerequisites	Description	Book
Adamant Hand	••	Arrow Status •, Athletics or Brawl or Weaponry •••	Allows use of prerequisite Skill as reflexive Order tool Yantra in combat.	MTA 2e 99
Artifact	•••+		Own a magical item that can cast spells and stores dots x2 Mana, and can act as a Path tool Yantra worth +1 die for Mages of the path of highest spell effect stored	MTA 2e 99
Astral Adept	•••		Can enter Astral Realms from any location if a ceremony is performed and a Willpower point spent.	MTA 2e 100
Astral Intruder	•••	Astral Adept, Resolve •••	Make a Clash of Wills to meditate into the Oneiros of a mage whose soul stone you possess, instead of your own.	SoS 91
Awakened Status	• to •••••		Hold status in a Consilium or Order. You may temporarily requisition dots of Alternate Identity, Retainer, Imbued Item, Artifact, Grimoire, Mentor, Hallow, Sanctum, Library, Advanced Library, Safe Place, Familiar, and Resources.	MTA 2e 100
Between the Ticks	••	Wits •••, Time •	Once per scene can take -1 from Initiative to add +1 to an action for a turn, or vice versa	MTA 2e 100
Broad Dedication	•	Prime •	Instill your nimbus into a specific Yantra that aligns with your spellcasting, making your Dedicated Tool any kind of Yantra.	SoS 57
Cabal Theme	•	Must be taken by entire cabal	All members of the cabal are counted as one dot higher in Shadow Name Merit for purposes of personal Yantras	MTA 2e 100
Cognoscente	••	Prime •••, Academics or Occult ••	Your character has perfected the art of scribing grimoires. Anyone casting from his tomes may do so without the doubled ritual casting time. He may also imprint his own signature nimbus into the rote imago when scribing the spell. Doing so causes the rote to show his own nimbus instead of hiding the caster’s. Once per story, gain +2 to a Social roll that relies on this fame and enjoy the benefits of Occultation •••.	SoS 87
Daimonomikon	• to •••••		Your character possesses a Daimonomikon for a particular legacy. Each dot corrosponds to the Attainment within the Legacy that can be learned from the Daimonomikon.	SoS 87
Destiny	• to •••••		Gain a pool of rerolls or rote-quality rolls on mundane actions per chapter, but have an associated Doom	MTA 2e 100
Dominant Soul	• to •••••	Composure •••	When your character has another mage’s soul stone you can counterspell any Arcanum from its owner, applying Merit dots as your Arcanum rating. If used as a Yantra during a Prime dispellation, reduce Withstand by dots in this Merit.	SoS 91
Dream	• to •••••	Wits •••, Composure •••	Have a number of questions answered directly per chapter.	MTA 2e 101
Echo Chamber	••••	Empathy ••	See flashbacks of a soul stone’s owner. Gain exceptional success off 3 dice for active mage sight to investigate a mystery based on the soul stone’s Path. Once per story, meditate on the soul stone to ask yes or no questions about the mystery.	SoS 91
Enhanced Item	•+		Own an item enhanced by spells.	MTA 2e 101
Enriched Item	•• or ••••		Your character owns an item with a natural enhancement or one permanently altered through multiple uses of the same enchantment.	SoS 76
Epiphany Stone	••••	Dream or Astral Adept, Mind ••	Spend Mana while using active mage sight to roll Clash of Wills to check if you are under some form of illusion, hallucination, forced astral journey or other supernatural power that separates you from reality.	SoS 91
Familiar	•• or ••••		Bound to an ephemeral familiar with Rank equal to half this Merit	MTA 2e 101
Fast Spells	••	Firearms ••, Time •	Opponents Defend against your aim spells as they do against firearms	MTA 2e 101
Fire Keeper	•	Ancient Obrimos	Environmental causes can’t fully snuff flames in your presence unless you will it.	DE 50
Fluent High Speech	•••	Awakened, Presence ••• or Expression•••	You may converse at length in High Speech. Persuasion and Intimidation rolls with mages and supernal entities that use the High Speech gain +2, and Expression rolls are not reduced to chance dice. Participating in a supernal summoning reduces the target number by two.	SoS 26
Grimoire	• to •••••		Own a Grimoire with two spells per dot	MTA 2e 101
Hidden High Speech	•	Awakened, Manipulation •••, Expression •••	Your character may use mundane language to conceal a message in High Speech. Sleepers or Sleepwalkers who hear or read the message do not hear glossolalia or read gibberish. Use at no cost when writing, though speaking this way is taxing and requires a point of Willpower	SoS 26
High Speech	•		Use High Speech as a Yantra.	MTA 2e 102
Imbued Ally	•+		You have imbued a spell with indefinite duration into a person or creature who is bound to you. The creature has a single spell and Mana in which to cast it.	SoS 76
Imbued Item	•+		Own a item imbued with spells it can cast	MTA 2e 102
Imposing Nimbus	•••		Your characters Nimbus is a true force of Nature. Whenever someone succumbs to their Nimbus Tilt spend a point of willpower to convert the Tilt into a Persistent Condition for that person. That condition gains an extra resolution option of successfully defeating your character on a contested roll or causing her harm.	SoS 95
Infamous Mentor	• to •••••	≤ Mentor	Call on Mentor’s status and Social Merits by name-dropping	MTA 2e 102
Inheritance	••	Fame •	The Mage can use their bloodline as a +1 Yantra to any spell appropriate to their ancestors’ reputation. If the spell is cast on a subject who knows their heritage and is aware of the spell being cast, this becomes +2.	SoS 57
Keen Periphery	••	Wits •••	Your Peripheral Mage Sight is unusually perceptive. When sensing an effect via Peripheral Mage Sight you can also sense the Arcanum under which the effect falls	SoS 26
Legacy Pedagogue	•	Prime •••, Gnosis •••	Your character’s connection to a Legacy is so forceful that when scribing a Daimonomikon part of him remains with it. When characters initiate themselves into the Legacy by your Daimonomika, gain one arcane beat as if you tutored the character yourself.	SoS 87
Lex Magica	••	Ladder Status •	Resist Social Maneuvering and the use of Willpower to influence your behavior. Use half your Awakened Status as a Yantra when enforcing the Lex Magica.	MTA 2e 102
Mana Battery	•+		Your character has an Item imbued with a Mana pool which she can use instead of her own	SoS 77
Mana Sensitivity	•	Wits •••, Prime •	Sense Hallows and tass with Peripheral Mage Sight.	MTA 2e 102
Masque	••	Guardian Status •	Define an additional persona with the Masque Style Merit below.	MTA 2e 102
Mystery Cult Influence	••• to •••••		Rule a mystery cult and benefit from its Mystery Cult Initiation.	MTA 2e 103
Occultation	• to •••	No Fame	Penalize attempts to track or identify you by your Nimbus by dots in this Merit.	MTA 2e 103
Order Archive	• to •••••	Consilium/Order Status •	Your character has access to an archive of information and resources belonging to her Order or Caucus. This Merit doesn’t reflect the character’s ability to requisition these materials, but indicates what her Order Caucus has available to its members.	SoS 97
Perfected Item	••		Your Character owns an item made from a Perfected Metal, Amalgam or Alloy with perminant duration	SoS 77
Persistent Nimbus	•		Your characters Nimbus effects linger for longer than most. Her Long-Term Nimbus continues to affect an area for one day per dot of Gnosis. When flaring her Immediate nimbus without casting, it lasts turns equal to Gnosis. Signature nimbus persists on subjects of her Magic one week per dot of gnosis as well.	SoS 95
Piercing Glance	•• or ••••	Gnosis ••	You may undertake a Clash of Wills to sense a concealed effect with Peripheral Mage Sight. For •• you suffer a -2 penalty to the roll, for •••• you suffer no penalty to the roll	SoS 26
Plunder Mana	••	Prime •, Resolve ••	Take 10 minutes ti perform an Oblation at a Hallow. Regain one Mana if you successfully Counter a spell with any Mana cost.	DE2 300
Potent Nimbus	• or ••		Add as a bonus to flare your Nimbus. Determine your Nimbus Tilt as if your Gnosis were raised by twice dots in this Merit.	MTA 2e 103
Potent Soul	•••	Awakened, Presence •••	When holding another Mage’s Soul Stone any Social rolls against its owner gain 9-agains, Any social maneuvering automatically opens one Extra Door on every success	SoS 91
Potent Resonance	••	Gnosis •••	Characters scrutinizing your Nimbus are subject to your Nimbus Tilt.	MTA 2e 103
Profane Tool	•	Prelacy ••	Your character may choose one of the following as a Dedicated Path tool; Scepters, Robes, Crowns, Thorns and Rings. This Merit may be purchased multiple times	SoS 125
Profligate Dedication	••		Your character may have up to three Dedicated Magical tools but can only use up to 2 at a time. You have no penalty for using only one (or none) of your Dedicated tools when casting	SoS 57
Sea’s Hunger	•	Ancient Moros	Heal twice as quickly each day you destroy an object with magic.	DE 49
Second-Person High Speech	•••	Awakened, Presence •••, Expression •••, High Speech	Provide your own High Speech as a Yantra for others. If you meet the required Arcanum for the cast spell give +2 dice as a bonus, If you have at least one dot in the Primary Arcanum but not all dots give a +1. You can also use High Speech to gain a Dice Bonus on Imbued Items and Artifacts. This does not stack if the Caster is using High Speech as a Yantra	SoS 26
Shadow Name	• to •••		Determine Shadow Name and symbolism, may use those symbols as a persona tool worth the merit’s dots. Apply dots as a Withstand rating against spells that identify or target via Sympathy while in mundane persona.	MTA 2e 104
Shadow Self	••	Shadow Name •••••?, Mind •	Your Shadow Name isn’t just a persona its a legend. Anyone who succumbs to the nimbus tilt takes a -2 penalty to all contested rolls against him for the rest of the scene as long as it aligns with the Shadow Name Identity. If your Shadow Name reflects a Mythological or Divine entity thats well known enough to have a presence in the Temenos he enjoys a +2 bonus to attempts to summon said Goetia.	SoS 95
Sky’s Whispers	•	Ancient Acanthus	Read the open sky as an instant action to predict the day’s weather and take +3 to endure it.	DE 48
Soul Dealer	• to •••••	Streetwise •••	You character has contacts in the Black Market soul trade or is a soul trader himself. Once per story your character can obtain a soul stone as though you were a member of any order status one for one to dots in this merit	SoS 91
Soul Stone	• or ••	-	Your character owns another Mage’s soul stone. One dot is equal or lesser Gnosis to your own. 2 dots is greater	SoS 92
Spirit Warden	••	Ancient Thyrsus	Spirits must spend Willpower to attack you for a scene.	DE 50
Stalwart Soul	• or ••	Composure •••	A soul stone created by you gains Durability equal to twice your dots in this merit and gains the same bonus to withstand against spells that would harm or destroy it	SoS 92
Supernal Taxonomy	••	Intelligence ••, Occult •••	You possess a deep understanding of Active Mage Sight. When observing phenomena in either similar effect or origin to one already scrutinized she can recognize the similarity	SoS 27
Supernal Watcher	•• or ••••	-	You have gained the attention of a supernal entity at rank 1 for 2 dots and rank 2 for 4 dots. When summoning your watcher you only need 5 successes, they appear when using Active mage sight and you may use it as a Path tool Yantra	SoS 43
Techné	••	Councillor Status •	Choose a focus that counts as an Order tool, and can treat Sleepers using it as a separate Order tool as long as the spell is subtle.	MTA 2e 104
Trail Walker	••	Ancient Mastigos	Double your rate of travel across forests.	DE 49

Style Merits

Egregore

Requires Mysterium Status •
MTA 2e 101

Rating	Maneuver	Description
•	Mysteriorum Arche	If all mages in a ritual possess this Merit, contribute by teamwork regardless of Arcanum, and contribute an extra success.
••	Mysteriorum Anima	Apply your full Status in foreign Caucuses.
•••	Mysteriorum Barathrum	Psychically consult your cabal and Caucus’s Libraries. Once per session, intuit knowledge about a member of the Caucus.
••••	Mysteriorum Calamitas	For each spellcasting, treat any one magical tool as Dedicated.
•••••	Mysteriorum Focus	While in an Order Sanctum, assume a Medium sympathetic connection to other Mystagogues.

Masque

Guardian Status •
MTA 2e 102

Define a symbolic persona, and assume it with Willpower to benefit from these maneuvers.

Rating	Maneuver	Description
•	Identity	Choose a Virtue and Vice. Use the Masque’s rather than your own.
••	Competancy	Choose a Skill Specialty for every dot of this Style. Use the Masque’s rather than your own.
•••	Competancy	Choose a Signature Nimbus. Use the Masque’s rather than your own.
••••	The Code	Choose two Acts of Hubris the Masque does not risk degeneration for.
•••••	Immersion	Choose five Merit dots as an extension of the Masque identity.

Prelacy

Requires Seer Status •••
MTA 2e 103, SoS 122, DE2 301

Choose an Exarch to invite into your soul.

Rating	Maneuver	Description
•	Chosen Vessel	Take the Mystery Commands Condition.
••	Sword	Use the chains of your Exarch as a Yantra equal to half your Prelacy dots.
•••	Crown	Receive your Exarch’s Patron Attainment.
••••	Temple	Demesnes incorporating your soul stones open Exarchal Verges attuned to your master.
Eye	Crown of Vision	Resist Occultation with the Space Arcanum. Take a minimum Weak connection when casting at Sympathetic Range.
Father	Crown of Doctrine	Heal resistant damage with Mana. Store Mana as if your Gnosis were increased by your Prime.
General	Crown of Fury	Resist Fighting Merits with the Forces Arcanum. Raise Mage Armor without spending Mana.
Unity	Crown of Obligation	Resist Doors with the Mind Arcanum. Gain an additional Vice, and recover Mana through your Vices.
Chancellor	Crown of Scarcity	Can use Availability instead of a tool or weapon’s normal bonus. Can spend Willpower after taking from a Mana source to make it inert for your days equal to Matter dots.
Raptor	Crown of Instinct	Ignore a surrender without Willpower cost. Never suffer the Beaten Down Tilt or wound penalties. Add Life Arcanum to Doors.
Prophet	Crown of Agency	Gain Strong connection to your past when targeted with Temporal Sympathy. Don’t suffer from changes to your past for Time Arcanum in turns.
Nemesis	Crown of Secrecy	Ephemeral entities are subject to Quiescence. When other mages Scrutinize your magic, spells with ratings up to your Spirit count as rotes.