Sensory Range is defined as:
Anything within a mage’s immediate sensory perception[1].
Most spells rely on a mage’s mundane senses. He can cast a spell on any target distinguishable by sight, hearing or touch and who’s in the mage’s presence. If there’s some question as to whether or not the mage can distinguish the target, the Storyteller may apply a penalty to the mage’s spellcasting pool. If a mage cannot see his target, the rules for listening[2] can be used to target someone through sound, which usually involves penalties for concealment. Likewise, if he’s got advanced olfactory senses, the rules for smelling[3] can be used. Neither of these methods is as ideal as sight, since even the best attempt to pinpoint a target gives him partial concealment (a –2 dice penalty if the mage gets an exceptional success on his listening or smelling attempt)[4].
- Mundane senses can be enhanced with spells, but only Unveiling[5]. Knowing Spells cannot extend Sensory Range[6]. For example, Nightsight may be used to see in the dark: sight is still a mundane sense. However, one could not use Sense Consciousness to Target a person which cannot be otherwise seen, heard, touched, or smelled: such a spell is not a mundane sense.
- Targeting by sound or odor is penalized as if Concealed[7].
Targets that are still within sight but that are extremely far away, such as a sniper on a distant building, are not considered to be within the mage’s presence. Generally, mages cannot affect targets more than 200 yards away, at best. Targets that cannot be sensed, or that can be sensed but are farther than 200 yards away, or that are visible or audible to the mage but not in his presence — seen on live television or heard over the telephone, for example — require sympathetic spellcasting. In the case of someone seen or heard live over the television or telephone, the sensory impression of the target provides a strong connection. Sensory range is the default of spellcasting and requires no additional effort from the mage[8].
- 200 yards is the maximum radius for Sensory Spells.
