Rote

Rote spells, also known simply as “rotes,” are tried-andtested magical formulae, handed down from master to apprentice, and developed over the course of a mage’s training and practice in the Art. Every rote started out as an improvised spell. A mage comes up with a spell for a particular purpose and finds it useful enough to use the same spell over and over again. The mage teaches others to envision the spell’s Imago and perform its casting gestures, and they in turn pass it on. Over time, the spell becomes a standard, known to many or all mages in an order, learned and cast by rote.

● Rote dice pools are determined by a character's natural stats. Attributes or Skills altered by magic may not increase spell dice pools. ● Rote Factor Bonuses (TotM) don't exist. ● Systems for learning Rotes are below.

Summary

Despite their additional cost, rotes have a number of significant advantages over Improvised spells: greater reliability, lower Mana cost, less chance of causing a Paradox — a lurch in reality — and a lighter resonance “signature,” making it difficult for others to identify the caster by examining the spell.

Rotes use a dice pool consisting of Attribute + Skill + Arcana rather than the Improvised spell pool of Gnosis + Arcana

Mages are forbidden to teach an Order’s rotes to anyone not of the same Order.

A mage can learn a rote from someone who already knows it. He must spend time studying with that person, and then experience points must be spent at a cost of two points per the highest Arcanum dot used in the rote. Few mages teach their rotes for free; most levy a cost in one or more favors owed.

Example: Arctos wants to learn the “Telekinetic Strike” rote from his order. Since it is a Forces 3 rote, it will cost him six experience points (two points per dot).

Mages do not have to pay the extra Mana surcharge on non-Ruling spells if it is cast as a Rote.

Rote spells reduce the Paradox pool by one dice.

Rotes are more difficult to Scrutinize, requiring 5 Successes to determine the caster's identifying resonance (Identification)^[1].

Rotes require Rote Mudras, noticeable hand and/or body gestures and movements.

Learning Rotes

Renewed March 2014 by Casitive

Order Rotes

Rotes from Order sourcebooks are only purchasable if you are a member of that order, only limited to your Status + 2 in Arcanum Dots, without a scene or glimpse needed. All a member has to do is request it like normal.

Universal Rotes

Rotes from the corebook and non-order approved sourcebooks are available universally and at any time. No Further Mechanics required.

Learning In Character

Magi who hold that rote may teach that rote to anyone they wish, however as a point of fluff, keep in mind that specific rote murdras are considered Order Secrets anchored in Order Philosophies. Being taught by a Player-Character that holds that Rote waives any further mechanics.

By NPC

Should a Mage wish to learn a rote they do not have access to and not have a Player Character to Teach them, may attempt to find a teacher and reverse engineer the rote themselves.

• To find a teacher willing, one may roll an extended: Intelligence + Investigation, with a Target Number of 3 + Highest Dot Rating. Goodwill may be added to the roll.
• Each roll represents three days worth of asking about and favor bargaining. This shouldn't take more than a month.

On Success, the Mage may begin to engineer that rote towards their own Order's Philosophies and Mudras.

• Once a month, the Mage may roll an extended Intelligence + Occult with a target number of twice the dot rating of the Rote. For example, a Rote with Mind 3 and Life 2, means that the one learning the rote must gain six successes.
• The Mage must have place the XP in escrow before they begin this extended roll.

Special Note: Learning a Rote in this Way will indebt your character to that Order. A favor that will be logged with the Heralds. Renaging on this favor when it is called, may result in an immediate Goodwill vote.

By Grimoire

Grimoires not created by Player Characters are only available through Storyteller Plots and Approved PRPs. Acquiring a Grimoire waves any need to find an NPC teacher or debt to that Order.

• Learning through a Grimoire, like learning through a teacher, requires an extended Intelligence + Occult roll with a Target Number of Twice the dot Rating of the Rote, one roll per month. This represents self-study. Experience Points must be able to pay for it before you begin rolling.
• Repurchasing a Grimoire your character created is at half-cost and only requires an extended Intelligence + Occult Roll with a TN of the highest dot rating.

List of Rotes

Spells and Rotes can be selectively filtered on the Spells drilldown page.