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Active effects

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Xzotl42 edited this page May 4, 2023 · 1 revision

  • Active Effects are modifying a document data from the state it is stored in the system.

  • They can be added to Items or Actor directly. The effect of an Item can also configured to be transmitted to the owner of it.

  • In Ars Magica, this mechanism is used for virtues and flaws. For example, the virtue "Large" once owned by a character will give it +1 size. Most virtues and flaws in the compendia have an Active Effect preconfigured when applicable.

  • Active effects can be disabled temporarily in the Effects tab (GM only).

  • Dev note: In the future, active effects will be used to simulate the effects of spells too.

  • Important : Before V11, active effects in an owned Item can not be edited (Foundry current limitation). You will have to pull it in your sidebar to edit it properly.

The Details tab is only used for display in the Actor's or Item's Effects tab

The Effects tab as its name implies is where active effects are configured

  • Click the plus sign to add an effect to the list

  • Click the Perdo hand gesture to destroy an effect

Type: The list of available types is described below

Attribute: What is changed

Change Mode: An effect can either:

  • Add the value to the attribute (set a negative value to subtract)

  • Multiply the attribute by a factor (set a value lower than 1 to divide)

  • Override the existing attribute (eg: Realm alignment)

  • Be there, if the effect exists, it will apply (eg: deficient Art)

Effect value: some effect types may not have a value or only have a set of choices.

  • Some effects may need additional information, click on the cogs to add it (eg: generic abilities).

Effects types

The following active effects are available so far:

Null effect

The null effect is a placeholder until a proper one is chosen. It has no effect.

Spellcasting

Those are mostly used internally by the system.

  • Voice: Bonus due to voice intensity during spellcasting (see Character.Arts)

  • Gestures: Bonus due to gesture made during spellcasting (see Character.Arts).

  • Aura: bonus due to Aura (See Canvas menu#Aura management (GM only))

Realm alignment

This set the character to a particular realm alignment. A character with that effect will be impacted by auras when using its magic or powers.

  • All Magi are aligned to the Magic realm by default.

  • Some virtues set the alignment by default (eg: the Gift)

Seasonal activities

This effect will impact the corresponding long term activities source quality:

  • Practice

  • Training

  • Teaching: As per the rules denomination, but in fact, it is being taught something

  • Teacher: Bonus given to a student being taught

  • Reading: book quality bonus

  • Writing: book quality bonus (not implemented yet)

Arts

Flat bonus to a given hermetic Art (eg: Puissant Art virtue)

Art affinity

Multiplier to the total number of experience points in an Art.

  • Dev note: For the sake of simplicity, the multiplier is applied to the total amount of XP not starting from the time the effect was applied (eg: an affinity gained during Twilight will have a much higher boost. )

Art deficiency

As per the rules, halve casting and lab totals.

  • Deficiencies for a Technique and a Form are cumulative (ie: totals divided by 4)

  • Deficiencies on multiple Forms or Techniques are not cumulative (effects with requisites)

Vitals

Flat modifier to the following:

  • Size (eg: Large, Small frame)

  • Soak: (eg Tough)

  • Aging: for aging rolls (eg: Fae blood)

Characteristics

Flat modifier to a characteristic

  • Dev note: Unless you suspend or remove the effect, you won't be able to edit the impacted characteristic while it is active.

Fatigue

Flat modifier to the following:

  • Fatigue penalties total

  • Specific fatigue level penalty

  • Number of a specific fatigue level (see Actors#Vitals and Combat for a visual example)

Wounds

Flat modifier to the following:

  • Wounds penalties total

  • Specific wound type penalty

Natural resistance

Flat modifier to specific damage kind, this will add an additional field in the Soak dialog.

  • This can either be a resistance or a vulnerability (eg: negative value).

Ability (category) bonus

Flat bonus to the ability score

  • For generic abilities, use the cogs icon to specify the ability option. It must match exactly the option of the owned generic ability (see Items#Generic abilities for explanations)

Ability (category) affinity

Multiplier to the total number of experience points in an ability.

  • For generic abilities, use the cogs icon to specify the ability option. It must match exactly the option of the owned generic ability (see Items#Generic abilities for explanations)

Laboratory activities

Flat modifier to a specific lab activity. (Note: this is an effect for characters, for laboratories, specialities will cover that)

Laboratory

Flat modifier to a laboratory attribute, those are given to laboratory vices and virtues

  • Size

  • General quality

  • Safety

  • Health

  • Refinement

  • Upkeep

  • Warping

  • Aesthetics

Laboratory speciality

Flat modifier to lab totals of a given Art or specific activity

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