- Aug 27, 2020
- 2,296
- 4,535
Mages are by far the most powerful. If a particular mage is scholarly and not really field ready then the werewolf would have an edge depending on the generation of the vampire. Below 8th generation vampires can be hellish. By spending just a few blood, well within their limits, they can get the effect of rage, gnosis and willpower over the werewolf, thus wolf rug. Above 9th gen it definitely favors the werewolf over the vampire. An 8th gen vampire can beat any given Ahroun on any given day if he has potence, celerity, and fortitude. If he has a presence power then the werewolf is toast at his leisure. Same could be said for any vampire with the right discipline.
Battle type mages. No. Vampire won't win. Wolf won't win. Atomic Warhead won't win.
Given a free pass to make an elder werewolf, elder vampire and equivalent mage, mage wins every time.
Mummies/Demons/Angels are the only wildcard on that table, as all three are much more powerful than Vampires or Werewolves, and the battlemage needs to know it is fighting a mummy/demon/angel. Mage can overcome or just negate rage effects (all), speed/celerity, fortitude, pretty much anything else in the World of Darkness(if prepared, then possibly demonic or angelic powers, and mummy sorcery). This is why the mage book comes with ways to make vampires and werewolves use similar powers so as not to be completely outclassed.
Mage was really never meant to be played with the other genres. Ars Magicka was the founding father for all of that, but mostly mages. This is why running a mixed campaign of all of that is best cut off at the Mummy level, as there is at least a decent chance to put a mummy down by either of the other 2 (vampires and werewolves/were anything) Mages do not use incantations. They can use Rotes which are kind of like magic with predictable results. True mages will simply will something to be and it will be. Sorcerers (mortal not Mummies) can be very powerful/Witches/Necromancers/Thaumaturgists, Summoners, etc. None of those use True Magic. Gnosis is not True Magic, Disciplines are not True Magic, Spells of any sort are not True Magic. Glamour tricks are not True Magic. Demonic and Angelic powers and Mummy Hekau are as close as it gets to True Magic outside of Mage.
So why were they even considered to be allowed in the game? The good folks at White Wolf and Black Dog relied on the Storyteller to be an absolute NAZI when it comes to this little thing called Paradox. Without limiting what reality allows to happen, then you are operating in the Mythic Age. Our time pretty much does not believe in magic. Paradox occurs and accrues when someone performs an action from True Magic. Rotes minimize Paradox impact, and mummies, vampires, werewolves are each operating in a paradigm which allows for such things. Thus no Paradox for them. Which makes the scenario Ayhsel even more problematic. Werewolves, Vampires and their associates are very familiar with the fact that paranormal shit can happen. So in that room mentioned above, that mage is pretty much getting a free pass to nuke the living shit out of them, rip their limbs off like Multiple Man from Marvel, gut them, shoot them, use head explosion micro grenades teleported into their skulls. All happening before the afore mentioned folks get a clue as to what is happening. If the mage in question has high numbers of Spheres in Time, well folks, he can do what he wants....
There are two main groups-not going to complicate this more than it is. Traditionalists and Technomancers. The Tech mages use technological disguises for their powers to minimize Paradox, and Traditionalists use things like tripping, airplanes crashing, blind luck, believable yet weird shit they come up with. It is complicated to play a mage.
There was a statement made by Mark Rein-Hagan at one of their gathers, that just because a journeyman mage CAN turn an Antediluvian into a lawn chair, doesn't mean he Should..... I think that there is nothing more eloquent than that, that I can add.
Peace friends!
Battle type mages. No. Vampire won't win. Wolf won't win. Atomic Warhead won't win.
Given a free pass to make an elder werewolf, elder vampire and equivalent mage, mage wins every time.
Mummies/Demons/Angels are the only wildcard on that table, as all three are much more powerful than Vampires or Werewolves, and the battlemage needs to know it is fighting a mummy/demon/angel. Mage can overcome or just negate rage effects (all), speed/celerity, fortitude, pretty much anything else in the World of Darkness(if prepared, then possibly demonic or angelic powers, and mummy sorcery). This is why the mage book comes with ways to make vampires and werewolves use similar powers so as not to be completely outclassed.
Mage was really never meant to be played with the other genres. Ars Magicka was the founding father for all of that, but mostly mages. This is why running a mixed campaign of all of that is best cut off at the Mummy level, as there is at least a decent chance to put a mummy down by either of the other 2 (vampires and werewolves/were anything) Mages do not use incantations. They can use Rotes which are kind of like magic with predictable results. True mages will simply will something to be and it will be. Sorcerers (mortal not Mummies) can be very powerful/Witches/Necromancers/Thaumaturgists, Summoners, etc. None of those use True Magic. Gnosis is not True Magic, Disciplines are not True Magic, Spells of any sort are not True Magic. Glamour tricks are not True Magic. Demonic and Angelic powers and Mummy Hekau are as close as it gets to True Magic outside of Mage.
So why were they even considered to be allowed in the game? The good folks at White Wolf and Black Dog relied on the Storyteller to be an absolute NAZI when it comes to this little thing called Paradox. Without limiting what reality allows to happen, then you are operating in the Mythic Age. Our time pretty much does not believe in magic. Paradox occurs and accrues when someone performs an action from True Magic. Rotes minimize Paradox impact, and mummies, vampires, werewolves are each operating in a paradigm which allows for such things. Thus no Paradox for them. Which makes the scenario Ayhsel even more problematic. Werewolves, Vampires and their associates are very familiar with the fact that paranormal shit can happen. So in that room mentioned above, that mage is pretty much getting a free pass to nuke the living shit out of them, rip their limbs off like Multiple Man from Marvel, gut them, shoot them, use head explosion micro grenades teleported into their skulls. All happening before the afore mentioned folks get a clue as to what is happening. If the mage in question has high numbers of Spheres in Time, well folks, he can do what he wants....
There are two main groups-not going to complicate this more than it is. Traditionalists and Technomancers. The Tech mages use technological disguises for their powers to minimize Paradox, and Traditionalists use things like tripping, airplanes crashing, blind luck, believable yet weird shit they come up with. It is complicated to play a mage.
There was a statement made by Mark Rein-Hagan at one of their gathers, that just because a journeyman mage CAN turn an Antediluvian into a lawn chair, doesn't mean he Should..... I think that there is nothing more eloquent than that, that I can add.
Peace friends!
Last edited: