The character creation process for Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition involves a structured allocation of points to define a mage's capabilities. A key component of this process is the distribution of "freebie points," which allow players to customize their characters beyond the standard allocation of attributes, abilities, and backgrounds. According to the provided documentation, all mage characters begin with 15 freebie points during standard character creation, while advanced characters start with 25. These points can be spent on a variety of traits, including attributes, abilities, backgrounds, Willpower, Arete, and Quintessence, subject to specific limitations.
Standard Character Creation Freebies
For standard character creation, players are allocated 15 freebie points to spend after the initial selection of attributes, abilities, and backgrounds. The documentation outlines specific costs and caps for upgrading various traits using these points.
Attributes and Abilities Players may spend freebie points to increase attributes. The cost varies by the tier of the attribute: raising a Physical, Social, or Mental attribute costs 1 point per dot for the first two dots, 2 points for the third dot, and 3 points for the fourth dot. Similarly, abilities can be purchased with freebie points, costing 1 point per dot for the first two dots and 2 points for the third dot. However, a strict rule applies to abilities: "You cannot raise it above a total of three dots with the expenditure of freebie points." This restriction ensures that starting characters maintain a consistent power level.
Advantages: Backgrounds, Willpower, and Arete Backgrounds are essential for defining a mage's connections and resources. During standard creation, players select 7 Background dots initially. Additional Background dots can be purchased with freebie points at a cost of 1 point per dot. Willpower is another critical trait, with all mages starting with a minimum of 5 dots. Players can purchase additional Willpower dots for 1 point each. Arete, representing a mage's enlightened vision, starts at 1 dot. Players may purchase additional levels of Arete with freebie points, though "you cannot raise it above a total of three dots with the expenditure of freebie points." This cap limits the theoretical understanding of magical principles a starting character can possess.
Magical Resources: Quintessence and Resonance Quintessence, the raw energy of Creation, is tied directly to the Avatar Background. A character starts with Quintessence equal to their Avatar Background rating. Players can buy extra Quintessence with freebie points to provide a "magical edge" at the start of play. The documentation notes that Quintessence is typically regained later through the use of Prime arts and meditation at Nodes. Additionally, players must select one type of Resonance—Dynamic, Entropic, or Static—and rate it with one dot.
Merits and Flaws The standard creation process allows for the inclusion of Merits and Flaws. While the specific costs are not detailed in the provided text, the general mechanic involves adjusting the freebie point total. If the points spent on Merits and Flaws do not balance, the difference is adjusted against the freebie points.
Advanced Character Creation Freebies
For characters that have been awakened for a longer period, an advanced character creation template is available. This template provides a significantly larger pool of points, including 25 freebie points for customization.
Expanded Allocations Advanced characters receive increased base allocations: 9/7/5 points for Attributes, 20/13/5 points for Abilities (with the restriction that no ability can be above 3 before spending freebies), and 20 Background dots. Spheres are allocated 6 points, with the first dot going to an Affinity Sphere. Arete starts at 1 (capped at 3 during character creation), and Willpower starts at 5 (capped at 7).
Spending the 25 Freebie Points The 25 freebie points for advanced characters can be spent on the same categories as standard creation, but with higher caps due to the increased base stats. Attributes cost 1/2/3 points per dot, Abilities cost 1/2 points per dot, and Backgrounds cost 1 point per dot. Arete and Willpower can be purchased, though the creation caps of Arete 3 and Willpower 7 remain in effect. Quintessence is equal to the Avatar rating, and additional points can likely be purchased, though the specific cost for advanced characters is not explicitly stated in the text. Merits and Flaws are permitted, with a limit of fifteen points, and the total must be even.
Restrictions and Venue-Specific Rules
While the core rulebook provides the framework for spending freebie points, the provided documentation also highlights specific restrictions and venue-specific rules that affect character creation. Source [3] details a list of banned and restricted affiliations, spheres, merits, and flaws for a particular venue.
Banned and Restricted Elements The following affiliations are banned: Technocracy, Marauders, Nephandi, and Knights Templar. Restricted affiliations, which are very limited in number, include the Ahl-i-Batin, The Kopa Loei, The Ngoma, The Sister of Hippolyta, and The Wu Lung. In terms of spheres, Primal Utility is banned, and Data is restricted to Virtual Adepts and Society of Ether.
A significant list of Merits and Flaws is banned, including Child, Jack-of-All-Trades, Amnesia, Overconfident, Lucky, Dark Fate, Unlucky, Offline, Circumspect Avatar, Immortal Enemy, Psychic Vampire, Bedeviled, and Phylactery. Furthermore, specific Merits and Flaws such as Nephilim/Laham, True Faith, Construct, Dual Affiliation, and extreme versions of Impediment (Blind, Deaf) are restricted and require speaking with an ST (Storyteller) first.
Kinfolk Requirement A unique requirement for this venue is that all mages are kinfolk. As such, they "must start play with the Shapeshifter Kin Merit from the Book of Secrets." Due to this being a requisite merit, it is provided at no cost. If a character possesses Purebreed, it must be purchased with Background or Freebie Points at creation and cannot be raised with XP during play.
Freebie Point Expenditure Summary
The following table summarizes the costs and caps for spending freebie points during standard character creation, based on the provided text.
| Category | Cost | Cap/Limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Attributes | 1/2/3 points per dot | No explicit cap, but subject to standard maximums. |
| Abilities | 1/2 points per dot | Cannot raise above 3 dots with freebie points. |
| Backgrounds | 1 point per dot | No explicit cap mentioned for freebie spending. |
| Willpower | 1 point per dot | Starts at 5; rare to have 9 or 10. |
| Arete | Not specified | Starts at 1; cannot exceed 3 with freebie points. |
| Quintessence | Not specified | Starts equal to Avatar; can buy extra. |
| Merits/Flaws | Varies | Total points spent must be even; difference adjusts freebies. |
Conclusion
The allocation of freebie points in Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition is a fundamental step in shaping a mage's identity and power level. Standard characters receive 15 points to enhance attributes, abilities, backgrounds, Willpower, Arete, and Quintessence, subject to specific caps such as a maximum of three dots in Arete and abilities. Advanced characters benefit from a larger pool of 25 freebie points and higher base stats. However, players must also adhere to any venue-specific restrictions, such as the kinfolk requirement and lists of banned merits or affiliations, which can influence how freebie points are best utilized. Understanding these rules is essential for creating a compliant and conceptually sound character.