Partially Limited Magery

Partially Limited Magery is the concept that one applies limitations to some points but not all points of the Magery advantage.

The idea was present in Basic Set 66-67:

Magery 0 costs 5 points for all mages, but you may apply one of the limitations below to the 10 points/level for Magery 1+.

Basic Set initially excluded the application of limitations to Magery 0, but Limited Magery 0 was later allowed in Thaumatology pg 20.

Some confusion results regarding whether the description of the limitations in Basic were intended to apply only when using the benefit 1+ gives over 0 (a talent that boosts IQ, Magery and Effect) or all the time. Thaumatology specified the former.

The main text (under "Limited Magery 0"?) is so badly worded that it is best to use the examples which overrule the examples given in the Basic Set all of which now fall under Partially Limited Magery.

Magery 0 with no limitations

• "Roxana the Sun-Witch buys Magery 0 with no limitations, for 5 points, plus three more levels with the Day-Aspected limitation, -40%, for 18 points. Total cost is 23 points. She can detect and use magic items, and cast spells that don’t have Magery 1+ as a prerequisite, whenever she wants; when the sun is in the sky, though, she casts at +3."
  This expressly overrules the Basic Set which stated "Day-Aspected: You can use your powers only when the sun is in the sky (...) When the sun is down, you have none of your magical abilities, although a look at your aura reveals that you are a mage." (sic)

Limitation is only to spell casting

Half of the limitation's cost is used with regards to Magery 0

• "Aufidius the Dark-Master buys Magery 0 with the Dark-Aspected limitation at half its usual value, or -25%, for 4 points. He buys two more levels of Magery with the full -50% version of that limitation, for 10 points. Total cost is 14 points. Aufidius can sense and use magic items just like an unlimited mage, but he can only cast spells in the dark."
  This expressly overrules the Basic Set which stated "Magery 0 costs 5 points for all mages" (sic)

Basic Set versions that fall under this: Dance Magery and Song Magery

Limitation applies to both magic item detection and spells

The full limitation's cost is used.

• "Lysimachus the Dancer buys Magery 0 with the Dance limitation, -40%, for 3 points, plus another two levels of Magery, also with that limitation, for 12 points. Total cost is 15 points. Not only must he dance to cast spells, he cannot detect magic items or use some of them without dancing."
  This expressly overrules the Basic Set which stated "Magery 0 costs 5 points for all mages" (sic)

Basic Set versions that fall under this: Dark-Aspected Magery, Day-Aspected Magery, Solitary Magery, and One-College Magery. This change is partly confirmed the 2012 FAQ (4.1.10 How does Aspected Magery work exactly?) - see comment below.

Limited Magery above 1

Magery can be normal at levels above 0 but limited past a certain point. Note to GMs: this makes the math more complicated.

For example a weather mage can have Magery 0 [5] + Magery 1 [10] + One College Magery (Weather, -40%) [6]. They will be able to learn and cast all spells requiring Magery 1 and lower but only the spells in the Weather collage are bought with IQ+Magery 2; all other spells are bought with IQ+Magery 1. Also they are limited to the Weather College for spells that require Magery 2.

Comment

The 2012 FAQ (4.1.10 How does Aspected Magery work exactly?) is confusing regarding this:

• Q: If the condition of the aspected magery is not met, I cannot cast spells at all. So why is the limitation not applied to Magery 0?
  • A: Because you can still detect magic and use "mage only" items, which is very useful.

The answer should be something like 'Actually you can cast spells that don't require Magery 1 or higher as well still detect magic and use "mage only" items, all of which are very useful. This only changes if the limitation is applied to Magery 0 as well, likely changing it's point total.'

See Also

• Partly Limited Abilities
• Unusable Prerequisites