Genesys Magic Summary

Spell List Arcane Divine Primal

Attack 🗹 🗹 🗹
Augment 🗹 🗹
Barrier 🗹 🗹
Conjure 🗹 🗹
Curse 🗹 🗹 🗹
Dispel 🗹 🗹
Heal 🗹 🗹
Mask 🗹
Predict 🗹
Telekinesis 🗹 🗹
Transform 🗹
Utility 🗹 🗹 🗹

Magic Rules

Spellcasters, or individuals who can use magic, are anyone who has at least one rank in
a magic skill (Arcane, Divine, or Primal). You may only have ranks in 1 of the 3 magic skills. If
your character does not have at least one rank in a magic skill, they cannot attempt to use
magic. This includes performing any of the magic actions and maneuvers.

Magic is more taxing than other activities in one other respect. When your character
casts a spell that requires a check (whether or not the check succeeds), they suffer 2 Strain
after resolving the check (this includes resolving advantages to heal strain).
 Magical Penalties

Spending Threat or Despair

 Attack
Concentration: No
Default Check: Easy, Short, 1 target

Magic attacks are combat checks, and they follow the normal rules for performing a
combat check, on page 101 of the Core Rule Book using the character’s magic skill instead of a
combat skill. There are some exceptions, however, which we detail here.

When making a magic attack, the character must select 1 target at short range (but not
engaged). The default difficulty of the check is Easy. The attack deals damage equal to the
characteristic linked to the skill used to make the attack (so if the character uses Arcana, they
would deal damage equal to their Intellect), plus 1 damage per uncancelled success. The attack
has no set Critical rating, so you may only inflict a Critical Injury with a Triumph. Before making
a magic attack check, choose any number of additional effects listed below.

.
 AUGMENT
Concentration: Yes
Default Check: Average, engaged, 1 target

This is using magic to enhance people. A character selects one target they are engaged
with (which can be themself), then makes a Magical skill check. The default difficulty of
the check is Average. If the check is successful, until the end of your character’s next turn, the
target increases the ability of any skill checks they make by one (in effect, this means they add 1
Green Ability Die to their checks).

A character may not be affected by more than one Augment spell at the same time (so
no stacking effects). Before making an augment check, choose any number of additional effects
listed below.
 BARRIER

Concentration: Yes
Default Check: Easy, engaged, 1 target

Both arcane and divine spellcasters have the power to create barriers of magical energy
to protect themselves and their allies. The character selects one target they are engaged with
(which can be themself), then makes a Magical Skill check. The default difficulty of the check is
Easy. If the check is successful, until the end of the character’s next turn, reduce the damage of
all hits the target suffers by 1, and further reduce it by 1 for every 2 uncancelled successes
beyond the first. Before making a Barrier check, choose any number of additional effects listed
below.
 CONJURE
Concentration: Yes
Default Check: Easy, engaged, 1 item or minion, silhouette 1 (or smaller)

This action represents the ability of a spellcaster to animate objects or create items (or
even allies) out of thin air and the aether. The character makes a Magical skill check. The
default difficulty for the check is Easy. If the check is successful, the character summons a
simple tool with no moving parts (such as a shovel or pickaxe), a one-handed melee weapon
with no moving parts (such as a sword or knife), or a minion no bigger than silhouette 1 (such as
an animal, magical creature, elemental spirit, or even undead monstrosity). These appear
engaged with the character. The summoned minion or item remains present until the end of the
character’s next turn.

If the character summons a creature, the creature behaves in the best approximation of
its natural instincts (as determined by the GM). It is not controlled by the character, and may
even be hostile to them. In a structured encounter, it takes its turn immediately after the
character. Before making a conjure check, choose any number of additional effects listed below.
 CURSE
Concentration: Yes
Default Check: Average, short, 1 target

This action represents the combat use of curse magic. Your character selects one target
within short range, then makes a Magical skill check. The default difficulty of the check is
Average. If it is successful, until the end of the character’s next turn, the target decreases the
ability of any skill checks they make by 1 (in effect, this means they remove one Green Ability
Die from their checks). Before making the curse check, choose any number of additional effects
listed below.
 DISPEL
Concentration: No
Default Check: Hard, short, 1 target

The ability to nullify magic is a strange and wondrous art that only certain arcane
spellcasters possess. The character selects one target within short range that is under the
effects of a spell, then makes a Magical skill check. The default difficulty for the check is Hard. If
the check is successful, the effect the target is under immediately ends (if the spell affected
multiple targets, the other targets remain affected). Before making a dispel check, choose any
number of additional effects listed below.
 HEAL
Concentration: No
Default Check: Easy, engaged, 1 target

The character can use a Magical skill in place of a Medicine check in order to remove
damage or heal Critical Injuries. When making the check, the character selects one target they
are engaged with who is not incapacitated. The default difficulty of the check is Easy. Upon
success, the character heals 1 wound per uncancelled success, and 1 strain per uncanceled
advantage. Before making a heal check, choose any number of additional effects listed below.
 MASK
Concentration: Yes
Default Check: Easy, short, 1 illusion, silhouette 1 (or smaller)

This is using magic to create an illusion, or to disguise a character’s appearance. The

character makes a Magical skill check. The default difficulty for the check is Easy. If the check is
successful, the character creates an illusion of a creature or object that is silhouette 1 or
smaller. The illusion appears within short range of the character. Alternatively, the illusion
changes the appearance of the caster or one silhouette 1 (or smaller) target they are engaged
with. The illusion cannot obscure the basic size and shape of the target.

Illusions can generate light and sound, but they cannot cause harm or interact with their
environment in any way. Illusions can be animated and can move, as long as they remain within
the range of the spell. A keen observer can attempt to spot the false nature of the illusion by
making an Average Vigilance check (or Average Perception check if the observer suspects that
their senses may be fooled). Success means the observer recognizes the object’s illusory
nature. Before making a mask check, choose any number of additional effects listed below.
 PREDICT
Concentration: No
Default Check: Average, 1 question, next 24 hours

This is using magic to attempt to predict the future. The character makes a Magical skill
check, then asks one question about events that will unfold within the next 24 hours. The default
difficulty of the check is Average. If the check is successful, your GM must provide the character
with a truthful answer, but that answer could be one that can be interpreted multiple ways or is
somewhat enigmatic. Whether the check succeeds or fails, the character may not make another
Predict check to ask about the same events for the remainder of the session. Before making a
predict check, choose any number of additional effects listed below.
 TELEKINESIS
Concentration: Yes
Default Check: Average, short, 1 object/creature, silhouette 1

The character selects one target (creature or object) up to silhouette 1 in size within
short range, then makes a Magical skill check. The default difficulty of the check is Average.
Checks targeting NPCs should be opposed by Discipline, though if it makes narrative sense to
do so Athletics, Coordination, or Vigilance may also apply. Checks performed in this way always
have a minimum difficulty of Average. If the check is successful, the target is immediately
moved one range band in a direction of the character’s choosing. Before making a Telekinesis
power check, choose any number of additional effects listed below.
 TRANSFORM
Concentration: Yes
Default Check: Average, self, silhouette 0 animal

This is using magic to tap into primal forces and shift into the form of a wild creature. The
character makes a Primal skill check. The default difficulty of the check is Average. If the check
is successful, until the end of the spellcaster’s next turn, the character transforms into a
silhouette 0 animal. The animal must be a natural creature, and is subject to GM approval.
Some options can be found starting on page 86.

While transformed, the spellcaster adopts the physical appearance of the animal and
gains the animal’s characteristics, soak, wound threshold, and defense. The spellcaster also
gains any of the animal’s abilities and equipment (including weapons). The character retains
their own skills, talents, and strain threshold. They drop any gear or clothing they were carrying
or wearing when they transformed. If the character is incapacitated while transformed, they
revert back to their normal form. When a character reverts back to their normal form, they heal
all wounds suffered while transformed but do not heal any strain or Critical Injuries they suffered
while transformed. If they were incapacitated due to exceeding their wound threshold, they are
no longer incapacitated. Before making a transform check, choose any number of additional
effects listed below.
 UTILITY
Concentration: Yes

Utility magic covers all the minor things that we expect people to be able to do with
magic, such as levitating a book, transmuting a pebble into a butterfly, detecting something
magical nearby, summoning a ghostly light source to see in the dark, or making one’s voice
growl with distant thunder. Basically, these are all cool abilities with a minor benefit, but are
more tricks than dangerous or powerful magics. That doesn’t mean a player can’t figure out how
their character can use a utility spell to their best advantage—that’s half the fun of being a
spellcaster!

Utility magic doesn’t have an equivalent action for structured encounters, since the
effects are almost entirely narrative in nature. A check to cast a utility spell should always be
Easy. If that check seems too easy for what you want to accomplish, then what you want to do is
probably beyond the scope of utility magic!

Magical Maneuvers

Counterspell
Most skilled mages or spellcasters can attempt to counter an opponent’s spells as they are
being cast. If the character performs the counterspell maneuver, all opponents within medium
range upgrade the difficulty of checks to cast spells once, until the end of the character's next
turn.

Concentrate
Some magical effects might require concentration to sustain. If a magical action (or spell) can
benefit from concentration, the action description notes this. Spells that can be sustained
through concentration last until the end of the character’s next turn (as noted in their
description). However, if the character performs the concentrate maneuver during that next turn,
the spell’s effects last until the end of the character’s following turn, instead. This can be
sustained indefinitely by performing the concentrate maneuver each turn.
 Magical Implements

Magic, as with any other skill, can be augmented and enhanced by various items. You
may recognize them as magical staples such as staffs, wands, and orbs. We call them magic
implements, and they’re a type of equipment.
Each of the magic implements, or tools, has a certain basic effect (all staffs help your
character increase the range of spells, for example). Most of the magic tools also boost the
base damage of attack spells. This represents magic doing more damage when focused
correctly, and it brings the damage totals in line with regular weapons.
There are two hard-and-fast rules when it comes to using magic implements.
1. Your character can only benefit from one implement at a time.
2. Holding an implement does not impose a Setback die on your character’s check for
not having their hands free.

Druidic Circlet: When the user casts the Conjure spell to summon a living creature, adding the
Summon Ally effect does not increase its difficulty. In addition, the creature remains summoned
until the end of the encounter without your character having to use the concentrate maneuver.

Holy Icons: When they are casting a spell, adding any Divine Only effects increase the spell’s
difficulty 1 less than they would normally. In addition, the number of wounds healed by heal
spells cast by the user increases by 2.

Magic Orbs: When the user casts a spell, adding the Additional Target and Additional Summon
effects do not increase its difficulty. In addition, attack spells cast by the user increase their base
damage by 3.

Magic Rings: The GM chooses one type of magic skill, then selects 3 effects that can be added
to spells cast by that skill. Two of the effects can normally only increase the difficulty of the spell
by 1; the third can normally only increase the difficulty of the spell by 2. When the user casts a
spell, adding these effects do not increase the spell’s difficulty. However, when using a magic
ring, you must always upgrade the difficulty of any spells you cast once, and 2 Despair cannot
be spent to destroy the ring. In addition, attack spells cast by the user increase their base
damage by 2.

Magic Scepters: When your character casts a spell while using a magic scepter, add 1 Boost
die to the check and adding the Close Combat effect does not increase the difficulty. In addition,
Attack spells cast by your character increase their base damage by 2.

Magic Staves: Magical staffs almost universally augment the user’s ability to cast spells at
range. When they are casting a spell, adding the first Range effect added to the spell does not
increase the spell’s difficulty. In addition, attack spells cast by the user increase their base
damage by 4.
Magic Tomes: When your character makes or obtains a tome, your GM determines up to 2
effects that the tome lets your character add to any appropriate spell without increasing the
spell’s difficulty. The effects your GM chooses should normally (without the tome) only increase
the difficulty of a spell by a total of 3.

Magic Wands: When a character makes or obtains the wand, determine one effect that the
wand lets users add to any appropriate spell without increasing the spell’s difficulty. The effect
chosen must be one that, without a wand, only increases difficulty by 1. In addition, attack spells
cast by the user increase their base damage by 3.

Magical Implement Materials

Bone: When your character successfully casts an Attack or Curse spell, they heal 1 wound.
Price: Cost x ½. Rarity: +2.

Hazel: When your character generates a Triumph while casting a spell with this implement, you
may roll 1 Boost die and add it to the results, in addition to spending the Triumph normally.
Price: Cost x ½. Rarity: +1.

Oak: Oak implements do not have any additional effects.

Price: No Change. Rarity: No Change.

Willow: When your character successfully casts a spell using a willow implement, you may add
1 Advantage to the results.
Price: Cost x 2. Rarity: +2.

Yew: When your character successfully casts an Augment, Barrier, or Heal spell using this
implement, they heal 1 strain.
Price: Cost x ½. Rarity: +1.