Null Adept and Negamage Rules

I have seen many different types of "negamage" player character rules spread across the board, but to date I have yet to find one definitive set that I like. It seems like FASA would print there own set since the negamage was first mentioned in "Find Your Own Truth". Unfortunately, FASA has not...so I'm gonna do my best and give you the result.  There are two types of PC: the Null Adept and the Negamage. Both are quite distinct from each other, so choose the one you like the best.

Null Adept

Null Adepts are not actually magical adepts in the traditional sense. Rather, they are a rare species of homo sapiens sapiens that possess no astral presence! Their very existence is a aberration as far as magic-users are concerned. Despite the best efforts of science and magic both, they remain unexplained, and no causal relationship has been discovered for this strange phenomena.

The prevalent theory on Null Adepts is that they are a triumph of Darwin's natural selection...after all, in an increasingly magical world, Nulls have a distinct advantage over the Awakened. No data exists to explain the null's lack of presence on the Astral Plane, and most Thaumaturgical circles deny their existence with a shudder. The few mages that do admit that Nulls exist have nicknamed them "Sleepers" or "the UnAwakened."

In Astral Space, a Null looks just like a piece of non-living material.  In this respect, they can hide quite easily from spirits, watchers, projecting mages (who aren't prone to looking for aura-less intruders) and any other astral entity. In fact, spirits and astral entities will NEVER recognize the existence of a Null because of the Null's lack of an aura. If a Fire Elemental is set to watch a building and report who comes out, it will say nothing when a Null leaves, because the Elemental doesn't recognize the Null as a living being. When ordered to attack a Null, most spirits will become confused...(Attack who?)...and not respond to the command because they don't know how.

Any spell which targets a Mental Attribute is completely useless against a Null. The spells are simply unable to find a presence to connect to. However, spells which merely require a miscellaneous target or have physical effects operate normally. That is to say, all Illusion spells and Control Manipulation spells, as well as some Detection spells, are useless. When a wizard casts such a spell on a Null, the spell is rendered completely ineffectual, but the wizard still takes Drain because he did channel mana. Combat and Health Spells, however, do not target a Mental Attribute, and they have a chance at affecting a Null...

A Null Adept also has Magical Resistance equal to his or her Essence. This resistance drops by points in the same way Magic does when the character "cybers up". It should also be noted that a Null's Magical Resistance is also used in resisting damage from Critter Powers, Spirit Powers, Physad Abilities, weapon foci, and the like. Unfortunately, this power also works against benificial spells, such as Heal and Treat.  Also, a Null Adepts effective essence for such spells is 0, regardless of any cyberware that the Null has implanted. It should also be noted that Null Adepts can never become cyberzombies, simply because the spells used to anchor a cyberzombie's spirit to the physical plane will not work on a Null.

Dual creatures will recognize a Null as a living being immediately, but spirits and elementals may have some difficulty with the concept.  GM's may want to have the spirit in question make an Intelligence(5) test to see if they figure out what's going on. If a mage instructs a spirit to attack, it may not understand exacty what it is attacking and become disoriented. GM discretion, as always.

Game Notes:

Null Adepts must spend Priority B on magic if using the priority system, or allot 15 Building Points if using the new character creation rules found in the Shadowrun Companion. A player CANNOT be a Null Adept and a metahuman; Nulls lack the magus factor that allows innate magical capability.

Neither their emotional nor cerebral characteristics may be determined from Astral Space. No manipulation of these may occur, either, as to do so would require a receptive target for the spell. For all intents and purposes, a null appears as a body without a mind - physical health may be evaluated, but any clues as to the nature and/or existence of their thoughts/feelings go unseen.

Magically active characters coming into contact with a Null have varied reactions, from a slight shudder or misgiving to regurgitation. Nulls suffer a target modifier equal to their Essence when using Social Skills with full mages or shamans; half that number for adepts. In both cases, the modifier can never be less than +2. Mundane chummers will be uncomfortable around a Null as well, sensing that something is "inherently wrong". Nulls suffer a +1 Social Skills modifier when dealing with mundanes.

Negamage

The so-called negamage is another strange development in the Awakened World. Negamages are full-fledged magic-users of a sort and, unlike Null Adepts, possess a Magic Attribute. In fact, a negamage can even Initiate! Negamages are noted for the fact that they cannot cast spells, but can resist them and even extend their protection to others. Recent study has determined that negamages are actually magicians that use their magical abilities exclusively to combat other magic, hence negamages are actually followers of a specialized Tradition rather than a new form of (meta)human.

Game Notes:

Negamages must assign Priority A to Magic, or use 20 Building points when using the Shadowrun Companion's method of character generation. Metahuman Negamages do exist, but keep in mind that they are a minority within a minority, and should be rarely encountered.
Treat negamages as normal magicians that have a single limitation on their magic: it can only be used to combat other magic, or similarly void the effects of another spell or magical ability. Negamages see themselves as "antimages", and revel in their ability to destroy the arcane arts of others.

Negamages may learn conjuring, sorcery, magical theory, enchanting, and psychometry just as any normal magician. They also have access to the Astral and may use all types of foci. Negamages MAY NOT use their abilities in any way that violates their tradition (this includes summoning spirits as that is not seen as fighting other magic, regardless of what the negamage tells the spirit to do.) Negamages have one distinct advantage over "normal" magicians: they have access to the metamagic ability of Shielding without having to initiate!

No known magical groups or cabals exist for negamages, so they must self-initiate (GM discretion, but remember to keep these guys rarer than hen's teeth). Upon Initiation, negamages get full access to Metamagic abilities just as normal magicians.

GO BACK!!!

Click Here to Go Back to the Magick Section