MtA Matter spell tour

Let's go through the Matter Arcanum in Mage the Awakening, second edition.

Starting out

I've been playing a Matter-focused Moros in a campaign for the last few months. Matter reminds me a lot of Forces: simple on the surface, benefits from creativity on behalf of the player, but can be very, very flexible. Much like Obrimos, half of Moros is very physical, and the other half is far less so. In each campaign where I've played these two Paths, I focused more on the gross Arcanum but found myself wanting more of the subtle. This depends on your ST, and may be worth a quick discussion during character creation.

Despite that, the Matter spells are a lot of fun and give plenty of room for creativity. As in general, characters should probably avoid trying to overload their ST with questions and information. Be good players.

Initiate

Like any first level in an Arcanum, you'll start with detecting subjects related to the domain. Since your domain is Matter itself, you'll begin by detecting ... well, pretty much everything.

Craftman's Eye

Right off the bat, must like how Time 1's "Postcognition" can ruin ST (and NPC) plans, so too does "Craftman's Eye". With a single spell, a Mage can completely know what it does, how it works, and if it's blocked (and how). The Reach effects add on "reavel things like th ecombination to a safe of the solution to a puzzle" and also 8-Again to using the item for all its potential uses. Gone are the days of trying to understand obscure tools, diagnose vehicle engines, and even figuring out how to get into a safe without having to drill into it.

Detect Substance

With how vague "substances or objects" is, this spell can be very flexible on finding things. Note that the Fate spells are better at finding things (eventually) that meet some requirements and don't (I think) require to be cast on such a broad area as to find them, but still spell is far better at getting to something specific fast. I've seen this been used for gold, diamonds, blood, and alcohol.

Discern Composition

Largely the opposite of "Detect Substance", this spell tells you what you're already looking at, down to the elemental composition. Other than asking my ST to describe something because I was curious, I haven't personally found use for this yet. The Reach effect to detect concealed objects reminds me of the scene from the Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith novelization (a fantastic read, by the way) where Palpatine retrieves his lightsaber from a statue in his office.

When I can spare the dice to do so, I have cast this spell on an entire building before which, while I enjoyed doing it, didn't reveal anything to me.

Lodestone

A nod to the Forces spells, this spell attracts or repells substances or objects that already have motion. You cannot start the motion, but you can effectively redirect it.

Remote Control

AKA "use item", this spell causes a mechanical object to do what it's intended to do. Whether you've found something that's not working with your eyes or "Detect Substance", this spell lets you make it work. Spirit spells can also do this, but it's far more simple with this.

Apprentice

This level is a good look toward what is coming later, and the "veiling" spells are remarkably effective if you're playing in an urban area.

Alchemist's Touch

I haven't used this, but I can't wait! With a few spells, this one being a core component, Matter mages can create exceptionally dangerous and hostile environments but walk entirely unscathed through them. I'll touch on this more latter with some other spells, but remember this one.

As with any level one and two Arcanum spells, detecting and shielding are core components. While you cannot shield yourself from bullets with this spell, you can shield yourself (and others) from poison, acid, radiation, rot, and any manner of nasty chemicals you might cook up.

Find the Balance

Quite simply, this gives a bonus to tool use. I don't think this use extends to Path/Order Tools, as that would be the domain of Prime magic. "Remote Control" is used for machines, and this spell is used for tools including the ever-useful weapons. In a cabal of mages, it's not too likely that anyone is very skilled with firearms, but with this spell they don't really need to be.

Fate and Mind can give similar bonuses.

Hidden Hoard

AKA the "secret keeper" spell from Harry Potter that they used on Harry's parents' house and the Black house used for the Order of the Pheonix, this spells renders a subject entirely inconsequential to onlookers such that they don't even register its presence. Mind spells can do this to, but, again, it's simpler for you as Matter spells are cast thing things, but Mind (and Spirit) spells are cast on entities (people and spirits, respectively).

Machine Invisibility

With a simple spell, you are invisible to detection by machines. What takes a fair bit of preparation and rolling to hackers in Shadowrun is solved with a single spell in Mage.

Shaping

This is an interesting spell to have at this level. Sure, it aligns with what you'd expect of a Apprentice of whatever, but I haven't found much use for it, instead using later spells with more flexible/powerful control. I don't think it's a bad thing to get a spell that's basically entirely replaced later, mind, and this spell might find itself being cast alongside or in combination with other spells to great effect. I suppose the writers were thinking of water (liquids) when writing the +2 Reach effect.

Disciple

TBD

Aegis

A very simple and effective way to contribute in combat, this spell improves or reduces materials' (not people) armor. Stacking +3 armor on each of your cabalmates before going out to deal with some mundane issue for the day is a great way to contribute meaningfully without feeling bad about the Obrimos being so acccomplished at dishing out pain. Both alternatively or additionally, raising your or others' Defence is a great way to avoid being hit altogether.

Alter Conductivity

Another nod to Forces, this spell allows you to move electricity through objects. Forces spells can do it easier, but it's nice to have the option.

Alter Itegrity

Increase an object's Structure and/or Durability. I've found that my ST doesn't often care about these, except once when I tried to create a crowbar. There's a chart on page 223 with sample durabilities; getting something to 3 should be more than enough for the majority of tasks.

Crucible

Largely replacing "Find the Balance" and overlapping "Craftman's Eye", this spell grants bonuses to using a tool but also improves the Availability of valuable objects. I usually haven't had a need for money in Mage campaigns, but if you do, this may be a good way to get some. Additionally, I could see this as a way to gain status in social circles involving fashion or riches.

Nigredo and Albedo

Repair or destroy objects by changing Structure.

A really good spell, undeniably useful, this has fallen prey to the writers' insistence on using fancy words. I've used this to destroy flooring underneath an opponent, sending them unceremoniously crashing down to the floor below.

Shrink and Grow

Ah, simply named. Unlike Forces spells, you're not changing an item's weight (mass), rather its size. Sort of like the Antman character in Marvel films, you could shrink an entire truck down to the size of a dime and launch it, but unlike the films you'd still need to find a way to generate enough force to do that (no, "Lodestone" will not cut it). This spell can be fantastic for sneaking items through pat-downs and scanners, though more powerful Matter (and Death) spells will simply allow you to make items as you need them.

State Change

This is a remarkable step up in a mage's ability to influence the world around them. With this, doors and walls are no longer any bother - you're effectively as slippery as a Mastigos. The prize of any character working as a craftsman, this spell allows transmuting material. I have found this spell to make "Shaping" useful.

Windstrike

Simple attack spell, with the ability to Reach for environmental tilts.

Wonderful Machine

This is one of my favorite spells, as the possibilities really are endless. My group has used this spell to give the effects of a large elephant gun to several airsoft guns, effectively allowing small plastic toys to be exceptionally deadly, especially when combined with "Find the Balance".

Adept

Like most Arcana, this is where things get real. Given that your spells control Matter, and basically everything that isn't living is made of stuff, you have the ability to be extremely creative with these spells.

Ghostwall

Not just a spin-off of "Hidden Hoard", this spell allows the mage to basically make illusions by turning matter to be entirely incorporeal. Say no more to bookshelf hidden doors, simply make the wall not interact with anything else, including you.

Golem

This spell is a bit confusing. At first, I'm excited by the clear possibility of creating a follower from something interesting, like a pool of Mercery, but some of the other wording is odd: the golem is both "completely mindless" but also can fairly easily be granted 5 dots of the Retainer Merit. I suppose the golem won't be helping me with studying, but it should be entirely capable of being a world-class fighter. If you are playing a Moros (you probably are if you have Matter 4), you can put a ghost into the golem, resolving some of the concern about it being literally dumb as a rock.

Piercing Earth

Your classic level 4 Lethal/Aggravated damage spell, again with the Reach for environmental tilts that we've seen in some previous Matter spells.

Transubstantiation

Yes! This spell is incredible. Really the best Matter spell. You can turn darn near anything into darn near anything else. Like an Airbender or Firebender vs an Earthbender or Waterbender from ATLA, you can no longer be deprived of stuff to use. Some ideas:

• The very air around you can be the subject
• You can create nasty things like nerve agents or chemical gasses
• You can turn an entire room of things into gold

With this spell, I think "Piercing Earth" is 99% useless. You can combine this spell with "Shrink and Grow" to make a lot of stuff into a very small amount of something else, and then end only "Shrink and Grow" later to make the object instantly grow. For example, you could turn a bit of air entering someone's mouth into a lot of water, or turn it into a 3 meter cube as it goes down their throat .... I'm not saying you should, but you could. The difference between "living" material and Matter material isn't always clear; check with your ST. Are tears living, or could you do ... stuff ... with those?

At this level, you can't quite create a piano in the air and drop it on someone, but you could create a piano-shaped block of marble. Same effect, slightly less comedic.

Master

Create and destroy. I think spells in this level are good, but overshadowed by the incredible flexibility of "Transubstantiation".

Annihilate Matter

Take stuff, make it not stuff anymore. Nice, but given that you've had ways to shrink, weaken, destroy, and change Matter for a while now, it's not as exciting as other Destroy spells.

Ex Nihilo

The chief difference between this an "Transubstantiation" is that you can create complex objects with this spell and 1 Reach, including things like "a car or a smartphone". Handy, but I don't know how often I'd use it.

Self-Repairing machines

Pretty sure you could do this with "Nigredo and Albedo" which should tick at your Gnosis-designated ritual rate, which is 30 minutes (max) at this point. This spell is ... a spell.