Storytelling in MAGI

MAGI looks to systems like Blades in the Dark and its excellent Forged derivatives when it comes to storytelling. With the Clocks system to generate tension and provide narrative structure, players should find the flexibility to tell anything from heart-pounding character drama to fast-paced action. Players possess Connections with non-player characters to give them a measure of their bond with allies and enemies alike, and they can look forward to gaining Experience from engaging with these bonds. The different Team types also support different styles of play, tweaking experience gain orcore mechanics to deliver on different pacing and narrative styles. All this is supported by unique mechanical effects, an included setting with guidelines for making it your own, and the drama engines of Fallout and Suspicion.

Downtime and Suspicion

Downtime is the term for the in-between times, when the air is clear and the characters don't have a more pressing matter. This phase of play is earned by defeating a Warden or accomplishing a goal that the players can define at the start of play. It might be making progress on their ultimate motivation, saving an NPC, or some other task that is repeatable and play can be structured around. Players each get two Personal Actions that provide benefits to them and give an opportunity to roleplay and discover more information about the world and characters. The team at large also gets a single Team Action, which are generally more powerful than Personal Actions and provide benefit to everyone. This is also a good time to cover any Fallout Scenes or backlash the players may have gained via Suspicion.

Suspicion is a measure of how non-player characters perceive the players. As the bar raises and Suspicion is gained, the strange happenings around your players start to spread rumors and alert friends and family that something is wrong. Suspicion works like a special Clock with 9 segments and can be raised by public displays of magic or other consequences like Fallout, and lowered by Downtime Actions. When it fills to 9 segments, it resets to 0 and an Entanglement is gained. These are special events that have to do with blowing your cover as normal people. They focus on the consequences of maintaining a secret identity, and the ways your actions might have gathered miscontent or sparked intrigue and concern.