Qualities/Forbidden Arcana

1 Adept Healer
2 Alchemical Armorer
3 Alchemical Bomb Maker
4 Animal Familiar
5 Apt Pupil
6 Arcane Bodyguard
7 Arcane Improviser
8 Archivist
9 Astral Bouncer
10 Astral Infiltrator
11 Barehanded Adept
12 Blood Necromancer
13 Chain Breaker
14 Chakra Interrupter
15 Charlatan
16 Chosen Follower
17 Close Combat Mage
18 Dark Ally (Specific Spirit)
19 Death Dealer
20 Dedicated Conjurer
21 Dedicated Spellslinger
22 Dual-Natured Defender
23 Durable Preparations
24 Elemental Master
25 Flesh Sculpter
26 Healer
27 Illusionist
28 Items of Power
29 Mage Hunter
30 Missile Deflector
31 Mystic Foreman
32 Mystic Pitcher
33 Pacifist Adept
34 Potion Maker
35 Practiced Alchemist
36 Puppet Master
37 Reckless Spell Master
38 Renaissance Ritualist
39 Revenant Adept
40 Shock Mage
41 Skinwalker
42 Spectral Warden
43 Spell Jammer
44 Spirit Hunter
45 Spiritual Lodge
46 Spiritual Pilgrim
47 Sprawl Tamer
48 Stalwart Ally
49 Taboo Transformer
50 Vexcraft
51 Worship Leader

Adept Healer

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.31

Prerequisite: Empathic Healing adept power^(SG-171)
Cost: 10 Karma

An adept with this quality heals significantly more damage per hit when transferring damage from another person with the Empathic Healing power. Additionally, they suffer a slightly lower cost to their own health. When using the Empathic Healing power, each net hit removes 3 boxes of damage from the wounded character and inflicts 2 boxes of damage on the adept.

Alchemical Armorer

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.31

Prerequisites: Alchemy 4, Armorer 4, Advanced Alchemy metamagic
Cost: 15 Karma

This quality gives the character a spell that allows her to alter the ballistic properties of bullets by making them target and lynchpin of preparations. The cost of the Alter Ballistics spell (see p. 51) is factored into the cost of this quality, and the character does not need to spend any extra Karma to learn the spell.

Alchemical Bomb Maker

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.31

Prerequisites: Alchemy 4 (Combat Spell), Advanced Alchemy metamagic
Cost: 10 Karma

A character with this quality can increase the radius or base DV of alchemical preparations that have their range listed as LOS(A). For every 2DV increase in damage or 10m increase in radius (rounded up), the Drain Value is increased by 1. A character with this quality may also reduce the drain from one type trigger of her choice by one, down to a minimum of zero.

Animal Familiar

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.31

Prerequisite: Animal Handling 5
Cost: 5 Karma

Using this quality can make a non-Awakened animal follow the same rules as an animal bonded via Attune Animal, though this bond cannot be broken except by death (type and cost of animal allowed is up to the gamemaster). If a familiar dies, the quality must be purchased again if the character wants a familiar. Characters may only have one familiar at a time. The character and animal share a limited Sense Link (p.198, Street Grimoire). They are connected emotionally and the character can issue commands mentally to the animal, but no other senses are shared. If the familiar is within (character’s Magic × 50) meters of the character, the character knows where the familiar is. Adepts with a familiar can reduce the Karma cost of the Way of the Beast by 3.

Apt Pupil

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.32

Prerequisites: Arcana 6, Knowledge: Magical Theory 4
Cost: 5 Karma

All that studying has finally paid off. All of the magical training times for a character with this quality are reduced by 25 percent.

Arcane Bodyguard

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.32

Prerequisite: Counterspelling 4
Cost: 20 Karma

A character with this quality has double the amount of spell defense dice, but they may never use more than (spell defense dice / 3) dice on herself, even when they have no one around to protect. The quality also doubles the number of people a character can protect with their spell defense dice at any one time.

Arcane Improviser

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.32

Tradition: Chaos
Prerequisites: Spellcasting 6, Counterspelling 6, Arcana 7 (Spell Design), 4 spells from each category
Cost: 5 Karma

A character with this quality can spend a point of Edge to cast any spell they have not previously paid Karma to learn. Characters may only cast this spell once per week with a Complex Action, but it is always considered Reckless Spellcasting (p. 281, SR5) when calculating drain DV.

Archivist

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.32

Prerequisites: Arcana 5, two Academic Knowledge skills related to magical studies at rank 4 or higher
Cost: 10 Karma

Studying is no substitute for practice when it comes to learning many of the finer points of most magical skills, but there is something to be said for the value of dedication to one’s studies. The archivist has spent many hours in dusty libraries and hidden collections of scrolls and tomes, studying knowledge few have ever seen. Their mind has become a living catalog of arcane knowledge, and their skills benefit from this knowledge. Knowledge is power. A character with this quality has extensively studied the inner workings of magic, which grants them the ability to manipulate mana at a higher level than they’d normally be able to. For every two Academic knowledge skills related to magical studies that the character possesses at rank 4 or higher, their Magic attribute is considered to be one level higher for the purposes of determining whether the Drain Value from a magical action will be Physical or Stun.

Astral Bouncer

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.32

Prerequisites: Assensing 4 (Aura Reading)
Cost: 10 Karma

A character with this quality has astral sight that is so keen that they’ve developed new ways of sizing up everyone they meet. Along with the normal results, every two net hits on an Assensing skill test can also be used to reveal one of the following about a living being: all positive qualities, all negative qualities, physical attribute ratings, mental attribute ratings, initiate grade, an initiate power, an adept power, or Edge rating.

Astral Infiltrator

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.32

Prerequisites: Astral Combat 5 (Astral Barriers), Initiate Grade 1
Cost: 15 Karma

Any astral barrier that a character with this quality successfully passes through has its Force lowered by their Initiate Grade. If passing through the barrier lowers the Force to zero, the barrier is disrupted, and the mage who set it up is alerted. A character with this quality can instead choose to leave a barrier at Force 1 if they would normally disrupt the barrier by passing through it. A single character can only reduce the Force of a barrier once, but multiple characters with this quality can combine their efforts to weaken or remove an astral barrier.

Barehanded Adept

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.33

Tradition: Buddhism
Prerequisites: Must be an Adept, Unarmed Combat 6
Cost: 10 Karma

This quality allows an adept to cast a number of touch spells equal to their (Magic attribute / 2); a new touch spell is granted as the character’s Magic attribute rises high enough after acquiring this quality. An adept with this quality does not actually have to use their hands to cast a spell, but their bare skin must make contact with the target of the spell (or the target’s clothing). A barehanded adept uses their Unarmed Combat skill in place of the Spellcasting skill and must still make the normal unarmed attack required to target a touch spell. Drain is double what it normally would be and is resisted with Body + Willpower. The maximum Force of any spell cast with this ability is (Magic / 3), rounded up.

Blood Necromancer

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.33

Prerequisites: Blood Magic, Spellcasting 6 (Health)
Cost: 15 Karma

When a creature dies, it takes a short period of time for their essence to fade as their individual organs and cells begin to fail and die. Characters with this quality can use these minuscule traces of life to revive and stabilize characters who have filled their overflow damage within a number of minutes equal to their (Essence − 1, rounded up). For every minute that the character was dead before being revived, they lose one point of Essence. If the loss would reduce the character’s Essence to zero, that character cannot be revived. Metahumans who have returned from the dead and the mage who revived them must immediately make a Composure (4) test to avoid acquiring long-term mental, physical, or spiritual ailments. Critters with the Sapience power make a Composure (2) test, while critters without the Sapience power only make a Composure (1) test to resist permanent adverse effects. If a metahuman or critter fails to beat the Composure threshold, they must take a number of negative qualities equal to (threshold − hits) from the table listed below. These negative qualities can be purposefully chosen, or they can be rolled for randomly at the discretion of the gamemaster.

Roll	Negative Quality
2	Amnesia (Neural Deletion)
3	Astral Beacon
4	Deaf
5	Insomnia (15 Karma)
6	Allergy (Sunlight, Moderate)
7	Compulsive (12 Karma)
8	Loss of Confidence
9	Weak Immune System
10	Infirm (15 Karma)
11	Infirm (10 Karma)
12	Compulsive (8 Karma)

Chain Breaker

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.33

Tradition: Shamen
Prerequisites: See description
Cost: 10 Karma (Aspected Mage: 5 Karma)

A character with this quality refuses to bind spirits and takes umbrage with any magician who does. A chain breaker is known to the astral world as an ally, which means that spirits are more willing to forgive them at first, but less forgiving if they develop a bad Astral Reputation. Characters with this quality double the amount of Spirit Index required to reach their first point of Astral Reputation, but require only 10 Spirit Index to gain subsequent points of Astral Reputation. As a reward for their devotion, a character with this quality may choose two additional spirit types to summon in addition to the spirit types allowed by their tradition. The character must forfeit the use of the Binding skill as an active skill, but they may still use any previously acquired ranks as a Knowledge skill. Additionally, the character must succeed in a Composure (2) test to avoid verbally or physically lashing out at any nearby mage currently binding a spirit, including teammates. If the Astral Reputation of a chain breaker ever reaches 3 or higher, the character loses the ability to summon the extra two spirit types, and this quality is considered a negative quality until it is paid off with Karma (at twice the listed price) or the character can adequately atone for their transgressions by performing the Atonement ritual (p. 123, Street Grimoire).

Chakra Interrupter

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.34

Prerequisites: Assensing 4 (Aura Reading) and Nerve Strike adept power; Or: Assensing 4 (Aura Reading) and Unarmed Combat 6 (Martial Art) with Dim Mak technique
Cost: 10 Karma

When striking nerves, arteries, and pressure points, the character doesn’t just disable limbs; they block the ability to control and channel mana. The attacker must have previously assensed the target and gotten at least 2 net hits to use this ability. Along with the normal effects of Nerve Strike or called shots to an arm or leg, a character with this quality may temporarily reduce the Magic attribute of a target by 1 for every two net hits on her melee attack. The defending character’s Magic attribute is reduced for a number of Combat Turns equal to the melee skill rank of the attacking character. Using this ability without the Nerve Strike power requires a Called Shot (Specific Location) targeting either an arm or a leg.

Charlatan

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.34

Prerequisites: Assensing 5 and Palming 3 (Prestidigitation); Or: Assensing 5 and Performance 3 (Magic)
Cost: 10 Karma

Charlatans are able to use prestidigitation and stage magic to hinder any attempts to notice or identify their magic or magical items for what they really are. When a character with this quality is performing a mundane illusion, they add their Performance (Magic) or Palming (Prestidigitation) skill rank to their Spellcasting rank for the purposes of determining the Perception test threshold to notice them casting a spell (see Perceiving Magic, p.280, SR5). Anyone watching their performance suffers a dice pool penalty to Assensing tests targeting the performer, their spells, or their magical equipment. The dice pool penalty to Assensing tests is equal to the Performance or Palming skill of the performer. This dice pool penalty applies for the entire duration of the performance and an additional number of minutes equal to the performing character’s Charisma. This quality is not a true replacement for the Masking and Extended Masking metamagics and will not hinder attempts to assense the character outside of when they are performing mundane illusions, but the negative dice pool modifier to Assensing Tests can be combined with the use of those metamagics.

Chosen Follower

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.35

Prerequisite: Mentor Spirit
Cost: 10 Karma

Characters with this quality have earned the right to receive magical instruction from their mentor spirits by showing ceaseless devotion to their ideals. The wisdom bestowed by a mentor spirit is granted instantaneously as a potent vision delivered via the shared connection between the character and their mentor. This instruction can only be received once every three months during an equinox or a solstice event, and each type of instruction can only be received once per year. A character with this quality may ask their mentor spirit to aid them in one of the following ways:

Learn two spells or rituals.
Improve a magical active skill from rank 1 to rank 3.
Reduce the training time for improving a magical active skill, skill group, or specialization by fifty percent.
Reduce the training time for improving their Magic attribute by fifty percent.
Improve an Academic knowledge skill related to Magic from rank 1 to rank 4.
Ignore glitches or reduce critical glitches during Step 5 (Craft the Focus, p.307, SR5) when crafting a single focus.
Ignore glitches or reduce critical glitches during Step 7 (Seal the Ritual, p.296, SR5) when performing a single ritual.
Reduce the threshold for the Arcana + Logic Extended Test to create an ally spirit formula to (Force × 3); see p.201, Street Grimoire.

Close Combat Mage

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.35

Prerequisites: Spellcasting 4 (per level of quality), Spell Shaping metamagic
Cost: 5 Karma per Level

When this mastery quality is purchased, the character may choose one benefit per level from the list below. Each benefit may only be chosen once.

The total dice pool penalty for using the Spell Shaping metamagic is reduced by 2, down to a minimum of zero.
Spell radius can be increased or decreased by two meters per −1 dice pool penalty to the Spellcasting test instead of 1 meter.
Spherical areas unaffected by the spell can be up to three meters in radius.

Dark Ally (Specific Spirit)

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.35

Prerequisites: Binding 7, Ritual Spellcasting 9
Cost: 10 Karma

Magicians are capable of binding a specific spirit after using a Calling ritual (p.126, Street Grimoire). This spirit is limited to a specific kind of spirit (for example, a boggle) rather than a spirit type (for example, fae). A bound spirit is subject to the limit on the number of bound spirits, and it can provide services related to manipulation spells. Spirit gains the Restless quality when binding is attempted. Force of the spirit cannot exceed the Magic rating of the magician.

Death Dealer

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.35

Prerequisites: Spellcasting 4 (Combat Spells) Or Critical Strike adept power
Cost: 15 Karma per Level (Max 3)

All Combat spells cast by a character with this quality have their DV increased by 1 per level of this quality. However, channeling even more destructive forces wreaks havoc on the character’s system. The drain code for any affected Combat spells is increased by +1 per level. Adepts with this quality add an additional +1 DV to any attacks made with active skills affected by the Critical Strike power, but they may only purchase the first level of this quality.

Dedicated Conjurer

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.36

Prerequisites: See description
Cost: 10 Karma (Aspected Mage: 5 Karma)

Characters must completely forfeit use of the Spellcasting skill as an active skill and the ability to cast spells, but they may still use any previously acquired ranks in the Spellcasting skill as a Knowledge skill. In exchange, the dedicated conjurer can choose a new type of spirit to summon and bind for every two full ranks they have in their Summoning skill. These spirit types can be summoned in addition to the spirit types normally allowed by their tradition, and they do not replace any of the other types of spirits a character with this quality can summon. When using the Conjuring skill group, characters with this quality add 1 to their Magic rating when determining whether drain they must resist is Physical or Stun damage. Aspected mages who are able to learn skills in the Conjuring skill group automatically meet the requirements for this quality.

Dedicated Spellslinger

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.36

Prerequisites: See description
Cost: 10 Karma (Aspected Mage: 5 Karma)

Characters with this quality completely forfeit use of the Summoning and Binding skills as active skills, but they may still use any previously acquired ranks in those skills as Knowledge skills. In exchange, characters gain a new spell for free every time they raise their Spellcasting skill, and the Karma cost of learning new spells is reduced by 1. The character also receives a free spell for every rank they possess in the Spellcasting skill at the time of purchasing this quality, including character generation. Specializations count as one rank in a skill for the purposes of the free spells offered by this quality, but the selected spell must be compatible with the specialization. Aspected mages who are able to learn skills in the Sorcery skill group automatically meet the requirements for this quality.

Dual-Natured Defender

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.36

Prerequisites: Dual Natured, Astral Combat 3
Cost: 5 Karma

Characters with this quality have learned that the Sixth World is not the kindest place to dual-natured creatures, and it’s forced them to learn how to defend themselves against a variety of astral threats. A character with this quality may stop astrally perceiving with a Free Action to avoid astral barriers or threats. The amount of concentration required to disconnect from the astral causes a −2 dice pool penalty to all actions the critter makes when they are not astrally perceiving. A dual-natured critter cannot use any of its critter powers (except Sapience) while in this state, and shapeshifters are stuck in whatever physical form they are currently in. A dual-natured critter cannot stop astrally perceiving for more minutes than its Magic attribute in a twenty-four-hour period before it must reconnect with the astral. For every minute past the allotted time that a critter does not perceive the astral, it permanently loses one point of Magic. If a character with this quality is knocked unconscious, they automatically reconnect with the astral. This quality does not hide the fact that a critter is Awakened when the critter is assensed, but it inflicts a −2 penalty on any attempts to astrally perceive the critter.

Durable Preparations

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.36

Prerequisites: Alchemy 6
Cost: 5 Karma

The character’s intimate knowledge of the materials and skills used in alchemy gives them insight to reinforce the magical bonds of the preparation. Increase the time before the preparation starts to lose potency to (potency × 3) hours, instead of potency × 2.

Elemental Master

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.36

Tradition: Wuxing
Prerequisites: 5 spells related to a specific natural element (air, earth, fire, or water); Or: Conjuring 4 (with specialization in conjuring spirits of air, earth, fire, or water)
Cost: 20 Karma

The elemental master has chosen a natural element (air, earth, fire, or water) on which to focus, and developed an intense connection to that element. A character with this quality reduces all incoming damage from their chosen element by half, and they are immune to any secondary effects it might normally cause (see Elemental Damage, p. 170, SR5). Because incoming damage is halved before rolling for damage resistance, this quality protects both the character and their worn equipment from elemental damage.

Flesh Sculpter

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.37

Prerequisites: Spellcasting 4 (Manipulation Spells), Zoology 5, Spell: Shapechange or (Critter) Form
Cost: 10 Karma per Level (Max 3)

A character with this quality is able to turn themselves and others into a larger range of animal forms with the Shapechange or (Critter) Form spells. For each level of this quality, a Flesh Sculpter can transform a voluntary subject into an animal form with a base body that is two points greater or lower than normally allowed by these spells.

Healer

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.37

Prerequisites: Spellcasting 4 (Health), First Aid 3
Cost: 10 Karma

You decided a long time ago that no one dies on your watch. Characters with this quality become so in tune with the auras of the sick and injured during their training that they establish a much stronger empathic link when healing them magically, even if their patient has lowered Essence. The character can use net hits from Spellcasting skill tests to reduce the time it takes for a health spell to become permanent by 2 Combat Turns per net hit instead of 1. Additionally, dice pool penalties to casting health spells on characters with lowered Essence are halved (round down).

Illusionist

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.37

Prerequisite: Spellcasting 4 (Illusion)
Cost: 10 Karma per Level (Max 3)

Each level of this quality allows a character to sustain a single Illusion spell without taking a penalty. The character must choose which type of spell they can sustain (Physical or Mana) when purchasing a level of this quality. The character cannot benefit from this quality if they sustain spells with a Force that exceeds their Magic rating.

Items of Power

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.38

Prerequisite: Artificing 6
Cost: 25 Karma

The Magic attribute of a character with this quality is increased by 3 for the purposes of determining the total rating of foci the character can have before risking focus addiction.

Mage Hunter

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.38

Prerequisites: Spellcasting 4 (Combat Spells); see description
Cost: 15 Karma

Each level of this quality allows a character to reduce a Counterspelling dice pool aimed against them by 2 in exchange for adding 1 to the drain of a Combat spell they are casting. Prerequisites increase if characters want additional levels—for level 2, Spellcasting rank must be 7; for level 3, must be 9.

Missile Deflector

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.38

Prerequisites: Missile Parry (1) adept power, Counterstrikes adept power
Cost: 10 Karma

Adepts with this quality may use the Counterstrike adept power as an interrupt action to immediately throw an object that they have successfully caught using the Missile Parry power. The adept can target anyone or any area within their normal throwing range.

Mystic Foreman

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.38

Prerequisites: Spellcasting 4 (Manipulation Spells), Industrial Engineering 4, Chemistry 4
Cost: 10 Karma

Shape [Material] spells cast by a character with this quality apply the Force of their spell as a negative dice pool modifier to the target material during the Object Resistance test. Additionally, their Shape [Material] spells now reduce the Structure ratings of reinforced materials by (Force × 2) points per combat turn instead of (Force) points per combat turn.

Mystic Pitcher

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.38

Prerequisites: Fling spell, Spellcasting 4 (Manipulation Spells)
Cost: 10 Karma

A character with this quality can use the Fling spell to hurl objects more accurately at selected targets or over long distances. This quality allows you to shift the range modifiers for attacks with the Fling spell down by one category cumulative with any qualities or vision enhancements that also reduce range modifiers. Alternatively, you may choose to use aerodynamic grenade ranges instead of reducing a range modifier. Additionally, this quality reduces the dice pool penalty for all called shots using the Fling spell by 1; this is compatible with any other qualities that reduce the dice pool penalties for called shots.

Pacifist Adept

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.39

Prerequisites: Pacifist quality (10 or 15 Karma), Cool Resolve adept power, Notoriety less than 2
Cost: 5 Karma

Adepts with this quality have dedicated years of training to using the powers granted by their qi to further their pursuit of peaceful conflict resolution. This quality offers special benefits for each level of the Pacifist quality that the adept possesses, but also requires a deeper dedication to their vow of non-violence.

Pacifist (10 Karma)

Any attacks that would cause Physical damage made by anyone, or at anyone, within a number of meters equal the adept’s Magic Rating has its associated limit reduced by 2. This includes attacks made by anything that lacks an Essence attribute, but not attacks against them. After all, you can’t really kill something if it’s not (debatably) alive. The character also receives an additional +1 to their dice pool and limit for any opposed social skill checks or Knowledge skill checks they make to avoid using violence. Any attacks against the Pacifist Adept or made by the Pacifist reduce the number of 1s needed to glitch by one.

Pacifist (15 Karma)

Any attempts to cause harm (Physical or Stun damage) performed by anyone, or at any living being, within a number of meters equal the adept’s (Magic Rating × 2) have their limit reduced by 4. This includes attacks made by anything that lacks an Essence attribute, but not attacks against them. The character also receives an additional +3 to their dice pool and limit for any opposed social skill checks or Knowledge skill checks they make to avoid using violence. Any attacks against the Pacifist Adept or made by the Pacifist reduce the number of 1s needed to glitch by three.

Potion Maker

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.39

Prerequisites: Alchemy 4, Chemistry 4
Cost: 15 Karma

The Potion Maker doesn’t take any extra drain from the basic lynchpin triggers when creating alchemical preparations if the lynchpin is a liquid. The lynchpin must have some component in it that pertains to the nature of the spell (a Fireball spell could use gasoline, a Manipulate Earth spell could use a handful of dirt, a Heal spell could have ground aspirin tablets, etc.). If a spell contains more than one elemental component, both elements must be represented in the lynchpin. The entire volume of the liquid must either be consumed by or poured over the target before the preparation can be triggered in any way other than with a timer trigger. Advanced lynchpin triggers still add drain as normal.

Practiced Alchemist

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.39

Tradition: Islamic
Prerequisites: Alchemy 6
Cost: 5 Karma

Each alchemical preparation created by a character with this quality lasts twice as long before the potency begins to diminish and receives a dice pool bonus equal to (1 + Initiate grade) whenever it is triggered.

Puppet Master

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.39

Tradition: Black Magic
Prerequisites: Psychology 5, Spellcasting 4 (Manipulation spells)
Cost: 10 Karma per Level (Max 3)

This quality allows a character to sustain one Mental Manipulation spell per level of the quality without taking a penalty. The character cannot benefit from this quality if they sustain spells with a Force that exceeds their Magic rating.

Reckless Spell Master

27011 Forbidden Arcana, p.39

Prerequisite: Spellcasting 6
Cost: 10 Karma per Level (Max 6)

Once per day per level of this quality, a character may choose not to increase the drain value for casting a spell as a Simple Action (see Reckless Spellcasting).^(SR5-281) The caster must get a full eight hours of uninterrupted rest before they may cast spells without increasing the drain value again.