Modifiers in Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary

Explanation

Use modifiers as a clarity tool: adjust difficulty only when it meaningfully changes the decision, and keep outcomes story-forward.

Examples

Example: position over +1/-1

Instead of tiny modifiers, change position: better cover, better tools, better information.

Example: keep it consistent

Pick one primary difficulty lever for your table (DV/DC, threshold bands, required successes) and stick to it.

Common mistakes (smallest fix)

Mistake: Stacking many small modifiers. Fix: Use one clear difficulty lever and keep the decision readable.
Mistake: Applying modifiers without stakes. Fix: Define what success changes and what failure costs before rolling.

Explanation