Spirit (Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary)
Definition
Spirit handles everything on the far side of the Gauntlet: ephemera, spirits, the guardians of Nodes, and the Umbral geography that shadows the physical world. It perceives, then touches, then crosses, then binds. The Dreamspeakers hold it as their specialty Sphere, and their animist paradigm treats every object and place as having a spirit worth negotiating with. In play Spirit changes what kind of story a cabal can have. Without it the Umbra is scenery; with three dots it is a place you go, which opens travel, hiding, and problems that cannot be solved from the physical side. It is also the Sphere of bargains. A spirit that agreed to help renews itself in a way a single cast effect never does, and the negotiation that produced it is roleplay rather than dice.
How it works
Tips
Frequently asked questions
Which rank lets me enter the Umbra?
Rank 3. The first two let you see and touch across the Gauntlet, but stepping sideways yourself arrives at 3, which is the most you can put in one Sphere at creation.
Should I negotiate with spirits or bind them?
Both are available at different ranks: conversation at 2, binding at 4. Most tables find the bargain more interesting, since a willing spirit stays useful far longer than a coerced one and brings its own agenda into the story.
Is Spirit worth taking if the chronicle stays urban?
Yes. Cities have thick Gauntlets and crowded spirit populations, and rank 1 alone tells you when a place has been tampered with spiritually, which is often the first clue in an urban Mage story.