Character Creation

Unlike most RPGs, each player will eventually have more than one character: troupe style play is the norm, and one of the things that makes Ars Magica special. For your first story, have everyone play just one character each; they can make additional characters later and introduce them gradually as the saga develops.

Each player should choose whether to play a magus, companion, or grog.

Magus: A magus is a powerful wizard, much stronger than a starting wizard character in other fantasy games. Magi have important limitations. A starting magus is good at very little except magic, and needs a companion or grog to help with non-magical problems, including fighting. Magi have a lot of trouble gaining strangers' trust because of The Gift -- the inner power that lets them cast spells also makes mundane people ill at ease. Therefore, a magus usually travels with one or more friends or servants who can do most of the talking. Magi are also demanding to play, because they require learning both the magic rules and the complex society of the Order of Hermes (though you can introduce the Order of Hermes in a later story). It is perfectly acceptable, and can be a good way to learn, for one player (the one who has spent the most time reading the rule book!) to play a magus in the first story, and the other players to start with grogs and companions. Andrew Gronosky (talk) 09:57, 2 January 2016 (MST)
Companion: Companions are excellent choices for beginning players because they are simpler to play than magi, but are (or can be) the social equals of magi and have lots of freedom and opportunity to influence the story. You can start with a straightforward companion concept such as a knight, merchant, noblewoman, or minstrel; or, to have some magic powers without the investment of playing a full magus, choose one of the supernatural Virtues for your companion.
Grog: Grogs are servants of the magi, including soldiers and bodyguards. They are supporting characters who usually don't have as much backstory or independent motivation as the magi and companions. Some newcomers balk at playing a grog because the grog is supposed to obey the magi and seems to have less influence over the story. That impression isn't entirely accurate; see the grog article for some tips on how to play them. Grogs are good starting characters for players who enjoy combat or those who want to explore roleplaying characters with low social status within Mythic Europe.Andrew Gronosky (talk)

Simplifying Character Creation

Don't be shy about using the pre-generated characters in the rule book for your first game. Creating magus and companion characters is time-consuming. You can play your first story as a one-shot and retire the characters in some way: perhaps that first story is a prologue and the main characters of your saga are the apprentices of those first characters, 20 years in the future.
You can find more premade characters online.
- The covenant of Semita Errabunda on Atlas Games' Ars Magica Fifth Edition page (scroll down to the bottom) has pregenerated magi, companions, and grogs.
- Many fan sites on our Internet Site Index have premade characters posted -- be sure to check whether they were made using ArM5, ArM4, or even ArM3 rules.

"Would You Rather?" Character Creation Questionnaire

In 2020, user dwightemarsh on the Atlas Games forums proposed a series of "Would You Rather?" questions as a part of a character creation conversation that can be held between the Story Guide and players for a one shot scenario.

Here's a list of the group of eight questions and the answers that players are to choose for their Magi characters. Players are meant to number the answers for each of the Groups with rating from '1' through '4' indicating a prioritized preference for the conception of their Magus' personality and relationship with the world. These questions are helpful in providing guidance for character creation, especially with new players. They share information about the Mythic Europe setting for Ars Magica while also providing background on how Magi fit into this milieu.

1. Group 1 - Would you rather

Most magi have a magical air which causes people and animals to distrust them. You do not, you are able to interact with normal humans without them being automatically suspicious of you. (Gentle Gift)

Magi have a repertoire of known spells which have defined results in terms of target, range and duration. You (unlike most) are able to adjust those spells slightly. For instance, if you have a spell which allows you to turn an unmoving person or item invisible until sunrise or sunset, you could increase the duration to moon duration (lasts until both a new moon and full moon have passed) or decrease the duration to concentration (as soon as you stop concentrating on the spell, it ends) (Flexible Formulaic Magic)

The most powerful magic magical spells are rituals, which require time and vis to cast. You are especially adapt at casting ritual spells, requiring half of the vis normally required. Unfortunately, as a trade off, you can only cast spontaneous spells ceremonially, which takes much longer than otherwise. (Mecurian Magic)

You have made a deal with a demon and have a whole other type of magic you can call on with the power of the infernal. While your magic based abilities are penalized in an Infernal Aura, your Infernal spells receive a bonus. Too bad about your soul going to Hell when you die.

2. Group 2 - Would you rather

Your magic is skilled at destruction, in particular, destruction of demons

Your magic is skilled at changing things into other things they can’t naturally be.

When magi develop spells, they can spend time and effort to learn an ability to use that spell more efficiently. You are unusually good at that. Every spell you know has at least one special ability which either allows it to be cast with more penetration, more quickly, without gestures or some other feature, depending on the spell. When cast in non stressed situations, you can not botch your spell roll. (Flawless Magic)

You have the blood of the goblins flowing through your veins. You have second sight, and you start requiring aging rolls much later than normal. You get +1 bonus to stealth and can see in total darkness. Your blood is black instead of red.

3. Group 3 - Would you rather

The arts and spells the magus knows are good at learning things.

The arts and spells the magus knows are good at creating, destroying, manipulating and discovering information about liquids.

The Parma Magica is a wizards defense against magic cast against him and other magical effects. Your Parma Magica is greater than normal for a magus your age (Puissant Parma Magica)

You have the magical ability to change into a bear, horse and falcon.

4. Group 4

The arts and spells the magus knows are good at dealing with the human form

The magus has a wand that puts a bag over targets head. Has unlimited uses per day, but as no penetration.

The magus is better than normal with spells related to earth and stone

The magus is better than normal with spells related to illusions

5. Group 5

The magus has a long term injury to his leg which makes walking, dodging, and other such activites more difficult

Most magi have a magical air which causes people and animals to distrust them. Your penalty is twice as bad as normal, you seem very untrustworthy to them. (Blatant Gift)

You have an angel which follows you around and tells you what to do. As you are pious and know that the angel has your best interest at heart, you usually listen, but it can be annoying.

When magi make mistakes with spells, they can get Warping points. When a magi gets too many warping points at once, they might go into Twilight. For most magi, too many warping points is two, for you it is one. Going into Twilight is not always bad, but it usually takes you out of the game for a while and can remove you from play permanently.

6. Group 6

Your magi is part of a lineage known for starting conflicts.

You turn into stone on the night of the full moon, you turn back to normal at daybreak

It is unusually hard for your magic to destroy (Deficient Perdo)

It is difficult to cast your spells at something you are not touching (Short Ranged Magic)

Group 7

You have a wife who you love and want to protect. This love is higher than mortal magic and no magic can make you betray her. While she has some, small magical powers, she is significantly weaker than you and will need your help much more that she will be helping you.

You are smaller than normal, and injuries are often more serious as a result

The maga you apprenticed under is known for her bad behavior and some of that bad reputation has tranfered to you.

Magi sometimes cast spells which they have not learned in the lab to meet particular situations. These spells are called spontaneous spells, and while weaker that formulaic spells which were invented in the lab, can be tailored to the specific situation that needs to be solved. You are particularly bad at spontaneous spells, being able to cast only the easiest spell that you don’t have to exert yourself for.

Group 8

You have slightly more difficulty than normal casting spells during the daytime.

You have the head of a cow rather than a human. You can use magic to hide this, but if you hide your head all the time it will cause warping.

You made a bargain with a demon and are working at cross purposes from the rest of the players.

You can’t cast spells when you are naked.

Resources

Magus design for new Ars Magica players Timothy Ferguson's Games From Folktales podcast episode/blog about creating Magus player characters for new Ars Magica players
Lady Ath's ArM Character Generator