Anyone want to teach me how to play Mage: The Ascension?

I picked up Mage: the Ascension a stupid long time ago, but the esoteric nature of the game has made it very hard for me to follow. And any previous attempts to play have turned out to be freeform games or were run by completely garbage GMs who did nothing to explain the game. At the end of the day, I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm in Western Canada (Mountain Standard). Unfortunately, my job is a hot mess and I can't easily commit to a particular time slot in advance for any length of time. So a small group that runs pick up games as available (you know, like we all did when we were kids) would work out best for me. So if anyone has or wants to put together such a game, walk me through how to formulate a character and how to actually play this game, please let me know. Edit to emphasize Mage : the Ascension , not Mage: the Awakening. I'm sure Awakening is a fine game, but it doesn't have the attraction for me that Ascension does.

If you wish we can solo Mage the Awakening.

Thanks, but I'm more interested in Ascension. I own a number of books already and am more attracted to this than the details surrounding Awakening.

Hey if you find anyone willing to do this would you mind if I tagged along as well? I run an wod group and always wanted to run Mage for my players but I don't feel like I have the rules "down" enough.

You are more than welcome. She is a tricky beast, and if my learning can help someone else, that's just keen.

I can run Mage Awakening, it is from NWOD, and I don't mind run for a duo

I have always wanted to give Mage a try so if you don't mind a third person tagging along I would like to learn join.

I'd like to try out Mage. Fair warning though I have very limited RP experience, mostly from awhile ago, maybe like 12 games total on various systems. I do have experience with the setting though from games of Vampire the Requiem. Timing could be tricky for me soon though, I'm in the Midwest now, but I'll be moving to India in a couple weeks and be there for 4 months. Saturday morning or evenings (US Central time) would be best for me.

Eavatar said: I can run Mage Awakening, it is from NWOD, and I don't mind run for a duo Much like switching between versions of D&D, there is significant mechanical difference between oWoD Mage and nWoD Mage. It's awesome that you're offering your time as a GM to help someone, but you're offering the wrong game. Scooter C. said: And any previous attempts to play have turned out to be freeform games or were run by completely garbage GMs who did nothing to explain the game. At the end of the day, I have no idea what I'm doing. I participated in a handful of Ascension games when I was in high school, plus one Sorcerer's Crusade game, and acted as ST for another game. I still have no idea what I'm doing! ^_~ The World of Darkness line, and Mage in particular, is as you've noticed fairly freeform. Even the people who are hardcore about the game can't really agree on how the magick system works. From this we get things like using Matter to heal a bullet wound with coincidental magick (by pulling a previously-nonexistent whiskey flask out of a previously-nonexistent pocket), and turning vampires into lawnchairs. (Vampires aren't alive, after all, right?) This leads into why the developers called it the Storytelling System. The intent is for friends to get together and tell a story with a particular genre, not so much to throw dice at their problems. Gamers being gamers, that kinda went off the rails for many groups. To paraphrase Malcolm Sheppard (one of the writers), "we didn't think about this shit nearly as hard as you do, Christ."

Oh geez, really? I hadn't noticed I tried to ninja steal the topic and organize a Mage the Awakening game. :) Anyway guys, if you want play Mage the AWAKENING with me I can run the game. The idea is a game for a small group, 2, maybe 3 members. But like Scooter said, schedule a regular day and hour is hard because his job. Still interested?

I'm interested, but it will depend on the schedule, I'll work it in if I can.

Thanks Eavatar, but again, I'm more interested in Ascension that Awakening. I have a number of books already and am more attracted to the possible character backgrounds. Awakening just doesn't seem to catch that same flare for me.

I'm still interested as well.