Using Magick

On other games, some staff ask for something called 'Phenomenon, Action, Theory', or a PAT. We don't use the PAT approach. We just use the process capsulized on page 501 of M20 Core:

Process

Step One – Effect: Identify what you're trying to accomplish and what spheres you're using to do it. For example: "I'd like to use Prime 1 to sense magickal energies."

Step Two - Ability: Identify how your mage can do it. Touch on the following points:

• How does your character focus belief and practice into making it happen?
• Which tools and/or rituals are you using?
• Are any allies assisting you?
• Do you have any mundane skills that might help?
• How long does it take? (Optional - ST will determine based on required successes and instrument of choice)
• Is what you're doing vulgar or coincidental? (Optional - ST will determine based on IC details and chosen effects)

In order to answer "How does your character focus belief and practice into making it happen?", write a sentence that ties one of your character's Practices into one of your Paradigmatic Keyphrases. For example, a mage might have "High Ritual Magick" as one of their three practices and "Ancient Wisdom Is The Key" as one of their Paradigmatic key phrases. They might say, "As Ancient Wisdom is the Key to power over sprits and otherworldly beings, I can bind a specter through an act of High Ritual Magick."

Next, to answer "which tools and/or rituals are you using?", single out one or more of your Instruments. For example, "I will draw a Magick Circle on the floor inscribed with Latin and then use an Invocation."

If you are not sure if you have "mundane Skills that might help," don't hesitate to ask your storyteller. A mundane skill is a literal skill on your sheet, like Crafts, Meditation or Firearms. If one of your instruments reasonably would be expressed as a skill roll, this is a 'mundane skill that might help'. For example, if your mage is using dance as an instrument, they might roll Dexterity + Performance.

Put it all together:

As Ancient Wisdom is the Key to power over sprits and otherworldly beings, I can bind a specter through an act of High Ritual Magick. I will draw a Magick Circle on the floor inscribed with Latin and then use an Invocation to command the Spectre to manifest within the circle, where it will be trapped.

If you are the sort of person who likes to break down the mechanics, you are welcome to provide them, but all we require is a sentence that says what you want to accomplish, the Practice you use, the Paradigmatic keyphrase that empowers that practice, and the instrument(s) that facilitate that practice.