Permanent Paradox And Pattern Bleeding

M20 is dreadfully unclear on the subject compared to earlier editions, which are all over the place, and we want players, PrP runners, and staff to be able to adjudicate this consistently.

The following is a mixture of clarification from one of the developers of Mage (Malcolm Sheppard) answering a FAQ, adjusted for M20, and MN-specific house-rules.

How do mages gain and lose permanent paradox?

You gain Permanent Paradox from two main sources:

• Type A: Major Backlashes inflict it, and it never goes away without special scourging techniques.
• Type B: Potent or Vulgar long term effects cause it. It goes away when the enhancement goes away.

The name is deceptive. You can get rid of Permanent Paradox. We will sometimes call it "stickydox" instead.

Methods *may* exist to get rid of Type A, but will be quest-worthy and very painful. To get rid of Type B, simply drop the effects that cause Permanent Paradox. Typically this is any long-term Vulgar effect, or potent coincidental effect. If the effect is just for a scene, maybe don't bother tracking it.

Clarification: These include, but are not limited to these Vulgar effects...

• The Enhancements background: 1 per dot but can be offset with genetic flaws or other options.
• Wonders that cannot be taken from you, e.g. tattoos, horns: 1 for each dot in Wonder.
• Life or youth extension magic.
• Magic that raises an attribute over 5: 1 for every level above 5.
• Life Magic that allows the mage to do something a human Pattern can't naturally do, like gills or infrared vision as a part of the natural form's abilities: 1 per ability.
• Life Magic that gives the mage's Life Pattern the ability to soak aggravated wounds: 1.
• Other persistent Vulgar effects that travel with a character's Pattern: 1 per highest sphere in effect. A Traveling Corr 4 Ban therefore might be 4.
• etc. Player and staff storytellers are encouraged to add to this list for consistency.

And potent coincidental effects such as...

• Persistent Magick Enhancing Abilities at -3 difficulty or below: 1.
• Persistent Slipstream effect: 1.
• Mind shields at 6 strength or above: 1.
• Traveling Thickened Time at 6 strength or above: 1.
• Traveling Thickened Space at 6 strength or above: 1.
• etc.

House Rule: Multiple effects:

• 1 stickydox for every 2 effects on the character past their Arete.

What is pattern bleeding?

Pattern bleeding is a condition related to but distinct from permanent paradox. Pattern bleeding only comes from Life pattern-enhancing effects. Typically this is from the ••• Better Body Effect.

A mage gains pattern bleeding by maintaining a magical effect that increases stats or grants impossible traits like gills or wings. It's not unusual for mages to suffer from both permanent paradox and pattern bleeding simultaneously.

It is possible to avoid pattern bleeding from stat gain by swapping stat ratings – trading a dot of strength for a dot of dexterity would not result in pattern bleeding, while simply gaining a dot of dexterity would.

Pattern bleeding is a binary trait – either a mage is suffering from it or not. There are no degrees of severity.

A mage suffering from pattern bleeding becomes a Thaumivore. She loses 1 point of Quintessence per day. If the subject lacks Quintessence or Tass, she suffers one point of unsoakable aggravated damage that does not heal naturally. This can be healed with Magick but see below.

Keep in mind that a Node 2, such as the one in Clarion alley, only gives 5 points of Quintessence and 3 Tass a week, and that must be shared with all the other Mages.

Because Pattern Bleeding occurs once per day, magical Effects with a duration of one day or less never inflict pattern bleeding.

tl;dr: You suffer Pattern Bleeding when BOTH of these conditions are met:

1. You increase your stats (without lowering another stat equally). This includes changing yourself to gain merits or eliminate flaws. Soaking lethal or aggravated damage with stamina. Or you grant yourself an impossible trait.
   • Pattern Bleeding occurs whenever you enhance a Pattern beyond its basic capabilities, but not necessarily to superhuman levels. For example, increasing a mage's normal 3 Strength to 5 creates Pattern Bleeding. Increasing it to 6 creates Pattern Bleeding *and* Permanent Paradox.
   • In other words, all Life sphere effects that cause Type B Permanent Paradox also cause Pattern Bleeding but the reverse is not true.
2. This change lasts a day or longer and is not permanent (Clarification: Permanent Life changes require many successes for Duration, as well as half xp expenditure).

And it causes...

• The afflicted individual loses 1 point of Quintessence per day. If the subject lacks Quintessence or Tass, she suffers one point of unsoakable aggravated damage that does not heal naturally. This can be healed with Magick, but see below.

House Rule: Healing Pattern Leakage Damage:

• Damage from Pattern Leakage can be healed with Magick, but is more difficult than healing even normal Aggravated damage.
• This effect requires two points of quintessence, and Life 3 (4 for others) / Prime 2. It is always Vulgar.
• An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.