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Arcane Backgrounds
Arcane Backgrounds are how you gain magic or other magical powers in Savage Worlds. They each have an associated Arcane Skill, which you use to activate your powers, a number of powers you gain at character creation, and how many Power Points you get at character creation.
SWADE Core Arcane Backgrounds
These are very broad and provide general guidelines and customizability.
| Name | Skill | Starting Powers | Power Points | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gifted | Focus (Spirit) | 1 | 15 | A more general and focused magical ability that doesn't fit in other categories |
| Magic | Spellcasting (Smarts) | 3 | 10 | A general magical ability that doesn't fit in other categories |
| Miracles | Faith (Spirit) | 3 | 10 | A general magical ability that comes from faith, religions, or divine power |
| Psionics | Psionics (Smarts) | 3 | 10 | Mental abilities |
| Weird Science | Weird Science (Smarts) | 2 | 15 | Weird scientists use strange and powerful inventions that recreate the effects of powers. |
Fantasy Arcane Backgrounds
These are based on common Fantasy RPG Magical Archetypes and have more bonuses and hindrances built in to them to help give them their flavor, see their individual pages for more details.
To take any of these, you must have a d6 in the Arcane Skill's linked Attribute.
| Name | Skill | Category | Starting Powers | Power Points | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alchemist | Alchemy | Alchemy (Smarts) | 3 | 15 | Create potions, oils, elixirs, and grenades to use powers. |
| Bard | Magic | Performance (Spirit) | 3 | 10 | Your magic flows through your performances. |
| Cleric | Miracles | Faith (Spirit) | 5 | 10 | Draw your power from the divine. |
| Diabolist | Magic | Spellcasting (Smarts) | 5 | 10 | Conjure evil spirits to do your bidding. |
| Druid | Miracles | Faith (Spirit) | 5 | 10 | Call upon the power of nature itself. |
| Elementalist | Magic | Spellcasting (Smarts) | 5 | 10 | Channel the elemental planes. |
| Illusionist | Magic | Spellcasting (Smarts) | 5 | 10 | Limited powers, but a master of the illusion spell. |
| Necromancer | Magic | Spellcasting (Smarts) | 5 | 10 | Specialize in blurring the line between living and dead. |
| Shaman | Miracles | Faith (Spirit) | 5 | 10 | A spiritual leader to those living far from civilization. |
| Sorcerer | Spellcasting (Spirit) | Magic | 2 | 15 | Innate powers from bloodline or circumstance with unique features provided by your power source. |
| Summoner | Magic | Spellcasting (Smarts) | 5 | 15 | Specialize in summoning creatures to do your bidding. |
| Tinkerer | Weird Science | Repair (Smarts) | 2 | 15 | Create mechanical devices to use powers |
| Warlock | Magic | Channeling (Smarts or Spirit) | 3 | 15 | Whether through a deal or by theft, channel the power of a greater being. |
| Witch | Magic | Spellcasting (Smarts) | 3 | 10 | A magical dabbler, gaining powers from different sources. |
| Wizard | Spellcasting (Smarts) | Magic | 6 | 15 | A wide variety of powers gained from careful study. |