Updates & Clarifications
Is Magick Sense on all the time, or only when concentrated on (i.e., when
the Player starts asking questions)?
Magick Sense is on all the time, but at such a low threshhold of perception that it blends into the normal sense with which it's linked. When you actively focus upon it, you notice it more. Most characters don't have to actively focus their Magick Sense to notice typical magickal emanations. However, if the magickal emanation is weak, hidden or obscured, or cloaked, then the characters will probably have to actively focus their Magick Sense to perceive it. You might even want to consider a PER Save to see if they can notice the emanations even while actively concentrating (but only if you don't mind being pelted by your foaming Player's dice, miniatures, or small tactical nukes).
Do default Skill Saves (e.g., tightrope walking without acrobatic
training) equal the appropriate Attribute Save X2?
That's a fair way to do it. Even when the Attributes begin to get percentile Saves. Thus, if a PC were to attempt to walk that tightrope, even without prior training in Acrobatics, he would have a Default Save in Acrobatics equal to his own DEX Save, multiplied by 2. Therefore, if the PC had a DEX of, say, 15, his Save would be 6 or higher on a d20, but his default Save in Acrobatics would be 6 X 2, or 12 or higher on a d20. The penalty, stiff as it is, is basically a nonproficiency penalty, and plays as such. And, as always, it's better to have even a small chance of doing something than no chance at all.
The Necromancer is arguably more of a Freak than the Shapeshifter in terms
of game balance. How is he stopped?
The Necromancer is indeed a "freak," for he has willingly sold his soul to the Dark Earth Mother, Chthon, in return for a key to the Pit. The Necromancer has the infernal presence to bully or coerce the creatures of the Pit unto his service. The limitation to this fantastic power is the Necromancer's common sense. The creatures of the Pit exist in an eternal hierarchy which just happens to include the Necromancer himself, and in this hierarchy of evil the stronger creatures of the Pit do not take kindly at all to the notion of a mere earthbound mortal usurping their own place in the Pit. So when a Necromancer begins to impose his will on the creatures of the Pit, they take notice and remember, as do their more powerful masters. So while a Necromancer will probably be able to force a powerful demon unto his service for the span of one year and one day, the demon, as well as its masters, will mark the Necromancer in most horrible ways; perhaps as a future victim of their own dark plans, or an easily manipulated, power-blind slave. Necromancers must know their place in the greater scheme of things, and remember at all times that the creatures of the Pit are in fact their most bitter rivals for the soul-blasting attention of Chthon herself.
Why would a Necromancer even bother with choosing the Way of Rotting Flesh
over the Way of Darkness?
Because some Necromancers prefer the gradual but inevitable decay of their mortal shells as they race hellbound unto immortality. The bittersweet perfume of decay is to some more welcome than the sickening putridity of their noisome mortal forms. Some scholars believe that the Way of Darkness is far more powerful than the Way of Rotting Flesh; that becoming a demon is far more advantageous than becoming undead. One could argue, however, that the Way of Rotting Flesh is the easier of the two, and that immortality is far easier to reach within its framework than within the more aggressive Way of Darkness. The progression unto final damnation may well indeed more rapid within the Way of Rotting Flesh, though we must remember that it takes a most demented soul to make the choice of one path over another in the first place.
Since demons have the summoning and binding powers of Necromancy, can't
they simply just sit back and summon/bind tons of demons, even demons more powerful than
themselves, if I compel them to do so?
Just try it, and see how long it takes before your Necromancer's soul adorns some powerful demon's soulgem. True, demons have the necromantic magicks to attempt to summon and bind demons more powerful than themselves, but few demons are stupid enough to dare such a feat. As mentioned above, the Pit is strictly hierarchical in structure, and demons are subject to the rules of the Pit just as is everything else in the Pit. If a demon attempts to summon another demon of lesser rank, then the binding will be a piece of cake. If the demon attempts to summon another demon of its own rank, then, even with the proper binding magicks, the going will be risky, as a demon of the same rank probably will extract a hard price for its troubles (not to mention the master of the demon, who may or may not be directly aligned with the demon who did the summoning). The summoning and binding of a demon of higher rank generally is possible, though not very likely, as it can mean the instant soul-death of the demon who forced the summoning. True, the demon might be able to get away with the summoning aspect, perhaps even plea-bargaining for its own soul with its more powerful Pit-kin, but the binding part simply is not allowed, as such an act will most definitely spell the soul-death of the offending lesser-ranked demon, as the stronger demon will always seek retribution for its loss of face. Thus, we generally set a guideline that demons can summon only those of lesser or equal rank than themselves, though special circumstances (such as the threat of instant soul-death) may coerce them into attempting to bend or break the rules and summon those more powerful than themselves.
What happens if a VoidSpawn fires off a Primal Bolt at an Immortal?
Then that Immortal will lose 1 point of Primal, exactly as if his own Primal Pool were the Primal Defense, or PD, of an Artifact. This is ablative in nature, reducing the Primal of the victim by 1 point per 1 point of the Primal Bolt. If the VoidSpawn has enough Power Points in his pool, then he can fire off a Primal Bolt with more than one point in it; for example, if the VoidSpawn had, say, 20,000 Power Points in his pool, then he could fire a 2 point Primal Bolt if he burned all 20,000 of his Power Points. The VoidSpawn's Primal Bolt attack targets only one victim, even if the bolt is augmented beyond the one point norm. If the Primal Bolt strikes a mortal, then that mortal will take 1 point of Primal damage, or roughly 10,000 Hit Points' worth of damage.
What does a Primal Shield do?
Well, if you're VoidSpawn, then the Primal Shield will protect you totally from all non-Primal damage, at least until the ablative value of the shield is reduced to "0" or less. The ablative value of a Primal Shield is 10,000 points, with the points being reduced on a 1:1 basis for all damage, or for the Power Point cost of any non-damaging magicks.
Also, the shield acts as a Primal Defense on a 1:1 point basis against all Primal attacks, which gives the VoidSpawn some small measure of defense against even the Immortals.
Does the Vampyr really have an automatic 100 Power?
Only if the Dark Gift was bestowed upon him by Nosferatu himself. No, the Vampyr really gets the "+1 Power per level" progression, which overlays and augments its normal professional power progression. There is no "super boost" of Power, unless the Creator has special plans for you.
Does the Luckster start out with an extra 100 Fate Points?
Pay no attention to the man behind that typo! No, the Luckster does not start out with an extra 100 Fate Points. The Luckster is a Freak, and gains only the 100 Fate Points granted him by his racial GenPackage. Besides, the Luckster is already powerful enough, as, at the highest tier of power, he can actually duplicate Fate Point use with his own power, the Miracle Save.