Performance Magic Skill by Thomas Verreault

This skill encompasses stage type magic, sleight of hand and illusions. There are many categories of effects in performance magic (sleight of hand, vanish, escape, prediction and etc.) and in the same way a character with computer skill learns to write a new program with each advance in skill level the performing magician learns a new category of effects with each skill level. Knowing a category of effects make the magician proficient at performing those types of effects (+10 bonus to skill check), allows him to figure out how another magician produced an effect with a LOG check, and construct the props necessary for producing those effects. A magician may attempt effects in a category he is not proficient in but if it requires props he will have to buy them. Once a magician reaches 6 level he may purchase proficiency in a new category for 2 EXP.

Skill level will largely determine venues of performance. Level 1 skill will suffice for tricks at parties while level 2 at small venues like a bar or club but effects are relatively small. Level 3 & 4 might command a larger stage or possibly a local broadcast and effects get larger: vanishing an assistant from a booth or cutting her in half. Levels 5 & 6 are upper echelon professional (David Copperfield) allow for global or even interstellar broadcast and produce the largest effects like vanishing an assault scout.

The skill tests with the RS (Reaction Speed) ability score but Prediction effects test with PER (Personality) ability score.

Production: The magician produces something from nothing—a rabbit from an empty hat, a fan of cards from thin air, a shower of coins from an empty bucket, a dove from a pan, or the magician himself or herself, appearing in a puff of smoke on an empty stage—all of these effects are productions.

Vanish: The magician makes something disappear—a coin, a cage of doves, milk from a newspaper, an assistant from a cabinet, or even an assault scout. A vanish, being the reverse of a production, may use a similar technique in reverse.

Transformation: The magician transforms something from one state into another—a silk handkerchief changes color, a lady turns into a Neo-tiger, an indifferent card changes to the spectator's chosen card.

Restoration: The magician destroys an object—a rope is cut, a newspaper is torn, a woman is cut in half, a borrowed watch is smashed to pieces—then restores it to its original state.

Transposition: This is whereby two or more objects are used in play. The magician will cause these objects to change places, as many times as he pleases, and in some cases, ends with a kicker by transforming the objects into something else.

Transportation: The magician causes something to move from one place to another—a borrowed ring is found inside a ball of wool, a canary inside a light bulb, an assistant from a cabinet to the back of the theatre, or a coin from one hand to the other. When two objects exchange places, it is called a transposition: a simultaneous, double transportation. A transportation can be seen as a combination of a vanish and a production. When performed by a mentalist it might be called teleportation.

Escape: The magician (or less often, an assistant) is placed in a restraining device (i.e., handcuffs or a straitjacket) or a death trap, and escapes to safety. Examples include being put in a straitjacket and into an overflowing tank of water, and being tied up and placed in a car being sent through a car crusher.

Levitation: The magician defies gravity, either by making something float in the air, or with the aid of another object (suspension)—a silver ball floats around a cloth, an assistant floats in mid-air, another is suspended from a broom, a scarf dances in a sealed bottle, the magician hovers a few inches off the floor. There are many popular ways to create this illusion, including Asrah levitation (prop dependent), Balducci levitation (possible impromptu), and King levitation and players may research these if interested.

Penetration: The magician makes a solid object pass through another—a set of steel rings link and unlink, a candle penetrates an arm, swords pass through an assistant in a basket, a salt shaker penetrates a tabletop, or a man walks through a mirror. Sometimes referred to as "solid-through-solid".

Prediction: The magician accurately predicts the choice of a spectator or the outcome of an event—a newspaper headline, the total amount of loose change in the spectator's pocket, a picture drawn on a slate—under seemingly impossible circumstances.

PSA: The PSA for this skill will depend on the skill system being used:

Alpha Dawn: treat as an ad hoc skill with advancement following the out of PSA Technician costs.

Zebulon’s Guide: It does not fit any of the archetypes in these rules so just treat it as out of PSA if a character opts for it.

“A Skilled Frontier,” Star Frotniersman #9: it’s a specialized form and separate from performance art under the Artist PSA