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This topic is easy. You post your questions about Old World of Darkness and I answer them, as best I know how.

So fire away!

Good question.

Well, in mage there are many ways to skin a cat, as the saying goes. So there are other ways you could combine Effects to produce a "lightsaber."

But if I were to construct a rote, I'd say... "Create Lightsaber" would require either

1.) Prime 2, which would allow the mage to create an item using the shifting patterns of Prime force and quintessential energy. This would let the sorcerer create an item with a soul, like a lightsaber.

OR

1.) Matter 1, which allows the mage to recognize the various patterns of matter, how objects get their shapes and properties.

PLUS

2.) Forces 2, control minor forces, which permits the mage to manipulate the various forces (but not change them).

OR

Matter 1 + Forces 3, which lets the mage transmute one force to another. Needless to say, Forces 3 is a very nice skill to have.

So there's a bunch of ways to do it, more than what I've listed here. So long as it fits within the framework, mage lets you be creative smile

That's a bit of a loaded question. 90% of the Technocracy doesn't believe in magic and truly thinks that they are out to save the world from the evil of the Traditions. You can even play a game where the Technocracy are the heroes (see Guide to the Technocracy by Phil Brucato, one of the best Mage books out there).

If we were to reword that in terms of which groups are most hostile to the Traditions, I would say that that also depends on which tradition, chantry, and cabal is in question. For example, before the fall of Doissetep, the Janissaries bitterly hated the New World Order.

In terms of which groups pose the most direct threats, there is an even ranking between the New World Order, the Progenitors, and Iteration X. All three groups have their version of shock troops.

New World Order -- Men in Black, under the control of a Gray Man

Progenitors -- Various genetically engineered monsters and superpowered humans

Iteration X -- HIT Marks

The Syndicate can be every bit as dangerous, but it tends to work from behind the scenes.

The Void Engineers are considered to be the most "benevolent" of the Technocracy, because their focus is on exploration rather than enforcing conceptions of static reality. But their loyalties are firmly with the Technocracy, and their spaceships have opened fire on members of the Traditions caught in the Umbra.

I hope this helps.

Ah, I can't help you there smile I unfortunately don't have a copy of Changeling: the Dreaming.

I can't answer those questions, I never learned about werewolf :S It wasn't my thing. Sorry.