Mechanical Aptitude
Merit · 1 pt
You are naturally adept with all kinds of mechanical devices (note that this aptitude does not extend to electronic devices, such as computers, or anything that does not work predominantly through moving parts). The difficulties of all dice rolls to understand, repair, or operate any kind of mechanical device are reduced by 2. However, this Merit does not help you drive any sort of vehicle; once you’re behind the wheel, you’re on your own.
Also in BoS p. 45 — text differs from W20 (47%)
Oh, you technophile, you! Blessed by the machine gods, you’ve got a knack for mechanical gear. As with most Merits of this type, such aptitude allows you to reduce difficulties by -2 when you’re making rolls based around working with mechan ical technology. No, you don’t have to be a technomancer to use such a gift, much less a member of the Technocracy; still, this aptitude does suggest that mechanical technology means a great deal to you, which – by extension – suggests that your
paradigm, practice, and instruments have something to do with applications of mechanical principles and tech. For suggestions,
see the paradigms A Mechanistic Cosmos, Everything is Data, and Tech Holds All the Answers in Mage 20, pp. 568-571, as
well as the related practices and instruments and the related material in this book’s Chapter Three. For more practical applications of this Merit, meanwhile, see Mage 20’s section
regarding The Technological World, pp. 458-464.