Thus Spake Zargrabowski/PracticalAstrology

>>>Could you give an example of a good astrological effect?

Don't try to do it by snapping your fingers. If you want to abracadie someone, use a Charm; they are your instant effect library. If you want astrology, figure out all the angles first. Look at every different step and be like "okay, now how can I squeeze this." Write a high-quality petition that lots of important people sign -- blowthrough successes on your petition prayer add to your effect die pool at a diminished ratio. Likewise, throw in a few of the secret chords that please the lord and make your Performance roll for the prayer a memorable one if you want a memorable effect. Make yourself the subject of astrology-boosting astrological effects. Give yourself artificial specialities. Take extra time. Use the Sidereal Charm that lowers difficulties on Sidereal Astrology effect rolls. Think like a Sidereal, basically.

Also, if you just reckon just maximum-lethality "kill them all quickly and painfully, oh spiders of the College of the Rising Smoke" then think of it like this -- how many times this week did you have a moment where you almost cut off your hand or almost stepped out in front of a bus or just braked in time to avoid an oncoming car while merging. Okay, -1 success, once per day, at one of those moments. Do you think a mortal would survive a season? Personally, I'd up the effect frequency to once a scene, cut the duration down to one month, and when they give you shit for it, point out that there's no way the effect can run away when it's done this way, and I mean, they're sure to be dead of misadventure inside a week, as every twenty minutes, something attempts to go fatally wrong in their lives.

Geoffrey C. Grabowski\\ Exalted Developer, WWGS\\ raindog@white-wolf.com