Author Topic: Trying to figure out my template...  (Read 2602 times)

Offline Krico

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Trying to figure out my template...
« on: July 20, 2010, 06:08:55 PM »
Not really a focused practitioner, not really a sorcerer, certainly not a minor talent or wizard...so what the crap am I?

Basically I'm trying to figure out what my template is so I can know what it would be fair/make sense for me to take as far as refinement in character advancement.

Here's the basic rundown of the powers for my character at creation.

-3 Full Thaumaturgy, +1 power to crafting spec, +2 power to crafting foci
-1 Refinement, +1 power to crafting foci (added to the previous for a total of +3), +1 to divination Foci
-1 Refinement, 4 enchanted item slots

The idea is that the character is primarily self taught (though he did stumble upon a book that helped him figure out how to do thaumaturgy which is how he awakened) and looking at the templates I can't really see what he fits under. The biggest part of the character is going to be focused on magical items and potions, but he also get's heavily involved in other forms of thaum.

Minor talents only have one limited ability, and full wizards have training with full sight, evo etc. Focused practitioners only have channeling or ritual, and sorcerers are required to have full thuam and evo...so what the crap am I?

Offline Ophidimancer

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Re: Trying to figure out my template...
« Reply #1 on: July 20, 2010, 06:30:32 PM »
I'd probably consider this a Focused Practitioner.  Thaumaturgy is upgraded Ritual, anyway.

Offline Bruce Coulson

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Re: Trying to figure out my template...
« Reply #2 on: July 20, 2010, 06:34:06 PM »
Focused Practitioner.  You only have Thaumaturgy, not Evocation.  You're unusually broad-based for a focused practitioner, is all.  I believe one of the NPCs listed in the rpg books has Thaumaturgy, but very limited evocation (notes remark he'll shoot someone rather than use direct magic, even though he's a Lawbreaker).
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Offline ashern

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Re: Trying to figure out my template...
« Reply #3 on: July 20, 2010, 06:40:33 PM »
Focused Practitioner, with only thaumaturgy (mostly crafting focus).  I'd give him a mentor from the book via aspect, and have high lore and probably resources (for a good library/lab) and call it good.  Unless it's a "purely by the book" GM, what you're looking for is reasonable enough that I can't imagine you having major problems with that.  Sounds like a fun concept to me.

Offline Krico

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Re: Trying to figure out my template...
« Reply #4 on: July 20, 2010, 07:01:45 PM »
Great, thanks for the help guys. As far as the resources thing, that's actually going to start off really low. XD Me and my friends are running a game where we're essentially playing slightly idealized versions of ourselves. We haven't found a gm yet, so we're assuming feet in the water. That being said, I'll have just moved to the town it'll be set in, with hopes of finding people to tutor/home-school on the mortal side for income (which is going to take some hunting for people who don't mind not being able to use a computer for it...maybe I can teach in a little nearby Amish community XD), and people in the magical community who'd like potions made (mechanically speaking mine will be power 8 after all) or some other service that they can't provide for themselves. Since both of these are small business ideas with their own limitations, it's going to take me a while to build a reputation so understandably my resources are going to start at crap. So ya, I'ma be stuck with more public areas for the purposes of research. It is a college town though, so that should make things somewhat easier as long as I stay away from the catalog computers.

Offline Todjaeger

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Re: Trying to figure out my template...
« Reply #5 on: July 21, 2010, 06:01:10 AM »
At the top of Page #64 of Our World, "Billy" added notes that Hedge Wizards are usually either Focused Practioners or Minor Talents.  Given the full scale of Thaumaturgy (and using Kim Delaney, page #132 of Our World as an example) your character would be considered a Hedge Wizard.  Basically a mortal Practioner who lacks the skills and capability range necessary for membership in the White Council.
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Offline Clotho19

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Re: Trying to figure out my template...
« Reply #6 on: July 21, 2010, 01:24:05 PM »
I actually came up with a template that matches your character perfectly on another thread. Btw i allow characters who take this template to take more than one refinement if they wish, but doing so they can never take Evocation. So its a choice either learn Evocation some day by advancing to a Sorcerer or Wizard or focus completely on Thaumaturaphy and become a more powerful Hedge Witch or Hedge Wizard.

I created this template because I felt there was something missing in the low level spell casters Templates. I felt that while the Focused Practitioner is well and good for some low level practitioners, it neglected to show those who have more well rounded mystical portfolio, but lack the ability to use evocation or Channeling.

Hedge Witches and Hedge Wizards are quite skilled at numerous spells and areas of magic, but they take time to actually cast their spells. This is reflected in their ability to use Thaumaturgy just like Wizards or Sorcerers but they lack the power or skill to actually wield Evocations.
Many Hedge Witches and Hedge Wizards colour their magic and spells with some alternative religious feel, being that many are also Wiccans, New Age believers, practitioners of religions like Sanitaria or Voodoo etc. This means that for them to cast their spells they need the trappings of their faith and their beliefs, for example most Wiccans have an altar which they practice their magic, including statues of various deities and other magical trappings like a pentacle, Athame, incense etc.

Musts: A Hedge Witch or Hedge Wizard must take a High Concept that declares his or her nature as a Hedge Witch or Hedge Wizard, such as MEMBER OF THE ORDO LEBES or SOCCER MUM/WITCH. In addition the Character must take the following supernatural power:

Thaumaturgy [–3] (YS page 181)

See the power description for more details.

Options: Hedge Witches/Wizards may take the Sight (-1) which would function the same as for Wizards and Sorcerers, but this is rare. In addition, they may take Refinement (-1), once per play. It should be noted that they can never take Evocation, if they want to purchase Evocation they must upgrade to Wizard or Sorcerer.

Important Skills: Conviction (YS page 124), Discipline (YS page 127), Lore (YS page 134).

Minimum Refresh Cost: -3

From the Casefiles: Kim Delaney (OW130). Also Anna Ash, (OW103), simply replaces Rituals with Thaumaturgy and raises her refresh to -3. In addition Charity Carpenter when she was younger was a Hedge Witch.