Author Topic: Taking the same power twice?  (Read 12201 times)

Offline fatty

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Taking the same power twice?
« on: July 26, 2010, 11:51:51 PM »
Hello Everyone,

Is there anything to say anywhere that you can't take channelling twice, but with different elements?
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Offline CMEast

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Re: Taking the same power twice?
« Reply #1 on: July 26, 2010, 11:56:23 PM »
Well you could I suppose, but why would you? For one refresh more you can take evocation and get a specialisation and two extra elements. If it's for the focus items then you could take a refinement for more item slots (which is a total for 4 refresh and still leaves you up a specialisation and an element).


Is there a specific reason why you want channelling twice?

ps. The username is familiar, as is the location. If it's not just a coincidence, hello mate :)
« Last Edit: July 26, 2010, 11:58:33 PM by CMEast »

Offline Mal_Luck

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Re: Taking the same power twice?
« Reply #2 on: July 27, 2010, 12:02:36 AM »
You can take Evocation, choose two elements and leave the third undecided if that really floats your boat. It's also cheaper.
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Offline Tush Hog

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Re: Taking the same power twice?
« Reply #3 on: July 27, 2010, 12:11:28 AM »
On the bottom of p162 it says you can't take any power multiple times unless the power says you can.

Like it's been said, it would be better to take evocation and just hold back one of your specialties.
« Last Edit: July 27, 2010, 12:15:02 AM by Tush Hog »

Offline Morgan

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Re: Taking the same power twice?
« Reply #4 on: July 27, 2010, 12:16:24 AM »
As others have said you could do it but if you are a natural spellcaster it makes a lot more sense to just upgrade to Evocation. The only way this makes sense is if you take more than one type of Sponsored Magic, and if that's the case you probably have a lot more to worry about, than an inefficient use of Refresh.
« Last Edit: July 27, 2010, 12:19:04 AM by Morgan »

Offline fatty

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Re: Taking the same power twice?
« Reply #5 on: July 27, 2010, 12:28:16 AM »
Well, I haven't had a chance to sit down and read the rules, but here's the reason why I wasn't sure if you could just take evocation and no other power because of the templates. I mean I couldn't see just the evoker template.
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Offline Morgan

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Re: Taking the same power twice?
« Reply #6 on: July 27, 2010, 12:40:57 AM »
The Templates are guidelines. If you want to play a character who only has Evocation that's totally fine, or a character who is somewhere between the templates in power level that works as well, say a powerful Sorcerer who is just a hair away from being a Wizard.

Offline fatty

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Re: Taking the same power twice?
« Reply #7 on: July 27, 2010, 12:42:37 AM »
Just Evocation is fine :D I like to destroy stuff.
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Offline toturi

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Re: Taking the same power twice?
« Reply #8 on: July 27, 2010, 01:59:02 AM »
The Templates are guidelines. If you want to play a character who only has Evocation that's totally fine, or a character who is somewhere between the templates in power level that works as well, say a powerful Sorcerer who is just a hair away from being a Wizard.
The problem is that the way the character creation rules are written in YS is that one of the steps is choosing a template. So if you do follow the rules strictly, you have to choose a template.
With your laws of magic, wizards would pretty much just be helpless carebears who can only do magic tricks. - BumblingBear

Offline Doc Nova

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Re: Taking the same power twice?
« Reply #9 on: July 27, 2010, 02:05:52 AM »
You may have to choose a template, if that's the way you and your group decide to go, but what's to stop (if that is the case) of making your own templates?  There's MUCH more to the Dresdenverse than what we've seen in the books...as each novel aptly demonstrates.

As to the OP, however, as Tush Hog stated, as per the rules, you can't take any power twice unless it specifically says so.

Of course, what's good for you and your group may be to totally ignore that rule and allow multiple purchases of powers, in which case, have fun!  That is the primary goal, after all...

Offline toturi

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Re: Taking the same power twice?
« Reply #10 on: July 27, 2010, 02:12:08 AM »
You may have to choose a template, if that's the way you and your group decide to go, but what's to stop (if that is the case) of making your own templates?  There's MUCH more to the Dresdenverse than what we've seen in the books...as each novel aptly demonstrates.

Of course, what's good for you and your group may be to totally ignore that rule and allow multiple purchases of powers, in which case, have fun!  That is the primary goal, after all...
The group could decide that you can ignore certain rules. But since we are discussing those rules, it is easier if we were all on the same page and since we are posting in this forum, presumably having bought YS and OW, if you are going to ignore some rules, it might be better if you state those rules that you aren't following.
With your laws of magic, wizards would pretty much just be helpless carebears who can only do magic tricks. - BumblingBear

Offline Deadmanwalking

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Re: Taking the same power twice?
« Reply #11 on: July 27, 2010, 02:13:04 AM »
The problem is that the way the character creation rules are written in YS is that one of the steps is choosing a template. So if you do follow the rules strictly, you have to choose a template.

Dude, first off, you can make up a Template, following that step and still doing what you want. This is even explicit on YS p. 72.

Second, that kind of mechanistic thinking is completely at odds with the entirety of the DFRPG system, and the FATE system in general.

Offline Morgan

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Re: Taking the same power twice?
« Reply #12 on: July 27, 2010, 02:18:47 AM »
toturi,

If you really want the book's permission to mess with the powers you can take as part of a spellcasting template take a look at the "what about playing an apprentice" sidebar on YS p86

Offline GruffAndTumble

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Re: Taking the same power twice?
« Reply #13 on: July 27, 2010, 08:05:00 AM »
Assuming one has no problems with manipulating the default rules a little, reading the Refinement power and related marginalia indicates that a new Element and a specialization in a current on are roughly equivalent. So, just take Evocation with two elements and two specialties.

Offline Kordeth

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Re: Taking the same power twice?
« Reply #14 on: July 27, 2010, 06:55:02 PM »
The margin note on p. 162 specifically says that unless a power explicitly says differently, you can't take it more than once. So no, no "multiple channeling." I'd use GruffandTumble's rule, myself.