The Lightsaber Spell.. :o ::)

[finnmckool]

Honestly I just want a cool spell for the Warden GMPC to pull out of his pocket to make the players poop a littler. You know.. R-E-S-P-E-C-T. But you know players, they see YOU do it, they'll say, "My what a fine idea." Therefore...I need to know how. So maybe not an item of power...but an enchanted item, like a focus or what not that the spell is rote-tastically tied to. Because this isn't about bringing Star Wars into Dresden...Star Wars is a mythos that exists here, and this guy is gonna see that idea and go..."You know...I can DO that. I THINK I can do that. Don't know why I COULDN'T do that." Because I really do see awesome logistical applications to that. It's a fire beam spell (a la Luccio) with WAY less potential for collateral damage. It cuts through things instead of BLASTING through them. And like I say...in a duel...go on. Parry it.

And the deflecting thing is all in the user's reflexes, and has little to do with the weapon. Which raises an interesting point. Most people don't try and deflect fire spells with fire because who shoots a bullet at a bullet? But if you have this thing in your hand that persists and is MADE of fire...fire ball baseball...there goes less property damage.

[finnmckool]

I think my greater problem is things are about MORE than the power you're summoning. It's about complexity. Harry talks about the difference all the time. And complexity is a discipline roll. So why would there not be a greater discipline to do something that has lots of non-numbers related advantages, but nothing to do with it's strength? It's duration. It's bending physics to your will. Why wouldn't that be a slightly higher discipline roll? Seems reasonable and in the rules and I'm talking crazy here so why not?

[luminos]

There are a few ways to do this without breaking the rules as far as I can see, and by reading this thread, it seems like you don't like either answer. 

1.)  A maneuver with duration.  This will give the visual effect you want but doesn't do very much for you mechanically.
2.)  An attack.  Contrary to what other posters have suggested, attacks do not get the option of increased duration (grapple style spells are a different matter).  Every round you want to have this sword going, its another casting.  There would be no benefit to making it a close range only spell, save for the lower likelihood of collateral damage.
3.)  An enchanted item to either attack or maneuver.  This one has the same effects as the previous two suggestions, but it doesn't take stress to use it for a number of charges, and might be the way you'd do it if you wanted the warden to use it a lot. 

Alternatively, you could give him extra powers to simulate this ability. 
1.)  He could have a sponsored magic that lets him do conjuration at evocations speed and methods.
2.)  He could be given a custom power of "Flame Sword" that would be about -2 refresh and allows him to summon up a weapon: 4 sword of fire as a supplemental action.

If you don't like any of those, you just have to house rule it, which brings me to my next point.  Don't use GMPC's.  Just don't.  Its a conflict of interests, and just way too much of a temptation for abuse.  As the GM, you have to interpret the rules fairly and accurately, but if you try to play as a GMPC, you are also motivated to exploit the rules to do cool stuff.  Also, GMPC's tend to hog the spotlight away from the actual PC's, which is just no fun for them. 

[CMEast]

As Luminos said, GMPC's aren't generally a good idea.

Still as as an NPC you wouldn't need stats as much, I'd just rule that he kick-ass jedi style and leave it at that. Just narrate his turns without rolling.

[John Galt]

Easy killer. I have. I got it right here nicely bound and smelling all nice and new booky, and on my lappy as a PDF. Had it for a while. It's the flame spell bound to my hand, part. Sure I'm over complicating it a bit but who hasn't been guilty of that on these boards, it's a fairly common problem/response for people new to the system. I just was floating it as an idea. Because it's fire that STOPS and moves with my HAND. That seems a bit more complex to me. Does it not to you? Sure I could reduce it down to as simple as shifts of damage in the attack, but should there or should there not be extra shifts involved in discipline, say, for such CONTROL of such heat? Would THAT not be a reasonable question? 

There isn't.  If you want there to be you have to house rule it.

Honestly I'd just give your GMPC a sword of the cross,  reduce the discount by one since it's retractable and call it a day.

But your desire to bend and break rules to make your GMPC more powerful than a PC is going to alienate your players real fast.

[ironchicken]

An alternative might be a maneouvre

3 shifts for a maneouvre + 1 to make it sticky for the scene.

Flaming fists
Shrouds hand in fire to aid combat
4 shifts (3 maneouvre+1sticky)
Effect: adds sticky for  scene "flaming hands" aspect to target. This will allow 1 free tag to add +2 damage on fists hit or may be tagged for additional hits. Can also be compelled.

Flaming sword is just a similar spell with different special effects. It would not normally be able to use weapons rather than fists because that would be simulating a stunt.

[Doc Nova]

Huh...luminous, you are absolutely correct...the ability to boost duration is not listed as an evocation option for attack...that was in my head.  Clearly, I'll have to house rule that so there can be the "cloudkill" equivalent. 

As for GMPCs, I disagree, provided the ref can handle the temptation.  GMPCs are wonderful for dolling out information, getting themselves into trouble for the PCs to rescue, and, when the time is right, to die dramatically and emotionally at the end of a really tough bad guy's...whatever...enabling the GM to show off a powerful whatsit they had planned without turning a PC into a grease spot.  Now, if you can't resist the temptation, don't use them.  But blanketing the concept of a long-term, reoccurring, heroically-allied NPC as a bad idea isn't accurate.  They certainly don't work for everyone, but few things in gaming does work for everyone.

Back to the OP...I think luminos had the right idea with the new power of "Flame Sword" for -2 refresh.  That would answer all of your wants for it, at least as I am understanding them...and granted, I've not finished my morning coffee, so "understanding" might be a stretch...

[KOFFEYKID]

Also remember that if you go the spell way, you are likely to run up against first law issues. I'm a player in Luminos' seattle game and I've got a rote spell that summons a sword (Conjuration at Evocation Speed through use of Soulfire), and I am not allowed to kill mortals with it. Also, remember, if you go the conjuration method, you are summoning a sword. So it should deal damage as a sword. No weapon 7 sword that lasts a bunch of exchanges, more like a weapon 3 sword which lasts all scene.

Here is my rote spell, remember, i've got soulfire so Im allowed to use a conjuration effect from thaumaturgy at evocation speed.

Xífos to̱n Ouranó̱n Sword of the Heavens
This spell uses the power of Soulfire to forge a blade with the Spirit of the caster.
Type: Thaumaturgy, Conjuration
Complexity: 5 Shifts
Duration: One Scene, could be longer (until the Sun rises), but its supposed to be something you call from nothingness not have on you at all times.
Effect: This conjures a blade of pure spirit from the creator's soul, it has a weapon rating of 3. It is made of soulfire, and is thus a very powerful weapon indeed. It satisfies any Catch requiring a Holy source of stress, and it downgrades one rank of toughness (From Mythic to Supernatural, from Supernatural to Inhuman, and so on).
Description: Motes of Light gather in a pillar growing out of the casters closed fist, becoming solid and more real. The motes flare a searingly white light, and a chime of metal issues forth from the newly created blade. The sword appears to be made of molten silver, which shifts and flows while still maintaining its shape.

Also, I have had this thing dispelled once, just remember its a possibility that somebody will counterspell it.

[CMEast]

As a sort-of related question, is it possible to create a weapon by invoking an aspect for an effect? Or with a declaration?

For instance, I could imagine that if a fight breaks out then someone could roll their alertness to declare that there are some pool cues available on the table, however that is an improvised weapon.

[luminos]

If you have an aspect like "Always Armed" you can invoke it to create a weapon.

[KOFFEYKID]

You could do so as an assessment as well, though having an aspect relating to it makes it more likely to succeed.

[Doc Nova]

You can always attempt a declaration to put pool cues, a broken bottle, an empty stool, or whatever is appropriate to your situation close at hand.  If it's a solid idea, the GM might even let you declare it without a roll, or if it's way out of line, it could be declined without a roll.  But sure, you could make a declaration.  Or, as luminos pointed out, an "Always Armed" type of aspect would accomplish the same thing on an invoke.

[finnmckool]

So I think I got what I need. It's like casting two spells at once really. One's a construct to hold the fire into a shape that you can grab and swing. This is a straight complexity roll that's going to be roughly a 2 for the simple construct + shifts for duration + shifts for weapon rating. Done. Conviction is weapon rating, the discipline has to necessarily be higher. So for a Weapon 4: it's what? an 8 conviction? and a 14 discipline for say...two turns? Is that about right?

And you know...I hadn't considered the first law implications but on the other hand, it's no different from other magic that way.

About GMPC's. This is just an NPC who is "in charge." He's never around. He doesn't go adventuring with them. He's the Warden so he knows stuff they need to know. But he's a complete "PC" because if ever someone else runs the game I've got a character. Cuz he's cool. And I thought it'd be a neat-o speedo spell to pull out, and if it's kosher then I can do it later as a PC (GM willing). No, he's not a party member. He's why the Avengers assemble, and he's the guy that actually knows stuff since three party members are new to town and the fourth just never gave a damn until today. So no worries about his breaky-ness.

[John Galt]

No.

Its equal shifts for power and control.  So for weapon four itd be Great conviction roll and great discipline roll.

As has been said numerous times, you can't increase the duration of an attack.  You'd roll conviction and discipline, trying to get values at the weapon rating or higher, every exchange.

[finnmckool]

Sure. If it's evocation. But if it's a ritual? A construct is not evocation. It is NOT conviction=discipline. That's what I'm saying. I can't mix the two?