I've actually been wondering about this, too. In a game I'm getting ready to run, since we're all hopping over to this system from DnD, we like the idea of loot. Now, money is all well and good but with a resources skill it's primarily cosmetic or the equivalent of a temporary aspect.
What my players want, however, are items. Some outright want Items of Power but others, such as otherwise pure mortals, wouldn't mind a simple enchanted item. Nothing too awesome or unreasonable but nice. Maybe a weak magic armor or a sword that deals 1 extra stress as cold damage (for purposes of satisfying catches).
Now these aren't anywhere near the power of Items of Power and I could easily see saying "Sure, you can take up this enchanted item, but it'll cost you 1 refresh" And justify it with something like "The crafter infused these items with his/her magic and as such, his/her will. That means that, while the item isn't sentient, it does try to influence you just ever so slightly and you must spend appropriate refresh to ignore the item creator's shadow of will" or something silly like that.
The problem that this runs into is I can say, "Sure, take that sword" as described above to deal the cold damage but then that costs 1 refresh. That means it costs them their Pure Mortal 2 refresh and 1 refresh so it's effectively 3 refresh, just to be able to sate a catch occasionally. Now that doesn't seem all too fair, does it?
Talking this over with my coworkers who play this game (I work in a bookstore. We're all geeks) some say I should treat it as a stunt and cost a refresh and leave it at that. Others say an Item of Power is an Item of Power, even if weak and that's the price they pay. Still others say to just forget it and give it to them because the wizard who made it would have had to put in the extra shift to make it usable by others anyway, so it shouldn't have an extra cost associated. I, however, am just confused as to what to do. What do you all think?
I handle it three ways:
1. Items of Power, with at least 2 refresh worth of powers. These also eliminate your pure mortal bonus. At least one of your aspects should reference the item. These items give serious power that changes the character. Also, making them is very hard, if not impossible now, and every one has it's own backstory and purpose.
2. Artifice. -1 Refresh gives you 2 item slots, each one can be exchanged for 2 enchanted item or potion slots. Your Lore and crafting power bonuses set item strength. Pure mortals can't take these, but they are otherwise non-restricted.
3. Aspect items. Harry's Pentacle necklace is a good example. These items are aspects, and you can make them do story-appropriate magic things by invoking for effect. Harry often invokes his necklace to make "True Faith" Conviction attacks against vampires. These are appropriate for any character, including pure mortals.
Let's examine 3 characters, each one wields a "Frost Sword".
Character 1: Fey Swordsman
Item of Power, referred to by an aspect: Sword of Winter's Embrace
Item of Power, Broadsword (Weapon:3, two hands to wield) Obvious +2
-1 Sword does an extra 2 "Frost" damage, like Claws
-2 Inhuman Strength
=
-1 Refresh
Character 2: Swordmage
-3 Refresh: Thaumaturgy (Crafting Power Specialty).
-1 Refresh: Refinement
Lore 5
4 Focus Item Slots, +2 Item Power and + 1 Frequency foci, 2 Enchanted item slots.
Sword: Weapon:3 most of the time, Weapon:8 twice per session. 1 mental stress for each additional use of W:8. W:8 effect counts as "Cold" damage.
Ring of Protection: 8 Block or Armor:4, twice per session. 1 mental stress per additional use.
Character 3:
Normal human with "Enchanted Frost Sword" Aspect.
Aspect can be invoked to do effects like count the sword as "cold damage" for the scene, dip it in water to chill or freeze it, add +2 or reroll an attack or defense Weapons roll, etc.
Aspect can be compelled to have people recognize the sword as enchanted, or to have the "Frost" component do something to the users detriment, like get stuck in water or heal a winter fey.
