A Wizards (Shield) Friendship Bracelet

[My Dark Sunshine]

So, I was in the process of making a Shield Bracelet style item for a Wizard character, and decided to add something slightly different to it. I can't remember seeing this idea discussed anywhere else, so I thought I'd ask people for their thoughts.

Friendship Bracelet

On Kieran's right wrist is an assorted collection of bracelets, wristbands, hairbands and other mementoes he gained from his friends, and other people he's helped along the way. The center piece of which is a Friendship bracelet given to him by his closest friend Skye, whom happens to be have been the first (and thus far only) person to have seen his Soul. Arcane runes have been marked into the metal sections of the bracelet.

Focus Item (1 Slot): The Friendship Bracelet provides +1 power for defensive spirit evocations.

The Bracelet sometimes generates a warmth throughout Kieran's body. Whether or not this is the warmth, gratitude and love his friends feel towards him, or a simple fire spell that draws his attention to the bracelet; and thus its significance is unknown. But it reminds him of why he has to fight.

+ Enchanted Item (1 Slot): Places the temporary aspect (as a per manoeuvre) "I Fight Against The Darkness (For Them)" upon Kieran for 1 exchange; 3 uses per session.

Kieran has Great (+4) Lore, and a +1 Crafting Power speciality bonus. Thus 3 shifts to generate a manoeuvre, (Kieran is hardly going to oppose it), and two downgrades of the base-power to add to frequency.

Basically, the item acts as both a Focus Item, and an Enchanted Item, taking up 1.5 Focus Item Slots, or for ease of reference 3 Enchanted Item Slots.

Now, I have some questions:

> Would you allow a single item to act as both a Focus Item and an Enchanted Item?

> What type of action would you have the Enchanted part require? It would mainly be used for those Defensive Evocations that aren't rotes, e.g. protecting more then one person.
         > A free action would seem over-powered. +2 to a roll for no cost. But some 'defensive' items are capable of being
                     activated as a reaction.
         > A supplementary action would net a total of +1 to the roll, which seems more reasonable.
         > A standard action would make the most mechanical sense (but would require shifts added to duration), although
                     would make less thematic sense; without changing the concept.

> Would the second application be better utilised as an aspect? I originally intended to find a way around this, as he has a phase aspect referencing Skye, specifically "Skye's seen my soul, she judged it worthy".

> Anything else you care to comment on.

Thank you, all and any responses will be appreciated!

[wyvern]

Yes, a single item can be a focus item, and an enchanted item, and even an Item of Power, all at once - if that's appropriate to what it is.  Note that I would not let this bypass the normal limits on how much magic you can stuff into a single item; every two slots of enchantment would count as one point towards the focus limits - not that this is an issue for your item, of course.

Mechanically, activating it would be a standard action, and that one exchange duration would be enough that you could activate it, and then still get the free tag on your next action.  That said, if there aren't any cheeseweasels in your group, it wouldn't be totally out of hand to allow this as a supplemental action; but that'd be up to your GM.  (If there _are_ cheeseweasels in your group, they'd say "Oh, that activates as supplemental?  Neat!  Let me build one that grants two maneuvers at once..." - at which point, yeah, you'd have to go back to it being a standard action.)

To me, this does feel a lot like something that should be an aspect (or part of an aspect) rather than an enchanted item, though - I mean, it's got some strong potential for compels in terms of how it might react to what's happening to Skye, for example.  (And an appropriate aspect could also encompass your character's entire relationship to Skye, not just the bracelet on its own.)  Still.  Neat idea, at least.

[sinker]

As a GM I think I'd be perfectly fine with this item, and agree with wyvern that it wouldn't be terribly unbalancing to make it supplemental. Going an alternate route I wouldn't have a problem with it being a standard action and then extending the duration to last the scene, either by dubbing it Thaumaturgy (enchanted items can be either), and using that duration, or ala Billy's comments on veils in the evocation section.

[My Dark Sunshine]

Yes, a single item can be a focus item, and an enchanted item, and even an Item of Power, all at once - if that's appropriate to what it is.  Note that I would not let this bypass the normal limits on how much magic you can stuff into a single item; every two slots of enchantment would count as one point towards the focus limits - not that this is an issue for your item, of course.

Good, I had hoped so. Yes, whilst not an issue for this particular item it's good you raised that point.

Mechanically, activating it would be a standard action, and that one exchange duration would be enough that you could activate it, and then still get the free tag on your next action.  That said, if there aren't any cheeseweasels in your group, it wouldn't be totally out of hand to allow this as a supplemental action; but that'd be up to your GM.  (If there _are_ cheeseweasels in your group, they'd say "Oh, that activates as supplemental?  Neat!  Let me build one that grants two maneuvers at once..." - at which point, yeah, you'd have to go back to it being a standard action.)

Well. For now I am the GM, the Wizard in question is an NPC to fill the lack of players - the rulebook suggests it somewhere. I think soon though the rest of my usual group will be joining in, so the Wizard will take a step back to standard, yet recurring NPC. In other peoples campaign I may run a similar/variant of the character. My group is fairly good in that they won't usually try to game the system, and are content to play the game.

However as the character would be under my control, I figured it best to check what the this community thought. I'd hate to be bias, and add leniency based on that fact. Naturally, it would be a carpet ruling that applies to similar items the group may wish to make, providing they don't over-do it, like you say.

To me, this does feel a lot like something that should be an aspect (or part of an aspect) rather than an enchanted item, though - I mean, it's got some strong potential for compels in terms of how it might react to what's happening to Skye, for example.  (And an appropriate aspect could also encompass your character's entire relationship to Skye, not just the bracelet on its own.)  Still.  Neat idea, at least.

Well. The character already has the aspect named in the opening post relating to Skye, so any compels could simply come from there instead. Although, it seems like you referring specifically to the Bracelet, which does indeed raise such interesting possibilities. Perhaps simiply modifying the current aspect, "Skye's seen my soul, judged it worthy - and I got the Bracelet" or something. Suggestions would be appreciated. & Thank you.

As a GM I think I'd be perfectly fine with this item, and agree with wyvern that it wouldn't be terribly unbalancing to make it supplemental. Going an alternate route I wouldn't have a problem with it being a standard action and then extending the duration to last the scene, either by dubbing it Thaumaturgy (enchanted items can be either), and using that duration, or ala Billy's comments on veils in the evocation section.

Good to know thus-far people support the idea. Nice ideas; those are two good ways of going about it. I'll have to look into them both.

Thank you both!