Ritualists and enchanted objects

[Drachasor]

It depends what suits the character. Fluff > Mechanics. From a mechanical standing though, I agree with you completely; crafting (likely: strength) would always be my favoured choice.

Ideally going with flavor over pure mechanics shouldn't penalize you much.  Seems to do that a good bit in this case.  Unless, perhaps, you get Kemmler-like sponsored magic for something.

[My Dark Sunshine]

I think this issue comes from the attempt to prevent items from becoming even more over-powering. If they'd allowed such items to involve the same ritual-based procedures as most thaumaturgy 'spells', then you could quite easily have 12+ shift items. However by making crafting the only thaumaturgy application that doesn't go via such methods, the +1* bonus from a specialisation is a lot more noticeable.

However, it is certainly the lesser of two evils.

Just another observation. The rulebook at one point, (Focused Practitioner's page?) states it'd be very rare for a Magic-user to be highly rated in all three cornerstone skills (Conviction, Discipline, Lore); yet most Player's seem to ensure their Wizard/other-spellslinger is just that. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, I simply think its worth noting the designers seem to have expected/encouraged less 'mechanics-focused' thought processes.

* Naturally, the number here can be bigger (or smaller) depending on the Practitioner involved.

[sinker]

Oddly he's listed as having potion slots though, when they should be enchanted item slots.

The book does imply a difference (and for that matter he would need some potions slots to whip up three-eye on a regular basis).

Hmm, hard to think of a reason to grab thaumaturgical specializations outside of plain old crafting.  It doesn't make a big deal with rituals or the like, generally.

The one thing I can see as useful is the ability to pull off more complex rituals with no preparation. However you're right, that pales in comparison to crafting specializations.

[Tsunami]

Oddly he's listed as having potion slots though, when they should be enchanted item slots.

Well, he simply has dedicated some of his slots to potions. Potion slots are Enchanted item slots that remain free to be used for potions during gameplay.
Basically all unused slots turn into potion slots.
Victor has his 4 basic focus item slots. He used one of those for a blasting rod, leaving him with 3 focus item slots.
Those 3 Focus slots were turned into 6 enchanted item slots, which he then dedicated to potions (by simply leaving them unused).
-> 6 Potion slots.

Were this character to experience a significant milestone, this setup of focus/enchanted item slots could be rearranged. He could drop his focus item for two more enchanted item slots, turning them into potion slots or using them to create an enchanted item. Or he could drop some of the potion slots to get enchanted/focus item to get more items. etc.

[Biff Dyskolos]

Oddly he's listed as having potion slots though, when they should be enchanted item slots.

The books do make a distinction between potion and enchanted item slots - can't provide the reference right now. For the purpose of building items/potions they are equivalent; but for enchanted items you have to allocate those slots at the beginning of the session to use them, while potion slots can be allocated in session.

Essentially, you can pull an appropriate potion out of your hat when ever you want but you can't do the same with an enchanted leather duster.
 

[Drachasor]

Ahh, yes, I see.  I guess it just seemed odd that no one else had Potion Slots...kind of weird, eh?

[Biff Dyskolos]

Ahh, yes, I see.  I guess it just seemed odd that no one else had Potion Slots...kind of weird, eh?

I think the sample character sheet for Harry had potion slots.

[Drachasor]

I think the sample character sheet for Harry had potion slots.

I did a search through Our World and the only guy with "Potions" is Sells.  I didn't look through Your Story before just now (two people have it, though Harry has it listed under "Enchanted Items," and another person has it specified as what potions they are.  Anyhow, that's what brought on my confusion on the matter.

[toturi]

It depends what suits the character. Fluff > Mechanics. From a mechanical standing though, I agree with you completely; crafting (likely: strength) would always be my favoured choice.

Why not simply write up a character such that Fluff = Mechanics? If crafting is going to be the favored choice, then write up a character where crafting is his favored choice.

[Drachasor]

Why not simply write up a character such that Fluff = Mechanics? If crafting is going to be the favored choice, then write up a character where crafting is his favored choice.

My character kind of stumbled into this.  Having a Norse background, it seems like going with enchanted items makes the most sense for specializations.  Even with the Son of Thor high concept, barring certain evocations (which he doesn't have atm, but naturally air would be his prime focus when/if he gets around to that), there's not a strong theme to draw on for any sort of specialization.  "Storms" seems far too narrow, "Weather" inappropriately broad, "Storms, Strength, Protection of Humanity" doesn't seem cohesive enough (though it is what Thor is about really), and so going with Rune magic makes the most sense.

[My Dark Sunshine]

Why not simply write up a character such that Fluff = Mechanics? If crafting is going to be the favored choice, then write up a character where crafting is his favored choice.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying the two can't mix. But if it comes down to one or the other, Fluff should be considered more important, in my opinion. I simply think that the stats should be based on the character, not the other way around.

However if you want to make a character that focuses on magically crafted items, or anything else, because it suits the character as opposed to because its superior mechanically, go for it.

[toturi]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying the two can't mix. But if it comes down to one or the other, Fluff should be considered more important, in my opinion. I simply think that the stats should be based on the character, not the other way around.

However if you want to make a character that focuses on magically crafted items, or anything else, because it suits the character as opposed to because its superior mechanically, go for it.

What I am saying is that you could start from a mechanically superior foundation and build the character on it, instead of creating great fluff and then try to figure out the nuts and bolts. Personally I rather make sure the ground is firm and then worry about how my house looks, than design the house and then worry whether the land I bought can support it.

[My Dark Sunshine]

Everyone has their own way of doing things, if it works for you, then it works for you. If it seemed like I was saying you couldn't, then my bad. I was simply giving in my opinion and preference. Harry summarises my way of doing things, in a way. Mechanically his stat-block is weaker (subjectively) then the majority of PC Wizard's I see made. Yet he is undeniably freaking awesome.

So long as the Fluff is still great, I guess it doesn't matter so much. I just find those that place mechanics first, seem to have less personality to the character. I'm sure yourself, and others, are quite capable of avoiding that trap; so it is not an issue.

Nice analogy by the way.

I guess I should stop going off-topic now. I was originally just offering up a reason for why you'd choose another thaumaturgy specialisation.

[zenten]

Everyone has their own way of doing things, if it works for you, then it works for you. If it seemed like I was saying you couldn't, then my bad. I was simply giving in my opinion and preference. Harry summarises my way of doing things, in a way. Mechanically his stat-block is weaker (subjectively) then the majority of PC Wizard's I see made. Yet he is undeniably freaking awesome.

So long as the Fluff is still great, I guess it doesn't matter so much. I just find those that place mechanics first, seem to have less personality to the character. I'm sure yourself, and others, are quite capable of avoiding that trap; so it is not an issue.

Harry is designed for largely solo play, with a GM that likes to throw things that he's not good at at him, so he has to be more of a generalist than say a wizard who's part of a group of five PCs.

[newtinmpls]

"Essentially, you can pull an appropriate potion out of your hat when ever you want but you can't do the same with an enchanted leather duster."

I was skimming through posts, and this registered as "an enchanted feather duster", which made me think, could you have a character with a collection of themed or related tools of some kind as a "focus item" when they were actually a group; like a frying pan & heavy spatula/fork for a cooking oriented character, or a collection of cleaning tools (i.e the featherduster and maybe some other weird clean-y things).

Not looking for power here, just weirdness and characterization...

Dian