Echanted defense and offense weapons

[ryanshowseason2]

So a player of mine wants to play a wizard warrior monk and craft his focus slots into enchanted items instead. One into an always on defensive and one into an always on offensive.

My question for the defensive is can it be a block or armor whenever he wants? and can it be dispelled?

My question for the offensive is can this be done as an always on? Can it be dispelled? He wants to run it as a kind of energy "aura" that could be formed into multiple shapes at his discretion just for fluff/flavor.

[UmbraLux]

So a player of mine wants to play a wizard warrior monk and craft his focus slots into enchanted items instead. One into an always on defensive and one into an always on offensive.

My question for the defensive is can it be a block or armor whenever he wants? and can it be dispelled?

Yes and yes.

My question for the offensive is can this be done as an always on? Can it be dispelled? He wants to run it as a kind of energy "aura" that could be formed into multiple shapes at his discretion just for fluff/flavor.

Always on?  Not really, though he could have an aspect to represent the aura which is 'always on'...just requires a fate point to use.  Potentially worse, it could be compelled.    But enchanted items are simply enchanted to cast a specific spell.  The spell still meets normal requirements, including duration.

[Drachasor]

Always on stuff doesn't exist anymore.  They decided it wasn't balanced with the rules so scrapped it before the official release.

However, it is easy enough to make an Arcane Warrior and be quite effective.  In fact, you'll probably want to decide HOW effective you are ok with them being since they can get to be too effective.

For instance, take 5 Refresh spent on Thaumaturgy (+1 Casting Strength) and 2 Refinement for Enchanted Item Slots.  Have the top 3 skills be Lore, Discipline, and an attack skill (perhaps weapons).

Assuming Lore 5, that means you produce items with a strength of 6 by default.  You also have 12 enchanted item slots.

Now, you'll want some basic items.  Lightsaber and a Hoodie of Protection are musts.  If you don't have the Sight, then some "Benjamin Franklin" Glasses (as seen in national National Treasure!) can be used to allow arcane investigation if enchanted up.  Nice to have something plop some maneuvers on yourself too.  Let's round up those 4 items with 2 more of your choice.

Now you have 6 enchanted item slots left over.  A +3 Power Focus from 4 of them (4 item slots = 2 focus slots).  Now all magical items made have a base power of 9 with 1 use per session.

That's probably too much for your group.  So what you do is figure out what power level you are comfortable for each device.  Is weapon 6 ok for the Lightsaber?  Then lower the power down by 3 and it now has 4 uses per session before mental stress kicks in.  Is Block 8 ok for the defensive item?  Then it'll have 2 uses per session.  Is a Lore check of 7 on Arcane Investigation ok for the glasses?  Then it will have 3 uses per session (though you probably won't need that many).  Take that maneuver item, give it a power of 9 and 1 use and it can plop "Eldritch Speed", "Arcane Insight", and "Magician's Might" as FRAGILE aspects on the user in just one exchange.  Still have two open slots after this (remember those two enchanted item slots I left over at the beginning).

[ryanshowseason2]

Always on stuff doesn't exist anymore.  They decided it wasn't balanced with the rules so scrapped it before the official release.

However, it is easy enough to make an Arcane Warrior and be quite effective.  In fact, you'll probably want to decide HOW effective you are ok with them being since they can get to be too effective.

For instance, take 5 Refresh spent on Thaumaturgy (+1 Casting Strength) and 2 Refinement for Enchanted Item Slots.  Have the top 3 skills be Lore, Discipline, and an attack skill (perhaps weapons).

Assuming Lore 5, that means you produce items with a strength of 6 by default.  You also have 12 enchanted item slots.

Now, you'll want some basic items.  Lightsaber and a Hoodie of Protection are musts.  If you don't have the Sight, then some "Benjamin Franklin" Glasses (as seen in national National Treasure!) can be used to allow arcane investigation if enchanted up.  Nice to have something plop some maneuvers on yourself too.  Let's round up those 4 items with 2 more of your choice.

Now you have 6 enchanted item slots left over.  +4 Power Focus from 4 of them, and a +2 Frequency Focus from the last two.  Now all magical items made have a base power of 10 with 3 uses per session.

That's probably too much for your group.  So what you do is figure out what power level you are comfortable for each device.  Is weapon 6 ok for the Lightsaber?  Then lower the power down by 4 and it now has 7 uses per session before mental stress kicks in.  Is Block 8 ok for the defensive item?  Then it'll have 5 uses per session.  Is a Lore check of 7 on Arcane Investigation ok for the glasses?  Then it will have 6 uses per session (though you probably won't need that many).  Take that maneuver item, give it a power of 9 and 4 uses and it can plop "Eldritch Speed", "Arcane Insight", and "Magician's Might" as FRAGILE aspects on the user in just one exchange.  Still have two open slots after this.

ehhh? Did you apply the leftover 6 slots to all magical items? I thought when you spent excess enchanted item slots into existing items it only went into ONE of your items to power it up. Did that change? Sounds broken, just one of those items at power 10 would be pushing it IMO.

[Vine]

I thought when you spent excess enchanted item slots into existing items it only went into ONE of your items to power it up.

That was my thought. I just didn't have the book on hand to double check.

[riplikash]

In regards to "always on":

Always on items do exist, the question is how much are they allowed to effect the story? The Dresden Files RPG focuses on story mechanics, not physical ones. Fate points and stunts largely represent controlling how much someone can interact with the story.

Lets use Dresdens duster for an example. It is always enchanted with defensive spells, this doesn't change. However, it doesn't come up in the story every time he is attacked. It comes up, say, 3-4 times per story. It is still there, still enchanted, possibly helping in a fluffy way (man, if I hadn't had my duster on that fight might have been much worse), but only effects the story 3-4 times.

Now we look at that same item from an in game perspective. It has 3 uses, so it can come up in the story 3 times. The player can then exercise their story control (fate points) to allow it to be used more times. It is still magic, still working, but has no mechanical, story benefit beyond 3 times.

So your players can have magical protective auras, supurlatively sharp swords, and glasses that pierce illusions, and those things may be always active. However, their uses and fate points effect how many times they may effect the story per session.

[EldritchFire]

In regards to "always on":

Always on items do exist, the question is how much are they allowed to effect the story? The Dresden Files RPG focuses on story mechanics, not physical ones. Fate points and stunts largely represent controlling how much someone can interact with the story.

Lets use Dresdens duster for an example. It is always enchanted with defensive spells, this doesn't change. However, it doesn't come up in the story every time he is attacked. It comes up, say, 3-4 times per story. It is still there, still enchanted, possibly helping in a fluffy way (man, if I hadn't had my duster on that fight might have been much worse), but only effects the story 3-4 times.

Now we look at that same item from an in game perspective. It has 3 uses, so it can come up in the story 3 times. The player can then exercise their story control (fate points) to allow it to be used more times. It is still magic, still working, but has no mechanical, story benefit beyond 3 times.

So your players can have magical protective auras, supurlatively sharp swords, and glasses that pierce illusions, and those things may be always active. However, their uses and fate points effect how many times they may effect the story per session.

Minor nitpick...but using magic items more than their alloted frequency cost 1 mental stress, not a fate point.

Other than that, I totally agree. "Always on" doesn't mean always on.

-EF

[ryanshowseason2]

What does always on mean then? What is the benefit from halving the strength? My interpretation was that it has infinite charges. In short it has the potential to always be significant to the story where applicable. So every time my npc is shot at then the duster can come into play. That may only happen 3-4 times but regardless of the amount of times the duster can effect the outcome.

I don't entirely understand in what situation of being attacked that the duster or similar items could not be used if they were always on.

[bitterpill]

There is no allways on anymore they cut particular ability out of the new books.

[riplikash]

What does always on mean then? What is the benefit from halving the strength? My interpretation was that it has infinite charges. In short it has the potential to always be significant to the story where applicable. So every time my npc is shot at then the duster can come into play. That may only happen 3-4 times but regardless of the amount of times the duster can effect the outcome.

I don't entirely understand in what situation of being attacked that the duster or similar items could not be used if they were always on.

Always on is a matter of fluff, not mechanics. There is no mechanic for always on.

My point is, from a fluff perspective the duster has no "charges" like a want might, it just is. But it can only be used in the narrative to avoid damage 3 times. Fluffwise, perhaps every time an attack "misses" it is due to the the duster saving someone, or perhaps the attacks that hit hit an uncovered part, or hit so hard they hurt anyways.

An ability can be "always on" from a story perspective, but can only be used to mechanically effect the story x times per session. This is true of any story.

[ryanshowseason2]

Ok I get it now.

I'm running on outdated mechanics, I'll have to go back and re read this section. Thanks for the replies.

[Drachasor]

ehhh? Did you apply the leftover 6 slots to all magical items? I thought when you spent excess enchanted item slots into existing items it only went into ONE of your items to power it up. Did that change? Sounds broken, just one of those items at power 10 would be pushing it IMO.

Gah, I messed up that description.  The leftover 6 slots give you 3 focus items, not 6.  I'll edit and fix that.  You'd need 2 more refresh to do what I did (and yeah, someone focused on magical items can be a bit crazy in some senses, which is why deciding what power level for a given item you are ok with is probably a good idea).

[Larin]

Small nitpick.. The duster could be considered armor:1 all the time, and stronger 3/session,
And if you want an always on item, try item of power.  A player in my game has a sword that grants inhuman str, which makes it a weapon:4 all the time, plus it's really good at breaking items.

[ryanshowseason2]

I just re read enchanted items and still had a couple questions for the group: The item holds a spell and its power is based off lore and any bonuses to the element the spell is based on, do you only include bonuses from evocation or thaumaturgy or combine them both? My guess would be just one.

Second I see no mention that you have to control the power to make the enchanted item. So storing an evocation like effect doesn't have to be controlled for creation. Nor for eventual use. So enchanted items are basically rote spells that you don't have to pony up control for? I think this is correct by the current iteration of the rules. Which may or may not be broken.

Say I take lore 5 conviction and discipline at mediocre and start making enchanted items as a wizard. I throw 5 focus item slots into making a force staff with +2 power to spirit evocations. I then use the rest of my refinement focus item slots to make enchanted items with 8 power base probly 9 after specialization. I don't even care about adding uses and up power on this item to the max so 10 power and then since I can just expend a mental stress to use it continually I do.

Bam 10 power evocation without ever having to control the magic I'm bringing to bear.

[DFJunkie]

Sorry, but that's less good than a normal Wizard.  Here's why:

Superb Discipline, Superb Conviction, Great Lore. 
Evocation comes with one free specialization slot, throw it into Spirit (+1 control)
Two focus item slots into the Rod of Nuking: +1 offensive spirit control/+1 offensive spirit power.
A Wizard can blow two points of refresh on refinement. 
Use one to increase spirit control to +2 while adding spirit power +1
Use the other to increase the Rod of Nuking to +2/+2.

You can now attack at Legendary+1 (+9) and your basic, one mental stress attack adds 8 shifts to damage.  Each subsequent attack can be ramped up by 1 level (you're going to fill in box 2 anyway, why not do a 2 stress attack?)  You can also perform zone attacks.  You can also use Spirit for defensive purposes at Epic, with 6 shifts to devote to power. 

Yes, this does take up your top 3 skills, but still, I'd be more afraid of this character as a GM than the guy with the Rod of Panzerfaust, or whatever you'd call the 10 shift blaster.