Questions regarding Foci

[beachhead1973]

I'm confused by the rules regarding focus items. I may be reading things wrong, but between the writted rules, the item slots table and the example items, the all seem to contradict eachother.

As i read it an item can add power or control, not both, though this later contradicts itself, or seems to. But the example for Carlos' staff contradicts this, giving +1 to power and control. Further, it only takes up two slots, but the table seems to indicate that a staff-sized item should be between 5 and 6 slots. What gives? Which is correct as per the game?

[The Mighty Buzzard]

Working backwards...

5-6 slots is a max, not an availible range.

You're probably reading it wrong.  You can have power and control on the same item.  The numbers on power compared to the numbers on control don't have to match.  The numbers on power have to match and the numbers on control have to match.  Examples:

+4 power to air costs 4 slots and is fine.
+2 power to water/air costs 4 slots and is fine.
+2 power to air, +2 control to air costs 4 slots and is fine.
+2 power to air, +1 control to water/air costs 4 slots and is fine.
+1 power to water/air, +1 control to earth/fire costs 4 slots and is fine.
+1 power to air, +2 control to air, +1 control to water costs 4 slots but is an illegal item.

[computerking]

And just to mention, a staff-sized item can have less than 5 slots used, but for a focus item to have more than 4 slots used on it, it must be staff sized.

So you can have a staff with 1 slot used on it, and later on add slots if you wish.

[computerking]

Oh, and don't forget that with Foci, you need to delineate whether their bonuses apply to offensive or defensive uses.

[beachhead1973]

Okay, so say I have a rod which gives me +1 to power and +1 to control for offensive earth magic, that's 2 slots right?


how about item slots as they apply to the character? how many do you get for free or as a bonus from other stuff?

and do I have it right that you may spend a refinement to add an extra item slot?

[sinker]

One receives two focus slots when one purchases channeling or evocation, and two more with ritual or thaumaturgy. Refinement adds two more.

[Tedronai]

Sponsored Magic provides 4 slots (-2 slots for each of evocation or thaumaturgy that the recipient possesses)

[The Mighty Buzzard]

Refinement adds two more.

Only if you don't take another element or specialization bonuses.

[beachhead1973]

Only if you don't take another element or specialization bonuses.

One receives two focus slots when one purchases channeling or evocation, and two more with ritual or thaumaturgy. Refinement adds two more.

each refinement adds two more? or each refinement that you specifically roll into focci and stuff?

[Tedronai]

Refinement CAN add two more, if you choose for it to do so rather than granting specialization bonuses (if those are available to you; they are not available to those without Evocation or Thaumaturgy) or an additional element (available only for Evocation)

[beachhead1973]

okay, I think i get it now

[Ghsdkgb]

Quick aside, long as the topic is here. If I'm a Focused Practitioner with a Lore skill of +4, that gives me 6 focus item slots? 2 free for the FP class and 4 more from the Lore skill?

[Haru]

Quick aside, long as the topic is here. If I'm a Focused Practitioner with a Lore skill of +4, that gives me 6 focus item slots? 2 free for the FP class and 4 more from the Lore skill?

Not at all. You get 2 focus item slots for each channeling and ritual, so if you have either, you have 2, if you have both, you have 4.

Lore determines how many focus item slots you may put on 1 focus item. So with a lore of 4 and 4 focus item slots from channeling and ritual, you could put all of them on 1 focus item. This is kind of important, because you can't use more than one focus item on one spell.

[Tedronai]

This is kind of important, because you can't use more than one focus item on one spell.

Quote?

[Haru]

Ok, I slightly misremembered, but there is something there (YS279)

You can’t benefit from the same type of bonus
(e.g., a control bonus) from two or more items
at the same time—so if you had two items, one
with a +2 control bonus and another with a +1
control bonus, the total effect is a +2 to control.

So you could use an item up to your lore for power and another for control, but if you have mixed items, the higher bonus would count, they would not combine.