Questions for the Boss man

[sinker]

Hey guys, I've finally got enough questions of my own that I think I'm going to email to Fred. Anyone want me to ask anything? I'll post my answers here when I get them.

[Tedronai]

If you post the questions you're planning to ask here, it might spark some ideas, or we might be able to refine the questions to better reflect the community's concerns.

[Sanctaphrax]

I plan to ask his opinion on the stunt and power lists once they're done.

But right now I have nothing to ask him.

[devonapple]

Hey guys, I've finally got enough questions of my own that I think I'm going to email to Fred. Anyone want me to ask anything? I'll post my answers here when I get them.

Just in case your question is one that he has been asked before (possibly numerous times), I recommend posting it to the forums first. Then if nobody knows or can point you in the right direction, you'll have done your due diligence.

Ideally, we should be sharing any feedback we get from him, but we currently lack a stickynote on this forum in which to compile such Word of Fred/Leonard/Evil Hat items.

[UmbraLux]

I plan to ask his opinion on the stunt and power lists once they're done.

But right now I have nothing to ask him.

I don't know what Fred's intentions are, but many authors prefer to avoid looking at such lists and avoid any potential legal issues with having something similar show up in a published book. 

[Sanctaphrax]

Yeah, I know.

But it doesn't hurt to try.

[sinker]

I'm fairly certain that these questions are unanswered, as they have been floating around here for a long time.

The issues I'm asking about are:
-Sponsored magic and lawbreaker (also pure mortals and lawbreaker)
-Non-lawbreaking mental attacks
-How specific rotes/enchanted items need to be
-Evocation maneuver duration
-Transformation on a willing target

These are all things that we've argued about ad infinitum, so I figure an answer might be good.

[computerking]

Perhaps he has a few suggestions of using "objects that store power" as a source of power for Evocation spells.

[devonapple]

FYI, from an email exchange with Evil Hat awhile back:
"The Fate community relies heavily on peer authority. That means your fellow players and readers' answers are more readily available and just as good as ones we might be able to provide.

So the forum you're already on? Official. Peer authority.

The other places I could point you, like the FateRPG Yahoo Group? Official. Peer authority.

Official word-from-the-publisher? That concept doesn't play, here."

[Sanctaphrax]

@computerking:i

Say what? Not sure if I've heard this question before.

@devonapple:

I still take Evil Hat commentary more seriously than I take that of most people, though. They wrote the books, they ought to have a pretty good understanding of the game.

By the same token, I take the commentary of some posters around here with a bit of extra weight. Peer authority systems are actually pretty hierarchical in practice.

[sinker]

I still take Evil Hat commentary more seriously than I take that of most people, though. They wrote the books, they ought to have a pretty good understanding of the game.

Agreed. I've seen that quote before, but Fred (and evil hat) have a greater understanding of both the system (having written and tested it) and the setting (given their relationship with the author). Remember Devonapple, I've been around. These aren't just questions that I'm unsure about. They're questions that we have argued and argued about, and have not come to a decent consensus about (or at least most of them are).

[Todjaeger]

The issues I'm asking about are:
-Sponsored magic and lawbreaker (also pure mortals and lawbreaker)
-Non-lawbreaking mental attacks
-How specific rotes/enchanted items need to be
-Evocation maneuver duration
-Transformation on a willing target

A couple of questions and comments for clarification, to either uncover the answer or improve the question so that Fred can give something definitive (if he will...)

With the non-lawbreaker mental attack question, are you asking about using some kind of magic (Sponsored, Evocation, Thaumaturgy, etc) to make the mental attack?  Or are  you also lumping in the supernatural power Incite Emotion and its various derivatives and expansions?

With the question about Rotes and Enchanted Items, I came across this thread where Fred had commented about both things.
http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,18247.msg825578.html#msg825578

The important (from my POV) part of his reply I've quoted below:

What's the official ruling on what constitutes a rote? Whatever your GM is comfortable with allowing as a rote.

Sorry to disappoint, there. But we expect everyone to make decisions for their games based on what they want to see in their games.

What might be worth asking about regarding Rotes, is just when Rotes can be changed around, either in terms of raising/lowering power levels, the effects, etc since that isn't mentioned in the RAW.  Also there is no mention on whether or not Ritual/Thaumaturgy spells can be Rotes, or if it only applies to Channeling/Evocation and Sponsored Magic.

As for the question about an enchanted item acting as a power source...

Perhaps he has a few suggestions of using "objects that store power" as a source of power for Evocation spells.

The first thing which comes to my mind to do, it try and model such an item with the RAW.  I've not been able to come up with a way to do so, using an Enchanted Item.  These items are used to store 'energy' to achieve a particular effect, and the owner/wielder can channel power through the item to get additional uses if the 'normal' # of uses/energy has already been expended.  Unfortunately with the RAW nothing exists to have an enchanted item function as a 'battery' if you will, for one's normal evocation spellcasting.

However, depending on how you wish to interpret some of the supernatural powers RAW, and with a GM's permission, it could be possible for a wizard to have an Item of Power which could function in a similar fashion to a magic 'battery' mechanically, but would cost Refresh to purchase/upgrade.  I would such an item like this:

IoP: Wizard's Staff (+2 Refresh discount)
Holding 3 or more Refresh, specifically in Refinements (Specialization)

This would potentially allow the IoP/Wizard's Staff to hold 6 or more specialization slots and depending on how it was structured, could give a +3 to Power when casting a particular type of Evocation.  The caster would still be taking at least the minimum of 1 point of mental stress like normal when using Evocation, but for 1 point of Refresh, the wizard could get a +3 bonus to their Conviction or Discipline when casting with a particular element, in addition to whatever they'd get for using a focus item.

I do definitely think we should ask a Word of Fred/Evil Hat sticky or category be started, so that responses to specific questions could be archived.

-Cheers

[sinker]

With the question about Rotes and Enchanted Items, I came across this thread where Fred had commented about both things.
http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,18247.msg825578.html#msg825578

Thanks for that, it actually does help.

With the non-lawbreaker mental attack question, are you asking about using some kind of magic (Sponsored, Evocation, Thaumaturgy, etc) to make the mental attack?  Or are  you also lumping in the supernatural power Incite Emotion and its various derivatives and expansions?

The question is clarified in the email. It's spellcasting specifically, since innate powers can't break the laws of magic.

As for the question about an enchanted item acting as a power source...

Something that occurred to me was very similar. Since often that's a plot device kind of thing I was thinking temporary powers with refinement.

IoP: Wizard's Staff (+2 Refresh discount)
Holding 3 or more Refresh, specifically in Refinements (Specialization)

There is a common house rule that IoPs can't grant Refinements. I don't remember why though. It may have been thematic, or I can see issues when those refinements are spent on items.

[Todjaeger]

There is a common house rule that IoPs can't grant Refinements. I don't remember why though. It may have been thematic, or I can see issues when those refinements are spent on items.

Actually the section on IoP in YS167 specifically mentions that powers outside of the Minor Abilities, Strength, Toughness and Speed categories "must be examined closely by the GM and maybe disallowed." 

That's why I mentioned such an item would need a GM's permission.  From my perspective, allowing a character to create such an item over the course of a long story arc, with the IoP entering service at the end of the story for use against the big baddie/baddies would be interesting and potentially worthwhile.

At the start of the arc if the player wanted, I'd likely allow it, but they'd need to pay (invest) the net Refresh up front, with the IoP entering service at the end.  Of course once the story was finished, the item itself would be 'retired' and the character would get the Refresh back to either bank or spend on other things.  The IoP itself would either be destroyed, used up, or perhaps just kept in the background to occasionally be allowed back into service when things need 'spicing up'.  Or alternately, it could become the target of repeated theft attempts as others seek to seize the power for themselves.

That story could in and of itself be interesting, especially if the supposed potent Wizard's Staff/IoP was nothing more than a regular wooden staff at that point...

-Cheers

[computerking]

A little clarification on that would be great, as all I have to go on in RAW is the vague statement in  The  Art of The Spell (Around Page 250) that one of the sources a wizard can use to draw power is:

Objects that Store Power that can be tapped for later use; items that are very potent in some way, like religious relics.

I find the concept reminiscent of "Tass" from Mage: The Ascension. Tass was basically solidified magical energy (Called quintessence) that could be drawn upon by a mage.