Rote Spells

[RevengeofTim]

Noob questions, awayyyy!

What rote spells get you the most 'bang for your buck' so to speak?
I've heard that attacks aren't always the best method, but what do that leave?

I've got;
Great Conviction (+4)
Great Discipline (+4)
Good Lore (+3)
Air, Water and Spirit as elements.

Utterly lost on what spells to build, so any help would be appreciated!

[UmbraLux]

What rote spells get you the most 'bang for your buck' so to speak?

Utility spells, veils (and, potentially, other blocks), and self or scene directed maneuvers.

I've heard that attacks aren't always the best method, but what do that leave?

Yep, at least mostly.  With attacks you're going to roll Discipline anyway so the only benefit is knowing you won't "fail" (though you can still miss) and take backlash or fallout.  That benefit does make it worthwhile to learn a high power attack rote after you have the other rotes you want.  But because of its high power, it's probably not going to see as much use as a decent veil or utility spell.

[EdgeOfDreams]

Example of a "utility" spell - my friend's air mage character (who works as a part-time delivery boy, since he can also fly and has Inhuman Speed) made a rote he calls "Special Delivery" - a 3-shift gust of wind to either yank an object to himself or knock it away.  It's so simple, but he gets a ton of use out of it.

[sinker]

Something I like to do (and this is a bit weird both thematically and otherwise) is to make some of my big spells into rotes. That way you can plan on the backlash (or fallout, or even fate point expenditure) when you cast it. I had a character with a rote healing spell (based on Elane's reiki ritual and using thaum at evo's methods sponsored magic) and a rote zone wide block that were both several shifts above what I could successfully control.

[Quackerjack]

With attacks you're going to roll Discipline anyway so the only benefit is knowing you won't "fail" (though you can still miss) and take backlash or fallout.

Where can I find this in "Your Story"?

[UmbraLux]

Where can I find this in "Your Story"?

It's under "Rote Spells" in the last paragraph on YS257.  Basically the rote means you don't have to worry about controlling the spell's power, that's all wrapped up in how you have it set up.  Targeting, on the other hand, still needs to occur if it's an offensive / resisted spell.  The exact quote is "You still need to make a Discipline roll to target the spell, however; there’s just no chance of accidental failure."

This is the advantage Sinker and I alluded to above - you can set up a spell using one or more aspects and consequences for a potentially powerful spell.  Because you can't "fail", you don't need to worry about taking any additional consequences from a bad roll and backlash.  Since you can still miss your target and you won't have fate points or consequences to use an over powered spell every time, I do give utility and veil rotes a higher priority.  But, once you have those, it may well be worth it to learn a rote which uses a fate point or two and a minor consequence. 

[Quackerjack]

 
Damn, missed that the last 20+ times. 

[UmbraLux]

Well, the DFRPG books are a bit...verbose.   

[Quackerjack]

Erm... Yes, yes, that was the problem

[Cyberchihuahua]

Air/Force lock picking spell. Seriously, HOW many times has harry forced a lock when he didn't need to, or it ended up being a bad idea? (SF scene with the Hobs, I'm looking at you)!

[NicholasQuinn]

HOW many times has harry forced a lock when he didn't need to, or it ended up being a bad idea?

Harry is 'not so subtle' after all, it suits him. But the spell suggestion is a good idea, in general. Not sure I'd personally Rote it myself, but if you intend to do a lot of sneaking/thieving/investigating that'll require getting into locked places, it could be worth while.

[Quackerjack]

In some setting a "Gills" rote could be handy. Don't know about your caracter, but my hawaiian wizard loves it.

[computerking]

In some setting a "Gills" rote could be handy. Don't know about your caracter, but my hawaiian wizard loves it.

Would that be a "Create air in my mouth to breathe" Air spell, or some sort of Transform at the speed of Evocation?

[JediDresden]

My group also just started a Hawaii game as well, centered in Honolulu.  I would be interested in hearing more about your 'Gills' rote. Please elaborate or PM me.  Thanks

[sinker]

Since Aquatic is a power, that implies to me that regardless of how you do it thematically, mechanically it would need to use the temporary power rules (I.E. pay fate points equal to the power's cost for each scene you have it). Also being a benevolent GM I'd probably allow the spell to last for the scene as they suggest you do with veils.