How to make this an IoP?

[JediDresden]

When I first started playing DFRPG I was a wizard apprentice and one of his aspects was My Family's Ruby Pendant.  I did not have anything in mind other than a good story hook for the GM, which I am proud to say he used in the course of the adventure.  It ended up providing a bonus to resist Outsider Magic, it was on the fly and I can't remember the specifics behind it.

I have since pulled out the character again and am using him in a new game with a new GM and group.  I want to model it as something other than an aspect, but it doesn't really work as an enchanted item, so I was thinking of an IoP.  I have not really made up many IoP before and the ones I have made have all been weapons.  So I need some help from the Forum, please.

I think something that might include Supernatural Senses to sense Outsider Magic, but also some protection against it as well - maybe a toughness vs only Outsider Magic?  I don't know.

I have only 1 maybe 2 refresh to spend on it.  We are playing about 5 yrs later, so he is not an apprentice and he has some more refresh to spend.  I know it is a different game, but I tend to think more about the character's story - so I have a continuous timeline in my head regarding this character.

Anyway, any help would be great.  Thanks guys.

[Mr. Death]

In what way did it protect the character before? Was it a physical attack, mental? Did it lessen the effects, or make the attack not hit?

There's different ways of going about it depending on how it's been shown to work.

[JediDresden]

I can't really remember, we kind of did it on the fly in the middle of an session,  I think it was just a +2 (aspect tag) to defense vs. Outsider magic (a physical attack if memory serves).  At least that's what I remember. 

Since it is a new game it does not have to be exact - but some type of protection vs outsider magic.  I might have to look in OW - in White Night on of the guys Harry and Carlos fight has an item that protects him from magic, right?  That might be a place to start.

[Mr. Death]

In the rulebook, that item in WN is depicted as being Physical Immunity toward magic.

At those levels...I'd say maybe Inhuman or Supernatural toughness, with the catch being "Anything but Outsider Magic," which oughta be worth the +3 discount.

Alternately, attach a couple minor homebrewed abilities to codify that +2 bonus to defenses, using the powers/stunts guidelines to price it out.

[JediDresden]

So this is off the top of my head, but what about something like this:

IoP [-1]
[+1] One Time Discount: An amulet is easy to hide.

• It is what it is - an amulet that is a family heirloom.
[0] Unbreakable - except by perverting its purpose.
[-4] Supernatural Toughness

[+3] Catch - Toughness only applies to Outsider Magic.
[-1] Supernatural Senses - to see Outsider 'auras'

Does that look right?

[JediDresden]

Sorry. Something happened in the formatting.

It is what it is - was suppose to be a

• cost, not a bullet point.

[UmbraLux]

IoP [-1]

• [+1] One Time Discount: An amulet is easy to hide.
• It is what it is - a ruby pendant & family heirloom.
• Unbreakable - except by perverting its purpose.
• [-4] Supernatural Toughness
• [+3] Catch - Toughness only applies to Outsider Magic.
• [-1] Supernatural Senses - to see Outsider 'auras'

Modified the format a bit, but it looks reasonable.

Here's another potential version:

• [+1] One Time Discount: An amulet is easy to hide.
• It is what it is - a ruby pendant & family heirloom.
• Unbreakable - except by perverting its purpose.
• [-1] Gate Closer - Gain the aspect "Gate Closer" and one tag whenever in the presence of an Outer Gate.
• [-1] Supernatural Senses - to see Outsider 'auras'

Or possibly: 

• [+1] One Time Discount: An amulet is easy to hide.
• It is what it is - a ruby pendant & family heirloom.
• Unbreakable - except by perverting its purpose.
• [-1] Grounded in Reality - Gain the aspect "Grounded in Reality" and one tag whenever in the presence of an outsider.
• [-1] Supernatural Senses - to see Outsider 'auras'

Or even: 

• [+1] One Time Discount: An amulet is easy to hide.
• It is what it is - a ruby pendant & family heirloom.
• Unbreakable - except by perverting its purpose.
• [-1] Anchored in Reality - May be used to put up a block against outsiders equal to your lore.  This lasts one exchange but may be extended as if an evocation spell.
• [-1] Supernatural Senses - to see Outsider 'auras'

All depends on what type of flavor you want from it and how you want it to interact with the world / outsiders.

[JediDresden]

Thanks!  That is exactly the help I needed.  I appreciate the ideas and variants, something to think about.

[Sanctaphrax]

You could probably kick the Toughness up to Mythic without increasing the cost. "Only against Outsider Magic" is likely worth +5, though that does depend on it being researchable.

PS: I recommend writing [-0] for things that cost 0 to avoid getting

• .

[JediDresden]

Well I only knew it had that power when it acted on its own in the presence of outsider magic, so I don't know if it would be re searchable or not.

Thanks for the tip - I'll remember that next time .

[GryMor]

Well I only knew it had that power when it acted on its own in the presence of outsider magic, so I don't know if it would be re searchable or not.

Thanks for the tip - I'll remember that next time .

Narrow 'Only protects against' should almost always be +2 on research-ability as, to qualify, it just needs to be trivial to identify something that bypasses the catch, and for 'Only protects against outsider magic', nearly any guess on what the catch is will provide you with something that bypasses it.

[Vargo Teras]

Protecting against all mortal magic is worth +5 as a catch.  In most cases, Outsider magic will be significantly less common than mortal magic, enough that I'd make it a +6 catch.  Combine with the +1 for Item of Power, and you should be able to take Physical Immunity to Outsider Magic for a +1.

Remember that Outsider sharp and pointy teeth do not qualify as Outsider magic.

[JediDresden]

I know.  Thats why I like the gate closer power in one example.  That fits really close to the story when he started out.  But it also gave me a bonus to defend against their magic.

[Sanctaphrax]

Protecting against all mortal magic is worth +5 as a catch.  In most cases, Outsider magic will be significantly less common than mortal magic, enough that I'd make it a +6 catch.

Unfortunately this does not work. "Mortal magic" already gets the max possible specific-ness bonus.

[Vargo Teras]

Unfortunately this does not work. "Mortal magic" already gets the max possible specific-ness bonus.

Where is it stated that +5 is the maximum possible?  The Catch states that one should add all relevant values from each of three categories, each of which can be up to +2; it seems like that indicates the maximum possible value of a catch should be +6.