Additive Skill Potions

[InFerrumVeritas]

I was wondering, is there a good way to make potions which grant a bonus to a skill (not just by placing aspects) in relation to the strength of the potion?

A flat 1:1 trade is bad.  +5 (or more) to a roll is not something which should be as easy as using a potion.  2:1 trade?  So half the strength (rounded down) of a potion bonus?

This would make a 6 shift potion (which could theoretically place two aspects) grant a +3 to a roll.  That's not bad.

[Mrmdubois]

Potions will follow the same rules as thaumaturgy for boosting skill rules up to a strength equal to twice your Lore.

[Haru]

Since you can put thaumaturgy spells into potions, you can just stack aspects in the potion and be done. That would be a 3:2 trade, since you need at least 3 shifts for a magical maneuver. A 6 shift potion would then place 2 aspects for you to tag. I know you said "no aspects", but I think it works pretty well like that.

Or I would go for a skill replacement instead. Those are the two options in the book, and I think they work quite well.

[Mr. Death]

There really aren't any rules for straight boosting a skill outside of aspects, only skill replacement.

With a potion, though, as with thaumaturgy, you can place multiple aspects at once, at 3-shifts a pop. Which means that 6-shift potion allows for a +4 to one roll.

Edit: Damn, ninja'd by Haru.

[Mrmdubois]

If you did just straight up skill replacement then your exchanging on a 1:1 ratio, which is more efficient, you can also boost potions on the fly with Asects invoked.

[GryMor]

If you did just straight up skill replacement then your exchanging on a 1:1 ratio, which is more efficient, you can also boost potions on the fly with Asects invoked.

It's only more efficient if you are relatively bad at the underlying skill and aren't interested in rolling dice. Unless I've been doing it completely wrong, and the examples are wrong, skill replacement creates a result, no rolling, no extra tags (potions get around this slightly by allowing tags to boost the potion directly, but are subject to the enchanted item cap on shifts).

[Mrmdubois]

Not necessarily.  Since thaumaturgy can ignore some complications that would be encountered by using the skill itself I.e. tracking someone's trail an hour later in downtown Chicago it can still be very efficient.  If you have a good skill, then yeah use it.  If you have a good skill and there are complications go to thaumaturgy.

[Ophidimancer]

Mmm .. I want a Potion of Unending Wealth.  Resources, baby! 

[Tedronai]

I think that would work better as a 'single-use enchanted item' merely using the potion rules, rather than an actual potion.
Perhaps a small flake of Philospher's Stone.

[Taran]

Lead into gold?  Get that Island you've always wanted?

[Haru]

I think that would work better as a 'single-use enchanted item' merely using the potion rules, rather than an actual potion.
Perhaps a small flake of Philospher's Stone.

I guess that's a matter of preference. You could just as easily justify a "potion of midas touch", temporarily granting you the power to turn whatever you touch into gold. Or better yet: cover it in a thin layer of gold. I don't remember where that is from, but it can be a great thing to compel, when the wizard actually thinks he has figured out how to turn things into gold.

[Taran]

I guess that's a matter of preference. You could just as easily justify a "potion of midas touch", temporarily granting you the power to turn whatever you touch into gold. Or better yet: cover it in a thin layer of gold. I don't remember where that is from, but it can be a great thing to compel, when the wizard actually thinks he has figured out how to turn things into gold.

Or maybe that little vial of liquid turns into perfectly cut, immensly expensive diamonds when you pour it out.  Or maybe that potion is just one big-assed diamond that is worth a fortune.

Touching things and making them turn to gold is a great idea because it can lead to all kinds of interesting situations.