Thaumauturgy/Potions

[Baron Hazard]

How exactly does Replacing skills/Buffing abilities using thaumauturgy work. For using Harry's tracking spell its basically over writing an Investigation roll and giving him the results faster.

However things like a Super Speed potion. Lets say our target has an Athletics and Alertness of Fair (+2) both.

Rashid hands out 2 potions, 1 is his True Seeing ointment and 1 is a super speed potion at the same strength. Fantastic (+6).

Do both of these skills operate at +6 or +8. Does it add or overwrite? Thanks.

[blackstaff67]

IIRC, without my book in front of me, the potions function at whatever The Gatekeeper's Lore skill is--which will be pretty high.  I don't think it adds to a skill but functions in its place.

[Sanctaphrax]

Generally, a skill-boosting potion lets you perform one action as though you had a skill equal to the potion strength. After all, potions are bottled spells and skill-replacement is one of Thaumaturgy's most common uses.

But the Gatekeeper's ointment is different because...because because.

[Richard_Chilton]

Don't forget - potions can be boosted when used.

Richard

[Tedronai]

But the Gatekeeper's ointment is different because...because because.

It's because the example spells, items, and effects don't follow the rules layed out for creating them.

[Mr. Death]

Maybe instead of a skill replacement, it's more of a 6-shift block against being deceived that lasts a scene.

[Sanctaphrax]

That wouldn't do what the Gatekeeper's ointment does either. Blocks don't stack with defence rolls, and if you interpret the rules so that trying to see through an illusion isn't a defence roll then there's still no reason for the ointment not to boost Investigation.

And it doesn't boost Investigation.

[GryMor]

I figured it's just skill replacement with some shifts put into duration. The potion has, potentially, 12 shifts to play with. Also, skill replacements don't add, they provide a skill result.

[sinker]

Yeah, there really aren't any rules in the evocation or thaumaturgy section that tell us how to make something like Rashid's ointment, so I generally tend to try to ignore it as an example.

Now that I think about it though, I think one of the earlier versions (pre-publication) had blocks stacking with rolls, so maybe it was a throwback that got missed in the editing process.

[InFerrumVeritas]

The ointment is dumb.  It doesn't follow any of the rules.  When my players bring it up, I tell them it must be a typo.

The "True Seeing Ointment" we use follows this formula:
Crafting Strength+2 shifts for limitation "only fairy glamours" (as opposed to any veil) put into duration (allowing it to last for 1 scene).  So it's a Crafting Strength Alertness replacement that last for one scene against a specific type of effect. 

I will also allow them to create an alertness replacement to pierce any illusion, but it only lasts for one roll. 

"Only fairy glamours" could be replaced with "only veils" (of any type, but would not cover other illusory effects),  "only Orphic enchantments" (a specific type of sponsored magic), or "only illusions created by Mortal Magic".

[PapaD]

Hmm

Rather than looking at the potion as giving you a skill rating for one use, i'd consider that it allowed the use of the power 'Supernatural sense - see through faerie glamours' for a scene.

[Mrmdubois]

Then you'd have to pay a Fate Point, which works if your players don't mind that, but in most cases enchanted items are built not to require that as it might be inefficient.

I totally get your point though.