Channeling vs Evocation Cost

[Lavecki121]

Pretty much, yea. It isnt mechanic breaking. Its simply flavor. I would argue that they shouldnt do that because they would have a lot of stuff to use but I dont think it breaks the game at all Mechanically. As I have stated before it may shift things in one direction or the other thematically but the structure of the mechanics remains the same. Moreso with magic than emotion because there are radically different effects coming from different emotions than from different elements IMO

[austiknight]

Tedronai: In my view, the elements already overlap. They can all attack, they can all come up with one or more blocks, and they can all do (most of) the same maneuvers.

If I wanted to add Off Balance or somesuch to a group of enemies, it could be with whipping winds or water/ice on the floor or shaking stones or spirits grasping at them from the Nevernever or anything else I could think of. It depends on the practitioner.

Harry freezes things with fire (pre Changes) because fire is his jam. Maybe you freeze things with water or gale force winds.

You could obscure an area with smoke, some sort of veil/illusion, mist, fog/condensed air or a magical sandstorm. Each of the elements has it's things it's associated with in Harry/Jim's experience, but another player/practitioner could approach them differently.

I recognize the concern that having more elements would dilute the effects associated with them, but you can already get most effects with two or more elements. Having 25 (and being able to get the same effects from five or six elements) doesn't seem like a game-breaking deal to me.

Again, this is not saying you should make your players do it. It was mostly brought up discussing how to make an elemental specialist who could advance like a Wizard. I can see players/characters who would enjoy this and players/characters who would have more fun with the  5-element system.

[Magicpockets]

Regarding the 5 canon elements: Is Spirit somehow slightly better than the other elements?

Mechanical advantages:
-Non-lethal taken outs are easily justifiable (as opposed to, say, fire)
-Ability to deal mental stress
-More subtle, less flashy
-Veils (a special block only available to spirit)

[Vairelome]

Regarding the 5 canon elements: Is Spirit somehow slightly better than the other elements?

Mechanical advantages:
-Non-lethal taken outs are easily justifiable (as opposed to, say, fire)
-Ability to deal mental stress
-More subtle, less flashy
-Veils (a special block only available to spirit)

I consider non-lethal take-outs to be fairly easy to justify with nearly any weapon or element.  Spirit does have a few very obvious ones, though.  I seem to remember the "ability to deal mental stress" bit being controversial, as well.

In general, I'd say yes, Spirit element is best element.  If I were on the DM side of things, though, I'd probably try to be more generous to the other elements in terms of overlapping effects and more stringent as to what Spirit-based rationalizations I'd allow (and say so up front).  I'd also permit Veil-like blocks in other elements (sandstorm, mist, etc.--local conditions will determine what will work best, I think), though a standard Spirit Veil will still have the advantage of always being justified and straightforward.