Thaumaturgy Specialization questions

[Cadd]

First of all, to make sure I've understood it correctly:
The Specializations possible to chose from for Thaumaturgy are
Complexity (for one use/theme, adds effectively to  Lore)
Control (for one use/theme, adds to Discipline)
Strength (for Crafting only, adds Strength to Potions & Enchanted Items)
Frequency (for Crafting only, adds Uses/Session to Potions & Enchanted Items)
Focus (for Crafting only, adds to Lore when calculating the max # Bonuses per Focus Item)

Now, what I'm wondering is if ever a theme-based Complexity rating can influence Potion or Enchanted Item strength?
By my reading - no, but it feels strange that someone with, say +4 Complexity (Biomancy) wouldn't get any benefit when making a potion that boosts adrenaline and endorphin (potion that adds a couple aspects around strength and endurance to be tagged) over making a potion to make you invisible...

[Mr. Death]

It makes sense if you think of it this way: The biomancy specialization helps you with directly affecting someone's physiology, while making a potion is you only directly working with the potion.

It's like...working to become the world's best marksman doesn't make you any better at making a gun than you would be at making a table, because while the gun is related to what you're an expert at, the knowledge of how to make it is a separate skill.

[Sanctaphrax]

Now, what I'm wondering is if ever a theme-based Complexity rating can influence Potion or Enchanted Item strength?

Nope.

It's a rules abstraction. Justify it however you want.

And if you want your biomancer to make awesome biomantic potions, they can always invoke an appropriate Aspect for +2 potion strength.

PS: IIRC there's some uncertainty about what focus specializations do. Some people think they change the number of slots you can have in a focus of size X, other people think they raise the Lore cap.

[Cadd]

Ok, good to know I was reading it right. And thanks for reminding me about the Aspect invoking, that will hopefully help me adjust my thinking (and something to point my player toward if she shares my initial reaction).

I've been struggling to find examples of good Thaumaturgic Foci in the source material. The only one I feel decently comfortable with as a focus item is Little Chicago, anyone have any other examples?  To my eyes most of the props used for Thaumaturgy falls into the category of aspects being tagged/invoked...

[blackstaff67]

I recommend a Staff spliced with wood from all five major continents for Opening Ways, a rune-engraved tuning fork for Divination, A Rowan wand for adding to Crafting Strength as a foci...that's all I can think of for now.

[Haru]

To my eyes most of the props used for Thaumaturgy falls into the category of aspects being tagged/invoked...

To me, those props either need some time to get, or they need a fate point to be invoked. Both are costs you can't always afford. Focus items are always there to give you a boost. Specifically for complexity, they can be quite valuable.

A player of mine has a silver bowl, for example, that he fills with water to use as a divination focus.

But focus items can be a lot of stuff. It doesn't even have to be a specific item or tool. You can have a bag of herbs that you use as ingredients for various spells, and those herbs are one focus item. The time you spend to grow them and the ritual with which you harvest them is how you justify their special properties.

Basically anything repeatedly used in a ritual can be a good focus item. Religions have some pretty good rituals to draw inspiration from. An incense burner, a candle holder, rune stones, a carved bone, a mask, etc. Even a book. I plan on using a book as a combination item of power/focus item for a teenage girl who found her grandmothers potion book in the attic and can use the recipes to brew actual potions.

[Mr. Death]

Thaumaturgic foci would be things you'd use regularly in every spell of a given type--for example, a Seer in one of my games had a crystal ball she used for divination control. Most of my own characters who have them are for crafting (one has work gloves, another has a wrench--things they'd use to craft each item).

So, think of Foci as the things you keep in a tool box (hammer, screwdriver, vice grip, crowbar), while the declarations and maneuvers you make are the disposable bits (Nail, screws, staples, bits of wood).

As a rule of thumb: If you are going to use it for a given type of spell? Focus. If it's only for this spell? Declaration.

[Cadd]

So you would say that Harry's Summoning Circle for instance is a focus item? It always felt a bit to broad for that to me, but maybe not... I always had the impression he used it for other stuff than just Summoning & Binding, but on second though maybe he doesn't...

[Mr. Death]

In those cases, he's using it for the 'flavor' of the spell rather than the bonus for the mechanics. Or he spends a fate point to invoke it.