Quick Question.

[DisasterWalk]

Sorry if this isn't the right forum to put this in, I glanced at the others and couldn't find anything that said 'YOUR QUESTION GOES HERE'.

I've got a small argument going on with a fellow player, and we can't seem to find any resolution on the issue.

We know that Jim had a fair guiding hand in making the game, but neither of us are sure...

So, simply, is the DFRPG officially canon as compared to the books? Has there been WoJ on how the mechanics and such compare to book-canon? He's trying to justify an action based on something he read in the books, but to me it seems like the two aren't exactly the same (though both are still awesome!).

[Mr. Death]

As I'm given to understand, the game books are kind of...almost canon. Which is to say that the information in it is accurate as far as Harry would know at the time of Small Favor; the game mechanics might provide insight in how things work in the books, but aren't necessarily an exact translation.

So the answer is "kinda."

[Mishie]

So yeah, long story short, the ACTUAL question that DisasterWalk didn't want to ask and we had been talking about is basically about focus items.  He thinks that smaller focus items naturally have an advantage when it comes to control, whilst I've been using the RPG to explain that larger focus items can basically "fit more magic in them", and as such, a larger focus item specifically made to improve control would be better at it than a small one.

[Haru]

Well, that's sort of up to any group to interpret as they like. There are rules for how big a focus item has to be, depending on how many focus item slots fit in them, but as anything, they are more a guideline than a hard rule. I think mainly, it is a balancing thing, making sure you don't smuggle the magical equivalence of a nuke in a matchbox.

However, there is "focus specialization" available, and one of the effects, I think, is that you can fit more focus item slots on an item. Again, this is up for interpretation whether or not this means the item still needs to be bigger, or if those additional slots allowed by the specialization don't count for the size of the item. There is no WoG on that, as far as I know.

[Mr. Death]

Yeah, it mostly boils down to how many slots you have available--a bracelet with two slots for control in it is going to be better than a staff that only has one.

[Mr. Ghostbuster]

So yeah, long story short, the ACTUAL question that DisasterWalk didn't want to ask and we had been talking about is basically about focus items.  He thinks that smaller focus items naturally have an advantage when it comes to control, whilst I've been using the RPG to explain that larger focus items can basically "fit more magic in them", and as such, a larger focus item specifically made to improve control would be better at it than a small one.

I think the mindset/attitude as well as the level of skill of the practitioner would greatly affect this.

1. There is a WOJ stating that with enough power over magic, you could rewrite reality. We also have examples of big magic being in small items. Like the fallen being bound into coins, for example.
2. You can't do magic you don't believe in. So if you think you cant fit a big spell into a small object, you won't be able to.