New GM, question on how Focused Practioners get Focus/Enchanted Items to use.

[GamingInSeattle]

Good afternoon all,

New GM getting set up to run my first Dresden Files game.  I'm generating some PC characters for my group to pick from and started with Jim a Focused Practioner.

Now Jim is taking the Powers: Channeling & Ritual.  In both of these powers it states you receive 2 Item Slots, so 4 total when taking both.  Next you can exchange 1 Item Slot per power for 2 Enchanted Items.  So it's possible for Jim to start with 2 Focus Item slots and 4 Enchanted Item slots.

Since Jim is a Focused Practioner, he only gets one aspect of Thaumaturgy.  If Jim does not take Crafting, how does he get Focus or Enchanted Items?  Does he just start with them or are they found items he did not make himself?  It seems that without Thaumaturgy - Crafting chosen the Focused Practioner will never be able to make and thus use Focus or Enchanted Items.

As an option I guess you could have an item or two tied to Aspects, but would that be the only solution?

Thanks!

~ GamingInSeattle

[Haru]

I would generally assume that you are able to create items for your specialization. You don't necessarily need a crafting specialization for that. A crafting specialization lets you do more than you would be able to do, more powerful items, more uses, etc.

If you don't like that, you can easily re-frame how focus and enchanted items work for your character. Look at Harry's pentacle, for example. It's a focus item for him, but he didn't really build it to enhance his magic, it's just an item that has a lot of personal value for him and that's hoe it enhances his magic. The same could be true for your character. He didn't store a spell inside an enchanted item, the item just helps him do a spell. The enchanted item is just the way you express it on the mechanical side.

[Sanctaphrax]

A thematic specialization includes thematic crafting. So a pyromancer can make fire items, and so on.

Also, most GMs will let you create foci even without any kind of Thaumaturgy. It's a judgement call, though.

[Mr. Death]

I would say Foci are probably easier, from a justification standpoint. They're basically props, part of the mental construct, so I can see it as totally possible if a pyromancer just grabbed a stick, used it to 'aim' his fire blasts for a while, and out of habit it became part of how he saw the spell and support for the construct, eventually to the point of it being a bonus for him.

Sort of a magic feather becoming a real magic feather.