HOW DOES EVOTHAUM WORK

[potestas]

what do you use to work the spell?

[Starjammer]

You take an effect that can normally only be done by Thaumaturgy (such as putting up a ward or healing somebody, whatever the sponsored magic allows) and you execute it using the Evocation rules.  That is, you gather energy based on Conviction and make a control roll based on Discipline.  Generally, the energy cost of the evothaum spell will be equal to the complexity of the thaumaturgy spell.

[PatchR]

Related: You don't need to go through getting all the ingredients (say, making a healing balm potion and needing the senses) or ritual items (circle etc.) The SPonsor takes care of all that sort of stuff, and all you're doing is pointing and clicking.

[Tedronai]

How much (and which portions) of the Evocation rules are included under "Evocation's Methods" has, at times, been a matter of heated debate on these boards.
Talk it over with your table and come to a consensus for the purposes of your game.  Do this before it becomes a matter of immediate concern (before it actually gets used in a session).

[potestas]

so if i wanted to make a ward  i would use my conviction and whatever other bonus i had and from that roll i woul determine its strength and length of time it lasted. what if i wanted one greater then my conviction say twice it could i do it and have my sponser absorb the back lash

[Taran]

You still have to invest the mental stress just like evocation.

So, if your conviction is 7 after foci, you could have a 7-shift ward.  It would cost you 1 mental stress.

If you wanted a 14 shift ward, you'd need to spend a 4-box of stress and a moderate consequence (or 2 minor mental consequences, if you have'em.)

THEN, you still have to try to control it.

Can you get your sponsor to ante the power so that you don't have to take some of the mental stress?
Maybe yes?  depends on  your GM.  I'd say 1 debt for every 2points of stress you want the sponsor to soak.

Can you get the sponsor to suck up the backlash when you fail to control 14 shifts of power?
Yes?  How much backlash/debt is up to the GM/table.
The GM might agree that, for this one spell (assuming it's fits the agenda or the sponsor is trying to suck you in) the sponsor will take it all.  Maybe 1 debt for each 'invocation' until you can control it (1debt:2shifts)

Depends on the story and the situation and the GM and the table.

[potestas]

thats why i dont like self sponsored magic, you can get a lot of shifts for nothing if your GM doesnt care

[Taran]

What do you mean if your GM doesn't care?

Let's say I did a 14 shift ward and only wanted to take 4 mental stress and no back-lash and no mental consequences.

Assuming an average discipline roll of 6 (let's say discipline 5 +1 foci)

That's 6 points of sponsored debt.  For 1 spell.

That's not nothing. That's a hell of a lot of compels.  Eventually, the character won't have FP's to pay them off.  Remember that you don't earn a FP for accepting compels based on debt.  But you still have to spend a FP to pay them off...and that FP spent doesn't pay off the debt - the debt still stands.

I'm not sure I'd do a ward that way, though.  What's the story?

If it's to hold off some baddies while you escape, I'd just say "sure, you put up a ward.  DOn't worry about the strength, they won't get through until you get away.  It costs  you 1 point of sponsored debt."

[potestas]

What do you mean if your GM doesn't care?

Let's say I did a 14 shift ward and only wanted to take 4 mental stress and no back-lash and no mental consequences.

Assuming an average discipline roll of 6 (let's say discipline 5 +1 foci)

That's 6 points of sponsored debt.  For 1 spell.

That's not nothing. That's a hell of a lot of compels.  Eventually, the character won't have FP's to pay them off.  Remember that you don't earn a FP for accepting compels based on debt.  But you still have to spend a FP to pay them off...and that FP spent doesn't pay off the debt - the debt still stands.

I'm not sure I'd do a ward that way, though.  What's the story?

If it's to hold off some baddies while you escape, I'd just say "sure, you put up a ward.  DOn't worry about the strength, they won't get through until you get away.  It costs  you 1 point of sponsored debt."

ah i see

[potestas]

What do you mean if your GM doesn't care?

Let's say I did a 14 shift ward and only wanted to take 4 mental stress and no back-lash and no mental consequences.

Assuming an average discipline roll of 6 (let's say discipline 5 +1 foci)

That's 6 points of sponsored debt.  For 1 spell.

That's not nothing. That's a hell of a lot of compels.  Eventually, the character won't have FP's to pay them off.  Remember that you don't earn a FP for accepting compels based on debt.  But you still have to spend a FP to pay them off...and that FP spent doesn't pay off the debt - the debt still stands.

I'm not sure I'd do a ward that way, though.  What's the story?

If it's to hold off some baddies while you escape, I'd just say "sure, you put up a ward.  DOn't worry about the strength, they won't get through until you get away.  It costs  you 1 point of sponsored debt."

so basically as he earns FP they would go toward the debt, so hes going to be running on no FP till the debt is paid off-for th self sponsored magic, so really what he is doing is taking is buuying success now from the success he would have had in the future.it can be costly. Do they have to gather up materials to cast evothaum or just the roll? I think i know but just to be sure

[Haru]

I think a character with self sponsored debt can still earn FP, as long as they don't come from a compel on the sponsored magic.

An EvoThaum spell is basically just evocation with more options. You can cast it just as any evocation spell. And just like any evocation spell, you can use aspects to increase the spell, so preparations are possible, but not necessary.