The simplest way to build furycrafters is probably to purchase powers you want access to, justifying them with various elements you have access to based on High Concept and other aspects. Slap a Moderate or Severe Limitation of onto the lot of them (that's sort of my average Limitation between certain environments limiting crafting and the well-known counters to each element). There's no "base" build for furycrafters, really. Treat
Mundane Furycrafting as a [-0] or
possibly a [-1] power. The rest is experience, talent, training (e.g. refresh).
I don't feel like that really represents the flexibility we've seen that furycrafting allows among the elites, though. And when I hear "needs more flexibility" I think Modular Abilities, so I worked that into some spellcasting and got this. Probably needs adjusting numbers in places, but I think it's about the right framework. It is written with talented Steadholders, Legionnaires and the Citizenry in mind--those Alerans that do have training, education, strength, and experience to have gained some real talent with Furycrafting--i.e., the kinds of PCs people would want to play.
This could (and probably should be) be broken down into a couple simpler, less expensive powers for those with only a modicum of furycrafting available. Done right, this power would require it's own extensive "What You Can Do With It" section like there is for evocation and thaumaturgy for non-Alera fans to use it to its full extent. "Channeling" with each element isn't like doing so as a Dresden caster, it would involve the traits and capabilities of of Watercrafting, Firecrafting, Aircrafting, etc. I did my best to keep the number crunching to a minimum. It's up to the GM and player to set reasonable limits on what they can do, based on High Concepts and other Aspects.
Superior Aleran Furycrafting [-4] Description: You are one of the Citizenry, an experienced Legionnaire, a Knight, a powerful Steadholder, or otherwise somehow have the capability, talent, and training capable of wielding the Furies of Alera to a superior degree.
Musts: You must have a High Concept related to your heritage as an Aleran in order to take this power. When you take this power, you must select one element (Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Metal, or Wood) that you are initially specialized at crafting with.
Options: See below. Specific abilities may be purchased outside of the modular set to always have access to them.
Skills Affected: All, potentially. Various powers and abilities granted by furycrafting can require skill rolls across the spectrum of skills. The GM is the ultimate adjudicator of what skill can or must be used in a specific circumstance. In many cases, Conviction and Discipline can be appropriate. Also see Internalized furycrafting.
Note: Just as spellcasters have areas of weaknesses, so do furycrafters. Most furycrafters tend to specialize in only a few aspects of their respective element(s). Character aspects and compels to them are encouraged to reinforce this concept. The PC is encouraged to work with the GM to come up with a list or range of possible abilities and stunts that can be taken with the furycrafting they have access to before play. This may change throughout gameplay, even during a session.
Effects: Mundane Furycrafting. You may perform minor feats of furycrafting, or operate items with furies bound to them with relative ease, regardless of what element it is, provided justification for being trained in its use. That means furylamps, coldstones, etc. Most citizens are capable of taking advantage of the earth furies built into the Aleran Empire’s roads, for example.
Legionnaires are trained to take advantage of the roads, in igniting small fires and keeping themselves warm in the cold with a little Firecrafting, and how to keep their weapons and armor in good shape with minor Metalcrafting. A skill roll may or may not be required for these feats or to use these items.
Fury Points. You may rearrange your fury points to perform various feats of furycrafting. When you take the Aleran Furycrafting ability, you start with two fury points. One pool is used to draw on for both internalized and externalized crafting.
Internalized Furycrafting. You may perform feats of internalized crafting. What those feats are depend on the elements you can use. You may take a supplemental action to rearrange your fury points into a variety of abilities that have internal (nonvisible) effects. Internalized crafting takes the form of additional speed, strength, toughness, faster reaction times, altering emotional states, taking on some supernatural senses, etc. Incite Effect is commonly used to represent various internalized crafting. You may also use fury points to temporarily take on stunts. These must be narratively justified by furycraft ability and training, and often involve moving skill trappings to Discipline or Conviction or creating new ones. For example, woodcrafters might arrange a point to roll Conviction to defend against ranged attacks with wooden weapons by deflecting them.
Externalized Furycrafting. You may perform feats of externalized crafting. What those feats are depend on the elements you can use. You may take a supplemental action to rearrange your fury points into a variety of abilities that have external (visible) effects. For instance, aircrafters might add Flight and Spider Walk, or Glamours to turn create veils (which may also be done with fury channeling, see next sentence). Firecrafters might take Potent Natural Summoned Ranged Weaponry to blast foes. Incite Effect is commonly used to represent various externalized crafting. These must be narratively justified by furycraft ability and training.
You may also use two available fury points from your pool at any time to use all of the methods granted by Channeling and Ritual in an element (as long as you’re capable of furycrafting with that element). You may perform those Rituals with the speed and methods of evocation. You may manipulate the form points you have invested in channeling as a free action.
Specialization. When you take the Furycrafting power, you get one free specialization in your initial element, +1 to Control or Power when performing externalized furycrafting evocations/rituals, just as with the Evocation power. Specializations taken apply to evocations and rituals performed with furycrafting; there are no separate specializations required.
Manifest Furies. You are capable of visibly manifesting your furies to aid you in various ways. Often, manifest furies are used as justification in furycrafting rituals or evocations. Earth furies are often used to move or lift heavy things, wood furies may manifest to distract an enemy for a moment in combat, etc.
Alternatively, a furycrafter can set aside any number of fury points in a scene to have their furies fight beside them (or otherwise aid them). The manifest fury has a base refresh equal to the number of total fury points set aside and 3 skill points per fury point set aside (so setting aside 5 fury points gives a 5 refresh fury with 15 skill points). The fury’s skill cap is equal to the number of points set aside or the game’s overall skill cap, whichever comes first. The fury’s skills do not need to obey the rules of the skill pyramid. You may spend the fury’s refresh on abilities and stunts down to 0 refresh. Each unspent refresh grants the fury a FP for the scene.
You may manifest one fury initially in the element you choose when you take this power, and it must be defined before use. Once defined, you may not change the basic type, appearance, demeanor, etc of the fury. Your fury’s refresh value and specific powers/skills may be rearranged at a significant milestone. To manifest a fury, you must cast a Ritual with complexity/power equal to the Fury’s refresh value, controlled with your Discipline (plus any Control specialization bonuses you have). If your control is greater than or equal to the complexity/power, it obeys your commands. Instead of suffering fallout or backlash on a failed control roll, the manifestation succeeds and the fury will generally help you, but it is under the GM’s command. You may manifest any number of your furies at once, up to your Conviction or Discipline (choose one). If one of your Furies is taken out, you immediately take mental stress equal to its physical stress track length. You may take mental consequences to prevent your furies from being taken out.
Limitations. You may arrange a number of Rote Spells used in externalized channeling equal to your Lore (including manifestations), subject to the same rules as Evocation rote spells. These may be any combination of elements, but you only have access to an element’s rotes when you have set aside form points to channel with that element.
Countering each element of furycrafting is quite possible, and the methods to do so are well known in Alera. When exposed to an element’s Catch, you are unable to draw on
any furycrafting aspect of that element. This can be particularly disorienting or even painful. The rebate from the limitation has already been applied to the cost of this power.
Furycrafting Refinement [-1] Description: Experienced furycrafters learn in time how to refine and focus their abilities, gaining greater strength and diversity. You may take this as many times as you like.
Skills Affected: Potentially, all.
Effects:Refined Furycraft.Refinement is a tool for improving your furycrafting over time. Each time Refinement is taken, choose
one option from the following:
- Add a new element to your furycrafting list. You may also manifest a new fury of the new element.
- Add one additional fury point to your furycrafting pool.
- Or, gain two additional specialization bonuses for externalized crafting. You do not have to structure your specialization bonuses according to the “column” limits for skills.
