Always on Enchanted items

[dragoonbuster]

Wait I've re-read your post and I realize I misunderstood.

Lets say then that I have a magic item that replaces my initiative x frequency per session. Does each frequency last a scene (say an entire fight) or a round? So if x is 4 and the fight lasts 5 rounds on the fifth round the item would be used up.

Hm, well, this is an interesting question. Technically, Initiative isn't a roll. And it's referenced once per conflict, in a way, when you set up init the first time. I dunno, I could see you going either way on this, allowing one 'use' to last a combat or allowing it to last one use per exchange...

[Sanctaphrax]

Whatever ruling you'd make for a thaumaturgical initiative-replacing spell ought to apply to the item as well.

Personally, I'd have it last a scene.

[Theogony_IX]

Same with the veil, except they can be handled as evocations or as thaumaturgy. It all depends on how you build the item with this one. If you build it to act as an evocation block vs. attacks using a veil, then it lasts for the length of one action. If you build it as a thaumaturgic block vs. discovery, then it would last for a scene or until the GM declares it pierced. But each must obey the rules of its respective power: evocation or thaumaturgy.

[Taran]

Wait. Does this mean that veils created by potions only last one round? Or that what if I want a veil at say 4 for say 4 rounds I would need 16 shifts of power? I think the rules specify otherwise. A veil replaces a roll of stealth... Or does this mean that the 1shift duration thing only applies to evocation? If so what about anchored wards? I would appreciate clarification.

This can work as a stealth skill replacement. This works nice if you only have single task to complete: sneak by the guards.  They get an alertness and  it has to beat the Power of your item.  If you succeed, you get by - end of task/conflict.   If there are multiple rolls, a block on perception/veil is best. If it's in a drawn out conflict, it should probably have duration and last 1 exchange/shift.  If you are outside of a conflict, veils can last as long as they are narrative appropriate (since 'exchanges' don't really apply out of combat.  So it could last for several minutes, a whole scene, etc...and be useful against multiple alertness rolls.  There's a comment in the margins on the evocation 'veils' section of Your story where Billy suggests evo veils should last a scene.

Wait I've re-read your post and I realize I misunderstood.

Lets say then that I have a magic item that replaces my initiative x frequency per session. Does each frequency last a scene (say an entire fight) or a round? So if x is 4 and the fight lasts 5 rounds on the fifth round the item would be used up.

Initiative is only applicable for the first round before the fight starts.  I'd make it an alertness skill replacement or make it an 'alertness' related aspect.

The skill replacement can be used from anything to noticing an ambush, initiative, spotting something important.  But it only lasts for one use of the skill roll.

A maneuver would give you an aspect.  You can use it to boost your initiative by 2, reroll your initiative, maybe even give you a temporary minor power (like the initiative boost from inhuman speed)  but that last thing depends on the generosity of your GM.

[Hogeyhead]

Whatever ruling you'd make for a thaumaturgical initiative-replacing spell ought to apply to the item as well.

Personally, I'd have it last a scene.

The problem is that my Gm has ruled that thalmaturgy is incapable of self buffing for balance reasons, and the fact that Dresden never does it in the books...

[Taran]

I wouldn't say he never does it.  He, often, doesn't actually have TIME to do it, though.

The little Chicago ritual was, in a sense, a self-buff.  It was information gathering, which gives you aspect which you can tag for a variety of things.

[dragoonbuster]

The problem is that my Gm has ruled that thalmaturgy is incapable of self buffing for balance reasons, and the fact that Dresden never does it in the books...

Dresden isn't a good example of what's possible with Thaumaturgy.

He also does self-buff in the books, notably the Bear Buckle Booster he used in Fool Moon. It let him temporarily shake off jumping out of a van moving at thirty miles an hour onto asphalt--that's pretty buffy.

You can decide it's difficult--it generally is--but "no self-buffing" is silly. By the RAW it is part of Biomancy, at minimum, and the Paranet Papers expands on that more by suggesting you can self-buff with evocation. "Balance" is achieved when the GM does their job and adjudicates Thaumaturgy reasonably. It's not like you can spend 24/7 in your lab working on these spells, constantly keep buffing spells in place around your person w/o an Enchanted Item, necessarily afford all the ingredients you need, etc.

[Mr. Death]

Dresden isn't a good example of what's possible with Thaumaturgy.

He also does self-buff in the books, notably the Bear Buckle Booster he used in Fool Moon. It let him temporarily shake off jumping out of a van moving at thirty miles an hour onto asphalt--that's pretty buffy.

Minor correction -- he used a potion for that. The belt buckle is in Blood Rites, just before the scuffle with the Black Court.

[Sanctaphrax]

The problem is that my Gm has ruled that thalmaturgy is incapable of self buffing for balance reasons, and the fact that Dresden never does it in the books...

You're out of luck, then. Enchanted items are a form of thaumaturgy.

[Hogeyhead]

Well items are fine, just not rituals, however we used the rules on those wrong (the rule where every roll replacement requires full shifts, not just +1 per use like duration in evocation). I'm going to bring it up when I see him tonight.

[ironwolf16]

for the sword example you could do +3 to the weapon to get the bonus added on there are examples in the book for that

[dragoonbuster]

for the sword example you could do +3 to the weapon to get the bonus added on there are examples in the book for that

Yeah...those examples are wrong. Ignore the entire Spellcasting Examples section of the book if you plan on using the RAW for magic, because they don't follow any of the rules set up in the previous chapters. You would either create a ritual that granted you multiple aspects, or you'd do a "skill replacement" spell for a 1-roll "simple contest."

A skill replacement spell doesn't give you a bonus to a skill. Whatever the complexity of the spell is "replaces" your skill for a single roll. If you wanted multiple replaced rolls you'd need to multiply the complexity.

[ironwolf16]

so magic items don't add to a skill they replace it, but the ant red court venom potion actually says
"Effect: Grants a bonus to resisting the addictive saliva of a Red Court vampire equal to the potion’s strength in shifts. "
so is the example wrong or can potions add to a skill?

[Haru]

A lot of the samples don't follow their own rules. Some of them are cool but they are rarely persistent. For the potion you mention it would be better to either do a full replacement or a maneuver potion that gives you an aspect to tag on your roll.