Modeling Self-Harm for Spellcasting

[Dracorex]

So I'm fiddling with a wizardly character concept for kicks. At 3am in the morning.

So the character is a guilt-ridden guy who also doesn't want to carry around foci and enchanted items for his magical shenanigans, and I'm envisioning him carving symbols into the skin/flesh of his arms in order to use his own blood and pain to fuel his evocation. So I'm not even thinking of it as a once-off-ish thing like when a ritualist/thaumaturge can inflict consequences on themselves to make up requirements for their ritual, I'm thinking this guy basically has scars and new(er) wounds on him basically all the time, as he renews the cuts in a really masochistic version of maintaining/upgrading a focus item.

So how would folks suggest I model this?

So I was thinking a stunt to let me spend fate points to declare physical consequences (1 FP per consequence) in order to use the corresponding number of available focus item slots (as determined by my Evocation + Refinement) for evocation control and/or power bonuses determined on the spot and then locked in for the duration of however long the corresponding consequence takes to be removed as a result of recovery.

But I'm not sure if the cost/limitations are not enough, or overkill, or what, or if someone can suggest a more elegant solution, of if this is actually a pretty okay plan.

[Stormraven]

I'm not sure I'd want to even give this one a try as a GM. Too much chance to overkill the character when you choose to take consequences.

Still, if someone wanted something like that, I'd say 'Define how many Focus slots you're using. Okay, take a Consequence at that level (or 1 higher, if the number is odd). That consequence stays with you as long as you maintain that focus. It's not available for any stress reduction, and you don't get any free tags on it, but you get your focus slots. -6 is the max you can do, though, and I wouldn't let any player have more than 1 'consequence focus' at a time.

[Haru]

An easier way to do this would probably be to make endurance and not lore your skill to determine focus item and enchanted item limits. It's a simple change that I wouldn't even require you to take a stunt for, as it makes sense in the way you describe your character. You could take a stunt to then allow you to take a consequence to increase the power of an item by the amount of the consequence.

Keep it simple, silly.

[Dracorex]

Stormraven - I'd definitely be treating a consequence taken in this form as a normal consequence with all the bad news that implies, yeah: say I did take a severe consequence for 6 focus slots, that's it, there goes my slot for -6 stress, and I have a bad physical injury that's subject to compels and everything.

But are you saying then that you wouldn't charge refresh/fate points for this? Because that would be why I would put them in, as limiters against the possible overkill you're saying can happen. I mean, this guy is a wizard; he's not going to have a lot of refresh XD.

Haru - I feel that it needs a stunt because part of the intended effect is that this removes the need for my character to carry physical focus/enchanted items? I mean, I can't be compelled into "oh, you forgot to bring your blasting rod", I appear unarmed everywhere I go (while Harry Dresden points out that bringing his staff is effectively open carry as far as supernatural beings are concerned), I can't be disarmed (unless I'm literally dis-armed)....

And I want to tie it to consequences rather than Endurance simply because I feel like the character causing himself injury like this should have consequences (pun intended). Like, I mean, taking a knife to your own flesh over and over again really shouldn't be dismissed as flavour.

[Stormraven]

Sure, you could use a Stunt, since this changes a basic rule of the game.

However, since you're self-limiting how much damage the character can take in conflict, I don't see any need for a Stunt.

[Sanctaphrax]

As long as the character can only create as many wound foci as they could actual foci, I don't think you'll have any balance problems. A moderate consequence is a lot more inconvenient than a pair of +2 focus rings.

[Dracorex]

So essentially I'll be writing it all up as a stunt that doesn't cost refresh. Thanks very much for your thoughts, guys.

[Taran]

Isn't there a blood magic sponsored magic?

what about saying you can take physical stress instead of mental stress to power your spells?

There's also a custom power called 'internal foci' or something like that that let's you have non-physical focus items.

[Dracorex]

Isn't the blood magic Sponsored Magic about using other people's blood and being driven by bloodlust?

Something to consider in addition to the rest, I think.

Haven't heard of it XD.

[Taran]

BLOOD MAGIC [-0]
Description: Your magic comes from the energy of your body, rather than from the energy of your mind.
Musts: You must possess some kind of spellcasting ability in order to take this power.
Skills Affected: Conviction, Discipline, Lore
Effects:
Blood Magic. If you would take a mental stress hit to power a spell or an enchanted item, you take an equal physical stress hit instead. This physical stress automatically satisfies all Catches and ignores all armour. Furthermore, it bypasses extra stress boxes from Size powers.

[Belial666]

I'd see it as the opposite of the one-time discount for Items of Power. The weakness of Foci and enchanted items is that they can be removed/stolen/broken or you can just forget to have them with you. To eliminate that weakness I'd sugest something like this;

Innate Magic [-1 or -2]
Through long practice, talent, or rituals, your body conducts magic better than normal, working as a material anchor for complex effects.
Benefit: You may apply focus or enchanted item slots directly to your body rather than separate items. Such slots can't be reallocated except in Major Milestones. For -1 refresh you can do this for effects that would normally require small, easily hidden items such as rings, amulets and the like. For -2 refresh you can do this for larger items such as staves, or robes. You can't do it for any item that would be larger than your own body.

[g33k]

A lot of people who self-harm have preferred "tools" or "weapons" -- for some, it's almost a necessity to use their item.

I'd presume that someone channeling magic would be at least as concerned about his item(s) as a mundane who self-harmed...

Mind you, it could be something as minor as a nail-clipper.  But it'd probably carry really profound emotional significance for him... what is it that has him so guilt-ridden, again?

[Dracorex]

Hm.

But he's not using the knife for- hm. If he was working thaumaturgy, then the knife itself would serve as a focus item. But for evocation he'd be using the pain to drive himself.

It's a character concept I'm playing with more than something I need for a campaign. So there's stuff up in the air and things he doesn't tell me about and all. But I'm pretty sure it involved desperate circumstances, bad inflence and Lawbreaking unknowingly  (of the letter, anyway, you can't really kill someone in cold blood while being innocent of the idea that it's wrong).

[g33k]

so, does he maybe self-harm with the switchblade that killed his lover ... who was also his brother's wife ... ?

There's a tad of guilt there.

Maybe -- every time he uses it -- he seriously considers whether he's going to cast a spell with the pain... or just go that half-centimeter further in, and take the artery?

[Dracorex]

As interesting as it is to discuss the intricacies of his motivation, where are we going with this in terms of game mechanics?

I mean, if you're suggesting a relevant aspect to invoke/compel, I have one already. "Blood on my Hands" is nicely punny  and also happily vague since I still haven't decided what exactly it was that he did.