Evothaum?

[JediDresden2]

Ok.  I have several people in the game I am running that now have Sponsored Magic.  I really do not understand the mechanics of Evothaum, or the benefits.  Please help!

My understanding is that it let you cast more powerful and complex spells (Thaumaturgy) at a faster speed (Evocation) as long as you are acting in your sponsor's area of magic.  I can see this would be a big benefit, but the cost would be enormous to cast a spell at the speed of Evocation - unless you take stress and consequences or go into sponsor debt.  Am I missing something?

Unless you stick to simple Thaumaturgy spell that you can control and power in a round, but then why have Evothaum?

I really feel I am missing something.

[Taran]

Mecanically, you could do things that you wouldn't normally be able to do.

Example 1:
You have a Sponsor whose portfolio is 'Protection'.  This allows Wards at the speed and methods of evocation.

Typically, the only way to do a Protection spell with evocation is to create a 'block'  Which only lasts 1 round and is removed the moment someone overcomes the block.

Typically, the only way to create a Ward is to take time - at least a few moments of time - to set up a Ward with a base complexity equal to your Lore.

With Sponsored magic, if you are trying to escape a Vampire and protect some mortals, you could, using Evocation - where Conviction is the base Power, create a ward.

This becomes a block that functions exactly like a Ward:  lasting until morning, even if overcome, reflecting damage,  etc...  You can create this in an instant.  Very powerful.

Other useful areas are healing which can only typically be done with time.

Example 2:
Sponsored Magic allows you do do things THEMATICALLY, that you couldn't normally do.

Let's take necromancy.  Let's say you are in a graveyard.  Typically, you can only raise the dead with Thaumaturgy. But, since you have Necromancy at the speed and methods of evocation, you can describe your spells in such a way that would only work for Necromancy:

"As they run towards me, a hand reaches out from a grave and grabs their leg:"
- This is a block on movement cast as evocation.

"A corpse lying on the ground explodes sending sharp bits of bone and gore everywhere"
- This is a zone-wide attack

"I raise a zombie which crawls out of the grave and starts attacking"
Gm decides you have a zombie with a stress track equal to your conviction score and an attack rating equal to your discipline score.  (or whatever...I'm not sure how I'd adjudicate that - minions get complicated, but you could just run it as your 'attack action' every round without endangering yourself...so you are reskinning melee attacks)

[JediDresden2]

Ok.  That helps.  Thanks.

So for example, one of my players has this from the Sponsored Magic list in the resources.

SEIÐR OF ODIN [-4]

Description: Drawing on the power of the god Odin, you can cast spells that fit his essential nature: war and battle, victory and death, wisdom and prophecy, trickery, cunning, and the hunt. These magics are under Odin’s sway and making use of them will inevitably gain his notice.

Sponsor: Odin, first among the Norse gods, far away in his hall of Valhalla. Valhalla is in the Nevernever in the realm of Asgard.

Agenda: Odin is and has always been preparing for Ragnarok. Those he selects are aggressive warrior types worthy of Valhalla. Though he does not necessarily need mindless warmachines, whoever is selected is invariably willing to take a stand against “the enemy” in the last battle.

Evocation: Evocations cast with Odin’s Seiðr encourage or make use of lightning, trickery, battle, pain, fury, and knowledge. Their aesthetics generally involve runes.

Thaumaturgy: Rituals cast with Odin’s Seiðr make use of the same themes as Evocations cast with it. They may also be used for divination through the method of casting runestones.

Evothaum: All rituals that may be cast with Odin's Seiðr may be cast with Evocation's speed and methods.

Extra Benefits: When Odin’s Seiðr is used against a giant, any Toughness Powers that that giant has are treated as though they were one step weaker. Norse giants are not the only giants; big humanoid fey like ogres count too, and there might be other categories of giant out there.

So when he wants to he could cast anything themed with with lightning, trickery, battle, pain, fury, knowledge, and divination, much more quickly and powerfully than normal.  Correct?

[Taran]

Ok.  That helps.  Thanks.

So for example, one of my players has this from the Sponsored Magic list in the resources.

SEIÐR OF ODIN [-4]

Description: Drawing on the power of the god Odin, you can cast spells that fit his essential nature: war and battle, victory and death, wisdom and prophecy, trickery, cunning, and the hunt. These magics are under Odin’s sway and making use of them will inevitably gain his notice.

Sponsor: Odin, first among the Norse gods, far away in his hall of Valhalla. Valhalla is in the Nevernever in the realm of Asgard.

Agenda: Odin is and has always been preparing for Ragnarok. Those he selects are aggressive warrior types worthy of Valhalla. Though he does not necessarily need mindless warmachines, whoever is selected is invariably willing to take a stand against “the enemy” in the last battle.

Evocation: Evocations cast with Odin’s Seiðr encourage or make use of lightning, trickery, battle, pain, fury, and knowledge. Their aesthetics generally involve runes.

Thaumaturgy: Rituals cast with Odin’s Seiðr make use of the same themes as Evocations cast with it. They may also be used for divination through the method of casting runestones.

Evothaum: All rituals that may be cast with Odin's Seiðr may be cast with Evocation's speed and methods.

Extra Benefits: When Odin’s Seiðr is used against a giant, any Toughness Powers that that giant has are treated as though they were one step weaker. Norse giants are not the only giants; big humanoid fey like ogres count too, and there might be other categories of giant out there.

So when he wants to he could cast anything themed with with lightning, trickery, battle, pain, fury, knowledge, and divination, much more quickly and powerfully than normal.  Correct?

All their spells will have the theme of Odin....so it's almost like a focused practitioner.

But...This feels too broad to me.  Let's look at the existing Sponsored magic:

Seelie:
- Can reduce the toughness of UnSeelie creatures.  You have that for Giants
- Can do Biomancy at the speed of Evocation.  I feel like you should choose a single type.  You've left this a bit too broad and open for interpretation.  Maybe Divination?
But Soulfire gives you almost all Thaumaturgy so maybe you can be a bit more broad.  I'd just, maybe, list the most relevant ones:  Divination, Veils....at the very least.

- Maybe you can add +1 Power to all Lightning spells?

[JediDresden2]

Ok.  So it really just gives you more ways to describe the theme of your spells and do some stuff that might not be able to be done with just regular evocation. 

Makes sense.  Thanks for the help.