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The Dresden Files => DFRPG => Topic started by: Runhide on December 01, 2010, 05:09:39 PM

Title: Symbolic links and wards
Post by: Runhide on December 01, 2010, 05:09:39 PM
I have seen a few posts where people use a symbolic link in a ward on the forums and I was wondering where in the books it indicates what bonus it gives.  As an example invoking an aspect while doing a spell can give you +2 shifts (Y286).  One person indicated that a symbolic link also gave +2 shifts but I don't see that mentioned in the books.


And another question if I pump 16 shifts into a ward and it has -7 shifts in complexity is it a 16 or 9 shift ward in the end?

EXAMPLE
Using my workshop I made a cast iron fence that circles my property.  It has three entrances the front public entryway for customers is an archway with a gate large enough to two people to pass comfortably.  On the ally in back is another one person archway with a gate and the garage.  I have integrated the garage with the fence.  This forms a permanent iron circle around the property that I cast my wards on.

Veil ward: The object of this ward is to hide/limit the magical energies I use so it seems like a mundane household.
        a)   Base power 8  Lore or 5 + 2 Strength specialization + 1 Focus item Strength
        b)   Invoked Aspects -2 Steals servant (Y268)
        c)   Symbolic links -6  +2 scraping from my anvil and workbench, +2 Scraping from the fence, +2
             Scrapings of house and workshop, Some grass and bark from the trees, Dirt from yard  (Y267)
        d)   Complexity +2 only hides magical energies (Y277)
        e)   Complexity +5 last a few months, 5 increment change on Time table starting at all day for
             spell type (Y315 time table) (Y266 Starting point of all day)
Title: Re: Symbolic links and wards
Post by: Belial666 on December 01, 2010, 05:53:55 PM
In the case of a Ward, a symbolic link can be used not to affect the linked person or type of creature OR to affect only the linked person or type of creature.

A Ward without a link would work fine - but you or your friends wouldn't be able to pass through it. And it would not differentiate between an attacking black court and a salesman, blasting them both to bits. (this might seem like a good thing but Lawbreaking ensues if you kill the mortal)
Title: Re: Symbolic links and wards
Post by: Runhide on December 01, 2010, 06:05:14 PM
Although helpful I am not sure I understand the response. Does a symbolic link give a bonus, is it +2 and where in the book does it say that? 
Title: Re: Symbolic links and wards
Post by: sinker on December 01, 2010, 06:28:21 PM
Seems to me that they could be declarations made during the preparation phase, in which case they are aspects and would provide a +2 tag like any other.

As for the complexity it's simply the amount of preparation and the amount of shifts you need to bring to the spell. If the complexity is 7 then you only need seven shifts of power and all the other shifts don't do anything. If you want a 16-shift ward then your complexity is 16, 7 for the base function of the spell and I assume 9 for the difficulty of the veil.