Wards don’t have a “scale” concern, the way
that veils do, and they cannot move. They are
almost always tied to a particular place’s natural
thresholds—think of them as a super-boosted
immune system—so they are limited by the size
of that threshold. Without a threshold they can
only be set up to cover a small area at most—
usually a point of transition such as a doorway
or intersection.
Then I am missing a symbolic link. Sure, he could lay a block against any sound on those earmuffs fairly easy, but just against a flute (and probably a magical flute or at least a magical melody) he would need some sort of link to block out only that, with the rest of his hearing unimpaired.
Wait... Does anyone have a RAW backing for any of this? Tedronai? Haru? Mostly because I just looked at the thaumaturgy rules and Wards were the only place I found blocks.
It can be used for some of the same basic effects as evocation, but the results are more elaborate and lasting.
You can choose to move the spell's duration up one step on the time chart starting from an appropriate default and adding one to the complexity for every step you want to go.
Wait... Does anyone have a RAW backing for any of this? Tedronai? Haru? Mostly because I just looked at the thaumaturgy rules and Wards were the only place I found blocks.
Wait... Does anyone have a RAW backing for any of this? Tedronai? Haru? Mostly because I just looked at the thaumaturgy rules and Wards were the only place I found blocks.Harry's duster (YS:303) is a thaumaturgy created enchanted item providing mobile armor (a block) against damage. The OP's earmuffs sound very similar except they're a block against sound.
Harry's duster (YS:303) is a thaumaturgy created enchanted item providing mobile armor (a block) against damage. The OP's earmuffs sound very similar except they're a block against sound.
Not all Blocks are Wards: Wards are a special kind of Block. I think Block is appropriate in this case.
Generally speaking, Thaumaturgy can do anything which Evocation can do, it just can't do it as quickly. In many instances, Thaumaturgy can achieve a 'better' effect than Evocation can, having more time to collect and control power, etc. Again though, it just isn't able to achieve a given effect as quickly.
See also veils
see also Types of Thaumaturgy not being an exhaustive list
Thaumaturgical veils are not usually mobile and
are constrained by thresholds and other barriers
that scatter magical energies (such as a river).
The thing is, Thaumatugry can do ANYTHING. Look again at the thaumaturgy section where it talks about how to determine how many shifts of power are required, especially when it talks about "simple actions" and doing things that would normally be impossible for a human to do. Blocking a specific kind of sound with magic earmuffs isn't that far off from covering your ears or using noise-canceling headphones.
Harry's duster (YS:303) is a thaumaturgy created enchanted item providing mobile armor (a block) against damage. The OP's earmuffs sound very similar except they're a block against sound.
Honestly I'm wondering where you guys are getting this in the RAW, because I've pretty thoroughly read the thaumaturgy section and I can't find any evidence for blocks that aren't wards or veils, which as I've said must be immobile.
I just don't see this in the RAW. If you guys are seeing something I'm not then I'd like to see it too. (of note I'm not trying to pick on you specifically, you just seem to have summarized this attitude very well)
Thaumaturgy carries an extremely broad range of effects under its banner: summoning and binding supernatural entities like spirits or demons, divination and detection, wards, curses, temporary and permanent enchantments on people and things…the list is potentially endless.
Just as a note: I see time and time again that Evil Hat encourages extrapolating from existing rules, and most of the times I am having trouble with a concept, it is this advice which ends up working best. So, if Thaumaturgy can do everything Evocation can do, but better, more precisely, with a longer duration, I'm inclined to go for it.
Yeah, I've noticed this too. I think the thing that I keep coming back to is that it seems like an intentional omission. They go to the trouble of telling you exactly how any non-conflict action would function, as well as most of the conflict actions, but then specifically lay these limitations down on blocks. I just can't get over that.
I guess the best answer to the original poster is that if you want RAW justification to say no, it's there, but if you're having fun and it works for you there's justification to say yes too.
@Haru Some effects of evocation does not mean all. If you look at my response to EdgeOfDreams you'll see that it can do almost all of the effects of evocation, but the only blocks mentioned are veils and wards which are both required to be immobile.
Revised agenda:
Create them as a potion. I think that is what potion slots were meant to be, come to think of it. So it would be a simple block as per the evocation rules, you just don't have to pay stress, and you might be able to enhance them on the fly with an appropriate aspect.
For the "defend against the magic flute" scenario, that would also be a good idea.
Revised agenda:
Create them as a potion. I think that is what potion slots were meant to be, come to think of it. So it would be a simple block as per the evocation rules, you just don't have to pay stress, and you might be able to enhance them on the fly with an appropriate aspect.
I would also agree that Thaumaturgy would be able to do most of the things that can be done with Evocation. This would also mean that it is possible to perform a Thaumaturgical counterspell. I would, though, not allow any Thaumaturgical attacks, as this would be handled by the Transformation parts of the rules.Wouldn't you consider Sells' Heart Exploding spell an attack?
I would also agree that Thaumaturgy would be able to do most of the things that can be done with Evocation. This would also mean that it is possible to perform a Thaumaturgical counterspell. I would, though, not allow any Thaumaturgical attacks, as this would be handled by the Transformation parts of the rules.
Wouldn't you consider Sells' Heart Exploding spell an attack?
I'd say no, movable Thumaturgy blocks are a bad idea. It's not just about this particular spell itself. Rather, it sets a bad precedent.
If he can use them for blocking sound, why not for blocking physical damage? It's not that difficult to get a huge amount of shifts on Thaumaturgy. This is fine for Wards - they're immobile. However, actual long-lasting physical wards could lead to incredibly overpowered results.
At my most generous, I'd say you might allow it, but use the Time Increments table and start from "instant"(so, if he wants an hour-long shield, that's 7 shifts right there) - the duration of an Evocation block. Even so, it's a bad idea. It allows for any competent spellcaster with a cult(or other manpower willing to contribute consequences to the spell) to have a nigh-impenetrable shield for a very long time(after all, Time Increments go into years and lifetimes).
So, really, this situation would be better handled by the Temporary Power rules. Let him use a Thaumaturgy spell to say he stored the energy of the spell. At the actual scene where he wants to use it, allow for him to pick up Refinement as a temporary power. That's 4 four Enchanted Item slots right there, this gives him plenty of uses of the "item".
So, anyhow, I'd play it like this: base complexity of the spell is equal to Lore(the enchanted item's Strength) +0-7(for a scene long duration, depends on what the "base" time is) +2(1 Refresh being roughly equal to 2 shifts). After the spell is cast, he can spend one Fate Point(Temporary Power rules) in order to gain access to an "Enchanted Item" worth 4 Enchanted Item Slots(ie. -1 Refresh worth of Refinement) for one scene. He can only do this once, afterwards the spell is "spent" and he'd need to cast it again to gain any benefits.
Anyhow, even this feels fairly generous but I guess it's in keeping with the theme that a prepared wizard can be an nightmare.
I am going with treating these as a potion slot, since it mentions that they can be used for potions or other temporary magical items. From now on they will be one use items that also open up an aspect that can be used for a fate point for the duration of the scene, or for longer if more shifts are paid. It will function as a bonus to the skill required to defend against the effect.
Lets not forget that in "It's My Birthday, Too" it mentions Harry taking 20 seconds (which would be several exchanges) to cast an Earth spell to.(click to show/hide)
Hmmm. Maybe have a rule that mooks don't generally take more than one consequence at a time. So instead of it soaking mild, moderate, and severe all at once, the most it could take in one shot would be a severe.If you go with the advice in the book (YS327), then 'minor mooks' (nameless NPCs) have no consequences at all. Important mooks (supporting NPCs) have only up to moderate. Only the main NPCs have the full range of consequences that PCs have...