Damn it - thanks.

Although referencing a unique-stunt that is part of an NPC/Monster description... grrr. To think I searched both my PDF copies of paranet and Your Story... hah!

Oh yes - Thanks for the clarity.. I feel like I knew that, then two days passed, after which I completely "ZOMG I CAN HAZ MENT4L ATTKZ!?! IZ BROKE!!!111" - or something similar in effect and way less grating. Thanks again

Good morning,

In my recent exploration of this game, I've been dabbling with using evocation to place aspects on targets such as "Bound Tight" or "Blind as a bat" etc...

While these aspects can be tagged or invoked, I have begun to wonder if it makes more sense to simulate them mechanically using offensive blocks.

Example 1:
An Earth Evocation that causes your feet to sink into the earth (or the earth to crudely grab your legs or whatnot)... rather than having a sticky Aspect "Bound Tight" to be tagged, invoked and possibly even compelled; would it make sense to have the Evocation actually implement a Great Block on all physical actions? Isnt' that just a normal grapple spell? So basically, no movement until they beat +X block?

Example 2:
An Air or Water or Spirit or whatever evocation used to interfere with the targets vision.  Why not just cast a block that would that block any action depending on sight with +X for example?

Thank - curious as to this working or not

Now I'm confused

I'm assuming your answer blackstaff has to do with Thaum (at least the first part) - as just spirit evocation can't do mental attacks. This is my assumption.

My confusion stems from your statement that without a personal link for your ritual, you have to deal with wards and thresholds; where does it say that the personal link bypases such defenses as I must have missed it?

Thanks

I may have found further relevant material:

Entropy Curse Weapon Grade - YS Pg 296
26 shifts is obviously super high.

So it's Athletics vs 26!!! So when Deadly Luck is compelled as per this example.. the result is stress and consequences? Perhaps You've got +6 Athletics, Sure Footed Aspect and Nobody gonna Keep me down! For couple of invokes...
Whats that Mean? Does mean the target, when it slips in the shower, has to assign 12 stress/consequences worth? (Athletics skill, +4 from Fudge Dice Maximum, +4 invoked aspects)

I think I'm confusing myself even more.  From what I see with Thaumaturgy, you just oppose the assigned complexity - and you wont need the prep if complexity is <= lore.  So is the following not plausible:

Complexity 8 Thaumaturgy Spell "Gut-ya" (For a Wizard with Lore
Target takes stress = 8 - (Endurance +4)

Probably not the same efficient but I'm just curious from a mechanics perspective.

EDIT:

I believe I've figured it out after reading the example on Paranet Page 257.  The example cites someone trying to use Thaumaturgy to cause a severe (6 point consequence). To do so, they are assuming the target has Discipline +1, 3 mental stress boxes/track, and then causing the 6 point consequence. 10 complexity total.

So I just wanted an indiscriminate "mental attack" that does 4 stress, I would simply just need Complexity of (4 + whatever I think their discipline skill is).

Assuming my lore meets/exceed complexity, AND I know entropic-effects with Evocation's speed and methods, I wouldn't need to draw a circle with chalk or trace something or what not first. 

Thanks for the clarity, that only leaves on minor question:

Thaum as an attack, you sure it is a 5-accuracy attack? I'm looking at a stress causing attack not a consequence or aspect addition. This is in context of using Thaum as an attack or block as listed in Paranet.

Again - I could be wrong, but this seems to be something you can do?

At the very least, is not something you can do for specialties that list with the "method and speed" of evocation - example entropic attacks with unseelie magic, places of power and the like?

Afternoon all, wonder if I can get a bit of clarity:

a) Can Spirit Evocation be used to conduct Psionic/Psychic/Mental attacks?  I clearly see Spirit as the element that handles "Force", "Veils" and "Mind Magic". While the last bit is clearly articulated for certain utility purposes, I can find no reference to a brute-application of "Mind" similar to a Brute application of Fire or so.

b) Thaumaturgy attack spell.  Can thaumaturgy be used to carry out attacks that are mechanically be similar to Evocation but thematically different. Example - a spell that seeks to cause internal organ damage... or, if the above is not possible via evocation, a psionic attack, or perhaps a entropic decay/disintegration spell.  But rather than attempt to cause a consequence directly, the aim is to simply cause stress.  So for example:

A Thaumaturgy entropic disintegration that aims to cause 5-Stress. So the complexity is simply the attack roll I want (Text box page 256 Paranet Papers).  This would mean I need Lore +5 to do it with no prep.  I then simply roll Discipline to attack versus my targets defense - treating it as a weapon 5 attack.  Does that sound about right?

What about a Soulfire attack? Is it an evocation attack or a thaumaturgy attack if you were, lets say, attacking with Soulfire (I'm feeling a bit sick here as I'm picturing Mystra's Chosen and I feel oh so geeky - I apologise)

Thank you for all your answers thus far. You can see my struggle here in attempting to prep a group to play a game that is very different from our past experiences (Traveller, WoD, D&D, Ars Magica, etc)

One final question. Have you experimented with having fixed modifiers for consequences (and only those, not aspects).  I'm looking at Fate 2E as you'd suggested, and I know things are perfectly even, but I'm curious about having consequences (mild, significant, severe) has standing penalties of -0/-1/-2 or such. Any advice?