I'd given some thought into The Blackstaff a while back, trying to work out a reasonably priced, but still balanced (at least, as much as possible) item of power. In all honesty, I didn't get very far. The sponsored magic idea is neat. It makes sense from hints throughout the RPG books about the item in question. However I'm of the opinion that using sponsored magic to kill, whilst not doing so in the service of your sponsor, still counts as lawbreaking. Although I can see how any lawbreaking could be considered 'in the service of the staff', if that is its nature/wish. Other variants of the item usually seem more expensive than I'd been looking for.

The closest and IMO fairest solution I came up with, is this:

The Blackstaff [-3]
Description: You own The Blackstaff; that dark length of gnarled, spellcrafted, wood that seems to prevent it’s user's soul from being tainted by violating the laws of magic.
Musts: You must have an aspect related to owning The Blackstaff.
Skills Affected: Discipline, others.
Effects:
Absorbs the 'Sins' of a Broken Law. Something about the Blackstaff allows it’s wielder to break the laws of magic without being tainted. At the cost of a fate point the user may, for the rest of the scene, violate the laws of magic without being required to take, or advance, the Lawbreaker powers. The user still retains the benefits of the power if they posses it, however The Blackstaff prevents the user from sliding further into darkness.
The Laws are Meant to be Broken. Not only does the Blackstaff allow users to break the laws of magic, it seems to revel in doing so. When utilising The Blackstaff, the wielder gains a +1 bonus to both power and control when casting a spell that violates one of the seven laws of magic.
It’s Own Agenda. The Blackstaff possesses at least semi-sentience – although rumours claim it is anything from a familiar, to a bound up outsider – and has it’s own agenda, and its own purposes. Whilst this effect is not a power, the GM should remember to compel the owner of the item accordingly - and to be inventive in what miseries they inflict.
It’s a Staff. The Blackstaff is exactly that, a dark length of gnarled, spellcrafted wood that is in the form of a staff.
Unbreakable. As an item of power it cannot be broken. If a way to do so does exist, it is unknown to anyone; and finding out could possibly be a violation of the seventh law.
Discount Already Applied. As an obvious item of power the staff already includes the one-time discount of +2. This means that if the character possesses more than one item of power, the one-time discount will not apply on that second item. If The Blackstaff is the second or subsequent artefact the character gains, the base refresh cost is -5.

Yes, the item is based heavily off the Swords of the Cross. However they're the closest thing, in my opinion, both within the rulebook and within the book series we have seen to The Blackstaff in terms of power. To a new PC Wizard the cost (-3) is still fairly heavy, (a lenient reading might suggest the item as -2, which would be lighter) however to a Wizard like its current owner? Probably not so much. The ability to ignore the Lawbreaker powers could at some tables be as useful as ignoring Toughness powers, depending on the groups 'feel' for Lawbreaking and its occurrence/consequences, hence basing the power off 'All Creatures are Equal Before God'. Fate point usage makes sense, as so far in the series (IRC) it has only been used in dire circumstances. The more you use it, the more fate points you hand over - the less able you are to resist it should be try and wield you.

Although, I'm not even sure on the semi-sentience possibility. I don't believe I got that from the books, but from external research and speculation on the subject. At my table I might feel inclined to remove such concepts from the staff, or keep them, depending on how I felt at the time. The cost would probably have to be adjusted slightly.

Just thought I'd add my own ideas to the mix, I really hope someone can come up with an awesome write-up of The Staff.

Another issue that has come up is how to deal with pushing someone to "certain doom" from a rooftop, cliff edge or ship - how big chance should the victim have to resist such maneuver?

That would strike me as an attack, dealing stress. Consequences, or a taken out result, would reflect the nature of said attack.

As for pushing/pulling someone with magic, why, that is simply the fluff of an attack. A kinetic blast can throw someone into a wall. Providing the wall is in your zone, and it makes sense narratively to describe it so. One could I guess make a declaration that the blast moves them zone-wise, if it is that necessary.

As for mechanically moving someone from zone to zone. The best I can suggest is you read Harry's side text on page 253YS about 'move actions'. Personally I would suggest: a contest of some sorts. Possibly a consequential contest. The spells shifts being the Evocators value, resisted by the target's endurance or athletics. I know they're officially non-conflict actions, but it would strike my as the most fluent way of dealing with it. 

Nice work Belial!

I do however have questions about one bit. Knowing you, it is probably correct; I'd just like to see how you got there, as I can't quite work it out.

[-3] Thaumaturgy: Crafting Power +1, 4 enchanted item slots
[-2] Refinenent 2x: Crafting Frequency Specialization +2, Crafting Power Focus +2

I can't seem to see how this works. It doesn't seem tofollow the pyramid.
Thaumaturgy: Crafting Power +1.

Refinement adds Crafting Frequency +1, Crafting Power +1.
For: Crafting Power +2, Crafting Frequency +1.

The next refinement is unable to get Frequency to +2, because even adding another random specialisation (necessary for pyramid), would still only give you a single +1, allowing for a single +2 (not two).

Unless these are Foci bonuses, not Specialisations?

Or, am I viewing this wrong some how? Clarification would be appreciated!

1  What's your experience?  Is there some part of the rules I've overlooked?

That it is a balancing factor. Wizard's are capable of dishing out a lot of punishment. Sure, a well built character can equal a Wizard in terms of stress dealt at many power-levels, few have the flexibility a Wizard has.

A Wizard is usually capable of dishing out four spells, before taking consequences. This is usually enough for most fights, as they rarely last long in the DFRPG. That, and enchanted items can help a Wizard keep casting for longer.

2  What do you do for recovery?  Tricks, hints, etc.

A mid-fight 'recovery' can be implemented at GM discretion during those big, climatic fights. However it may fit the story better for the fight to go on without pause, it all depends on the tempo.

To better manage stress, some people have a method to get the most out of the stress available. Of the four spells you can cast in a fight (without taking consequences), have the first at base Conviction + Specialisations/Foci bonus, costing one stress. Add 1 to that power for the next, for 2 stress. Have the third add 2, for 3 stress. Fourth, add 3 to the base power, for 4 stress. You can also have the first spell cost 4, second cost 3, etc. It is an 'optimised' method that makes the most out of it. Although personally I think its acting on 'OOC mechanics' too much.

3  How about a Refinement that lets you reduce the stress of a spell of a certain element by 1 or 2?  Maybe have Rote spells cost less stress?

I personally don't like this idea. You can simply 'up' your power specialisation, which consequently reduces the stress a spell at a given power level will give; to a minimum of one.

4  A spell with Shifts below your adjusted Discipline costs 0 mental stress?

In my opinion, that would be a very, very bad idea. Rote's are already better then standard spells, in that no control roll is necessary. Implementing this sort of house rule, would completely break the balancing factors.


Just my thoughts on the matter.

If it were modelled as sponsored magic, with a sponsor; they could easily take care of such things. Sort've like the Summer Court takes care of knowing the human body, for the purposes of biomancy.

'Billy' suggests not doing 1 shift = 1 duration for Veils, (YS;255), side text. Its a GM judgement call, but if the GM will apply it to Evocations, I think they would also apply to Enchanted items.  All depends on the GM.

There is a side-note, or something similar in the Spellcasting section near Veils suggesting to simply (even as Evocation) run them as lasting the duration of a scene, or until pierced.

Enchanted Items, I think, can be imbued with Thaumaturgy spells as well; which can last the duration of a scene. That may only apply to potions though, I don't have the books to hand.

Either way, I'd probably just run it as a Good (+3) Veil, that lasts the duration of scene. Beating its rating with an awareness, or lore (arcane perception type thingy) check pierces the Veil allowing them to notice you. Likewise, if you make any obvious actions that'd draw their attention, you become noticeable (e.g, attacking them).

Those are my thoughts on the matter, at least.

To get a stronger Veil then Good, or to increase its uses per session, you'd have to increase the number of Enchanted Items slot used. That is, working under the assumption you've no specialisations in crafting, as you didn't list them.