Rotes- Let's get the creative juices flowing!

[Drazha]

So I'm interested to see what kind of rotes everyone is coming up with for their caster type characters. I'm especially interested in water evocations and evocations dealing with black magic, since these are the magic types are the least seen throughout the series. So show them if you got them!

[Deadmanwalking]

Well, my Changeling PC (with Seelie Magic) has the following:

Blinding Light of Summer (5 shift Maneuver): Applies blinding light aspects to individuals or scenes. Can also trigger the Catch in those vulnerable to sunlight. Fairly self-explanatory.

Summer's Scorching Heat (Weapon: 5 attack): Again, fairly straightforward. Burns things to death with a jet of raw flame and heat.

Bronze Butterflies (5 shift Block): Summons a cloud of ectoplasmic bronze butterflies with silver and gold wings to interpose themselves in the way of an attack, defending himself or another.

[Tsunami]

Here are some for my earth centered Wizard, i'm not 100% sure about them yet. Our first session will be tomorrow, so we'll see if they work out.

tintreach (Earth Evocation - Weapon:7 Attack - Lightning) - req. Staff: Summons up Lightning from the Earth's magnetic field...
sciath (+6 Block - Earth Evocation - duration +1) - req. Focus: Calls a web of lighning that works like a farady cage against magical energies, and blocks physical attacks by "zapping" them.
_{I'm still not sure if it really makes sense to have the +1 duration in the rote, or if i should go with +7 block and then extend the spell "manually"}
balla (+6 Zone Border/+3 Armor Block): calls forth a wall of stone
_{not sure if i have to choose one here, or if it counts as one way of manifestation}
gaistigh (+6 Maneuver Earth Evocation - Aspect: "Caught in Rock" - defend with Athletics): The ground opens and grabs the target. pinning it in place. Depending on the defense of the target, the aspect may become sticky. The sticky aspect may be removed with a maneuver using Might.

Blinding Light of Summer (5 shift Maneuver): Applies blinding light aspects to individuals or scenes. Can also trigger the Catch in those vulnerable to sunlight. Fairly self-explanatory.

_{Is that actually allowed? I mean building the Scene/Individuals option into a rote. It seems to me that it contradicts the restriction that rotes "always manifest in exactly the same way" - Also, wouldn't you need to specify the Aspect? Like "Blinded by light" for individuals, or maybe "Bright as the Sun" for scenes. You'd have to chose one then, since rotes always place the "exact same aspect". Basically it would cancel out the individual/scene choice, since placing an Aspect like "Bright as the Sun" on a person would be little helpful. At least if blinding the target was the goal here. And "Blinded by Light" as a scene aspect... well, the scene would be blind... people in the scene wouldn't be *g*.
Ok, I'll stop now don't want to derail the thread.}

[Deadmanwalking]

_{Is that actually allowed? I mean building the Scene/Individuals option into a rote. It seems to me that it contradicts the restriction that rotes "always manifest in exactly the same way" - Also, wouldn't you need to specify the Aspect? Like "Blinded by light" for individuals, or maybe "Bright as the Sun" for scenes. You'd have to chose one then, since rotes always place the "exact same aspect". Basically it would cancel out the individual/scene choice, since placing an Aspect like "Bright as the Sun" on a person would be little helpful. At least if blinding the target was the goal here. And "Blinded by Light" as a scene aspect... well, the scene would be blind... people in the scene wouldn't be *g*.
Ok, I'll stop now don't want to derail the thread.}

As I understand it, no. That's fine. A Rote is just an explicitly restricted type of spell, like a Fire Attack, or a Spirit Block. In this case it's a Seelie Magic Maneuver. Within that type you may make all the normal modifications you like (such as assigning any number of shifts to duration). You can't make an attack with a maneuver rote, is all that restriction is really saying.

I recall iago saying more or less precisely this somewhere, but I couldn't tell you where.

[Mal_Luck]

Superb (+5): Conviction
Great (+4): Discipline, Lore

Evocation (Earth, Fire, Air)

Specializations:
+2 Earth Power
+1 Earth Control

Rote Spells:

Geofulgur – Faraday channels a bolt of green lightning through his Sword Cane Blade or hilt and directs the destructive energy toward his enemies.
Type: Earth [lightning] Evocation, Attack
Power: 7 Shifts
Target: One target in line-of-sight, inflicting physical stress.
Duration: One action.
Opposed by: Target’s Athletics skill, magical blocks, or some other skill as determined in play.

Magne-Fortis – Using the Shield Cuff, Faraday creates a shield-like of magically enhanced magnetism in front of his wrist.
Type: Earth [Magnetism] Evocation, Block
Power: 7 Shifts
Duration: 2 rounds
Effect: Deflects incoming attacks with a +6 block that lasts for 2 rounds (If overcome, it vanishes.) or Armor:3 that lasts for 2 rounds.

Aestus – Faraday focuses his will into lance of Fire.
Type: Fire Evocation, Attack
Power: 4 Shifts
Target: One target in line-of-sight, inflicting physical stress.
Duration: One action.
Opposed by: Target’s Athletics skill, magical blocks, or some other skill as determined in play.

Terravora – The ground swallows up the target and crushes it.
Type: Earth Evocation, Attack
Power: 5 Shifts
Target: One target (touching the ground) in line-of-sight, inflicting physical stress.
Duration: One action.
Opposed by: Target’s Might

Focus Items:
Sword Cane Blade (+2 Offensive Control for Earth); The cane is covered with runes and lightning designs carved into it to enhance and control Earth Evocations. On the pommel of the sword (or head of the cane depending upon your perspective) is a small copper pentacle. The focus is just the blade and hilt (head of the cane); the scabbard is not required for the focus to be “whole.” Weapon:2 (Sword) or Weapon:2 (Baseball Bat)
Shield Cuff (+2 Defensive Control for Earth); Used only for Magne-Fortis spell; On his left wrist with runes of a shield with a compass symbol carved into it for enhancing and controlling defensive Earth energies for the Magne-Fortis spell.

[Papa Gruff]

As I understand the rules, rote blocks can either create a block OR an armor effect. During rote creation the player must deceit if he wants his rote to create a block or a armor, since rotes always create the same effect. A block/armor effect can always be created, even while using the same incantation but not as a rote and it must follow the normal evocation guidelines, namely a proper Discipline role.

I might be mistaken though. The rules of magical blocks vs. magical armor still confuse me. Perhaps it's because i feel that a flexible form of defense, especially though a rote spell seems a bit to powerful to me. I guess we will see after the first gaming session tomorrow ...

[Mal_Luck]

I assumed it was both, I may need to reread the updated .pdfs. But from the Enchanted Item Update, at least when they gave examples they could choose either or (and I thought by extension you could do the same with Rotes). What's your opinion/do you know the ruling on Shield Rotes, Deadman?

But then things like Morgan's Earth Stomp get complicated, that one can vary a lot depending on number of attacks and how much your willing to split the spell. That's what Geovora was based on, but it only effects one person for simplicities sake. All these Rotes were made pre-pdf update, so I might need to reread the section.

[Papa Gruff]

I really just don't know about defensive rotes ... I have nothing against an evocation that can either take the form of a block or the form of an armor. Their flexibility is what makes evocations so great after all. But a rote is something out of "muscle memory". It is a spell cast so often that the Wizard or Sorcerer can pretty much pull it of without thinking about it. Even the slightest modification to it and it stops falling under the rote rule and becomes a normal evocation. To me the difference between a block and an armor effect is not even minor. Its huge! -

For example: Fuego! as Harry rote spell only works as a rote spell if he directs the attack against one opponent. Whenever he pulls of an other fire attack he can't use the rote rules. When he casts Pyro Fuego! or a ring of Fire or whatever, he only gets the bonus the blasting rod provides but nothing out of the rotes ... different use ... different spell ... no rote is used, even while Harry uses a similar evocation.

Yet, as I have stated before, I might have understood something wrong and before we derail the thread even further I will search the forum for an answer...