Mental Toughness question

[Nominal]

Does the armor provided by Mental Toughness reduce the amount of stress taken when casting the spell, to a minimum of 1?

[moireth]

No, you're choosing to self-inflict stress upon yourself. You aren't the victim of a mental attack.

[Nominal]

Cool, thx for the info.

[moireth]

No problem.

[Dougansf]

The power allows you to reduce casting strain.  It's why advanced casters can go longer with greater spells.

It's also why older wizards are hard to affect with mind magic, as mentioned in Turn Coat.

[moireth]

I thought self inflicted stress ignored armor?

[wyvern]

My personal ruling would be that the armor doesn't reduce casting stress, but the extra stress boxes are usable.  ...Which is kinda annoying, since my ruling for physical toughness / recovery powers is that self-inflicted stress from casting always counts as the catch and neither armor nor stress boxes would apply.  But since the mental toughness powers are explicitly supposed to represent better spellcasting, the stress boxes at least have to usable.

[Dougansf]

I thought self inflicted stress ignored armor?

That was certainly the ruling for the Conviction stunt that gave armor vs mental attacks.  But this Power description seems to allow it.  Especially considering the prerequisite powers.

[Theogony_IX]

The power states that you have Armor:1 versus all mental attacks.  Taking mental stress from spellcasting is not an attack, so the armor would not apply.

[coboney]

My view is the armor is meant to represent the fact that inverse older wizards are harder to influence with mind magic.

The stress boxes make you better at dishing it out longer (as does presumably improved skills)

[moireth]

I understand  that but RAW says armor 1 against mental ATTACKS, choosing to cast a spell is not a mental attack.
The older wizards also have specializations and focus items that help them draw more power before tiring out.

[dragoonbuster]

My view is the armor is meant to represent the fact that inverse older wizards are harder to influence with mind magic.

This. The armor protects against outside forces, not yourself.

[potestas]

This. The armor protects against outside forces, not yourself.

i generally let all the healing and toughness abilities you pay for work on all stress, even self induced. You pay for it it represents an advantage you should be able to use for whatever.