How Would You Price This? Wizard Walkie-Talkie

[devonapple]

Distance communication is an issue with spellcasters. Some wizards have forged mental links with close associates (

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such as Harry and Elaine - I expect this is just them spending a Fate Point to Declare that their shared history allows them to do this otherwise completely unspecified rote spell

), while others have an item they can use (

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such as the one McCoy gave to Harry

).

If the spellcasters in a group all had a shared Aspect reflecting their teamwork, shared training, etc., I could simply ask them to spend a Fate Point to Declare that this Aspect allows them to communicate using their minds using an unspecified rote spell of some sort.

If we wanted to go the item route, though, here is what my thoughts are so far...

If we go with Thaumaturgy as solving a mundane problem with magic, I read that a Resources skill of +2 is enough to get a cell phone, which would generally do the job of keeping a team in communication, but for the risk of Hexing.

The question then is how to beef up this imaginary cell phone so it can be used casually by spellcasters? Sounds like using Thaumaturgy to solve an impossible problem. An imaginary, heavy-duty, EMP-shielded combat communication device would probably require a total Resources skill of +4.

I opt to establish that this type of ritual ability would probably have a base duration of a scene/half an hour - long enough for an important conversation or to keep a tactical team in contact during a quick infiltration mission.

So the Complexity is currently:
Thaumaturgic equivalent of a Cell Phone: +2
Thaumaturgic equivalent of boosting that Cell Phone to resist Hexing/etc. +2
Base duration of a scene/half an hour: +0
Each member of the communication network (Circle) requires one of a set of ritually associated elements (example, multiple teeth from the same creature), each of which will contain or incorporate ritually significant elements from each member of the Circle (hair, or something like that).

Total Lore requirement: +4 for a 1-use Enchanted item granting communication with any/all members of a particular Circle, all of whom must also have this item.

How does the community feel about this item? Too generous? Too strict?

[Drashna]

Personally, I'd say screw the item approach.  It's a simple ritual. Just requires something significant to the "destination", or otherwise symbolic.  4-5 shift seems appropriate. Call it a mild divination. Or some such.

[devonapple]

Personally, I'd say screw the item approach.  It's a simple ritual. Just requires something significant to the "destination", or otherwise symbolic.  4-5 shift seems appropriate. Call it a mild divination. Or some such.

So for a team of spellcasters, you'd imagine them sitting in a circle, casting these divination links as a web between them, each performing a separate but associated 4-5 shift ritual, generally for no Mental Stress cost?

[sinker]

It seems odd to me to have them create a Hex-proof cell phone. They are by nature getting around the issue of hexing by using their magic to communicate. If any other character were trying to fix the problem of "Communication with others in the group" they would simply go buy a walkie-talkie, no crazy extra hex shielding necessary. So it seems to me that our wizard is trying to solve the same problem using different means (Via the solve improbable or impossible problems bit) therefore he should have the same difficulty. It just seems like you're trying to solve the hexing problem twice. Once by having him use magic, then a second time by increasing the difficulty.

[devonapple]

It seems odd to me to have them create a Hex-proof cell phone. They are by nature getting around the issue of hexing by using their magic to communicate. If any other character were trying to fix the problem of "Communication with others in the group" they would simply go buy a walkie-talkie, no crazy extra hex shielding necessary. So it seems to me that our wizard is trying to solve the same problem using different means (Via the solve improbable or impossible problems bit) therefore he should have the same difficulty. It just seems like you're trying to solve the hexing problem twice. Once by having him use magic, then a second time by increasing the difficulty.

I can see how it would appear that I'm trying to solve the hexing problem twice, but I'm simply trying to estimate how much more valuable a hex-proof phone would be, and then use that as the base for the Complexity of such a ritual. Creating a metaphysical communication network shouldn't be just as easy as grabbing a cell phone, but hopefully it can be made easier than having a brace of 3-5 shielded cell phones on one's person at the same time.

[sinker]

I think the big issue I have is that were he not a wizard he wouldn't have to deal with the hex-proofing and could simply go get a phone. For that matter as a wizard he could still just go get a phone and deal with the compels. So in this way it kinda seems like you're compeling him (to deal with additional hassle because of his high concept) without giving him a fate point for it.

[devonapple]

I think the big issue I have is that were he not a wizard he wouldn't have to deal with the hex-proofing and could simply go get a phone. For that matter as a wizard he could still just go get a phone and deal with the compels. So in this way it kinda seems like you're compeling him (to deal with additional hassle because of his high concept) without giving him a fate point for it.

I suppose that is true, from a certain point of view (as true as Darth Vader betraying and killing Anikin Skywalker), but the intent is rather to give a fair option that won't unbalance the game and make the hexing a trivial matter.

Plus, if I simply compelled their phones away with with a Fate Point Compel of their High Concept, they might opt to spend a Fate Point to counter it. Then they'd have one less Fate Point than they started. That's not what I want to do.

Good rolls and/or good planning should go at least some way towards obviating the need for Fate Point usage, letting them keep their hard-earned chips for more important things.

So, no, this is by no means intended to be a cheap Compel. The players avoid phones anyway because they are voluntarily self-Compelling their High Concepts already.

[sinker]

I guess I was arguing more that the self-compel might deserve a fate point than that the whole situation deserves a compel, but I don't know. It just seems a little odd to me, but honestly I'm just being nit-picky (as is my nature). The idea of a 4 complexity ritual or item that would keep you in communication with the rest of the group for a half-hour seems perfectly fair to me.

[devonapple]

The idea of a 4 complexity ritual or item that would keep you in communication with the rest of the group for a half-hour seems perfectly fair to me.

And it could always be Counterspelled by the Big Bad! That seems very clearly worth a Fate Point compel of the spellcaster's High Concept.

[ducere1315]

Something missing in the discussion here. If you want walkie talkies then most of the discourse is fine... pull out the play doh and do the thaumaturgy to make yourself the short range secret service comm system.

However if you want to do the "cell phone route", you can get the cell phone for resources +2/+3, but you sure don't get the infrastructure to make them work for that. Towers, service plans, routing locations, transmitters, receivers, satellites... ad infinitum. I personally would not rate them as a cheap (3-5 shift) enchanted item/thaumaturgy/etc.

[devonapple]

Something missing in the discussion here. If you want walkie talkies then most of the discourse is fine... pull out the play doh and do the thaumaturgy to make yourself the short range secret service comm system.

Yes, walkie talkies are ultimately the goal - possibly boosted for greater range, but not intended to be cell phone-level (worldwide) range.

However if you want to do the "cell phone route", you can get the cell phone for resources +2/+3, but you sure don't get the infrastructure to make them work for that. Towers, service plans, routing locations, transmitters, receivers, satellites... ad infinitum. I personally would not rate them as a cheap (3-5 shift) enchanted item/thaumaturgy/etc.

You are correct about the great amount of infrastructure needed to support a cell phone. I was inclined to disregard that, in this case, because the Thaumaturgy option would have a direct sympathetic link to the recipients.

In the fiction, there is one item and one rote spell which do not have any regard for distance.