Question about Protection Items (Evocation Blocks with multiple attackers)

[bitterpill]

You have a ring with 5 shifts of veil for five turns and walk out of there. In many ways a crafting specialist has more options than a Focused Practitioner as he has access to all the elements.

[BumblingBear]

You have a ring with 5 shifts of veil for five turns and walk out of there. In many ways a crafting specialist has more options than a Focused Practitioner as he has access to all the elements.

Touche.

Ok.  I've got nothin'

[sinker]

You know, one of the things that DFRPG has reminded me is that this character concept is not "broken." The GM is not the adversary and is not trying to ruin what you have built. If you come to this concept knowing what it is and so does everyone at the table then it would be fine to use and it shouldn't be the GM's goal to strip you of your items. In fact the GM should be presenting you with opportunities to shine (although not just you).

Now if everyone at the table wants to play something else (like a pure mortal game or a low refresh game) then maybe you should reconsider using something like this, but as long as everyone knows what you're doing and is ok with it then there's no reason you couldn't have a decent game with this.

[BumblingBear]

You know, one of the things that DFRPG has reminded me is that this character concept is not "broken." The GM is not the adversary and is not trying to ruin what you have built. If you come to this concept knowing what it is and so does everyone at the table then it would be fine to use and it shouldn't be the GM's goal to strip you of your items. In fact the GM should be presenting you with opportunities to shine (although not just you).

Now if everyone at the table wants to play something else (like a pure mortal game or a low refresh game) then maybe you should reconsider using something like this, but as long as everyone knows what you're doing and is ok with it then there's no reason you couldn't have a decent game with this.

I agree.

Even a character with all those doodads will have a hard time against some of the creatures in "our world".

[bibliophile20]

I believe the phrase you're looking for is "There's Always A Bigger Fish."

[Kommisar]

And, as I pointed out, all of those items have a lot of mojo-juice stored up in them.  He is (in many cases literally) a glowing neon sign saying "Magical Vending Machine".  I didn't do the full math myself, but he would be walking around with, what?  Seventy some-odd shifts of magical energy jingling on his person?  He's going to need all those attacks and defenses as, in my mind, he would be the first and primary target for any supernatural baddie the group runs up against.

Yes, I agree, that it is not the GMs purpose to counter or be the opponent of the players.  But, I am a big proponent of the concept that there are always consequences for a players choices and actions.  In this case, he min-maxed out his crafting and use of magic items.  Consequence is that he will be getting a lot of attention.  Very little of it good.  Heck, in my mind, if he is always carrying around that much mojo he would be a literal magnet for all sorts of things.  Wouldn't even have to be all scary-nightmare stuff either.  Just think of the number of Fae he would draw to him!  Little wyld fae always trying to steal his lucky charms!

[bitterpill]

Your absolutly right but your working on 700 shifts rather than 70.

[Sanctaphrax]

If you want to challenge a crafter, remember that while he can match an evoker's damage output he can't match his accuracy. An enemy with Superb Athletics, Supernatural Speed, and an applicable stunt is very hard for a crafter to hit. He'll probably either have to spend his fate points or rely on maneuvers, while an equivalent Evoker could just one-shot the thing.

[Drachasor]

If you want to challenge a crafter, remember that while he can match an evoker's damage output he can't match his accuracy. An enemy with Superb Athletics, Supernatural Speed, and an applicable stunt is very hard for a crafter to hit. He'll probably either have to spend his fate points or rely on maneuvers, while an equivalent Evoker could just one-shot the thing.

Not necessarily true.  You could make an enchanted item that lets you use a weapon at skill level 10 or something.

[Sanctaphrax]

Maybe. Maybe not. That's a GM call.

An item can do anything that a spell can do, and spells can often replace skill rolls. But often isn't the same as always, and in any case the GM has to accept your justification. And even if the GM does accept your justification, he can rule that you need to use an action to activate said item.

As I see it, it shouldn't be all that hard to keep crafting under control.

[sinker]

In the RAW spells can very rarely replace a skill roll. In fact there's only one instance of that and it's actually just a creative use of a block. In the variations section of the Hyperawareness spell it suggests that you could replace your awareness skill roll with the block, but it seems like that's really an example of blocking someone else's ability to get the drop on you (sort-of).

[Drachasor]

In the RAW spells can very rarely replace a skill roll. In fact there's only one instance of that and it's actually just a creative use of a block. In the variations section of the Hyperawareness spell it suggests that you could replace your awareness skill roll with the block, but it seems like that's really an example of blocking someone else's ability to get the drop on you (sort-of).

Thamauturgy can replace skill rolls.  That's one of the uses of it, such as using a thaumaturgical spell to help track something.  I don't see why an enchantment that gives you excellent aim, wouldn't do the same thing.  But, hey, if you have a problem with that, then a magical item that grants multiple aspects will do in a pinch.  That's actually probably a better way to go.  You can get a skill 10 on something for complexity 10, or get two aspects placed on you "deadly aim" and "expert marksman" that can each be tagged 3 times.

Edit:  I realize you'd want to have a duration beyond one exchange with such maneuvers, so you'd probably want it taggable twice and lasting 2 exchanges instead of taggable thrice.