Focus Items

[Cripple X]

Hey,

A tiny bit confused on focus items here.  On page YS256 it says that using a focus item will give you at least a +1 bonus either to Conviction (making it safer to summon one more shift of power) or Discipline(making it easier to control the spell). However on page YS278 it seems to divide this up into four categories: this bonus may be applied to either the wizard’s offensive power (Conviction) or offensive control (Discipline) or defensive power (Conviction) or defensive control (Discipline). Which is correct?  Should a focus item provide bonuses to Conviction (both offensive and defensive) or to Discipline (offensive and defensive) or should it instead apply to one of the four categories on page 278, namely offensive power, offensive control, defensive power, defensive control?  Thanks a ton.

[iago]

A tiny bit confused on focus items here.  On page YS256 it says that using a focus item will give you at least a +1 bonus either to Conviction (making it safer to summon one more shift of power) or Discipline(making it easier to control the spell). However on page YS278 it seems to divide this up into four categories: this bonus may be applied to either the wizard’s offensive power (Conviction) or offensive control (Discipline) or defensive power (Conviction) or defensive control (Discipline). Which is correct?  Should a focus item provide bonuses to Conviction (both offensive and defensive) or to Discipline (offensive and defensive) or should it instead apply to one of the four categories on page 278, namely offensive power, offensive control, defensive power, defensive control?  Thanks a ton.

YS256 is stating a generalized, shortened version of what YS278 gets into the details of. YS278 is correct. I'll review YS256 and see what I can do to make that less confusing.

The intent is that neither is technically incorrect; offensive power is a Conviction bonus, offensive control is a Discipline bonus, etc, the circumstances of when you get that bonus just happen to be described specifically.

[Ink Slinger]

So the focus doesn't add the bonus to both offensive and defensive?  My question is specific to control.  I'm confused as to why a focus item like a blasting rod wouldn't aid in control of both offensive and defensive magic.   

[Archmage_Cowl]

The way i understand it is it can do both but it costs more slots.
for example i could have a focus like harry's blasting rod that give a +1 offensive fire control. That focus item takes one slot and gives me a bonus on any roll to control offensive fire magic. Or you could have a focus that gives +1 defensive fire control. That would cost one slot and give you bonus's on controlling fire for defensive purposes. But you could have a focus that gave +1 fire control. That focus would take up two slots because it gives the bonus to both offensive and defensive control.
If that doesnt make any sense just tell me and ill try to explain it a little better.

[iago]

So the focus doesn't add the bonus to both offensive and defensive?  My question is specific to control.  I'm confused as to why a focus item like a blasting rod wouldn't aid in control of both offensive and defensive magic.   

Have you ever seen Harry throw up a shield using his blasting rod instead of his bracelet?

[Ink Slinger]

Well no I have not, however a shield isn't the only defensive magic I can conceive. 

Let's say a character has something less narrowly defined, like a wand.  Unless I'm thinking about a focus wrong, it's intended purpose is to aid in the focusing of said magic.  Could it not then be used for both offense and defense?

[Archmage_Cowl]

from what ive seen yes it could. But it has to pick one or the other for one slot.

[Cripple X]

YS256 is stating a generalized, shortened version of what YS278 gets into the details of. YS278 is correct. I'll review YS256 and see what I can do to make that less confusing.

The intent is that neither is technically incorrect; offensive power is a Conviction bonus, offensive control is a Discipline bonus, etc, the circumstances of when you get that bonus just happen to be described specifically.

That's what I assumed, but I wanted to check.  It was a little ambiguous to me.  Thanks for such a timely response thread.

[iago]

Well no I have not, however a shield isn't the only defensive magic I can conceive. 

Let's say a character has something less narrowly defined, like a wand.  Unless I'm thinking about a focus wrong, it's intended purpose is to aid in the focusing of said magic.  Could it not then be used for both offense and defense?

That less narrowly defined item likely uses multiple focus item slots and therefore contains multiple bonuses on it, both offense bonuses and defense bonuses. As someone already noted up top, this is possible -- it just takes multiple slots.

[iago]

That's what I assumed, but I wanted to check.  It was a little ambiguous to me.  Thanks for such a timely response thread.

I doublechecked the earlier paragraph; it does reference forward to the crafting section, but not with enough direction, i.e., it doesn't say "to learn more about the types of bonuses..." or something similar as a lead-in. That is fixed.

[Ink Slinger]

That less narrowly defined item likely uses multiple focus item slots and therefore contains multiple bonuses on it, both offense bonuses and defense bonuses. As someone already noted up top, this is possible -- it just takes multiple slots.

Thank you, that makes sense and that's what I wanted to be sure of.