Character idea-how it would work

[Howl]

I have an idea for a Druid type character. A spellcaster type character that uses elemental magics and can shapeshift. I would basically give him Wizard abilities but the problem is the shapeshifting. If you are a Wizard you don't really have enough refresh left to buy Beast Change and similar abilities. I know it can be done with Thaumaturgy but that takes time, so you can't really do if you are being attacked already.

So, I was thinking of giving him Sponsored Magic, Like Druidic Magic[-2] which brings the wizard to exactly -9 refresh and he is still playable. The sponsored magic would allow him to cast Biomancy spells at Evocations speed and perhaps give him some bonus to complexity and control of Biomancy. I haven't figured it out yet exactly. What I am wondering how would you model the Biomancy spell that allows the character to shapeshift? How many shifts would it require for him to shapeshift in one Exchange, like casting an Evocation spell??
I would even put it down as one of his rotes if possible.

When he shapeshifted I thought about "replacing" Evocation and Thaumaturgy with special abilities. For instance, I say that my character can't use magic when he is in animal form, so Evocation and Thaumaturgy are basically useless. So, when he shapeshifts he can choose up to -6 refresh of abilities for his new form to "replace" Evocation[-3] and Thaumaturgy[-3].

Would this work?

[The Mighty Buzzard]

Just drop Thaumaturgy and let the sponsored magic take care of any appropriately themed thaumaturgic spells but no others.  That makes it a -3 power  unless they also take Thaumaturgy.  Should cover what you want nicely and cost -7, the same as a wizard.

[Masurao]

If I recall an earlier post about this correctly, you pay Fate Points for special abilities with such a shapeshifting ritual. Each point of Refresh worth of powers/stunts you want to use costs one FP. Which makes it much more challenging to change into something with powers, rather than into a large animal. I do believe you can swap skills as with Beast Change.

As for the number of shifts in the spell... I haven't the foggiest! :p

[Howl]

Good point, I could drop Thaumaturgy and just take the Sponsored Magic. That would also give me a few more fate points I can use. Which I can then use to get powers like Masurao said. Thank's to the both of you.

Now if only I could figure out how many shifts would be needed in that spell

[gojj]

I'd drop Evocation and Thaumaturgy for Sponsored Magic. Using Seelie as a template you could have something like: -9: Druidic Magic: Harnesses the power of the elements and nature. Earth, Water, Air, Wildness. Can shapeshift into 3-5 different animals with 4 refresh worth of abilities.

Breakdown of how I got -9:
Started with Seelie: 5 "catagories", quick Biomancy, downgrades Winter Court Toughness: -4
Dropped one catagory, quick biomancy, and downgraded toughness for 2 refresh: -2
Added Modular abilities and 4 refresh worth of abilities: -8
Added a modified True Shapeshifting. Can only pick 3-5 different things and they have to be animals: -10
Added Human Form: -9
Still have four focus items for Sponsered Magic.

I'd like other input for the cost of this power, I think it works but it's difficult to cram shapeshifting and magic powers into one character. Or maybe he takes only parts and works his way up from there. Like start with a -6 power, but only gets one element, Wildness, 2 different animals, and 2 points worth of Modular abilities. This lets you still take stunts, or maybe Marked by Power, and you can increase your Druidic powers as you get more refresh. You may also want a version of The Sight that allows you to see elemental spirits. I really like this character idea, it sacrifices some raw power for tons of versatility and can fit in with any group as it can fill in many rolls (though not as well as someone dedicated to the role): tank, mage, stealthy investigator, tracker, etc.

On a side note you can't "replace" powers when you've changed, the closest you get is the +1 refresh from Human Form.

[Howl]

Interesting idea and good point that replacing powers isn't possible
I also like the character because of the versatility, you can really do a lot of things with this type of character.

[Sanctaphrax]

Um...gojj?

I'm pretty sure that that's horribly broken.

The modifications that you've made to Seelie Magic and True Shapeshifting do not justify those cost reductions at all.

Anyway, I have a custom power that might well be Howl's friend. Wait a minute, I'll post it here.

[Sanctaphrax]

MAGICAL SELF-ENHANCEMENT [+varies]
Description: Many supernatural abilities can be mimicked through an application of spellcasting. But that requires specialization, of the sort that this power represents.
Musts: A character must possess the Evocation power in order to use this one. Other powers to link this power to are also required.
Skills Affected: Conviction, Discipline, Lore
Effects:
Limited Powers. When you take this power, you must select at least one other supernatural power that you possess. Which powers may be selected with this power is a matter of the GM's discretion. The selected powers are disabled, and the character gets a rebate equal to one-third of the powers' total cost.
Magical Self-Enhancement. This power allows the user to grant themselves access to the selected powers through evocation. Such evocations may be of any element that makes sense, and they may be offensive or defensive. The power required of an evocation that grants powers is equal to the refresh cost of the granted powers plus the intended duration. The user may extend this effect using the normal rules for the extension of evocation, and they may choose to grant themselves only a few of the selected powers. This also allows them to grant lesser versions of the selected powers. For example, a character who had selected Supernatural Strength and Inhuman Speed with this power may grant themselves Inhuman Strength for 5 exchanges with a 7-shift evocation.

[gojj]

While I'll concede that my idea needs some work, I wouldn't call it "horribly broken".

To get the same effect that I put into one power you would need to take:
-3: Evocation
-2: Ritual
-2 to 3: (probably 3 the more I think about it): modified True Shape shifting
-6: Modular ability w/ 4 points
+1: Human Form
Total:-13

Way more than the -9 I said, so to fix this I propose breaking down the power into it's individual parts, allowing the Druid to upgrade it in the way he/she wants to:

-6: Druidic Magic
Pick 1 evocation magic (Earth, Water, or Air)
Comes with the Wildness Thaumaturgy type
Can shapeshift into one animal with a 2 point modular ability pool
Comes with two focus item slots
-1: Take an additional Evocation type
-1: Take an additional animal form (Not sure about this one)
-[varies]: Add X points into modular ability pool

This would allow for a Druid to focus on being a mage (using the extra refresh to buy Refinements), a stronger beast (buying more modular ability points), or have a few different skill set-ups (buying more animal forms).

The new breakdown:
-2:Channeling
-2: Ritual
-4: Modular Ability (2 point pool)
-1: Beast Change
+1: Human form
+1: Took away two of the given focus items
Total:-7, I then took away one more point due to the fact that Sponsored Magic is cheaper than the sum of it's parts

Adding one refresh for an additional animal form may still be too cheap, but I think two refresh is too much as for merely one more you can simply take True Shapeshifting. I don't think that True Shapeshifting fits the Druid idea too well, wouldn't make much sense for him to turn into a stapler. So another option would be, instead of charging one refresh per form, simply charging 2 refresh for several animals, but not a nearly indefinite number like True Shapeshifting.

[Sanctaphrax]

That 2-refresh version of Summer Magic set off a lot of alarm bells in my head.

I don't see why you need Modular Abilities with only one beast form.

Removing focus items for a rebate is a little sketchy. Picture this:

Take Evocation.
Reduce cost by 1 by forgoing foci.
Buy specializations with a point of Refinement.

Also, I don't know about making it cheaper because Sponsored Magic is cheaper than the sum of its parts. It seems off.

[gojj]

I'm definitely not going to pretend to be experienced in building powers so I'm struggling getting the numbers to add up but I just thought it would be cool for the Druid to get a custom sponsored magic that allowed him to do "druidy" things without wasting Refresh. My idea for Modular Abilities was for added versatility, since Modular Abilities has the "Form follow function" aspect to it. You could take a cougar as your form, but depending on your situation you may want different things. Maybe you need a slim and sleek cougar for chasing down a baddie, or a tough and tone cougar for taking damage. With only a two point pool to start with I admit that your shapeshifting will be weak to start, but as you advance and gain more refresh and add it to Modular Abilities you become both stronger and more versatile.

And as for making it cheaper just take a look at Seelie. You could argue it is a combination of Channeling: Fire and an offshoot of Thaumaturgy, which would total to -5, plus you get Evocation speed biomancy and downgrade Winter Court Toughness powers, but the power only costs four refresh.

I'm not trying to nit pick or argue and I understand if there just isn't a way to combine Channeling, Ritual, and Shapeshifting into a single power without breaking the Refresh bank, I just liked the idea of the potential versatility it offered; jack of all trades but master of none. Just out of curiosity do you have an idea of making this work, or do you think it just can't happen.

[UmbraLux]

...magic that allowed him to do "druidy" things without wasting Refresh.

Why not just put seven refresh in Modular Abilities?  That will give you five points to move between True Shapeshifting and possibly Flight when you're shapechanging and five points of spell casting when you're not.

[gojj]

Why not just put seven refresh in Modular Abilities?  That will give you five points to move between True Shapeshifting and possibly Flight when you're shapechanging and five points of spell casting when you're not.

You can't use Form Points for spellcasting, just "Creature Features (page 162), certain Minor Abilities (page 169), Speed (page 178), Strength (page 183), and Toughness (page 184)" (YS 177).

[UmbraLux]

Expanding what you can do with Modular Abilities makes at least as much sense as creating custom powers...and it's easier. 

[gojj]

Ya, true that. Actually that's a lot easier than what I was trying to do, good thought.