Enchanted Items: What (exactly) is a use?

[AlanDNelson]

With an single enchanted item slot... a spellcaster with a Lore of 4 can create a single use item that bestows a Block: 4 or Armor:2 effect.

My understanding is that the advantage of armor vs. block is once a block is penetrated... the effect ends.

If a "use" is considered one defended attack... then I can't see how armor would ever be better than a block.

If a "use" is considered one scene... then that makes more sense.  (i.e. either I have Armor:2 the WHOLE scene... or a Block:4 for the whole scene... or until it is breached)

How does this work?

[Mr. Death]

One casting without extra duration is good for a round. With armor, it's the full round; with a block, it's a full round or until something breaks it.

[AlanDNelson]

Ah... I think I get it.  It STILL seems like in most cases... the block would be better... but I can now at least conceive of rare circumstances where Armor would be better.  (Outnumbered 3:1 or more, for example )

[Mr. Death]

Mostly it depends on your other defenses--a blocking item is a lot less useful if you're already dodging from 4 or 5, for instance, while it's crucial if your defense score is otherwise 1 or 2.

So the question that needs asking is do you need to enhance your defense roll, or replace it? (Or do what one of my players does, and construct a 6-shift block alongside an Armor:2 item to compensate for the character's Average Athletics score).

Also, this sort of question should go in the main DFRPG section, not the Resource Collection.

[Vargo Teras]

When using a block, you can set the spell up for one round at power X, and then extend it for X additional rounds with another evocation at power X. Can you do the same thing with an item? If so, that tips things a lot towards Armor (also, that Armor stacks with an Athletics-based defense), since someone could potentially put up Armor:3 and then extend it to last another 6 turns.

[Deadmanwalking]

You can't mess with what an item does (ie: put up Armor 3 then extend it with another use), it's results are uniform and always exactly the same (well, barring the choice of block or armor)...though I guess you could make an Enchanted Item that just extended other Enchanted Items for X rounds...that'd cost an action, though.

Alternately, you could make an item with built in duration (a 4 shift block or Armor 2 for three rounds instead of a 6 shift block or Armor 3, for example).

[Taran]

Stacking them is nice.  Having a block 4 AND an armour 2 item go up in the same exchange is nice against a big attack.

[Deadmanwalking]

Stacking them is nice.  Having a block 4 AND an armour 2 item go up in the same exchange is nice against a big attack.

You can do this with one item and two uses, if you like, just FYI.

[Sanctaphrax]

You can do this with one item and two uses, if you like, just FYI.

That's not universally agreed...it relies on a debatable reading of the book.

[Deadmanwalking]

That's not universally agreed...it relies on a debatable reading of the book.

And the authors saying as much, if I recall correctly (I know you don't care, but others might).