Limits of Evocation?

[Troy]

I have had similar questions and I think that the thread I started on this sort of thing garnered a lot of insight and constructive responses. Here it is:

Purview of Evocation

I think the bottom line is, regardless of your element or sphere of expertise (in this case, biomancy) ... quick and dirty attacks, blocks, and maneuvers are Evocation. Channeling/Evocation are magical guns; they are also probably magical bulldozers, too -- and little more than that. For everything else, you'll need Ritual/Thaumaturgy.

[cold_breaker]

I have had similar questions and I think that the thread I started on this sort of thing garnered a lot of insight and constructive responses. Here it is:

Purview of Evocation

I think the bottom line is, regardless of your element or sphere of expertise (in this case, biomancy) ... quick and dirty attacks, blocks, and maneuvers are Evocation. Channeling/Evocation are magical guns; they are also probably magical bulldozers, too -- and little more than that. For everything else, you'll need Ritual/Thaumaturgy.

I don't think that's in question here. He's asking where to draw the line fluff wise. Are his evocations too fine to be evocations.

I will make one other comment in regards to biomancy: make sure that they have a stated weakness speciality wise. Perhaps she's good with healing aspects of magic, but terrible with the brute force aspects. Or perhaps she's bad with distance and good when she can get up close and personal with a problem. When your balancing out magic, you want the character to have things shes good at, and things she's not good at.

[Haru]

I will make one other comment in regards to biomancy: make sure that they have a stated weakness speciality wise. Perhaps she's good with healing aspects of magic, but terrible with the brute force aspects. Or perhaps she's bad with distance and good when she can get up close and personal with a problem. When your balancing out magic, you want the character to have things shes good at, and things she's not good at.

That's basically what the book suggests anyway. YS179 (Blind Spots) talks about how a wizard should have an aspect that frames his use of magic. Usually, that's related to his personality.

[Dr.FunLove]

Agreed. Defintely something that should be watched by the GM. If a player is working their character like they can do everything in a field, they should call them on it. Now, one of my Golden Rules is It's Magic! but not everyone has to be good at every application (like YS179 mentions).

[Tedronai]

Remember, though, that those 'Blind Spots' should typically be represented with Compels, even (perhaps especially) if they're self-imposed and self-policed.

[Haru]

In moderation though, I think. If you create a character with a "subtle magic" aspect and every time something happens, the players first instinct is to blow things up, I would rather change the aspect at some point than grant him a fate point every time.

[Tedronai]

If blowing things up might plausibly be (or seem to be) the 'right choice' for that situation, then they deserve the Compel.
If they're simply frustrated while trying to open a jar of jam, and want to blow THAT up, then yeah, the aspect is probably inappropriate.

[Stirge]

Channeling (Biomancy) seems like a legitimate choice to me, the elements presented in the book are simply the Classic Elements that most North American/Western European wizards use.  Some Asian Wizards (like Ancient Mai) most likely consider Wood and Metal to be separate elements.  There might not even be a need to upgrade to Evocation if this fits all the character wants to do.

Those effects seem just fine to me, they're really just all descriptors :-).  Some of the character's spells will probably be Discipline vs. Endurance instead of Athletics like most physical evocations. 

I have a Blood Sorcerer BBEG in my game who uses Biomancy.  They might not fit your player's character, but here's some of her Rote spells:

'Thousand Cuts’ Type: Biomancy Maneuver / Power (6+): ‘Bloodied’ sticky Aspect
   Control: Endurance (+3) or higher avoids / Target: All targets seen in 1 zone
   Duration: One Action / Opposed By: Target’s Endurance skill, magical blocks

‘Exsanguinate’ Type: Biomancy Evocation / Power (6+): 6 Shifts (+1 if ‘Bloodied’) [Because of her Blood Drinker power]
   Control: Discipline to Attack / Target: Target in sight
   Duration: One action / Opposed By: Target’s Endurance skill, magical blocks
   Notes: Caster can use this to fulfill their Blood Drinker ‘Taste of Death’ ability if they kill their target.
- Meant to be a 1 -> 2 Combo with the first spell.

‘Immortality’ Type: Biomancy Block / Power (9): Block Strength 7
   Control: N/A (Tag + Incurs 1 Debt) / Target: Self / Duration: 3 Exchanges
- With this rote active, anytime the caster is hit their body mends the wound immediately - unless the attack is greater than 7.

[Taran]

‘Immortality’ Type: Biomancy Block / Power (9): Block Strength 7
   Control: N/A (Tag + Incurs 1 Debt) / Target: Self / Duration: 3 Exchanges
- With this rote active, anytime the caster is hit their body mends the wound immediately - unless the attack is greater than 7.

I love this one.  A neat twist on a simple block.

[blackstaff67]

That's basically what the book suggests anyway. YS179 (Blind Spots) talks about how a wizard should have an aspect that frames his use of magic. Usually, that's related to his personality.

Is a wizard that's positively incompetent at Summoning or Binding a legitimate blind spot?  I can picture a guy that's okay with Banishing an entity or even Binding it, but thinks Summoning anything at all puts his soul at peril and therefore wouldn't even try to be good at it, much less perform it.

[Vairelome]

Is a wizard that's positively incompetent at Summoning or Binding a legitimate blind spot?  I can picture a guy that's okay with Banishing an entity or even Binding it, but thinks Summoning anything at all puts his soul at peril and therefore wouldn't even try to be good at it, much less perform it.

Sure, why not?  If your wizard wants to get FPs from having that blind spot Compelled, though, he needs a narrative reason for his blind spot to show up periodically.  A blind spot that's never exploited by the plot is something of a wasted opportunity in FATE terms.