Hello all!
Welcome.
I do have a few questions though that I was wondering if anyone could answer.
1) For Worldwalking, YS283 stats that "Opening the way is a simple action against the target strength - it must meet or exceed the strength in order to open up." What kind of skill or power would a wizard, or any character capable, need to use? Would it be a Discipline check? Would it use magic power and cause Stress, like casting an evocation spell?
I think with Worldwalking it might be a Lore check, as anything with Worldwalking has to do with Lore. But that wouldn't be a spell. For anyone else, I could see making the roll depend on the location. That would explain why some creatures can cross at some places and not others.
For a wizard, it would always be a spell (unless he has the worldwalking power). It would basically be a "simple task" ritual to cross over against the difficulty of the place.
2) For supernatural characters, say a Sidhe of the Summer Court, if he were to cast spells using his Seelie Magic power, does that cause Stress? Or is it only mortal practitioners of mortal magic that gain Stress from spellcasting?
Yes. Spellcasting powers always cost at least 1 point of stress when used for evocations. Thaumaturgy can but doesn't have to cost stress. Keep in mind though, that a lot of Sidhe probably have glamors or even greater glamors, which doesn't cost any stress. A lot of the magic they do can easily just be glamors, and those are as real as anything when cast by a Sidhe. Of course they can have something like breath weapon or toughness powers which represent some of their
3) For a mortal character, would using Sponsored Magic like Seelie Magic cause Stress when he casts a spell? My character in the game is an Emissary of Power (Summer's Favorite College Boy) who has access to Seelie Magic. I've been operating under the fact that Stress is gained just like using regular mortal magic, but I wanted to check to make sure that was correct.
Yes, just like above. Using magic like that always costs stress.
However, sponsored magic has a few tricks up its sleeves. Namely "sponsor debt". With that, you can ask your sponsor for some additional benefits. When it comes to spellcasting, that can be a number of things. Are you a few shifts short? Take sponsor debt. Need to take more casting stress than you can handle? Sponsor debt. Want to increase the power of a spell? Sponsor debt.
It basically works like a fate point. You pre-accept a compel by your sponsor to make you do something and in exchange you get the equivalent of a fate point to work with. That means +2 to your roll, a reroll, your sponsor takes 2 shifts of stress off the casting stress, and so on. If you need more, you can ask for more, but keep in mind that for every point of sponsor debt you have, your sponsor can make you do something she wants.
That could be as simple as dictating a single action your character takes, making a decision for him or even sending him on a full blown mission. Anything that would make sense for the sponsor to want him to do. That doesn't even necessarily have to be a conscious order, but also just the nature of the beast. For example when Summer/Winter makes you act in their ways.
You can also use sponsor debt in other ways, if the GM is willing. For example, instead of spending a Fate point to declare a fact, you could take sponsor debt and do that. In that case, the fact you want to create is probably going to be colored by your sponsor. So if you want a getaway car and invoke Winter, you might get Lea coming around with a job for you to do.
Thanks everyone for the help! I've really been enjoying DFRPG and FATE and I'm really excited for my chance to run the one-shot this Friday for the group I'm part of.
Hope I could help. If you have additional questions, feel free to ask.
