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Evocation questions

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crusher_bob:
Are counterspells associated with any element?  Or are they just a straight Conviction/Discipline roll?  Or are they associated with spirit, since that seems to be the element for 'raw' magic use?  Or can you counter with whatever element you happen to be specialized in?

Next, what can the other elements do that spirit can't?  If you put your evocation specializations in spirit, you get your basic attacks and defense with force effects, you can do various force based maneuvers to do things like knock people down, bind them up in bands of force, blind them with light (or darkness), and so on more of less anything you would seem to want.  In addition though, you get the ability to veil things (and maybe have more powerful counterspells too).

So if I specialize in air instead, a lot of my combat options can look exactly the same, but I can't veil things with air...  So what stuff are the other elements capable of that a spirit specialist isn't?  Since veils are essentially stealth, should the rest of the elements have an associated skill, that they can be used for?
something like
air -> athletics, alertness (or investigation?)
earth -> might, endurance
fire -> empathy, intimidation
water -> craftsmanship, deceit
Spirit -> stealth, performance

So, for example, if I want to disguise something, I need to do it with water magic and if I want to find something I do it with air, and so on.

crusher_bob:
Next, how to the bonuses granted from focus items apply to maneuver spells and 'offensive blocks'?  What about counterspells?

Does it work like this:
I want to cast a maneuver spell that'll apply the blinded to someone.  As this is an offensive maneuver, I get the offensive bonuses from foci.
I want to cast a maneuver that'll apply too fast for the eye to see on myself.  This uses defensive foci bonuses.
What about if I want to apply a beneficial aspect to one of my friends with a maneuver?  Is that an offense or defense? or neither?

Blocks:
I want to bind up the bad guy, so apply a block to his movement; offensive?
I want to make a wall of fire (create a barrier between zones); defensive?

What about the 'block' against magic that Ebenezar was supposed to be doing to Mavra in, erm, Blood Rites?  Is this possible in the game rules?  If so, how does it work, and why isn't it an "I win" button against other wizards?

Wyrdrune:
from the top of my head, as I am quite busy at the moment, but here are some quick answers:

no, I think, counterspells are not tied to any element, it is more an unweaving of magical energies.

well, the other elements can do a lot, what spirit can't...
spirit cannot set a building on fire. (some times this may be done by intention :) )
spirit does not have any magnetics (earth) or lightning (air) effects.
spirit cannot conjure a quick mist, but water can.
spirit cannot conjure a slippery sheet of ice on the ground, but water or fire (if you see it as control of temperature) should be able.
spirit may not allow you to jump a few stories high, but an air evocation might make that possible.

it all depends on your imagination what the elements stand for. "your story" gives a few pointers to that. but if you just want to basically clobber people and defend with force shields, spirit is just right.

I think offensive boni only apply to attacks and defensive boni apply only to blocks and armor, but I can be mistaken.

as with characters as strong as ebenezar I would be very cautious as they might bend the rules a lot, and this may be more of a 'plot power'.

crusher_bob:
But if counterspells aren't affiliated with any element, you can't get any better at them with refinement...  And I'd assume that they are supposed to be something you can get better at doing.

luminos:
Just pick an element that makes sense, like you do with all evocation effects.  You can go the route of cleansing fire, or running water that grounds out magic, or pure spirit that counteracts the source of the magic, or whatever else you can think of to justify using the element as a counter-spell.

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