The Dresden Files > DF Reference Collection
[GS Spoilers] Harry's Power Ups
Serack:
Ok I wrote up a reply to all the suggestions, but now I'm rewriting it in a different structure.
I am going to catagorize most of these suggestions and reply to the categories.
Necromancy
I spent some time thinking about this. I almost feel like he may have had necromantic forays when he imbeued the spirits to attack Bianca in GP, but the definition of Necromantic magic might include enslavement to the casters will, whereas he just gave those spirits power and set them about their own way. With all these grey lines clouding the necromantic power question, I came to the conclusion that the reading of the Word was something concrete that I could list as a "Power Up." Short term, he used the info to disrupt Cowl's ascension, and long term he has used that knowledge as a threat or barganing tatic against 2 other powerful beings. I'm letting that one entry also (imperfectly) represent any other necromantic strength he may have gained, because lets face it: anything he might have been able to do before must have been seriously augmented by what he learned there.
Allies (and the swords)
This is a tough one. I'd rather not make this into a list crouded with every person and being that has influenced Harry in a remotely positive manor. That said, there are plenty of instances where Harry is stronger because of an association, and some of those are so significant that I think they are the equivalent of eating a magic power up mushroom, and that the loss of which should be accompanied by the sound effect you get when big mario runs into a goomba and shrinks.
So things I think about when I consider adding an ally (or marker) are... What is this person/being's own "power" level? How strong is the bond? Has emphasis been placed on the alliance in the narration or by other characters (the little people!!!)? In the case of some, this is also complicated by the fact that the relationships and the allies themselves are growing throughout the series, so when would I point to the alliance as becoming a significant power up?
In the case of adding (and detracting) the Knights/swords, this is complicated by the custodianships to the point that I don't even really want to go into those any farther than I already have.
Enchanted Items
This is similar to the allies in that it can get crouded with things that become less and less significant. Mostly, I have only included the ones that Jim put screen time into talking up how they were significant in how Harry had to seriously up his game when he made them. The shield crystal might fit there, but it feels more like a plot device than an illustration of Harry's increased magical prowess... Kinda like the bear buckle.
As to the placement of the shield bracelet in a subcategory... I can't check the book right now, but I seem to remember emphasis in the text being that the motivation for his revamping the design was a directy tied to the trauma he had to endure due to the defficiency of the old design.
Rasins:
Didn't Lash teach Harry a better mode for handling pain under pressure. I'd say that was a skill worth having in Harry's line of work.
Okay, and I know it only had a bit-part, but I personally think his development of that rope used to tie Susan up (and set up for Maggie Jr.) was really cool. Was it a power-up, no. But still, the magic rope is still cool.
Quantus:
--- Quote from: Serack on June 17, 2011, 03:05:42 PM ---Ok I wrote up a reply to all the suggestions, but now I'm rewriting it in a different structure.
I am going to catagorize most of these suggestions and reply to the categories.
Necromancy
I spent some time thinking about this. I almost feel like he may have had necromantic forays when he imbeued the spirits to attack Bianca in GP, but the definition of Necromantic magic might include enslavement to the casters will, whereas he just gave those spirits power and set them about their own way. With all these grey lines clouding the necromantic power question, I came to the conclusion that the reading of the Word was something concrete that I could list as a "Power Up." Short term, he used the info to disrupt Cowl's ascension, and long term he has used that knowledge as a threat or barganing tatic against 2 other powerful beings. I'm letting that one entry also (imperfectly) represent any other necromantic strength he may have gained, because lets face it: anything he might have been able to do before must have been seriously augmented by what he learned there.
Allies (and the swords)
This is a tough one. I'd rather not make this into a list crouded with every person and being that has influenced Harry in a remotely positive manor. That said, there are plenty of instances where Harry is stronger because of an association, and some of those are so significant that I think they are the equivalent of eating a magic power up mushroom, and that the loss of which should be accompanied by the sound effect you get when big mario runs into a goomba and shrinks.
So things I think about when I consider adding an ally (or marker) are... What is this person/being's own "power" level? How strong is the bond? Has emphasis been placed on the alliance in the narration or by other characters (the little people!!!)? In the case of some, this is also complicated by the fact that the relationships and the allies themselves are growing throughout the series, so when would I point to the alliance as becoming a significant power up?
In the case of adding (and detracting) the Knights/swords, this is complicated by the custodianships to the point that I don't even really want to go into those any farther than I already have.
Enchanted Items
This is similar to the allies in that it can get crouded with things that become less and less significant. Mostly, I have only included the ones that Jim put screen time into talking up how they were significant in how Harry had to seriously up his game when he made them. The shield crystal might fit there, but it feels more like a plot device than an illustration of Harry's increased magical prowess... Kinda like the bear buckle.
As to the placement of the shield bracelet in a subcategory... I can't check the book right now, but I seem to remember emphasis in the text being that the motivation for his revamping the design was a directy tied to the trauma he had to endure due to the defficiency of the old design.
--- End quote ---
Makes sense, just gunna toss a few things out there.
The Necromancy bit, in DB was the first time he messe with necromancy (in the sense of necro as a diff energy type that necrobob showed him and the kemlerites could sense on him and sue was created to be a giant field of to protect from the darkhallow and yay run-on's) whereas at bianca's party he just poured out a boatload of his own (ordinary) power, which gave them enough energy to act on their own will. Had there been necromancy involved, the Merlin would have used that as the excuse to kill him in the beginning of SK.
On Allies, Id go with them in the Fae sense: one person being used as a tool of another. So the Alpha's and the Za Guard/Militia and maybe even molly would be his tools, and in the case of Mab/Uriel/Grey Council(?) he is basically their agent and so legally speaking their tool, and so don't count; instead they usually grant something else in return (soulfire, Knight Mantle, etc). Then you have the special cases like Michael who is basically family, Lara who is the tool and the tool user at the same time, and Marcone who is Gadara :P
On Items, I agree with your point on the crystal, especially since eb said it was something he had been trying to work out for years. The shield bracelet redesign on the other hand was prompted by the fire in the sense that Mavra pointed out a flaw in his defensive strategy, but also the new model itself was basically more complex than anything he had previously been able to make, and also required a significantly larger amount of energy to operate, which he said he would not have been able to do earlier. So its a powerup in the sense of a vast increase to his defensive arsenal, but personally its also a demonstration of his significant growth as a wizard, which is partially but not entirely attributed to his teaching an apprentice. Not sure where that leaves it in terms of "power-up" for this list, now that I look at it... :)
--- Quote from: Rasins on June 17, 2011, 03:25:39 PM ---Didn't Lash teach Harry a better mode for handling pain under pressure. I'd say that was a skill worth having in Harry's line of work.
Okay, and I know it only had a bit-part, but I personally think his development of that rope used to tie Susan up (and set up for Maggie Jr.) was really cool. Was it a power-up, no. But still, the magic rope is still cool.
--- End quote ---
Ya, definitely. Especially since he used it again in SmF, which did not go unnoticed by the nickleheads.
Phariah:
Shield bracelet. WK page 96 (novel)
If there hadn't been a war on, and if i hadn't been spending so much time drilling Molly in the fundamentals- and therefore getting in all kinds of extra practice myself- I would never have considered attempting to create such a complex focus. it was far more complicated than anything i'd done before. five years ago, it would have been beyond me completely. more to the point, five years ago, i wouldn't have been as experienced or as strongly motivated.
yes the fire pointed out a flaw in his bracelet that his enemies had started to figure out. but if he hadn't gained Molly as an apprentice he would never had increased his skill up enough to created it at this time. so yes fire gave him the idea but his time with Molly gave him the ability to create it. so if i had to decide, i would say this goes under the Molly sub-section. i mean he had the broken bracelet for awhile and didn't remake it until after he had taken Molly as apprentice.
Quantus:
But at that point every increase in his base magical usage (as opposed to soulfire, mantles, etc) from here on out would go under the Molly Subsection. Gaining an apprentice was a major turning point in his magical education, but really has nothing to do with molly herself.
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