Ritual (Crafting)

[Blk4ce]

Serious question. Since everyone can make enchanted items, shouldn't a character who takes       [-2] Ritual (Crafting)       have some sort of bonus? I mean, one refresh looks kind of wasted.

[Taran]

Not everyone thinks you can make enchanted items.

I recently started a thread asking about enchanted items and evocation/channeling.  There wasn't a consensus. 

As far as the difference between
Thaumaturgy and

Ritual (ectomancy) or
Ritual (crafting)

I can't say.

I'd say that an ectomancer's enchanted items would (and should) revolve around ghosts.  I'm not sure how it works with a ritual crafter.  It seems to me, if you're a crafter, you're going to have a harder time justifying other types of rituals.

Here's the link.  It's semi-relevant
http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,39742.msg1955141.html#msg1955141

[Sanctaphrax]

Ritual (Crafting) is arguably the strongest Power in the game.

I wouldn't make that argument myself, but I definitely don't want to make it stronger.

Anyway, whether Channelling and Evocation let you make items is disputed. What's clear is that Ritual lets you make items if and only if they fit into the theme of your Ritual Power. For Ritual (Crafting), obviously all items fit. Given how strong items can be, that's worth a lot.

[Troy]

Ah, yeah... right... Good point.

So, yeah, if you have Ritual (Ectomancy), then you can craft items specific to that sort magic... anything under the sun that deals with spirits and/or ghosts.

And if you have Ritual (Crafting), then your specialty is making items that can do any and every other kind of magic a person might need done.

Yeah, I might argue that the only thing better would be full-on Thaumaturgy if you can swing the Refresh cost for it because then you eliminate the need for prepared-in-advance items in a lot of circumstances.

[vultur]

Anyway, whether Channelling and Evocation let you make items is disputed.

Well, I would say it's pretty clear that they let you make focus items, no? Enchanted items, yeah, it's probably not clear (I'd say no, personally, since they're based off thaumaturgy).

[Tedronai]

Well, I would say it's pretty clear that they let you make focus items, no? Enchanted items, yeah, it's probably not clear (I'd say no, personally, since they're based off thaumaturgy).

Of course, the creation of focus items is also explicitly a function of thaumaturgy...
It is, in fact, the same function of thaumaturgy.

[Sanctaphrax]

I've always ruled that Channelling gets you foci but only Ritual gets you enchanted items. I know the RAW are a bit ambiguous, but I strongly recommend my approach here. Channellers without foci are toothless, channellers with enchanted items can cheat their way around their lack of rituals very effectively and are even deadlier than "normal" channellers.

FWIW, here's what Fred Hicks had to say.

[Blk4ce]

While on subject, do you have to design your enchanted items before playing? I know that for foci you can do it during playing and for potions you can roll Lore to declare it. Do you also have to roll Lore for enchanted items?

Also, what is focus specialisation?

[Haru]

I think it all depends on your understanding of focus items and enchanted items.

For focus items, you could look at them as tools the wizard creates of his own volition, in order to refine his spellcasting, but to me, that is only one side of the story. Focus items can also be things that bring you closer to your magic, which in turn can increase your power. An item that you have an extremely emotional attachment to, for example, could work like that.

Enchanted items can be viewed differently as well. They are usually looked at as stored spells, and I know that's how the rules describe them, but you could also look at an enchanted item as a sort of focus item, that simply allows you to cast a spell a bit easier. So easy in fact, that it is less strain on you noggin', hence you don't take casting stress until you have to expend the uses with mental stress.

It's a mechanical representation, after all, and you can interpret it a number of ways. I would not categorically say that one or the other wouldn't be possible, but in fact make it depend on the character in question. A good justification for one character can be totally inappropriate for the next and vice versa.

While on subject, do you have to design your enchanted items before playing? I know that for foci you can do it during playing and for potions you can roll Lore to declare it. Do you also have to roll Lore for enchanted items?
[/spoiler]
Again, it depends on the character. Often, though, if the player isn't sure about what sort of enchanted items he likes to have, I'll allow for them to be left open and filled in during the game. Much like potions, but without the roll, and they're for keeps until a milestone.

(click to show/hide)

Also, what is focus specialisation?

A focus item can only hold a number of focus item slots equal to your lore. Since you can only use one focus item per type and spell you cast, you can at some point reach the limit of focus items you can use. With a specialization like that, you can expand on that. Though I have not seen anybody do this yet, the default capacity for focus items is enough for most.