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DFRPG / Mechanics Question About Thaumaturgy and Skill Boosts
« on: January 28, 2013, 11:10:43 AM »
The book seems a little vague about skill boosts with Thaumaturgy. There is some mention on OW p.282 concerning this topic but nothing solid. I'm trying to get the exact rules down before I make any house rules so any specific references from the book or an administrator (posted AFTER the final version was released) would be very much appreciated.
Let me give some examples of possible Thaumaturgical uses that I'm not sure would work:
(Assume a Lore of 5 for these)
Boots of Speed (Enchanted Item): +4 to Athletics 2x per session
Would this have to be narrowed to a specific specialization like running or initiative? How much of a bonus would be required before a consequence would be taken? Would it be something like more than double the original skill?
Potion of Mightiness: +4 to Might for 2 exchanges
Might is where I got the original idea of being able to add in skills because of the Biomancy section in OW p.284. There it talks about boosting strength, and just boosting lifting without it boosting wrestling seems silly to me. Making a potion that gives you a quick burst of Might seems sound, but that has implications on other Thaumaturgy aspects. As for a mild consequence, I can imagine inserting something like "Sore Back" if the character does something extreme, but is there a specific place where the line is drawn or do I come up with that as the GM?
Random side note, I enjoy thinking of somebody who took this potion, lifted a car, and forgot to put it down before the potion wore off.
Finally, this bleeds into the really broken concept that I would outlaw as a GM but might be sound as rules go...
Potion of Understanding (First): Lore +5 for one exchange
A wizard can drink this and take a mild consequence to make a new potion...
Potion of Understanding (Second): Lore +10 for one exchange
Even if I make the consequence a moderate one this time, it's worth it. The player can always try to heal himself with a healing spell later. Meanwhile, the wizard makes an enchanted item based on a +10 Lore.
Is there a key factor I'm missing in all of this?
Let me give some examples of possible Thaumaturgical uses that I'm not sure would work:
(Assume a Lore of 5 for these)
Boots of Speed (Enchanted Item): +4 to Athletics 2x per session
Would this have to be narrowed to a specific specialization like running or initiative? How much of a bonus would be required before a consequence would be taken? Would it be something like more than double the original skill?
Potion of Mightiness: +4 to Might for 2 exchanges
Might is where I got the original idea of being able to add in skills because of the Biomancy section in OW p.284. There it talks about boosting strength, and just boosting lifting without it boosting wrestling seems silly to me. Making a potion that gives you a quick burst of Might seems sound, but that has implications on other Thaumaturgy aspects. As for a mild consequence, I can imagine inserting something like "Sore Back" if the character does something extreme, but is there a specific place where the line is drawn or do I come up with that as the GM?
Random side note, I enjoy thinking of somebody who took this potion, lifted a car, and forgot to put it down before the potion wore off.
Finally, this bleeds into the really broken concept that I would outlaw as a GM but might be sound as rules go...
Potion of Understanding (First): Lore +5 for one exchange
A wizard can drink this and take a mild consequence to make a new potion...
Potion of Understanding (Second): Lore +10 for one exchange
Even if I make the consequence a moderate one this time, it's worth it. The player can always try to heal himself with a healing spell later. Meanwhile, the wizard makes an enchanted item based on a +10 Lore.
Is there a key factor I'm missing in all of this?