What if you're not the shieldholder.  Does the shieldholder make the discipline rolls then?  That seems...  Broken if my whole party while the AOE shield is up can get the Wizard to roll +7 defense rolls for them...  I did read the summary.  There are just things I'm confused on.

"Only 1 Evocation can be sustained in this way at any given time."  So you can't create a handful of shield aspects, just 1.

I agree that the caster making the defense rolls wouldn't work, but I'm not sure what a non-caster would use to control a shield.  It would largely depend on the type of shield created.  Possibly keeping it Discipline would keep it more likely to stay caster only.

I used this system in a play test, and used the Full Defense action to defend for a friend.  Worked out very well.

That said, to protect all your friends in a zone, a barrier would work better.

Here are some links to an effort to Core-ify the DFRPG that were put up on the various lists.

Thought they might do some good on the forums.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lepc_X546Z4ogWBU1bPIHoCAPk89YuNzxsKMWLfdBYM/edit
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wdDSLo9voAUbjTbDnKkbIW7LMWVKOnifHmwiFqw6A8c/edit
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ROi60imuEUKg3jL75M1RmADIAC_SI4aqvy4KSFZieek/edit

My group is currently working on a amalgam of DF and Core.  Boiling down the DF skill list a little (We really need Perform?).  Updating the wording of Skills and Stunts to fit the Core mechanics.

It should tide us over until they come out with a more official update anyway.

Hi all,

I've had an idea for a game that would help introduce players to the Dresden system.  I've learned a lot from reading the forums about how the Aspects and Fate Economy work, so I think a handy thing is to take the Powers out of it, at the start, and just have Pure Mortal PCs.  Namely, the cops working with Jacky Murphy back in the day.

Thanks to the great timeline on the forums, I've pieced together some details of the main line characters that are (or could be) active or involved.

I'm putting my research up here in case anyone else would like to use the setting, and for any additional input you might have.  Enjoy!


Time points:
29 BSF ~ 1971.  Karrin Murphy is born
19 BSF ~ 1981.  Michael Carpenter (born 43 BSF ~ 1957) kills Mavra's "children" and "grandchildren," after some three dozen people were killed in the space of a month. Gregor has a cult, Charity (Carpenter) may not be a member yet.
17 BSF ~ 1983.  Lisa Murphy is born
17 BSF ~ 1983.  Collin Murphy suicides
14 BSF ~ 1986.  Michael Carpenter saves Charity
Vargassi - Mob family of Chicago?

Real World Facts:
1979 Jane Byrne Chicago first female mayor
1979 Blues Brothers filmed in Chicago.
1983 Harold Washington first black mayor

Personalities:
Collin J. “Jack” Murphy - wife Marion, father to Karrin and 2 boys.  Expecting Lisa?

Ron Carmichael - ?  Uncertain if he was old enough to be active at this time.

Henry Rawlins - Late 50’s in 2005.  As a young cop, he protected a woman from something scary, then got saved by Collin with a shotgun of rock salt. 

John Stallings - Older than Rawlins?  Skeptical of supernatural.

Mickey Malone’s Father? - I figure Mickey Malone may have been a generational cop as well.

Potential Plots
As you can see under Michaels entry, there's the potential for going up against Mavra's spawned Black Court Vampires (I haven't found any confirmation that this was in Chicago).  I like this option, as it means the PCs could encounter Thralls and Renfields as lower level opponents before building up to actual Vampires (with the Bram Stoker disads).

I think the cult that Gregor and Charity were involved in may have been in Chicago around that time period.  This could be a decent segue into the magical side of things.

Ghosts and goblins, etc.  All pretty standard, I would think.  I wouldn't muck around with the Queens at this level.

5 and 6 are +
3 and 4 are 0
1 and 2 are -

Easiest way.

+1

Also, there's a mention in the book to use 2d6.  One is positive, one is negative.  Gives you a range of +/-5 instead of +/-4, and roughly the same bell curve statistically.

See this is where I'm finding the rules a little contradictory. Using Examples of Magic pg YS293 the spell Entanglement states this is an offensive maneuver, 3 shifts for effect and 1 additional duration to last a scene as a sticky aspect. Supports your quote right there. However under the Maneuvers section starting page YS252 and continued on 253 it specifically states:

As with other effects, you pay an additional shift to make the effect persistent at the rate of 1 shift per additional exchange.

The example below that entry shows that it takes 3 shifts for the temporary aspect to manifest and an additional 3 shifts to make it last for 4 exchanges. So...what gives?

Good catch Jimmy. 

I see that as a situational option.
I could make an argument for certain Maneuver spells that are constantly channeling power require shifts for persistence (which fits for the Amulet light).  Sadly this still sounds like a decent amount of Mental Stress for a "simple spell."
But others could just as easily put a Sticky Temp Aspect on the scene, which is far easier (like Flickum Bikus, or plain old "The Building is On Fire").

Having looked over the Thaumaturgy rules again, it certainly does sound like that's the best mechanic option.  A decent Lore (+3 or better) would allow you to skip the Prep stage, and cast in the minimal time of about 1 minute, and it could last for 15 minutes.  However, a minute still seems a little long compared to how it's described in the books, especially at the end of Turn Coat. 

Apologies if these are repeat questions, but I've looked and searched and found nothing.

At various times, Harry casts a "simple" spell to light the area.  Either "Flickum Bicus" or light from his pentacle amulet.  These seem to be very easy for him, and yet they don't even make it onto his Rote spell list in the book.

DFRPG mechanically speaking, this seems to be a Maneuver to place an aspect on a location (Dimly lit, what have you).  With Flickum the candles are lit and don't need to be maintained.  The amulet however needs to have enough power to last the whole scene, often while in combat.  Is there a recommendation for making spells not cost Stress?  Refinement maybe?

In most situations, the light spell wouldn't be contested, but what if you're trying to expose a stealthy person in the shadows?  How about casting light against a magical darkness (I imagine comparing shifts would come into play here)?

Thanks