So, a character concept I've had floating around for a while is a spellcaster with low power, high control - someone who's not so good with the blasting, but can still shield (ala Listens-To-Wind's deflect-things-just-enough style) and maneuver effectively via spells.  Thematically, I'm looking at high discipline, low conviction.  But the problem is, blocks and maneuvers are based solely on evocation power - a power 1 block is a power 1 block, and it doesn't matter if the wizard casting it had discipline zero (and took a point of backlash) or discipline 8 (assuming some focus items and a good roll).

Now, one possible way to build this character is to just toss the thematics out the window, put both discipline & conviction at 4 to 5, and give him an aspect that can be compelled to not use straight-up attack spells.  I'll go that route if I have to - but I'd rather have the skill levels that fit the character.

Anyone have any (other) ideas on how to build this character to be effective?  I'm interested in both answers that function under RAW (rules-as-written), as well as any thoughts on spellcasting houserules that might make this character type function (without making magic totally OP for a normal caster with good-or-better in both discipline & conviction).

Maybe a custom power of some sort to let the discipline roll (probably sans focus item bonuses) set effectiveness of blocks / maneuvers?

Consider: the effects of magic in the dresdenverse tend to follow the laws of physics.

Which should include the correlations between time and space.

So, slow down time for a region?  That means all the incoming light gets blueshifted - becoming higher energy as its wavelength decreases.  Things moving by get deflected inwards (because the portion of the object inside the effect is moving slower, which causes the overall trajectory to bend).  Hm.  That sounds an awful lot like a black hole, doesn't it?

Speed up time for yourself?  Things moving towards you get deflected away.  Light redshifts.  Push it too far and you explode.

Etc.

Note that this post is not 100% serious.  It mostly just amuses me.

So, last game session, my players hunted down and destroyed a fairly nasty supernatural predator.  And then they found its nest.  With eggs.  Being the crazy people they are, they've decided to see if they can raise the babies.  Whether they're trying to get model citizens (think Thomas, maybe?) or well trained attack dogs isn't clear yet - it'll likely depend on the actual intellect of the creature type - which they don't know.

So, the question is: what can go wrong with this idea?  (Or, alternatively, how should they go about this to have a chance at succeeding?)  I don't want to make it flat out impossible for them to achieve any measure of success, but I darned well don't want to make it easy, either.  Are there any other games out there where someone's decided to raise a truly exotic pet or child, and how did it go?

While I'd love specific suggestions for my particular beasties, I also know that my players will read this thread - so I'll put below the details they "know", and ask that people PM me if they want more information, or have some particularly evil suggestion that won't work if the players know about it.

* * * *

The specific creature is (my interpretation of) an Uktena - a form of evil horned serpent that's the traditional enemy of the native american Thunderbird.

The particular one they fought was actually quadrupedal, albeit with a very serpentine build (there are implications that uktena were designed based on dinosaur fossils, so they weren't all pure snake), and was primarily a physical combatant - very durable, weapon: 6 claw attacks, chameleon skin (yes, it was a dirty cheater as far as the normal uktena vulnerability; one of the PCs used the Sight and found its weak spot anyway, though.)

It also had a gem set in its forehead that granted it access to a form of magic - it made a few attempts to use psychomancy to inflict crippling pain, though it's fairly certain that it has some degree of broader powers, probably including poison.  Nobody yet knows if that gem is a biological part of the creature, or something grafted on via ritual - if the former, then the PCs will eventually (or immediately?) have to deal with their new pets picking up a particularly vicious form of sponsored magic...

In the meantime, their research has indicated that these creatures feed on (or at least can feed on) pain and fear and despair; though it's not unreasonable to assume that a sufficient amount of mundane food could also provide sustenance.