[Magic] Casting trought item with powerstone

[DreadPirateLynx]

Originally Posted by rosignol

This is distinct from spells cast by items that have been enchanted... and why specify both 'by' and 'through' unless there's a significant distinction that needs to be made?

I can think of only one other reason the distinction would be necessary assuming that we are both wrong:

"By" is defined as a sentient magic item casts a spell enchanted on it of it's own accord. "Through" is defined as a mage casts a spell enchanted on the item.

For some reason I really don't think that was the intention of the distinction, as it's a bit of a stretch without being expressly stated as such, and I'm not even 100% certain that the distinction would be necessary even in this case.

EDIT: Honestly, if the intention was that a Dedicated Powerstone could only be used to fuel spells enchanted on the item, why not instead simply say: "The item’s user may tap its energy – but only to power the spells enchanted on that item."

[Fred Brackin]

[QUOTE=DreadPirateLynx;1070478]The problem I see is that if it was intended to adhere to Kromm's 3e ruling, then why wouldn't it have been made clear when 4e was published? The problem was obviously known since Kromm had to make an official ruling, and it wasn't a pure cut & paste job as the text changed slightly. The only options are that it was an intentional change, or that it was overlooked yet again. Even with the problems Magic has, I like to give SJG more credit than that.

[QUOTE]

You probably shouldn't. Very few of the minor changes to Magic 4e appear to have been done for rules reasons. The only thing I can think of off-hand is the forbiddance of using Draw Power on Created Fuel.

The rest appear to have been made for mundane reasons of grammar and flow with virtually no consideration (or possibly understanding) of rules impact.

There was essentially no clean-up of known issues and some new issues relating to cost, effect and Size Modifier appear to have been introduced.

[The Benj]

I think it's pretty clear that it's only for powering enchantments. Otherwise you can enchant your Powerstone while it's sitting in a bowl of custard and say it's Dedicated to that bowl of custard, then proceed to cast all your spells "through" that bowl of custard so you can draw on the Powerstone at double efficiency. If you ever get tired of doing so, you can take it out of the custard and voila, it's a regular Powerstone again.

Obviously there are logistical issues with carrying around a bowl of custard, but it's just an example. There's no reason you couldn't achieve the same result with a necklace, crown, cravat, whatever.

[Ze'Manel Cunha]

Originally Posted by The Benj

Obviously there are logistical issues with carrying around a bowl of custard, but it's just an example. There's no reason you couldn't achieve the same result with a necklace, crown, cravat, whatever.

If you enchant your bowl of custard, necklace, crown, cravat, or whatever with the Staff spell and use it to cast your spells through, which is in genre, then it is what it is.

[The Benj]

Originally Posted by Ze'Manel Cunha

If you enchant your bowl of custard, necklace, crown, cravat, or whatever with the Staff spell and use it to cast your spells through, which is in genre, then it is what it is.

No, it's ridiculous (not because you're using a bowl of custard as magical materia, that's perfectly reasonable) but because there's NO REASON NOT TO DO IT. There is NO reason not to make EVERY Powerstone dedicated this way.

[Ze'Manel Cunha]

Originally Posted by The Benj

No, it's ridiculous (not because you're using a bowl of custard as magical materia, that's perfectly reasonable) but because there's NO REASON NOT TO DO IT. There is NO reason not to make EVERY Powerstone dedicated this way.

Then just be ready to pull a wand or other power item out for each powerstone you have, which is actually much more in genre than having some random charged stone.

In fact, while I can think of numerous settings where power items are used to cast magic through, I can't off the top of my head think of a single setting where a mage carries around a jewel bag with individual stones used to power their magic.

[The Benj]

Originally Posted by Ze'Manel Cunha

Then just be ready to pull a wand or other power item out for each powerstone you have, which is actually much more in genre than having some random charged stone.

In fact, while I can think of numerous settings where power items are used to cast magic through, I can't off the top of my head think of a single setting where a mage carries around a jewel bag with individual stones used to power their magic.

It's foolish to carry them in a bag together, they'll never recharge. They SHOULD be made into bits of jewelry and such for ease of carrying, charging and use, but they shouldn't be double-power for nothing, which is what you're suggesting. Why can't you see that that's blatantly silly?

[Ze'Manel Cunha]

Originally Posted by The Benj

It's foolish to carry them in a bag together, they'll never recharge. They SHOULD be made into bits of jewelry and such for ease of carrying, charging and use, but they shouldn't be double-power for nothing, which is what you're suggesting. Why can't you see that that's blatantly silly?

They aren't double-power for nothing, they are only functional when you take them out and use them to power something you're holding and pointing at something in order to cast through them.

Which is way more in genre than having magical batteries arranged about yourself giving you access to energy for some random reason.

Why can't you see that your usage of random powerstones unconnected to power items is blatantly a specific half-brewed setting and not generic in any way?

[The Benj]

Originally Posted by Ze'Manel Cunha

They aren't double-power for nothing, they are only functional when you take them out and use them to power something you're holding and pointing at something in order to cast through them.

Which is way more in genre than having magical batteries arranged about yourself giving you access to energy for some random reason.

Why can't you see that your usage of random powerstones unconnected to power items is blatantly a specific half-brewed setting and not generic in any way?

Powerstones ARE power items. And I don't claim that GURPS Magic actually models a particular setting's magic.

[Ze'Manel Cunha]

Originally Posted by The Benj

Powerstones ARE power items. And I don't claim that GURPS Magic actually models a particular setting's magic.

Well then, I'm claiming that to model most any particular system you would actually want to create the distinction between things with power items which you cast through and things with power which you can draw upon but not cast things through.

Generic and Universal

In other words, when you're casting Smoke you can cast it through your wand to use the wand's Dedicated energy, but when you're casting Blink to 'port out of the way of incoming missile fire you're tapping into the power fetish around your neck with its undedicated energy.