Powerstones
 

Hi,
how do powerstones work? does the mage have to touch them? or is it enough to carry them in a bag?

what is your experience with them? how powerful do the mages get with powerstones? if i compare only prices a powerstone of capacity 7 costs roughly the same as a thrusting greatsword for a warrior. however its usefulness seems much greater. what is your experience?

Re: Powerstones
 

Read the description, the need to touch the powerstone is stated in the first paragraph.

Re: Powerstones
 

As stated you must touch a powerstone with your flesh or a Staff to tap it's energy.

Comparing powerstones to melee weapons is really apples and oranges. The greatsword is no use to anyone with less than ST 12 or no Two-handed Sword Skill. On the other hand if you meet those criteria you can use it every second you're in melee combat (which is normally considered very important). It also gives you capabilities you do not have at all without a weapon.

The powerstone is no use to anyone who doesn't know how to cast spells. If you can cast spells it could be used to aid in casting any spell you know but usually you can cast that spell without the powerstone too.

Then there's the way that you can only use the 7 pt powerstone at full effect once per week.

Warriors definitely buy their chosen weapon before spellcasters buy powerstones.

It's also my experience that powerstones are of most interest to spellcasters in low-powered campaigns. I've never seen a truly high-powered caster who bothered with the things much.

Powerstones are already so limited that I would consider worrying about their effect on game balance to be largely wasted effort.

Re: Powerstones
 

But they would make wonderful currency/treasure for mages that care not for paltry monies of lesser mortals. :)

Re: Powerstones
 

QFT. I am in a lowish powered campaign...Powerstones are useful to me...mostly because I make my own. So I am only paying the cost for the raw matierals. However with no Energy Reserves, extra FP mostly at the +30% limit and "mana" potions being fairly expensive alchemicals and possibily addictive if used more than 1x per day; the ability to cast the extra spell here and there is worth it. Never mind the all out scenario where you empty everything and cast 2x-3x your normal "limits."

That all being said it is far from gamebreaking and to a certain extent I bought it because as a "traveling" mage I could buy the raw gems...enchant up Powerstones while on adventure (1 hr Q+D casting before bedtime) and then sell the finished products later to keep a steady income. Like a job but more flexible.

YMMV

Edit:
For Reference my mage currently has a 19 pt Powerstone, an 8 pt Powerstone, a 15 pt One College Elemental Darkness stone, and a 6 pt One College Enchantment stone.

The 19 and 8 are Gen Purpose stones, the 15 E/Dark is for Infravision; Hide; Blur and Invisibility...the 6 ot Enchantment (building to 15) is to...Make more Powerstones. I wil probably be selling the 8 pointer is a short while....

Re: Powerstones
 

Heh, very useful in my campaign--If the players want to make a permanent magical conjuration they have to burn powerstones or other mana stores of equivalent power.

Re: Powerstones
 

For that they should get the spell Manastone. It makes a non-rechargeable Powerstone and the casting costs only 1/4 of the MP.

Re: Powerstones
 

There's usually a use for a few points more of energy. Most higher power games acan afford higher cost powerstones.

The thing of it is, they are one use items in most adventures. A ST 12 Powerstone has to go unsed 12 days normally to recharge. A faster recharge rate would make them far more practical.

ie there is a variant powerstone enchantment. For X energy per point you get a stone that recharges 1 point/hour in normal mana. 7/12ths (rounded to half a day) per point of recharge in low mana etc.

Re: Powerstones
 

I'll point out a powerstone recharges in six hours in a Very High Mana zone, and it isn't too difficult to create one with a suitably designed Golem or Earth Elemental. Or, pretty much any sort of one of the spells that lets you summon/create whatever critter you want within the thematic confines of the spell.

Re: Powerstones
 

There were a few things in 3e. There was an Enchantment version of Charge Powerstone that boosted recharge rate but not nearly as much as you're interested in. It was not carried over to 4e Magic.

There was also an item from Magic Items I that boosted recharge rates by what was effectively one mana level.