[DF] Power Item

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

My response of double was with that understanding. A Regenerating Reserve costs double per FP than a Rechargeable Reserve for a Magic Item, so why should it not be the same relationship for a Power Item?

So you did, I missed that. Thank you.

[Kromm]

Yeah, something like "treat the item as having half its true value if it slowly recharges on its own, at the rate of one energy point per day" would be fine. That wouldn't require an Unusual Background at all, though the GM might feel otherwise and call it a variation on the Better Power Items perk (see DF 3, p. 6), less to control it than to mark it out as a secret spell, racial ability, or similar.

[Dwarf99]

Originally Posted by Kromm

Yeah, something like "treat the item as having half its true value if it slowly recharges on its own, at the rate of one energy point per day" would be fine.

I'm inclined to use this as a feature of the power item rather than a feature of the character. I'm also inclined to use a 15 point cost per additional power item.

[the_matrix_walker]

I think that if I had a player intent on multiple Power Items, I might change it up and say that they could designate a set of items as their Power Item, using their combined value to determine the total energy. Effectively treating their two Power Items as a single larger one.

I'd probably only charge them a perk (and the cost of the items of course) for the privilege.

[Diomedes]

Originally Posted by Kromm

Yeah, something like "treat the item as having half its true value if it slowly recharges on its own, at the rate of one energy point per day" would be fine. That wouldn't require an Unusual Background at all, though the GM might feel otherwise and call it a variation on the Better Power Items perk (see DF 3, p. 6), less to control it than to mark it out as a secret spell, racial ability, or similar.

In that regard, how does the Better Power Items perk interact with Psionic Power Items, since they already recharge on their own?

[Kromm]

Originally Posted by Dwarf99

I'm inclined to use this as a feature of the power item rather than a feature of the character.

I can see that.

Still, remember that no roll, spell, or ritual is needed to designate a standard power item. Any spellcaster can simply say, "Hey, this looks posh! It's my new power item!" and the deed is done. After that, the usual $5/FP in town fills it up; there's no first-time surcharge. Power items are thus ordinary junk with extraordinary value to the owner, making the owner – not the article – the keystone.

Originally Posted by Dwarf99

I'm also inclined to use a 15 point cost per additional power item.

That seems wise either way. It makes the caster choose between 15 points for ER 5 that recharges fully in 10, 25, or 50 minutes (depending on abilities) or 15 points for what's potentially a much larger one-shot reserve.

As a starting PC with $1,000, the options are "spend 15 points so I can drop $490 on a 5-point power item and then another $490 on another 5-point power item" (they can be any item of gear, which is nice), or "spend 15 points so I can have a 5-point ER for $0 alongside the largest power item I can afford" (maybe a 7-point one for $880). The ER seems more attractive. A starting caster will get a lot more use out of it, and won't be running around with the crown jewels or regularly casting spells that need tens of energy points anyway.

An experienced hero with lots of loot might have a cart full of $10,000 crowns and scepters, though, making a second (third, fourth . . .) power item a really great way to fuel Great Healing, Remove Curse, Skull-Spirit, Summon Demon, and other exhausting spells. A really successful delver might have gewgaws flashy enough that each added power item holds the price of an Enslave or Permanent Possession. That kind of power should probably cost points, and 15 points seems fair for a once-per-adventure bailout like this.

—

To summarize for those playing along at home, I have proposed three Unusual Backgrounds (which I might put in a supplement and make official if people like them):

Rechargeable Power Items

1 point

You know a minor ritual that lets you designate your power item – or some of them if you have several – as "rechargeable." From this point on, it counts as having half its monetary value to determine its capacity, but automatically recharges 1 FP per day in any area where your spells would work. For instance, a $1,000 tiara would count as $500, and hold 6 FP instead of 8 FP, but would regain 1 FP per day even if you didn't visit town to recharge it . . . though if you're a wizard, there would have to be mana present.

Extra Power Items

15 points/level

You know a major ritual that lets you bond with more than one power item! The ability to designate an extra power item costs 15 points per additional item: 15 points for a total of two, 30 points for a total of three, 45 points for a total of four, and so on. If you also have the Rechargeable Power Items perk, you may specify that none, some, or all of these power items are rechargeable.

In a campaign where Recharger (below) is available, this ability is subject to diminishing returns, and the GM may allow a 50-point version that lets you have as many power items as you want (that is, 50 points for a total of five or more).

Recharger

100 points

You know the closely guarded ritual that temples, wizards' guilds, and so on in town use to recharge power items! This costs you five times the FP you wish to restore to the target item. Each energy transfer takes an hour regardless of how many FP you restore, can only recharge a power item associated with a spellcasting Talent you possess (e.g., to restore a druid's power item, you must have Power Investiture (Druidic)), and requires a roll against IQ + your level with that Talent. Failure merely wastes time and energy; critical failure taints the item permanently, making it worthless as any kind of power item ever again.

[Kromm]

Originally Posted by Diomedes

In that regard, how does the Better Power Items perk interact with Psionic Power Items, since they already recharge on their own?

There's a pretty clear either/or relationship here: Casters' items recharge for $5/FP in town unless they take an extra perk that halves effective value but lets them fill up at 1 FP/day. It stands to reason that psis' power items recharge at 1 FP/day unless they take an extra perk that halves effective value but lets them fill up for $5/FP in town. Whether this is worth the point depends on the setting . . . the average town might not have anyone who can help.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Kromm

I can see that.

Still, remember that no roll, spell, or ritual is needed to designate a standard power item. Any spellcaster can simply say, "Hey, this looks posh! It's my new power item!" and the deed is done. After that, the usual $5/FP in town fills it up; there's no first-time surcharge. Power items are thus ordinary junk with extraordinary value to the owner, making the owner – not the article – the keystone.

That seems wise either way. It makes the caster choose between 15 points for ER 5 that recharges fully in 10, 25, or 50 minutes (depending on abilities) or 15 points for what's potentially a much larger one-shot reserve.

As a starting PC with $1,000, the options are "spend 15 points so I can drop $490 on a 5-point power item and then another $490 on another 5-point power item" (they can be any item of gear, which is nice), or "spend 15 points so I can have a 5-point ER for $0 alongside the largest power item I can afford" (maybe a 7-point one for $880). The ER seems more attractive. A starting caster will get a lot more use out of it, and won't be running around with the crown jewels or regularly casting spells that need tens of energy points anyway.

An experienced hero with lots of loot might have a cart full of $10,000 crowns and scepters, though, making a second (third, fourth . . .) power item a really great way to fuel Great Healing, Remove Curse, Skull-Spirit, Summon Demon, and other exhausting spells. A really successful delver might have gewgaws flashy enough that each added power item holds the price of an Enslave or Permanent Possession. That kind of power should probably cost points, and 15 points seems fair for a once-per-adventure bailout like this.

—

To summarize for those playing along at home, I have proposed three Unusual Backgrounds (which I might put in a supplement and make official if people like them):

Rechargeable Power Items

1 point

You know a minor ritual that lets you designate your power item – or some of them if you have several – as "rechargeable." From this point on, it counts as having half its monetary value to determine its capacity, but automatically recharges 1 FP per day in any area where your spells would work. For instance, a $1,000 tiara would count as $500, and hold 6 FP instead of 8 FP, but would regain 1 FP per day even if you didn't visit town to recharge it . . . though if you're a wizard, there would have to be mana present.

Extra Power Items

15 points/level

You know a major ritual that lets you bond with more than one power item! The ability to designate an extra power item costs 15 points per additional item: 15 points for a total of two, 30 points for a total of three, 45 points for a total of four, and so on. If you also have the Rechargeable Power Items perk, you may specify that none, some, or all of these power items are rechargeable.

In a campaign where Recharger (below) is available, this ability is subject to diminishing returns, and the GM may allow a 50-point version that lets you have as many power items as you want (that is, 50 points for a total of five or more).

Recharger

100 points

You know the closely guarded ritual that temples, wizards' guilds, and so on in town use to recharge power items! This costs you five times the FP you wish to restore to the target item. Each energy transfer takes an hour regardless of how many FP you restore, can only recharge a power item associated with a spellcasting Talent you possess (e.g., to restore a druid's power item, you must have Power Investiture (Druidic)), and requires a roll against IQ + your level with that Talent. Failure merely wastes time and energy; critical failure taints the item permanently, making it worthless as any kind of power item ever again.

THE PRECIOUS! IT IS MINE!! MINE ("Ours," my love "Ours"). This is gonna make at least one of my players exceedingly happy.

[Dwarf99]

Originally Posted by Kromm

I
Still, remember that no roll, spell, or ritual is needed to designate a standard power item. Any spellcaster can simply say, "Hey, this looks posh! It's my new power item!" and the deed is done. After that, the usual $5/FP in town fills it up; there's no first-time surcharge. Power items are thus ordinary junk with extraordinary value to the owner, making the owner – not the article – the keystone.

Yep. I operate on those assumptions for DF anyway. That does beg the question: What if someone is mistaken about the value of an item, and find out the real way that it happens to fall under a different (let's say lower) power item value, so they switch back to the more advantageous option?

Recharger

100 points

You know the closely guarded ritual that temples, wizards' guilds, and so on in town use to recharge power items! This costs you five times the FP you wish to restore to the target item. Each energy transfer takes an hour regardless of how many FP you restore, can only recharge a power item associated with a spellcasting Talent you possess (e.g., to restore a druid's power item, you must have Power Investiture (Druidic)), and requires a roll against IQ + your level with that Talent. Failure merely wastes time and energy; critical failure taints the item permanently, making it worthless as any kind of power item ever again.

I really like how this turned out as a more detailed writeup :D

[Diomedes]

Originally Posted by Kromm

There's a pretty clear either/or relationship here: Casters' items recharge for $5/FP in town unless they take an extra perk that halves effective value but lets them fill up at 1 FP/day. It stands to reason that psis' power items recharge at 1 FP/day unless they take an extra perk that halves effective value but lets them fill up for $5/FP in town. Whether this is worth the point depends on the setting . . . the average town might not have anyone who can help.

That wasn't my question; I was wondering what the offsetting disadvantage is for a psionic with Better Power Items. For a regular one, it's that you pay twice as much to recharge it. Should a psionic one have its recharge rate halved to 1 point per 2 days?