Powerstones

[Captain-Captain]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

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.

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.