Powerstones

[Captain-Captain]

Originally Posted by nick012000

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.

It recharges 1 point every six hours or 4 per day. A 4th edition wizard probaly has a ST 10 or ST 12 powerstone via Signature Gear. IF the entire adventure takes place in VHM zones the character will get a second full use of the stone in 2 1/2 to 3 days. Not very practical for adventuring purposes.

Now one that fully rechages after a day has practical uses in a lot of adventuring styles where the slow recharge is crippling. It's a couple of extra big spells a day, which is less 'unbalancing' than some folks seem to believe.

[Witchking]

Originally Posted by roguebfl

if you you only keep 1 hex separate it will length you recharge time a fraction, because you only on average keeping the the minimum distance means a got potion of the time you will being the near portion of the hexes.

Also if you walk with me and stay 6 feet away mee I would consdier you anti social.

And as a said 6 feet is moth than enough too for a rogue/commando to pick of you rare guard with out being noticed.

Ok first...one hex SEPERATION...I am in my hex, there is an empty hex, you are in your hex. Ergo drawing a straight line from the center of my hex to the center of your hex will be plus or minus 6 feet. Most GM's I have known dont really have a problem with them recharging if you spread them out through the party...after all while they are recharging YOU only have 1. If he is a stickler for minutae state..."we are 7 feet apart."

The rogue commando comment, are you referring to a thief, perhaps a pichpocket? If so you are aware that most pickpockets perfer to work crowds. It makes it easy to bump their target without being noticed. Hell it has been known for a group of pickpockets to stage a fight so they can work the resulting distracted crowd.

If you are refering to party members being attacked/killed without anyone even NOTICING...if the rogues in your world can reliably do a PC without a sound, without being seen, and before the PC can make a sound...IMHO your rogues are wasting their talents...like Conan they should find a handy kingdom to rule.

[TroyGuffey]

How about this? Have 3 spells:
===
Manastone (Ench)
Creates an energy store in an object. <#include Powerstone rules>
Cost: 20 per 1FP capacity.
Prereq: Enchant

Powerstone (Ench)
Makes a Manastone self-charging from ambient mana. Limit: M-1 levels
Cost: 20
Prereq: Manastone

Charge Manastore (Meta)
Directly charges an energy store.
Cost: 3 per 1FP stored.
Prereqs: M0, Lend Energy

-----

As written in the book, Manastone is essentially a Temporary Enchantment. As you discharge the stone, the enchantment goes away, so if you fully discharge it you are left with a totally unenchanted stone. (I hadn't realized this before.)

The new spells have Manastone create a PERMANENT "storage space" for each 1 FP. It creates a magical "battery", so no further enchantment is needed to store energy in it.
Since it's now a permanent enchantment, the cost is raised to 20.

The new Powerstone enchantment adds a "battery charger" so that even if you just let it sit, it will slowly be recharged on it's own. It's OPTIONAL.

The new Charge Powerstone bypasses any Powerstone charging and directly stores energy.

[benz72]

Originally Posted by TroyGuffey

How about this? Have 3 spells:
===
Manastone (Ench)
Creates an energy store in an object. <#include Powerstone rules>
Cost: 20 per 1FP capacity.
Prereq: Enchant

Powerstone (Ench)
Makes a Manastone self-charging from ambient mana. Limit: M-1 levels
Cost: 20
Prereq: Manastone

Charge Manastore (Meta)
Directly charges an energy store.
Cost: 3 per 1FP stored.
Prereqs: M0, Lend Energy

-----

As written in the book, Manastone is essentially a Temporary Enchantment. As you discharge the stone, the enchantment goes away, so if you fully discharge it you are left with a totally unenchanted stone. (I hadn't realized this before.)

The new spells have Manastone create a PERMANENT "storage space" for each 1 FP. It creates a magical "battery", so no further enchantment is needed to store energy in it.
Since it's now a permanent enchantment, the cost is raised to 20.

The new Powerstone enchantment adds a "battery charger" so that even if you just let it sit, it will slowly be recharged on it's own. It's OPTIONAL.

The new Charge Powerstone bypasses any Powerstone charging and directly stores energy.

If you want to add some versatility, allow casters with Magery 2 to add a second charger to the same stone, doubleing the recharge rate. Magery three would allow 3 rechargers... etc.

Of course any critical failure ruins the whole stone.


Another thought.... some parts of magical beasts (unicorn horns, dragon claws etc.) are natural powerstones that collect and stor mana. If they are to be enhanced then use the above spells to 'buff' them to true awesome spiffyness

[TroyGuffey]

Originally Posted by benz72

If you want to add some versatility, allow casters with Magery 2 to add a second charger to the same stone, doubleing the recharge rate. Magery three would allow 3 rechargers... etc.

That's what I was implying with the "Limit" in the text. It's takes M2 to be able to enchant at all, so they should have the least effect: thus the M-1, so a M2 mage can create an energy store able to recharge at 1FP/day, and a M3 mage can create one that will recharge at 2FP/day, etc.

[benz72]

Originally Posted by TroyGuffey

That's what I was implying with the "Limit" in the text. It's takes M2 to be able to enchant at all, so they should have the least effect: thus the M-1, so a M2 mage can create an energy store able to recharge at 1FP/day, and a M3 mage can create one that will recharge at 2FP/day, etc.

ahhh.. got it now, thought it might have been a typo, but it makes sense.

[opposedToGravity]

thanks for all the advice. i guess i was too worried about powerstones endangering balance.

[Polaris]

Everyone,

You are forgetting about Charge Powerstone (G: Magic page 126). Other than the Powerstone spell itself, it's only other requirements are Lend Energy (which any mage worth his spells will have anyway in order to have Recover Energy...something all Mages should probabaly have), and Magery III which is highly probable for anyone that can make Powerstones in the first place.

Assuming that 1 pt gives you powerstone at a 15 skill, it would only take 4 extra points to get Charge Powertone at a 16. You want Charge Powerstone at a 16 because a 17 roll with this skill only quirks the stone rather than destroying it.

Thus a 12 fatigue wizard could recharge a 12 strength stone in 3-4 castings at most and with the Recover Energy spell can do this fairly quickly (a couple of hours tops).

IMHO and IMX, Powerstones really only come into their own when married to Charge Powerstone. Of course there is a risk, but with a high enough Charge Powerstone spell-skill, it really is a minimal risk.

-Polaris

[hal]

Charge Powerstone spell is one of those "ill-advised" spells that should never have made it into the GURPS system.

To wit: Charge powerstone is NOT an enchantment, yet has the ability to permanently alter the enchantment capabilities of the enchantment itself.

Frankly? That is one spell that should have been revised from the bad old days of GURPS GRIMOIRE and made to be strictly useful as is, and remove the possibility of quirking or destroying a powerstone with a crit failure. If the spell is too useful as written, then make it less useful by having the spell cost more energy.

[Polaris]

hal,

Be that as it may, it exists now and is perfectly book legal

If we try to gauge GURPS Magic by what "should have be the rule" rather than what the rules are, then it's basically impossible to gauge a scenario fairly and equitably across games, and the OP's question was refering to a particular issue regarding powerstones.

-Polaris