Hocus Focus Locus

[peterpanda]

Hello Fellow Trolls -

I've recently started an in-person dT&T campaign with some friends in my area.  One player created a Wizard and has the spell "Hocus Focus."  As we were reading over the spell, and then going through the rulebook and looking at the section s that discuss "Focus," we both started getting more and more confused as to how this is supposed to work.  Before I make any House Rules regarding this spell, I would love to hear from the brain-trust here on how this spell works. 

Thanks -

Peter Panda

[mahrundl]

Cast the spell on an object.
Add IQ and DEX together and record that number as 'points available' or similar.
For each spell cast, where the caster uses the focus to reduce its cost, subtract the number of WIZ points actually expended by the caster from the points available.
When the points available number reaches 0, the item crumbles away.

If you don't use the focus for a spell, for whatever reason, WIZ spent for that spell doesn't come off of the points available.

Does that help at all?

[peterpanda]

Hello Mahrudhl -

Yes, it does help as it confirms how I interpreted the rule as well. So one of my players, who has the same interpretation, believes that he can cast a number of these and have these focus items on his character's body for use (he used the example of making pebbles his focus item) and just blow through these each adventure, creating new ones each morning and rarely touching his own WIZ unless forced. In the rulebook, I find inconsistency over whether one can have more than one focus item at a time - it appears to be that you cannot, but there are some contradictory sentences.

In any case, this is a desirable spell because, in most cases, a character's IQ + DX is going to exceed their WIZ (at least at low levels), thus giving the Wizard a huge increase in capability.

Any thoughts on this?

Cheers -

Peter Panda

[khaboom]

Shock, horror! I don't think I ever picked up on adding Dex. That certainly changes things.

[ProfGremlin]

Interesting.

I may be taking a different interpretation of this spell. I'm seeing it as a poor wizards deluxe staff. Spend 5 Wiz and enchant an item that will function in place of a coveted deluxe staff. It only lowers the Wiz cost of each spell by the casters level. Regardless, it will disintegrate after a total of Wiz used to cast spells equals IQ+DEX. Only one can be used at a time (sec. 9.6, para. 6). This does not store Wiz or let you use the focus to replace Wiz cost of spells cast. You'll need the Duraspell or Energizer spells for that purpose.

Am I reading this differently than everyone else?

Reference, dT&T, section 9.6, second and sixth paragraphs.

[mahrundl]

Everything that Prof said, I agree with. I'll clarify one point: a character can carry multiple of these at the same time, but they can only use one for any given spell casting.

A Wizard with IQ 10 and DEX 10 gets a focus that burns out after 20 WIZ has been channeled through it for casting spells. The WIZ comes from the Wizard, not the focus; they can cast the spell to create the focus in advance, so that they start adventuring at full WIZ, but they don't get anything from the spell that they wouldn't get from a regular magic wand (p 139). It's not a reservoir of power, it's a tool to help them focus their own power.

[ProfGremlin]

Oct 6, 2020 7:47:54 GMT -5 mahrundl said:

Everything that Prof said, I agree with. I'll clarify one point: a character can carry multiple of these at the same time, but they can only use one for any given spell casting.

Thanks for the clarification, Mahrundl. Only one in use at a time. Though it would be interesting to see a wizard dual-wielding deluxe staves....

"Wait!  What do you mean you're using the monster's Wiz to power your spells against it and replenish your own pool?!"

[peterpanda]

Thanks, ProfGremlin and Mahrundl!

These latest explanations clarified the situation for me. In some ways, this reminds me of the Makeshift Staff in 5th edition.

Cheers,

Peter Panda

[mahrundl]

It is exactly that:

Hocus Pocus

Enchants an ordinary piece of wood into a make-shift
magic staff. Does not test wood 's suitability (must make 1st
level Saving Roll on Luck when first used). No makeshift staff
lasts beyond burn-out; it cannot be re-enchanted.

Cost: 1

5th edition, p 2.22.2

It's essentially the same spell.  It costs more in Deluxe and can be cast on more than just wood, while the 5th edition version requires a Luck SR the first time that it's used to see if the wood is suitable.  5th edition also has it burn out after IQ x 2 points of ST are channeled through it rather than IQ + DX.  But those are minor differences in practice.