Catalysts in formal magic

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meirya

meirya

Artisan
Are catalysts just rare ritual components that don't have an expiration date? Do they get used up in the ritual just like reagents do?

I think this is the case, but there appears to be some confusion about this within my player base. So I want to make absolute certain of this before I make a clarifying announcement of any sort.

My reasoning:
ARB p. 129, catalysts are listed under Components.
In certain specific cases, a catalyst may be required, which is a very rare component distributed with very close supervision by the Plot Committee. While reagents are transferable be- tween all Alliance chapters within the specific campaign, catalysts may only be used in the chapter in which they are distributed. Catalysts do not expire.
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I expect that "catalysts do not expire", when taken in context with the previous paragraph of "Reagents do not hold their magic forever, and will expire after approximately five years", that this means they have no expiration date, not that they don't get used up in ritual. Still, it's a little ambiguous.

Additionally, ARB p. 129,
After a ritual has been completed, the ritual marshal officiating over the ritual will collect any components used and return them to Logistics to be compared against the list of components that have been distributed by the campaign so their authenticity will then be verified.
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Also frustratingly ambiguous. I assume that this means the components are consumed in the ritual and will not be returned to the player, which would corroborate with the idea that the catalyst gets used up too. But the rules don't actually say that, they just say that Logistics is going to check the authenticity.

Finally, ARB p. 132, "Cleanup",
Once success or failure has been resolved, the ritual marshal should collect all ritual components and ritual scrolls consumed in the rituals. These will be turned into the Logistics staff to be registered in the campaign’s database. If there are more components in the caster’s possession than were needed to cast the ritual, the caster may designate which components were consumed as long as they meet the requirements set forth in the ritual scroll.
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This suggests that components listed on the ritual scroll (which include catalysts) are consumed in the ritual. However, the language is that the marshal should collect all components and scrolls consumed, not that all the components listed on the scroll are consumed.

TL;DR: Language in the rulebook is not completely clear, please confirm whether or not my interpretation here is correct.

Thanks!
 
Catalysts are used up just like components. They do not expire as in they do not have a listed expiration date on them.

A player can designate which quantities of each component, and at least one of each listed on the scroll, to be consumed by the ritual. Therefore, if a ritual needs 20 components and 5 are listed, one of each is needed but the other 15 can come from any combination of the 5.
 
In the case of a Copy Formal Scroll it "requires" a Catalyst, but in the text of the scroll it says,

"If the scroll being copied possesses a catalyst, this ritual will require a catalyst. The catalyst for Copy Formal Scroll is substituted for one of the reagents, chosen by the ritual caster."

If you are copying a formal scroll that does not possess a catalyst then your Copy Formal Scroll also doesn't require a catalyst correct?
 
Copy Formal would use its original catalyst.
 
I'm confused.

So if you copy a scroll that does not require a catalyst then it requires ONE catalyst and if you copy a scroll that does require a catalyst it requires two catalysts?
 
When copying a scroll that does not require a catalyst to cast, you do not need to use a catalyst when casting Copy Formal Scroll.

When copying a scroll that does require a catalyst to cast, you need to use the standard Copy Formal Scroll catalyst when casting Copy Formal Scroll. What this catalyst actually is will depend on your local chapter.
 
Per your own quote, the catalyst would be substituted for a reagent, if you're using it to copy a catalyst ritual. So you're only using the one catalyst.
 
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