Clarification on Channeling Source Physreps

P

Polare

Count
Good morning Alliance players!

We've gotten some scattered feedback from players concerned that the 2.0 size limits don't allow for existing Wand physreps. After some internal chats, I'm pleased to announce an update to Channeling Sources physrep requirements as follows:

"To support everything from glowing orbs to magical wands, Channeling Sources can come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Every Source must fit within at least one of the following formats:

- At least 1 inch in each dimension (for example, an Orb of Power or the skull of an ancient Lich)
- 9 to 16 inches long, at least 1/4" inch thick (for example, a wand of lightning-struck oak)
- At least 6 square inches in area if thinner than 1/4" (for example, a pendant inscribed with runes of power)

In all cases, the physrep must be ruled safe to carry in combat by a Marshal."

The intent overall is to allow many more valid and compelling physreps for Sources, without opening up for unintended or abusive Source phsyreps. For example, we do *not* want to support someone clutching a grain of rice hidden in their hand and claiming it's a valid Source; we *do* want to support someone with an awesome wand or pendant physrep.

Thank you,
Bryan Gregory
ARC
 
Question came up this morning, can a tagged item be two different things? Can your spellbook also be your channeling focus?

Also, can you have a celestial book, earth book, and alchemy book as one physical item combined?
 
To clarify: are Celestial sources still required to be Wands and Earth sources must be Relics, or can I have an Earth source Wand and/or a non-wand Celestial source?

(Forgive me if this was clarified elsewhere and I simply missed it.)
 
Cedric said:
Question came up this morning, can a tagged item be two different things? Can your spellbook also be your channeling focus?
Click to expand...

Generally speaking, unless explicitly stated, a tagged item cannot perform two different in-game functions (a weapon may not also be a spellbook; a Source may not also be a shield, etc.). One stated exception to this is when Oak of the Archmage is used to allow a Staff to act as a Channeling Source. Note that Source-targeting Rituals may also target a Staff for this reason.

Also, can you have a celestial book, earth book, and alchemy book as one physical item combined?
Click to expand...

A single physrep may hold both spells and Alchemy recipes. This does technically come out as three tags (C book, E book, and Alchemy recipe book), but the in-game function is the same - a physrep holding spells/recipes.

-Bryan Gregory
ARC
 
Gandian Ravenscroft said:
To clarify: are Celestial sources still required to be Wands and Earth sources must be Relics, or can I have an Earth source Wand and/or a non-wand Celestial source?

(Forgive me if this was clarified elsewhere and I simply missed it.)
Click to expand...

Keeping in mind the official verbiage of:

"Channeling Source" for long form, "Source" for short form, "Wand" for a Celestial-specific Source, and "Relic" for an Earth-specific Source.

A single item may not *normally* be two different types of Source. The Enhanced Source Ritual explicitly allows for this, however:

This Ritual allows a specific target to be used to evoke multiple applicable Channeling elements based on difficulty. If cast as Celestial Aspect, it may be used to add Flame, Stone, Ice, or Lightning; if cast as Earth Aspect, it may be used to add Healing or Chaos. If cast on an existing Source of the opposing type, this Source will henceforth be considered to be both Aspects. For example, if this Ritual is cast as Celestial Aspect to add Flame to an existing Healing Source, that Source will then be considered both a Wand and a Relic while this Ritual remains on it. Note that a Staff still cannot be used to evoke Channeling Pool charges without appropriate High Magic.
Click to expand...

-Bryan Gregory
ARC
 
Thanks for the speedy answer Bryan!
 
So wait, if I understand correctly: I can have a wand stick that I call an Earth Relic, and I can also have a lich skull (for example) that I call a Celestial wand?

I think that's going to be confusing. If we have a universal term ("Source") and the phys-rep requirements for Earth and Celestial are now the same, is there a reason to keep the terms Wand and Relic around?
 
Gandian Ravenscroft said:
So wait, if I understand correctly: I can have a wand stick that I call an Earth Relic, and I can also have a lich skull (for example) that I call a Celestial wand?

I think that's going to be confusing. If we have a universal term ("Source") and the phys-rep requirements for Earth and Celestial are now the same, is there a reason to keep the terms Wand and Relic around?
Click to expand...

Mostly to differentiate between Earth and Celestial sources.

Personally, I don’t think the scenario you bring is going to happen unless the player is specifically trying to disguise their Source.
 
Another clarification: if I have an object that is (for example) 1/2" thick and at least 6 square inches in size (let's say 3"x3"), it cannot be used as a Source because it is too thin for requirement 1 and too thick for requirement 3?

If so, the requirements create a bit of a weird gray area, and I would suggest that requirement 3 be revised to something like "At least 6 square inches in area if thinner than 1" (for example, a pendant inscribed with runes of power)".

Prop-making is kinda my jam, so I'm just trying to hammer out the details. :)
 
To be blunt, I'd expect a Marshal to look at it and go "yeah, that fits the intention" and allow it.

There's always going to be gray areas between "intention" and "RAW". We do the best we can, but we also can't cover every possible case. There's going to be items that shift between #2 and #3 (a fan that opens and closes). There's going to be "thick pendants" like what you describe. Both of those are fine at the discretion of local marshals. Like anything that's safety checked, there is likely to be some variation between chapters. Heck, Alliance chapters can say "no latex weapons" if they want to. There are definitely instances where a weapon or shield is allowed in one chapter but not another, due to local issues (maybe weather makes some things OK in one area but not another, for example).

-Bryan Gregory
ARC
 
Cedric said:
Question came up this morning, can a tagged item be two different things? Can your spellbook also be your channeling focus?
Click to expand...
Polare said:
Generally speaking, unless explicitly stated, a tagged item cannot perform two different in-game functions (a weapon may not also be a spellbook; a Source may not also be a shield, etc.). One stated exception to this is when Oak of the Archmage is used to allow a Staff to act as a Channeling Source. Note that Source-targeting Rituals may also target a Staff for this reason.
Click to expand...

Potential Creative solution: Attach a decorative symbol that is at least 6 square inches to the front of the book (2" x 3" is not that big, so even a small spellbook can be accommodated). The book is the Spellbook, the symbol is the Source. Bonus points if symbol is detachable so each can be individually Ritually Enchanted.
 
Cool stuff. I'd just recommend adding a line in the rules that specifically indicates that local Marshalls can determine legality of reps that don't quite fit the characteristics (since whenever there are specific inches/areas in the rules, those things tend to be the most set-in-stone and the least open to local discretion, such as weapon lengths).

In any case, I look forward to making some fun Source reps. :)
 
I'd like to say, this is a really good change.

I wish we'd let Sources be used 1-handed, with a weapon or shield. Both packet&sword and shield&packet can be interesting styles; and we let casters do that. At the moment channeling is awkward to use as a Spellsword without expending high magic (for higher manifestation or oak of the archmage), which mostly affects lower level folk. (I wonder if 'higher manifestation' would be better as a purchasable skill, maybe with a prereq of something like 5 ranks of channeling. I want to be able to use that method of channeling from the beginning of playing a channeler.) I feel like the 2-hand only usage style is a legacy of Sources originally being targeted at barehanded celestialists.
 
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