Magical Focus List & List of types of Bonds to Creatures

Games Discussion Ars Magica
61

Except that we know for sure that is not the case. Consider (emphasis mine)

Vessel of the Clouds (p. 112): Change to "+2 for increased speed" in the calculation, and delete the Size modification. The base Individual for Herbam is quite big, and the boat described in the spell text is clearly within that. Further, delete the reference to +2 for metal in the discussion of ReTe (there is no modification for simple movement).

Notice that Unseen Arm uses base 2 with no +2, even though it can move metal, consistent with this explicit statement from the errata.

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62

A lot of ArM supplements introduce new guidelines in a "no big deal, just filling in a gap" sort of a way, with no suggestion that a breakthrough was needed. I have been assuming that players can do that too: often by applying an existing guideline to a new form, but not necessarily.

But clearly there are limits to how far you can go with that approach, and beyond that a breakthrough would be needed. Where that is will surely vary between groups.

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63

Not players, troupes. As long as it makes the Saga fun for everyone.
That's what some people are missing.

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64

Troupes are also supposed to adjust spells built using published guidelines, too, if there's any need or desire.

"The range of effects possible in Ars Magica is so large that any system is bound to allow some effects that strike a given troupe as too hard or too easy (different effects for dif-ferent troupes). The system gives sensible lev-els in the vast majority of cases, but storyguides should not let players use the system to force things past common sense."

Last part bolded because it strikes me as applicable to a lot of these discussions.

Elsewhere the gudelines are referred to as "general" and covering "what sorts" of effects correspond to a level. Phrasing implying that guidelines really are just guidelines, not the only effects permitted.

Anyway, as someone who started playing Ars before there were TeFo guideline lists, the idea that the guidelines aren't intended as aids to a troupe's decision making, but instead as an exhaustive list of what's possible - at least without resort to rules from another book - strikes me as utterly absurd.

I'll go further: I hope troupes, rather than seeing spell creation as some sort of block-stacking exercise, actively encourage imaginative effects and RDTs.

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65

Well yes, I meant players as a collective group, which is what a troupe is.

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66

IMO, that's one of the hallmarks of elder magi: Spells with custom R/D/T

67

I have tried to clarify the rules into fewer abstract sets, for both Major and Minor magical Foci. Could you see if it makes sense?

Type Foci Example Form Techinique
Major A large group related to a Fo Birds, mammals, reptiles, domesticated animals An
Bodies of water, fresh water, salt water Aq
Weather Au
Men, Women Co
Trees, Food plants, bushes He
Fire and Flames, Unnatural Flames, Volcano Ig
Visual, auditory, tactile, taste and smell species Im
Emotions, Memories Me
Gemstone, Metal, Stone Te
Aura Vi
Major A small group related to multiple Fo Organs An/Co
Necromancy (body and ghost of dead) Co/Me
Major A large group of creatures associated to 1 realm Faeries
Major A small group of creatures associated to any realm Spirits (insubstantial spirits, ghosts, elementals, ...)
Major A large group of materials or large items Wilderness (untreated materials)
Books (Treated and processed)
Ships (Treated and processed)
Major A general usage of multiple Te with a Fo Illusions, Glamour Im
Counterspells Vi
Major A specific usage of a Te with all Fo groups Control humans Re
Transform humans into animals Mu
Major A specific usage of Magic with multiple TeFo Charms
Damage
Disguise
Familiars
Astrological sign, astrological planet
Minor A small group related to a Fo Birds of prey, canines, mustelidae, wolves, poisonous insects, snakes An
Acid, boiling oil, lava, poison; small streams, stagnant water Aq
Lightining, rain, storms, wind; poisonous gases, volcanic fumes Au
Soldiers, merchants, nobles, artisans Co
Thorns, vines He
Colk, darkness, Warmth, Light Ig
Specific kind of specie (one color for visual, one sound for auditory); improvement of species in specific action (music) Im
A emotion (anger, lust, fear, obedience, turmoil) Me
Ash, volcanic rocks, stalagmites/stalactites, molten metal Te
Minor A small group of creatures related to a Fo Fire elementals Ig
Ghosts Me
Minor A small group of creatures associated with 1 realm Jinn (Magic)
Minor A small group of materials or small items Animal teeth An
Human bones Co
Wood, Wooden Wands He
Blades, swords Te
Arms and armor An/He/Te
Clothing An/He
Minor A specific usage of a Te with a large group of a Fo Controling mammals/ changing birds An Re/ Mu
Fruiting He Re
Changing visual species/ destroying auditory species Im Mu/ Pe
Erasing memories/ changing emotions Me Pe/ Mu
Creating metals/ destroying stones Te Cr/ Pe
Dispelling Vi Pe
Minor A specific usage of a Te with multiple Fo Animate corpses An/Co Re
Fertility, Healing, Aging, Disease, Infirmity, Wounds An/Co/He Cr
Shape-shifting, self transformation An/Co/Me Mu
Commanding Spirits, Magical Transportation, Wards Re
Minor A very narrow usage of Magic with multiple TeFo Deception Me
Exotic Magic (investigate, change, control, destroy non-Hermetic magic)
Astrological House
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68

I don't think you can ever produce an exhaustive list of foci, but this does look a pretty good set. One disagreement: I don't think I would allow "faeries" as even a major focus. I'd want some further qualification, such as "Mentem on faeries" or "noble faeries".