Heads up: I'll be on the road from now until August 15th. Net access will be limited, particularly on weekends.
amul, you might want to PM redcat again in the Faerie Regio thread.
Scott
Ping'd him a couple of days ago.
You're thinking about the difference between formulaic spells and spontaneous ceremonies, and Geometry actually blurs that distinction -- I could cast formulae using Geometer's Ceremony, and get the same bonuses at the same time cost as a spontaneous ceremony.
He's kind of a nightmare of options. I can take an extra round to add +8 (+4 Numerology, +4 Talisman) to a spell. I can use Flexible Formulaic Magic, and I can use Geometer's Cermonial Casting to cast any spell, spont or formula, using my ritual bonuses, plus other bonuses. Plus, there are the rotes. Figuring out which ones apply at any given moment may cause me to build a spreadsheet.
In terms of a single-round casting option, the rotes are low-level, sure-fire spells that are nearly guaranteed to work (the greatest chance of failure he has right now is a CrIg 5 spell, cast without the book, in a Divine 4 aura or greater) and never risk a botch, but otherwise it's pretty much the same as any other magus. If he's got time for a ceremonial spell, though, the options get pretty impressive. On the other hand, a ceremonial spont is limited in effect based on time, while single-round sponts can roll up.
It all makes my head hurt. You throw in the magic addiction, and the Weird Magic, and it's a bit more than I really intended. Speaking of which....better add my addiction rolls to the haunted thread...
I'm confused, or misreading you - there's no reason he can't cast a fatiguing spontaneous spell in a round, is there? He doesn't get the Artes Liberales, Philosophae and +3 for ceremonially casting a ring/circle spell bonuses (the latter of which I forgot earlier), but it's still a ReMe casting score of 32 + aura + die.
I'll have minimal internet access for a few days. I'll get on when I can.
No, you're correct. One of his options is a single-round casting of a fatiguing spontaneous spell, which doesn't get the AL, Philo, +3 ceremonial spell, or the +4 Numerological Book Bonus (although, on further reading, I think he still gets the +4 talisman bonus if he is merely holding his book and not actually using it).
Still alive and playing. Just got back from a gruelling work trip to discover my internet company turned off my service a month early (I am moving this month).
Will try to catch up.
Ugh, that sucks. Ever try tethering with your phone? 
Scott
Yeah, PdaNetMac is functional, but tmobile cuts the connection when they notice you've been using it for a while. Should be resolved soon.
Regarding our spell-forged labs with the humongous upkeep costs, would it be possible to save some money/upkeep using the Missing Ingredients flaws? If we're not paying to supply unused labs, it stands to reason that they won't cost as much upkeep. This, plus the Light Use discount (Covenants, pg 64) should help ease the maintenance burdens.
That's a possibility, though you'd probably have the lab degrade entirely eventually--and also, the missing ingredients would be in whatever Te/Fo's the lab had been used in previously, which is likely to be inconvenient, given a that a magus will probably tend to use the same Arts consistently. Also, Missing Ingredients doesn't really address the tools and equipment.
Scott
No, but it would make the cost of maintaining the labs low enough that we could afford to maintain them. Plus, the flaw specifically says you can remove it simply by buying the ingredients. Essentially, you're buying all those flawless tools and then doing nothing but dusting them (which is a pretty accurate depiction of what is happening with those spare labs).
Well, again, it wouldn't account for tools and equipment, and therefore would be at best a partial solution.
Scott
Sorry for the prolonged silence: in addition to having to buy a new car, we've had several things in the house break in the past couple of weeks, and my wife is returning to work from maternity leave tomorrow, meaning things are a little on edge here right now.
Scott
While we're on this subject, mechanically, what's the difference between the two magic items that provide heat and light, and just casting the equivalent Circle/Ring spells every day? Is there even any?
If the effect level is high enough, there could be warping from the latter that you wouldn't get from the former. The main difference, though, would be the need to recast the spells, which would entail time, effort, and in some cases the chance of botching.
Scott
Oh, and your target would likely need to be Room, not Circle or Ring, unless all the lab equipment is in within a physical circle.
Scott
If we're winding up on the ghosts thread, could we get resume the visiting the village wisewoman one? Callen, I think I'm currently waiting on your input.
Yes. You still need a decision from me on the boundary of the Aegis, though. I was trying to figure that out--I'll let you know by some time late tonight.
Scott
Give me a plan for the next year (four seasons), and if I need to interrupt you, you could lose a season. Actually, since the next season will be summer, give me seven seasons, so that we end in Winter.
Scott