Someone brought up that Vertitus Mages would favor Items of Quality when opening items for enchantment. So truth. What a wonderful thing it would be to do both in the same season. Not allowed now, but a good project for Original Research. Probably 5 to 10 breakthrough points needed, as it doesn't really add anything to understanding of magic. The trick is, you get "breakthrough points" based on the magnitude of the effect, and neither of the existing effects have magnitudes. Who's got thoughts?
Go for it. It is something I let Verditius magi do anyway. They have to actualy make the item using one of their craft skills, it takes a season and a pawn of vis to make it an item of Quality. I allow that, if they so choose, they can enchant the item as a lesser device (using half their normal lab total) or open it for enchantment, but no other simualtaneous activities are allowed.
So, yeah. It works well as a HR or as perhaps a Minor Breakthrough.
Sounds good to me.
I am always struggling to concieve sensible magicla breakthroughs that dont make life too easy or make profound changes.
It is easy to look at what Hermetic magic cannot do and say 'I wanna work out how to do that'. It is much harder to look at what Hermetic magic can 'almost do' which is a bit closer to what breakthroughs are supposed to reflect.
As a result, I tend to start with none of the breakthrough's in the supplements actully in use to save a list for players to consult.
Thanks for your thoughts. I like the thought of it being a breakthrough, it's easy and it is a good test bed for players to try out the OR rules before they get started on a big project. But the Original Research rules don't have a rule for zero magnitude effects. How do we get breakthrough points?
Just make it up!
Look at something similar in spell effect like that sword sharpening spell. Use it as a baseline.