Potent magic bonus item

Games Discussion Ars Magica
1

Hello all

Potent magic allows you to get bonuses on casting rolls using casting items. The example items in the book that use more than one item are all written like "A hazel wand with strips of silver inlaid".

My query is this. Imagine you have a potent spell. Your items are silver and hazel. An obvious device to use would be a hazel wand set with silver. Once the spell is invented however, do you need to use a hazel wand set with silver, or can you use a hazel twig and a silver coin?

Essentially, once the spell is set, if you can meet the requirements (hazel, silver) for the items actually giving the bonus, does the miscellaneous form (A wand set with...) have to be followed.

Another example. A spell that creates a great deluge of blood. The item of the potent spell is a chalice set with a ruby (+3 blood) and a bloodstone (+4 blood). If the magus lost his chalice but had a pair of rings, one set with a ruby and one set with a bloodstone, could he still cast that same spell?

2

I would say the form and the material must be used. Form is as important to Magic as material is, which is why we call it the Form and Material table, yes? If it's an issue, I recommend a charm bracelet. Nothing in the table or Mystery says size is important. Could end up being useful in a secondary fashion. You will end up looking like you are using Casting Tools, as the House of Masters does. Might get a free round as your opponent blows his action "ending your ability to do magic".....