Hi,

I don't post in this section very often so I apologize if this has been discussed before.

I've created a magician for a RL game that will start soon. I thought of giving him a sustain focus (health) and cast Improved Reflexes on it, thus having 3-4 IPs and improvements to my Reaction more or less at all times, specifically during runs. Improved Body could be used in the same way for an other very good effect.

I discussed this possibility with my GM and we both came to the conclusion that it is cheesy and overpowered to do so. Even though it can be dispelled relatively easily, any non-magical opposition (not capable of dispelling this focus) will have a serious problem to contain a mage with 3-4 spells to cast every round, even if they're cast with fewer dice to divert them to avoid stun damage. And that mage isn't alone either.

Actually, after discussion, he even decided that the spell itself should probably be avoided because the 2 dice penalty for sustaining it doesn't correspond to the amazing boost that this spell can give, regardless of the thresshold reached. He said that he would have a hard time to GM a game in which this spell plays an important role. I can't completely disagree with him.

BTW, a bonded sustaining focus costs 3 BPs for force 1 or 6 BPs for force 2, iirc.

What's your opinion on this? Any problems with other spells combined with sustaining focus too?