Sustaining Focus with "lend" spell? Options

[Machiavelli]

Is there a restriction for another mage to put spells into my sustaining focus? I play an Fomori Troll who ain´t able to cast an "increased reflexes" spell at the required force, but I know a friendly mage who could and I own a bound sustaining focus. Does this possibility exist?

[hyzmarca]

Is there a restriction for another mage to put spells into my sustaining focus? I play an Fomori Troll who ain´t able to cast an "increased reflexes" spell at the required force, but I know a friendly mage who could and I own a bound sustaining focus. Does this possibility exist?

To cast through a sustaining focus, you must bind that sustaining focus. No exceptions. If you could convince him to bind the focus and let you have it, that would work. But unless he binds it you're not going to accomplish anything.

[Machiavelli]

Damn, I think your right. Baaah....thanks.

[Stahlseele]

would the spell dissipate if someone else tried to bind the focus?
probably, but i don't remember reading anything like that . .

[Ol' Scratch]

A bound focus must also always be in contact with you. So no, you can't bond a focus for someone else, and no, you can't put a spell into someone else's focus. The Living Focus adept power is as close as you can get to such functionality. Well, aside from Anchoring Foci and Quickening, but both of those have their hurdles, too.

[hyzmarca]

A bound focus must also always be in contact with you.

Sustaining focuses have always been the exception to that rule. They simply have to be in contact with the subject of the spell. This allows a magician to cast useful spells on the whole party before a run without rendering himself useless due to penalties.

[Rasumichin]

Sustaining focuses have always been the exception to that rule. They simply have to be in contact with the subject of the spell.

Is there any passage in SR4 that says that?
I've never heard this before.

This allows a magician to cast useful spells on the whole party before a run without rendering himself useless due to penalties.

You can do this when you are carrying the foci as well.
You don't even need LOS once the spells have been cast.

[HappyDaze]

Sustaining focuses have always been the exception to that rule. They simply have to be in contact with the subject of the spell. This allows a magician to cast useful spells on the whole party before a run without rendering himself useless due to penalties.

This is incorrect. In 4E, the focus stays with the casting magician not with the subject of the spell. Consider that the act of sustaining a spell always stays with the casting magician and all the sustaining focus does is create a magical 'loop' that allows the sustaining sans concentration (and thus the -2 penalty).

[Ol' Scratch]

Sustaining focuses have always been the exception to that rule. They simply have to be in contact with the subject of the spell. This allows a magician to cast useful spells on the whole party before a run without rendering himself useless due to penalties.

That was 3rd Edition.

[Wasabi]

Once activated, a focus continues to operate as long as it is on the owner’s person, be it worn, carried, handheld, or in a pocket or pouch. If the focus is snatched away or dropped, it immediately deactivates and all benefits are lost until it is recovered and reactivated.

What HappyDaze said. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

The rules for sustaining on BBB p174 do not say that touching the target must be maintained so by RAW the mage casts a touch spell, touches the subject, then may either sustain it or have a bound and 'activated' sustaining focus sustain it for him.

[Stahlseele]

hmm . . owner . . so if i make a focus and sell or give it away as a gift, i ain't the owner anymore? does the thing operate as long as the new "owner" has it handy?
yes, i know, that's kinda dickish . .

[Ol' Scratch]

As soon as someone binds with a focus, it becomes "theirs." You can even give a bound focus to someone else; if they pay the karma to bind it, it's now theirs and no longer yours.

[Cain]

Actually, IIRC, the moment someone spends karma to begin binding it, it stops being yours. I can't recall if that's a 4th ed rule or not, though.

[Wasabi]

Actually, IIRC, the moment someone spends karma to begin binding it, it stops being yours. I can't recall if that's a 4th ed rule or not, though.

I'd be very curious if you happen to find a reference supporting that as well as how long it takes. A HTH test to grapple it, 1 karma and the power focus 6 is unbound to the old owner seems an unduly extreme option I hope isn't supported by RAW.

[Cain]

I'd be very curious if you happen to find a reference supporting that as well as how long it takes. A HTH test to grapple it, 1 karma and the power focus 6 is unbound to the old owner seems an unduly extreme option I hope isn't supported by RAW.

I do recall that Bonding requires a ritual that lasts (Force) Hours, so it isn't that easy. What I don't recall is if you can still pay for a focus piecemeal.

[Tarantula]

At the end of the bonding ritual you spend the karma, so no piecemeal.

[darthmord]

I know there were / used to be some verbiage about piecemeal karma expenditures regarding a focus and Enchanting.

Don't remember what edition though.

[Cain]

All editions up to 4th allowed piecemeal.