[X] My Assistant

[Ancient History]

Fetishes are (generally) more limited than foci because whereas you can enchant anything into a focus, fetishes are actually made. I suppose you could get an ampallang piercing and burn some incense over it and chant a few words, but it's not the same.

[The Mack]

Har har.... Just examples... Not that I would stop someone from picking Hamster Shaman. It may not carry a lot of street cred, but having those cheek pouches could be handy.

I don't know if I'd want to go displaying my shamanic mask of the hamster in the redmond barrens. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wobble.gif)

Of course, you might paralyze the opposition with laughter, giving you enough time to run away.

[Draco18s]

I heard about a mouse shaman once. Complete with the pacifist flaw.

Man he tore through bug spirits like CRAZY.

[Dhaise]

Granted it might fall under the category of "immortal elf magic" but Frosty in Harlequin had one of ehran the scribes spell locks fashioned into her thighbone (iirc), and the Tattoo magic in Awakenings didn't cost essence. I don't think Street Magic mentioned it as possible or impossible at all. If my players asked, I'd probably allow them since there is some precedent in earlier editions.

[TBRMInsanity]

I don't know. I would say that any implant that requires cutting deep enough into the flesh that it causes bleeding should cost essence. I would almost go as far to say that certain piercings would cost essence (be it very small though). I just feel better when my players wear a harness with all their fetishes pressed against their skin, instead of having them surgically implanted into themselves.

[IceKatze]

hi hi

Does not the stereotypical shaman have bones, feathers and such all sticking out of piercings in the skin?

[Stahlseele]

Yeah, but who wants to play a stereotype? ^^

[Ancient History]

Keep in mind the downsides of having a magic item permanently a part of you: not all fetishes are legal (at least without a permit) and it's a dead give away that you're a magician, even if you're masking your aura.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Keep in mind the downsides of having a magic item permanently a part of you: not all fetishes are legal (at least without a permit) and it's a dead give away that you're a magician, even if you're masking your aura.

Which does indeed tend to suck

[Kingboy]

If you can drink mercury, you can shove a lump of enchanted bone in your forehead without any ill effects (though you'd need to use all appropriate rituals.)

Dat be Grampy Bone to you...


Sorry, played way too much Fallout 2 in the past, couldn't get it out of my head (but then again that's the point of the thread no?).

[Jhaiisiin]

I don't know. I would say that any implant that requires cutting deep enough into the flesh that it causes bleeding should cost essence. I would almost go as far to say that certain piercings would cost essence (be it very small though). I just feel better when my players wear a harness with all their fetishes pressed against their skin, instead of having them surgically implanted into themselves.

The problem becomes where to draw the line. If I "implant" a bullet or knife into you, does it cost essence? As a rule, no.

[Stahlseele]

The problem becomes where to draw the line. If I "implant" a bullet or knife into you, does it cost essence? As a rule, no.

*snicker* ^^

[TBRMInsanity]

The problem becomes where to draw the line. If I "implant" a bullet or knife into you, does it cost essence? As a rule, no.

I do recall in SR2 that surgery could result in essence loss so maybe an "implanted" bullet or knife does have the chance to cost essence (especially if remains inside you afterwards).

[Stahlseele]

That was in SR3 too.
And there were rules for Essence-Loss with Deadly-Damage or something,

[Jhaiisiin]

After I posted that, I figured that might come up. A severe enough wound can cause essence loss, sure, because you're seriously jacking your body up. But a wound deep enough to cause bleeding? A random character could prick his finger on a rose thorn and bleed, or slice open his hand on razor wire. There shouldn't be essence lost for that.

[TBRMInsanity]

After I posted that, I figured that might come up. A severe enough wound can cause essence loss, sure, because you're seriously jacking your body up. But a wound deep enough to cause bleeding? A random character could prick his finger on a rose thorn and bleed, or slice open his hand on razor wire. There shouldn't be essence lost for that.

Well of course not, but you could argue that the test to resist essence loss from a trivial wound is next to nothing while a deep wound would be more sever (and thus essence loss is more likely).

Blood is a powerful life source (as seen with Blood Magic). The loss of blood is the loss of some life source (maybe not enough to warrant a loss in essence all the time though).

[Draco18s]

Yet you don't lose essence when you lose an arm. It's when you get a machine tacked onto the stump that you lose essence.

[Stahlseele]

Well, no, you don't lose essence when losing a limb . . but you can lose essence when you suffer a wound that can lead to you losing the arm . .

[Draco18s]

Well, no, you don't lose essence when losing a limb . . but you can lose essence when you suffer a wound that can lead to you losing the arm . .

I'd be willing to bet that the amount of essence lost is significantly less than the cost of a deltaware cyberarm.

[Ancient History]

It's worth mentioning that a cyberarm is more than just a metal-and-plastic prosthetic attached to the shoulder. You have neural connections that can run straight into the brain or spinal cord and anchoring supports in the surrounding bone and tissue so that the arm doesn't just fall off when you try to lift something heavy.

[Stahlseele]

I'd be willing to bet that the amount of essence lost is significantly less than the cost of a deltaware cyberarm.

Nope, more actually, if i remember correctly . .
Or was that just plain magic without the detour via Essence? O.o
while we're at it . . would a cloned arm that gets attached cost essence?

[Draco18s]

Nope, more actually, if i remember correctly . .
Or was that just plain magic without the detour via Essence? O.o
while we're at it . . would a cloned arm that gets attached cost essence?

If it's more, that's silly. You could get a deltaware arm, then have your BRAIN MESSED WITH implanting something like a comlink for free (yay essence holes).

Cloned arm: probably, but only a tiny fraction. 0.1 or so I'd wager. It's identical to you except that it's not your original.

[Stahlseele]

1 or 0,1 or 0,01 doesn't matter.
Magic is lost, if you get from full into fraction of essence.
And delta is still impossible to get.

[Draco18s]

Yes, yes it does.

But do you lose essence for sticking a gold bead just under the skin of your chest? It's not replacing anything, it's just taking up space. Plus it's a magical bead of magicalness.

[Stahlseele]

no, you don't.
that's just cosmetic, nothing invasiv.
compare to bullet hole or knife stabby or something in that size . .