[X] My Assistant

[suoq]

WARE is a dead spot.
Your aura itself is glowing. Sickness changes colour/makes coloured Streaks.
As do poisons/toxins in certain places. Foci are glowing like your own aura.
Try and discern a single LED in one of those big screens in stadiums and the such.

Again, I don't understand. Are you saying the foci is glowing exactly the same as you are? Given the term "Christmas Tree" and the power level of the foci compared to the space it takes up, I would have thought it would be glowing a lot brighter than the rest of you. Ans since it isn't taking up essence, it's not replacing a dead spot with something glowing, it's glowing in addition to your own glow.

If it's not obviously visible, I seriously don't understand the term "Christmas Tree".

[Doc Chase]

It's pretty obvious in the astral when you're rocking a foci - I could see someone being able to see it when it's implanted.

"What's...What's that near his waist? It's giving off...incredible power!"

Heh. Heh. Awwwwwl riiiight.

[Yerameyahu]

If you're gaining the advantages of 'no-drop' *and* 'stealth focus', the cost has to be commensurate. If hiding a focus in your coat pocket doesn't 'stealth' it, neither should a skin pocket (no cost). If you implant it with essence, then you've got more ground to stand on; does that work for foci, or only enchanted items? I feel like the FAQ addressed this, but mostly by saying 'read the Magic book that'll never be published'. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif)

[Dashifen]

If you're gaining the advantages of 'no-drop' *and* 'stealth focus', the cost has to be commensurate.

That's sort of where I'm coming from. I'm leaning towards giving her the choice of the following:

1. Implant the focus without spending Essence but then it remains a valid target via Astral Perception as it's not a part of your holistic aura.
2. Implant the focus and spend Essence and you the no-drop, stealth focus that isn't a viable target because it's now a part of your holistic aura.

#1 is no-cost for essence but means I could blast the focus if I have the need to while #2 protects the focus but at the cost of her mgaic. Granted, someone would have to be in fairly dire straights to decide to target the focus with a spell and not the player so it's probably an exercise in creative rules lawyering and little else.

[Doc Chase]

Depending on what the focus is, you're losing 1 die generally for 1-5 additional dice specifically.

One could always use the focus as an astral link to drop an ickyspell of some sort on the physical location. If it's implanted, it's like hitting one of those Graboids from Tremors with a bomb.

[Neurosis]

If implanted cyberware is visible on the Astral implanted foci should be too. Bright spot/dark spot.

[Dashifen]

Depending on what the focus is, you're losing 1 die generally for 1-5 additional dice specifically.

That's the same ratio for most cyber/bio style mages, though. Take synaptic boosters and some other useful augmentations costing you 1 essence and sacrifice that point (die) for the bonuses that you receive from the ware.

[Neraph]

Don't forget Foci Addiction.

EDIT:

IME spurs as weapon foci are quite common.

Actually I was thinking of a hand/forearm Weapon Focus for Unarmed.

[Dashifen]

Actually I was thinking of a hand/forearm Weapon Focus for Unarmed.

Might end up being an exotic melee....

[sabs]

Might end up being an exotic melee....

Unless said Foci is.. forexample.. bandage wrapping for your hands. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Mooncrow]

Unless said Foci is.. forexample.. bandage wrapping for your hands. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I did a huge, living rock fist as a focus for one of my player's SURGED, fomori adepts... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[X-Kalibur]

It's pretty obvious in the astral when you're rocking a foci - I could see someone being able to see it when it's implanted.

"What's...What's that near his waist? It's giving off...incredible power!"

Heh. Heh. Awwwwwl riiiight.

Giggity giggity goo!

I'm nut sure if I would use a power focus there or a sustaining focus, however....

[Doc Chase]

Giggity giggity goo!

I'm nut sure if I would use a power focus there or a sustaining focus, however....

*cough* Weapon focus.

[Mistwalker]

How about a belly button ring (or other bodily piercing that can be covered up by clothing)?

This would give her the no drop option, but also leave the foci as exposed as any other foci to being astrally attacked or taken/stolen.

Implanted or piercing, I think that the focus should be viewable and attackable from astral when it is active. The essence cost would be the payment for the no take/steal option.

[jimbo]

After reading the earlier thread on tattoos as foci, I decided my shao-lin magician with dragon brands on inner forearms was going to have said brands turned into foci.

Scenario 1, "normal foci"...they can be dropped, stolen, targetted, cause logistical problems when shapechanging, but can be left at home or secured as the situation warrants. Probably more cons than pros though.

Scenario 2, "implants/tattoos"...

"Can I have my arm back? Yeah, the one you guys shot off. I mean, we're cool now and all, but it has sentimental value to me..."

or

"Hey boss, howzbout we take his sustaining focus as payment?"
"Excellent idea, Sonny. Grab a hacksaw..."
"Eeep," says tatted mage.

[Yerameyahu]

I still say duct tape is the easiest option. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Neraph]

One of the former Denarians from the Dresden Files would routinely eat his coin and when it came back out he'd clean it off and swallow it again. You could do that also with small foci.

[Doc Byte]

One of the former Denarians from the Dresden Files would routinely eat his coin and when it came back out he'd clean it off and swallow it again. You could do that also with small foci.

"Don't look at me! I told you not to enchant the fishhook. I told you!"

[suoq]

One of the former Denarians from the Dresden Files would routinely eat his coin and when it came back out he'd clean it off and swallow it again. You could do that also with small foci.

I think I'd warn the character that they're going to have to assense their poo every day. Just a TR1 but don't glitch it.

[Neraph]

I think I'd warn the character that they're going to have to assense their poo every day. Just a TR1 but don't glitch it.

Nah, poo through a sieve(?). Sift out your buried treasure!

[Dumori]

It's pretty obvious in the astral when you're rocking a foci - I could see someone being able to see it when it's implanted.

"What's...What's that near his waist? It's giving off...incredible power!"

Heh. Heh. Awwwwwl riiiight.

New post in the what I can't do thread. I will not make my penile implant a weapons focus. Or any focus for that matter.

[jaellot]

Don't forget Foci Addiction.

EDIT:

Actually I was thinking of a hand/forearm Weapon Focus for Unarmed.

I got a player who has brass knuckles for an Unarmed Focus. He forgets he has it, but he does enough damage anyway...

[Stahlseele]

How about a belly button ring (or other bodily piercing that can be covered up by clothing)?

This would give her the no drop option, but also leave the foci as exposed as any other foci to being astrally attacked or taken/stolen.

Implanted or piercing, I think that the focus should be viewable and attackable from astral when it is active. The essence cost would be the payment for the no take/steal option.

Doesn't work.
Strict rule of separated layers of the world.
NO GROUNDING.

[Yerameyahu]

Huh? Active foci can be astrally attacked. That's not grounding.

[Mistwalker]

Doesn't work.
Strict rule of separated layers of the world.
NO GROUNDING.

I wasn't talking about grounding out a spell from astral through a spell lock or such.

I was talking about being able to attack the foci in astral space when it had been activated, to deactivate it.

While it does not come right out and state that foci can be attacked while they are active, it is inferred.

Activation, p. 199, SR4A states that active foci have an astral form.
Astral Forms, p. 193, SR4A states that only mana spells affect astral forms.

Unless I am have missed something, to me those two references mean that active foci can be attacked and deactivated. While it is a Simple Action to activate a foci, it will stop a mage from casting the following Initiative Pass and an adept from attacking with that weapon focus.