Do stacked foci count as a single focus for the purpose or determining how many foci are used with a roll? The description in Street Magic doesn't mention it save the line that 'It is possible to combine two or more types of foci into a “stacked” focus'. So, are they one focus or several?

And what are the benefits of Spellcastin Focus compared to Power Focus in Anniversary edition save the lower cost? As i understand, you can't use Spellcasting focus to resist Drain anymore.

1. No. If you have a Spellcasting 3/Power 3 stacked focus, you've wasted money. Stacking foci is only to reduce the number of foci active at a time and the number of foci bound.

2. The lower nuyen cost and lower karma cost to bind make Spellcasting foci more attractive to specialized mages. Also, you can get a R4 Power Focus with Restricted Gear (which costs a small fortune) or a R5 Spellcasting Focus (for a smaller fortune), but end up getting a slightly higher pool for whatever specialty you want.

Generally speaking, I go for Power Focus or broke. My NPCs mages, however, tend to have a Spellcasting Focus.

Just as i thought. Thanks for the clarification!
The same goes for almost every Focus мы Power focus, right? The only ones that have uses are sustaining and Metamagic ones?

Umm, no.
Counterspelling one can be quite usefull as can weapon focus.
And as mentioned a spellcasting focus is cheaper and more easily available then a power focus, so it's a good option for a specialist mage(for example my combat mysad built has one as she only has combat spells)

If you use Centering, a Centering/Power focus is nice. Power focus for casting, Centering for Drain.



-k

Right, bu Spellcasting, Summoning, Banishing, Binding foci lose in comparison. They are cheaper of course but more specialised.
What I meant is that only those foci that give you new abilities, like sustaining foci or those that augment non-Magic roll like counter-spelling foci are comparable with power foci.

If i only need bonus dice for combat spells, then i would call +5 dice versus +4 dice out of gate winning.
But ofcource nothing beats power 4 in utility and i wouldn't really call those other foci comparable with power focus as comparing things that don't affect same things is quite silly.

I think he meant either compatible or effective. The Spellcasting/Summoning/ect. foci become redundant (in a bad way) if you grab a Power focus, and he's right on that mark.

Oh, that would make a lot more sense.