| Mage (MtA Revised pages 202-204)
Foci are often objects, but can also be actions (e.g. meditation).
Multi-sphere effects require using a focus for each sphere.
Standard foci:
- For each sphere, you can have one or more of these.
Specialty (personal) foci:
- For each sphere, you can have up to one of these.
- Using a specialty focus = -1 difficulty.
- You need multiple foci for the sphere, one of which is declared as specialty. "I have one focus and it's my specialty" is insufficient. (Exception: unique foci, see below.)
- For multi-sphere effects, you only get the specialty bonus if you use a specialty focus for each sphere, and you only get it once (not once per sphere).
Unique foci:
- For each sphere, you can have up to one of these.
- A unique focus must be one specific instance of an item (e.g. "my father's gold watch", but not just "watches"). Having this item lost/stolen/destroyed is a Bad Thing.
- If you have a unique focus for a sphere, then you cannot have any other foci for that sphere.
- A unique focus also counts as a specialty focus.
- Using a unique focus = -2 difficulty (-1 for specialty, -1 for unique).
- For multi-sphere effects, you only get the unique bonus if you use a unique focus for each sphere, and you only get it once (not once per sphere).
Magick without foci:
- Surpassing foci = +3 difficulty and requires spending a Willpower (just to try, not for an automatic success).
- Technocrats and technomancers (Sons of Ether, Virtual Adepts) cannot surpass foci.
- PCs cannot abandon foci (would require Arete 6+; this is changed from 2nd edition).
Sample foci:
- MtA Revised pages 204-207
- MtA Chapter 2, find your Tradition's section, look for "Common Foci" near the end
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Sorcerer/Psychic (Sorcerer Revised pages 46-48)
- Sorcery uses foci, similar to mages.
- Sorcerers may have specialty and/or unique foci.
- Techno-sorcerers cannot surpass foci.
- Psychic powers are limited to concentration as a focus.
- This does not count as a specialty or unique focus.
- In combat:
- "Concentration" means spending one round doing nothing but concentrating, then using a power the next round.
- Doing something else at the same time as a mental power requires splitting actions between Wits + Parapsychology and the other action(s).
- You can surpass the concentration focus to bypass these requirements.
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