Interruptions while a Feruchemist is storing

[Agent 333]

Maybe something like:
"Charges are only granted for full hours of storing. If the Feruchemist stops storing for any reason he gains no charge."

[Skywalker]

Maybe something like:
"Charges are only granted for full hours of storing. If the Feruchemist stops storing for any reason he gains no charge."

That's consistent with the idea that the Feruchemist could take a hit through combat on Physique and continue to store though.

I think the pertinent missing rule is that Storing requires concentration and any reasonable interruption breaks that concentration and stops the Storing.

[Skywalker]

How about:

For each full hour a Feruchemist spends storing, a number of charges are added to the metalmind equal to the character’s rating with that metal, or up to the limit described in each metal’s chapter, whichever is lower. Only full hours spent storing are counted. If the Feruchemist must substantially focus on something other than storing, such as an interruption or if they undertake another task, no charges are gained for the part of the hour preceding that break. This means that a Feruchemist can’t, for example, stop storing for the duration of a fight and then return to the process. He or she can, however, change from hour to hour if desired.

[Crafty_Pat]

Maybe something like:
"Charges are only granted for full hours of storing. If the Feruchemist stops storing for any reason he gains no charge."

That's consistent with the idea that the Feruchemist could take a hit through combat on Physique and continue to store though.

It's also consistent with the strictest reading of the novels, which is what's at issue here. We'll take a closer look at it.

Thanks!

[Bill Whitmore]

Maybe something like:
"Charges are only granted for full hours of storing. If the Feruchemist stops storing for any reason he gains no charge."

That's consistent with the idea that the Feruchemist could take a hit through combat on Physique and continue to store though.

Which from my understanding that idea is how it should be.  Nothing in the text makes it sound like you have to be concentrating to store.

The core part of storing says that they can't stop storing for the duration of a fight and then return to the process.  Storing should only be counted as being interrupted if you actually stop storing.  If you actually stop storing, you don't take penalties from storing any more.

If someone is storing in a pewter metalmind and gets attacked, they should have a choice; either stop storing and lose that hour's worth of accumulation or keep storing and suffer the negative effects of storing pewter.

I would also make the decision to stop storing as part of their action, albeit a zero time action like burning metals.  If you get attacked unexpectedly, you can't stop storing until you take your first action so the first round is going to hurt.


If that understanding is how it is supposed to work, I can offer some text changes.  If my understanding of how it is supposed to work is off, then I don't know what text needs to be changed.

Edit:  Ninja'd!  And I didn't feel like rewriting it.

[MistbornDave]

Something else that might need to be said, quit comparing 'Joe Blow normal character' with Sazeed.  JB isnt as good as as Sazeed, maybe in time but not starting out.  Sazeed has prolly been interuppted in the early days of his storing adn now knows how to ignore the things that would normally interrupt storing.  Just my $.02.

[Aminar]

Something else that might need to be said, quit comparing 'Joe Blow normal character' with Sazeed.  JB isnt as good as as Sazeed, maybe in time but not starting out.  Sazeed has prolly been interuppted in the early days of his storing adn now knows how to ignore the things that would normally interrupt storing.  Just my $.02.

To work with that we would need a roll(likely using the metal's stat) resisting the interruption.

[Crafty_Pat]

Something else that might need to be said, quit comparing 'Joe Blow normal character' with Sazeed.  JB isnt as good as as Sazeed, maybe in time but not starting out.  Sazeed has prolly been interuppted in the early days of his storing adn now knows how to ignore the things that would normally interrupt storing.  Just my $.02.

To work with that we would need a roll(likely using the metal's stat) resisting the interruption.

I'm not necessarily advocating that concentration is required - though I do happen to think it would be more balanced, and if I were building this world as a gaming setting first that's the choice I'd make - but I refute that a roll would be required to avoid interruption. Especially in a narrative game like this, it's often enough to say, "this happens when X" and leave it at that. This is especially true with particularly powerful abilities like Feruchemy.

All that said, the goal here is to do the books justice, and we'll make the best call on that front that still leaves the game playable and fun.

[Bill Whitmore]

I was originally thinking of making it a stunt then I remembered that Feruchemy doesn't have stunts.

[Akerbos]

Agent 333's wording for the rule is fine, imho.

As for the example which sparked the discussion, change

In the third hour Damosi once again tries to store his maximum of 3 charges,
but he’s interrupted near the end by attackers who raid the Crew’s hideout. He
loses 3 dice during the fight and by the end of the hour has still only stored a total
of 4 charges (unless of course he used any of them during the struggle).

to

In the third hour Damosi once again tries to store his maximum of 3 charges. Near the end of this hour the Crew's hideout is attacked. Not ready to take a penalty of 3 dice in the ensuing fight he stops storing and does not gain charges for the third hour at all.

[Skywalker]

In the third hour Damosi once again tries to store his maximum of 3 charges. Near the end of this hour the Crew's hideout is attacked. Not ready to take a penalty of 3 dice in the ensuing fight he stops storing and does not gain charges for the third hour at all.

Doesn't that suggest that the Feruchemist's decision to stop storing to avoid the penalty is the important factor, not that the combat itself stops the storing regardless of the Feruchemists decision? If so, that will create the same initial confusion suffered by the OP.

What's been clarified by Crafty is that an interruption can force a Feruchemist to stop storing.

[Crafty_Pat]

In the third hour Damosi once again tries to store his maximum of 3 charges. Near the end of this hour the Crew's hideout is attacked. Not ready to take a penalty of 3 dice in the ensuing fight he stops storing and does not gain charges for the third hour at all.

Doesn't that suggest that the Feruchemist's decision to stop storing to avoid the penalty is the important factor, not that the combat itself stops the storing regardless of the Feruchemists decision? If so, that will create the same initial confusion suffered by the OP.

What's been clarified by Crafty is that an interruption can force a Feruchemist to stop storing.

No no, he's right. The novel canon is pretty clear that it's less about environmental interruptions than voluntary ones.

It's less balanced, but such is the state of Scadrial.

[Skywalker]

Cool, so we are going back to the idea that with that combat the choice for Feruchemist is:

1. Lose 3 Physique dice but keep storing

Or

2. Stop storing and loose any for the part hour

If so, then I whole heartedly agree with Agent333 and Akerbos' approach (and think that is the best way to handle the matter). I just thought you had decided against that approach.   

[Crafty_Pat]

Cool, so we are going back to the idea that with that combat the choice for Feruchemist is:

1. Lose 3 Physique dice but keep storing

Or

2. Stop storing and loose any for the part hour

If so, then I whole heartedly agree with Agent333 and Akerbos' approach (and think that is the best way to handle the matter). I just thought you had decided against that approach.   

Largely, yes.

[Skywalker]

Woot!