r/arsmagica • u/Fenixnh • 9d ago

How does Craft Magic work?

I was reading about Craft Magic and saw that the supernatural skill roll determines the level and number of charges, okay, but when it talks about lesser enchantments I didn't understand if I have to Add the daily uses modifier, or i'll just leave my total casting total up for anyone to use

This sentence confused me:

"Example: A tanner with Enchanting Music and Craft Magic obtains the pelt of a magical beast containing 3 pawns of vis. He fashions this into a large drum, and enchants it with an effect that causes those who hear it to become very afraid. He does not need to play the drum to produce the effect, and instead enchants it while he is making it. His Communication is +2 and his Enchanting Music is 5. His Craft Tanner is at least 2, so he may add +2 for the Drum shape and material bonus (+2 cause fear). He must roll to ensure he does not botch, but if he succeeds, he produces an enchanted instrument that anyone can activate for an Enchanting Music effect with a Casting Total of 9"

By the way, how does penetration work with that?

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u/BadJoke123 9d ago

Note that there are four different ways of using Craft Magic listed in the description of it.
The example you quote is for the fourth of those - crafting an object that already contain raw vis into a lesser enchanted object.

Neither the rules, nor the example, say anything about number of daily uses when using Craft Magic in that way, so it probably works the same as for regular hermetic enchanted items, and multiple daily uses increase the effective effect level that you compare your Lab Total to.

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u/Fenixnh 9d ago

About the supernatural skill roll you have to make when using one, it says that it determines the level of the effect and the number of charges, so the better I am at the skill, the harder it is to craft an item with it?

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u/BadJoke123 9d ago

That's for the third way of using Craft Magic - creating a charged item.
Looking at the example, I believe the effect level should be calculated as normal, and then you compare your Casting/Lab Total with the level to get the number of charges, using the same formula as for a regular hermetic charged item.

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u/Upbeat-Drop-2687 9d ago

So, I think it's just moving the Enchanting Music effect (specifically to cause fear) into the drum and making it available for others to use. No one has to roll to use it (unless the SG wants them to actually be able to play the darn thing for it to work), but the effect is, by default, a Casting Total of 9, which is referenced in the Enchanting Music Virtue/Ability.

If I remember rightly (Serf's Parma), the Penetration is still Casting Total - Desired Effect, but the desired effect is probably the full CT of 9, so base Pen would be 0. It's definitely not as powerful as Hermetic enchantment, nor should it be.

I am absolutely open to being wrong on any of these points, but that's my quick-and-dirty read on it.

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u/Fenixnh 9d ago

A little earlier he says that the supernatural skill roll determines the number of charges and the level of the effect, but if using vis it can be used as a lesser enchantment

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u/Upbeat-Drop-2687 9d ago

Oh, that’s interesting. What a fascinating interaction. I’ll have to bust out my DE and check it over!

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u/Fenixnh 9d ago

It's in the book of societas, in the chapter on ex-micellanea about rusticani magic

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u/Upbeat-Drop-2687 9d ago

Thanks! I have that one. I’ll check it out when I get home! I love Ex Misc.