“Is fluff”, seems like an arbitrary delineation and brings almost a majority of content in the core rule book into question.
As a GM team we should strive to influence the future (SR7) and not relive the same mistakes (lack of clarity, as what’s rules and what’s fluff) as the past.
-Chopper
I don't disagree. There was no question what was fluff and what was rules in some editions. But, I'd say 4e on its been harder to nail down. Which would be fine in 4e, but when the same line of fluff which the designers let us know is fluff in faqs/errata pops up every edition wtf.
Is fluff is arbitrary sort of in this case. 1 previous editions using the same exact language have clarified it.
Here.
Power foci live up to their name. They are very
powerful foci that temporarily increase your effective
Magic rating.
Okay what does effective magic rating mean, it isn't specific like it increases your magic attribute, it uses wishy washy terms like effective magic rating. The next sentence may clarify.
That means they add to your
Sorcery dice pools whenever you use that skill,
along with any other test where Magic is involved.
Power foci can take any form, but for some reason,
rings and amulets are quite popular.
Well there you go it does seem to clarify it to some degree. So its sort of arbitrary but its also sort of in the text what the thing it supposed to do. It is absolute shit that you have to read into it though to figure it out, especially since its been 2 editions where this question has popped up before due to the exact same wording. Rules should be clear. There is no excuse for this. But, while you have to read between the lines the answer is there.