[JohnQ]

If this has been addressed previously, I apologize. I tried to search through the forums before posting to find the answer. Or perhaps the answer is obvious but I fail to see it.

For demonstrative purposes. A Magician has a Power Focus 2 adding to his Magic 6 giving him an effective Magic 8. The Mage then casts a Combat Spell using his Combat Spellcasting Focus 3. Would his dice pool would be 8 + 6 + 3 = 17? Or does this crossover the "Using a single focus" rule?

This was somewhat visited in a Topic from a few months ago, but it seemed to not address how the Power Focus increases your Magic essentially giving your dice pool a boost. Then the Spellcasting Focus from the above example, increases the pool in this case because the caster is using a Combat spell. Technically one could say this is more than a single Focus in a dice pool. Or one could say this doesn't apply because the Power Focus is augmenting the Magic attribute and not technically adding to the spell casting dice pool.

As a new player well I played a long time ago when you had 'target numbers' and so I understand the d6 method but the rules I have had to read through again.

[FastJack]

It's been my understanding that Power will stack with Spell Foci, but multiple Spell Foci do not stack. So, you would get the 17 dice as discussed. If you had two Combat Spell Foci, one at 3 and one at 4, you'd have to choose either the 3 or 4 to use, you couldn't get +7 dice by using both.

[JohnQ]

That's how I read it, and how we were playing it. Since I've started looking through the forums for clarification on things I thought I'd go ahead, sign up, and ask.

Thanks for taking the time to respond! Much appreciated...

[FastJack]

No problem! Like you, I couldn't find anything in the books or the FAQ that says one way or another. It could be my search-fu is off () or it's just never been brought up in the current edition.

[Sonarean]

I actually see it going the other way.  Granted I tend to view casting with foci as "channeling" the flows of magic either into or through the focus, so going through two doesn't make much sense to me.

If your group is happy with the way you're doing it, though, I wouldn't worry about it.

[Mäx]

Book is actually very clear about this subject

Regardless of the number of foci a magician may possess, only one
focus may add its Force to any single dice pool.

So no you can not use both a power foci and spellcasting foci to cast the same spell, only one or the other

Also power focus does not raise the users magic, it just add it force to all magic linked dicepools.

[JohnQ]

Fair enough.

When "using" the Combat Spellcasting Focus, the spell is "going through" the focus and thereby focusing the spell power. Using that as a basis, then isn't the Power Focus, which does not directly affect spells at all, but anything that involves the use of Magic still valid? Its my Magic attribute that is "going through" the Power Focus. If we do not count in the Power Focus then can I still cast at Force 7 or 8? It's only available due to the Power Focus infusing the Magic attribute with additional power (making his Magic an 8 instead of a 6). I suppose what I'm seeing is that the Power Focus, as such, does not inherently affect your spells it affects your Magic attribute and per the guidelines affects anything that uses the Magic attribute. Hence it has no affect on Drain, for example (I read some previous post here where someone mentioned trying to use the Power Focus on Drain Tests).

As FastJack posted, trying to use a pair of Spellcasting Foci together clearly falls under the guidelines of multiple spell foci.

[FastJack]

Foci come in several types, each designed to help its master in different ways. Spell foci grant powers related to Sorcery skills, while Spirit foci grant powers related to Conjuring skills. Weapon foci allow an Awakened character to increase her combat abilities, while power foci boost Magic directly.

Well, they are two separate foci. I tend to go with the idea that Power Foci act as a "buffer" to allow you to channel more mana without the risk, while Spellcasting Foci "tweak" the mana energy to work better with a specific type of spell.

Book is actually very clear about this subject

Regardless of the number of foci a magician may possess, only one focus may add its Force to any single dice pool.

So no you can not use both a power foci and spellcasting foci to cast the same spell, only one or the other

Also power focus does not raise the users magic, it just add it force to all magic linked dicepools.

I was looking for that before my first post because I thought I remembered it, but I guess I skimmed right over it. I've never agreed with that, really. I've felt that it's akin to getting Muscle Toner (boost to Agility) and a Enhanced Articulation (boost to Skills) to get better at Pistols.

[Mäx]

But power focus does not i repeat does not raise the users magic, it only provides a dicepool bonus equal to its force to all magic linked test.

Fastjack you are ofcource allways free to houserule how ever you like on your table, but the RAW couldn't get much clearer about the rule of only one foci per test.

[FastJack]

Yeah, I understand. Power Foci add +Rating dice to any test made with the Magic Attribute. Spellcasting Foci add +Rating dice to spells cast of the specific type. The official rule is that if you have both active, only the greater of the two is applied.

As a player and also "mechanically" I do like a house-rule that would stack the two, just because it "feels" right. But as a DM and Rules Lawyer, I can also see the mad abuse that would occur.

[Mäx]

As a player and also "mechanically" I do like a house-rule that would stack the two, just because it "feels" right. But as a DM and Rules Lawyer, I can also see the mad abuse that would occur.

Yeah, as a player i would ofcource love to have a +13 dice modifier to spellcasting traight out the chargen, would make multicasting so much fun.
Right now i have to make do with measly +9 dice

[Chaemera]

If we do not count in the Power Focus then can I still cast at Force 7 or 8? It's only available due to the Power Focus infusing the Magic attribute with additional power (making his Magic an 8 instead of a 6). I suppose what I'm seeing is that the Power Focus, as such, does not inherently affect your spells it affects your Magic attribute and per the guidelines affects anything that uses the Magic attribute. Hence it has no affect on Drain, for example (I read some previous post here where someone mentioned trying to use the Power Focus on Drain Tests).

I know Max already addressed this briefly, but it's worth pairing it with the OP's question and being specific:

A power focus adds its Force to all tests in which the magician's Magic is included.

Unless otherwise stated, any modifier mentioned is considered to be a dice pool modifier as noted above.

These two sentences, taken together, state that the dice you get from your power focus are a dice pool modifier vice an attribute modifier. Therefore, they do not increase your magic attribute, only your dice pool. So in the example in the OP's question:
Magic = 6,
Max Force = 12,
Force to not be Overcasting = 6

and, as previously mentioned:

Book is actually very clear about this subject

Regardless of the number of foci a magician may possess, only one
focus may add its Force to any single dice pool.

So no you can not use both a power foci and spellcasting foci to cast the same spell, only one or the other.

Therefore, final DP is: Magic 6 + Spellcasting* 6 + Combat Focus 3 = 15
or, for a non-combat spell:
Magic 6 + Spellcasting 6 + Power Focus 2 = 14

*Original post doesn't specifiy this, but the math in the original post does:

For demonstrative purposes. A Magician has a Power Focus 2 adding to his Magic 6 giving him an effective Magic 8. The Mage then casts a Combat Spell using his Combat Spellcasting Focus 3. Would his dice pool would be 8 + 6 + 3 = 17? Or does this crossover the "Using a single focus" rule?

Emphasis mine

[JohnQ]

Excellent! That clarifies it for me! I think I'll toss the Spellcasting Focus back into the pile and replace it with another instead. Thank you all for the help. That is exactly why I came here. Though I've read through those very same pages, I suppose I simply saw what I wanted to see. It does make sense!

I'm sure I'll be back soon enough!

[Glyph]

Spell and spirit foci were more useful when you could use their dice to resist Drain.  You used to be able to use a power focus and a combat spell focus at the same time, by using the power focus to add to the spellcasting test, and the combat spell focus to resist Drain.  And by the rules, since it was two separate tests.

[JohnQ]

It's likely that the old school rules are stuck in there somewhere for me. The last time I played I think was the 1st or 2nd edition, not sure, I have all books around here somewhere in a box. They're like 20 years old...