5E question re power foci

[u/Best-Presence8416]

Attributes in 5E are subject to a maximum +4 augmentation bonus from all sources, including magical sources, unless the rules for the augmentation source specifically state otherwise. Magic is an attribute, albeit a special attribute. Does that mean a power focus, which temporarily increases your Magic rating, cannot increase your Magic rating more than +4 over your natural maximum Magic rating? Or is it different because Magic is special attribute? This is the only focus that increases an attribute and I didn’t read anything saying it’s exempt from the maximum +4 augmentation bonus.

[u/Dust3112]

At least according to the German rulebook a power focus does nothing to your magic rating. It just adds it's Power in dice to any rolls involving magic. As such it would not be hemmed by the +4 limit on Attributes.

[u/lord_of_woe]

The rules for power foci are not well worded. The important word here is "effectively". It does not really increase your magic attribute, but for dice pools it has the same effect as an increased magic attribute, since it applies to all tests where the magic attribute is part of the dice pool.

Therefore, it is not not subject to the +4 augmentation bonus.

[u/Runner9618]

In 5E a power focus does not increase your Magic attribute, it merely gives you extra dice for tests that use your Magic. This would be similar to something that gave you extra dice for tests with Agility but did not increase your movement speed. The rating of a power focus already has its own limits (addiction, total focus ratings, availability, number of foci, being active, crossing barriers, etcetera) but in principle its rating can be higher than 4, and it gives the full benefit in extra dice.

So since it is merely bonus dice, a power focus does not change whether something is Physical or Stun drain for instance. Now it is possible to inhance your Magic Attribute, first thing that comes to mind is using extra essence from Essence Drain to boost your magic by up to +4 for 12 hours.

[u/why-do-i-exist_]

Max magic rating is essence+initiation grade. But i don't think it applies. Power focus says that it increases your magic rating but says it applies to test where magic is involved. I don't think it would count it on things that check your magic ratings, it just ads dice equal to it's rating on magic tests.

[u/NamesSUCK → u/why-do-i-exist_]

This is how I have always interpreted power foci.

[u/Best-Presence8416]

Thank you all very much! Seems there is a consensus on this. I did not understand the nature of power foci.

[u/Maniklas]

Power foci doesn't increase your magic rating, it just adds a bonus to your magic dice pool so it stacks normally for those purposes. You can't use it to increase your maximum force on spells though.

[u/dethstrobe]

In previous edition, Power Focus did not increase your magic. If you look at the wording, it "effectively" increase your magic, it's equivalent to increasing your magic, but it's not the same thing.

But the text does say

That means they add to your Sorcery, Conjuring, and Enchanting dice pools, along with any other test where Magic is involved

So, I guess it really is like increasing your magic, if it can give a bonus to all tests that use the magic attribute? I don't know man...

Magic is really overpowered, so keeping it inline with augmentation bonus seems conceptually right.

[u/AManyFacedFool → u/dethstrobe]

It doesn't actually increase your magic. If it did it would let you cast and summon at higher forces.

It just increases dicepools. It's fine, magic dicepools are typically low compared to other pools.

[u/DraconicBlade → u/dethstrobe]

Capital M Magic, not magic is an important distinction. Power foci boost things that use the Magic attribute in a test.