After seeing the fullness of the High-Circle previews, I think I've got my recommended fix for this. Basically, it's a bit of an amalgam of everyone's ideas on this topic (thanks for all the great input). Details are as follows, but here's the gist:
- The base intent of the Talent stays the same but significantly increased.
- The guiding principle here is parity with the other Disciplines.
Both close and ranged combatants can hold their weapon ready-to-strike Strain free, without a special Talent, and without risk of failing. The idea of a triple penalty for magicians is very uncomfortable for me (requires Talent, that costs Strain, and could fail to work at the start or any intervening re-test). Without really munging things up, we can't undo the fact that this Talent exists, but we can significantly shape it to make it useful for its presence. - Duration changed to Rank minutes rather than Rank turns.
- The effect can hold an entire spell, regardless of number of threads, without the need for the "Hold Multiple Threads" knack.
- Strain is a one-time cost, with 1 Strain per thread. I'm entirely open to people suggesting an increase here (2 maybe, 3 pushes it), but I personally don't agree with a per-turn cost.
- The idea of a reusable thread is added as a knack.
- If I had my druthers, I'd just add it as a base effect to the Talent, but the wording gets really messy in that case.
- This effect is pretty powerful, and even though the base Talent doesn't appear until Circle 7 or 8, this still merits a SLIGHT price premium. I placed it at Circle 5 as an analogy to Journeyman. I'm entirely open to people suggesting this should be at Circle 9 (Warden), given what it brings to the table.
- Pretty hefty cost. I used the old Aid Summoner from previous editions as a template. Given what this potentially brings to the table (a magician could cast a spell with 2 base threads every turn), I think it'd warranted. I'd actually be open to people suggesting an increase in the per-use cost, maybe to 2.
- This is intentionally not easy. By aiming at the Reattunement Difficulty, it fits many of the old edition Knack models that required a "good" success. Still,
good chance that it's at least 50/50 success for same-Circle spells, better if Karma is thrown at it. - I love this, but I do worry that it may still be a bit too strong. I'd be interested in hearing additional cost models. One thought would be the REQUIREMENT to spend karma on the test (I know, this isn't a thing anymore), or otherwise just say that the test "consumes" a karma point (like many Talents "consume" Recovery Tests).
IMPORTANT QUESTION: The original Talent text doesn't say anything about this effect being visible. Pretty much every other Talent with a sustained effect has a tell. Do you think we should add a tell? Something visible in the physical plane might be a bit much, since Astral energy isn't visible there, and spells don't have an appearance until the are cast. Astrally, though, I definitely think it should be evident that someone is holding a round in the chamber.
---------- TALENT ----------
Hold Magic
Action: Standard
Duration: Rank Minutes
Strain: see text
<This Talent Replaces “Hold Thread”>
When a magician would make a Spellcasting test to cast a fully woven spell, they may instead choose to hold the spell at the ready rather than casting it. The magician must first pay one Strain for each thread they wove to the spell via a Threadweaving test (or any test that replaces this Talent for the purpose of weaving spell threads). The magician then makes a Standard Action Hold Magic test versus the Attunement Difficulty of the spell. If the test is successful, the magician holds the spell at the ready for RANK minutes. At any time, the magician may cast this spell as a normal Spellcasting test or Concise Casting test. Once cast, the Hold Magic effect ends, the spell is expended.
The magician cannot use Spellcasting to cast any other spells while this effect is active. Concise Casting can still be used as normal. At any time, the magician can release the captive spell energy to end this effect without casting the spell. Any time the duration for this effect would end, the magician can perform another Hold Magic test to continue the effect. If the test fails, the spell must be cast in the following round or be lost.
---------- KNACK ----------
Resiliant Thread
Talent: Hold Magic
Circle: 5
Strain: see text
A magician can fashion a portion of his True Pattern into the shape of a particular spell’s thread to expedite future spell casting. The magician must pay a number of Strain equal to the Circle of the spell to which the thread belongs. Then, the magician makes a Hold Magic test against the spell’s Reattunement difficulty. If successful, the magician may cast the target spell for Rank turns as if the spell had one fewer base threads or, if it is already at 0 threads, has one free extra thread. Every time the magician chooses to use this extra thread, they must pay 1 Strain at the time of the Spellcasting or Concise Casting test. If this effect creates an extra thread, then the effect of the extra thread must be chosen at the time of the successful Hold Magic test; it cannot be changed until the Hold Magic effect ends. A magician can only have one such Hold Thread effect active at any time. A magician may end an active Hold Thread at will rather than waiting for the duration to expire.