[celondon]

My GM is giving me some post-gen bonuses to get up to par with the group. He has offered me 3 different "packages" to choose from and I wanted to get input on it from others.

Here are the options:
1) 2 free spells of your choosing, Initiation (Your choice), 2 F4 bound spirits, each with 2 services left

2) Power focus (R1) (Bound), Summoning focus (R2) (Bound) (Your choice of spirit), Binding focus (R2) (Bound) (Your choice of spirit)

3) 2 spells of your choosing, Initiation (your choice), Metamagic foci (R1) (Bound) (Your choice)

I'm leaning towards #3 (Masking + Masking focus)

How about you? Which would you take?

[adzling]

I'd take option 1.
Option 3 is good but a rating 1 foci is pretty crap.

BTW did you used to play NWN2 online?

[Facemage]

I'd take option 3. 2 F4 bound spirits costs 4000 nuyen which is not much. F1 masking focus is not good, but it is better than nothing (more valuable than spirits).

[bdyer]

I think 3 is the best too.  Initation and extra spells help you out the most

[celondon]

BTW did you used to play NWN2 online?

I did, in fact, although not for very long. Maybe 6 months?

Thanks for the feedback, folks.

[Whiskeyjack]

I'd go option 1. R1 foci, even power foci, aren't worth it. Better to save your money and get an R4+ power focus.

[Halinn]

I'd go option 1. R1 foci, even power foci, aren't worth it. Better to save your money and get an R4+ power focus.

When it's without extra cost and already bound, I'd say it's worth more than bound spirits (so long as you're not brushing up against having to take focus addiction tests, of course).

[Whiskeyjack]

It's certainly worth more than bound spirits, but it's not going to be useful for long, because it provides minimal benefit and you'll want to upgrade/replace it ASAP.

Not to mention that Summoning/Binding foci and Power foci don't stack.

I'd rather have more spells for free and an initiation.

The Power focus setup MIGHT be worth it if the rules for improving foci are in play, but there's no point in keeping summoning/binding foci once you improve the power focus to R2.

[adzling]

I used to play a drow arcane trickster on a couple servers that had an underdark population.
Ring a bell?

BTW did you used to play NWN2 online?

I did, in fact, although not for very long. Maybe 6 months?

Thanks for the feedback, folks.

[Halinn]

It's certainly worth more than bound spirits, but it's not going to be useful for long, because it provides minimal benefit and you'll want to upgrade/replace it ASAP.

Not to mention that Summoning/Binding foci and Power foci don't stack.

I'd rather have more spells for free and an initiation.

The Power focus setup MIGHT be worth it if the rules for improving foci are in play, but there's no point in keeping summoning/binding foci once you improve the power focus to R2.

I'm just saying that option 3 is better than option 1. I agree that option 2 is a trap.

[Whiskeyjack]

Yeah at least you can pawn the focus when you outgrow it.

[Rift_0f_Bladz]

Either option 1 or Option 3. Not sure which I would pick though. Rating 1 foci is kinda crapy though. Is sustaining foci metamagic or sorcery?

[Halinn]

Either option 1 or Option 3. Not sure which I would pick though. Rating 1 foci is kinda crapy though. Is sustaining foci metamagic or sorcery?

Sorcery.
The metamagic foci are: centering, flexibible signature, masking and spell shaping. Particularly masking seems like it'd be nice since he'll only be initiate grade 1, so he needs what help he can get for that extra magic stealth.

[Rift_0f_Bladz]

Yeah, an extra die is never a bad thing. Shielding (and Street Grim school upgrades) eventually will be a good metamagic for most mages as well.