Harrow Chosen trait and damaging divination spells

[Archaeik]

Harrow Chosen wrote:

If you use this specific harrow deck as an additional focus component when you cast a divination spell, your caster level is treated as being 2 levels higher.

Occult Adventures: Psychic Magic wrote:

Focus components work the same way with psychic spells as they do with other spells.

What does the bolded part mean?/How does it function?

At a minimum, I assume it has to be in hand, but is this less exploitable than it seems at first glance? (My point being that the trait was never intended as a more broadly applicable Spell Specialization for blasters)

[Rysky]

It's like other spells and caster with Foci, you have it in hand and it lets you buff up your spells. Don't lose it either, as you would a material component.

Don't know what this has to do with damaging Divination spells since there wasn't any in your question (are there any damaging Divination spells?)...

[Korolan]

Rysky wrote:

It's like other spells and caster with Foci, you have it in hand and it lets you buff up your spells. Don't lose it either, as you would a material component.

Don't know what this has to do with damaging Divination spells since there wasn't any in your question (are there any damaging Divination spells?)...

MIND THRUST!

[Rysky]

Ah, cool. Thankies :3

[Archaeik]

Rysky wrote:

It's like other spells and caster with Foci, you have it in hand and it lets you buff up your spells. Don't lose it either, as you would a material component.

Don't know what this has to do with damaging Divination spells since there wasn't any in your question (are there any damaging Divination spells?)...

My recollection is that most of the spells this trait was intended to boost (ie. ones that gain a mechanical benefit prior to Occult Adventures) have a ritualistic fluff (ie. take longer than a standard action to cast).

I strongly suspect "use as an additional focus component" also intended that same fluff of sitting down and actually manipulating the deck over the duration of the cast.
Simply allowing it to be held in hand seems to defeat this intent.

[Rysky]

Archaeik wrote:

Rysky wrote:

It's like other spells and caster with Foci, you have it in hand and it lets you buff up your spells. Don't lose it either, as you would a material component.

Don't know what this has to do with damaging Divination spells since there wasn't any in your question (are there any damaging Divination spells?)...

My recollection is that most of the spells this trait was intended to boost (ie. ones that gain a mechanical benefit prior to Occult Adventures) have a ritualistic fluff (ie. take longer than a standard action to cast).

I strongly suspect "use as an additional focus component" also intended that same fluff of sitting down and actually manipulating the deck over the duration of the cast.
Simply allowing it to be held in hand seems to defeat this intent.

-_-

Yes you can assume that, and play that up as such. What I meant by "in hand" as you actually having out at the ready rather than in your backpack.

Not saying you're wrong, it's just the "use it with the spell" was already implied by the nature of being a component.

As for what "type" of spells they boost? Any Divination ones, doesn't matter how long they take to cast. If it belongs to the Divination school they get the boost.

[Jivan, the Dreamer]

Pretty much every Psychic is Harrow Chosen because of this.

It's ridiculously easy for a 1st level Psychic to pelt out 5d6 Mind Thrusts, and usually with a decently high DC.

[Rysky]

Jivan, the Dreamer wrote:

Pretty much every Psychic is Harrow Chosen because of this.

It's ridiculously easy for a 1st level Psychic to pelt out 5d6 Mind Thrusts, and usually with a decently high DC.

*scratches head*

I thought you couldn't stack stuff that boosted your caster level?

Probably wrong though.

[Plausible Pseudonym]

It's only subject to the usual "same source" limitations.

[Rysky]

Ah, Thankies.

[James Risner]

Rysky wrote:

Jivan, the Dreamer wrote:

5d6 Mind Thrusts

I thought you couldn't stack stuff that boosted your caster level?

Can't stack from same source of course.

But most CL stuff says "+1 CL" not "one caster level higher than normal" which is the type of language designed to not stack together.

[Daw]

Since the consensus is that it works, wouldn't a card draw to determine the exact effect be more in-keeping with the flavor of the item?