How does resonance actually work?

[Tamago]

I know there are already a whole bunch of threads with people bashing or defending the resonance system. I don't want this to turn into another of them. But I would like some clarification on how exactly resonance is intended to function, to make sure that my playtest feedback is accurate.

I'm a bit confused about what things require spending resonance, especially when it comes to invested items.

For example, take the following item:

Collar of Inconspicuousness wrote:

COLLAR OF INCONSPICUOUSNESS ITEM 9
Traits Invested Primal Transmutation
Price 625 gp
Method of Use worn, collar;
Bulk 1
Activation Focus Activation
This leather collar’s worn and almost threadbare look defies its magical nature. When you invest the collar and attach it to your animal companion’s neck, it grants you the ability to change your ferocious animal companion into a more inconspicuous form. While touching your animal companion, you can activate the collar to transform your companion into a nonthreatening Tiny creature of the same or a similar species (for instance, a house cat instead of a tiger or a puppy instead of a wolf). This has the effects of pest form (2nd level, or 4th level if your animal companion can fly). The effect lasts until you dismiss it with another Focus Activation action that doesn’t cost RP.

So, you invest the collar and put it on your animal companion. 1 Resonance spent so far. Then you activate the collar to turn them into a nonthreatening creature. Does that cost a second Resonance? Or do you get it for free because you invested the collar? If you activate the collar later in the day, would it cost a third Resonance?

If it does cost a resonance to activate, why is this an invested item? Is it just a stealth way of making it cost at least two Resonance?

Another example:

Cloak of Elvenkind wrote:

CLOAK OF ELVENKIND ITEM 10+
Traits Illusion Invested Magical
Method of Use worn, cloak;
Bulk L
Activation Focus Activation, Operate Activation
This cloak is deep green with a voluminous hood, and is embroidered with gold trim and symbols of significance to the elves. The cloak allows you to cast the ghost sound cantrip as an innate arcane spell. When you draw the hood up over your head (an Interact action), the cloak transforms to match the environment around you and muffles your sounds, giving you an item bonus to Stealth checks. If you activate the cloak, you pull the hood up and are affected by invisibility for 1 minute or until you pull the hood back down, whichever comes first.

It's invested, so it costs 1 resonance at the beginning of the day. But I'm unclear what abilities you get for free, and what you need to spend resonance on.

Casting an innate spell sure sounds like activating the item to me, and using an item to cast a spell matches the developers' descriptions of a thing that would use resonance. But it doesn't specifically say it is an activation action, so does that mean it's free? If so, how often can it be used? If it's not free, where in the rules does it say that such a thing costs resonance?

If you draw up the hood of the cloak to become invisible, that clearly costs Resonance. But if you do the same thing to gain a bonus on Stealth checks, does that cost resonance? It's not a "constant ability", so by RAW it would not seem to be powered up merely by investing the item. But if so, why is gaining the stealth bonus an Interact action, while going invisible is an activation action?

Again, I don't want to discuss the merits or problems with the resonance system as a whole in this thread. There are other threads for that. But I would like to gain a clearer understanding of how it's supposed to work, so that I can run it correctly at my playtest table!

Thanks!

[John Teixeira]

I believe anything that utilizes the Command Activation, Focus Activation, or Operate Activation would require RP to activate unless specified otherwise in the activation entry of the item. Investing doesn't change the cost of activating, it's just an additional cost associated with the magic item as far as I am aware.

For the Collar of Inconspicuousness, it would require Investment, as well as a Focus Activation to transform the companion into a tiny creature. Ending the effect is a Focus Activation that DOES NOT cost RP. I believe the wording here is problematic since Focus Activations do not cost RP, "Activate an Item" activities do. It may be better to change the wording to reflect that.

Regarding the Cloak of Elvenkind, I believe the only thing that requires Activation is the Invisibility, which would require both a Focus Activation and an Operate Activation, however magic items are activated by utilizing the "Activate an Item" activity which is where the RP cost comes from, and so still only costs 1 RP since you are only using "Activate an Item" once, but it requires 2 actions. This could also be cleared up to make it more obvious that it's an activation. My reasoning is that it says "If you activate the cloak, you pull the hood up and are affected by invisibility..." though being an undercase A, you could make the case that it isn't necessarily RAW.

[Tamago]

John Teixeira wrote:

I believe the wording here is problematic since Focus Activations do not cost RP, "Activate an Item" activities do. It may be better to change the wording to reflect that.

I'm still confused. Is a Focus Activation action not an "Activate an Item" activity? If not, can you give an example of when a Focus Activation would not be part of activating an item?

More generally, what is the difference between using an item vs activating it? For example, in the Cloak of Elvenkind, is drawing the hood up to activate the Stealth bonus not actually Activating the item? If not, why not?

It's really hurting my brain to try and decipher what specifically triggers the spending of Resonance in these items that have multiple abilities.

[32mmDeathPunch]

I am also confused by a lot of this. It seems overly complicated to the old "One item per slot" style of Item restriction.

The way I see it is, if I have to spend an RP to Invest the item to me, that should be all that is really needed except on items that have RP cost in the actual description.

Why does it need to be more complicated than that? I get that this is to prevent the "I have a 18 magic items on my character" trope, but I think it is enough of a restriction to a fighter with a 10 CHA that only gets one RP at 1st level, while the Alchemist with his 18 INT has 5 RP to play with. I know the alchemist has to use RP to make their formula, but could instead just invest every magic item the party finds for the first few adventures.

[Cantriped]

Items that grant Cantrips generally do so as a benefit of Investment. These typically don't require that you spend RP to use. However, besides that common exception, all Activations cost RP unless otherwise noted (the cantrips usually are so noted).

There are a great many items in the playtest that require both Investment (for little to no benefit) and Activation to use. Like the Necklace of Fireballs, or Gloves of Storing.

Paizo chose to playtest the most restrictive version of the resonance system, IIRC; because they can more easily dial back the restrictions than impose new ones.