Interesting Focus Question

[tiger]

A question was raised in my Fantasy Hero group that I really din't have and couldn't find an answer for.

 

If a focus is know to exist and be used by a large group would a normally IIF need to become an OIF?

 

Example: The old AD&D wizard favorite Braciers of Defense. Mages around the realm knew of them and wanted them so would this change the the standing?

 

or

 

If a captured villain's focus became know would/could that change it's standings?

[Steve Long]

Re: Interesting Focus Question

 

Well, typically magical bracers are always OIFs (look at all the ones in our published books, including FH and EI). Making them IIF would be unusual. But certainly it's possible, in a setting sense, for an item that's ordinarily Inobvious to be Obvious to some peoples or cultures based on specialized knowledge -- just like how in some campaigns a Vulnerability to Silver Attacks for werewolves is Very Common because everyone knows about it, even though Silver Attacks are ordinarily Uncommon (at best). It's up to the GM to decide how something like that should be bought. In any event a character doesn't regain Character Points later if his "secret" is "blown" and lots of people learn about his Inobvious Focus.