Some numbers and considerations for the upcoming charm action:
Our main need is for a battery charm so that Zhi can keep the benefits of keeping his core bright, and not lose the benefits of Fractal View.
This is rather critical, and this is the quickest solution to the problem that we know of. All other methods involve extensive training actions.
Now, there are some suggestions that Zhi shouldn't do 'basic' or 'simple' charms. However...
1: A Moment's Respite, Vitriolic Retort and even Dance at the Midnight Crossroads are all very simple mechanically. That doesn't stop them being useful and/or artistic. There is no reason that a battery charm design can't be creative.
2: If we do a quick simple charm now, then we have more time for more interesting and complicated charms later on.
3: Assuming that Zhi will have time to finish a big charm when he gets back to the Heart is extremely optimistic. There will be a lot of competing time pressures, even if it doesn't seem likely that Zhi will get promoted to the 7th Circle.
4: If we didn't want to make a simple battery charm, we could have bought one.
Based on that, I'm strongly suggesting that we do a quick battery charm, or at least something quick or something battery. A big charm that doesn't help with immediate needs right now will just add to the pile of things that Zhi needs more time for.
Design considerations:
The Steelwind Beach has aspects of Steel, Water and Creation.
Any charm design that matches the Wonder will likely get a design roll bonus, although we only have 1 Steel material unless Chui Dao is used to add Steel anam to the charm. But to use Chui Dao like that, the charm needs to be comprised of metal.
It may also be that the Creation or even the Water aspect will give a bonus depending on what the charm design is. Perhaps a drinking vessel design could trigger something here?
We have only a few possible metal materials:
The Antlers are metallic, although Deception may not be useful for a battery charm.
The Mirror would have a metal backing.
The Hide might have metallic hairs on it. Would have to be careful with the design.
However, what if we grind up another material and alloy it into some metal? What if we make a brew and use it to quench hot steel with it? There are ways of potentially infusing mundane metal with the anam of one of Zhi's materials.
If we want the charm done quickly, then it needs to fit a skill that Zhi has lots of skill in, such as Jewellery or Woodworking, or it needs to be metal for Chui Dao's bonus. If both, then even better.
A metallic jewellery charm could get 25-30 BT of work done in this upcoming action.
A metallic woodworking charm could get 23-27 BT done.
A metallic weapon charm could get 15-20 BT done.
For non-metallic, subtract 10 successes.
An extra campfire action later to continue the build phase will be the same again, but on the lower end as these have omake bonuses. Although we don't know how many campfire actions are left, and we will have other things that need doing too.
For the infusion action, Zhi can infuse up to 15 BT (including breathing tech and omake bonuses) if using the Sceptre. Up to 22 BT if using his Core. Up to 44 BT if using Summit Air pills.
So keep that in mind with the design if we want the charm done before returning to the Heart.
As far as the design roll goes, Zhi would normally add +10 BT to any charm. However, with omake and Wonder bonuses, we could be looking at +14 BT. So even a humble material or two is going to result in a decent charm now.
Using something like the Free Fallen Staves as the only material means that we'd need to use a Summit Air pill to infuse before getting back to the Heart. Although if we are making a battery, then we can certainly have spare Summit Air pills available.
And finally, a battery charm is likely to be charged easier if the anam being used to charge it matches the aspects of the materials, so Steel/Wood is a good option as Zhi can use the Thicket.
Example:
The Phantom's Temptation (Silver Circlet)
Using a Cowardly Hoof, Startouched Eggshell and an ingot of silver (for maximum anam conductivity).
Expected result Wood/Steel/Star 28.
Grind the Eggshell and alloy it into the silver ingot. Work the silver into a sturdy circlet. Carve and attach pieces of the Hoof. Perhaps an emerald to reinforce the link between Wood and Steel via Earth?
The charm uses Wood to store anam and Steel to stabilise it, while Star releases the anam back to the wearer's core should it start to go dim.
So even this modest use of materials results in a decent BT charm but could still be completed quickly.
