Auratic focus

An Auratic focus is an implement used by a spellcaster to focus or amplify their Auratic output.

Types of foci

Wands, rods, and staves

The archetypical magician uses an implement made out of wood, with a core and a tip made out of Aura-conductive metal, such as silver, platinum, or mithril. These implements can be made out of various kinds of wood, of which each has its special characteristics. Examples of wood used in wands and staves are as follows:

Material	Characteristics
Ash	Robust, high durability, pairs well with Fire amplifiers
Ebony	Pairs well with Darkness amplifiers
Mahogany	Resistant to wood rot, pairs well with Grass amplifiers
Maple	Pairs well with Blood amplifiers
Oak	Pairs well with Air and Thunder amplifiers
Rowan	Pairs well with Light and Ice amplifier
Teak	Pairs well with Earth and Metal amplifiers
Willow	Pairs well with Water amplifiers
Yew	Amplifies the effects of toxin related spells

Wands are considered foci for novice to apprentice level magicians and are generally simple in construction and lack adornment due to their disposable nature, in comparison to more advanced implements.

Pendants

A pendant focus is typically a conductive metal object or a holy symbol on a chain, most often used by divine invokers or kineticist magicians.

Orb

An orb focus is a sphere made out of glass, or in rare cases, clear quartz or obsidian. They are most most commonly used for the Vision Discipline, but orbs used by other caster classes often feature an amplifier encased within.

Amplifiers

Some focus implements, especially rods, staves, and pendants, feature an amplifier adornment on the end that emits the spell. The most common types are objects on top of scepter- or walking stick-style rods or alternatives to the metal object on the chain of a pendant focus, and can be made of various materials.

Bone

Bone is a common medium for Blood elemental Aura amplification. The most prized bone-amplifying foci use skulls – rods or pendants tend to use smaller animal skulls such as those of birds or rodents, but staves are generally adorned by larger animals' skulls – but carved ivory is another somewhat common form of bone amplifiers. In addition, bones are also the amplifier of choice for foci in use by necromancers.

Crystals, gems, and other minerals

Mineral amplifiers are the most common and versatile amplifier type in use, since the auratic properties of the various stones are well documented by enchanters. While wands, which are intended as tools for novice or apprentice level auratic practitioners, generally do not tend to incorporate external amplifiers, higher grade wands may have small samples of minerals incorporated inside their metal tips. Examples of minerals used as amplfiers and their effects include:

Material	Grade	Characteristics
Amethyst	Semiprecious	Void element amplification Clarity of mind and Vision
Aquamarine	Semiprecious	Water and Ice element amplification Weather control Augment mental focus Cleanse impurities and corruption
Citrine	Semiprecious	Light element amplification Augment mental fortitude and financial luck
Diamond	Precious	Light and Earth element amplification Auratic defence penetration Augment physical defence Accelerated healing
Emerald	Precious	Grass and Water element amplification Cure diseases and poisons Augment luck
Garnet	Semiprecious	Light element amplification Heightened light emission Accelerated healing
Hematite	Obscure	Metal and Blood element amplification Accelerated healing Augment physical defense
Jade	Common	Earth and Void element amplification Augment luck Favored amplifier for necromancy foci
Lapis Lazuli	Semiprecious	Air element amplification Favored amplifier for divine invocation and Summon foci
Limestone	Common	Earth element amplification Cleanse impurities and corruption Favored amplifier for Shape foci
Magnetite	Obscure	Metal element amplification Augment auratic and physical defence Favored amplifier for Force foci
Marble	Obscure	Ice element amplification Favored amplifier for Shape foci
Obsidian	Common	Earth and Fire elemental amplification Physical defence penetration Favored amplifier for demonology foci
Onyx	Semiprecious	Darkness element amplification Favored amplifier for necromancy foci
Opal	Common or precious Strength of effect varies by grade	Air and Light element amplification Augment agility
Pyrite	Obscure	Fire element amplification Favored amplifier for alchemy and Illusion foci
Quartz	Common	Light and Thunder element amplification Cleanse impurities and corruption Clarity of mind and Vision
Ruby	Precious	Fire and Blood elemental amplification Augment vitality
Sapphire	Precious	Water element amplification Protect from undead
Sunstone	Obscure	Light and Fire element amplification Augment auratic power and charisma
Topaz	Semiprecious	Light element amplification Protect from demons

• Pearls and coral make excellent Water aligned amplifiers.