I'll be running a Verditius for my wizard and I have a few questions. Some of it has to do with Verditius magic, some of it with other issues.

The first part is easy to figure out. I get to add relevant Craft scores to my lab total, that's easy. The second part isn't so clear. I get to open the enchantment with less Vim vis if I craft it myself, I subtract my Craft score from the amount of Vis needed, minimum of 1. It's the Runes that's throwing me. A Verditius can enchant a gem, but implant the gem in a staff in an impossible way, the gem can then get form bonuses of the staff (not new), but also material bonuses? Then by using the runes they get to add their Philosophaie score, limited to their Magic Theory. Now looking at the lab work bonuses, it seems that total bonuses can't exceed your own Magic Theory, is that waived for Verditius Runes? So, for example. My wizard has a 5 Magic Theory. He also has a Craft of 5, and Philosphiae of 3. The Craft alone might rule out any additional bonuses (though reducing Vim Vis is a nice thing by itself). Could he still claim Form and Effect Bonuses and/or the Philosophaie bonus? Do those bonuses merely mean that each individual bonus cannot exceed Magic Theory, but all can be applied?

Now, on to the rest of the lab work. Does Puissant Ability: Magic Theory get added before or after Magic Theory is doubled to determne how much Vis can be used in a Season? For example, 5 Magic Theory doubled is 10 pawns. Would I add the Puiisant Ability now? meaning 12 pawns, or before, meaning 14 (5+2)2?

I'll probably have more later.

Yes: he really is limited by Magic Theory score on the total bonus of (Shape, Material + Philosophiae)

but there's another way of looking at this that makes it more obvious:

a non-Verditius looking at a enchanting a CrIg Light effect might craft a Gold Lamp and claim a Material & Shape bonus, cappped by MT...

the Verditius could do the same, but he wants to use his Craft Leatherwork skill & can't if it's a gold lamp... BUT he if he can add (shape 0 + material 0 + Philosophiae) he can still get a bonus as high as his MT score, and also make it as a leather belt... Now he can both add Craft leather to Lab Total and reduce the Vim cost of opening the device.

(And before you ask, like someone else did: reducing the Vim cost to open a device does not reduce the spaces left for enchantment - just the *cost* to open it.)

Puissant bonuses add before doubling - they add to the basic score for everything *except* studying to increase your own level.

OK, got the Puissant Virtue. Now let me make a checklist for comparison's sake. A Verditius with 5 Magic Theory, 6 in a relevant Craft, and 6 Philosophaie.

He gets:
1. 5 for Magic Theory
2. 5 For Craft
3. 5 for Philosophaie for using Runes
4. Up to 5 for using form and effect bonuses
= +20 after Aura, Intelligence and Arts added in

Is this correct? Plus he uses up to 5 less Vim vis to open the enchantment.

Another wizard, non Verditius with Magic Theory of 5 gets:
1. 5 for Magic Theory
2. Up to 5 for form and effect bonuses.
= +10 after Aura, Arts, and Intelligence added in

Is this correct? Basically in this comparison, the Verditius gets a +10 bonus over the other as well as using up to 5 less Vim vis?

Not complaining, just want it spelled out. If what I showed is correct, I'm definitely getting my money's worth.

NO: He gets:
1. 5 for Magic Theory
2. 5 For Craft
3&4. 5 for (Philosophiae (for using Runes) + Shape & Material bonuses), sum capped by MT
= +15 after Aura, Intelligence and Arts added in

Note that in this case he need not bother with Shape & Material, as he's capped by MT. Thus he is free to choose the physical design to suit his Craft, and not to suit the S&M bonuses.