Only if the rules you choose to follow say it costs 1 HP. I am suggesting that the rules for cementing items should be different in some way. For example, that the HP cost of cementing an item should depend, in some way, on the power of the item. I suggest that better cementing rules could allow cementing of powerful items without destroying game balance. I have some ideas in mind, which I will post soon, but I'm gathering peoples thoughts for now.
...
> If the Player decides to cement an item that has no "pre-defined"
> powers, but feels might be useful later (Old Wyrmic Scrolls, Lead
> Amulet, Copper Broadsword, Large Cube of Gold...) then it starts at
> the default score of 12, and can be improved in the normal manner and
> its effects will be defined just like any starting "ambiguous"
> abililty.
How powerful is the most powerful character in your game? When we started playing (the standard 5W/1W/17/13), buying a new ability at 12 seemed OK. But as our characters have grown more powerful (some over 1W2 now), an ability of 12 seems less attractive. The problem is, in a higher power game you just can't USE the ability. Taking an unrelated action for an uncertain shot at a +1 augment is rarely worthwhile. Why use an ability rating of 12 when you could improvise from one of your better abilities and have a rating of about 1W?
> Of course a GM could always change these rates - charge more than 1
> HP for a powerful item, or allow multi-mastery characters to start
> new abilities or items at a higher default if they felt it
> appropriate to their game.
...
Well, is the GM acting randomly while doing so, or following their judgement? If randomly, this is silly. If following their judgement I suggest that they are at least approximating some rule (or rules). That is, they are (approximately) implementing some unwritten house rules. Why not make those rules explicit? Then other GMs can follow them to, everyone can be assured that decisions are fair and consistent, and we can examine the rules for flaws and potential improvements.
Arguing that the rules are OK because you can choose to discard the rules and follow different rules is bizarre.
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