Tenacity
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A character's Tenacity is a measure of how many magical effects he can hold onto at any given time.
It is equal to 1/2 Willpower * 1/2 Capacity.
Most spells change something about the world once and then are done. Some of these effects are instant (lighting a fire); some of them change something and then the effects linger, eventually wearing away (toughening armor). Occasionally a spell requires the caster to be constantly attending to it. These spells require Tenacity.
The Tenacity required by a spell is determined by the Capacity spent to cast it - half the capacity cost (rounded up) is the Tenacity required to be reserved to maintain the spell. For most casters this means the cap of any single effect is 3, for meeting the DC exactly and spending 5 capacity, but Sorcerers, with their 50% chance of semi-effectiveness even for "failed" spells, may occasionally choose to maintain a twisted spell, which will usually have an even higher cost.
Spells that took no capacity to cast still have a theoretical tenacity requirement of 0. They can still be made to drop by anything that could make you lose control of a spell requiring Tenacity.
Tenacity is not spent, it is reserved. If you reserve more points than you have Tenacity, you may either spend the difference in Capacity each round (a steep cost), or you must drop effects until your reserved points are no longer higher than your Tenacity.
When you go to sleep, are knocked unconscious, or die, all spells that you are currently sustaining are dropped, and their effects end. If you want to hold on to spells for longer than this, you must take the Enchanter feat.
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Mixed Spells can often require much more than 3 Tenacity, as each component that ends up costing capacity will reserve Tenacity (if it is a spell that requires Tenacity). The points of each component are reserved separately, and if you are forced to drop some effects you may drop one component at a time, leaving the spell partially active.
Mixed spells can be created that draw the tenacity required from some other source - but you have to find a source of magical power puissant enough to power the spell.
