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In the beginning of the series (both 2003 and Brotherhood) Cornello takes way
Ed's pocket watch in order to prevent his circle-free transmutation (which is
later revealed to be pointless). From this, it was implied that the pocket
watch has some sort of effect on a State Alchemist's transmutations. I seem to
also recall that in the 2003 series, when Ed became a State Alchemist and was
given his watch, he was told it could boost his alchemy.

However I don't recall any instance in either series where this was the case.
It's not used as a mobile circle as each combat State Alchemist had their
Transmutation Circle with them (Roy's ignition gloves, Gran's gauntlets,
Armstrong's metal knuckles, Kimberly's own hands) and Shou Tucker was never
shown to use his (and I doubt that he used it for producing the Alexanina
Chimera because he was capable of doing this from the start, having done a
similar transmutation before becoming a State Alchemist).

I recall at one stage the chain was used to bind someone, but what I would
like to know is if there was any situation, in either series, in which the
boosting capabilities of the State Alchemist pocket watch is shown to have
benefited an Alchemist's transmutation (without the addition of Red
Stones/Fake Philosopher Stones as per the Lior Rebellion in the 2003 series).


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fullmetal-alchemist-series
Has the State Alchemist pocket watch ever been shown to be of use in a transmutation?


It is somewhat difficult to answer this with complete certainty without
analysing every single transmutation that appears in _Fullmetal Alchemist_.
However, I will give an answer based on my memory and impressions of the
series.

In the manga-based continuity, the watch appears to serve largely as a marker
of identity; there is never any comment about the watch's powers. We never see
the watch invoked or made reference to as a source of power when State
Alchemists transmute substances.

I do not know the 2003 series as well, but my impression is that while the
claim that the watch amplifies transmutations is reasonable, we are never
actually shown an instance where it is _explicitly_ used in a transmutation.
It is entirely possible that the State Alchemists we see are drawing from the
watch's power anyway, when they attempt transmutations, but we do not ever
directly see it.

The current revision of [the FMA
Wikia](http://fma.wikia.com/wiki/State_Alchemist) appears to support my
conclusion:

> Although the manga does not describe the pocketwatch as anything more than
> official proof that the carrier is a State Alchemist, the 2003 anime
> suggests that each pocketwatch is an alchemical amplifier. The 2003 anime
> also depicts the watch's silver chain as extendable, as in the instance when
> the Strong Arm Alchemist, Major Alex Louis Armstrong uses it to tie up a
> target.

In particular, were there actually an instance where the watch is explicitly
used, I would expect there to be a note of it here, seeing how rare such an
instance would be in the course of the anime.

* * *

Skimming over the early Lior arc in the manga, incidentally, I cannot find any
instance where Cornello takes Edward's watch from him. The watch also does not
appear in this part. (I was only able to tell that Edward had his watch
because I could see the chain.) This also does not occur in FMA:B.

As might be expected then, the section of the Lior arc in the 2003 anime where
Cornello takes Edward's watch is not in the manga-continuity. (This is after
Ed and Al have escaped from the fight. Cornello turns a mob on them, and they
are captured again. The watch is then taken.)


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