Post by Mandark on Jun 22, 2019 6:22:54 GMT
[attr="class","sectionheaderbg"] [attr="class","sectionheader"]//About Spells [attr="class","paracontentfull"]Spells are undoubtedly one of the most important aspects of combat among Mages. For most, they are the primary method of fighting, or at least their trump card. The following guidelines explain how spells work on this site. Keep in mind that using spells will require points invested into the Magecraft Skill as well as points in both Magical Power and Magical Capacity stats. [attr="class","subheaderbgfull"] [attr="class","subheader"]//Spell Schools [attr="class","paracontentfull"]One of the most important concepts when it comes to spells is the idea of Spell Schools. Spell Schools are the various groups of spells that one might come across. Typically a Magus will focus on mastering a single school of spells before moving on to others. The most basic examples of these are elemental schools of magic. Those schools only contain spells that involve the manipulation or creation of a single primal element. For example, the Fire School can manipulate fire already in the world, shoot fireballs, or summon creatures made of flames. A more complex example would be a Spell School focused around the concept of Necromancy. The most basic spells in this school include things like raising the dead as zombies, but more creative uses could include things like reading the minds of the dead, surgery utilizing necrotic limbs, or turning corpses into bombs. As long as it fits within the theme of "dead bodies" then it's pretty much okay. There are also spells that fall outside of the concept of schools. These are referred to as General Magecraft, and can be used as long as one is capable of casting spells of that level, and have access to at least one Spell School. These are typically basic techniques, such as basic Bounded Fields, unrefined blasts of raw mana, or spells that are so simple in nature they simply don't require advanced training. [attr="class","subheaderbgfull"] [attr="class","subheader"]//Magic Crests [attr="class","paracontentfull"]On top of the commonly available Spell Schools, there are Magic Crests. These are a series of Magic Circuits that are passed down through a family. These Circuits are specifically organized to contain the knowledge of certain spells. It is a way of keeping spells secret while still transferring knowledge, as the only way to gain access to the knowledge within is to transplant the Magic Crest to a new host. This is a very dangerous procedure, and the danger is amplified a hundred fold for those who are not a close genetic match to the Crest's last host. If a spell lists a Magic Crest as a requirement, that means that it can only be learned by either those who possess that Magic Crest, or those who have been instructed by someone who possesses that crest. A maximum of 10 spells can require a given Magic Crest. The exception to these rules are the Faction Crests. Faction Crests function as Magic Crests, but are not limited in how they can be passed down nor to a specific number of spells. Faction Crests can only be created by established factions on the site, and cannot be made by individual characters. That said, individual characters can contribute new spells to an existing faction crest. [attr="class","subheaderbgfull"] [attr="class","subheader"]//Origins and Affinities [attr="class","paracontentfull"]While Magic Crests can be passed down a bloodline, origins take that concept to the next level. Origins represent the core of a mages talent and the very essence of the soul. An Affinity is more about what a mage has the easiest time doing, and is often a more primal category such as a specific element. Affinities are typically closely related to the Origin, but it is not always the case. To learn more, I recommend reading the wiki section about them here. Within the mechanics of this site, Origins allow spells of ANY RANK to be cast as long as they are directly related to the origin, regardless of any other factor except for having enough mana to cast it. This even includes spells at rank EX. Origins are most commonly used by non-Caster servants to retain access to some limited amount of their magical talent. As for Affinities, if a spell falls within your affinity, the casting cost is as if it was one rank lower than normal, with the exception of Rank EX spells which are discounted by 25%. [attr="class","subheaderbgfull"] [attr="class","subheader"]//Spell Costs [attr="class","paracontentfull"]Rank F - 5 mana Rank E - 10 mana Rank D - 50 mana Rank C - 100 mana Rank B - 150 mana Rank A - 250 mana Rank EX - 500 mana [attr="class","subheaderbgfull"] [attr="class","subheader"]//Summoning Spells (AR) [attr="class","paracontentfull"]Summoning Magecraft is a bit different than a lot of other types because it isn't quite so simple. Summoning refers to any type of spell that conjures a familiar or other separate actor. Under almost all summoning magecraft, unless explicitly specified otherwise, there are a few rules that are followed. The first is that summons require mana to function. They must have magical capacity to hold this mana as part of their normal stat allocation, requiring a bare minimum rank of E- in mana capacity. By default, they lose mana equal to the cost of the spell every four posts, and the summon will despawn when it runs out of mana. Normal summons don't get anything beyond stat ranks (see rider class Noble Phantasms for things with skills, spells, and techniques). Stat ranks are allocated based on the number of things a spell summons. These numbers are a general guideline, and lowering one number can allow another to be raised.
[attr="class","subheaderbgfull"] [attr="class","subheader"]//Individual Spell Mechanics (AR) [attr="class","paracontentfull"]The guide below is all you really need for understanding prewritten spells. If you want to know more about what spells are capable of, or if you want to make custom spells, please refer to the Spell Creation Guide. Name: What do you call the spell? Rank: What rank is the spell? F to EX Spell School: What school of magic is the spell from? Things like Pyromancy, General Magecraft, Gem Magic, or Trace Magic could go here. Magic Crest: What Magic Crest is required to learn this spell, or is none required? Incantation: How long of a chant is needed for this spell, or is it Single-Action, meaning it requires no chant? The general guideline is one line of the chant per spell rank. Due note that the actual incantation can vary from user to user, but your character's version of the chant should be supplied as well. Range: What is the maximum effect of the spell? Personal means it effects the caster only. Touch requires a physical touch to activate. Close is a 10 meter limit. Medium is a 100 meter limit. Long is a kilometer limit. Extreme is a 10 kilometer limit Area of Effect: Does the spell only affect a single target? Does it effect all targets within an area around the primary target? Does it shoot a projectile of a certain size? Effect: What does the spell do? |