Spell Casting & Learning

***For a list of all the spells in the model, go here.***

***If you are still having trouble understanding how spells work, go here.***

***For information on the Combat System, go here.***
***For information on the Stat System, go here.***

In Model Hogwarts, casting and learning spells are done with a custom made Discord bot, **RP-Bot** or **Sir Cadogan** in the server. Learning the basic commands for this bot is crucial as it allows you to learn and perform spells.

## Basics

Every spell has a set **DC**, or **Dice Check**; for a player to succesfully learn or cast a spell, the sum of their roll and modifiers must match or exceed the spell's DC. Each year group uses a different dice size

The commands for casting and learning a spell can be found just below, they can be used anywhere. One should avoid spamming these in OOC channels:

```
!cast SPELLNAME
!learn SPELLNAME

```

You can also check all the spells you've attempted to learn using the command found just below. This command should be used in the #bot-room:

```
!spellbook

```

Spell Dice Checks (DCs) can range from the easily achievable (DC 3 or 4) to the significantly more difficult (DC 20 and above). A first year student has a dice size of 1d4 as you can see in the table below, and to cast a spell successfully they must match or beat the spell DC. This means that with no additional modifiers, a first year student can successfully cast a simple DC 3 spell 2 out of every 4 tries, or half the time.

There are two methods of improving your chances at casting a spell, and we’ll describe the first method, learning, below.

### **Learning, Proficiency and Mastery**

In your free time, you can use the !learn SPELLNAME command to practice a spell. Each time you use this command, your character attempts to cast the spell you’re practicing. This means that you roll your dice size (1d4 for a firstie), with any modifiers you have (which will be described later on), against the Dice Check for the spell. Beating the Dice Check will use up your ability to learn for the day, and adds one to your learn counter for that spell. Once you have 3 points on your learn counter you receive a permanent +1 bonus to casting that spell.

Learning can be attempted multiple times per day, though only 3 times per spell. As soon as you complete a successful learn (i.e. you beat the Dice Check for a spell) you may no longer !learn spells that day until the daily reset, which occurs at 5AM EST (10AM GMT). As long as you neither a) attempt a learn three times or b) successfully !learn a spell, you may continue to attempt !learns on any spell you have access to.

The spells you may attempt to learn are restricted to both spells you have begun learning in class, and those spells that are researchable. If you check the spell sheet, you can see that some spells have the property of Researchable (X). This means that if your year group is equal to or higher than the number in brackets, you may research the spell, and thus !learn it.

**So, to summarize:**

The purpose behind learning a spell is to acquire a bonus on your rolls.

* You must successfully **learn** a spell three times in order to get a +1 bonus.
* To gain **proficiency** in a spell, you should be able to auto-cast it with your year mods and your learn bonuses.
	+ For example, to gain proficiency in Wingardium Leviosa, a DC 3 spell, you would either have to be a Third Year student with +2 Year Mod, or a Second Year student with a +1 Year Mod and a +1 learn bonus.
	+ Under the assumption that you're out of combat and have no modifiers affecting you, proficiency means you **can't** fail a cast.
* To **master** a spell, your bonus must be one number lower than the spells DC.
	+ For example, to master Wingardium Leviosa, a DC 3 spell, you would have to have a +2 bonus. Meaning you would have had to successfully learn it 6 times.
	+ Under the assumption that you have no modifiers affecting you, mastery of a spell means you **can't** fail a cast.

There are some rules to learning spells.

* Only one spell can be learned everyday and will reset at 5AM EST.
	+ You are given three attempts **per** spell. If you fail one spell three times, you no longer have a learn for the day.
		- Because of this, you can fail ten different spells, two times, and still have a learn.
* All learns must be roleplayed, even if it composes of one sentence.
* You are only allowed to learn spells you were taught in class, or spells that are tagged 'Researchable' on the spell sheet.
	+ Researchables **must** be learned with a 'b' until you master the spell, or having it removed by a professor, or by being two years above the spell category.
	+ Some Researchables will not be available to you until the appropriate year.
		- As a first year, you would only be able to learn 'Researchable (1)' spells.
		- As a second year, you'll be able to learn both (1) and (2) spells.

## Spell Modifiers

**Spell Modifiers** are used when specific conditions are met when you're casting or learning a spell. **If multiple conditions are met** then you must use all the required modifiers. There are also **Year Modifiers**, which you can find in the table at the end of this page.

Spell Modifiers are attached at the end of a command:

```
!learn SPELLNAME abcvw

```

The following are descriptions of the modifiers, what they do, and the conditions under which they apply:

* **(A)ssisted:** Increases your dice size by two. (i.e. 1d4 --> 1d6)
	+ When a professor assists you, in class or outside of class.
	+ When a student who has proficiency of the spell is aiding you.
* **(B)urdened:** Gives a -1 modifier to your dice check.
	+ When you're hurt or injured.
	+ After being hit by a spell that inflicts a 'b'. This is specified on the spell sheet, and indicates that you have been 'burdened' by the spell.
	+ When you're learning a spell that wasn't taught in class. These are categorized as 'Researchable' on the spell sheet.
		- You must learn with 'b' until you master the spell or if a Professor grants you permission to remove the modifier, or being two years above the spell.
		- The modifier cannot be removed with the aid of another student.
		- You can **cast** without a b, regardless of how the spell is taught/learned.
* **(C)ombat:** Takes away your year modifier and can cause misses.
	+ When you're in combat.
	+ Regardless of your mastery in a spell, if you roll a Nat 1, you will miss the spell.
		- The only exceptions are spells that can be normally covered by your year modifier.
* **(D)efence:** Takes away your year modifier.
	+ When you're in combat and use either a dodge or a shield as a reaction.
* **Non-(V)erbal:** Lowers dice size by 6 (i.e. 1d20 --> 1d14), and halves the year modifier.
	+ When you're casting non-verbally. Restricted to students who are taught non-verbal magic.
* **(W)andless:** Lowers dice size by 14 (i.e. 1d20 --> 1d6), and removes the year modifier.
	+ When you're casting wandlessly. Restricted to seventh year students.

## Destiny Points

**Destiny Points** are a set of bonuses that refresh every day at reset time, 5AM EST (10AM GMT). The number of points you have per day is twice your student year. You can spend them to apply a modifier to a !cast or !learn equal to the number spent. They do not have to be used in one go, so if you have 2 Destiny Points, you may spend them individually across two casts or learns.

When you wish to use some of your daily Destiny Points, you format the spell with the number of Destiny Points spent at the end, like this:

```
!learn SPELLNAME abcvw 1

```

## Examples

* When attempting to light your wand to read at night: **!cast lumos**
* When attempting to body-bind a foe in a fight: **!cast petrificus\_totalus c**
* When using Destiny Points to help you cast a harder spell in a fight: **!cast ventus c 2**
* When attempting to levitate a barrier out of the way whilst injured: **!cast wingardium\_leviosa b**
* When attempting to transfigure something during class: **!cast mutatifors a**
* When casting a spell in a fight after you've been injured: **!cast reducto bc**
* When using Destiny Points to learn Flipendo with the aid of a player with proficiency: **!learn Flipendo a 2**
* When you're in combat and want to deflect a spell using a shield: **!cast contego d**