Optomizing Offensive Magic

Dissertation
Victrienne Falconheart
25 November, 625 K.C.

"Optimizing Offensive Magic"

Prior to this point, I have written on subjects of academic magecraft. I now turn my attention to the deadly uses to which the mage's art may be put. As battlemagi and spellswords, we must necessarily strive for efficiency and effectiveness in our magic. This paper is an attempt to outline principles by which that can be done.

The ultimate objective of an individual soldier – including a mage– is to disable or kill as many enemies as possible, with the lowest expenditure of resources possible, while minimizing collateral damage. For mages, this general optimization goal can be framed as follows: spells causing maximum destruction while drawing on minimal reserves of mana are preferred, to the point where they become indiscriminate. I will detail each of these three components in turn.

I: Maximizing Destruction
A battlemage can maximize his destructive potential in a number of ways. Firstly, where possible, he should evoke magic that impacts across an area, rather than being directed solely at one enemy. Relatedly, spells should be aimed at clustered enemies. He should tailor the elements that his spells use and the forms that they take to the enemies with which he is engaged. An ice shard, which operates by puncturing, will be relatively ineffectual against an armoured opponent, for example. He should contemplate the non-magical entailments of his spell: whether a particularly gruesome incantation may cause fear in the enemy ranks, for example, or a spell aimed at a particular place might allow allies to corner fleeing enemies. All these factors maximize destructiveness by ensuring that each spell will do as much damage as possible.

II: Minimizing Mana Usage
Mages have limited reserves of mana, and so, like ammunition, it must be used judiciously. This factor thus operates as a limit on the first: maximize destruction up to the point where cost becomes prohibitive. A larger amount of mana is required for more complex spells. A spell is, in turn, made complex by producing a powerful or multifaceted effect. Hence a balance ought to be struck between damage potential and simplicity when casting routine spells. Moreover, it means that a battlemage should carefully consider whether his magic is required at any given moment, or whether his comrades can effectively handle the opposition without large expenditures of mana on his part.

III: Avoiding Indiscriminate Usage
This is the second limit to maximizing destruction. A spell which damages property, civilians, or allied soldiers is deeply harmful. This is especially true where allied soldiers are struck, because military effectiveness depends on unconditional trust between soldiers, and ill-advised friendly fire hinders that trust. A mage can avoid indiscriminate damage to property by applying magic that will not have lasting effects if it hits the property in question. Frost is in general far less damaging to houses than is fire, for example. In avoiding indiscriminate damage to civilians and fellow soldiers, care in targeting is essential. We have seen that, in general, a spell targeting a wider area will be efficient and effective. However, the area must be small enough that the mage can be reasonably certain that no allies or noncombatants will be struck.

IV: Conclusion
What we have seen is that battle magic has a general maxim: maximize destruction. This maxim has two limits placed on it: first, only maximize destruction so far as can be done while maintaining mana reserves for prolonged casting; and second, only maximize destruction so far as can be done safely. These three principles should inform and guide battlemages in their art.