Spell Casting

The ability to manipoulate mana into spells is known as spell casting. Those that can do this are known as spell casters or casters for short. There are two types of casters; Prepared and spontaneous and six tiers of mana ability**.** Spells can be cast no faster than a swift action, the amount of (relative) time needed to assign intent and action to the magic. Other spells that are reactionary in nature results in an equal or greater action being lost in the next round.

## **Prepared Casters**

Prepared casters have to prepare their spells, writing them in their books, communing with their familiar, praying to their god or even the wilds themselves. They generally know more spells but have less Mana. Prepared casters can spend no additional Mana but can increase the casting time of some spells to the next step up for every 2 spell levels for metamagic feats.

## **Spontaneous Casters**

Spontaneous casters innately know their spells but can not learn new ones very easily. They generally know less spells but have more Mana.

## **Spell Caster Tiers**

**CON Score + INT Score + WIS Score + CHA Score + Talent Score *DIVIDED BY***
(13 - (Talent Score - 10)) for positive Talent Modifiers
&
(3 + (Talent Score + 1)) for negative Talent Modifiers
 **II** | Bards, Summoners, Inquisitors, Warpriests, Magus, Investigators, Skalds, and Hunters
 **III** | Paladins, Battle Scions, Bloodragers and Rangers
 **IV** | Kinetiscists, Clockwork Engineers and Alchemists
 **V** | Barbarians, Fighters, Brawlers, Monks, Swashbucklers, Gunslingers, Psionics and normal folk

## **Casting Spells and Spell Circles**

Any spell (or spell-like ability) cast with Mana uses:

* A standard action
* Somatic (hand movements)
* Semantic (voice sounds)
* 3 (Anti)Mana Points (Motes) per (times, multiplied) Spell Circle when cast unless stated otherwise for a spell.

In order to cast a spell, one must roll a d20, and if the number rolled is under their Talent score, the spell is successful. If it is above their Talent, then the spell fails and the mana is spent, and a natural 20 results in a fumble and blast of chaotic magic.

In order to cast a spell with anti-magic, one must roll above their Talent score on a d20 causing the spell to be successful. If it is below their talent the spell fails and the mana is spent, and a natural 1 results in a fumble and a blast of chaotic anti-magic.

Rolling your Talent Score, known as a Power Flash, means that the spell is cast as perfectly as possible, and may have one of the following effects applied for free:

* 50% additional damage/healing
* Maximum damage/healing
* Duration, distance and area are multiplied by Talent Modifier [Inverse if Negative] again
* Deals full damage to incorporeal creatures
* A 50% bonus to Spell Hardness.

The save of a Power Flash Spell is increased by Talent Modifier [Inverse if Negative].

If an individual attains a 20 or 1 Talent, they no longer are capable of casting a "power flash" but their innate magic is increased even further.

Elder Magiks and greater powers always cause a fumble if the caster does not possess the Talent needed to control it.

### **Reaching**

If you attempt to cast a spell normally beyond the circle that your Talent or class allows, it fails and functions as a though a natural 20. If you wish to cast a spell on your spell list that is beyond your normal circle, you must make a Spellcraft check equal to 25 + (the number of spell circles above your highest spell circle you can cast multiplied by 5 multiplied by 2). If this check fails if functions as a natural 20.

## **Regenerating Mana and Additional Spells**

A caster regenerates their BASE (before multiplying by level) per 8 hours of rest. Rest is non-strenuous or dedicated time doing nothing but relaxing.

You gain your casting modifier added in spells per day or known. Ie: You can know or cast more spells with the mana.

## **Dangers of Using Magic: (Anti)Mana Shock**

If a caster channels or uses an amount of (anti)mana greater than 20% of their total pool, they must make a fortitude save or suffer from (anti)mana shock. This save is equal to the amount of (anti)mana channeled or spent divided by the Talent modifier of the caster. If a caster channels or uses an amount equal to 20% of their total hit points + mana pool (or their anti-mana pool - their total hit points this total treated as a positive) then they take a massive amount of damage, a fortitude save as before halving this. This damage can not be negated or mitigated in any way. The Ritual feat may divided the cost of the ritual among other sources of power to suit the above requirement. (Anti)Mana shock can be induced if this amount is used within 6 seconds.

**(Anti)Mana shock** results in the caster falling unconscious for a number of minutes equal to three times the motes of (anti)mana used when the shock was induced. **Severe (anti)mana shock** results in the nerves crystalizing, the damage equal to three times the amount of (anti)mana channeled or spent and usually death. Failing the Fortitude save from Severe (Anti)Mana Shock results in a permanent loss of a point of Talent. Having a Talent of 10 or 11, makes an individual immune to (anti)mana shock.

## **Countering Magic and Magik**

Countering magic requires several actions and steps in order to preform correctly. First, the mage doing the countering must either **ready** or **prepare** an standard action to counter a spell from a specific target, or **ready** or **prepare** a full round action to counter any single spell casting with their effective range (100ft + 25ft per 2 levels). After an enemy begins casting, the casters must understand the amount of mana that the enemy is placing in a spell; This is determined by a Spellcraft check as a free action, the DC being equal to 10 + (3 per level of the enemy spell). Once this is determined, the caster must place an equal amount of mana into the spell effect with a Spellcraft check (the countering action) this DC equal to 15 + (3 per level of the enemy spell). If this check succeeds, then the spell is negated and both casters loses mana. If this check is failed, the spell goes off as normal, and the caster who attempted the counter sufferers a magical fumble. If a caster is countering an enemy with an opposite polarity (anti-mana vs mana) then they do not need to make the additional Spellcraft check, only the first one to identify the amount of mana. If a caster has not gone this turn may sacrifice their next entire turn in order to counter a single spell cast within their effective range and under the rules above.

Elder and Neoteric Magiks are countered in the same way however the DC for the Spellcraft checks are different. Instead of 3 per level of the enemy spell, the DC is equal to to the mana cost multiplier per level of the enemy spell. For exmaple, Smoldering Magiks cost 4 mana per spell level therefor the DC would be 10 + (4 per level of the enemy spell) to counter.

## **Non-Casters**

There is one exception, **spell-like** abilities (not supernatural) granted through things such as a rogues Major Magic or an aasimars daylight ability can be used again provided the "caster" has the required amount of mana or anti-mana that is normally needed to cast it. This only functions if the users Talent score is above a 11 or below a 10. However unlike spells, spell-like abilities can not be altered through spell twisting or runic, curse, ritual or similar feats and abilities.

## **Casting Spells with Items**

Items such as wands and staffs utilize their charges to pull mana from the ambient surroundings in order to cast their spells and such. When out of charges, an individual may use an appropriate amount of mana (or anti-mana) in order to have the item function as part of the Use (Anti)Magic Device check.

## **Domain, Bloodline and Mystery Spells and Wizard Schools**

Spells under a Wizards school and those granted by a domain, bloodline or mystery are cast at 1/2 the normal mana cost for the spell, rounding up. This does not apply to *Universalists* Wizards or any Wizard School abilities that do not have opposition schools. Opposed schools cost twice the normal amount to cast. This includes Bloodlines, Domains, and similar things granted by those when Variant Multiclassed, however those spells must be selected as regular spells.

### **Magic**

This magic is granted to classes, functions as normal and may have metamagic feats applied.

### **Elder Magik**

This magik has requirements to be fulfilled before being able to be harnessed. It can not normally have metamagic feats applied.

### **Neoteric Magik**

This magik has even more requirements to be fulfilled before being able to be harnessed. It can not have metamagic feats applied even with outside assistance, unless transcendence is involved.

## **Spell Changes**

### **Dimension Door**

This spell opens a portal that anyone can step or fall through. It has a range of Close (25ft + 5ft per 2 levels) and can be held open longer than the standard action casting with concentration. The spells ends once the caster steps through.

### **Haste**

This spell, in addition to its’ normal effects, grants an additional standard action every round.

### **Mage Armor**

This spell, in addition to its’ normal effects, grants a pool of temporary hit points equal to their Casting Attribute modifier + Talent modifier times half their caster level.

### **Bless**

The +1 to attack allows d20 rolls of 19 to function as though a natural 20 and rolls of 1 to function as a roll of 2. This also governs Talents rolls, turning a fumble at 20 into a non-fumble, never a power score. This also negates the Bane spell.

### **Bane**

The -1 to attack allows d20 rolls of 20 to function as though a 19 and rolls of 2 to function as a roll of natural 1. This also negates the Bless spell.

### **Permanency**

The only spell with a material component, which the cost of is equal to 1,000g worth of powered rare gem per spell level of the *spell being permanentized*. The cost for a staff of permeance to be charged (10 charges) is equal to 10,000g per charge for the powered rare gem, and is capable of permanentizing 10 spell levels worth of spells per charge. A user may sprinkle an amount of rare gem equal to 10,000g and use their own mana if the staff is out of charges. This spell can't affect Neoteric Magik without a runic spell-frame, and Supreme Magicks without the spell-frame and transcendence. Each casting of a Demi-Plane through *Create, Demi-Plane* or similar spell to add or alter an existing demi-plane must individually be permanentized.

### **Wish**

This spell can mimic any Arcane or General spell of an equal or lower level and any Divine spell of 1 (+1 per 2 spell circles this spell is twisted) level lower.

### **Miracle**

This spell can mimic any Divine or General spell of an equal or lower level and any Arcane spell of 1 (+1 per 2 spell circles this spell is twisted) level lower.

## **Altering Spells and Spell-frames**

There are two different ways of altering spells.

### **Spellframe Feats**

The first way is through spell frame work feats such as Ritual, Runic or Curse feats. These feats impose a multiplicative modifier to the mana cost of a spell, each in addition to their own. As such, if you apply Runic and Curse spellframes to a spell, it will impose two **stacking** different multiplicative effects upon mana. These can be applied to a twisted spell, but only **AFTER** the spell has been successfully twisted. This does not apply to Resonance spell frame work feats, which can be applied before the twists to help with them and do not impose a mana cost.

### Metamagic

A safe way of altering spells without the need to use the Spellcraft skill in order to do so. It increases the circle (level) of a spell are therefore its' mana cost in order to affect the spell in a certain way. Elder Magik, Neoteric Magik, and Supreme Magicks are too powerful for Metamagic feats. A spell that has been twisted can not have metamagic applied, and any metamagic is lost when a spell with it applied is twisted. The second way is more complex, and less strict but also far more dangerous.

### Twisted Magic

Twisting magic, or using mana to supplement, alter or change magic in to the whims of the caster. It is inherently difficult to do this to (anti)magic, and those whose (anti)magical energy does not possess an (gold) amethyst glow within it can not even begin to twist (anti)magic. Only spells can be twisted, not spell-like, supernatural or class abilities. The Spellcraft DC changes depending on a variety of the following factors:

Some spells such as Permanency, Wish and Miracle are subjected to their own rules for twisting:

* ***Permanency*** can not be twisted or alter or the spell fails. Permanency may be added to a spell only after it has been casted. This does not apply to spells cast using Runic spell-frames.
* ***Wish*** and ***Miracle*** can be twisted only to be a higher level spells, taking more mana and always incur a Alteration and Descriptor DC increase.
* Attribute themselves are difficult to modify and the highest base (before twisting) bonus to an attribute granted by magic is 8.

#### Combing Spells

If combining spells, each spell after the first increases the level (circle) one half (round up) the additionally added spell(s) amount. When combining spells, the highest level spell is considered the "base" spell regardless of the spells effects. Each time a spell is woven in it is considered an Effect Alteration.

When combining spells of different mana types, each spell after the first increases base mana cost of the spell by one half (round up) the additionally added spell(s) amount. When combining spells, the highest level spell is considered the "base" spell regardless of the spells effects.

#### Downgrading Spells

Reducing the effects of a spell lowers the mana cost and level for the spell an appropriate amount, however each "downgrade" incurs the effect alteration DC increase and the Magik DC increase as normal.

#### Channeling Spells

A caster may twist a spell as a channeled spell instead of casting it multiple to increase the effectiveness. This counts a single Effect Alteration. As long as the caster concentrates they can spend half the cost of the spell to cause the effect again each full round.

Failure

If they fail this check, the spell fumbles as though they fumbled normally casting and an amount of mana equal to the mana originally used multiplied by their Talent modifier.

## **Spell Creation**

In order to create a spell, the caster must first have a general idea of where the spells falls in according to power, a twisted spell must be cast first in a separate check then crafted via a second check. Once crafted, a spell loses the extra circles imposed upon it by twisting. Once this is defined, the caster must succeed at a Spellcraft check each week as found below:

Succeeding at this check means that the caster no longer needs to twist the spell for the duration of the week, and after the required number of checks and weeks have been completed, the spell is created. Spells requiring mana beyond the amount need for a 13th circle spell of its' source type are always unstable and require Spellcrafting in order cast them.