Spells: Difference between revisions

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Spells are primarily Vancian because they have a strongly defined series of steps, 'Spell Levels". But spells have a second element, the 'Circle'. The Circle of a spell is related to but not fully defined by the spells Level. The damage a spell does is determined by its ~~Cirle~~, NOT its level, and the Circle of a spell can be raised by the caster through a process called 'Mana Burning' or just Burning.

Spells are primarily Vancian because they have a strongly defined series of steps, 'Spell Levels". But spells have a second element, the 'Circle'. The Circle of a spell is related to but not fully defined by the spells Level. The damage a spell does is determined by its Circle, NOT its level, and the Circle of a spell can be raised by the caster through a process called 'Mana Burning' or just Burning.

When a spell of a specific Level is cast, it empties out a spell slot of mana and produces an effect. The base damage of that effect is defined by the base Circle of the spell. But, during the casting, the caster may, if they choose, 'throw more fuel on the fire'. They do so by emptying other spell slots. Each spell slot they burn adds raw, unformed mana to the spell being cast, and each spell slot so burned (of any level) adds 1 to the ~~Cirle~~ of the spell being cast. A low level slot that is burned provides the same benefit as a high level slot that is burned.

When a spell of a specific Level is cast, it empties out a spell slot of mana and produces an effect. The base damage of that effect is defined by the base Circle of the spell. But, during the casting, the caster may, if they choose, 'throw more fuel on the fire'. They do so by emptying other spell slots. Each spell slot they burn adds raw, unformed mana to the spell being cast, and each spell slot so burned (of any level) adds 1 to the Circle of the spell being cast. A low level slot that is burned provides the same benefit as a high level slot that is burned.

The maximum Circle of a spell is determined ONLY by the CHARACTER level of the caster. This allows a demi-caster, or a dual-class caster, or a multiclass caster, to 'burn' through their mana recklessly and produce a few effects just as strong as a dedicated caster of their own level.

Even more importantly, there are only nine spell levels, but there are seventeen Circles! At the very highest levels, those casters who have not indulged in True ~~Dweaomers~~ can Mana Burn their conventional spells to the very heights of those lofty High Circles, producing damaging effects that must be seen to be believed from fairly mundane spells, at the cost of recklessly 'burning' a dozen or more spell slots in a single casting.

Even more importantly, there are only nine spell levels, but there are seventeen Circles! At the very highest levels, those casters who have not indulged in True Dweomers can Mana Burn their conventional spells to the very heights of those lofty High Circles, producing damaging effects that must be seen to be believed, even from fairly mundane spells, at the cost of recklessly 'burning' a dozen or more spell slots in a single casting.

Mana Burning is completely optional, but can be very, very tempting.

Mana Burning is completely optional, but can be very, very tempting. At mid-levels it can provide a useful 'bump' in damage for fairly modest expenditures of spell slots. At high levels, a single spell can Burn a dozen or more spell slots. Combined with Quicken Spell and Multispell, a reckless caster could tear through fifty or more of their spell slots in a single round!

Granted, such extreme feats of mana burning are likely to end most fights quickly, but there are very few casters of any sort that can keep up that sort of a ruinous pace for very long.

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* You can't increase spell circle above what your character level (NOT class level) would enable you to cast as a spell level.

* Doing so moves the spells damage up on the damage scale. For each step you move up, requires one spell slot to be burned.

* Metamagic feats stack normally, and only escalate the 'base' spell slot.

* Metamagic feats stack normally, and only escalate the 'base' spell slot. All benefits of the metamagic feat apply to the effects of the spell's Circle after all Burning has been done. Yes, you can memorize a Perfected Fireball (using a ninth level spell slot, unless you've researched it down), and then burn fourteen spell slots to increase the Perfected Fireball's Circle 3 damage to Circle 17 damage (assuming you are high enough level to reach Circle 17 damage), and do maximized Circle 17 damage, DOUBLED. Expensive, yes, but that fireball would cast shadows on the Sun....

* Any spell slot may be burned, but it must contain an un-cast spell. ~~once~~ burned, the spell is gone until recovered normally. This gives a solid use for ~~low~~ level ~~slots~~ regardless of caster level.

* Any spell slot may be burned, but it must contain an un-cast spell. Once burned, the spell is gone until recovered normally. This gives a solid use for all spell slots of any level, regardless of caster level.

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: <h5>Attacks</h5>

: Some spell descriptions refer to attacking. All offensive combat actions, even those that don't damage opponents, are considered attacks. Attempts to channel energy count as attacks if it would harm any creatures in the area. All spells that opponents resist with saving throws, that deal damage, or that otherwise harm or hamper subjects are attacks. Spells that summon monsters or other allies are not attacks because the spells themselves don't harm anyone.

: Some spell descriptions refer to attacking. All offensive combat actions, even those that don't damage opponents, are considered attacks. Attempts to channel energy count as attacks if it would harm any creatures in the area. All spells that opponents resist with saving throws, that deal damage, or that otherwise harm or hamper subjects are attacks. Spells that summon monsters or other allies are not attacks because the spells themselves don't harm anyone. This distinction is important for keeping or losing that fancy Invisibility spell effect going.

under review

: <h5>Bonus Types</h5>

Spells: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 05:46, 11 July 2018

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@@ Line 144: / Line 144: @@
-Spells are primarily Vancian because they have a strongly defined series of steps, 'Spell Levels".  But spells have a second element, the 'Circle'.  The Circle of a spell is related to but not fully defined by the spells Level. The damage a spell does is determined by its Cirle, NOT its level, and the Circle of a spell can be raised by the caster through a process called 'Mana Burning' or just Burning.
+Spells are primarily Vancian because they have a strongly defined series of steps, 'Spell Levels".  But spells have a second element, the 'Circle'.  The Circle of a spell is related to but not fully defined by the spells Level. The damage a spell does is determined by its Circle, NOT its level, and the Circle of a spell can be raised by the caster through a process called 'Mana Burning' or just Burning.
-When a spell of a specific Level is cast, it empties out a spell slot of mana and produces an effect. The base damage of that effect is defined by the base Circle of the spell.  But, during the casting, the caster may, if they choose, 'throw more fuel on the fire'.  They do so by emptying other spell slots. Each spell slot they burn adds raw, unformed mana to the spell being cast, and each spell slot so burned (of any level) adds 1 to the Cirle of the spell being cast.  A low level slot that is burned provides the same benefit as a high level slot that is burned.
+When a spell of a specific Level is cast, it empties out a spell slot of mana and produces an effect. The base damage of that effect is defined by the base Circle of the spell.  But, during the casting, the caster may, if they choose, 'throw more fuel on the fire'.  They do so by emptying other spell slots. Each spell slot they burn adds raw, unformed mana to the spell being cast, and each spell slot so burned (of any level) adds 1 to the Circle of the spell being cast.  A low level slot that is burned provides the same benefit as a high level slot that is burned.
 The maximum Circle of a spell is determined ONLY by the CHARACTER level of the caster.  This allows a demi-caster, or a dual-class caster, or a multiclass caster, to 'burn' through their mana recklessly and produce a few effects just as strong as a dedicated caster of their own level.
-Even more importantly, there are only nine spell levels, but there are seventeen Circles!  At the very highest levels, those casters who have not indulged in True Dweaomers can Mana Burn their conventional spells to the very heights of those lofty High Circles, producing damaging effects that must be seen to be believed from fairly mundane spells, at the cost of recklessly 'burning' a dozen or more spell slots in a single casting.
+Even more importantly, there are only nine spell levels, but there are seventeen Circles!  At the very highest levels, those casters who have not indulged in True Dweomers can Mana Burn their conventional spells to the very heights of those lofty High Circles, producing damaging effects that must be seen to be believed, even from fairly mundane spells, at the cost of recklessly 'burning' a dozen or more spell slots in a single casting.
-Mana Burning is completely optional, but can be very, very tempting.
+Mana Burning is completely optional, but can be very, very tempting. At mid-levels it can provide a useful 'bump' in damage for fairly modest expenditures of spell slots. At high levels, a single spell can Burn a dozen or more spell slots.  Combined with Quicken Spell and Multispell, a reckless caster could tear through fifty or more of their spell slots in a single round!
+Granted, such extreme feats of mana burning are likely to end most fights quickly, but there are very few casters of any sort that can keep up that sort of a ruinous pace for very long.
@@ Line 160: / Line 162: @@
 * You can't increase spell circle above what your character level (NOT class level) would enable you to cast as a spell level.
 * Doing so moves the spells damage up on the damage scale. For each step you move up, requires one spell slot to be burned.
-* Metamagic feats stack normally, and only escalate the 'base' spell slot.
+* Metamagic feats stack normally, and only escalate the 'base' spell slot. All benefits of the metamagic feat apply to the effects of the spell's Circle after all Burning has been done. Yes, you can memorize a Perfected Fireball (using a ninth level spell slot, unless you've researched it down), and then burn fourteen spell slots to increase the Perfected Fireball's Circle 3 damage to Circle 17 damage (assuming you are high enough level to reach Circle 17 damage), and do maximized Circle 17 damage, DOUBLED. Expensive, yes, but that fireball would cast shadows on the Sun....
-* Any spell slot may be burned, but it must contain an un-cast spell. once burned, the spell is gone until recovered normally. This gives a solid use for low level slots regardless of caster level.
+* Any spell slot may be burned, but it must contain an un-cast spell. Once burned, the spell is gone until recovered normally. This gives a solid use for all spell slots of any level, regardless of caster level.
@@ Line 181: / Line 183: @@
 : <h5>Attacks</h5>
-: Some spell descriptions refer to attacking. All offensive combat actions, even those that don't damage opponents, are considered attacks. Attempts to channel energy count as attacks if it would harm any creatures in the area. All spells that opponents resist with saving throws, that deal damage, or that otherwise harm or hamper subjects are attacks. Spells that summon monsters or other allies are not attacks because the spells themselves don't harm anyone.
+: Some spell descriptions refer to attacking. All offensive combat actions, even those that don't damage opponents, are considered attacks. Attempts to channel energy count as attacks if it would harm any creatures in the area. All spells that opponents resist with saving throws, that deal damage, or that otherwise harm or hamper subjects are attacks. Spells that summon monsters or other allies are not attacks because the spells themselves don't harm anyone.  This distinction is important for keeping or losing that fancy Invisibility spell effect going.
+ under review
 : <h5>Bonus Types</h5>

Spells: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 05:46, 11 July 2018

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