Spells: Difference between revisions
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There is a third class of abilities, the Yngvarian abilties, whose only defining trait is, they don't fit the Vancian or Howardian models cleanly. Yngvarian abilities are hotly debated as an ongoing area of philosophical discussion. | There is a third class of abilities, the Yngvarian abilties, whose only defining trait is, they don't fit the Vancian or Howardian models cleanly. Yngvarian abilities are hotly debated as an ongoing area of philosophical discussion. | ||
===Mana | === Mana Burning === | ||
Spells, extracts, and poultices are interchangeable with regards to mana burning. Any of them can be used in mana burning to empower any of the others. This is mostly only of use for dual-classed and multi-classed characters, but other circumstances may also arise. In these rules, all references will be to 'spells' for brevity, but always refer to all three abilities. | |||
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 spell's Level. The damage a spell does is determined by its Circle, NOT by its level, and the Circle of a spell can be raised by the caster through Mana 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 | |||
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. | 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 | The maximum Circle of a spell is determined ONLY by the [[character level]] of the caster ('''''not''''' their caster level). This allows a dual-class caster or a multi-class 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 eighteen 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. | Even more importantly, there are only nine spell levels, but there are eighteen 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. | ||
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====Circle Damage for Spells==== | ====Circle Damage for Spells==== | ||
{| class="ep-default" style="text-align:center; font-size:85%;" | {| class="ep-default" style="text-align:center; font-size:85%;" | ||
|+ '''Spell Circle Damage''' | |+ '''Spell Circle Damage''' | ||
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====Notes and details on Mana-burning==== | ====Notes and details on Mana-burning==== | ||
* Memorizing a spell in a higher level slot than the minimum required does not raise the spell's circle. | * Memorizing a spell in a higher level slot than the minimum required does not raise the spell's circle. | ||
* Memorizing a spell in a higher level slot because it has one or more [[Metamagic Feats]] applied to it DOES NOT increase the spell's Circle. | * Memorizing a spell in a higher level slot because it has one or more [[Metamagic Feats]] applied to it DOES NOT increase the spell's Circle. | ||