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In GemStone III
, magic allows you to manipulate the fundamental forces of the universe, such as spirits and elements, to create magical effects and to cast spells. Magic users bend these eternal forces to their will according to their profession, degree of skill, and knowledge of spell lists.
"Full circle" spell users, such as wizards, empaths, and clerics, primarily choose to study magic, although other professions can learn it as well.
Elemental and Spiritual Spheres
Elemental SphereElemental Power is the power that exists in everyone and everything of a given world or universe or system of beliefs. A spell user who partakes of the Elemental Sphere taps this power, molds it, and diverts it to spells. Most powerful element-based spells reflect their origin in the natural phenomena.
Spirit SphereSpiritual Power is the power the deities of Elanthia share with their followers or other spell users. A spell user of the Spirit Sphere draws directly on the power of the deity, usually without the conscious cooperation of the higher force.
Spell Circles are groups of similar spells, divided into categories depending on professions and spheres of power. They are learned in stages as the character progresses in experience, knowledge, and power.
Spell circles are divided into three types: Minor, Major, and Profession-Based. The Minor Spell circles are the easiest concepts to master in each sphere of power, thus both pure and non-pure users can study them. Major Spell circles are the deepest and most powerful concepts common to each sphere of magic, and may be mastered only by pure or hybrid users from their respective spheres. For complete spell listings for each spell circle, see the Spell Lists in the Game Tips section.
Minor/Major Elemental CircleThe Minor Elemental Circle is learnable by any profession that shares in the Elemental Sphere, including non-spell users and semi-spell users. The Major Elemental Circle is learnable only by pure Elemental users.
Minor/Major Spirit CirclesAs above, except the degree of specialization in the Spiritual Sphere determines whether a profession has access to the Major or Minor Circle.
Profession-BasedCertain professions have spell circles learnable and usable only by members of that character class.
The professions have the ability to learn the following spell lists: Warrior (Minor Elemental, Minor Spirit); Rogue (Minor Elemental, Minor Spirit); Wizard (Major Elemental, Minor Elemental, Wizard); Cleric (Major Spirit, Minor Spirit, Cleric); Empath (Major Spirit, Minor Spirit, Empath); Sorceror (Minor Elemental, Minor Spirit, Sorceror); Ranger (Minor Spirit, Ranger); and Bard (Minor Elemental, Bard).
Spell Class
To determine amounts of spell preparation time required, spells are divided into three classes based on the relationship of the level of your character to the level of the spell you are attempting to prepare and cast. The greater the difference between the caster's level and the level of the spell attempted, the longer the period of time the caster will have known the spell, practiced it, and used it successfully and skillfully.
Class I -- Class I spells require the least amount of preparation time. These spells have a level of at least 6 less than that of the caster. All instantaneous spells are considered to be Class I spells regardless of the level of the caster. For example, a 7th-level spell user would have all their 1st-level spells considered Class I, and when they advance to the next level, Level 8, the 1st and 2nd level spells are considered Class I spells. Note that, after casting a Class I, or instant spell, you will suffer a CastRT, a pseudo round time. During this RT, certain actions are restricted.
Class II -- Class II spells require a medium amount of time to prepare. These spells have a level of 3 less, 4 less, or 5 less than the caster. Thus, the 8th-level spell user would have all their 3rd, 4th and 5th level spells fall into this range.
Class III -- Class III spells take the longest time to prepare and have a level equal to that of the caster, or one or two levels less. For the 8th level spell user, for example, spells at level 8, 7 and 6 would be Class III spells.
Spellcasting
Once a spell circle is known up to a given level, a spell user can cast all the spells they have learned thus far. Normal restrictions on spellcasting are preparation times and mana point costs.
Preparing a Spell
The use of spells requires several stages. Once learned, a spell is ready to be cast by a magic user of its appropriate level or higher.
PREPARE, CAST, RELEASE
Before being cast, a spell must be prepared. The command "PREPARE" is used to warm or initiate the spell. A set period of time for the preparation of the spell must elapse before that spell reaches its full strength and then may be "CAST." Preparation time or round time is based on the level of the spell user and the level of the spell being prepared for casting. Assuming that you have learned and practiced the spells, they become less time-consuming to prepare and easier to cast as the difference between your level and the level of the spell increases. If you choose not to cast a spell, you must "RELEASE" it before you can prepare another spell. Releasing a spell will result in the loss of some mana points, but not as many as if you had cast the spell.
Mana Point Costs
Mana points are measures of the mana needed to cast a certain spell at a certain level. The mana necessary to cast a spell is the number of mana points equal to the level of that spell (e.g., a 5th level spell costs 5 mana points to cast).
The maximum number of mana points a character can have is determined by his or her prime stats. For Elemental Sphere users, this is Aura. For Spirit Realm users, this is Wisdom. For hybrid spell users, the average of Aura and Wisdom is the value used. All arms sphere characters use Aura as their mana point stat. The higher the stat(s), the higher the maximum mana points.
Note that Bardic Songspells have more complex mana-point costs. To understand them, please reference the Tomes article on bard spells.
Mana Point Regeneration
Expended mana points return slowly over time. Under normal conditions, you regenerate your maximum mana points divided by 10 every two minutes. The rate at which they return can also vary, depending on other factors. If you happen to be near a Mana Focus, for instance, the rate will increase. Certain things can cause unpredictable fluctuations in the rate of mana point return.
Mana Sharing
The skill and process of Mana Sharing permits the exchange of mana points between characters partaking of the same magical spheres. The sender and the recipient must both be in the same room for the sharing to take place.
The command to share mana is "SEND <amount> <target>."
Casting a Prepared Spell
The casting of a spell may take several forms. You can cast a spell, such as a protection or camouflage spell, at yourself. You can cast at a monster, creature, NPC or character in either an informational, defensive or offensive capacity. You can cast a spell at an object, for instance in order to ascertain some property. Or you can cast a spell without specifying a target, as when casting a detection spell around a particular area, or an offensive spell which affects everything in a certain radius.
Elemental Attack Spells
Elemental spell attacks involve those combative or damage-inducing spells where the caster focuses nearby natural forces such as earth, water, fire, air, lightning, wind, heat, cold, light, etc., aiming at a specific individual target or adversary. Wizards are the primary users of elemental spells, being pure Elemental Circle users concentrating in this area.
Minor Elemental Attacks and Major Elemental Attacks
Most minor attacks are made as regular ranged attacks, such as throwing a minor bolt of fire. However, the more major elemental attacks, such as a major ball of fire, can engulf entire groups of targets depending on how they are situated.
Spell Results
Determining Hits and Misses
Elemental Attack spells use spell attack rolls to compute health point damage and severe hits in a way similar to combat rolls. Health damage from spells, as from weapon strikes, will result in accumulated damage to the target, possibly leading to shock, bleeding, or death.
Spell Aim Skill
Spell Aim Skill develops your ability to use and cast spells that are generally directed against a single target, as though you were hurling a missile or swinging a sword. The Spell Aim skill does not enhance a spell's ability in non-combative or non-targeted spells, such as a protective or a detection spell.
Fumbles for Elemental Spell Attacks
Just as a fighter wielding a weapon can sometimes fumble an attack, so a Wizard wielding a flame can fumble their spell casting. Fumbles are determined along the same lines as normal combat; although in rare occasions, they can have some disastrous effects, depending on the potency of the spell.
Spell Failure
For some spell users, the use of encumbering armor makes the intricate gestures of spellcasting more difficult. While lighter armors can easily be worn by pure users of the Spirit Circle of magic, any armor and especially the heavier armors will inhibit the ability of a character to use magic. When a character fails a spell because of this, nothing extraordinary happens -- the character merely loses the mana required by the spell, and the spell misfires.
Warding
Certain attacks occurring during play will require a character to make a warding roll to determine whether or how that attack affects the caster and the target. Warding rolls against spells are affected by various statistic bonuses, depending on the type of attack, level of the attack, level of the defender, and the item used to make the attack (if there is one). When you advance a level, the factors influencing your ability to ward off attacks also change. Warding rolls are made against poison, disease, and some attack spells.
Non-Elemental Attack Spells
Non-elemental attack spells are spells that attack an opponent but are not elemental (heat, cold, etc.) in nature. These are resolved with the attacker making an attack roll, then applying the result to a warding roll made by the target. The net warding roll will indicate if the spell has affected the target.
Resolving Warding Attacks
Warding attacks are resolved by a number of comparisons: the level of the attacker, the level of the defender, magical modifiers on both combatants, and the armor worn by the defender. Some spells will have a difficult time penetrating armor, while others will ignore it completely. Once this comparison has been made, a random die roll is made and compared to the factors above in order to conclude if a spell has affected the target.
Magic Items
The use of spells by your character is the main form of magical offense and defense. But items imbued with magical properties also are an important part of life in Elanthia. Enchanted weapons and armor impart extra offensive and defensive bonuses, as well as creating unusual effects.
Magic Weapons
Enchanted weapons are rare and precious finds in GemStone III
. Weapons with magical properties give the wielder specific bonuses in combat. They can give extra offensive bonuses when used to attack or extra defensive bonuses when held. They can inflict certain powerful critical strikes that may be beyond the normal capabilities and level of the user. Unusual effects, such as shocks or charges, may also be generated by magic weapons.
Magic Armor
Magical armor can make you more difficult to hit, or it can reduce the severity of critical results you take in combat.
Magic Trinkets
Magical items also give the bearer special powers. Enchanted rings, helms, bracers, or amulets, for instance, may be imbedded with spells that operate continuously while worn, or that may be triggered by manipulating the item.
Just as items can be imbedded with useful spells, so they may also be cursed to negatively affect their wearer or user. Cursed items cannot be dropped or removed without the aid of magic.
Magic Potions, Herbs and Salves
Magical potions, herbs, and salves may have increased healing, strengthening, or magic-giving properties, as opposed to the usual properties of non-magic herbs or draughts. Use of these items does not require skill. To use a potion that makes you invisible, you would "DRINK" it, whereas you would "EAT" a dose of magical leaves.
Potions, herbs, and salves do not last forever, and they contain a limited number of "charges" or doses, and usually cannot be renewed or recharged. You may find that after drinking five sips of a potion, for example, it gets used up, or that five applications of an herb exhausts the supply.
Wands
Wands, rods, and staves are enchanted tools that any profession can use to cast imbedded spells. Training in the Magic Item Use skill enables you to use those items. To use the item, you "WAVE <item><name or target>." Again, these magic items have a limited number of charges, and while they do not require preparation time or the spending of mana points when used, their magic is good for a limited number of spells.
Scrolls
Scrolls are magical items that have spells imbedded on them. The most common form of scroll is a piece of paper or parchment with a written spell that must be examined and read to be used.
The Scroll Reading skill enables you to decipher scrolls effectively. Your chance of success at deciphering a scroll is determined by your Scroll Reading skill bonus, a bonus based on your degree of familiarity with the spheres of magic and the level of the spell written on the scroll itself, all of which modify the roll of a 100-sided die. If you read the scroll successfully, you will have the spell ready, as if you had prepared it. You may then cast the spell at the appropriate target. If you fail to read the scroll, the spell could backfire on you or those around you.
A scroll must be used carefully. If you wish to attempt to determine the type of spell the scroll will cast, you must "READ" the scroll paper. Once you have determined that, you "INVOKE" the spell on the scroll to actually use the magic. When the scroll's charges are exhausted, it vanishes.
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