Magic Use And Combat
The rules in this section are particularly important in combat situations.
Number of Spells Allowed Per Round
Personal & Universal Spells: A magic wielder can normally cast 1 personal or universal spell per round. However, at the beginning of the round, the magic wielder can announce that he will attempt to cast 2 spells that round. He then makes an Agility FEAT roll. If he obtains a Red result, he can successfully cast both spells. If the FEAT roll fails, he is limited to 1 spell that round, and a -1CS is applied to the spell rank (in his haste, he has garbled the spell slightly).
If the sorcerer succeeds in his attempt to cast 2 spells in 1 round, he can cast 2 personal or 2 universal spells, or 1 of each type.
A magic wielder cannot cast a dimensional spell in the same round that he casts a personal or universal spell.
Dimensional & Entreaty Spells: A magic wielder can cast only 1 dimensional spell (including entreaty spells) per round, and cannot cast a personal or universal spell in the same round that he cast a dimensional spells.
Group Spells: Group spells use dimensional energies, and only 1 group subspell can be cast per round.BACK TO TOP. Distracting Situations
If conditions surrounding a spellcaster are extremely distracting, he must make a Psyche FEAT roll to get his spell off in 1 round. If he fails the FEAT roll, the spell will take 2 rounds to cast. Distracting conditions may include:The Judge can define other events as distractions.
- Caster has been affected by an opponent's spell or attack this round.
- Caster's friend or loved one is in danger of immediate death.
- An innocent bystander is in danger of immediate death (evil spellcasters are generally not distracted by this).
- Caster's mind has been affected by travel in a sanity-bending or sanity-threatening dimension.
Note: Evil spellcasters often endanger bystanders or the loved ones of an opponent in order to gain time to escape or to put their opponent at a disadvantage. The Judge should not delay the spellcasting of heroes who are trying to rescue endangered heroes or innocents, but should delay the spellcasting of a hero who ignores the danger to others and continues the battle.
BACK TO TOP. Column Shifts & Modifications
Previously discussed column shifts and modifications (a target's Psyche difference and the distraction of the spellcaster being the 2 most important) are applicable in combat.BACK TO TOP. Timing of Spell Effects
Spells drawing upon personal or universal energies go into effect during the magic wielder's part of the round. Dimensional energy spells, because they require a few more seconds to tap into the dimensional energy flow, do not go into effect until the end of the round; however, the dimensional spell of a caster who won initiative goes into effect before the dimensional spell of a caster who lost initiative.BACK TO TOP. Astral Combat
A favorite tactic among sorcerers of "white" or "order" magic is astral combat. Astral combat occurs when the combatants are capable of Astral Projection and choose to enter the astral plane and use it as their battlefield. Magic works for a sorcerer while in astral form and astral combat can be devastating for the combatants while not affecting anything in the physical plane (the "real world"); however, a character who is in astral form can still control his magical items (if any) on the physical plane.Note: The rule on astral combat not affecting the physical plane is true for the Earth dimension, but does not always apply to other dimensions. Some dimensions are so structured as to allow spells from the astral plane to enter and affect the physical plane.
Astral combat cannot be seen, heard, or felt by those not in the astral plane, so no one in the real world even knows combat is happening (which is. why the "white" sorcerers prefer it, to save lives and reduce damage).
Magic wielders are usually less powerful when in the astral plane than when in the physical plane. Apply a -1CS to the spell rank of any spell cast by a magic wielder in the astral plane.
A character cannot use his Astral Projection spell to force an unwilling opponent to enter the astral plane for astral combat.
BACK TO TOP.Voluntary Reductions in Spell Effects
A character usually casts spells at full power---the maximum rank available for the spell. However, a magic wielder can attempt to "pull his punch", that is, reduce the effect of a spell he casts. If a magic wielder wants to reduce the effect of an attack or other spell, the player must first make the usual FEAT roll for success (if a FEAT roll is required), then make a separate spell rank FEAT roll to reduce the effect. If the reduction FEAT roll succeeds, any or all of the effects associated with the spell (duration of effect, area of effect, damage) can be reduced. A caster can reduce some of the associated effects, while leaving others at maximum. The caster can also reduce the color of the result on the Universal Table by 1 color (from red to yellow or from yellow to green). A failed reduction FEAT roll means that the effort to control the spell failed and the spell was cast at maximum rank.
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