Ironlands - Magic
Magic in the Ironlands is somewhat more fluid than many players may be used to. Rather than a long list of
spells, each of which has a very specific effect, there are actually very few spells, but each one is really more a
type of magic than a specific spell. Like combat, magic works with points, and the effect of the spell can be
varied greatly depending on the number of points a character spends, and how they choose to spend them.
Each type, however, has a base cost, being the number of points of income a character must use in order to learn
the spell. Once the spell is known, the character can then spend any number of their points, in each combat
round, to use the spell. Each of the spells are covered in detail below.
The "Missile" is a single target attack spell; it creates a magical attack aimed at one specific target. Like a
weapon attack, the target can block it, using their defense score, but if the attack is greater than the defense, it
will remove 1 life. Missile costs 5 points of income to learn, and during combat a character can use Missile on
a straight 1:1 point cost, but this can be used for attack, duration (in rounds), or both. That is, if they spend 6
points on their missile, they could attack the target for 6 points for one round, do a 1 point attack for each of
the next 6 rounds, or a 3 point attack for 2 rounds, and so on. As the missile is basically a blast of magical
energy, the character does not need to be able to reach or physically touch their target, and can target
opponents even at a great distance. However, they must be able to see at least a portion of their target. So
they could target a monster who is in combat with the party member standing in front of them, but not one
who was around the next corner.
The "Fireball" is a multiple target attack spell. Like the Missile, Fireball creates a magical attack that is based
on the points a character has spent, but unlike Missile, it can be used against multiple targets, and the number
of points required depends on the number of targets. If aimed at a single target, the ratio is 1:1, just like a
missile. If two opponents are targeted, the ratio becomes 2:1, meaning the character must spend 2 points for
every 1 point of effect. Suppose you wanted to attack two targets with a fireball that had an attack of 4 (on
each of them), and lasted for two rounds (meaning each target would have to defend against a 4 point attack
in each of the two rounds). The total cost would be 16 (basically four 4 point attacks), but at the 2:1 ratio, the
character must spend 32 points in order to do this. If three opponents are targeted, the ratio becomes 3:1, four
is 4:1, and so on. Fireball costs 25 points of income in order to be learned.
"Strength" is a single target attack spell similar to Missile, except that instead of being cast on an opponent,
Strength is cast on an ally, and the power of the Strength spell is added to the target's own attack. Basically,
the spell channels the magical energy to boost the target's attack power. The point ratio is the same as Missile,
so if you want to increase a target's attacks by 4 points for two rounds, it will cost 8 points to cast. Learning
Strength requires 5 points of income.
"Bless" is to Fireball what Strength is to Missile; an attack spell designed to boost the attacks of multiple
targets at the same time. The mechanics are calculated in the same way as Fireball, with a 2:1 ratio for two
targets, 3:1 for three, and so on. It also costs 25 points of income to learn.
"Shield" is a defense spell, that works exactly the same as Strength, except that it boosts the target's defense,
instead of attack. As with Strength, it can only be directed at a single target, with a point ratio of 1:1, and it
costs 5 points of income to learn.
"Aura" is the group version of Shield, boosting the defense values of multiple targets the same way Bless
increases their attack values. The ratios are calculated the same way, 2:1 for two targets, 3:1 for three, and so
on, and it also costs 25 points of income to learn.
The final spell, "Heal", works somewhat differently than the others. First of all, there is no group variant;
healing can only ever be directed at a single target at a time. Secondly, there is no variation in the cost or
power of the spell. Learning Heal costs 5 points of income, and when used, the caster spends 5 points to
restore 1 life to the target. There is no option to increase the points to restore multiple lives, or to restore lives
over multiple rounds, although it can be cast on the same target the next round, and multiple casters can target
the same character in a single round. (For example, a character loses 2 life this round. A single caster could
heal 1 life this round, and 1 next round, spending 5 points each time, or two casters could each heal 1 life this
round). A character cannot be healed for more life than they actually had, but even if they are at a negative life
total, meaning they should be dead, as long as they can be healed back to at least zero within the same round,
they will live.
There is no resurrection spell. Healing only works if the character is still at least slightly alive. If the combat
round ends, meaning every required post has been made, and a character is still at negative life, they are dead,
and no spell will bring them back again.
So, now that we've covered the basics of combat and magic, assuming you're still reading, it's time to start
setting up your character, beginning with your Gear.
spells, each of which has a very specific effect, there are actually very few spells, but each one is really more a
type of magic than a specific spell. Like combat, magic works with points, and the effect of the spell can be
varied greatly depending on the number of points a character spends, and how they choose to spend them.
Each type, however, has a base cost, being the number of points of income a character must use in order to learn
the spell. Once the spell is known, the character can then spend any number of their points, in each combat
round, to use the spell. Each of the spells are covered in detail below.
The "Missile" is a single target attack spell; it creates a magical attack aimed at one specific target. Like a
weapon attack, the target can block it, using their defense score, but if the attack is greater than the defense, it
will remove 1 life. Missile costs 5 points of income to learn, and during combat a character can use Missile on
a straight 1:1 point cost, but this can be used for attack, duration (in rounds), or both. That is, if they spend 6
points on their missile, they could attack the target for 6 points for one round, do a 1 point attack for each of
the next 6 rounds, or a 3 point attack for 2 rounds, and so on. As the missile is basically a blast of magical
energy, the character does not need to be able to reach or physically touch their target, and can target
opponents even at a great distance. However, they must be able to see at least a portion of their target. So
they could target a monster who is in combat with the party member standing in front of them, but not one
who was around the next corner.
The "Fireball" is a multiple target attack spell. Like the Missile, Fireball creates a magical attack that is based
on the points a character has spent, but unlike Missile, it can be used against multiple targets, and the number
of points required depends on the number of targets. If aimed at a single target, the ratio is 1:1, just like a
missile. If two opponents are targeted, the ratio becomes 2:1, meaning the character must spend 2 points for
every 1 point of effect. Suppose you wanted to attack two targets with a fireball that had an attack of 4 (on
each of them), and lasted for two rounds (meaning each target would have to defend against a 4 point attack
in each of the two rounds). The total cost would be 16 (basically four 4 point attacks), but at the 2:1 ratio, the
character must spend 32 points in order to do this. If three opponents are targeted, the ratio becomes 3:1, four
is 4:1, and so on. Fireball costs 25 points of income in order to be learned.
"Strength" is a single target attack spell similar to Missile, except that instead of being cast on an opponent,
Strength is cast on an ally, and the power of the Strength spell is added to the target's own attack. Basically,
the spell channels the magical energy to boost the target's attack power. The point ratio is the same as Missile,
so if you want to increase a target's attacks by 4 points for two rounds, it will cost 8 points to cast. Learning
Strength requires 5 points of income.
"Bless" is to Fireball what Strength is to Missile; an attack spell designed to boost the attacks of multiple
targets at the same time. The mechanics are calculated in the same way as Fireball, with a 2:1 ratio for two
targets, 3:1 for three, and so on. It also costs 25 points of income to learn.
"Shield" is a defense spell, that works exactly the same as Strength, except that it boosts the target's defense,
instead of attack. As with Strength, it can only be directed at a single target, with a point ratio of 1:1, and it
costs 5 points of income to learn.
"Aura" is the group version of Shield, boosting the defense values of multiple targets the same way Bless
increases their attack values. The ratios are calculated the same way, 2:1 for two targets, 3:1 for three, and so
on, and it also costs 25 points of income to learn.
The final spell, "Heal", works somewhat differently than the others. First of all, there is no group variant;
healing can only ever be directed at a single target at a time. Secondly, there is no variation in the cost or
power of the spell. Learning Heal costs 5 points of income, and when used, the caster spends 5 points to
restore 1 life to the target. There is no option to increase the points to restore multiple lives, or to restore lives
over multiple rounds, although it can be cast on the same target the next round, and multiple casters can target
the same character in a single round. (For example, a character loses 2 life this round. A single caster could
heal 1 life this round, and 1 next round, spending 5 points each time, or two casters could each heal 1 life this
round). A character cannot be healed for more life than they actually had, but even if they are at a negative life
total, meaning they should be dead, as long as they can be healed back to at least zero within the same round,
they will live.
There is no resurrection spell. Healing only works if the character is still at least slightly alive. If the combat
round ends, meaning every required post has been made, and a character is still at negative life, they are dead,
and no spell will bring them back again.
So, now that we've covered the basics of combat and magic, assuming you're still reading, it's time to start
setting up your character, beginning with your Gear.