Magic Creation Rules

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Spells are relatively simple, overall, and limited mostly by a sense of fairness and your character's own power levels. Not to mention your imagination! Spells have the following template.

Spell name: What do you call the spell? A spell where you shoot a ball of fire might be a spell called "fireball" for example.

Element: This is going to be the same as the element you picked for your character at the beginning. That is, unless you get lucky and are implanted with a second magic Lacrima. The element may automatically bestow a special effect to your powers at no extra cost.

Rank: Rank determines how many points you can put into the spell's effects. A power ranked 1 spell is likely going to only do one or two things, and probably won't kill someone unless you get lucky. A rank 1 has 4 points to distribute across the power's statistics. A rank 2 has 5 points. A rank 3 has 6, and so on. Ratings mostly determine how an ability would stack up with another character's in order to help settle disputes. A spell, like a character's attributes, may only have 6 stars in any category.

MP cost: This is a number determined by your spell's rank.

Effect: Effect is more complicated. You get to describe the nature of your magic. Think of it as flavor text, more than anything. You can be as wordy or unwordy as you like.
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Note: If, for your magic or specific powers, any of these stats must be redefined, you may do so when making the powers, so long as a staff member approves of it. For example, the power of an illusion determines how convincing an illusion can be, not how much damage it does.

In general, A spell with zero *'s in a rating means it either deals no damage, has no area effect, etc. A spell with * is considered reasonably weak, but still does something. A spell with *** is considered average, while ****** is considered amazing. Spells can go higher than this through the use of certain extras, however.

Power: How strong is your fireball? How well does your shield of dark energy protect you? Power helps determine these things. If a power is above another in rank, it beats the spell. if a spell has the advantage over another spell, it gains a free * rating to determine if it beats the spell. The advantage only works on offensive spells, however.

Speed: How quick is your spell when you fire it off? A rapid fire spell might help a slower character hit a faster one easier. A spell with no speed rating is limited to a character's reach, and can only move as fast as the character herself. This means that a spell with no *'s cannot be a ranged attack.

Area: How big of an area does a spell cover? no *'s means it is a single-target spell, while each additional * increases the area of effect to be large enough to effect more than one target (assuming they're within a reasonable distance). Note that some effects would still realistically effect other targets, such as a whirlwind or other effect. If it makes sense, the spell can still "hit" the enemies, knocking them back or away from the area. It simply only deals damage to the number of enemies in the area rating.

Extra: What special effects does your spell have? Each star here means an extra special effect, like slowing an enemy down when hit, or causing the spell to persist without you recasting it, causing it to use more MP to maintain whatever advantage the spell gives you.

Spell Design

Spells are simple enough to design once you know what you're doing. This is a guide to various effects spells can have. Using the combination of abilities you choose, you can create your own spells that are well-balanced compared to other spells of that level. Keep in mind that like just about everything on the site, if you have an idea that isn't located here, you can ask anyone on the staff how you could design a spell or ability to add to a spell.

Spell Level and Spell Points
A spell's level can only be as high as your character's Power Level. Even a wizard has a high risk of hurting themselves if they stretch beyond their abilities too far. The level of a spell determines its overall power, or in spell creation terms, how many *'s you have to distribute between a spell's various properties.
D-Rank
Level 1: 4 *'s
Level 2: 5 *'s
C-Rank
Level 3: 6 *'s
Level 4: 7 *'s
B-Rank
Level 5: 8 *'s
Level 6: 10 *'s
A-Rank
Level 7: 11 *'s
Level 8: 13 *'s
S-Rank
Level 9: 14 *'s
Level 10: 16 *'s

*'s are distributed between the following areas:

Power, Speed, Area, Extra



Magical powers may have additional affects outside of the standard extras, depending upon the type of magic. A Staff member can help you come up with an appropriate effect if you can't find what you need.

MP costs

Each rank of a spell costs a higher amount of MP, which as you level up will allow you to use more spells of lower levels, but will let you use fewer of your new rank than before. Below is how much each spell costs to use for a spell of that rank.

4* - 10 MP
5* - 15 MP
6* - 25 MP
7* - 30 MP
8* - 35 MP
10* - 50 MP
11* - 55 MP
13* - 70 MP
14* - 80 MP
16* - 100 MP

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Extra Abilities

Extra abilities are modifiers you add to spells to make them do what you want. Without them, they're essentially just a plain old touch attuned to your type of magic. Using Extras, you can make your spell into multiple fireballs, heal characters, or boost your speed to incredible levels. Just make sure your extras make sense for your spell and its type of magic!

(Name)
(Description)
(Requirements)

Above and Beyond
Allows a spell or item to go above the normal limit of 6 *'s to power, speed, durability, or area. Each time this extra is chosen, you choose which stat this applies to.

Binding Spell
Allows spell to hold target for a number of posts equal to half of a spell's power. The spell deals damage at half of its power rating.

Blinding
Blinds opponents for a number of posts equal to the power of the spell.

Buff
Allows a character to increase one attribute for target  by a rating equal to the power the spell has
If not sustained, is a one post burst.

Buff: Spellpower
Adds power or speed or area to other spells equal to half the power of this spell. Pick one per stat you're raising.

Burning
Deals * of damage for a number of posts equal to the number of times burning extra is taken. Each hit by a burning spell afterword extends the duration by 1 post. The first level of burning is free to fire magic users.


Cone
Spell is fired in a cone-shaped arc, may hit up to 3 enemies up to 2 meters in front of the caster. Each point of area in a cone spell increases the number of targets that can be hit by 1, effectively increasing the cone's size.
May be combined with 'Ranged' to fire further. Note that a cone only fires in front of a character, while a regular area effect could effect any direction.

Cloaking
The target turns invisible. As with any spell designed to fool the senses, the power rating of the spell determines how hard it is to detect, opposed by the power of a spell or ability designed to overcome the effect.
If not combined with 'Sustained' or 'Lingering,' it lasts only a single post.

Debuff
Allows a character to decrease one attribute for target  by a rating equal to power the spell has
If not combined with 'Sustained' or 'Lingering,' it lasts only a single post.

Defending
Makes spell defense only, but adds ** to the power. May be taken up to two times per spell
See "Shielding" Below

Detonating
Spell explodes when touched, dealing damage in an area based on the area rating of the spell. At zero *'s it deals damage only to the one who touched it.

Drenched
Wet clothing slows the target, reducing their agility by * for a number equal to the number of times the drenched extra is taken. Each hit by a drenched spell afterword extends the duration by 1 post. While Drenched, lightning spells deal * extra damage. The First level of Drenched is free to water magic users.

Enchantment
The spell has an alternate effect on the target other than buffing, debuffing, damage, or healing. These effects include sleep, charm effects, and other nonlethal, but still potentially detrimental effects. The spell’s strength is equal to the power of the spell.

Engulfing
The area darkens when the spell is used, giving darkness-based spells * to power for each level of Engulfing taken, and lowering Light-based spells’ power by * for the next post. Doesn’t stack if more than one spell is cast. Cancelled by Radiant. The first level is free to Shadow/Darkness magic users.


Flight
This buff grants the caster he ability to fly or levitate off the ground. The mobility also allows allows the caster to avoid spells slower than the flight spell. In addition, power is the number of times dodges can occur before this buff runs out.
Rank 5+

Flash
This buff grants the caster to move very short distances very, very quickly, appearing to move in a flash. This action of fast movement allows the caster to dodge spells that are slower than this spell. In addition, power is the number of times the Flash spell is able to dodge before this buff runs out.
Rank 5+

Form Shift
The user switches forms of some kind, allowing them to activate different abilities until the user shifts back. Can’t be used with Sustained or Lingering.


Frost
Reduces a target’s agility by * for every level of Frost taken (reduces down to * agility). The duration is 1 post, but the number of posts is extended by one for every time an opponent is hit. The first level is free to Ice magic users.
Free to Ice Magic

Healing
Spell heals instead of doing damage with a potency equal to the spell's power. * can heal minor wounds or fatigue, while ****** can regrow limbs
See 'Healing Spells' below

High Speed
Boosts speed by **, but reduces power and area by *. Requires a spell to have at least * in power and *** in speed to take.

Homing
For every * invested into this skill, your skill will be able to make a shift in direction to target your opponent. These shifts occur for every 10m traveled.

Impact
Makes spell push or knock target off feet

Lingering
After firing, the spell lingers for a number of posts equal to the *'s spent

Multiple Projectiles
Gives one additional projectile per * invested. Power is divided by the number of projectiles

Nonlethal (Free to any spell)
Spell cannot cause direct lethal damage to the target.


Overcharged
Double MP cost to amplify spell's Power, Speed, and Area stats by *

Piercing
Allows x1* of a spells power to pierce through defending magic/targets per * invested.

Radiant
The area brightens when the spell is used, giving light-based spells * to power for each level of Radiant taken, and lowering Darkness-based spells’ power by * for the next post. Cancelled by Engulfing. The first level is free to Light magic users.


Radius Boost
For every level invested, expands AoE blast range by **, but the power outside the spell's core AoE stat decreases to half.
Max 2 Levels

Rebound
Allows spell to bounce once per * invested before detonating

Reflective
Redirects* of the attacker's spell power back at them per level invested
Can only be added to spells with the 'Defensive' Extra

Ranged
Makes spell a projectile spell rather than a touch range spell

Resistance
Allows a user to gain a resistance to a chosen element equal to half of the *’s used in the spell. Can be combined with Form Shift, but is only active when the shift is active.

Shocking
Electricity coursing through the body interferes with the flow of magic and reduces a target’s spell power by * for a number of posts equal to the number of times Shocking is taken. Each consecutive hit extends the duration by one post. The first level is free to electricity magic users.

Spell Bound
Allows spell to seal Target(s) magic for 1 Post per level invested UNLESS they use magic power greater than what you used to seal them to break the seal. Spell Bound attacks may do no damage

Sustained
A spell lingers after use at a cost of half of the spell's initial MP cost per post. MP cost is rounded up to the nearest whole number.

Targets Self
Spell affects only yourself, but increases its power by **

Timed
Spell can be delayed for a number of rounds before going off up to the number of *'s invested

Unyielding
Spell does not reduce in power or speed when it hits non magical objects (ex: Fireball crashes through terrain)
Normally spells are wasted when striking an obstacle; Rank 6+

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Healing

Healing takes time, unlike other spells. the rate at which a character heals due to a spell depends on the spell's speed rating. How much it can heal depends on the spell's power. Healing must be combined with the sustained ability if it is below a speed rating of 5.

Power
Heal spells heal for a number of Wound Points equal to the power of the spell x10, rather than dealing damage. Spells do not restore WP until the requisite amount of posts are up.

Speed
Zero *'s - Heals normal wounds over 6 posts of sustained healing; regrows lost limbs in about 4 months
* - Heals wounds over 5 posts of sustained healing; regrows lost limbs in about 2 months
** - Heals wounds over 4 posts of sustained healing; regrows lost limbs in 1 month
*** - Heals wounds over 3 posts of sustained healing; regrows lost limbs in about 2 weeks
**** - Heals wounds over 2 posts of sustained healing; regrows lost limbs in about 1 week
***** - Heals wounds over the course of 1 post; regrows lost limbs within a day
****** - Instantly heals wounds; regrows lost limbs within an hour

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Shielding

Defender spells are used for defense, obviously, and most of those spells will be some sort of shield. Shields use power and speed in a unique manner just like Healing does. A shield can block a maximum amount of attack power equal to the shielding spell's power rating before it shatters. Without sustaining or lingering, a shield may block one post's worth of attacks, and has no use for a speed rating.

A shielding spell that lingers or is sustained, however, recharges an amount of power it may resist equal to its speed rating per post.

If a shield takes more damage than it has points of power remaining, then the shield shatters, and you take 50% of the damage you would have taken it without the shield. If the shield is 3 or more ranks lower than the attacking power, you take 100% of the damage instead. In this way, you can't use a rank 1 shield to protect yourself from a rank 10 attack.

Dodging

While dodging can occur without the aid of magic, magically aided dodging is a useful tool to have in combat. Dodging magic relies on two primary stats to function: Speed and Power. When a dodge spell is cast, and is being actively used to avoid an attack, it's speed is pitted against the oncoming spell's speed. If the speed of the dodge spell is higher, person who's dodging escapes harm. Power represents how many times that spell can dodge. So a dodge spell with x3* can dodge up to three attacks.

However, for every x2* Area the attacking spell has, the dodging spell is considered to have -1* speed. In addition to that, for every projectile coming at a person (Using multiple projectile for example) The speed is reduced by -1* per projectile. Should the attacking spell have a higher speed, the dodging target takes the full damage of the spell.

Finally, in case of a draw, dodging person only takes half the damage. An arrow that would pierce a vital organ might only end up being a deep scratch. For the time being, Shield and Dodge spells cannot stack.

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Enhanced Senses/ True Seeing Spells

Spells or abilities designed to fool the senses, such as cloaking or illusional spells, can be countered by spells or abilities that oppose the powers directly.

In these cases, the power of the spell designed to see through the illusion is what opposes the spell. if the ability or spell is equal to the power of the illusion spell, they can see through it and act accordingly.

Speed and area don't normally have an application with these spells, though it is not impossible for them to if you get creative enough.

Any of these spells require being sustained or the lingering extra.

Regular people have a rating of 0 *'s in power, and are easily tricked. Special characters, such as Dragon Slayers, have ***'s naturally, so weak illusions or invisibility doesn't work on them.

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