Magic in Combat

Magic in combat is represented in one of the following ways:

• Spell Packet: A spell packet is a bean bag, and is used to represent mana being targeted at a creature or location.

  • A range spell¹⁾ is cast by throwing a spell packet at its intended creature or location while saying its descriptor (spell name and effects). The spell affects the creature if the spell packet hits its player, and any creature within the area of effect (AoE) if the spell is an AoE spell.
  • A touch spell may be cast by touching the intended creature with a spell packet (or a wand or staff).
• Wand/Staff: A wand or staff is a special boffer covered in black duct tape. The wand/staff enables the person wielding it to cast a spell by hitting the target with the wand while announcing the spell descriptor. (The same rules apply as for weapons combat; in this world, wands and staves can only cast touch spells.)

  • A wand or staff may be used by any spellcaster to cast a touch spell on an opponent. The spell takes effect regardless of which part of the staff touches the target. (The spherical tip represents the conduit for the mana, but the mana is conducted throughout the entire wand/staff.)
  • A special wand/staff may generate its own mana, and may be wielded by anyone, spellcaster or not. Unless otherwise stated, these wands and staves can cast only one specific spell, hold one “charge” at a time, and take 5 minutes to regenerate. (I.e., one of these special wands/staves may be used to cast one particular spell, approximately once per combat.)
• “By My Voice”: For some area of effect (AoE) spells, the caster raising one hand with the fingers extended and saying “By my voice” followed by the spell descriptor (spell name and effects). All players who can hear and understand the phrase “by my voice” are affected by the spell. (The player must roleplay by speaking the spell effect at a volume that realistically represents the spell's area of effect. Players who hear the phrase “by my voice” must roleplay the effects starting as soon as the descriptor is stated.)
• “Mass: An area of effect spell is cast by the caster raising one hand with the fingers extended and saying “Mass” followed by the spell descriptor. All players in the scene are affected by the spell. When you hear the word “mass”, all game action is paused until the caster finishes saying the spell descriptor. As soon as the descriptor is finished, action automatically resumes, with players roleplaying the effects that the spell would have on their characters.

Note that higher level spells take more time to cast. This is represented by a countdown preceding the descriptor, e.g., “3…2…1…STUN”. (This means that higher level spells are more susceptible to being disrupted.)

If a spell does not affect its target (e.g., if the target is affected by another spell that negates the first spell), the target announces “NO EFFECT”.

Spells cannot be stacked. If someone is under the effects of a spell, casting the same spell on them again has no further effect. Note that the player does not need to announce the fact that the spell was already affecting them. If the caster was unaware of the effect and ended up wasting a spell, so be it.

Touch spells using spell packets must be cast on a willing recipient. If the recipient is conscious and says “REFUSE” after the caster says the descriptor, the spell does not take effect and is wasted.

Touch spells may be cast on an unwilling recipient by using a wand or staff. (The rationale is that if the recipient is unwilling, the spell becomes a form of combat, which must use boffer weapons.) An attempt to cast a spell on someone using a wand or staff may be parried by a weapon or blocked by a shield, just like any other weapon attack.