What We Know So Far - Spells

OK - this section is presented with a HUGE caveat that everything is subject to change before the game actually goes live.. but this is what we had for the 1st Play Test.

Strikedown: Caster & Target fall over. Asses must hit the floor.

Paralyze: Caster & Target cannot move. Can still talk. Spell breaks when caster moves.

Entangle: Caster & Target cannot move feet. All other actions still possible. Spell breaks when caster moves.

Shatter: Target object and (if used) Caster's spell-delivery object shatter. Both objects are considered destroyed until repaired.

Spell Lock: Target cannot cast spells. Spell breaks when Caster casts a spell.

Repair: Repairs one object.

Heal: Heals target to full Hits. Cannot restore only partial hits.. it's all or nothing. This does NOT stop the death count. For that, Surgery is required.

One more thing.. one VERY important thing we know of magic. It cannot be resisted or negated.... whatever is cast WILL work. There are no 'Resist' calls in Empire

We've had little more information on the spells side of magics since the 1st mael playtest.. but we have heard that there will be non-combat spells to play with. Something I'm definately going to be looking at closer as info becomes available.
So divination spells will be available and not always requiring of major rituals.

Another thing that has been mentioned is the casual use of magic in Osiron. So perhaps we might be able to use a few special effects. For example... where another nation uses flint & steel to light a fire.. we might use a casual spell. OK.. that's a little hard to represent (somehow disguising hand-lighters perhaps).
OK.. an easier example...

Another nation might use a lantern or candle to light their way. We might use one of those cheap led pebbles... long as the LED light source isn't too obvious, PD may allow things like this. We'll have to see what other ideas we can come up with....

From the details on the Runes page, these spells are also described (probably subject to change!)

Detect Magic
Purify
Night Pouch
Empower
Heal
Weakness
Venom
Repair
Disintergrate


Edit > http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Category:Runes

With the spells released, can anyone tell me the point of swift heal rather than heal?

Heal - Cast time 10 seconds - 1 mana

Swift Heal - Cast time 5 seconds - 2 mana

With so little mana, spending 2 each heal for the same effect seems expensive.

Cheers,

Colin

Heal follows these rules -
Require at least ten seconds of appropriate roleplaying
Require you to touch the target throughout the casting of the spell
The spell fails if you or your target are hit or attack another character during spellcasting

Swiftheal follows these rules -
Require at least five seconds of appropriate roleplaying
Require you to hit the target with an implement, a wand, rod or staff
You must hit the target within ten seconds of completing the spellcasting
The spell fails if you attack another character or are hit during spellcasting

I can see some tactical uses that might be much better to use Swiftheal than Heal.

As far as I can see it, the advantages of swift heal are

Takes 5 seconds less to cast
Longer reach using a implement
Target can fight at the time

Downside is with a base mana being 4 you'd burn youself after 2 heals, even with 1 extra mana and a mana site would only give you 12 mana which is 6 swift heals as opposed to 12 regular heals (assuming you blew all your crystals in one fight).

Taking both spells seems like a bit of a waste of character points, given the choice of picking one or the other I know which I'd take in heartbeat.

Colin

I think it's also important that the swift heal cast can be done a five second dash from the fight then you can run in and deliver the healing in a stroke - given that both can be disrupted by hitting the caster doing the disruptable bit a few steps away from the fight seems like a good edge for combat healing.

I'm also curious about whether they'll pull some RPG style "undead are hurt by healing" rule or similar, since it's delivered in the same way as a combat stroke.

It might also be worth looking at what the other skill trees can do. If physicians have noncombat healing covered then there's no need for heal. Also if you're not otherwise using hero points you might be better off spending two skill points being able to do "get it together" twice per day (five seconds of inspiring speech to someone = 3 wounds recovered)

You can cast any spell with a single crystal mana, even those that cost two personal mana.

After reading that I just got a weird image in my head of a physician healing a undead to cause damage.
"Okay I've just reconnected your heart valves take 2 points of damage."

Swift Heal seems like the thing you want if your in a small group of people out in some other realm away from the main field. There is always use for a healing spell which is quicker even if not as good.

Empire Wiki - Magic Rules
From the Wiki (Above) there are only six magical calls, NONE of which can be resisted;
Curse
Entangle
Paralyse
Repel
Venom
Weakness
If the call is dealt through an implement (staff, rod, wand) then the target also loses a global hit.

If mages had more mana, I'd be all over Swiftheal, because your target can parry while you cast, which effectively lets you stick behind the warrior line like glue and keep casting when needed. However, 2 uses rather than 4? Boring. Personally, am only taking 1 mana spells, because being able to cast more.

I'm sure there will be artisan items that will make all spells more interesting.
This for example: http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Radiant_Torrent


http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Neophyte%27s_Aid

Its not that bad, if you have crystallised mana has a resource,
each crystallised mana can be used to cast a spell regardless of cost.
Crystal mana is also the only mana usable in rituals as well...

Some of the items are shiny, but every 10 ingredients in them is 1 person's income per downtime.

The discussion of just how many resources artisan items take to build is ongoing and we wont really see the effects of it until the item creation rules are complete. That being said, if someone makes the fines wands in all the Empire... the least their supplicants can do is provide suitable materiels.

Will there be an Ollivander of Urizen, or will we be reduced to buying knock-off rods from a seedy Marcher?

I saw this yesterday: http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Forge_of_Isenbrad

Made me think that there might be an item that reduces swift heal down to 5 seconds, or even down to 1 mana

Fingers crossed!