Magic Rules

Magic is powerful and mostly misunderstood. It manifests in the form of a spell or the natural abilities of some creatures.

 

Wizards represent hours spent poring over forgotten books and expanding the boundaries of the mind with careful study. Generally speaking, they can harness the chaotic nature of the universe to create powerful effects. These can range from snuffing out a candle from across the room to calling down fire and brimstone from the heavens.

 

Along with wizards, there is a class of individuals that accrue their magical prowess by way of faith and devotion, rather than fancy schools or study. These are Priests of The Church of Light.

 

Different character builds have distinctive ways of learning and preparing their spells, and monsters use spells in unique ways. Regardless of its source, a spell follows the rules here.

 

WHAT IS A SPELL OR MIRACLE?

A spell is a magical effect, a single shaping of the magical energies that suffuse the universe into a specific, limited expression.

 

In casting a spell, a character carefully plucks at the invisible strands of raw magic infused into the world, pins them in place in a particular pattern, sets them vibrating in a specific way, and then releases them to unleash the desired effect, in most cases, all in the span of seconds.

 

In contrast, a miracle is an effect granted to Priests to tend to the flock of The Bright One. He alone bestows his immense power within his vessels. Portions of his power and will are manifested each time a Priest tends to the sick or slays a demon with his eternal magnificence.

 

Spells and Miracles can be versatile tools, weapons, or protective wards. They can deal damage or undo it, impose, or remove conditions, drain life energy away, and restore life to the dead. Uncounted thousands of spells have been created over the course of the universe’s history, and most of them are long forgotten. Some might yet lie recorded in crumbling spellbooks hidden in ancient ruins or trapped in the minds of dead gods. Or they might someday be reinvented by a character who has amassed enough power and wisdom to do so.

 

SPELL TIER

Every spell has a tier ranging from 1 to 5. A spell tier is a general indicator of how powerful it is. Cantrips- simple but powerful spells that characters can cast with almost no effort are tier 1. The higher a spell's tier, the more points in Arane Magic or Soul Magic as caster must have. The higher your Arcana and Arcane Magic are, it doesn’t necessarily correspond directly. However, a character must have five points in Arcane magic to cast tier 5 spells.

 

For example, Gnot, the human wizard, and his companions defeat a hag. They loot her laboratory and find a Tier 4 Finger of Death spell. Though they can read the title of the spell, Gnot only has 2 ranks in Arcane Magic and therefore cannot cast this spell yet due to its complex nature.

 

KNOWN AND PREPARED SPELLS

Before a spellcaster can use a spell, he or she must have the spell firmly fixed in mind or must have access to the spell in a magic item. Arcane casters must learn and study each spell daily and can switch out spells daily.

 

Priests, on the other hand, their power comes directly from their deity. Every day, they must spend time in prayer and their scriptures. Through devotion, they are granted their power and may request different spells during this time. Otherwise, whichever spells or “powers” their deity has granted them cannot be changed.

 

Roll 2d6. If 5’s or 6’s are rolled, they may switch out 1+Religion spells. This can only occur once per day.

 

CASTING IN ARMOR

Because of the mental focus and precise gestures required for spellcasting, you must be proficient with the armor you are wearing to cast a spell. You are otherwise too distracted and physically hampered by your armor for spellcasting. In every case, the caster must cast at disadvantage. This does not apply to Priests as they are extensively trained in armor.

 

MANA

Everyone who can cast spells does so with an innate Mana Pool equal to 10 + Arcana and Religion.

 

CASTING A SPELL AT A HIGHER TIER

When a spellcaster casts a spell using a slot that is of a higher level than the spell, the spell assumes the higher level for that casting. For instance, if Umara casts magic missile using one of her 1st Tier slots, that magic missile is 1st Tier. Effectively, the spell expands to fill the slot it is put into. Some spells, such as magic missile and cure wounds, have more powerful effects when cast at a higher level, as detailed in a spell's description.

 

RITUALS

Certain spells have a special tag - ritual. Such a spell can be cast following the normal rules for spellcasting, or the spell can be cast as a ritual. The ritual version of a spell takes 10 minutes longer to cast than normal.

 

It also doesn't expend a spell slot, which means the ritual version of a spell can't be cast at a higher level. To cast a spell as a ritual, a spellcaster must have a feature that grants the ability to do so. The cleric and the druid, for example, have such a feature. The caster must

also have the spell prepared or on his or her list of spells known, unless the character's ritual feature specifies otherwise, as the wizard's does.

 

CASTING A SPELL

 

When a character casts any spell, the same basic rules are followed, regardless of the character's class or the spell's effects. Each spell description in chapter li begins with a block of information, including the spell's name, level, school of magic, casting time, range, components, and duration. The rest of a spell entry describes the spell's effect.

 

CASTING TIME

Most spells require a single action to cast, but some spells require a reaction.

 

REACTIONS

Some spells can be cast as reactions. These spells take a fraction of a second to bring about and are cast in response to some event. Use the Clash system to determine the outcome.

 

RANGE

Range often refers to the ability to see the target or for the target to hear your spell to be affected by it. The GM will call for checks and referee any outcomes.

 

COMPONENTS

A spell's components are the physical requirements you must meet to cast it. In Adventures of Aelath it is assumed that your wizard has all the material components that he will need to cast spells up to Tier 3. In addition, verbal and somatic (intricate hand movements) components are used to bring the spells to life. Therefore, if your hands or mouth are disabled, then you will not be able to cast spells.

 

DURATION

A spell's duration is the length of time the spell persists. A duration can be expressed in rounds, minutes, hours, or even years. Some spells specify that their effects last until the spells are dispelled or destroyed. Or for the time being, she can keep concentration.

 

INSTANTANEOUS

Many spells are instantaneous. The spell harms, heals, creates, or alters a creature or an object in a way that can't be dispelled, because its magic exists only for an instant.

 

CONCENTRATION

Some spells require you to maintain concentration to keep their magic active. If you lose concentration, such a spell ends. All spells must be maintained with concentration, apart from a few. You can end concentration at any time (no action required).

Taking damage.

 

Whenever you take damage while you are concentrating on a spell, you must make a Saving throw to maintain your concentration. The DC equals 10. If you take damage from multiple sources, such as an arrow or a dragon's breath, you make a separate saving throw for each source of damage. Being incapacitated or killed you lose concentration on a spell if you are incapacitated or if you die.

 

The DM might also decide that certain environmental phenomena, such as a wave crashing over you while you're on a storm-tossed ship, require you to succeed on a DC 10 Save to maintain concentration on a spell.

 

TARGETS

 A typical spell requires you to pick one or more targets to be affected by the spell's magic. A spell's description tells you whether the spell targets creatures, objects, or a point of origin for an area of effect (described below). Unless a spell has a perceptible effect, a creature might not know it was targeted by a spell at all. An effect like crackling lightning is obvious, but a more subtle effect, such as an attempt to read a creature's thoughts, typically goes unnoticed, unless a spell says otherwise.

 

A CLEAR PATH TO THE TARGET

 To target something, you must clear a path to it, so it can't be behind total cover. lf you place an area of effect at a point that you can't see and an obstruction, such as a wall, is between you and that point, the point of origin comes into being on the near side of that obstruction.

 

TARGETING YOURSELF

 If a spell targets a creature of your choice, you can choose yourself, unless the creature must be hostile or specific creature other than you. lf you are in the area of effect of a spell you cast, you can target yourself.

 

AREAS OF EFFECT

 Spells such as burning hands and cone of cold cover an area, allowing them to affect multiple creatures at once. A spell's description specifies its area of effect, which typically has one of five different shapes: cone, cube, cylinder, line, or sphere. Every area of effect has a point of origin, a location from which the spell's energy erupts. The roles for each shape specify how you position its point of origin. Typically, a point of origin is a point in space, but some spells have an area whose origin is a creature or an object. A spell's effect expands in straight lines from the point of origin If no unblocked straight line extends from the point of origin to a location within the area of effect, that location isn't included in the spell's area. To block one of these imaginary lines, an obstruction must provide total cover.

 

Cone: A cone extends in the direction you choose from its point of origin. A cone's width at a given point along its length is equal to that point's distance from the point of origin. A cone’s area of effect is determined by its maximum length. A cone's point of origin is not included in the cone's area of effect unless you decide otherwise.

 

Cube: You select a cube's point of origin, which lies anywhere on the face of the cubic effect. The cube's size is expressed as the length of each side. A cube's point of origin is not included in the cube's area of effect, unless you decide otherwise.

 

Cylinder: A cylinder's point of origin is the center of a circle of a particular radius, as given in the spell description. The circle must either be on the ground or at the height of the spell effect. The energy in a cylinder expands in straight lines from the point of origin to the perimeter of the circle, forming the base of the cylinder. The spell's effect then shoots up from the base or down from the top to a distance equal to the height of the cylinder. A cylinder's point of origin is included in the cylinder's area of effect.

 

Line: A line extends from its point of origin in a straight path up to its length and covers an area defined by its width. A line's point of origin is not included in the line's area of effect, unless you decide otherwise.

 

Sphere: You select a sphere's point of origin, and the sphere extends outward from that point. The sphere's size is expressed as a radius in feet that extends from the point. A sphere's point of origin is included in the sphere's area of effect.

 

  SAVING THROWS

Many spells specify that a target can make a saving throw to avoid some or all of a spell's effects. The spell specifies the ability that the target uses for the save and what happens on a success or failure.

 

To resist one of your spells equals 2d6 + Arcana + Religion. This is your Spell Resistance armor class, if you will.

 

SPELL ATTACK ROLLS

Some spells require the caster to make an attack roll to determine whether the spell effect hits the intended target. Your attack bonus with a spell attack equals your spellcasting ability modifier.

 

This roll involves the person attacking to roll 2d6 + their magic score.

 

Most spells that require attack rolls involve ranged attacks. Remember that you have the disadvantage on a ranged attack roll if you are within 5 feet of a hostile creature that can see you and isn't incapacitated.

 

COMBINING MAGICAL EFFECTS            

The effects of different spells add together while the durations of those spells overlap. However, the effects of the same spell cast multiple times don't combine. Instead, the most potent effect-such as the highest bonus-from those castings applies while their durations overlap. For example, if two Priests cast Bless on the same target, that character gains the spell's benefit only once; he or she doesn't get to roll two bonus dice.

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In Aelath, all magic is learned. And much like fighters and barbarians, magic casters must roll to have their spells take effect. 

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1. Difficulty = 10 + spell Lvl

*note* add a difficulty of 1 for every friendly player within an AOE if you don't want the spell to affect them.

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2. Players know spells by level. What does that mean for you? If your player knows 2nd level spells, they know all second level spells.

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3. On a 1, an epic fail occurs and players roll on a fail table. So don't blow yourself up!