Making Magic Work In Magic Horizons

Magic is the defining ingredient of fantasy fiction and fantasy gaming. The concept is so integral to the theme that Magic Horizons even has the word in the name of the game.

Making magic work in a Live Action Roleplaying Game has been a challenge since the beginnings of the hobby. The rough details of the Magic Horizons magic system are detailed in this article; further information should be sought in the rulebooks.

Basic Concepts

Casting Spells Without Knowing Them

Types Of Spellcasters

Other Considerations

Basic Concepts

Magic in Magic Horizons uses a spell packet system. A spell packet is roughly a teaspoon of birdseed wrapped up in a square inch of fabric, with the corners tucked in and folded over like the tail of a comet.

In order to cast a spell, your character must know the spell being cast. You recite the incant, followed by a null word, and toss the spell packet as you say the null word. If the spell packet hits the target, the spell takes effect on the target. If you miss, the spell is wasted, but still costs the points needed to cast it.

Spells cost spell points to cast, equal to the Rank of the spell being cast. Spells range from Rank 1 to Rank 11, through 5 different spell lists for Mages and 5 different Discourse lists for Philosophers.

Characters get 8 spell points per pick put into Mystic Arts or Philosophic arts. Spell points from either of these sources can be used to cast spells from any spell list. (In other words, a spell point is a spell point is a spell point.) Certain races get advantages or have disadvantages with regards to spell points and spell casting.

Casting Spells Without Knowing Them

There are two ways to cast spells without actually knowing the spell in question: Use of magic items and scrolls.

Magic items can allow their users to cast spells; the user needs to touch the target with a spell packet, but does not need to recite the incant. Magic items can also store spell points for other spellcasters to use, in much the same way that electricity is stored in batteries. Magic items work for anybody, but can only have spells from the Mage lists enchanted into them.

Scrolls allow the bearer to read the spell off from the scroll, hit the target with a spell packet, and have it take effect. Casting a spell off of a scroll requires ranks in Literacy, but scrolls can be inscribed with Philosophic Discourses.

Spell resists, with one exception, will resist the next spell from any source -- even if it's a healing spell cast by a friend.

Types Of Spellcasters

There are two broad categorizations of spellcasters: Mages and Philosophers.

Mages are flexible. Choosing a spell for a mage does not preclude learning spells on other lists. Mages can also make magic items, through the skills of Alchemy, Scrollcrafting and Enchanting.

Philosophers are exclusive. You cannot have spells from more than one philosophic list. Philosophic spells cannot be enchanted into magic items, but can be recorded as scrolls. (A philosopher cannot use a scroll containing a spell from a different philosophic list.) Philosophic spells are generally 50% to 100% more effective than a mage spell of a comparable rank and effect, and some philosophic spells are duplicated nowhere else. Philosophers also have a Logic list, which involves longer rituals and talents, giving commensurately greater effects. Many of the Logic lists are frighteningly effective at higher levels.

There is no prohibition against taking both Mage and Philosophic disciplines; a character with one pick in each has dabbling access into 7 different spell lists, although they'll never advance far in any of them.

Finally, there is no prohibition against taking Mage or Philosophic lists with your free picks -- even if you have no Mage or Philosophic picks normally.

For more on picks, check out the character creation page on this site. A detailed analysis of character creation is also available.

Other Considerations For Spellcasting

One of the important considerations for spellcasting is the effect of spell resists. Some spells grant their targets the ability to resist other spells, burning off the resist. Spell resists, with one exception, will resist the next spell from any source -- even if it's a healing spell cast by a friend.

In order to use a spell resist, you need to address the caster of the spell, and say "Resist!".

Spells will affect you (or their target) if they hit anything on your person: weapon, cloak, shield -- whatever. Spell packets should never be targeted at an illegal target area (see the safety rules for more information), but will still take their effect if they hit there.

Like a feint can open an opponent's body for another shot in a combination, a low level spell can open up a monster for a more potent spell later.

When throwing spells at the monsters, make sure you train the shieldmen in front of you in the fine art of blocking shoulder shots without catching your spell packets in the back of their shield.

Some of the most effective offensive spells do no damage; when reading a spell's description in the rulebook, try looking at it creatively. Look at it from the perspective of a chess player playing for position. Sure, the spell didn't directly harm the monster -- but it denied the monster something, be it a weapon, the ability to run away for ten seconds, or forcing it to run away from you. Even if the spell merely forced the monster to burn off a resist, it cost the monster something. Like a feint can open an opponent's body for another shot in a combination, a low level spell can open up a monster for a more potent spell later.

The final consideration is stacking limitations. Some spells can be stacked on top of one another for cumulative effects. Other spells cannot; this is designated by a letter code next to the spell in the rulebook.

Further information on spells, their effects, and their stacking codes is also available.

Problems with the page? Email Ken Burnside.