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Magic system 0.3.0
The Nature of Magic
Magic in this setting stems from the Sea of Mana, which flows from the Astral. This stream of power divides into three distinct Realms: Channeling, Essence, and Mentalism. Beyond these lie stranger forces—the enigmatic energies of The Deep Blue, the Invaders, and other obscure arts.
Regardless of origin, structure, or method, all practitioners of magic—known as Mana Manipulators—are aligned with a specific colour faction (Cyan, Green, Yellow, Orange, Red, Pink, Violet, Blue, Black, White, or Multicolour). Mana Manipulators exist in ascending tiers of mastery, from Apprentice to Overlord, each level reflecting their improved attunement and capacity to wield greater flows of mana.
Mana Manipulators are purchased at a base model and equipment cost, plus 10 points per Magic Level. All possess two core capabilities: Battlefield Awareness and Shard Awareness.
Learning Magic Path Spells
At the start, a Mana Manipulator draws a number of facedown spell cards equal to their Magic Level. Spells are drawn from realms that fan out from their primary realm colour, adhering to the Mendoza Matrix: a spell may be selected from an adjacent realm colour if the player already possesses one more spell from that direction on the colour wheel.
Example:
A Level 5 Cyan Manipulator may possess 5 Cyan spells, or split into 3 Cyan and 1–2 spells from Green and/or Blue.
Gaining Magic Shards
At the beginning of the game, each Mana Manipulator rolls 1D6 per Magic Level to determine the number of random Magic Shards they start with.
During gameplay, whenever a being is violently slain—a casualty of war—fragments of its spirit may coalesce into crystallised shards of energy. These Magic Shards can be harvested by any Mana Manipulator via Shard Awareness. Shards may be collected at a distance.
Collecting a Magic Shard:
- Costs one action
- Occurs at the end of each game turn, after any Healing or Raising of models
- Requires an Initiative Roll for each realm colour present on the field
Each player selects one Mana Manipulator to perform a modified Initiative Roll to collect shards of each colour present. The roll is penalised by –1 for each colour step the shard is from the Manipulator’s primary realm on the magic wheel.
The Magic system include 8 different Paths (Colours), 1 Path of Chaos (Multicolour), 1 Drops of The Deep Blue, and specific Invader Paths.
Each Spell Path will include 10 Spell Cards.
Each Player draws from a copy of the full range of possible Spells.
They are named and arranged like this.
ASTRAL/WORLD (Yellow/Violet)
MIND/BODY (Cyan/Red)
SUN/MOON (Orange/Blue)
NATURE/HARVEST (Green/Pink)
CHAOS (Multicoloured)
DEEPBLUE MIST (White)
INVADERS (all 8 colours)
Each Spell will have a Name, a Minimum Shard casting cost and a Range, as well as a Colour wheel showing which Shard Colours are legal to Cast and/or boost the Spell
Casting spells.
As they are in contact with their deties Mana Manipulators does not consume actions but Magic Shards to release energies of the chosen paths.
I've made the following core costs to spell creation
+1 per each 8 range factor (can be separately boosted)
+1 if a unit benefited
+1 if terrain effected
+2 if battlefield effected
When casting, say a 24 range spell targeting a unit. The caster can try cast it at only range 16, using but 3 power. If without range the spell then fizzle out and drops a Shard of its Colour.
Decided to remove the spell fizzle Shard drops.
Added Spells for each Path in its own thread, with:
Minimum Shard Casting Cost
Range of the Spell (can be extended if noted in the Description)
Spell Name
Spell Effect
Added spell card picking method: Medoza Matrix
We decided to give all Mana Manipulators Battlefield Awareness!
This means that Mana Manipulaters, regardless of Race and Type, instantly can cast their Spells as reaction to any opponent action.
Magic system 0.06
Changed the way Mana Manipulators recieve Magic Shards. They now roll 1D6 per Magic Level and gain that amount of random Magic Shards at the start of the Game.
Magic system 0.1.0
At our development meeting yesterday, we discussed Pigryn magic and decided that Invaders, although using magic of the gods, have many different gods tuning in to aid the Invader race the most. Thus, each invader race has their own path list.
Magic system 0.2.0
In yesterdays testgame we further discussed casualties turning into shards, and how to collect these.
This has been implemented into the main post.
Magic System 0.3.0
Added a definition on how Mana Manipulators are activated, "as they are in contact with their deties Mana Manipulators does not consume actions but Magic Shards to release energies of the chosen paths."