10.0 Spells

General Rule

Characters with a magic potential greater than zero may cast spells. Each character's magic potential consists of three parts, and each part is used depending on which sun is dominant. The dominant sun is determined by the procedure described in section 4.0. It affects how many spells a given character may use during one adventure.

The kind of spell determines when it may be used.

Procedure

Before play begins, each player must choose, for their character, a number of spells equal to the highest of the three values making up that character's magic potential, and record the names of those spells on the character sheet. This creates a spell pool, from which spells are chosen for use during the current adventure (see 4.1 D).

Characters cast spells at the cost of wounds equal to that spell's cost. Certain spells may be resisted, negating their effect (see 11.0).

Detailed Rules

[10.1] Spells are divided into types, based on the situation in which they're most effective. All spells except type W may be cast at any point during play. Type W may only be used during combat. (See table 10.9).

[10.2] A character may use a given spell any number of times, provided they still have enough strength left that casting the spell won't kill them.

[10.3] A character casting spells during combat may not also attack with a weapon in the same round.

[10.4] During combat, spells may only be cast by characters in the party's second rank. Monsters may cast spells from either their front or second rank.

[10.5] Effects of individual type W spells (usable only during combat):

• Charm (cost: 3): May be cast on any monster in the monster group's front or second rank. If the monster doesn't resist the spell, it immediately loses its free will and falls under the complete control of the character who cast it. Such a monster becomes, both in intent and actual behaviour, a member of the party. It should be placed immediately in an open spot in the party's order. If the character who cast Charm is killed, the spell loses its power and the monster immediately attacks the remaining party members; if this happens during combat, it should be placed in the monster order as close to the party as possible. A monster under a Charm effect gains no experience for killing other monsters: those points go to the party's characters instead. Note: all of the above rules (with a few exceptions, see 15.5) also apply when a party member falls under a Charm cast by a monster.
• Blast (cost: 1): May be cast on a monster in the monster group's front rank. If the monster doesn't resist this spell, it suffers two wounds.
• Explosion (cost: 1): Affects everyone engaged in the fight. All characters and monsters that don't resist it suffer 1 wound.
• Lightning Bolt (cost: 2): May be cast on a monster in the front rank, and if not resisted, deals 1K3x2 wounds.
• Sleep (cost: 2): May be cast on any monster in any rank, and if not resisted, causes that monster to instantly fall asleep. A sleeping monster may be killed without needing to roll dice (once, of course, all other monsters have been dealt with one way or another).
• Release (cost: 3): Allows a character under a Charm effect who is now fighting, during combat, against the party to return to its ranks, meaning it negates the Charm effect. The charmed character must attempt to resist this spell.
• Magic Shield (cost: 2): The result of this spell is total immunity, for the character it's cast on, from all wound-dealing spells, for the duration of one combat.
• Uncertainty (cost: 2): Buys the party time, right before combat begins, to use potions and healing spells. Cannot be resisted.
• Truce (cost: 3): Its effect is equivalent to reaching an agreement in negotiation (see 8.6), meaning this spell immediately halts combat. It may be used during any combat phase and cannot be resisted. It may not be used in a confrontation with The Nameless One.
• Psychic Strike (cost: 4): May be cast on a monster in the front rank, and if not resisted, deals 2K6+2 wounds.

[10.6] Spells of types other than W may be cast at any point during play. However, some of them should be used only in specific situations, since outside of them their effect is nil.

• Lock (cost: 1): May be used to block a door. Usually cast right after opening a door and discovering a monster in the segment the party was about to enter. Instead of negotiating, bribing, or fighting, the party may retreat and use this spell to shut the door behind it. Such a door can never be opened again. If the party enters that same segment later, from a different direction, it must face the same monster there.
• Magic Armour (cost: 1): Creates a protective field around the character it's cast on. Roll 1K3+1 and record the result. Every time the protected character suffers a wound, reduce this value by one. Once it reaches zero, all further wounds are suffered normally. Magic Armour does not protect against wounds paid as the cost of casting spells, nor against spells that deal no wounds directly (such as Charm).
• Neutralise Poison (cost: 1): May be cast on a character who has drunk poison, examined a poisoned fountain, or fallen into a poison trap. Neutralises all negative effects of the poison. Must be cast immediately after poisoning.
• Revive from Stone (cost: 3): May be used to restore to life a character who was turned to stone by a Medusa. Cannot be cast during combat. The revived character has the same number of wounds they had before being turned to stone. Cannot be cast on oneself.
• Strength (cost: 1): Has the same effect as the Dexterity potion (see 14.5).
• Teleportation (cost: 3): Teleports any character or monster to a maze segment previously visited by the party, chosen by the caster (a monster stays in that segment). Cannot be used during combat. Cannot be used against The Nameless One, Demons, or the Black Gate.
• Healing (cost: 1): Heals the character it's cast on of 1K3+1 wounds. Cannot be cast on oneself. Note! Before a character able to cast this spell enters the maze, roll 1K6 to determine how many times this spell may be used during the current adventure. Once that limit is used up, the character can no longer cast Healing (this is an exception to rule 10.2).
• Rejuvenation (cost: 2): Has the same effect as Healing, except it heals 1K6+1 wounds. It may likewise only be used a limited number of times per adventure (limited the same way as Healing).
• Gentle Fingers (cost: 1): Increases the "traps" ability by 3 points, but only for the duration needed to make one attempt at disarming a trap. Cannot be cast on a character with no "traps" ability at all.

[10.7] Spells that help with negotiation (type N) may be used before the die roll that decides the negotiation outcome, while type V spells may be used during a bribery attempt.

• Eloquence (cost: 1): Adds 4 points to the number rolled during negotiation (in addition to, and independent of, any modifiers from a negotiating character's ability).
• Intimidation (cost: 2): Gives the effect (with no die roll needed) equivalent to "intimidation" in negotiation (see 8.6).
• Discouragement (cost: 3): Has a similar effect to Intimidation, except the monster hands over all of its treasure.
• Suggestion (cost: 1): Lets the party subtract 2 points from the number rolled when attempting to bribe a monster.
• Flattery (cost: 2): Lets the party subtract 4 points from the number rolled when attempting to bribe a monster.

[10.8] The ability to cast special spells (type S) can only be gained during play; they cannot be chosen at the start for the "initial pool" of spells.

• Wrath of God (cost: 3): May only be used during combat. The ability to cast it is gained by finding the manuscript or the altar of Malthus (see 13.9). If not resisted, deals 2K6+2 wounds.
• Resurrection (cost: 5): May not be used during combat. The ability to cast it can only be gained by finding the "Resurrection" ring (see 14.9) or a bookshelf (see 13.9). May be used to resurrect a character killed in combat. Must be cast immediately after the combat in which the character died; cast later, it has no effect. A resurrected character has as many wounds as they had upon entering the maze.

[10.9] Table "Spell List": see the table board.