Magic resistance

Spells cast at a target or in the immediate vicinity of a target must necessarily manipulate the lines of mana that pass through said target, as well as those around it. The target's natural resistance to the manipulation of those lines of mana as they pass through it is the substance of magic resistance.

The results of such Magic Resistance can be the utter nullification of a spell, an increase in difficulty or reduction of spell effectiveness, or complete success by the spell caster at overcoming the Magic Resistance of the target.

General Cast Spells

There are three variations of the general cast spell; beneficial, neutral, and detrimental. The pattern of a general cast spell forms in and around the immediate area that is the target. The mana lines which form the majority of the spell pattern are the very lines passing through said target. Therefore, the target's natural resistance to the manipulation of those mana lines increases the difficulty of that manipulation. The increased difficulty manifests itself in a possible decrease in the effectiveness of the spell.

Different spell purposes have varying levels of resistance. Nothing in the spell pattern of beneficial spells is designed to overcome Magic Resistance since it is expected that the target would not be one that would resist the spell. Detrimental spells expect an unwilling target, and thus their spell patterns are designed to better overcome innate Magic Resistance. In practice, this means that beneficial or neutrally-oriented spells can be more easily resisted than detrimental spells.

Targeted Magic

There is a large fundamental difference in functionality when comparing this spell type to general cast spells. A TM spell is composed of two patterns (the spell pattern and the target pattern). The actual spell pattern for a targeted spell is formed at some location away from the target (and is therefore not resistable in any way). The matrix (release of energy) of the spell (whatever is formed) is then propelled towards the target pattern. The target pattern is formed in and around the immediate area that is the target. The mana lines which form the majority of the target pattern are the very lines passing through said target. Therefore, the target's natural resistance to the manipulation of those mana lines increases the difficulty of that manipulation. That increased difficulty manifests itself in a possible decrease in accuracy of the spell.

Area Effect Spells

Area effect spells can impact entire rooms, everything at melee, everything at pole or closer, everything at missle or closer, or everything in a given group. Area effect spells can also be classified as beneficial or detrimental. The pattern of an area effect spell forms in the entirety of the area that the spell affects (room, melee, pole, missle, group). The formation of the spell pattern must overcome the sum of the natural resistance of every animate being within said area.

Barbarian Magic Resistance

Even beyond the normal difficulties of bending mana lines through a living being, Barbarians are far more difficult to use magic upon, though unlike in the past, they no longer have innate resistance.

Barbarian Magic Resistance works on exactly the same principles found in basic Magic Resistance, however those who possess certain active abilities have a higher degree of resistance to the manipulation of mana lines passing through them.

Notes

• The caster of a spell will never be the cause of resistance against their own spell.

• Those able to manipulate mana (able to cast spells) become more receptive to the manipulation of the lines of mana passing through them thus nullifying their natural resistance in the case of beneficial spells. They are not able to increase their natural resistance in the case of detrimental spells, as to do so would run counter to their own ability to manipulate mana in and around themselves.