Magic 3.0

Magic 3.0 is a huge magic system overhaul intended to bring all magics, and eventually, all character abilities into balance with each other. This system update is one part of the larger so-DragonRealms 3.0 release.

Test Instance Resources

The magic feat trainer can be found in the middle of Asemath Academy, Crossing.

Ritual foci can be found at the Crossing Artificer.

TEST SORCERY can be used to set a character's Sorcery skill to a desired level.

Skills

Primary magic is being parcelled out into several new skills: Augmentation, Debilitation, Warding, Utility. Normal spells will use one of these in place of what was previously Primary Magic, though some spells may use two or more, in which case the lowest of the applicable skills will be used.

Though the Targeted Magic skill has previously existed, it will instead take the place of Primary Magic for targeted spells, as well as continue to control accuracy.

Primary Magic will still exist as a skill, and play a part in the casting of all guild spells, though it is of lesser importance compared to the appropriate skill.

New skills will be derived as a percentage of your Primary Magic. The command EXP SWITCH <skill1> skill2> can be used to swap two magic skills. It can be used up to 24 hours after being converted to 3.0, but will not function if there is field experience in either of the two skills being switched.

Sorcery

The sorcery skill has been introduced to take the place of Primary Magic when casting spells that were designed for a different mana type. In addition, it will act as a limiter for other skills. If a non-guild augmentation spell is cast, if the Augmentation skill higher than the Sorcery skill, it will effectively be lowered to the Sorcery level for the purposes of that cast.

Teaching PM equivalent to someone with a different mana type will instead cause them to learn the Sorcery skill.

Teaching of the actual Sorcery skill in a justice area will trigger a Forbidden Practice charge, which also causes an amount of Social Corruption.

Focusing on runestones not of your mana type will now teach Sorcery as well as Arcana. This is meant to be an intro into gaining Sorcery ranks outside of teaching/listening to classes and will teach consistently until around 50 ranks and will then drop off till you can no longer learn from the focus.

Experience

Training magic in the new system is different than before. The amount of experience awarded depends on how difficult the spell is relative to your base ranks. The difficulty is derived from the base difficulty of the spell, how difficult it is to add mana to the spell, and how much mana is added.

As the mana caps on spells are higher than previously, many times the most efficient way to train is to cast a spell at the highest mana the caster can manage. Experienced casters will eventually master combinations of mana, harnessing, and cambrinth power to maximize efficiency.

Magical Devices

With 3.0 many magical devices will function differently or will cease to function entirely. Listed below are known changes.

• Runestones now come in two varieties; Simple and Complex. Simple runes can not have their power (prep amount) altered while complex runes can.
• Constellation jewelry will cease to work in 3.0 due to not meshing with the new Skill system.
• Any device that previously contained a spell that had major work done/or was removed will cease to work. For example while Tezirah's Veil still exists as a Moon Mage spell, it has undergone drastic changes and has moved spellbooks rendering all items containing the spell inert.
• Spell scrolls will now be dropped with more regularity and variety due to the change in how scrolls are used and retained.
• Any current spell scrolls appear to turn to gibberish (along with those sold in the Ratha shop currently) unless scribed into the Scroll leaf of a spellbook.
• Scrolls containing spells that have been heavily changed or removed will either vanish or change into another spell.

Cambrinth

Cambrinth is now linked to via the INVOKE command.

FOCUS only shows information, such as how much mana is stored.

CHARGE RT now increases the mana is added.

It is possible to INVOKE <item> ## to specify the amount to be discharged, though there is a difficult skill check, which may result in a different amount being INVOKEd. This may become part of a magic feat, but is currently open to all.

You can now RELEASE <CAMBRINTH ITEM> to break a link to a held or worn cambrinth item.

Spells

Most, if not nearly all spells have undergone revisions, and some have been removed entirely. Details can be found at Spell List 3.0. Though bear in mind that spells are still being tweaked and added.

Along with the background revisions done to spells, there are also several notable differences to spells in general. The most notable of which are the change in spell slot costs and the addition of new types of spells.

Costs

Spells now cost between 0 or more spell slots depending on the power or usefullness of the spell.

Spell slots are earned based on the placement of the magic skillset.

! Level Range	Primary	Secondary	Tertiary
1-20	Every Level		Every 2 Levels
21-50	Every Level	Every 2 Levels
51-100	Every 2 Levels
101-150	Every 3 Levels

Magical Feats

Spell slots can also be used to purchase magic feats, which change the way groups of spells are cast, such as by making it easier to hide one's spells from others.

• List of the new Magic Feats.

Analagous Patterns

Spellcasters will no longer get free Analagous Pattern spells, though they can be temporarily or permanently learned from an artificer.

• List of the new Analagous Pattern Spells

Spell Types

Metaspells

Metaspells are an optional pseudo-spell, that, rather than being cast, modifies one or more already learned spells. An example would be the addition of the Returns Thoughts metaspell, which when learned by someone with the spell Thoughcast, allows the target of Thoughcast to send a reply message.

Battle Spells

Battle spells are quicker to cast, but at the price of having shorter durations than standard spells. As the name implies, their intended purpose is to allow fast casting in combat.

Cyclic Spells

Cyclic spells take the place of held magic spells and enchantes in Magic 3.0. They periodically will drain held mana from the caster to continue to function. Unlike held mana spells, they actually subtract mana from the harnessed amount. It is also possible to use cambrinth to power them.

With the proper magic feats, cyclic spells can drain mana directly from the caster without need to harness it.

The amount that the spell is prepped at controls how much mana is pulled per pulse of the spell.

Only one cyclic spell can be active at a time.

Ritual Spells

Ritual spells are powerful spells that require enormous amounts of mana to power and typical both the most powerful and most difficult spells a caster will know. They can begin at 150 or so mana and can cap as high as 600.

To combat this, ritual foci are available which effectively reduce the mana costs of ritual spells, though each focus typically has limited uses and normally will only function for a specific spellbook's spells.

Targetted Spells

Targeted spells do not require preparing at all, to the point of having syntax available to skip the preparation step entirely ( TARGET {<SPELL>} {<MANA>} AT {<TARGET>} ).

Quest Based Spells

Unless specifically noted otherwise, no spell quests will need to be repeated after the 3.0 conversion.

Casting

Harness Regeneration

Unlike currently in which harness recovers faster the more is left, the new system is the inverse. The more you have used, the faster it returns. One of the functional differences is that large casts are now far less problematic to harness level. This dovetails well with the increased benefits of one large cast over several smaller, also a new addition to the system.

Training

Larger casts of spells are rewarded by a net increase in experience over several smaller casts. The intended best way to train is to cast a spell at the highest amount the caster is capable. In addition, finding ways to handicap casting, such as by acquiring nerve damage, no longer will benefit training. The amounts of experience are calculated solely by the base ranks of the caster.

Difficulties

"Intro is something you can start casting with 1 rank. Basic is about 10 ranks before you can start casting it at min mana, and Advanced is nearish to 100. Spells that you need upwards of 200 ranks to cast are Esoteric." -GM Socharis

Alternate Preparations

Using custom or special spell preparations requires a magical feat to use, as does attempts to hide casting entirely.

Stat vs Stat Spells

In addition to specific spell revisions, the contested spell system has been reworked, with the attacker's and defender's stat contest being divorced from each other.

Offense

Attack Class Primary Stat Secondary Stat Tertiary Stat ---- ---- ---- ---- Mind Intelligence Discipline Wisdom Magic Wisdom Intelligence Discipline Spirit Wisdom Charisma Intelligence Charm Charisma Discipline Intelligence Fear Charisma Strength Discipline Power Strength Stamina Discipline Finesse Agility Reflex Intellegence

Defense

Defense Class Primary Stat Secondary Stat Tertiary Stat Other Conditions --- --- --- --- --- Reflexes Reflex Agility Intelligence Also affected by incapacitating conditions (prone, webbed, etc). Fortitude Stamina Discipline Strength Also affected by vitality, spirit, and fatigue. Willpower Discipline Wisdom Intelligence Also affected by nerve damage, stuns/unconsciousness, and Khri Serenity, and Cunning.

Magical Attack Styles

Mind Attacks - The user is bringing the force of his own mind to bear on the target. Examples: Mental Blast, Petrifying Visions.

Magic Attacks - The user is creating an effect that acts on its own accord as opposed to directly contesting themselves with the target. Examples: Anther's Call, Branch Break.

Spirit Attacks - The user is clashing their spirit or soul against the target, trying to bring down its weight against them. Examples: Heighten Pain, Malediction.

Charm Attacks - The user is trying to lure or befuddle the target in a subtler attack, or instead awe the target through sheer presence. Examples: Aether Wolves, Compel.

Non-Magical Attack Styles

Fear Attacks - The user is trying to intimidate the target in order to evoke a desired effect. Examples: Barbarian Roars.

Power Attacks - The user is bringing forth sheer physical brutality in order to cause an effect. Example: War Stomp.

Finesse Attacks - The user is using their quick and agile nature in order to cause the desired effect. Example: Thief Ambushes.

Dispellation

Dispelling of duration spells is now possible, with all magic guilds having at least minimal access via the analagous pattern spell Dispel. Other guilds, such as the Clerics or Bararians, have guild specific means of doing so.

Spheres of Influence

All spells are now equal in their potential enhancement, regardless of guild or number of prerequisites. This is a marked departure from previous systems in which spell tier and guild could result in spells being markedly more or less powerful from a similar spell in a different guild or tier.

To maintain guild differences, spheres of influence have been added. These are skills and stats that the guild is intimately familiar with and thus have a higher cap when enhancing.

It's important to note that this is not inherent to the spell, but to the caster. The difference is that if a caster uses a spell to enhance something within their sphere of influence, the cap is higher, even if the spell is from another guild which does not have it in their sphere. Likewise, if a mage casts a spell from a guild that has the skill in their sphere of influence, but is from a guild that does not, the cap is lower.

Another note is that it is entirely acceptable to have a spell that enhances something outside a guild's sphere of influence. All it denotes is that the spell will not have as much effect as one from a guild that is more specialized in the area.

Spell Stances

When a spell is cast it has three variable characteristics: Potency, Duration, and Integrity. Potency covers the outright power of the spell, how well it accomplishes the intended purpose. Duration is how long the effect will last. Integrity is the ability to resist dispellation.

Using the SPELL STANCE command, it is possible to change the proportions of the power allocated to the different facets of the spell. Any area can be raised as high as 130% and reduced to as low as 70%.

If one characteristic does not apply, such as duration for an instant effect spell, then only the ratio between the two remaining facets is used. For instance, if you have a Duration 130%, Integrity of 85%, and Potency of 85% and you cast a TM spell, the ratio between your Integrity and Potency (1:1) is to distribute your mana and equal power is put between them.

New Commands

• RELEASE CYCLIC - Releases your cyclic spell
• RELEASE {SPELL} - End a spell that you've cast on yourself
• TARGET {SPELL} {MANA} AT {TARGET} - Automatically prepare and then target your target.
• RESEARCH - Teaches magic skills without casting spells.
• DISCERN - Gives information on spells you know and estimates max mana based on skill.

FAQ

• Q: Will I have to re-quest for my quest spells?

A: Not for most of them. Aside from a few, most quest-requiring spells remain in your known spells.

• Q: Will there be a spell wipe?

A: Yes, by necessity. Since so much has changed with magic, we wouldn't force you to abide by your old choices.

• Q: Will there be a Global Magic Preview?

A: Yes. For several weeks (or more) after the release of "DR3", all spells will be on preview. You'll be able to cast all spells available to your Guild without having to choose them from your Guildleader. In fact, you won't be ABLE to choose spells from your Guildleader.

• Q: What happens to Magical Devices?

A: Some Magical Devices will survive the transition. Others will not. Some scrolls that contained one spell will now contain a different one, and others will simply (by necessity) crumble away. Additionally, several older magic items will be nonfunctional for a while after we release.

Related Forum Posts

Click here to search for related posts.