Magic System

Introduction

We now have a total of 144 spells hooked. This includes all level 0, 1 and 2 spells. The enchantment system has been renamed to the artificing system to keep it from being confused with the similarily named spell school. Furthermore, version 1.6 introduces 2 new features: Militant Level Bonuses as well as Scribing Scrolls! We've implemented a new metamagic feat rod: Augment Summoning. 28 bugs, many having to do with Share Spell have also been fixed in 1.6.

I did not add the ability for players to grant Andrinor's Trust in 1.6. That's because I was waiting for us to get a solid version of the new Emote Wand. I will be updating the new emote wand soon to allow players to be marked as Trust Leaders who can then mark other players with Andrinor's Trust.

All Bioware scrolls have been nerfed in 1.6 (at least the spells that have been hooked so far.) They will now cast spells at the minimum caster level required to cast the spell. To get a scroll that casts spells at higher than minimum caster level you will have to make one or buy one from another player.

Information on the new Artificing system will be posted here: [1].

1.6.0.1 & 1.6.0.2: 1.6.0.1 had some Militant Bonus bug fixes. 1.6.0.2 had more bug fixes and hopefully a lag fix for share spell.

There have been a number of new additions in the last few months to the way magic works on Avlis. The newest headers have been colored blue for easy identification. As we move forward, this list will expand. Feel free to post questions below. I'm sure you will have a few. :)

Doug

Current Versions on Servers

As of March 20th, 2005
1.6.0.2: Elysia, Ferrell, Le'Or
1.6.0.1: Mikona
1.5: Deglos, Wilderness

Metamagic

Version 1.5 introduces a new implementation of metamagic feats which allows the use of multiple feats with a spell. Due to the limitations of the system, there are a few caveats. First, stacking is only possible through the use of items called metamagic rods. Second, these rods will only work with hooked spells. Spells that have not yet been hooked will gain no benefits from them. You will find Empower, Extend and Maximize rods, in addition to the new feat listed below. Unfortunately, due to engine limitations, Still, Silent and Quicken spell cannot be made into rods at this time.

Version 1.5 also introduces a new Metamagic feat available exclusively through metamagic rods: Energy Substitution. This new feat allows you to alter the energy type of a spell. This opens the doors for many new spells, such as cold bolt, acid ball and sonic weapon just by replacing the energy type. The feat currently has 5 flavors: Acid, cold, electricity, fire and sonic. They do not stack (that's a different feat.) I have attempted, as best I could, to make visual effects for spells match these new damage types. You will note some spells had a larger degreee of success. Suggestions for improvement are always welcome.

The following spells can currently benefit from elemental substitution: chain lightning, darkfire, fireball, flame arrow, lightning bolt, all level 0-2 elemental spells.

Version 1.6 Changes/Bug Fixes:

- Added Augment Summoning rod and implemented it with the summon creature 1-9 spells.
- Bug #980: Can't substitute acid for firebrand
- Bug #983: Flame Arrow not elemental substituting

Augment Summoning [General]

Your summoned creatures are better than normal.
Prerequisites: Spellcaster level 2nd+.
Benefit: Creatures you conjure with any summon spell gain +1 hit points per Hit Die and a +1 competence modifier on attacks and damage rolls.

Energy Substitution [Metamagic]

You can modify a spell that uses one type of energy to use another type of energy.
Prerequisites: Any other metamagic feat, 5 ranks in Knowledge (arcana).
Benefit: Choose one type of energy: acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic. You can modify a spell with an energy designator to use the chosen type of energy instead.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times, each time it applies to a different type of energy.
Slots: +0

Use Magic Device

If you attempt to use a scroll, staff or wand with a spell that you cannot cast, you must make a successful Use Magic Device or Spellcraft check. The system will compare ranks in the two skills and use the highest of the two for your character. If you have at least 5 ranks in the lower skill, you will get a +2 synergy bonus for the check.

If you are a divine caster attempting to use an item with an arcane spell or an arcane caster trying to an item with a divine spell, one of the following things will happen: - If you have rogue or bard levels and ranks in UMD, you will make a UMD check - not a spellcraft check. - The attempt will fail.

DCs:

25 + spell level for UMD scroll checks.
20 + spell level for staff and wand UMD checks.
20 + spell level for all Spellcraft checks.

Open Bugs:

- Bug #901: Assassin not counted for UMD checks in Spellhooking 1.5

Version 1.2 changes:

- Removed rods from the UMD check.
- Removed raise dead scrolls from the UMD check.
- Removed the notice when an innate ability is used successfully.

Version 1.4 Changes:

- Removed the notice when an innate ability is used unsuccessfully.
- Removed protection from alignment scrolls from the UMD check. (Bug #495)

Spells Granted by Deities

When casting divine spells on Avlis, you must have a valid Avlis deity in your deity field to cast spells above 3rd level.

Notes:

- Currently this is only implemented for clerics. It will be implemented soon for Blackguards, Druids, Paladins and Rangers.

Version 1.2 Changes:

- Spells cast from items do not need to make this check. - Deities with apostraphes in their name no longer cause problems.

Version 1.4 Changes:

- Divine casters unable to reach their diety can now cast spells up to level 3 instead of level 2.

Version 1.5 Changes:

- The deity check was broken due to a typo. This has been fixed.

Version 1.6 Changes/Bug Fixes:

- DMs can now mark a character as out of favor with his deity. An out of favor character cannot cast any spells - arcane or divine. - Fixed debugging output that was not using the DEBUG check.

Andrinor's Trust

As of spellhooking 1.5, mages who do not have Andrinor's Trust can no longer cast spells above 7th level. This change was based on a player-intitiated move by the mage guilds to limit the power of extra-planar mages visiting Avlis. For more information on this, please refer to the following URLs:
IC: High Mage Council's Major Decision Concerning Arcane Magic
OOC: Limiting Non-Trust Mages' spells

Notes:

- This feature is implemented with DB entries. This means that having the Andinor's Trust item in your possession will not allow you to cast spells above 7th level. When this is first implemented, players will have to havce the correct value set by a DM. As the systems rolls out, certain players will be given the ability to grant the DB entry to other players.
- You may notice a discrepancy between the IC announcement and the implementation. Deal with it ICly.

Version 1.6 Changes/Bug Fixes:

- Bug #908: Shapechange is considered a level 0 spell instead of level 9 spell