Magic is a fundamental aspect of Realm of Runes, and its presence and influence seeps into every aspect of the system. Of the twelve classes included, six have automatic access to magic, another three can opt into it through class feats, and the remaining three can access it through the application of skill or ancestral power. There are five types of magic in Realm of Runes: arcane magic, divine magic, occult magic, primal magic, and esoteric rituals. Each one approaches magic slightly differently, and in accordance with its theme.
SPELL LEVELS & HEIGHTENING
The most fundamental unit of magic in Realm of Runes is the spell. Spells, when cast, create specific and repeatable magic effects. A fireball always explodes over an area, a heal spell always deals positive damage, and invisibility always makes the target undetectable to a sense of the caster's choice. These effects are further influenced by the power level at which the spell is cast. All spells have a base level. For example, heal is a 1st-level spell, invisibility is a 2nd-level spell, and fireball is a 3rd-level spell. A spell cannot be cast at a lower level than its base level, but there is no upper limit to the level at which a spell can potentially be cast.
Most spells have additional or special effects that happen when a spell is cast at a level higher than its base level, called heightening. Heal and fireball deal additional damage for each spell level higher at which the spell is cast. Invisibility, by contrast, has one of a number of additional quirks, such as increased duration or number of targets, each time the spell's level reaches a certain threshold above its base level. Even spells which don't have any explicit benefit for being cast at a higher level can still derive use from it. Higher-level spells are harder to Counterspell, and their effects more tenaciously resist being removed. Further, a large number of spells tie their duration directly to the level at which the spell is cast. For example, the base duration on invisibility is 1 minute per spell level. At its base level, you'll always get at least two minutes out of it, but heightening it makes it last longer, even if it doesn't reach one of the thresholds at which the spell alters itself.
Primary spellcasters in Realm of Runes, like the wizard and cleric, are granted spell slots by their class. The class determines how many slots, and what levels those slots are, based on the character's level. A 1st-level character only has access to 1st-level spell slots, but as a character levels up the class makes more slots available, and makes slots available at higher level. Prepared casters, like the druid, must choose how to assign their available spells to their spell slots. They can heighten spells at their discretion by preparing a spell in a higher level slot than its base level, and the spell manifests at the level of the slot used to cast it. Spontaneous casters, like the bard, know a more limited number of spells in a repertoire, and choose which spell slots to use when they cast them by expending a spell slot of the level chosen. Spontaneous casters have more flexibility in how they use their spells throughout the day, but prepared casters tend to have a larger pool from which to draw their possibilities.
CANTRIPS, POWERS, & RITUALS
Cantrips, powers and rituals are all variations of the basic spell. They are, and function, exactly as spells do, with some added wrinkles. They are nevertheless still spells and anything which modifies or triggers a spell works for all of them the same as for any other spell.
Cantrips are spells that are never expended when cast. A caster can cast the same Cantrip, such as detect magic, over and over again at its discretion without ever having to worry about running out of magical energy. Cantrips also automatically scale in power along with the caster, and are always heightened to a spell level equal to half the caster's level, rounded up. This makes Cantrips an excellent tool for those casters which have access to them, giving them infinitely repeatable magic options. Their only drawback is that they tend to have less raw power or utility when compared to other spells in exchange for this longevity.
Powers are spells that are always heightened like Cantrips, but are not inexhaustible. All primary casting classes also have access to powers, but secondary casting classes, like the paladin, only have access to powers and not spell slots. Powers are a separate pool of magic potential, and use a daily resource called Spell Points. Each power costs one or more Spell Points to cast, and this pool is independent of that caster's spell slots, if any. Powers are only ever gained through feats or class features. It's possible to learn a spell as a power, but not the reverse. A spell learned as a power functions as a power when cast using Spell Points, but still functions as a normal spell if cast using spell slots.
Rituals are a way of producing magical effects without having to expend resources such as spell slots or Spell Points. Rituals are divided into two types: spell rituals and esoteric rituals. Esoteric rituals produce effects that cannot be replicated by other spells, but require downtime to perform. Spell rituals are used to replicate spells that have a non-combat casting time, and directly replicate their effects. Whichever type is used, the core of the ritual casting process is based on skill checks instead of traditional magical resources, and the independence of ritual casting from spell slots and Spell Points allows the caster much more control over variables such as spell level. There is no upper limit to the spell level at which a ritual can be manifested, but the higher the caster pushes it, the more difficult and intensive the process becomes. No characters are guaranteed access to knowledge of ritual casting, but even non-magic classes, like the alchemist, can make use of rituals to produce magical effects in accordance based on their skill.
CASTING ACTIONS
Spells in Realm of Runes are cast using a combination of three types of casting actions. Material Casting actions involve the manipulation of materials with latent magical power. What these materials are is up to the caster, but manipulating these materials is an intricate process and leaves the caster vulnerable to reactions like Attacks of Opportunity. Somatic Casting actions involve precise movements and gestures using the caster's limbs, and are intricate like Material Casting actions. Verbal Casting actions involve speaking magical words of power or incantations. Unlike the other two types, Verbal Casting actions do not usually leave you at risk for triggering reprisals. Verbal Casting uses speech as the default assumption, but can be performed with sign language if the only languages a character knows are signed rather than spoken.
VARIABLE CASTING TIMES
Spells in Realm of Runes fall into one of two paradigms, depending on their casting time. Combat spells are cast using a specific quantity and combination of Material, Somatic and Verbal casting actions. Each casting action uses one of a character's available actions for its turn in combat, and whether a spell can be cast on a turn largely depends on how many actions the caster has remaining compared to the number of actions the spell requires. There is no other limit to the number of spells that a caster can cast on its turn. If a caster chooses to spend all of its actions casting many single-action spells, it is free to do so. Non-Combat spells are those which have a casting time listed in minutes or hours. This duration is far too long to be completed in the overwhelming majority of combats, and their effects are usually therefore preemptive or not urgent. Only non-combat spells are able to be learned and cast as rituals.
Many combat spells include further variance in casting time. Some spells have a basic quantity and type of casting actions, but have different, more potent effects if the caster adds additional casting actions to those required. For example, shocking grasp can be cast with just a single Somatic Casting action to deal electric damage to a creature the caster touches. However, the damage increases by another 1d12 for each additional Somatic Casting the caster adds, making this spell deal more damage the longer you charge it up. These alterations as a result of variable casting are independent from, and additional to, changes to the spell from heightening it to a higher spell level.
A large number of Cantrips make use of this variable casting scheme, making them useful tricks for fitting into a turn whenever the opportunity arises. If your caster finds that it has a spare action left over on its turn, it can fill that space by tossing off a quick chromatic bolt or throwing up a magical shield without fear of draining its magic resources. Cantrips used this way are typically weaker overall, but sometimes any spare magic can mean the difference between life and death for a party in a tense situation.
METAMAGIC
Metamagic is a category of abilities that modify spells as they are cast, but only for combat spells. Metamagic works by adding additional casting actions to a spell while casting in order to add the special effect from the ability. For example, Widen Spell adds a Somatic Casting action to increase the size of a spell that affects an area, while Empower Spell also adds a Somatic Casting action, but causes the spell to deal two extra dice of damage. Many metamagic abilities also have a similar variable casting options like spells do, further altering the casting with more additional casting actions. Widen Spell further increases the area, and Empower Spell adds two more dice, for each extra casting action used for the metamagic ability.
Magic is a potent and versatile tool in Realm of Runes. All characters have the potential of using it in some form, and how it's used can vary wildly from caster to caster through effects like heightening, metamagic, and variable casting. Next time we'll continue our exploration of classes with the Vanguard, a class which does not have innate access to magic, but can seem like it does thanks to its cleverness and conditioning.
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