Many characters in Realm of Runes can learn spells directly through their class, and those that can't can still make use of magic through ancestry or skill. With magic so widely available, it's very important to make using spells consistent and approachable. In this post we'll take a detailed look at the anatomy of spells in Realm of Runes, and show a few examples of actual spells from the rulebook that highlight important aspects of how they work.
SPELL NAME AND LEVEL
The first line of a spell always includes the name of the spell, followed by its base level. The spell level is colored to match the spell’s rarity. A spell can never be cast at a lower level than listed here, but any spell can be heightened to higher levels. Since Cantrips always manifest at a level determined by the caster's level, their effective base level is always the lowest level possible, which is 1.
TRAITS
Just below the spell name and level is a listing of each trait that the spell has for easy reference. Every spell includes its school of magic as a trait, as well as other important markers that makes picking a spell easier. If going up against a mindless creature, a spell with the mental trait is probably a poor choice. Spells that attack creatures have the attack trait, and count against the caster's multiple attack penalty as any other attack would. Some spells have the rage trait, which makes them available to a caster that is raging, either because they are a Barbarian (or multiclassed with one) or have been forced into doing so involuntarily.
FOCUS
Some spells have a particular focus that is required to cast the spell. A focus is an object of particular importance to the function of the spell, and many times a focus is an expensive object. A focus is never consumed by the casting of a spell, and the same focus can be used any number of times. Some spells have an optional focus, which is only necessary under certain circumstances. The spell comprehend language is an excellent example of such a spell:
COMPREHEND LANGUAGE SPELL 2
[Divination, Mental]
Casting: 1 minute (Somatic, Verbal)
Focus (Optional): A writing sample in a language
Range: hex 6; Targets: One willing creature
Duration: 1 hour per spell level
The target is conversant with a language you choose. If you do not know the language, you must provide the focus.
Expert: Increase the targets by 1.
Master: Increase the targets by 2.
Legendary: Increase the targets by 3.
CASTING
Below the focus is a blueprint for how long it takes to cast the spell. If the casting can be completed in combat, this section has icons corresponding to the number of casting actions it takes. If the spell takes longer than one round, it states the casting time in minutes or hours, for a spell, or downtime shifts for an esoteric ritual. If a spell has a duration that is not able to be completed in one round, it can be learned and cast as a ritual. The type of casting actions each spell uses are also indicated here. Some spells have a variable casting, with different effects if the caster spends more actions than required. Some spells can be cast as a reaction or a free action, but only when a triggering condition is met. The spell chromatic bolt is an excellent example of a variable casting spell, while feather fall is an excellent example of a spell that can be cast as a reaction instead:
CHROMATIC BOLT CANTRIP
[Attack, Cantrip, Color, Evocation]
Casting: {A} Somatic or more
Range: hex 6; Targets: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Fire a bolt of brightly colored light at the target. Attack the target using your Spell Roll. You can add Somatic Casting actions to increase the damage by 5 for each casting action added this way.
Success: The target takes 5 damage. Roll 1d8. The damage is the type rolled on the list below.
Success (+10): As success, plus 10 more damage.
(1) Red: Fire.
(2) Orange: Acid.
(3) Yellow: Electric.
(4) Green: Poison.
(5) Blue: Cold.
(6) Indigo: Mental.
(7) Violet: Force.
(8) Ultraviolet: 5 more damage and roll again.
Heightened (+1): Increase the damage by 5.
FEATHER FALL SPELL 1
[Abjuration, Air]
Casting: {R} Verbal
Range: hex 12; Targets: The triggering creature
Duration: Permanent until discharged
Trigger: A creature is falling
Effect: The target’s fall is slowed to a rate of 10 hexes per round, and does not take fall damage if it lands. This spell is dismissed if the target is not falling.
Expert: Increase the targets by 1. The spell is dismissed individually if targets land before others.
Master: Increase the targets by 2.
Legendary: Increase the targets by 3.
AREA, RANGE & TARGETS
The next line of a spell establishes what the spell can effect. All spells affect an area or specific targets, or have a maximum range at which they can be used. Not all spells have an entry for each of these options, which are only listed if they apply to the spell.
AREAS
A spell’s area has one the following shapes. Any of these areas can be truncated by effects, such as an anti-magic field or a solid barrier. Soft barriers, such as a wall of fire, do not truncate spells unless stated in the barrier’s description.
Aura: An aura radiates from the user out to the listed distance. This aura starts at the edge of the creature which has the aura, even if it is large enough to take up multiple spaces on a map.
Burst: A burst targets a distant hex. The spell then spreads out as an aura, using the chosen hex as its origin. A burst spreads out up and down as well, if there is room, forming a sphere.
Cylinder: A cylinder functions as a burst spell for cross section, but it fills that area through the listed height as a cylinder instead of as a sphere.
Line: A line always extends from the caster and affects everything within a straight line out to the listed range. A line can be directed away from either a hex's edge face or one a vertex. When using an edge face, the nature of a hex makes determining the spaces included in the line quite easy. When directing a line from a vertex, however, the line will inevitably pass between hexes. When this happens, both hexes adjacent to the line are equally affected by the line, but any targets in those spaces have cover from the effect.
Spray: A spray originates from the caster and extends away to the listed extent. Choose any two adjacent hexes adjacent to your space when you create a spray effect. As you extend more hexes farther away, increase the width of the spray by 1 more hex until you reach the listed extent of the effect. The way hexes are arranged on a hex grid, this naturally creates an equilateral triangle effect out to the listed distance.
RANGES
All spells have a particular range at which they can be used. A spell’s range is typically dependent on line of effect unless otherwise stated.
Personal: A range of personal means that the spell only affects the caster.
Touch: A range of touch means the caster must physically touch intended targets. If a non-hostile touch spell allows more than one target, the caster can touch up to every adjacent creature as part of casting the spell. If a hostile spell has a range of touch, the spell requires an attack roll and gains the attack trait.
Number of Targets: If the spell lists a number of targets within a range or area, the targets must be selected from within the range or area. Some spells specify restrictions on what counts as a valid target for that spell. Attempting to use a spell on an invalid target results in spell failure. You can always choose to target fewer creatures than listed by the spell. A target must be seen or sensed in order to be chosen. The spell slow is an excellent example of a spell that uses a number of targets chosen by the caster:
SLOW SPELL 3
[Transmutation]
Casting: {AA} Somatic, Verbal
Range: hex 6; Targets: Up to three creatures
Duration: Concentration
Make creatures move as if in slow motion. When you cast this spell, and each time you Concentrate, targets attempt a Will save. You can choose new targets each time you Concentrate.
Success: Increase the target’s impeded value by 3 for 1 round.
Success (+10): No effect.
Failure: As success, and increase the target’s slowed value by 1. It cannot use reactions while slowed.
Failure (-10): As failure, and increase the slowed value by 1 more.
Heightened (+2): Increase the targets by 3.
Special: Slow Counterspells haste as if it is the same spell.
DURATION
The next line is the duration line, which indicates how long the spell remains in effect. Many spells increase duration based on the level of the spell when it is cast.
Instantaneous: The spell happens immediately and then is complete. A spell with an instantaneous duration cannot be dispelled after taking effect.
Permanent: The spell functions continuously after being cast. A permanent spell can be dispelled later or dismissed by the caster.
Number of Rounds: This spell lasts a number of rounds, expiring at the start of the caster’s turn after the number of rounds has elapsed. The turn the spell is cast counts toward the total duration of the spell.
Timed duration: The spell lasts for the indicated amount of time and then expires.
Concentration: This spell continues to last for as long as the caster Concentrates to maintain it. If the caster does not Concentrate on a turn, it is dismissed at the end of that turn.
Special: This spell has an unusual duration that is explained in the spell description.
…Until Discharged: This has another duration, but is dismissed if a condition is met before the duration expires. The spell guidance is an excellent example of a spell that combines two different durations:
GUIDANCE CANTRIP
[Cantrip, Divination, Mental]
Casting: {A} Verbal
Range: hex 6; Targets: One creature
Duration: Permanent until discharged
Impart a bit of inspired wisdom to the target. The target can invoke this spell to gain a +1 spell bonus to a check of its choice, then this spell is dismissed.
Heightened (+2): Increase the targets by 1.
DESCRIPTION
This section details the purpose of the spell and how to use it. If the spell has a saving throw, the degrees of success are listed in this part of the spell. Spells that have a variable casting time list the additional effects of additional casting actions in this section, and spells which gain or lose traits based on use have those traits listed here instead of in the traits line. Some spells list effects that depend on spell level. These variables change with the level of the spell when cast, but function independently from other heightening effects.
CASTING MODIFIER
Many spells have effects that are increased by the caster’s casting modifier. This is the ability modifier that the caster uses as its Key Ability for the spell, as stated by the source of the spell, such as the caster’s class.
SAVE DC
If a spell requires a saving throw, the DC is the caster’s Spell DC. The caster’s Spell DC is based on its proficiency with the spell’s tradition, using the following formula:
Spell DC = 10 + [Proficiency Bonus] + [casting modifier]
SPELL ROLL
Many attack spells use the caster’s Spell Roll as the attack roll. A Spell Roll is based on the caster’s proficiency with the spell’s tradition, using the following formula:
Spell Roll = [Proficiency Bonus] + [casting modifier]
HEIGHTENED
Many spells become more powerful or versatile when cast at a higher level than its base level. These differing effects are listed in this section, in one of the two formats listed below. Some abilities can heighten spells to a higher level than the caster could normally produce otherwise. Even a spell without either of these options can be heightened, in which case the most common benefit is that it is harder to counteract or lasts longer.
Heightened (+X): This additional effect applies for each increment of X listed. For example, the Cantrip chromatic bolt listed above deals 5 damage as a 1st-level spell but has a heightening increment of +1, so it would deal 10 damage as a 2nd-level spell, 15 as a 3rd, and so on.
Heightened (Nth): This spell gains additional effects when it reaches the threshold of the spell level indicated, or higher. Some spells have multiple such entries listing many different tiers of additional benefits. You can always choose to use a lower-level tier when casting such a spell at a higher level. The spell invisibility is an excellent example of a spell than using this type of heightening scheme:
INVISIBILITY SPELL 2
[Illusion]
Casting: {AA} Somatic, Verbal
Range: hex 6; Targets: One willing creature
Duration: 1 minute per spell level
Choose a sense. The target becomes invisible to the sense you chose. This spell is dismissed after the target acts hostile.
Heightened (4th): Choose one: increase the targets by 4, a target does not dismiss the spell by acting hostile, or the duration is 10 minutes per spell level.
Heightened (6th): As 4th, but choose two. You can choose the same option more than once. Choosing the duration again makes it 1 hour per spell level.
Heightened (8th): As 6th, but choose three. If you choose the duration three times, it is 24 hours.
PROFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS
Some spells improve with your proficiency with the spell’s tradition instead of, or in addition to, those from heightening. If a spell has improvements for more than one proficiency tier, all such improvements are cumulative with those of lower tiers. The spell magic weapon is an excellent example of a spell that improves separately by proficiency and by heightening. If a spell does not have other heightening effects listed, it functions as though it has the following ability:
Heightened (+2): Treat your proficiency with this spell as one tier better, to a maximum of legendary.
MAGIC WEAPON SPELL 1
[Transmutation]
Casting: {AA} Somatic, Verbal
Range: Touch; Targets: Weapon touched
Duration: 1 minute
The target gains the magic rune. If the target is already magic, instead choose another rune of up to 5th level. This spell can add runes to an item of any quality, and these runes do not count toward the number of runes the item can hold.
Heightened (4th): The target gains the magic rune and one other rune, or two other runes. The maximum item level is 9th.
Heightened (7th): The target gains the magic rune and two other runes, or three other runes. The maximum item level is 13th.
Heightened (8th): As 7th, but there is no maximum item level.
Master: The duration is 1 hour per spell level.
Legendary: The duration is 24 hours.
SPECIAL RULES
Some spells have special interactions with other rules, as listed in this section. These circumstances may not always be applicable, but must be followed when they are. Sometimes these special rules make the spell able to counter certain opposite spells, as with slow above. One of the more important categories of these special rules indicate if and how a spell interacts with a runic circle when cast upon it, as with the spell wall of fire:
WALL OF FIRE SPELL 4
[Conjuration, Fire]
Casting: {A} Somatic or more
Range: hex 12; Area: Special, see text
Duration: Concentration
Create a wall or a ring of flame. Both options are 1 hex thick and 4 hexes tall. The wall is 8 hexes long and the ring is hex 2 in radius. You can continue to add Somatic Casting actions to increase the length by 4 hexes or the radius by 1 hex for each casting action added this way. The wall blocks line of sight for vision.
Heat damages creatures based on how close they are to the wall. A creature inside the wall when cast, or that moves through it, takes 8d6 fire damage. A creature adjacent to the wall at the start or end of its turn takes 4d6 fire damage. A creature hex 2 from the wall at the start or end of its turn takes 2d6 fire damage.
Heightened (+1): Increase the length by 4 hexes or the radius of the ring by 1 hex.
Special: You can cast a ring wall of fire on a runic circle. If you do, the diameter is that of the circle.
CATEGORIES OF SPELLS
Spells in Realm of Runes generally fall into three distinct categories, with some overlap. Offensive spells tend to deal damage directly or impose debilitating conditions. Defensive spells tend to improve a target's resistances or eliminate harmful conditions. Utility spells tend to help the caster and its allies overcome obstacles that might be different or impossible otherwise. Attack spells like chromatic bolt tend to improve by heightening, converting raw magical power into more and greater damage, while utility spells like comprehend language tend to improve by proficiency instead giving a caster with more practice greater control. These two orthogonal methods of spell improvement help ensure that a caster has fine control over how to spend their spell slots, and that utility spells are not always fighting with attack spells for those precious highest-level slots. As a primary caster improves in level and its lower-level slots become less viable for dealing competitive damage, those slots can be filled with different spells that don't require the boost from heightening to stay relevant.
Spells are a huge part of gameplay for many different kinds of characters, and Realm of Runes provides a huge amount of variety within what spells can do, as well as how they are used. If you've followed this series of design blogs, you've got a good idea of what makes Realm of Runes work as a system, and what sets it apart from its peers. Going forward we'll be using this format to disseminate important information as Realm of Runes gets closer to the end of its playtest cycle and its official release. As such, blog posts will be less regular. If you subscribe to the page using the form at the bottom, you'll get email notifications letting you know when another blog has been posted!
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