Journey: Spells

Here's where we talk about spells.

Spell Overview

Every spell is a skill in its own right (just like standard skills), and has a dice pool. Spells are slightly more complicated than other skills, however, and as such, their dice pools are not listed in the stat blocks; you have to read the spell description to get a better feel for what the spell utilizes.

In addition to the spell's dice pool, many spells call upon other skills, as well; chief amongst these are Skill: Arcana, Skill: Spellcraft, and Skill: Concentration.

Spell Stats

Name

The name by which the spell is commonly referred.

Spell [Type]

Indicates any descriptors of the spell, if applicable. Descriptors interface with other game elements.

XP Cost

The cost, in XP, to learn the spell. You can gain further training in the spell, improving its dice pool (and gaining other advantage, as well, dependent on the spell), but doing so costs additional XP.

Mana Cost

The cost in mana tokens to cast the spell. If you do not have sufficient mana tokens, you cannot cast the spell; if you do not have a mana token pool, you cannot cast spells at all.

Action Cost

The action cost of the spell. Spells that can reasonably be used in combat will use one of the standard action types, or list an action cost in ticks.

Some spells may have the (Channeled) modifier, meaning that you are actively casting the spell until your next turn. Such a spell can be interrupted or suffer from pushback if you suffer damage or are otherwise inconvenienced while casting.

Action Type

The action type of the spell. This interfaces with other game elements.

Range

The range of the spell, expressed in normal measurements.

Duration

The duration of the spell's effect, listed in either normal increments or in ticks.

Dice Pool

The total dice pool used for the spell. If this entry is not listed, then the spell is more complicated than a single dice pool roll.

Avoid

If the effect of the spell can be avoided, the appropriate skill is listed here.

Spell Descriptions

AMPLIFY MAGIC
  Spell [Arcane]
  XP Cost/Rank: 6 + 3/rank
  Mana Cost: 6 + 2/rank
  Action Cost: Standard
  Action Type: Spell (Utility)
  Range: 25 ft + 5 ft/rank
  Area: 10-ft radius burst
  Duration: 20 ticks/rank
  Dice Pool: This + Spellcraft
  Avoid: None (Beneficial)
  Take Min/Avg/Max?: No / No / No

  You attempt to amplify the power of magical effects that emanate from a particular location.

  Any spell cast by those in the area of effect, or that affects at least part of the area or a creature in the area, has its
effective rank improved by one.

  UPGRADES
  Each time you improve this spell's rank, you may select one of the following upgrades.

    Duration: The duration of this spell increases by 20 ticks. You can take this upgrade multiple times.
    Area: The area of this spell increases by 5 feet. You can take this upgrade multiple times. (Requires: Rank 4 [1d8])
    Stronger Amplify: Spells that are affected by this spell are treated as being two ranks higher. (Requires: Rank 6 [1d12])
    Greater Amplify: The stronger amplify effect of this spell causes spells to be treated as an additional rank higher. You
can take this upgrade multiple times. (Requires: Stronger Amplify, Rank 8 [1d12+1d4])
    Mana Floes: When you cast this spell, you may choose to increase the mana cost by 4 + 1/rank. If you do, whenever a spell is
affected by this spell, it refunds one mana token per rank to the caster; a spell cannot refund more mana tokens than it took to
cast. However, the duration of this spell is reduced to 5 ticks/rank. (Requires: Rank 10 [1d12+1d8])
    Nexus: When you cast this spell, you may instead choose to target a single creature, rather than an area. If you do, any
spells that creature casts and any spells that target that creature are affected by this spell. (Requires: Rank 12 [2d12])

DAMPEN MAGIC
  Spell [Arcane]
  XP Cost/Rank: 5 + 2/rank
  Mana Cost: 4 + 2/rank
  Action Cost: Standard
  Action Type: Spell (Utility)
  Range: 25 ft + 5 ft/rank
  Area: 10-ft radius burst
  Duration: 20 ticks/rank
  Dice Pool: This + Spellcraft
  Avoid: Special; see text
  Take Min/Avg/Max?: No / No / No

  You attempt to dampen the strength of magical effects in the area.

  When you cast this spell, make a skill check with this skill's aggregate dice pool. Whenever a spell is cast in the area, if the
  skill check for the spell is below your check with this spell, the spell is treated as being one rank lower. Spells that are
  reduced to an effective rank of 0 or lower have no effect.

  UPGRADES
  Each time you improve this spell's rank, you may select one of the following upgrades.

    Duration: The duration of this spell increases by 20 ticks. You can take this upgrade multiple times.
    Area: The area of this spell increases by 5 feet. You can take this upgrade multiple times. (Requires: Rank 3 [1d6])
    Deeper Dampening: Spells that are affected by this spell are treated as being two ranks lower. (Requires: Rank 5 [1d10])
    Greater Dampening: The deeper dampening effect of this spell causes spells to be treated as an additional rank lower.
You can take this upgrade multiple times. (Requires: Deeper Dampening, Rank 7 [1d12+1d2])
    Restricted Mana: The mana cost of this spell increases by 4. Whenever a spell is affected by this spell, its caster must
spend an additional one mana token per rank of this spell, or else the spell fails. (Requires: Rank 9 [1d12+1d6])
    Dead Zone: When you cast this spell, you may instead choose to target a single creature, rather than an area. If you do, any
spells that creature casts any any spells that target that creature are affected by this spell. (Requires: Rank 11 [1d12+1d10])

LIGHTNING BOLT
  Spell [Lightning]
  XP Cost/Rank: 4 + 2/rank
  Mana Cost: 3 + 1/rank
  Action Cost: Standard
  Action Type: Spell (Attack)
  Range: 50 ft
  Target: One creature
  Duration: Instant
  Dice Pool: This + Spellcraft
  Avoid: Reflex (Negates)
  Take Min/Avg/Max?: No / Yes / No

  You hurl a bolt of lightning at your target. Make an attack roll with this spell's aggregate dice pool (the dice pool for this
  skill plus your Spellcraft skill), opposed by your target's Reflex skill. If you successfully hit, you deal damage to the target
  equal to a skill check with this skill.

  UPGRADES
  Each time you improve this spell's rank, you may select one of the following upgrades.

    Range: The range of this spell is increased by 10 feet. You can take this upgrade multiple times.
    Unerring: You gain a +1 power bonus on the attack roll for this spell. You can take this upgrade multiple times; the power
bonus cannot exceed your Potential.
    Shock: If you successfully hit with this spell, the creature is (stunned) for a number of ticks equal to the amount by which
you overcame the opposed roll. (Requires: Rank 3 [1d6])
    Area: This spell now affects a 5-ft line extending from you to the extent of the range. (Requires: Rank 4 [1d8])
    Lasting Shock: The shock effect lasts an additional tick for each point by which you overcame the opposed roll. You can
take this upgrade multiple times. (Requires: Shock, Rank 5 [1d10])
    Concussion: You gain a +1 power bonus to damage dealt with this spell. You can take this upgrade multiple times; the power
bonus cannot exceed your Potential. (Requires: Rank 6 [1d12])
    Chain Lightning: When you cast this spell, you may spend mana tokens equal to half this spell's mana token cost. If you do,
you can target another creature within 30 feet of the original target; use the same attack roll, but the damage the second target
takes is half of what the primary target took. (Requires: Rank 7 [1d12+1d2])