Magic is performed by consuming spell slots of different categories. At each level, a magic user gains three additional spell slots, which can be permanently assigned to any category. Spells have a number of spell slots required to cast them, from one or more categories. Some spells will require a number of spell slots which can come from any category. Rules for up-casting (spending additional spell slots to make the spell more potent) are defined uniquely for each spell. However, many spells do follow similar conventions, for example, “Every additional X spell slots of type Y add one damage die, up to a limit of 3.”
Spell Slot Categories
- Amalgam: Deals with the combining of different components.
- Clairvoyance: The ability to see and interact with far away places and things.
- Conjuration: Producing/creating items, creatures or monsters.
- Divination: Seeing the future.
- Elemental: Control over the basic elements.
- Illusion: The production of sounds, imagery and other effects to fool the senses.
- Spirit: Control and effecting of spirits.
- Transformation: The conversion of items, creatures or monsters from one state to another.
- Vitality: Control and aid of the lifeforce of creatures and monsters.
- Protomagic (Metamagic? Or was that coined by WotC?): Effecting the production of magical effects.
The following categories exist, buy cannot typically be accessed by player characters:
- Primordial: Used by gods.
- Horological: Controls time.
- Eldritch: Used by beings older than gods.
- Cosmic: Used by beings as powerful as gods.
Charms
Charms are spell that require no spell slots to cast. They can be cast at will and an unlimited number of times. These spells often have rather minor effects.
You start out at first level with 3 charms. You gain an additional charm at the following levels: 2, 5, 7, 10, 12, 15, 17, 20, 22, 25, 27, 30.
Joint Casting
Joint casting allows two or more creatures to cast a spell together, with each creature contributing at least one spell slot. Joint casting takes at least one minute per spell slot contributed to the spell. If joint casting is interrupted, for every minute taken (rounded up) for all parties to return to casting, one spell slot already contributed is lost. If one member involved is unable to return to casting, another magic user can take their place by burning one Protomagic spell slot, and then contributing at least one of their own spell slots to the jointly cast spell. Only one creature involved needs to know the spell, and at least one creature who knows the spell must remain involved.