Balance: Spells – NEWPROTEST Publishing

SPELLS

Magic Philosophy

It’s important to note that Magic Lines do not have to be opposites in the positive and negative sense, and Magic Lines don’t need to have a “powerful” side and a “weak” side. If a player envisions “Speed” as a factor in their Character, they could use Fast + Slow as one Magic Line, and build their spells to be variations of instantaneous burst verses slow and long-lasting, or fast and lower powered verses slower but higher powered. Regardless, they must be clearly defined and within the realm of reasonableness.

On the other hand, it doesn’t make much sense for a player to choose Banana + Giraffe as a Magic line, as it’s quite difficult to conceptualize a balance between one and the other. (I’m sure someone will try). But Banana + Apple is a bit easier, so if a Player wanted to build a Magic Grid in the following way, it could work, and be a lot of fun.

Some other creative Magic Lines could include Soft + Sharp, Loud + Quiet, Mind + Body. There’s a lot a Player can do, as long as the following basic principles are followed:

Definable Effects: Magic Lines shouldn’t break gameplay. For example, Dragon + Hill Giant doesn’t give much space for definable effects, and it seems difficult to build without being immediately overpowered.
Narrative Fit: While everything can be explained away with a compelling backstory, certain Magic Lines won’t make sense. For example, there are no gods in Isora. There are religions, but they are tied to varying concepts of Balance. Even if certain religious factions envisioned a deity, it could never be the case that a Magic User uses Gods + Humans as their Magic Line, as this line has nothing to anchor it.

Types of Spells

For the player, the easiest type of spell to create is a Combat spell. Regardless of Magic Lines, these spells are intended to cause damage during Combat, combined with their magical effects.

In addition to standard Combat spells, other types of spells can be created as well. Some examples include:

Defensive / Restorative
- This could include spells that heal (1st Level or higher only), create magical shields or resistances to types of injury or magic, or spells that can remove effects like Balance Shock or other negative effects.
Utility / Support
- This could include spells that help the character detect magic, breathe underwater, fly, or turn invisible.
Manipulation / Creation
This could include light spells, illusions, or even summoning spells.

Spell Progression and Levels

Magic in Balance follows a tiered progression system that reflects a character’s growing connection to the Sacred Lines. Higher-level spells are more powerful, but they also require more Spell Points and demand greater narrative explanation. Below is a general guide to spell levels and their expected capabilities:

Flux

Basic, low-powered spells that introduce characters to their Magic Lines. These spells require minimal effort and are often practical or thematic in nature.

Deal up to 2 points of elemental damage to a single target.
Ignite a torch.
Move an object weighing up to 50 pounds.
Create a puff of air to extinguish a flame.

Level 1 Spells

Simple, low-impact spells with limited duration or area of effect. Useful for minor advantages in combat or problem-solving.

Deal up to 3 points of elemental damage to a single target.
Shield an ally with +1 defense for one round.
Detect nearby magic or disturbances in the Sacred Lines.

Level 2 Spells

Moderate-impact spells with enhanced utility or combat effectiveness. Often provide a single strong effect or multiple weaker effects.

Heal 2 points of injury or shield an ally with +2 defense for 10 minutes.
Create an illusion that fools a group of people in a 10-foot radius.
Push a group of enemies back 10 feet with a wave of force.

Level 3 Spells

Significant effects that can shift the tide of a battle or solve a major problem in creative ways. These spells typically affect larger areas or multiple targets.

Summon a lesser elemental (e.g., a small fire or earth spirit).
Create an aura of invisibility for all allies within 15 feet for 1 minute.
Deal damage to up to three enemies within a 30-foot radius.

Level 5 Spells

Powerful, story-defining spells that are rare and require significant effort to cast. These spells often change the environment or permanently alter circumstances.

Raise an impenetrable magical wall for 10 minutes.
Conjure a medium elemental spirit to aid in battle.
Create a storm of fire, lightning, or ice that affects all enemies in a 50-foot radius.

Level 7 Spells

Legendary spells representing the pinnacle of magical ability. Reserved for critical moments in the story, these spells are game-changing.

Call forth a massive elemental avatar to reshape the battlefield.
Banish a powerful imbalance-created entity to the Void.
Heal all allies within a 100-foot radius to full health and remove all negative effects.

Note: These serve as guidelines, and not hard rules for magic. Ideally, players and the Narrator should agree on the definitions of the spells and their impact on the game. Whatever is decided, it should be fun.

Area of Effect Spells

For spells that impact a large area and reach multiple enemies at once, the Narrator can decide how to determine damage based on certain criteria.

In some cases, the player can roll separate attacks for each enemy, giving each the opportunity to avoid injury. This is appropriate for spells that are aimed with multiple intended targets.

For spells like explosions or a swarm of hornets, defenders in the center of the attack should have the full volume of Attack Dice to defend against. Those further from the center may have a reduced number of attack dice to fend off.

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