Casting Rules

Spellcasting Rules

• All spells in ELDRA are divided into five levels of power, from Level 1 (basic spells) to Level 5 (formidable and rare magic).

• Each spell has an associated Mana Cost equal to its spell level. For example, a Level 3 spell costs 3 mana to cast.

• A spellcaster’s total mana pool is determined by their Magic skill level using the formula:

  Mana Pool = n × n

  where n is the caster’s current Magic skill level.

• Spells may also have optional Stunts or Enhancements, which may be activated by paying additional mana as described in the spell entry.

• Spell effects can vary in range, duration, and target depending on the spell's level and classification.

• Unless stated otherwise, conditions inflicted by spells are only applied when the target takes a Mental Consequence as a result of that spell's mental damage. If the target's Mental Stress Pool has not been reduced to 0 and the mental damage does not overflow into a Consequence, the damage is absorbed as stress only and no condition is applied. Spells or abilities that explicitly bypass this requirement will state so in their description.

Declaring a School of Affinity

When a character first gains the Magic skill, they declare one of the eight schools described above — Abjuration, Conjuration, Divination, Elemental, Illusion, Necromancy, Restoration, or Transmutation — as their School of Affinity. This declaration is permanent. A School of Affinity is not a curriculum; it is a reflection of the self. It cannot be untrained or swapped out. If the character's story demands a shift so profound that their inner nature has genuinely changed, this is a matter for the Game Master to adjudicate as a significant narrative milestone, not a mechanical transaction.

Affinity Benefits

A character with a declared School of Affinity gains the following two benefits, which apply exclusively to spells belonging to their chosen school:

• Reduced Mana Cost. Spells from your School of Affinity cost 1 les Mana} to cast (minimum 0) and cannot be stacked with other mana reduction abilities. Your intent within this current of magic flows without resistance; the same effect costs you less of yourself to produce.

• Bonus Spell Stunts. You gain a free stunt from the Spell stunt list for each Spell belonging to your School of Affinity.

• Affinity Mana Pool. You gain a separate Mana Pool equal to half your Magic skill (rounded up, minimum 2), usable only on spells from your School of Affinity. This pool refills on a short rest.

Interaction with Spells of Multiple Schools

Some spells list more than one school (e.g., Illusory Dragon: Conjuration, Illusion). If a spell lists your School of Affinity among its schools, it qualifies for both Affinity benefits in full.

Example

Serath is a caster with a Magic skill of +3 (Mana Pool: 9) and a School of Affinity in Necromancy. She also has a separate Affinity Mana Pool of 2, usable only on Necromancy spells.

She casts Finger of Death (Level 5, Mana Cost 5). Because it is a Necromancy spell, it costs her only 4 Mana from her standard pool. She could also draw from her Affinity Pool to cover part of that cost, spending 2 Affinity Mana and 2 standard Mana instead — preserving her standard reserves.

Later, the encounter ends and the party takes a short rest. Serath's standard Mana pool does not recover, but her Affinity Mana Pool of 2 fully refills — ready to support the next casting of a Necromancy spell.

Spell Knowledge Limits

Characters in ELDRA learn spells following a Tiered Progression based on their Magic skill level. The number of known spells is limited, with higher-level spells being rarer. At each spell level, a character knows one fewer spell than at the level below. For example, a character with a Magic skill level of 3 knows: 1 spell from Level 3, 2 spells from Level 2, 3 spells from Level 1.

Learning Additional Spells: In addition to their base known spells, characters may learn additional spells by:

• Paying a number of Experience Points equal to the spell's level.
• A character can only learn a number of additional spells this way equal to their Focus skill level.

Training Requirements:

• To learn a new spell (regardless of how it is acquired), a character must first find a magical scroll, inscription, or artifact containing the spell.
• The spell must then be studied and practiced for a number of weeks equal to its level (e.g., a Level 3 spell requires 3 weeks).

Spell Keywords Some spells include one or more keywords that further define how they function:

• Flexible — When you cast a Flexible spell, you may choose to spend additional mana beyond its base cost. The total mana you can spend cannot exceed your Magic skill level. The potency of the spell increases as you spend more mana. Exact scaling is defined in the spell’s entry.
• Concentration — You can only concentrate on one spell at a time. While concentrating, if you take damage, you must make a Focus skill check against half the damage taken (rounded down) to maintain your concentration. Losing consciousness or dying causes concentration to end immediately.
• Ritual — You may cast a spell with the Ritual keyword by spending additional time, usually 10 minutes or more, instead of mana. Ritual casting may offer additional benefits or increased potency, depending on the spell description.
• Elemental — When you cast an Elemental spell, choose one of the following elemental types from the Elemental Damage section.

Spell Format Each spell includes the following:

• Name and Level
• Mana Cost
• Range
• Duration
• Keywords (if any)
• Effect Description
• Optional Upgrades or Stunts

Note: All spellcasters follow the same core casting rules unless their class, stunts, or abilities modify them.