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Higher levels of Magery make it much easier to learn and use magic. Add your Magery to IQ when you learn spells. For instance, if you have IQ 14, Magery 3 lets you learn spells as if you had IQ 17. Add your Magery level to Perception when you roll to sense magic items, and to IQ when you learn Thaumatology skill.

Powerful spells require a minimum level of Magery as a prerequisite, so be sure to skim the Spell Lists when deciding how much Magery you need. Note that high Magery lets you produce powerful results with even the most basic spells; see Magery and Effect (Magic). 

Double your encumbrance level applies to all spellcasting and Symbol Drawing rolls, regardless of whether your skill level is high enough to avoid the symbol-drawing component of the spell.  Metals and bulky material simply interfere with the flow of mana. 

You can never spend more than 50 points on Magery levels, and you cannot spend more than 25 points at character creation. Magery can have a variety of enhancements and limitations on it (view full text: Magery 1+).  Each college of magic also has a list of controlling skills, which means you can't cast spells at a higher skill level than your best controlling skill.  See Spell Colleges & Links.  Your Symbol Drawing skill also controls all spell skill levels. 

Spellcasting Rituals

  • Skill 9 or less – Ritual: You're having so much trouble drawing the symbol accurately while also concentrating on making the mana flow, that you have to draw it really big.  You need both hands and feet free. You also need to speak the words in a very firm voice. Time: Doubled. Cost: As listed.
  • Skill 10-14 – Ritual: You can draw the symbol in in the space of a square foot with relative ease, and the words, spoken softly, flow right off the tongue. Time: As listed. Cost: As listed.
  • Skill 15-19 – Ritual: As above if you wish, but the spell is so reflexive to you, that you can go without either the symbol or the words at no penalty. In the case of omitting the symbol drawing, you're simply visualizing the symbol instead of drawing it.  You are allowed to move one yard per second while taking the Concentrate maneuver. Time: As listed. Cost: Reduced by 1.
  • Skill 20-24 – Ritual: None! The mana flows at the command of a single thought.  You simply stare into space as you concentrate. Time: halved (minimum 1 second).  Cost: Reduced by 2.
  • Skill 25-29 – Ritual: None. Time: Divided by 4 (round up). Cost: Reduced by 3.
  • Skill 30 or more – As above, but for every five levels of skill beyond skill 25 (that is, at levels 30, 35, 40, etc.), halve casting time again (always rounding up) and reduce energy cost by one more point.

Critical Spell Failure

  • 3 – Spell fails entirely. Caster takes 1d of injury.
  • 4 – Spell is cast on caster (if harmful) or on a random nearby foe (if beneficial).
  • 5-6 – Spell is cast on one of the caster’s companions (if harmful) or on a random nearby foe (if beneficial).
  • 7 – Spell affects someone or something other than its intended target – friend, foe, or random object. Roll randomly or make an interesting choice.
  • 8 – Spell fails entirely. Caster takes 1 point of injury.
  • 9 – Spell fails entirely. Caster is stunned (IQ roll to recover).
  • 10-11 – Spell produces nothing but a loud noise, bright flash of light, awful odor, etc.
  • 12 – Spell produces a weak and useless shadow of the intended effect.
  • 13 – Spell produces the reverse of the intended effect.
  • 14 – Spell seems to work, but it is only a useless illusion. The GM should do his best to convince the wizard and his companions that the spell did work!
  • 15-16 – Spell has the reverse of the intended effect, on the wrong target. Roll randomly.
  • 17 – Spell fails entirely. Caster temporarily forgets the spell. Make an IQ roll after a week, and again each following week, until he remembers.
  • 18 – Spell fails entirely. A demon or other malign entity appropriate to the setting appears and attacks the caster. (The GM may waive this result if, in his opinion, caster and spell were both lily-white, pure good in intent.)