Seven Dragon Saga Update #7, $75,489 and Counting

Tactical Simulations Interactive has published a new update for their Seven Dragon Saga Kickstarter campaign. The update offers a brief overview of the game’s magic system. Here’s an excerpt on the basics:

Characters start with magic by selecting the Wizard Class, or one of the elemental Specialties. Spells each belong to one of the elements, and have a level from one to four. Each character starts with some spells of the levels they can cast, and can find additional spells while adventuring.

There are several types of magic in the world, but only the Touched (the player characters) can draw from the energies of Chaos, with its power and instability. We can talk about the sorts of magic which enemies and allies may use at a later time.

Abilities related to things like becoming invisible, healing party members, or harming undead are independent from spells, and do not count as casting.

Each of the elements has its own flavor

Earth favors protection damage type: acid

Storm favors movement damage type: lightning

Fire favors damage damage type: fire

Winter favors information damage type: cold

Nature favors stealth damage type: poison

Necromancy favors domination damage type: death

General favors magic control damage type: physical

With the exception of the Wizard Class, a character with an elemental Specialty has access only to spells of that element. A Wizard with an elemental Specialty is most effective in that element, but still has access to all the others.

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The Casting Toll

During rest, the player can draw down his maximum hit points and transfer them, one for one into mana. During the remainder of the day, if the caster has exhausted his prepared mana, she can burn her maximum hit points down directly at a cost of 2 for 1 mana. Third level spells cost three mana to cast, and fourth level spells cost four mana. Characters can theoretically cast high level spells until their maximum hit points reach 1 hit point. This isn’t considered a safe choice.

So, a character with 80 hit points could use the resting ritual to bring his hit points down to 60 and gain 20 mana. These hit points are unavailable during that day. No one can heal the character above 60 hit points. At the next rest, the mana converts back to hit points and the character again has 80 hit points.