Editing Incarnation of the Black Goat: Magic (section)

== '''Spell casting''' ==


Performing a spell or ritual uses the Lore skill. Characters with high Lore will have an easier time casting spells. That is a double-edged sword, though. 

The Difficulty of a spell determines the target Lore roll. Lore rolls can be enhanced above the caster's basic skill, but this usually requires very special aids or intense preparation. Create Advantage rolls to yield boosts for casting a spell are usually as specific and arcane as the spells themselves. 

'''Backlash'''

Performing magic triggers backlash. When a character does something that triggers backlash, note the effort of the Lore roll (plain or enhanced). After resolving the action, the caster must defend with Will against a mental attack whose rating equals that effort; for instance, if their effort was Great (+4), the backlash will also be Great (+4), whether their action succeeded or failed. This includes any boosts to their original Lore skill. The mental attack can be absorbed with stress and consequences, as normal. If they’re taken out by backlash, they must corrupt (rewrite) an aspect.

'''Learning a spell'''

Learning a spell normally requires an intensive period of study, over weeks or months, and a successful Lore roll against the Difficulty of the spell. There is no backlash for learning a spell. Various modifiers may increase or decrease the Difficulty of this study. GMS are advised to allow the student only one Lore roll attempt between adventures.

'''Creating an Advantage, spell casting and spell learning'''

Spell casters can in principle Create an Advantage to cast a spell, but GMs are advised to restrict this carefully in terms of timing, convenience, etc. For example, a magus with +3 Resources could make a CA roll to obtain a special rare tincture that increases the chance of a successful casting. However, that process needs several weeks to find the rare elixir, and alerts other dark magicians who prize the substance...

A spell cast with an Advantage bonus will trigger a backlash equal to the total effort, including the CA. 

A Create Advantage roll with a skill like Academics can also enhance the Lore roll needed to learn the spell.