Editing Norrathians: Magic Changes (section)

===Blended Magic===

Blended magic is fairly common, and not that different from regular magical use.  By blending spells together, a caster can cast multiple spells concurrently, as one blended spell.  While this takes longer, it has the potential to lower the mana cost of the spells, and in some situations, having multiple spells become active at the exact same moment is beneficial.  Any caster is capable of blending spells.  

'''''Combining Spells'''''

Blending spells together causes them to all be cast as a single spell.  This means that the target of the blended spell cannot be split up according to the component spells.  If, for example, a necromancer were to cast ''bone walk'', ''coldlight'', and ''endure disease'' as a blended spell, the summoned pet would receive the disease resistance ''and ''the summoned coldlight.

However, for the purposes of determining spell levels for resistance and dispelling DCs, each produced effect of a single blended spell retains the spell level of the component spells.  So, if the same necromancer were to cast ''disease cloud'', ''heat blood'', and ''fear'' as a blended spell, the target of the spell would resist a level 1, level 5, and level 2 spell separately, but all in the same instance.

'''''Casting Time'''''

The casting time for blended spells is much longer than what is required for the component spells.  A blended spell has a casting time of 2 full round actions, plus a full round action for every spell whose normal casting time does not exceed 1 full round.  When blending a spell that has a casting time greater than a full round action, triple the casting time of the spell with the greatest casting time, and add the casting time of all additional spells (using a full round action for all spells whose casting time does not exceed a full round action).

For example, a level 18 magician wants to cast both ''minor summoning: earth ''and ''burnout II'', so that as soon as his elemental pet is summoned, it has the benefits of the ''burnout II ''spell.  ''Minor summoning: earth'' has a casting time of 2 full rounds, and ''burnout II ''has a casting time of 1 round.  To determine the casting time of the blended spell, the magician triples the longest casting time (in this case, 2 rounds) and adds the casting time of the additional spell (in this case, 1 round).  So, the magician spends 7 full rounds casting this blended spell.

'''''Channeling'''''

Because blended spells are slightly different than the normal method of casting, a Channeling skill check is required in order to succeed in casting of the spell.  The DC is equal to 9 + 1 for each spell being blended.  Generally, casters may take 10 on this roll.  However, in cases where there are any distractions nearby (such as when casting on a moving ship, or during a storm, or in a busy marketplace, or during combat) the caster must add the normal distraction DC to the blended spell DC in order to determine success.  Also, the distraction check’s DC is calculated by adding the spell levels of all spells being blended.

During the casting of blended spells you are always considered flat-footed, and blended spells cannot be cast defensively.

For example, if a shaman wanted to blend together the spells ''inner fire'', ''endure cold'', ''strengthen'', ''endure fire'', ''endure acid'', and ''endure disease'', his Channeling check DC would be 15.  If he were to try casting the spells during bad weather, in blinding sleet, his Channeling check DC would shoot up to 31 (15 + 5 + spell levels totaling 11).

'''''Mana Costs'''''

Add the mana costs of all the spells being blended to determine the total mana cost of the blended spell.  When blending more than two spells together, the total mana cost of the blended spell drops by 5% (round down, minimum 1 point of mana reduced).  

For example, a cleric wants to blend the spells ''holy armor'', ''cure disease'', and ''minor healing ''on his friend the wizard who just came out of a small scuffle.  The total mana costs for all three spells combined is only 9.  Though 5% of 9 is less than 1, he still may lower the cost of the blended spell by 1 mana point.  If he then prepares his paladin friend for the next fight by loading him up with ''armor of faith'', ''resist disease'', and ''symbol of Pinzarn'' as a blended spell, the mana total comes to 66 points of mana.  The blended spell’s cost is then reduced by 3 points of mana (3.3 rounded down).

'''''Full Example'''''

Kurgg Potlicker is a level 12 troll shaman, and is preparing his party for a raid on a small halfling farm.  He's overcompensating for the danger by blowing all of his mana on buff spells, hoping to earn him an excuse for doing nothing but barshin’ skulls during the fight.  So, he casts ''spirit of monkey'', ''spirit strength'', ''spirit of cat'', ''endure electricity'', ''endure cold'', ''turtle skin'', and ''endure sonic ''on himself and his three allies, as four separate blended spells.  The costs for these spells individually, respectively, are: 7, 7, 10, 3, 3, 8, and 3, for a total of 41.  The total mana saved by casting this blended spell four times will be 8 mana, but he will need to start with a mana pool of at least 156 mana.  Luckily, Kurgg has 5 mana left (just enough to cast ''light healing ''on himself, if the need arises) and he tells the others that if they don't make it out of this mess alive, it's not his fault.

The casting time for each blended spell is going to be pretty long, and will require some serious concentration, so he finds a good hiding place and gets to work.  All of the spells being blended have a casting time of one action.  So, he knows that all he must do to determine the casting time of the blended spell is to add the number of spells together and add 2, giving him the number of rounds he’ll need to spend casting.  In this case it’s 9 full rounds, or a total of 36 full rounds (about three and a half minutes) for all four blended spells.
His Channeling skill check will be 16 for each blended spell.  His skill modifier is quite high, so he feels more than comfortable taking 10 on this roll.  However, he also knows he would be uncomfortable indeed if he were to be distracted, since that Channeling skill check’s DC would be calculated with a spell level of 32, ''and ''that DC would have an additional penalty of a +16 from the normal blended spell’s DC.

If he hadn't cast these spells as a blended spell, he'd have had to decide who didn't get a buff, being 3 points of mana short.  This would likely cause someone to distrust Kurgg, and the fight might have started before any halfling knew there was a troll nearby.  For those who make it through the battle alive, their buffs will last 2 full hours (6 hours for spirit strength) and all effects will all expire at the same exact moment.  
<br>Kurgg is smarter than he looks.