Another preview of Magic: Deeper Secrets collecting spells shared on the FASA Discord server. With these, a total of 25 spells — five from each spellcasting Discipline — have been previewed. With 350 spells, that’s one-fourteenth of the total shared so far and means there will be 124 spells for each spellcasting Discipline. A specific number for a specific reason.
Illusionist
Blazing Fists of Rage
Threads: 0
Weaving: 8/13
Casting: TMD
Range: Touch
Duration: Instant; 2 rounds
Effect: WIL+4/Mystic and -2 to Physical Defense and other Action tests.
Illusion. This spell engulfs the spellcaster’s hand in illusory flames for an attack. The spellcaster holds out their palm, a flaming mystic symbol appears on it then engulfs their hand in flame, and they make a Spellcasting test against the target’s Mystic Defense. If successful, they appear to strike the target’s pattern with their mystic flames and brilliant red sparks fly from the strike, accompanied by an explosive sound effect. The target suffers Mystic damage equal to the Effect test result and -2 Physical Defense and Action tests which aren’t close combat Attack tests until the end of the next round.
This spell may be placed in the same spell matrix as True Blazing Fists of Rage.
Success Levels: Increase Effect (+2 Effect Step)
Extra Threads: Increase Duration (+2 rounds), Increase Effect (+2 Effect Step), Increase Effect (-1 to Physical Defense and Action tests), Additional Target (+1)
Background Color
Threads: 2
Weaving: 10/15
Casting: 10
Range: 20 yards
Duration: Rank minutes
Area of Effect: 10-yard radius
Effect: Creates an illusory crowd
Illusion. This spell creates an illusory crowd of people performing everyday tasks. The spellcaster pantomimes quickly painting a mural of the area with imagined people and makes a Spellcasting (10) test. If successful, an illusory crowd of random people fills the area. They’re performing the everyday tasks an onlooker expects and are appropriate to the setting (e.g., the expected diversity of Namegivers doing things that make sense for the location).
Success Levels: Increase Duration (+2 minutes)
Extra Threads: Increase Duration (+2 minutes), Increase Range (+10 yards), Increase Area (+10 yards)
Pleasant Visions
Threads: 4
Weaving: 12/17
Casting: TMD
Range: 20 yards
Duration: Rank minutes
Effect: Creates entrancing visions
Illusion. This spell distracts targets with pleasant thoughts and fantasies. The spellcaster remembers a pleasant scene or experience, chooses a number of targets up to their Illusionist Circle, and makes a Spellcasting test against the highest Mystic Defense, +1 for each additional target. If successful, the targets’ heads are filled with pleasant thoughts and sensations. They won’t take actions, other than appropriate Sensing tests at the gamemaster’s discretion. If there are intentions to attack a target, the spell immediately ends for all targets.
Success Levels: Increase Duration (+2 minutes)
Extra Threads: Increase Duration (+2 minutes), Increase Range (+10 yards), Additional Targets (+rank)
Nethermancer
Whisper Through the Night
Threads: 0
Weaving: 9/14
Casting: TMD
Range: 10 yards
Duration: Rank rounds
Effect: Interrogate spirit
This spell forces a spirit, whether previously summoned or free (this cannot affect bound or tasked spirits), to answer questions truthfully. A hostile or aggressive spirit must be restrained through Spirit Hold or similar to be affected by this spell and it cannot target spirits actively engaged in combat. Casting it on any spirit doesn’t improve their mood and makes any subsequent dealings with the spirit more difficult.
The spellcaster makes a Spellcasting test against the spirit’s Mystic Defense. If successful, each success allows the spellcaster to ask one question, which the spirit must answer truthfully to the best of its ability (though it can tell half-truths). Each question takes at least one round to ask. If the spell ends before the spellcaster asks all the questions allowed, the remaining questions are lost. This spell doesn’t give the spellcaster the ability to communicate with the spirit; Spirit Talk or similar may be necessary for that.
Whether successful or not, this spell may only be cast on a given spirit once per lunar cycle.
Success Levels: See text
Extra Threads: Increase Duration (+2 rounds), Increase Effect (+1 success)
Shaman
Woodland Helpers
Threads: 1
Weaving: 5/10
Casting: 6
Range: 10 yards
Duration: Rank minutes
Effect: Summon assistance for chores
Spirit. Summon. This spell summons a combination of small animals and beast spirits from the area to help the spellcaster perform menial tasks. The spellcaster whistles or sings while dancing and makes a Spellcasting (6) test. If successful, a swarm of small, (mostly) harmless animals native to the area and appropriate beast spirits arrive to help the spellcaster with their chores. This makes light of any work, increasing the rate unskilled labor is accomplished by ×2. The spellcaster must help in the efforts and the summoned entities must remain within range at all times. They’re useless in combat, even the threat of violence scatters them and immediately ends the spell.
Despite their number, the helpers aren’t the most efficient and prone to frolicking and playing. Some Shamans use this spell simply to gather company. This spell won’t summon arthropods under any circumstance.
Success Levels: Increase Duration (+2 minutes)
Extra Threads: Increase Duration (+2 minutes), Increase Effect (+1 to multiplier), Increase Range (+10 yards)
Meerkat Estate
Threads: 3
Weaving: 8/13
Casting: 6
Range: Touch
Duration: 8 hours
Area of Effect: 12-yard radius
Effect: Shaman Circle+8
Spirit. Summoning. This spell summons a meerkat spirit mob to act as a sentry for the area. The spellcaster sits in the approximate middle of the area, weaving threads, leaps to their feet in a crouch, popping their head up, darting their eyes from side to side, and makes a Spellcasting (6) test. If successful, the mob emerges from the ground within the area, manifesting before the spellcaster. The spellcaster tells the dominant female the area to watch — if it’s smaller than the maximum area (e.g. a room or not beyond a stream) — whether to watch silently or raise an alarm if there’s an intruder, and indicates anyone exempt from its scrutiny. The meerkat spirits use the Effect Step to make Awareness and Astral Sight tests to detect things within 12 yards of the area they’re guarding. They automatically detect anything crossing the established perimeter if the Effect Step is greater than or equal to the intruder’s Mystic Defense. This includes things with a physical or astral presence.
The meerkat spirits aren’t bound to the location, but the spell relocates their burrow to the area for the duration. Extending the duration through an enchantment simply extends their stay in the area. If they’re treated well and enjoy their time, the mob may decide to make it a permanent relocation. This doesn’t extend the spell’s effects and the result may not be as helpful as it sounds.
Success Levels: Increase Duration (+2 hours)
Extra Threads: Increase Duration (+2 hours), Increase Effect (+2 Effect Step), Increase Area (+2 yards)
Invoke Fox Skirmish
Threads: 0
Weaving: 12/17
Casting: TMD
Range: 10 yards
Duration: Instant; 2 rounds
Effect: WIL+4/Physical, -2 Physical Defense, and Blindsided
Spirit. This spell summons a tricksy fox spirit to confound and amuse (by hurting things). The spellcaster hops from foot to foot, grins, and makes a Spellcasting test against the target’s Mystic Defense. If successful, the summoned spirit pokes its head out with a sly grin, bounds in the area, and bites the target. The Effect test determines how much Physical damage is inflicted. The spirit continues to harass and yip at the target, much to their extreme annoyance, causing the target to suffer -2 Physical Defense and be Blindsided against the next attack against their Physical Defense before the end of the next round. Once attacked, regardless of success, the spirit leaves and the target no longer suffers the Physical Defense penalty or is Blindsided.
Success Levels: Increase Effect (-2 Physical Defense)
Extra Threads: Increase Effect (+2 Effect Step), Increase Effect (-2 Physical Defense), Increase Range (+10 yards), Additional Target (+1)
Wizard
Etch and Sketch
Threads: 0
Weaving: 8/13
Casting: 6
Range: Touch
Duration: Rank minutes
Effect: A finger makes an effective stylus
This spell allows the spellcaster to write on any non-magical surface with their finger. The spellcaster runs a finger along a surface, taps against it as though their finger is out of ink, and makes a Spellcasting (6) test. If successful, they can use their finger as a stylus to write or draw (no judgment) on any non-magical surface. This cannot be used to destroy or weaken the surface or cut through it by making consecutive passes on the same area, nor does it remove any of the affected material from the surface. All it does is write. Or draw. Again, no judgment.
Success Levels: Increase Duration (+2 minutes)
Extra Threads: Increase Duration (+2 minutes)
Book by the Cover
Threads: 1
Weaving: 9/14
Casting: TMD (see text)
Range: Touch
Duration: 10 minutes
Effect: Memorizes a text through touch
This spell absorbs the information of written text merely by touching it. The spellcaster drums their fingers against the text once for each thread and makes a Spellcasting test against the text Mystic Defense (minimum 6); their Spellcasting Step (before Karma is spent) cannot exceed their Book Memory Step. If successful, the information is absorbed and memorized with Book Memory over the course of 10 minutes where the spellcaster must remain in contact with the text. If the spellcaster doesn’t have space available for the text, they must either clear space or the spell fails.
Success Levels: Decrease Duration (-2 minutes)
Extra Threads: Decrease Duration (-2 minutes)
Arcane Hammer
Threads: 2
Weaving: 11/16
Casting: TMD
Range: 20 yards
Duration: Instant; 2 rounds
Effect: WIL+8/Physical and Knockdown
This spell creates a cylinder of force, striking the target from above. The spellcaster slams their fist into their palm, grinds it there, and makes a Spellcasting test against the target’s Mystic Defense. If successful, the Effect test determines how much Physical damage is inflicted and the target makes a Knockdown test against the damage inflicted. If they’re Knocked Down, they’re pinned and cannot take other actions while pinned. They must succeed at a Strength test as a Simple action against the Effect Step to end the effect. Otherwise, the effect lasts until the end of the next round.
Success Levels: Increase Effect (+2)
Extra Threads: Increase Duration (+2 rounds), Increase Effect (+2), Increase Range (+10 yards), Additional Target (+1)