This is a giant list of all the spell effects from all the games I could find. Only unique effects are listed. Since there's an "Elemental Damage" effect, there's not going to be "Air Damage", "Earth Damage", "Fire Damage", and "Water Damage" effects listed. Effects are only listed if they're different in some significant way. Many games have similar effects that only have different names and different graphics. This list only lists effects that are actually different from eachother.

This list is intended to inspire game developers to create games with a broader set of spell effects. Feel free to use anything you find on this list however you like in any of your games.

This list is purposely designed to be generic so that the list can be used to inspire a wide variety of games. Spell components, spell costs, spell histories, etc. aren't listed as they are game-specific.

The spells are divided up by the sorts of effects they have, which isn't necessarily the sort of division you would see in a game. In a few cases, there are effects with the same name in different spell types. This is simply because there's no better name for either effect.

World of Spells is only a list of possible spell effects, nothing more. To learn more about designing magic systems, read World of Magic.

Disclaimer: Magic is, of course, fictional. This page isn't affiliated with any sort of whackjob cult that thinks that magic works.

Ally-Producing Magic

This kind of magic produces an ally that can help you in some way. There are alot of different ways this can happen, and they are all covered in this section. It's especially cool if you have alot of control over designing the character, rather than just casting the spell and having a character appear.

Allies may be either temporary or semi-permanent. Temporary allies remain either for one task, a set duration, or for as long as you expend spell points to maintain them. Semi-permanent allies remain until sent away. When allies are semi-permanent, there should be some sort of semi-permanent cost to them as well. In the Geneforge games, your essence (which is essentially one of two spell point statistics) is reduced so long as your created allies are with you.

What allies can be produced varies widely depending upon the game. There are several broad classes of allies that can be produced:

• Fighters - Who help you fight.
• Mounts
• One-use Allies - These allies just do one thing for you and then disappear. Final Fantasy 7 summons are an example of this, but it need not be combat-oriented.
• Servants - Who do noncombat activities for you but don't fight.

Aside from what type of ally it is, there's also the question of how it's produced. Many methods produce similar gameplay but have a vastly different feel. Some methods of producing allies are listed below:

• Animation - Animates an inanimate object. Golems fall into this category or possibly into "creation" if you have to manufacture the golem before animating it.
• Creation - The caster creates the ally, either out of nothing or by assembling various component parts. This is usually semi-permanent.
• Illusion - Creates an illusionary ally to serve you. This is usually temporary but cheap. Either they 1) cause damage normally, 2) cause damage which disappears when the illusion disappears, or 3) can't cause damage (in which case, they serve only to draw attacks). In some games, they can be "disbelieved" (basically, a smart enough enemy will realize it's an illusion, so the illusion will disappear).
• Modification - Modify an existing character, who may or may not already be on the caster's side.
• Necromancy - Converts a corpse into a skeleton, zombie, or other form of undead creature to serve you.
• Shapeshifting an Object - The caster shapeshifts an inanimate object into an ally. It might be a specific magical object that can turn into lots of ally types, or the caster might be able to turn a variety of mundane objects into various allies.
• Summoning - Summons an ally to serve you (usually temporarily). This ally might come from another dimension, Hell, elsewhere on the game world, or might just appear somehow. In literature, summoners often had to perform a service or provide a gift in exchange for the service of the summoned creature. This appropriate for the summoning of demons, genies, or spirits, any of whom might turn on the summoner if not properly paid.
• Voodoo - If you acquire something a character values (or possibly hair or a body part), you can use "voodoo" to summon that character to you. This is an example of sympathetic magic, something which is rare in games but more common in literature. It can also be used against the player as a plot device.

Next is a list of various specific allies.

• Angel/Demon - This is especially cool if your character is a god.
• Clone - Clones the caster. Often, the clone is weaker than the original. Sometimes, multiple weak clones are summoned at one time.
• Decoy - Similar to "Clone". However, this clone can't fight or do anything. It's just something that the caster's enemies might attack by mistake. This sort of ally is often called a shadow or image. Moreover, the decoy is often killed in one hit.
• Explorer - Temporarily summons an ally that can explore but can't attack. Such allies might be invulnerable. Typical examples include: bats, floating eyes, shadows.
• Flying Weapon - Creates a flying weapon that attacks the enemies. Or causes a preexisting weapon to start flying and attacking.
• Group - An entire group of allies selected from elsewhere on the list.
• Human-like - Someone of the generic species used within the game (usually humans). You can summon a variety of characters of this species with different skills.
• Monster
• Sentinel - Summons an immobile ally that guards its position.
• Steed - Summons a steed to ride upon.
• Swarm - Summons a swarm of weak but numerous allies. In some games, swarms of insects can prevent people from casting spells.
• Undead

Combination Magic

These spells simply combine the effects of other spells. Typically, the resulting combination spell is hard to acquire and may have a higher price (in spell points or whatever) than the total cost of all the spells. Usually, it just takes one turn to cast, but it doesn't have to be that way.

Any group of effects could conceivably be combined into a new spell, though some combinations would be stupid. You are encouraged to experiment. A few common types of combinations are listed below:

• Chance - Causes some random event to occur. Chance spells can randomly have a number of different effects. Some effects might help the caster, while other effects might hurt the caster. This sort of magic should be used with caution due to its highly random nature. Some randomized spells might be safer than others.
• Divine Intervention - In several old games, there are spells that essentially cast your best attack spell, your best healing spell, and your best buff spell all at once (on appropriate targets). These spells are usually expensive but are an effective means of casting alot of powerful spells in one turn. "Divine Intervention" is one common name for such spells.
• Multiattack - Combines several different attacks in one spell.
• Multibuff - Casts alot of buffing spells on the target(s) at one time. It's alot faster and easier than casting all those spells separately.
• Multicure - Cures a wide variety of status ailments.
• Multielemental - Combines two spells of two different elements. For instance, it might combine a fire and a water spell to make an acid spell. Taking it a step further, it might combine earth, fire, and water to get magma. The purpose of such a spell would be to affect targets with resistance to one or more elements or just to combine alot of effects.
• Multisummon - Just summons a group of allies rather than one at a time.

There can also be spells that have different effects when used in different situations (e.g. some spells have different effects depending upon whether they're used during combat or not). These are usually better described as two different spells. One genre where this would actually be useful is the collectible card game genre. A card that you can use in two different ways is much better than a card you can only use in one way given that you only have a limited number of cards at a time.

Communication

These spells are all related to communication in some way or another. They have varying degrees of usefulness. Some of these effects may work better as "always on" abilities in some games. For instance, rather than getting a "Speak with Orcs" spell, a character might just learn the Orc language.

"Communication" can mean alot of things, so this section may seem like a mish mash of different spells.

• Contact Extraplanar Being - Contacts a being in another plane of existence or an alternate dimension. This may allow you to have a conversation (as per telepathy) or may only allow you to ask one or more questions. Moreover, the answers might be limited to yes or no and might not be entirely truthful.
• Divine Communion - Similar to "Contact Extraplanar Being" but contacts a divine being that the caster worships.
• Disembodied Voice - Places a magic voice at a location. The voice says something the caster specifies whenever anyone walks by.
• Message - Allows the caster to send a message to the target, but not vice versa. The message might be telepathic, or it might produce an actual letter in the target's possession.
• Read/Speak/Write Languages - Allows the caster to read, speak, and/or write a language she doesn't know.
• Speak with X - Allows the caster to start a conversation with whatever "X" is. This is usually either animals, corpses, or undead.
• Telepathy - Allows the caster to send and receive messages telepathically with a target. It would most likely be equivalent to starting a conversation with an NPC you're not actually in the presence of. In some cases this spell may require that the target cast the spell as well. It could also be similar to using a cell phone, where the caster needs to be given something by the target (though probably not a phone number). It could be the caster need only have met the target, but that would make the number of possible targets inordinately high.
• Write - Allows the caster to write without any sort of writing implement. The caster can write on any surface.

A convenient way to use Telepathy or Divine Communion would be to get new quests from your superior. This would avoid the hassle of traveling back and forth to headquarters to get new quests.

Damaging Magic

This is any kind of magic that damages one or more targets. Effects that cause harm of some kind to an enemy but don't cause damage aren't listed in this section. See the sections Death Magic, "Stop Attacking Me" Magic, and Weakening Magic for harmful spells that don't cause damage.

Different types of damaging effects are listed below:

• Electricity - Causes electrical damage. Sometimes, this is considered to be elemental (air/fire) damage. Electrical spells often bounce off walls or zig zag to hit multiple opponents. It may cause a stunning effect as well.
• Elemental Damage - Causes air/earth/fire/water damage. Typically, this only affects certain creatures or affects certain creatures more than others. Multi-elemental damage consists of 2 or more different elements. "Ice" damage might freeze the target, causing him to move slower or be paralyzed.
• HP Draining - Inflicts damage, but the caster regains HP equal to some percentage of the damage inflicted. In some games, this kind of magic doesn't work against undead (or actually reverses the process).
• Limited Target Damage - Inflicts damage but only affects certain types of targets. Other targets are unharmed.
• Maim - Reduces the target to a certain percentage of its maximum HP.
• Negative Energy Damage - Causes damage. In most games, this either doesn't hurt undead or actually heals them. In some games, characters killed by negative energy attacks become undead.
• Non-typed Damage - Causes damage that isn't of any particular type and thus isn't reduced by magic resistance. The explanations for the damage can be almost anything (e.g. a burst of pure energy, crushed by a magical force, crushed by a meteor, crushed by gravity, magical arrows).
• Pain - Causes damage, but some enemies are immune to pain. In some games, this is coupled with the Stun effect (see "Paralyze").
• Phantom Attacks - Causes physical attacks to occur against the target. Sometimes these attacks hit automatically.
• Purify - Damages undead creatures but doesn't affect other kinds of creatures.
• Recurring Damage - Inflicts little or no damage initially, but causes damage to occur over time. This is usually caused by acid, disease, fire, or poison.
• SP Damage - Damages spell points. Any other damaging magic could be modified to affect SP instead of HP.

An important aspect of damaging magic is who it affects. Granted, this is important for all spells, but it seems particularly relevant for damaging magic. Refer to the World of Magic for more details.

It is often appropriate for damaging magic to be combined with effects from other hostile spell groups. Some of the effects listed above are so coupled.

Death Magic

This magic instantly kills the target. In most cases, the target has some chance to resist. This chance may be a set percentage, something that varies depending upon the relative levels of the caster and the target, or may depend upon the target's resistance statistics. In any case, the following spells instantly kill a target:

• Balefire - This automatically kills the target and also causes the "Undo Time" effect (see Time Magic). This is only a combination of two effects, but it's listed here anyways.
• Banishment - "Kills" the target by banishing it to some other plane of existence. A really cool game would make it possible to go to this other plane of existence and encounter all the monsters you've banished. In some games, this only affects creatures from other planes of existence, returning them to where they came from.
• Disbelieve - Destroys any illusionary target.
• Disintegrate - Kills the target. This effect usually either can't be resisted or prevents raise dead effects by destroying the body.
• Infest - This is similar to the "Timed Death" effect, but when the target dies, it's converted into some sort of ally - usually an undead creature or a demon.
• Kill - Instantly kills the target. Sometimes these spells only affect enemies with at most a certain number of hit points. Other times, these spells randomly fail. In many games, "kill" spells only affect certain kinds of creatures. Examples: Blood to Dust (creatures with blood), Finger of Death (living creatures), Suffocate (creatures who breathe), Turn Undead (undead creatures)
• Petrify - Turns the character to stone. This is usually equivalent to death, but it may be easier to cure. It's possible for Petrification to be cumulative, either slowing the target or having no effect until the character is completely turned to stone.
• Timed Death - Kills the target after a specified amount of time unless the effect is terminated. The effect can often by terminated by spells or by ending the battle. One way to handle this effect is to have a timed death counter for each character. Whenever a timed death spell is cast on the character the counter goes up. And whenever the character has a positive timed death counter, the counter increases once per minute (or thereabouts).

Divination

Divination spells determine some fact. There is a wide variety of what divination spells can be used for. Some are more appropriate for video games than others because many of these effects are inspired by pen-and-paper RPGs.

Some possible divination spells are listed below:

• Augury - Determines whether an action will be beneficial or harmful. The action must be one that the caster is about to take. How can this be used in a video game? That's a mystery to everyone.
• Detect Creature [Type] - Indicates where creatures of the specified type are on the map. The type could be living creatures, undead, or a specific kind of creature.
• Detect Invisible - Allows the caster to see invisible creatures and objects.
• Detect Lie - So long as this is in effect, the target can tell when other creatures are lying.
• Detect Magic - Allows the caster to determine whether items are magical. In some games, it may also indicate which creatures are using magic.
• Detect Poison - Allows the caster to determine whether food/water is poisonous.
• Dream Spell - I've seen this as an Area Entry spell that allows you to enter a dream world. Even better would be putting the game into a "dream" state that allows him to play for a specified period of time. Then the dream ends, putting you back where you were, regardless of what happened. So you could use this spell to find out whether the big bad monster is too powerful for you without risking death. The Bard's Tale 2 clue book used something similar as its premise, even though the game didn't actually have anything like that.
• Detect Spellcaster - Gives the caster the ability to tell whether creatures he looks at are capable of casting spells.
• Far Feeling/Hearing/Seeing/Smelling/Tasting - Allows the caster to feel/hear/see/smell/taste something from far away. Far Seeing is generally the most useful and, in some games, displays part of the map.
• Flashback - Gives the caster a flashback of something that has already happened. This usually occurs at prescripted times during a game and isn't really a spell per se.
• Identify Curse - Identifies a curse, indicating what its effects are, who caused the curse, and how to get rid of it.
• Identify Enemy - Identifies an enemy, revealing various information about it. What exactly is revealed varies per game. In some games, it only reveals the enemies' names, while in others in reveals their strengths and weaknesses. Some games reveal the enemies' exact HP and MP scores. In some games, this spell is cast to reveal information about all enemies you meet until the spell expires rather than revealing information about one targeted enemy.
• Locate Item - Locates a specific item.
• Past Life - If used on a corpse, this spell reveals who the corpse was before death. In games where reincarnation exists, this spell reveals who the target was in a previous life.
• Prophecy - Allows the caster to see an event that will happen in the future. It might be something that will defiantly happen or something that can be prevented. In the most interesting scenario, there are multiple possibilities that you can choose between through your actions. It might not be possible to have a prophecy at will. People might have to find written down prophecies (which they use their magic to see the results of), or prophecies might come at times scripted in the game.
• Protection from Illusion - The target automatically disbelieves all illusions for the duration of the effect.
• See Unbroken - Allows the caster to see an object as it was before being destroyed or a corpse as it was before being killed. This spell allows the caster to do things like read the writing on a paper that's been shredded.

Enhancement Magic

Enhancement magic increases a target's abilities. Typically, the spell is terminated after a brief period of time. Alternatively, the spell might cost additional spell points over time until the spell is canceled by the caster. Enhancement spells might be effects of items (possibly items creatable within the game) or "equipable" abilities (such as materia in Final Fantasy 7).

In many games, these spells are referred to as buffs. The most interesting games tend to combine several effects into unique spells, possibly with limitations that add more strategy to spell selection.

This section is split into several parts due to the large number of effects.

Enhancement Magic - Defensive

This kind of magic enhances a target's defensive abilities. Some examples of defensive enhancement magic are as follows:

• Bless - This effect improves the results of an random effects affecting the target. This includes damage inflicted, damaged received, random spell backfires, etc.
• Chaos Shield - Protects the target from harmful random effects, such as those caused by the Chance effect (a Combat effect).
• Danger Sense - For the duration of the effect, the target can't be surprised and can sense danger.
• Evasion - Increases the target's ability to dodge attacks. Sometimes, the defense bonus only works against a particular kind of attack (e.g. ranged attacks).
• Feedback Link - Whenever the target is affected by a hostile spell, the caster of the hostile spell takes damage equal to the SP cost of the spell.
• Invisible - Makes the target invisible. Typically duplicates the Avoid Combat effect (see "Noncombat Magic") and/or increases Damage Resistance and Evasion statistics. In theory, creatures who hear/smell well or have some sort of magical sense may still be able to find you. Some creatures are naturally invisible. It's also possible to have an Invisibility spell that only makes the target invisible to certain kinds of individuals (e.g. animals, undead). A "Chameleon" spell would make the target invisible only when she stands still and only harder to see while moving.
• Mana Shield - Causes damage inflicted to the target to be divided among the target's hp and mp for the duration of the spell.
• Mirror - Reflects gaze attacks from gorgons, medusas, etc.
• [Type] Reflect - Reflects damage or effects of a specific type (possibly all magical effects or only all hostile magical effects). When the target is affected by an effect that is reflected, it affects the attacker instead of the target. It may reflect the whole effect or only part of it. Some examples: Mirror - Reflects gaze attacks from gorgons, medusas, etc., Thorn Armor - Reflects physical damage, Wild Reflector - Whenever a hostile spell is cast upon the target, the spell actually affects a random target.
• Rotating Hostile Shield - A ball of damaging magic circles around the character. If it hits an enemy, it damages it. This is a whacky idea inspired by the Nintendo game, Abadox.
• Simulacrum - Clones the target, but for a different purpose than summoning a clone to help you in battle. If the target is killed, the target suddenly comes to life as the simulacrum. Essentially, this gives the target an extra life.
• Slow Falling - The targets fall more slowly for the duration of the spell. This allows targets to fall long distances without being injured.
• Sneakiness - Makes the target more likely to surprise enemies. Surprise generally lets someone have a free turn of combat before combat starts. This might be combined with an Avoid Combat effect (see Noncombat Magic).
• Stoneskin - Either prevents the next X number of physical attacks from damaging the target or prevents the next X points of physical damage from affecting the target.
• [Type] Invulnerability - Renders the target immune to some type of attack. It might protect from all fire attacks, all magical attacks (or all magic, whether beneficial or hostile), all physical attacks, or all attacks. Rarely, the target could be immune to attacks from one specific kind of creature.
• [Type] Resistance - This is like [Type] Invulnerability but only makes the target resistant, not immune.
• Vigilance - Prevents enemies from surprising the target or makes surprise less likely. Surprise generally lets someone have a free turn of combat before combat starts.

Enhancement Magic - Miscellaneous

This kind of magic enhances something about the target, but the enhancement doesn't fall into any of the other categories. Some examples of miscellaneous enhancement magic are as follows:

• Darksight - Improves the target's ability to see in the dark.
• Evolve - This is an effect used over a long period of time to cause permanent enhancements in the target. Using this effect must have some sort of permanent cost, even if it's only gold.
• Free Turns - Allows the target to make several turns of free actions before anyone else can do anything. Sometimes multiple Free Turn spells aren't cumulative. 3 turns seems to be the most popular number. An alternative to this effect allows the caster to cast multiple spells at one time.
• Greater Memorization - Allows the caster to memorize more spells. Obviously, this effect is only usable in games with spell memorization. Even so, don't use it. It's just silly.
• Lifelink - Links the caster to the target. Whenever the target is affected by a beneficial effect or gains HP/SP, the caster is affected in the same way. The effect doesn't work in reverse. A stronger version of this effect would actually prevent the effect from affecting the target.
• Link Spellcasters - This allows several spellcasters to link their magic to cast more powerful spells. How exactly this works depends on the game.
• Merge - The caster merges with one or more allies. The merged being has statistics equal to the sums of the statistics of all the original allies. The merged being also has all the abilities of all the original allies in the merging.
• No Fatigue/Hunger/Thirst - Enables the target to go without drinking, eating, or sleeping for the duration of the effect. In some cases, the target is required to rest for a day or more when the effect ends.
• Raise [Statistic] - Raises a particular statistic (or set of statistics) slightly. What a "statistic" is depends upon the game. As used here, it includes alot of things (e.g. accuracy of attacks, critical hit chance, damage inflicted by attacks, evasion skill, movement rate, noncombat skills, prime statistics), spellcasting abilities.
• Recall - In games using spell memorization, the caster recalls a spell she already cast that day.
• X-ray Vision - Allows the target to see through solid objects. X-ray vision can also be used to see through one particular wall instead of imbuing the target with x-ray vision for a time.

Enhancement Magic - Offensive

This kind of magic enhances a target's offensive abilities. Some examples of offensive enhancement magic are as follows:

• Beserk - Drastically increases the target's ability to attack enemies, but has an adverse side effect. The side effect could be: preventing the character from doing anything but attacking or tiring the character out (causing fatigue or perhaps even sleep).
• Enlarge - Makes the target larger, typically increasing it's strength. This may also have the side effect of making the target easier to hit.
• Haste - Allows the target to move and/or act more often.
• Imbue Weapon - The target's physical attacks cause a specific magical effect for the duration of the spell.
• Imbue with Spell Ability - Imbues the target with the ability to cast a particular spell. Optionally, the caster may lose the ability to cast the spell for the duration of the effect.
• Targeting - Makes the target's next attack automatically successful.

Enhancement Magic - Offensive and Defensive

This kind of magic enhances a target's defensive and offensive abilities. Some examples of this type of enhancement magic are as follows:

• Elemental Aura - Air/Earth/Fire/Water Aura. It protects from its own type of attacks and increases the damage the target inflicts by adding damage of its type. Typically, it also reduces resistance to attacks of one or more of the other types.
• Heroism - Increases the character's level for the duration of the effect.

Environmental Magic

Any magical effect can be extended to affect the environment rather than a particular target. In some cases, such spells are permanent or at least long-lasting. In some games, the player can cast these sorts of spells, but it is far more common to find areas that are already affected by them when the player arrives. Some special environmental effects are listed below:

• Area Cure [Type] - Changes environmental conditions so that some particular magical effect is either impossible to use or reduced quickly.
• Blight - Kills all non-magical plants within the area of effect. Damages magical plants.
• Bridge - Creates a bridge across some obstacle. One alternative is to cause a river to "part", creating an empty section that can be crossed.
• Change Ground/Water Levels - Changes the ground or water level of an area.
• Darkness - Extinguishes all light in the area. In darkness, many characters suffer attack penalties.
• Day-Night - If it's daytime, it becomes night. If it's night, it becomes daytime.
• Destroy Terrain - Destroys the target terrain, replacing it with dirt.
• Door - Converts a wall, tree, or whatever into a door.
• Hut - Creates a hut. Typically, this would be a noncombat spell that would allow the caster and his allies to rest inside the hut. This effect can be extended to allow powerful casters to create towers, castles, etc. It also makes sense to allow the creation of mazes, moats, trees, etc.
• Light - Lights the area. Many light spells follow the caster until they expire.
• Move Earth - Moves a section of Earth from one place to another.
• No Fighting - Prevents everyone in the area from using physical attacks.
• No Spellcasting - Prevents everyone in the area from casting spells.
• Prison - Creates a small prison, typically around a target.
• Restart - Restarts a battle. The SP expended to create this effect will still be expended, but everything else will be restored to what it was before the battle started.
• Rock to Mud - Transmutes rock to mud. This could be used in a "siege" RPG where you transmute the castle walls to mud so that they're easy to knock down.
• Sanctify - Makes an area sanctified to one particular faith. Members of that faith receive bonuses while in that area, and their enemies receive penalties.
• Shatter - Destroys a wall or other inanimate object. "Dig" spells can dig through a whole area of walls.
• Statue - Creates a statue that looks exactly like a targeted creature or object.
• Time Dilation - Either slows down or speeds up time within an area.
• Vehicle - Creates a boat, airboat, or whatever.
• Wall - Creates a wall. The wall could be made out of wood, stone, fog, fire, water, lava, ice, brambles, or any other ridiculous thing. What the wall is made out of it would affect how hard it is to get past.
• Ward Ground - Wards a square of ground so that no one can step on it. Alternatively, it might only prevent enemies from stepping on it.
• Weather - Causes the weather to change in some way (e.g. cold/hot, raining/sunny). Different weather can affect the game in different ways. Rain could put out fires but make fighting harder (i.e. reduce accuracy of attacks). This could do just about anything, depending upon the game.

Additionally, environmental magic can establish an area where any non-environmental effect occurs everywhere within that area for the duration of the spell. Here are some examples:

• Antimagic Ward - Reduces all magical effects on any creatures within the area. Some alternatives only reduce specific kinds of magical effects.
• Cloud of Whatever - Causes a cloud of poisonous gas or something. If there's wind, the cloud moves with the wind.
• Pool of Lava/Water/Whatever - Creates a pool of something. It may be something that's harmful to walk on or just something that can't be walked on. A "Pool" of grease or ice could make the ground slippery, causing characters to randomly fall and lose their turns.

Healing Magic

This kind of magic heals the target. In addition to effects that restore hit points (HP), this section also includes affects that cure a variety of adverse magical effects. There's more variety to this than one might expect.

Healing effects include:

• Absorb Hostile Effect - Transfers a hostile effect from the target to the caster. Presumably, the caster is either immune to the effect or recovers more quickly than the target.
• Awaken - Awakes a sleeping target or, at least, reduces the length of the sleep.
• Cure [Type] - Cures or reduces the effects of one type of hostile spell affecting the character. Petrification, poison, and the effects of any kind of weakening magic are popular types to cure. It's also common to see a generic Cure spell that cures all hostile effects.
• Faster Healing - Increases the rate at which the target recovers HP. This is sometimes called "Regeneration".
• Heal - Restores lost hit points. In some games, this damages undead creatures.
• HP Transfer - Transfers HP from the caster to the target. Yes, this is just a less useful version of Heal.
• Raise Dead - Restores a dead character to life. In some games, this destroys undead creatures.
• Recurring Healing - Causes the target to gain a little bit of HP each turn for a period of time. This is sometimes called "Regeneration".
• Reincarnate - This is Raise Dead's stupid cousin. It brings the target back to life but puts its consciousness in a different body (which is created by the spell). The species of the spell is generally determined randomly and may be something unpleasant.
• Remove Curse - Allows a cursed item to be removed or removes a curse inflicted by an enemy upon the target.
• Resurrect - Restores a dead character to life by making him appear in a new body.
• SP Heal - Heals spell points, mana, or whatever. Any effect on this list that affects HP can be changed to affect SP instead of HP, but there's no need to list all this twice. Beware that SP Heal effects basically eliminate the need to hoard SP in a game.
• Unstable Heal - Restores lost HP, but some fraction of the HP are temporary. Typically, this sort of effect heals alot more than a regular heal effect to make it worthwhile. Later, the "healed" character will lose the temporary points, which could even kill the character if he's been wounded enough since being healed. An alternative form of this effect can heal HP/SP to above their maximum values. In this case, it's usually only the HP/SP above the maximum that are temporary.
• Youth - Lowers the target's age. "Longevity" spells prevent the target from aging for a number of years specified by the spell, but they don't actually lower the target's current age.

In addition to this list, there is a "Drain" effect under Damaging Magic that drains HP from the target to restore the caster's HP.

Illusion

Illusionary magic causes a character to feel, hear, see, smell, and/or taste something that isn't there. In games, the most common use of illusion is to create an illusionary ally. This is mentioned in the section on Ally-Producing Magic.

In some games, a character can try to disbelieve in an illusion. The chance of success should be base upon an intelligence statistic with modifiers based upon the effectiveness of the illusion. If a character doesn't believe in the illusion, it doesn't affect them.

One possibility is to have an illusionary version of other spell effects. The illusion is typically easier to learn and costs less to cast. The downside is that the illusion can be disbelieved, rendering it ineffective. There could be an illusionary version of any other spell effect on the entire list. Crafting such spells can be tricky because they have to be effective yet be different in some way from causing the effect to actually happen.

If an illusionary spell causes damage, it might be "illusionary" damage. Illusionary damage can knock a target unconscious but can't kill it. Illusionary damage is restored to the character when the illusion is disbelieved or destroyed.

• Appearance Illusion - Changes the appearance of the target. There's an alternative version of this spell that targets corpses instead of living creatures.
• False Divination - Falsifies a divination spell's results.
• Hidden Page - Hides a page of text, making it appear that other text is written on the page.
• Hide from Divination - Hides the target from divination spells.
• Illusion Effect - Causes a specific effect from any other kind of magic. It costs less to cast but can be disbelieved, rendering it ineffective.
• Illusionary Death - Makes everyone nearby think that the target was just killed. This spell should also change the target's appearance so that the target can escape (that's typically the purpose of this effect). In one series of books, this effect is permanent until disbelieved by someone who has magic.
• Smell/Sight/Sound/Taste/Touch Illusion - An illusion of a smell/sight/sound/taste/touch.
• Sound Illusion - An illusion of a sound.
• Ventriloquism - Allows the caster to throw his voice so that it sounds like someone else is saying it.

Item Magic

This kind of magic affects items, rather than characters. The primary example of this can kind of magic is item creation. Usually, players have to collect various resources, which they can combine into items. There are cases where players can make objects out of nothing, which is cool in its own way.

The following are magical effects that can be used on items:

• Alchemy - Converts an item to gold (or potentially some other substance that's valuable within the game). There could conceivably be a gold-to-item spell too.
• Animate Item - Animates an item, usually so that it can attack. Dancing Sword spells animate a sword, sometimes creating a sword at the same time.
• Convert Item - Converts one item into another item.
• Create Item - Creates an item. Typically, each Create Item spell creates a particular type of item. In some cases, the items may be temporary, disappearing when the duration of the spell expires. Examples: Bag of Holding, Infinite Torch, Potion of Healing.
• Create Powerstone - Creates a powerstone, a special type of item that stores SP. The item can then be used later to restore his SP. This effect should require a gemstone to be cast on. Alternatively, scrolls can be created if a spell memorization system is used.
• Curse Item - Curses an item. A cursed item is generally impossible to remove without some sort of Remove Curse spell, and it probably has some additional problem making it undesirable to have.
• Destroy Item - Destroys an item.
• Duplicate Item - Duplicates an item. Usually has a chance of failure.
• [Effect] Armor - Enchants the target's armor with a magical effect. Whenever the target is hit, the effect occurs. Depending upon what sort of effect it is, it might help the target or hurt whoever attacked the target.
• [Effect] Weapon - Enchants the target's weapon with a magical effect. Whenever the target hits an enemy, the effect is inflicted in addition to regular damage.
• Enchant Item - Magically makes an item more powerful. Sometimes this effect is permanent, and sometimes it can be made permanent by casting a series of spells.
• Eternal Item - The item is made unbreakable and never needs to be repaired.
• Gold - Creates gold (or whatever money is called in the game).
• Identify Item - Identifies an item, revealing its magical capabilities. Some versions of the Identify spell provide information about the item's previous owner(s).
• Invisible Item - Renders an item invisible.
• Poison Food/Drink - Poisons Food/Drink.
• Purify Food/Drink - Removes poison from Food/Drink. Also decontaminates spoiled or rotten food/drink.
• Recharge Item - Recharges a chargeable magic item.
• Repair Item - Repairs an item. Some Repair Item spells are limited to particular kinds of items (e.g. "Mend" would repair cloth).
• Shape Materials - Shapes basic materials into some simple object.
• Telekinesis - The caster has the ability to move objects with her mind for the duration of the effect.

Note that many of these effects can be either temporary or permanent.

Metamagic

A metamagic spell affects a spell rather than a more conventional target. Spells that improve other spells are usually made irrelevant by statistics that raise the effectiveness of spells when they're high enough.

The following are some metamagic effects:

• Change Target - Changes the target of a spell. This might be cast as a spell is being cast or it might be cast to change an effect that's already cast from one target to another.
• Contingency - Causes another spell effect to occur when a specific event occurs. In a video game, it would be easiest if the effect and the event were both specified in the spell rather than being chosen by the player.
• Counterspell - Cancels a spell as it is being cast. This is a bit hard to include in conventional games, but it would be great for magical duels.
• Delayed Effect - Casts another spell effect but waits a set amount of time before the effect occurs.
• Dispel Magic - Removes all magical spells from an item or dispels a spell.
• Extension - Extends a spell's duration.
• Far Casting - Extends a spell's range. I've seen one system where this effect required the caster to know the target's "true" name.
• Swap Enchantment - Swaps an enchantment from one item to another.
• Wide Casting - Extends a spell's area of effect.

Mind Magic

Mind magic spells affect the mind of a target. Some "mind" spells, such as charm effects are included in other sections instead. This section contains the "leftover" mind spells.

Some examples of mind magic are as follows:

• Broadcast Thoughts - The target's thoughts are broadcast to everyone nearby for the duration of the effect. This makes it impossible for the target to do anything secretly. This effect can also be used to communicate.
• Change Memory - Changes some aspect of one of the target's memories.
• Erase Memory - Erases one of the target's memories.
• Exchange Bodies - Exchanges the bodies of 2 targets, so target A's mind is in target B's body and vice versa. The most interesting version of this effect causes the 2 bodies to deteriorate until the bodies can be switched back by using this effect again.
• Insert Memory - Causes the target to remember something that never happened.
• Mental Partition - Partitions the target's mind into 2 parts. One part is shielded, so it should contain all the target's most important memories. The unshielded part can be tampered with normally, but the shielded part can only be tampered with if the shield is broken.
• Read Memory - Allows the caster to hear someone's thoughts. Some versions (ESP) only allow reading current thoughts. Other versions of this spell allow the caster to read a particular old memory from someone's mind.
• Rider Within - The caster hears, sees, etc. through the target's senses for the duration of the effect.

Noncombat Magic

Various spells are only useful for noncombat purposes and don't fall into any specific category. Some examples of such spells are listed below:

• Affect Fire - Increases or decreases the size of a fire that already exists.
• Alarm - Sets an alarm. When the area the alarm spell is cast on is entered by any creature not specifically allowed by the caster, the spell notifies the caster.
• Alignment Spells - In games where characters have "alignments", alignments may be changed, detected, and/or restored.
• Antipathy/Sympathy - Causes a specific object or place to be liked/disliked by specific kinds of creatures. Antipathy will cause the creatures to avoid the object or place, while sympathy will cause the creatures to take the object or stay in the area. This could be used as an odd sort of "Avoid Combat" effect.
• Avoid Combat - Eliminates or reduces the chance of random encounters. In games without random encounters, this could prevent combat from starting. In some games, this spell only avoids combat with weaker enemies or with certain kinds of enemies.
• Climb - Allows the caster to climb a surface, no matter how unclimbable it is.
• Create Food/Drink - Creates Food/Drink.
• Destroy - Uses pure destructive magic to destroy something (perhaps trash or corpses you don't want to be found). In practical terms, this is alot like the Shatter effect.
• Effect Runes - Enchants text so that some magical effect occurs when the text is read.
• Erase - Erases written text.
• Exit - A teleport spell that brings you the entrance of whatever dungeon or town you're in.
• Extinguish - Puts out fires.
• Levitate - Causes the target to float above the ground. This is usually used to protect from traps.
• Lock - Locks a door or treasure chest. One simple and yet brilliant modification of this spell locks all the doors in an area.
• Map - Maps an area for you. Might reveal enemies in the mapped area.
• Night Vision - Allows the character to see better at night. Similar to "Light" spells.
• Noncombat Skills - Duplicates or enhances a noncombat skill. Noncombat skills can be almost anything: climbing, finding hidden treasure and/or secret doors, finding/removing traps, fishing, opening locks, setting traps, stealing, swimming.
• Understand Languages - Allows the caster to understand a language (either 1 language or all languages), even if he doesn't know it. The minor version of this spell only allows the caster to hear/read the language, and the major version also allows speaking/writing.
• Set Trap - Sets a trap.
• Shelter - Allows 1 day of rest free from danger.
• Stretch - Allows the target to stretch one of his limbs a long distance. This could be used to grab things, flip levers, etc.
• X-ray Vision - Allows the caster to see through a door or wall.

Physical Attack Magic

This isn't magic so much as improved combat skills. The caster uses the skill to attack someone and receives a bonus to his attack. Some possible bonuses include: attacking one enemy multiple times, hitting multiple enemies simultaneously, increased accuracy, increased critical hit chance, increased damage, increased defense until the next turn, and inflicting an injury upon the target. In some cases, "increased" accuracy or critical hit chance is actually 100% accuracy or critical hit chance.

Similar effects can also be caused by enhancement magic, but it's usually more entertaining to have "special attacks" rather than more spells.

Additionally, some games allow characters to do some sort of meditation that increases their ability scores temporarily. And some games may allow characters to craft special weapons (which may be temporary) that cause spell effects.

Shapeshifting Magic

One of the most interesting types of magic is shapeshifting. It allows the spellcaster to turn into something that he or she usually isn't. Depending upon the game, the spellcaster can change other people and objects as well. "Polymorph" spells are often used to weaken enemies by changing them into sheep or frogs.

The primary consideration is how the system determines what the caster can turn into. Some options are as follows:

• A Large Class of Lifeforms - For instance, the spell might allow the caster to turn into any animal.
• Anyone or Anything
• Anyone the Caster's Met - The caster can turn into anyone the caster has met. This may be limited to characters of the same species as the caster, limited to humanoids, limited to monsters, or completely unlimited. It may be that the caster has to do more than just meet the person; they caster may have to defeat the character in battle before he's able to shapeshift into that form.
• Inanimate Objects - The spell may allow the caster to turn into inanimate objects.
• Lycanthropy - The caster has only one form (or a few forms) that he can turn into. He may turn into this form involuntarily when injured, during a full moon, or when some other criteria is met.
• Memorized Forms - This is similar to the "Anyone the Caster's Met" option. However, the caster can only remember so many different forms at a time. When he learns a new one, he has to forget one of the old. It's good enough when he can only remember the last X forms he's encountered, but it's even better when he has a set number of slots that he can replace at will. This can be combined with Ally Producing Magic, allowing the caster to only produce allies of forms he has stored in his memory slots.
• Mutation - Changes one body part of the target. Could grow a new body part, such as wings. Depending upon what body part is grown, the target will have various enhanced abilities (e.g. wings allow flying). Typically, a mutation spell causes one particular kind of mutation.
• One Shape Per Spell - The spell allows the caster to turn into one particular form. There is no choice about what form.
• Same Species Only - Changes the appearance of the target, but the target remains the same species and has the same abilities. It isn't an illusion, but the changes can't have any useful effect. It can make the character tall, short, thin, fat, human, non-human, or anything within reason.
• Transmutation - The spell allows the caster to change his body into a different substance (e.g. iron) but doesn't actually change the caster's shape.

When shapeshifting, the system may have the shapeshifter use the new form's statistics, use the old form's statistics, or use the old form's statistics with some sort of modifier derived from the new form.

Spirit Magic

Take any effect from any other branch and make it affect spirits (or be cast only by spirits). Presto! A "Spirit Magic" effect appears. Some important effects are listed below:

• Bind Spirit - Binds a spirit into an object or place.
• Control Spirit - Controls a spirit for the duration of the effect. The spirit must already be present to be controlled.
• Create Spirit Weapon - Creates a weapon that can destroy a spirit permanently. Depending upon the game, spirit weapons might be the only weapons that can affect spirits at all. A good way to deal with spirits killed by normal weapons is to have them restore themselves eventually - slowly recovering lost HP.
• Empower Spirit - Makes a spirit stronger. This is best used in games where spirits draw power from being worshipped. In this case, spirits might be called gods.
• Exorcise - Drives out a spirit possessing a character or bound to an object or place. In a game, it would typically be used against possessed creatures attacking the caster. This could also work against victims of "Charm" spells (see "Stop Attacking Me" Magic).
• Possess - This is an alternate version of Charm (see "Stop Attacking Me" Magic) that's most appropriate when the caster is a spirit. If the caster isn't a spirit, he's either paralyzed, removed from time, or disappears altogether for the duration of the effect. During this time, the caster can control the target like he would control himself. If the target is killed, the caster may be killed as well.
• Restore Spirit - Restores a spirit that has been destroyed. If the spirit was destroyed with a spirit weapon, the spirit can't be restored.
• Speak with Spirit - Allows the caster to communicate with a specific spirit. In some cases, this effect is something the caster can do automatically without casting a spell. This effect may allow the caster to speak with corpses.
• Summon Spirit - Summons a spirit.

"Stop Attacking Me" Magic

The primary effect of some magic is to cause targets to stop attacking. This sort of magic enables the caster and his allies to mount some sort of offensive while the enemies aren't attacking. Spells that fall into this class are listed below:

• Charm - Converts the target to be your ally for an extended length of time, perhaps permanently. Depending upon the game, the target might be controlled by the player or by the computer.
• Confusion - Causes enemies to act randomly. In some versions of this spell, they might still attack you, but they might also attack their own allies. In other versions of this spell, they always attack their allies. In one version of this spell, they randomly did one of the following from this list: wander away, stand confused, attack nearest creature, or act normally.
• Escape - Allows you to run away from your enemies. In some games, this can only be cast at the start of combat.
• Fear - Causes enemies to run away. Sometimes these spells only affect particular kinds of enemies (e.g. Turn Undead only affects Undead). In most cases, this is a simple magical effect. In others, the "fear" is caused by an illusion.
• Imprisonment - Imprisons the target, effectively removing it from combat until the effect ends. It can't attack or be attacked. In some games, the prison damages the target. An "Ignore Time" version of this effect removes the target from time, making it unable to act and making everyone else unable to act upon it. Note that the prison might not be an actual prison. It might be a whirlwind, entangling plants, quicksand, or a giant hand.
• No Physical Attacks - Prevents the target from making physical attacks.
• No Spellcasting - Prevents the target from casting spells.
• Paralyze - The target can no longer move or take actions. Many other effects in this section are variants of Paralyze.
• Preclusion - Prevents the target from summoning allies.
• Sleep - The target can't act at all. In many versions of sleep, being hit by an attack (sometimes physical attacks only) ends the Sleep effect. Some versions of sleep prevent the target from evading attacks.
• Stun - Reduces the target's action points (in a system where a character expends action points to move during its turn) or action counter (in a system where a counter increases over time and determines when the character acts). Stunning doesn't necessarily reduce the action points/counter to 0, but multiple stun effects could do so.
• Web - Area affect Paralyze spell that can be overcome by strong characters or by fire.

Travel

These spells allow the caster to travel or assist with traveling. Spells of this type are listed below:

• Area Entry - Allows you to enter a specific area. Area entry spells could: enter the dream of a sleeping creature, fly over all obstacles, jump over pits (or up to a higher elevation), lower magical fields, repel poisonous snakes, travel in time, travel to other planes of existence, walk across water, and walk through walls.
• Beacon - Creates a beacon that the caster can teleport back to with the Teleport effect.
• Call Ally - Brings one or all of your allies near to you. This is only useful in games where your allies can wander away.
• Escape Dungeon - Allows the target to teleport to the start of the current area (perhaps back to the "world map" in games where such a thing exists).
• Flight - This is often an Area Entry spell but may have additional benefits in some games. In DragonballZ RPG, you can (at any time) start flying around. It's just like using an airship in the various Final Fantasy games.
• Gate - Opens a gateway to some other place. This is alot like Teleport, but cooler. Permanent (or semi-permanent) gateways are convenient to have. In Diablo, you can have one town portal gateway at a time.
• Long Range Teleport - Teleports you to a different area. Generally, it has to be an area you've been to before. Sometimes, it teleports you randomly. In many games, the spell can only teleport you to one of a specific set of locations that you can choose from. In a few games, you can create beacons that you can teleport to.
• Noncorporeality - Renders the target noncorporeal, allowing him to walk right through solid objects. This effect might allow the target to be attacked anyways or it might only allow magical attacks to affect the target. Typically, noncorporeal targets can't attack. An alternative effect may make the target able to walk through certain objects (e.g. walls, undergrowth) but not others.
• Sanctuary - Teleports you to a specific location that's safe (typically you're headquarters). This a "retreat" spell and, in some games, causes you to lose alot of experience, gold, and/or items after bringing you to the safe location.
• Short Range Teleport - Teleports the caster to a location within sight (or at least relatively close). This is most useful for moving up to a higher floor when no ladder is available (as an example). This has been used in games like Warcraft 3 and Unreal Tournament. A "Blink" spell teleports to a random nearby location, generally for the purpose of getting away from combat.
• Swap Places - Switches the caster's location with that of the target.
• Time Travel - Causes the target to travel in time. Typically, there are a specific set of times that can be traveled to in any particular game.

Weakening Magic

Weakening magic weakens a target. This can make enemies much easier to defeat.

Reverse an "Enhancing Magic" effect to get an additional kind of "Weakening Magic". Some forms of Enhancing Magic aren't reversible in any sensible fashion.

Some weakening spells are listed below:

• Age - Increases the target's age. This may either be a temporary effect that makes the character weaker or a permanent effect that increases the target's age slightly. The permanent effect is sometimes a side effect of powerful beneficial spells.
• Blindness - This effect typically just lowers the target's chance to hit. It would be interesting to see this effect used in a way that actually reflects how much difficulty can be caused by sudden blindness. Some versions of this spell can be cast on enemies to avoid starting combat - typically, these spells reduce the target's sight range rather than causing full blindness.
• Deafness - Not useful in most games.
• Disease - This effect isn't really an effect of its own as it typically causes a combination of statistic-lowering effects. Some games have specific disease effects rather than a general disease effect. In some games, disease causes recurring damage, which makes it the same as poison or fire damage. An interesting modification that appears in some games makes the disease contagious, allowing other creatures to catch it from the infected target.
• Dispel Magic - Reduces all beneficial effects on the target. Alternate versions of this spell only reduce certain kinds of beneficial effects, such as invisibility.
• Distract - The target randomly loses his turn in combat for the duration of the spell. The chance of losing a turn depends upon the effectiveness of a spell.
• Fairy Light - Outlines the targets in glowing light. This makes invisible targets visible. In darkness, anyone attacking the targets uses their normal accuracy instead of their accuracy with a darkness penalty.
• Forget - Causes the target to forget how to use one or more special abilities for the duration of the effect. In games that use spell memorization, this spell can cause the target to forget one or more memorized spells instead.
• Gust - Blows the target away from the caster with wind. This spell "weakens" the target by moving it farther away, allowing ranged attacks against it.
• Insanity - Drives the target insane. What effect this has on a video game character is a mystery to me. It makes more sense in pen-and-paper RPGs.
• Justice Barb - Whenever the target inflicts damage, she also takes damage.
• Leprosy - Gives the target the disease of leprosy. Whenever a character with leprosy is hit by a physical attack, the physical attack causes recurring damage similar to Poison. In some games, this may also have the beneficial side effect of making the target immune to Pain magic. In some games, characters with leprosy are vulnerable to the Purify effect.
• Lifelink Barb - Links the caster to the target. Whenever the caster suffers a hostile effect or loses HP/SP, the target is affected in the same way. The effect doesn't work in reverse.
• Magic Barb - Whenever the target casts a spell, the target takes damage.
• Undo Time - The target "undoes" its previous actions. Damage inflicted by attacks is removed. The effects of spells cast are undone, and the costs of the spell are restored. Creatures killed by the target may be restored to life. Effects that other creatures caused to the target aren't undone.

Useless but "Scriptable"

These are effects that exist in pen-and-paper RPGs, but are mostly useless in video game RPGs. Some of them are the sort of effects that would be useful in one situation but not in any other. Some of them are hard to imagine in a video game except, perhaps, in some high-tech 3d masterpiece that's just about as complicated as real life.

It would, however, be possible to use many of these spells within the scripting of the game. For example, you're talking to some guy, and you cast Heat Metal on his sword. This makes him drop his sword and attack you (angrily), starting combat but causing the battle to be easier because he doesn't have his sword.

• Cantrip/Wish - Causes anything the caster wants to occur so long as the spell is powerful enough. A "cantrip" causes something minor, and a "wish" causes something major. There are 2 possibilities about what happens: it can be scripted somehow or the player can have a choice of standard effects. (Scripting it seems better. You can talk to someone and then cast spells to make them sneeze or something.)
• Chill/Heat Metal - Causes metal within the area of effect to become freezing cold or searing hot. This causes damage to anyone holding metal weapons unless they drop them. This effect is too specialized to be useful in most video games.
• Estimate - Estimates the number of objects or persons in a group.
• Feign Death - Puts the target into a coma, making the target appear as though it is dead. Typically, this can only be used on a willing target.
• Geas - The target must complete one task. Until the target completes the task, it can do nothing else. Eating/sleeping is allowed if the task can reasonably be expected to take long enough that the target would need to eat and sleep during the time it takes to complete the task.
• Hunger/Thirst - Makes the target incredibly hungry/thirsty.
• Insomnia - Prevents the target from sleeping.
• Know Location - Reveals your current location. Any decent game should provide this information without requiring a spell.
• Know Useless Fact - A divination spell that determines something that's either useless (e.g. someone's age) or something that should be common knowledge (e.g. the time).
• Repel Vermin - Repels rodents, etc. Alternatively, it could repel insects, snakes, or whatever. This is useless except in games where such creatures are actually a significant threat.
• Reverse Gravity - Reverses gravity within the area of effect, causing things to "fall" up. This would only be usable in a 3D game, and, even then, it would just make the game annoying, not actually help the caster.

Getting More Ideas

To find more ideas, go play some video games! Books and pen-and-paper Rpgs are also good sources. Don't restrict yourself to fantasy material only. Sci-fi material may be appropriate even for fantasy games. Generally, all you have to do to adapt an effect for a different game is change the name.

Ideas for this article came from a wide variety of sources.

Copyright (C) 2005-2009 Steven Fletcher. All rights reserved.