Magic Rules

Changes and extensions to the OSE magic rules
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Memorizing Spells

  • Wizards and Warpriests must memorize spells
  • Elves do not need to memorize spells. They recover their spell slots at dawn each day.
  • Memorization is only required to replace or change spells. Any spells memorized but not cast remain in the caster's memory until used or discarded
  • For Wizards and Warpriests, it takes one hour of uninterrupted preparation time to memorize or pray for all spells after a rest

Need for Rest

  • Wizards may only memorize spells after 8 full hours of uninterrupted rest. An 'interruption' means being awoken for any reason
  • Elves and Warpriests do not need 8 hours of uninterrupted rest before recovering spell slots or praying for spells. To be clear, these classes still need 8 hours of rest before regaining spells, but that rest can be interrupted by brief (and even violent) activity as long as the vast majority of the time set aside for resting is actually time spent at rest.

Casting Spells
For a caster to be able to cast a spell, all of the following must be true (unless a spell description says explicitly otherwise):

  • The caster must speak in a clear voice at normal volume. Being in an area of magical silence prevents this
  • The caster cannot be bound, grappled or otherwise unable to move freely
  • Arcane casters must have one hand free to gesture (one hand must be empty) or have one hand free to hold any costly or special material material component
  • Warpriests must either have a free hand (to hold forth their holy symbol or other material component) or be wielding their deity's favored weapon
  • The caster must have a Line of Effect and Line of Sight to the target area or creature when the spell completes
  • The caster must have declared which spell is to be cast (but not its targets) prior to initiative being rolled
  • Casting a spell is a full-round action. No movement of any kind or any other significant activity either before or after the spell is cast is permitted. One Manipulation action is permitted

Material Components

  • Material components without an explicit price are not needed
  • In cases where the cost of a material component is unknown or if it is not clear if a material component has a cost, see the Referee

Casting Spells Subtly

  • Unless specifically stated in the spell description, spellcasting is obvious. Others may not know what spell is being cast, but they are clearly aware something is happening

Casting Spells from Scrolls

  • Casting a spell from a scroll follows all rules for casting a spell in general
  • No special material components or other costs are needed when using a scroll
  • Only one hand (the one holding the scroll) is required to cast the spell

Concentration
Some spells require concentration to maintain. This means that anything other than normal movement will cause the maintained spell to fail. The following are types of things that break concentration:

  • Taking damage
  • Casting another spell
  • Making an attack with any sort of weapon or object
  • Engaging in Pursuit Movement
  • Failing a saving throw
  • Significant jostling, being grappled or the like

Ritual Magic

  • Ritual Magic is a type of magic that does not follow the normal rules for spellcasting
  • Each Ritual Magic spell has its own prerequisites, requirements, costs and restrictions
  • Unless otherwise noted, Ritual Magic typically takes 1 exploration turn to cast per level of the spell being cast as a ritual
  • Ritual Magic requires concentration. Anything that would break concentration prevents completion of the Ritual Magic spell
  • Some spells may require different material components or conditions to be cast as rituals
  • Ritual Magic may duplicate the effect of other spells or may offer unique magical effects

Ritual Spells

There are currently no Ritual Spells defined.