HackMD
Modular Magic Tutorial
Intro
Modular Spells is a mod by lyneca (me) for Blade and Sorcery. You can download the latest beta at discord.gg/lyneca, in the #open-beta-downloads channel.
Modular Spells allows you to create your own spells in-game, by combining Spell Tiles. Spell Tiles are small, octagonal tiles, that fit into the main item of the mod - the Spell Palette.
It is a fairly complex mod with a bit of a learning curve, but it is consistent in how its rules are applied and can be extremely powerful (and fun) once you figure it out!
This document is up to date as of Beta 11. Any content exclusive to Beta 11 is marked with .
For U11 players, note that none of the Beta 11 content is in Modular Spells U11.
There are three main types of tiles:
- Spells
- Triggers
- Modifiers
Some tiles can be toggled, allowing me to fit several tiles into one and reduce the number of tiles in the mod. You can toggle a tile between its modes by holding it and pressing the spell wheel button on Oculus, or the touchpad on Vive/Index.
For example, you can toggle the Gravity tile between Zero Gravity, Low Gravity, Hypergravity, Antigravity and Chaotic Gravity.
Spell Tiles
Spell tiles are the core tiles of the mod. They do things - throw fireballs, apply effects, teleport you etc.
Trigger Tiles
Trigger tiles allow you to trigger spells in different ways, for example:
- Cast spells when you punch things
- Cast spells when another spell hits something
- Cast spells after a delay
Modifier Tiles
Modifier tiles change how spells work.
- Change the strength, duration or radius of spells
- Change how spells are cast, e.g.
- Fire a spell from an energy bow
- Cast spells continuously from your hand
- Change where and when spells are cast, e.g.
- Create proximity mines that cast a spell when triggered
- Rain spells from the sky
- Change how spells fly
- Make spells home in on enemies
- Make spells orbit things
- Add effects to spells
- Make spells trigger status effects on enemies - slice, shock, slow, zero gravity etc
Effect Modifiers
Effect Modifiers are dark blue tiles that apply Effects to you, enemies or items. These are some of the most interesting and useful tiles in the mod. For example:
-
Slice > Fireballthrows a fireball that slices off limbs when it hits them. Empty Projectile > Cast on Hit > Antigravity > Effect Bubblethrows a glowing projectile that summons a jump pad where it lands.
Most effect tiles will be applied over a duration, although some are not (e.g. Slice and Clone).
The Spell Palette
The Spell Palette is where you build your spell. Each palette has a small tile embedded in the center, with a certain colour.
When you are holding a spell palette, or when it's in one of your holsters, a new spell will be added to your spell wheel.
Casting that spell will cast the tiles in your palette!
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The spell also palette comes with a couple of helpful tools when you're developing your spell.
The Spell Swapper
You can press the Spell Wheel button (oculus) or the Touchpad (vive/index) to open the spell swapper.
While the spell swapper is open:
- All of the tiles in the palette will hover above it.
- The names of tiles are visible
- You can grab them and move them around, remove them, or add new tiles.
- Moving a tile close to another tile will 'nudge' the tile over, allowing you
to easily swap the order of tiles.
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The Tile Picker
While the spell swapper is open, flip the palette upside down to reveal the Tile Picker.
The tile picker shows you all available tiles! You can pick them up from the tile picker and slot them into the palette.
Creating Spells
The palette allows you to slot in eight main tiles, with two extra slots known as Aura Slots.
The eight main slots control your spell. They are read in this order:
Modifiers apply to the next spell they see in the list. So, if you had a spell such as this one:
…it would apply the Multicast, Homing and Increased Strength modifiers to a fireball. This results in throwing multiple homing fireballs at once that deal extra damage.
Triggers require a spell after them in the list, and some also require a spell before them. E.g.:
…will cast the Explosion spell whenever you punch something.
…will throw a fireball that creates a temporary bubble of zero gravity wherever it hits.
As a side note, Safety is a useful modifier that prevents you from being affected by a spell, so you don't accidentally kill yourself.
Aura Slots
Aura Slots are the two slots on either side of the palette. Only modifiers and triggers work in these slots, and they apply those modifiers to every spell in the palette.
For example, adding Homing to an aura slot will make every projectile spell in the palette home in on enemies. Adding Cast on Hit to the aura slot will make every spell in the palette trigger the next spell on hit.
Potions
Modular Spells adds potion brewing to Blade and Sorcery!
- Summon a potion from the spawn book, or using the Throw Potion spell
- Drop tiles next to the top of the potion to condense them inside it.
- Potions support spells and modifiers, but not triggers.
- Throw the potion to trigger the effects of the tiles where it hits!
- e.g. putting Zero Gravity into a potion makes enemies around where the potion hits float.
- If a potion is brewed manually (i.e. there is at least one tile mixed in by you, as opposed to added by the Throw Potion spell), the potion becomes far stronger - with increased range, strength and duration!
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Tips and Tricks
Default Effect Imbuing
If a spell tile has no spells in it, or there are 'hanging modifiers' with no attached spell at the end of the palette, the spell becomes imbuable. Weapons imbued with the spell apply those modifiers on hit.
List of Spell Tiles
Apply Effect
Description
Applies Effect Modifiers to a single creature or object. When cast by the player, will continuously apply the effect to the player as long as the spell is held. Works on items regardless of the tile's mode.
Modes
- Default: Apply the effect to the affected limb of the creature
- Whole Creature: Apply the effect to the creature as a whole.
- Held Items: Apply the effect to the items the creature is holding.
Examples
Iron Man Flight
Delayed Decapitation
Clone Enemy Weapons
Weightless
Effect Bubble
Description
Creates a bubble for a duration which applies Effect Modifiers on anything inside it. When cast directly by the player, the bubble will stay open as long as you hold the spell trigger down, and is centered on your hand.
Examples
Time Bubbles
Black Hole Bubble
Elevator Bubble
Effect Area
Description
Applies Effect Modifiers once in an area. Like an instant Effect Bubble.
Examples
Death AoE
Mass Clone
Effect Spray
Description
Continuously applies Effect Modifiers in a cone or spray from your hand.
Examples
Force Spray
Explosion
Description
A damaging explosion. Will blow enemy limbs off if they are killed by the explosion.
Examples
Tactical Nuke
Missile
MIRV
Fireball
Description
Throws a fireball!
Examples
Controlled Fireball (same as base game)
Ring of Fire
Bouncy Fireballs
Lightning Bolt
Description
Throws a devastating bolt of lightning that shocks and can dismember.
Examples
Reflected Bolt
Thunderstorm
Teleport
Description
Teleports the player, or the last NPC/item hit by the spell.
Any time a spell hits something, e.g. a fireball or projectile with Cast on Hit, it will set the 'target creature' or 'target item' of the spell. By default, when a spell is cast by the player, the target creature is the player.
When directly cast by the player, the spell will teleport you in the direction you're pointing.
Examples
Teleport to Point
Teleport Other
Throw this at an NPC or item. It will bounce off them and teleport them to wherever the second bolt hits.
Sky Teleport
Throw Potion
Description
Spawns and throws a potion. Any modifiers on this spell will be added to the potion.
Examples
Summon Empty Potion
Good for custom-brewing potions!
Jump Potion
Combine with Zero Gravity > Apply Effect for really fun flight!
Clone Potion
Warning: Potions can clone other potions! Three or more of these can crash the game if they clone in close proximity without supervision!
List of Modifiers
TODO
List of Triggers
TODO
