Modular Magic Tutorial

--- title: Modular Magic Tutorial description: A tutorial for the Modular Spells mod --- # Modular Magic Tutorial ## Intro <style> .b11::before { content: "β 11"; background-color: #3366ff; border-radius: 5px; padding: 4px 5px; display: inline; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: middle; color: white; font-weight: normal; } </style> 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.** ![Adding a Decreased Radius tile into the spell palette](https://i.imgur.com/wzk8Dk7.jpg) 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 > Fireball` throws a fireball that slices off limbs when it hits them. - `Empty Projectile > Cast on Hit > Antigravity > Effect Bubble` throws 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! :::info :information_source: The colour of the spell in the wheel will match the colour of the center tile in the palette. ::: 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. ![](https://i.imgur.com/O1x4bEQ.jpg) 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. :::warning :warning: The spell picker must be closed before you can cast the spell. ::: ### The Tile Picker While the spell swapper is open, flip the palette upside down to reveal the Tile Picker. ![](https://i.imgur.com/8YJjMaw.jpg) 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: ``` 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ``` Modifiers apply to the next spell they see in the list. So, if you had a spell such as this one: ``` Multicast > Homing > Increased Strength > Fireball ``` ...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.: ``` Cast on Punch > Safety > Explosion [trigger] [mod] [spell] ``` ...will cast the Explosion spell whenever you punch something. ``` Fireball > Cast on Hit > Zero Gravity > Effect Bubble [spell] [trigger] [mod] [spell] ``` ...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! :::info :information_source: There is no limit to the number of tiles that can go into a potion. Have fun! ::: ## 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 ``` Force Toward > Zero Gravity > Apply Effect ``` ##### Delayed Decapitation ``` Empty Projectile > Cast on Hit > Delayed Cast (1s) > Slice > Apply Effect ``` ##### Clone Enemy Weapons ``` Empty Projectile > Cast on Hit > Clone > Apply Effect (held items) ``` ##### Weightless ``` Zero Gravity > Apply Effect ``` --- ### 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 ``` Safety > Slow > Effect Bubble ``` ##### Black Hole Bubble ``` Empty Projectile > Cast on Hit > Attract to Point > Effect Bubble ``` ##### Elevator Bubble ``` Empty Projectile > Cast on Hit > Antigravity > Effect Bubble ``` --- ### Effect Area #### Description Applies Effect Modifiers **once** in an area. Like an instant Effect Bubble. #### Examples ##### Death AoE ``` Empty Projectile > Cast on Hit > Slice > Area Effect ``` ##### Mass Clone ``` Empty Projectile > Cast on Hit > Clone > Area Effect ``` --- ### Effect Spray #### Description Continuously applies Effect Modifiers in a cone or spray from your hand. #### Examples ##### Force Spray ``` Increased Strength > Force Away > Effect Spray ``` --- ### Explosion #### Description A damaging explosion. Will blow enemy limbs off if they are killed by the explosion. #### Examples ##### Tactical Nuke ``` Tiles: Fireball > -Duration > -Duration > -Range > -Duration > Spell Rain > Fireball > Explosion Auras: Cast on Hit, -Range ``` ##### Missile ``` Homing > Fireball > Cast on Hit > Explosion ``` ##### MIRV ``` Fireball > Cast after Delay > Multicast (Heptacast) > Homing > Fireball > Cast on Hit > Explosion ``` --- ### Fireball #### Description Throws a fireball! #### Examples ##### Controlled Fireball (same as base game) ``` Control Projectile > Fireball ``` ##### Ring of Fire ``` Empty Projectile > Cast on Hit > Multicast (Heptacast) > Orbit Caster > Fireball ``` ##### Bouncy Fireballs ``` Tiles: Fill all 8 slots with Fireballs Auras: Homing, Cast on Hit ``` --- ### Lightning Bolt #### Description Throws a devastating bolt of lightning that shocks and can dismember. #### Examples ##### Reflected Bolt ``` Lightning Bolt > Cast on Hit > Lightning Bolt > Cast on Hit > Lightning Bolt ``` ##### Thunderstorm ``` Spell Rain > Lightning Bolt ``` --- ### 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 ``` Empty Projectile > Cast on Hit > Teleport ``` ##### Teleport Other ``` Empty Projectile > Cast on Hit > Empty Projectile > Cast on Hit > Safety > Teleport ``` Throw this at an NPC or item. It will bounce off them and teleport them to wherever the second bolt hits. ##### Sky Teleport ``` Homing > Empty Projectile > Cast on Hit > Safety > Sky Cast > Teleport ``` --- ### Throw Potion #### Description Spawns and throws a potion. Any modifiers on this spell will be added to the potion. #### Examples ##### Summon Empty Potion ``` Cast on Hand > Throw Potion ``` Good for custom-brewing potions! ##### Jump Potion ``` Cast on Hand > Force Towards > Throw Potion ``` Combine with `Zero Gravity > Apply Effect` for really fun flight! ##### Clone Potion ``` Cast on Hand > Clone > Throw Potion ``` :::warning 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 :::danger **TODO** ::: ## List of Triggers :::danger **TODO** :::