Combat Magery System

Overview

The Combat Magery system on UO:X governs all aspects of magical combat, from spell casting mechanics to damage calculations. This system encompasses the traditional eight circles of Magery spells, each with increasing power and complexity. Understanding these mechanics is crucial for effective spellcasting in both PvE and PvP scenarios.

Core Mechanics

Spell Casting

When casting a spell, several factors determine success:

Skill Requirements - Each spell circle has minimum and maximum skill requirements - Your Magery skill must fall within the spell's range for a chance to cast successfully - Higher circle spells require greater Magery skill - Skill checks occur during casting to determine if the spell succeeds or fizzles

Mana Costs Spells consume mana based on their circle:

Circle Mana Cost
First 4
Second 6
Third 9
Fourth 11
Fifth 14
Sixth 20
Seventh 40
Eighth 50

Casting Time - All spells have a base casting time of 3.0 seconds - You cannot move while casting (you will be frozen in place) - Taking damage while casting may interrupt your spell - You must wait 0.75 seconds between casting spells

Reagent Consumption - Each spell requires specific reagents to cast - Reagents are consumed from your backpack when the spell is successfully cast - Scrolls and wands do not require reagents - Arcane Gems can substitute for reagents (consuming 1 charge per spell)

Spell Interruption

Your spellcasting can be interrupted in several ways:

Damage Interruption - Taking damage while casting has a chance to disrupt your spell - The Protection spell reduces the chance of interruption - Without Protection, damage has a high chance to interrupt casting - Monsters and pets cannot be interrupted by damage

Movement Interruption - Attempting to move while casting will interrupt the spell - You will receive the message "You are frozen and can not move"

Action Interruption - Equipping items during casting interrupts the spell - Using objects or items interrupts the spell - Being paralyzed or frozen prevents casting entirely

Recovery Time - When interrupted, you must wait before casting again - The recovery time is based on how far into the cast you were when interrupted - Recovery time scales with spell circle (higher circles = longer recovery) - The formula provides 0.2 to 1.0 seconds of recovery, modified by circle

Spell Damage

Damage Calculation

Spell damage on UO:X uses the classic Pre-AOS system:

Base Damage - Each damage spell has a base damage range (dice rolls) - Example: A spell might deal 1d8+5 damage (5-13 damage)

Evaluating Intelligence (Eval Int) Bonus - Your Eval Int skill directly affects spell damage - Compare your Eval Int to the target's Magic Resist - If your Eval Int is higher: damage multiplier = 1.0 + (Eval Int - Magic Resist) / 500 - If your Eval Int is lower: damage multiplier = 1.0 + (Eval Int - Magic Resist) / 200 - This creates a significant advantage for skilled mages

Magery Skill Bonus - Your Magery skill provides an additional damage modifier - At 100 Magery: no bonus or penalty - At 120 Magery: +5% damage bonus - At 0 Magery: -25% damage penalty - Formula: (Magery - 100) / 400

Inscription Bonus - The Inscription skill provides a damage bonus - Bonus = (Inscription + 1000 * (Inscription / 1000)) / 200 - At 100 Inscription: approximately +10% damage - This bonus stacks with other modifiers

Intelligence Bonus - Your Intelligence stat provides a flat damage bonus - Bonus = Intelligence / 10 - At 100 Intelligence: +10 damage bonus

Monster Damage Multiplier - Spells deal double damage to monsters and animals - This multiplier does NOT apply to players or player-controlled creatures - This makes PvE significantly easier for mages

Damage Types

On UO:X, spell damage is delivered as pure magical damage without elemental resistances. The AOS resistance system (physical/fire/cold/poison/energy) is not active on this server.

Delayed Damage

Some spells have a delay between casting and damage delivery:

  • Explosion: 1.25 second delay
  • Magic Arrow: 0.5 second delay (when used with delayed damage)
  • During the delay, the target can move or take other actions
  • The damage will still apply even if the caster dies during the delay

Magic Resistance

Resisting Spells

When targeted by a hostile spell, your Magic Resist skill determines your chance to resist:

Resist Chance Calculation The game uses two calculations and takes the higher result: 1. Magic Resist / 5.0 (base resistance) 2. Magic Resist - ((Caster's Magery - 20) / 5.0 + (1 + spell circle) * 5.0)

The final resist chance is half of the higher value.

Skill Gain - Your Magic Resist skill is checked when you're targeted by spells - Maximum skill check is based on the spell circle: (1 + circle) * 10 + (1 + circle / 6) * 25 - You can gain skill by being targeted by spells, even if you resist them

Resist Effects - Successfully resisting a spell negates its effects entirely - Some spells cannot be resisted (beneficial spells, field spells, etc.) - Resist chance increases with higher Magic Resist skill - Resist chance decreases against higher circle spells

Spell Reflection

Magic Reflection Spell

The Magic Reflection spell creates a protective barrier that reflects hostile spells:

Reflection Mechanics - When active, Magic Reflection absorbs spell circles - Each hostile spell reduces the reflection charges by (circle + 1) - When charges reach zero, the reflection ends - If charges remain positive after a spell, that spell is reflected back to the caster

Reflection Effects - Reflected spells target the original caster instead - The caster becomes the target of their own spell - A visual effect (0x37B9) appears when reflection occurs - Reflection works on most direct-target hostile spells

Creature Reflection - Some creatures have innate spell reflection abilities - These work similarly to the Magic Reflection spell - Check individual creature entries for specific reflection mechanics

Combat Timing

Cast Recovery

After successfully casting a spell, you must wait before casting another:

Recovery Time - Base recovery time: 0.75 seconds between spells - This applies to all spells regardless of circle - Wands follow the same recovery rules

Disturb Recovery - If your spell is interrupted, recovery time varies - Recovery is based on how far into the cast you were - Higher circle spells have longer disturb recovery - Formula: (0.90 + (0.20 * circle)) * (1.0 - √(time_elapsed / cast_time))

Casting Restrictions

You cannot cast spells when: - Already casting another spell - Paralyzed or frozen - In Horrific Beast form (blocks most spells) - In Animal Form (blocks most spells) - Peacemade (calmed by Bard Peacemaking) - Insufficient mana for the spell - Missing required reagents

Spell Targeting

Target Types

Direct Target Spells - Require you to select a specific mobile (player or creature) - Examples: Lightning, Energy Bolt, Flamestrike - Can be reflected by Magic Reflection - Subject to line-of-sight requirements

Area Effect Spells - Affect multiple targets in an area - Examples: Earthquake, Chain Lightning, Meteor Swarm - Cannot be reflected - May have reduced damage per target

Location Target Spells - Target a specific location on the ground - Examples: Field spells, Wall of Stone - Create persistent effects at the location - Not affected by Magic Reflection

Line of Sight

Most direct-target spells require line of sight to the target: - You must have a clear path to the target - Walls, doors, and terrain can block line of sight - Some spells ignore line of sight restrictions - The game will notify you if line of sight is blocked

Special Mechanics

Spell Fizzling

A spell fizzles when the skill check fails: - You lose the mana for the spell - Reagents are consumed - A fizzle sound plays (0x5C) - A visual effect appears (0x3735) - You must wait before casting again

Fizzle Prevention - Higher Magery skill reduces fizzle chance - Casting lower circle spells is more reliable - Using scrolls guarantees success (no skill check) - Wands never fizzle

Protection Spell

The Protection spell provides casting protection but has trade-offs:

Benefits - Greatly reduces the chance of spell interruption from damage - Provides a percentage-based chance to ignore interruption - Essential for casting in combat situations

Drawbacks - While active, you cannot cast spells as quickly - The Protection spell itself can be dispelled - Must be maintained for continued benefit

Spell Books and Slayers

Spell Book Slayers - Spell books can have slayer properties - Slayer books deal double damage to specific creature types - Examples: Demon Slayer, Dragon Slayer, Undead Slayer - The slayer must match the target creature type - Silver slayer affects Necromancy transformation forms (not available on UO:X)

Defender Slayers - If the target has a slayer weapon or book equipped - Opposition slayers can reduce damage taken - This creates a counter-system for slayer properties

Beneficial vs. Harmful Spells

Beneficial Spells - Can be cast on party members freely - Can be cast on guild members and allies - Young players cannot cast beneficial spells on older players - Examples: Heal, Cure, Bless

Harmful Spells - Cannot target party members (unless in a duel) - Cannot target guild members or allies - Flagging rules apply when casting on innocents - Examples: Lightning, Fireball, Poison

Combat Tips

Effective Spellcasting

  1. Manage Your Mana: Higher circle spells are powerful but expensive. Balance your spell selection with your mana pool.

  2. Use Protection Wisely: Cast Protection before engaging in combat to prevent interruption, but remember it slows your casting.

  3. Skill Synergy: Maximize both Magery and Eval Int for optimal damage output. Don't neglect Inscription for the damage bonus.

  4. Reagent Management: Always carry extra reagents. Running out mid-combat can be fatal.

  5. Spell Selection: Lower circle spells cast faster and cost less mana. Sometimes rapid Magic Arrows are better than waiting for an Energy Bolt.

  6. Target Priority: Focus on targets with lower Magic Resist for more reliable damage.

  7. Positioning: Maintain line of sight to your target. Use terrain to your advantage.

  8. Timing: Learn the 0.75 second delay between spells. Don't spam cast - wait for the recovery period.

PvP Considerations

  • Burst Damage: Coordinate high-damage spells (Explosion, Energy Bolt) for maximum impact
  • Mana Efficiency: In prolonged fights, mana management is crucial
  • Spell Interruption: Try to time your attacks to interrupt enemy casters
  • Magic Reflect: Watch for the reflection buff on enemies - don't waste big spells on it
  • Movement: Use the casting freeze to your advantage - predict where enemies will move

PvE Strategies

  • Double Damage: Remember that spells deal double damage to monsters
  • Mana Conservation: Lower circle spells are often sufficient for weaker monsters
  • Area Spells: Use Earthquake or Chain Lightning against groups
  • Summons: Summoned creatures can tank while you cast safely
  • Slayer Books: Equip the appropriate slayer book for the dungeon you're exploring

Interaction with Armor

Armor significantly affects spellcasting on UO:X. For detailed information about how armor impacts your casting ability and magic resistance, see the Armor page. Key points include:

  • Wearing metal armor increases spell casting time
  • Armor provides magic resistance through the Armor Rating (AR) system
  • Different armor materials offer varying levels of protection
  • Meditation skill allows mana regeneration in certain armor types

The armor system is complex and deserves its own detailed explanation - refer to the Armor documentation for complete mechanics.

  • Magery: Primary skill for casting spells and determining success
  • Evaluating Intelligence: Increases spell damage significantly
  • Meditation: Allows mana regeneration while wearing armor
  • Inscription: Provides a damage bonus to spells
  • Magic Resist: Defends against hostile spells
  • Wrestling: Provides defense when casting without a weapon equipped

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why did my spell fizzle? A: Your Magery skill was too low for the spell circle, or you failed the skill check. Use lower circle spells or train your Magery skill.

Q: Can I reduce mana costs with items? A: No, the Lower Mana Cost (LMC) property from AOS is not available on UO:X. Mana costs are fixed.

Q: Can I cast faster with items? A: No, Faster Casting (FC) and Faster Cast Recovery (FCR) from items are not available on UO:X. Casting speed is fixed at 3.0 seconds per spell.

Q: Why do my spells do less damage in PvP? A: Spells deal double damage to monsters but normal damage to players. This is intentional game balance.

Q: How do I avoid being interrupted? A: Cast the Protection spell before combat. It greatly reduces interruption chance from damage.

Q: Do scrolls work differently than casting from memory? A: Yes! Scrolls never fizzle and don't require reagents, but they're consumed on use. They're great for emergency casting or using spells above your skill level.

Q: What's the best spell for PvP? A: It depends on the situation. Explosion and Energy Bolt deal high damage but are slow. Lightning and Flamestrike are faster. Magic Arrow is great for finishing low-health targets.