Spells System

Overview

UO:X features the classic Ultima Online magic system with 64 spells organized into eight circles of increasing power. Spells are cast using reagents, mana, and the Magery skill. The effectiveness of your spells depends on your Magery and Evaluating Intelligence skills, while your Magic Resist skill helps defend against hostile magic.

Spell Circles

Spells are organized into eight circles, with each circle requiring progressively higher skill levels and more mana:

Circle Mana Cost Skill Range Example Spells
First 4 -50.0 to -10.0 Basic utility spells
Second 6 -30.0 to 10.0 Light combat and utility
Third 9 0.0 to 40.0 Moderate combat spells
Fourth 11 10.0 to 50.0 Advanced utility
Fifth 14 20.0 to 60.0 Powerful combat spells
Sixth 20 30.0 to 70.0 High-level utility
Seventh 40 40.0 to 80.0 Devastating combat magic
Eighth 50 50.0 to 90.0 Master-level spells

Casting Mechanics

Basic Casting

  1. Mana Requirement: Each spell has a fixed mana cost that must be available
  2. Reagents: Most spells require specific reagents (unless using a wand or having Lower Reagent Cost)
  3. Cast Time: All spells have a flat 3.0 second cast time on this server
  4. Skill Check: Your Magery skill is checked against the spell's difficulty to determine success

Casting Restrictions

You cannot cast spells while: - Paralyzed or frozen - Already casting another spell - In certain transformed states - Calmed by a bard's peacemaking - Too soon after your last spell (0.75 second recovery)

Interruption

Spells can be interrupted by: - Taking Damage: Unless protected by the Protection spell, damage has a chance to disrupt your casting - Movement: Most spells prevent you from moving while casting - Equipping Items: Attempting to equip items will interrupt casting - Using Objects: Interacting with objects during casting will disrupt the spell

When interrupted, you'll experience a recovery delay based on how far into the cast you were (minimum 0.2 seconds, maximum based on circle).

Spell Damage

Damage Calculation

Spell damage is influenced by several factors:

  1. Evaluating Intelligence: Your primary damage modifier
  2. Damage scales from 30% at 0 skill to 120% at 100 skill

  3. Formula: 30% + (9% per 10 points of Eval Int)

  4. Intelligence: Provides a direct damage bonus

  5. Bonus = Intelligence ÷ 10

  6. Inscription: Provides additional damage

  7. Bonus = (Inscription + 1000 × (Inscription ÷ 1000)) ÷ 200

  8. Magery Bonus: Additional scaling based on Magery skill

  9. -25% damage at 0 Magery
  10. +0% damage at 100 Magery
  11. +5% damage at 120 Magery

  12. Formula: (Magery - 100) ÷ 400

  13. Monster Damage Multiplier: Spells deal double damage to non-human creatures

Damage vs. Magic Resist

The relationship between your Evaluating Intelligence and the target's Magic Resist affects damage:

  • If Eval Int > Magic Resist: Damage multiplier = 1.0 + (Eval Int - Magic Resist) ÷ 500
  • If Eval Int ≤ Magic Resist: Damage multiplier = 1.0 + (Eval Int - Magic Resist) ÷ 200

Magic Resistance

Resisting Spells

Your Magic Resist skill determines your chance to resist hostile magic:

Resist Chance Formula: - First Percent = Magic Resist ÷ 5 - Second Percent = Magic Resist - ((Caster's Magery - 20) ÷ 5 + (1 + Circle) × 5) - Final Resist % = Higher of the two values ÷ 2

The game checks your resist skill against a maximum threshold based on the spell circle: - Maximum Skill = (1 + Circle) × 10 + (1 + Circle ÷ 6) × 25

Magic Reflection

The Magic Reflection spell absorbs incoming spell damage. When you have reflection active: - Each incoming spell reduces your reflection charges by (Circle + 1) - If charges remain positive after absorption, the spell is reflected back to the caster - When charges reach 0 or below, reflection ends

Spellbooks

Using Spellbooks

Spellbooks store your spells and must be equipped or in your backpack to cast:

  • Equipped: Worn in your hand (one-handed layer)
  • Backpack: Must be directly in your pack, not in a container
  • Spell Channeling: Spellbooks allow you to cast while equipped

Adding Spells

To add spells to your spellbook: 1. Drop spell scrolls onto the spellbook 2. The scroll is consumed and the spell is permanently added 3. You cannot add duplicate spells 4. Each spellbook shows its spell count (e.g., "42 Spells")

Spellbook Properties

Crafted spellbooks can have magical properties based on the crafter's Magery skill:

Magery 80.0-89.9 (Adept): - 0-1 properties - Intensity: 0-15%

Magery 90.0-99.9 (Master): - 0-2 properties - Intensity: 25-45%

Magery 100.0-109.9 (Grand): - 0-3 properties - Intensity: 55-75%

Magery 110.0-119.9 (Elder): - 0-3 properties - Intensity: 55-75%

Magery 120.0+ (Legendary): - 0-3 properties - Intensity: 55-75%

Possible properties include: - Faster Casting - Faster Cast Recovery - Lower Mana Cost - Lower Reagent Cost - Spell Damage Increase - Stat bonuses (Str/Dex/Int) - Skill bonuses - Slayer properties (bonus damage vs. specific creature types)

Exceptional Quality

Spellbooks can be crafted as Exceptional quality, which is noted in their properties but doesn't provide mechanical benefits beyond the magical properties rolled during creation.

Reagents

Standard Reagents

Most spells require reagents to cast:

  • Black Pearl
  • Blood Moss
  • Garlic
  • Ginseng
  • Mandrake Root
  • Nightshade
  • Spider's Silk
  • Sulfurous Ash

Lower Reagent Cost

The Lower Reagent Cost property on spellbooks gives you a percentage chance to cast without consuming reagents. This property is capped at 100%.

Wands

Wands allow you to cast specific spells without reagents or mana cost, using charges instead. Each use consumes one charge.

Stat Modifications

Buff Spells

Beneficial stat modification spells (like Strength, Agility, Cunning) provide bonuses based on your Evaluating Intelligence:

Duration: 6 × (Evaluating Intelligence) ÷ 5 seconds

Bonus Amount: 1 + (Evaluating Intelligence ÷ 10)

Curse Spells

Hostile stat modification spells (like Weaken, Clumsy, Feeblemind) reduce stats based on the difference between your Evaluating Intelligence and the target's Magic Resist:

Duration: 6 × (Evaluating Intelligence) ÷ 5 seconds

Penalty Amount: 8 + (Your Eval Int - Target's Magic Resist) ÷ 10

The penalty is calculated as a percentage of the target's base stat.

Combat Mechanics

Spell Targeting

Spells can be cast in several ways: - Direct Cast: Double-click the spell in your spellbook - Macro Cast: Use the spell ID to cast via macro - Targeted Cast: Some spells require you to select a target after casting

Delayed Damage

Some spells (like Explosion and Magic Arrow) have delayed damage: - Explosion: 1.25 second delay - Magic Arrow: 0.5 second delay

These spells cannot stack with themselves on the same target - casting a second one will replace the first.

Spell Channeling

Spellbooks have the Spell Channeling property, allowing you to cast spells while holding them. However, you cannot cast while holding most other items.

Travel Restrictions

Certain spells (Recall, Gate Travel, Teleport) have restrictions on where they can be used:

Cannot Recall/Gate FROM: - Khaldun - Felucca dungeons - Felucca T2A - Felucca Wind - Felucca Solen Hive - Champion spawn areas - Faction strongholds

Cannot Recall/Gate TO: - Any location (must use Mark spell first)

Cannot Mark IN: - Any restricted travel area

Teleport is more flexible and works in most locations except: - Doom Gauntlet (cannot teleport TO) - Safe zones during duels

Tips for Effective Spellcasting

Skill Development

  1. Train Magery and Evaluating Intelligence together for maximum effectiveness
  2. Raise Magic Resist to defend against hostile magic
  3. Consider Inscription for the damage bonus (though it's primarily a crafting skill)

Combat Strategy

  1. Use Protection spell to prevent interruption, but note it reduces your Faster Casting cap
  2. Pre-cast defensive buffs before engaging in combat
  3. Target monsters for double damage with offensive spells
  4. Watch your mana - higher circle spells are expensive
  5. Carry reagents unless you have high Lower Reagent Cost

Equipment

  1. Craft or acquire a quality spellbook with useful properties
  2. Lower Mana Cost is not available on this server (Pre-AOS feature)
  3. Lower Reagent Cost can save significant gold on reagents
  4. Spell Damage Increase directly boosts your offensive power

Resource Management

  1. Stock up on reagents - they're consumed frequently
  2. Keep backup spellbooks in your bank
  3. Use wands for frequently-cast utility spells to save mana
  4. Meditation skill helps regenerate mana faster

Town Casting Restrictions

You cannot cast certain harmful spells in guarded towns: - Field spells (Fire Field, Poison Field, etc.) - Area effect spells - Summon spells

The game will notify you: "You cannot cast this in town!"

Spell Fizzling

Spells can fizzle (fail) if: - Your Magery skill is too low for the spell - You fail the skill check - You don't have enough mana - You're missing required reagents

When a spell fizzles: - You see the message "The spell fizzles" - Visual and sound effects play - Mana and reagents are still consumed - You must wait for the recovery delay before casting again

Recovery Times

After casting or being interrupted: - Normal Recovery: 0.75 seconds between spells - Interrupt Recovery: 0.2 to 1.0 seconds based on how far into the cast you were - Circle-Scaled Recovery: Longer recovery for higher circle spells when interrupted