Casting Spells

[Lavalamps]

Hey.
I was just wondering, when you cast a spell, do you HAVE to speak the incantation (like mon un suk-krath divan etc) or can you rp not saying it? For instance, codedly cast it, but emote concentrating instead of speaking?

[Larrath]

You have to say it.

[Larrath]

*murmurs about double posts*

[Twilight]

There is no 'innate' spellcasting for our casters that I know of.  You have to say the words.  There are reasons why, which you'll probably discover at some point if you play enough magickers.

[Anonymous]

What do you mean by SAY the magick words?

I usually do something like.. Emote quietly says a few words as she draws energy from x...

> cast 'mon un suk-krath divan' scrab

Very vague example.. But am I doing something wrong by not going..

Emote extends both hands toward ~scrab and suddenly shouts.

> say 'Mon un suk-krath divan!'
> cast 'mon un suk-krath divan' scrab

I've never been told that my first example is wrong..

[spawnloser]

You CAN roleplay creating the correct sounds in different ways.  The sounds MUST be uttered, though.

[Larrath]

Just to clarify, I do not mean doing this:

Code Select Expand


say Mon un suk-krath skroo yew!
cast 'mon un suk-krath skroo yew'

You shouldn't really do that, I think, unless you want to really demonstrate the words and go to great lengths to make them easy to make out.

However, the magick words for casting the spells are a verbal component of each spell.  You cannot cast spells without making a sound, and I'd also hesitate before letting your character use different or similar-sounding words for the casting.
If you cast 'mon', I think you should play your character as having said that word.

[Attana]

I usually do something along the lines of

Code Select Expand

emote extends her hands out before herself, murmering a soft chant beneath her breath.

The magickal-looking magicker extends her hands out before herself, murmering a soft chant beneath her breath.

cast 'blah blah blah blah' blah.

I don't codely think I have to say it before I codely MAKE myself say it anyways by casting it.

[Twilight]

You shouldn't say the words independently.  Those that should see the words will through your use of the cast command.

[MorganChaos]

Now I kinda wanna know what "mon un suk-krath divan" does.

[Attana]

Now I kinda wanna know what "mon un suk-krath divan" does.

My guess would be.. absolutely nothing.

[SpyGuy]

Add one word and assume it'd be something nasty  :wink:

[Anonymous]

Now I kinda wanna know what "mon un suk-krath divan" does.

It sets your couch on fire.

-ducks-

[Delirium]

Now I kinda wanna know what "mon un suk-krath divan" does.

It sets your couch on fire.

-ducks-

I laughed.

As for the question, yes, you're always saying the words.

You don't have to emote out saying it - in fact that's a bit redundant.

em lifts ^me palms to the sky, sparks crackling at ^me fingertips.

cast 'mon un lightning kablammo shizam' poorsucker

[SpyGuy]

You don't have to emote out saying it - in fact that's a bit redundant.

Well you usually would in order to emote how you're chanting the spell.  In a strong, clear voice?  In a soft whisper?  Inquiring minds want to know before you kill them!

[Angela Christine]

Now I kinda wanna know what "mon un suk-krath divan" does.

My guess would be.. absolutely nothing.

Correct.  Real spells have five words.  

[spawnloser]

You don't have to emote out saying it - in fact that's a bit redundant.

Well you usually would in order to emote how you're chanting the spell.  In a strong, clear voice?  In a soft whisper?  Inquiring minds want to know before you kill them!

Sure, you can, but you don't have to.  Emoting the saying of words is redundant, as the 'cast' command will show you beginning to cast and then will show you making sounds moments later.

You should, in my opinion, absolutely NEVER "say Mon un suk-krath divan couch!" because people should not understand the words unless they can...and those that should and can will understand when you cast.

[Yokunama]

Now I kinda wanna know what "mon un suk-krath divan" does.

My guess would be.. absolutely nothing.

Correct.  Real spells have five words.  

Incorrect, Attana.
It casts the spell "everlasting flaming potato".

[SpyGuy]

You don't have to emote out saying it - in fact that's a bit redundant.

Well you usually would in order to emote how you're chanting the spell.  In a strong, clear voice?  In a soft whisper?  Inquiring minds want to know before you kill them!

Sure, you can, but you don't have to.  Emoting the saying of words is redundant, as the 'cast' command will show you beginning to cast and then will show you making sounds moments later.

You should, in my opinion, absolutely NEVER "say Mon un suk-krath divan couch!" because people should not understand the words unless they can...and those that should and can will understand when you cast.

Agreed.  My only point is I don't feel it's redundant because cast doesn't allow you to make any distinction in how your chant is being done.  Yes it's repetitive but not needlessly so, I feel it's a lot like emoting the manuever of how you disarm an opponent and then typing the disarn command.  But of course you don't need to elaborate the verbal portion of any chant and as long as you don't start saying the words outside of the chant I really could care less what you include or don't include in your magick emotes.

[Malifaxis]

I disagree.

I have played more than a couple mages who never said a single damn word.  In fact, if you would have said 'hekro' to them, they may have thought you sneezed.

I have played characters that were entirely innate.  I played a krathi who was a fire dancer who could not cast when his legs were not working those intricate steps.  I played a whiran who sang to the wind, never the same song twice (and no magick words), to get his effects.

To the best of my knowledge both of these example PCs were watched, and I received absolutely -zero- negative feedback for them.

So I'm gonna keep playing it as I see it.

[path]

I agree with Malifaxis, until the staff says otherwise. One of the joys of RP is playing within the limits when the limits are broad and this applies quite well to the subject of magickers, which is vaguely outlined at best.

However, notably, incants are defined in the following way and the code says that happens, whether you like it or not.

in·can·ta·tion  
n.

  1. Ritual recitation of verbal charms or spells to produce a magic effect.
  2.  A) A formula used in ritual recitation; a verbal charm or spell.
 B) A conventionalized utterance repeated without thought or                                                                                
                  aptness; a formula

or

incantation

n : a ritual recitation of words or sounds believed to have a magical effect [syn: conjuration]

[Cyrian20]

Now I kinda wanna know what "mon un suk-krath divan" does.

nothing your missing something


That being said if you have learned a bit about the basics of magick you will
understand there is a need to say it and use your hands (that is why you can't cast without your hands or when you can't speak) There is no need to "say" the words though as they could be a near whisper. Again this is all in various documents on the magick, if you are really curious I would say to play a gemmed and find some people that teach classes (my last gemmed would listen to lectures from another gemmed about theories and what not behind the words and why they have power, basically making our characters learn what was already in the docs via discussion, dreams and a lot of spiced visions )

[Yokunama]

You don't have to emote out saying it - in fact that's a bit redundant.

Well you usually would in order to emote how you're chanting the spell.  In a strong, clear voice?  In a soft whisper?  Inquiring minds want to know before you kill them!

Death is never expected nor should it be.

Really, you do not have to emote the chanting. There are other things you can do before sending the incantation through the prompt. Don't forget to use hemote magickers, it is your friend.

Different magickers(characters) and different players have different styles of roleplay. Some magickers mouth the words and play them in their head, some whisper them, and others create those flashy scenes, screaming to the top of their lungs.

Most of the time, your character wouldn't know if the magicker is trying to cast a spell or not. So, if you were suppose to be informed or know if a magicker is casting, the code would do otherwise.

[cyberpatrol_735]

Depends on the spell and the power of the spell..

Sometimes I'll make a hand motion, sometimes I'll full out boldly exclain with fiery demons coming from an alient planet.

Depends on the situation I guess..

If somebody runs in and instaattacks? You've got two choices.

Wait out the lag to flay them or flee and get them later.

Don't expect an emote if I get rushed, sorry.

Magickal currents should be a good enough clue at that point to go OH SNAP and run for your life.. but eh.. some people are different.

[Xygax]

You are literally emitting sound when you "utter an incantation." with very few exceptions.

-- X

[SpyGuy]

You don't have to emote out saying it - in fact that's a bit redundant.

Well you usually would in order to emote how you're chanting the spell.  In a strong, clear voice?  In a soft whisper?  Inquiring minds want to know before you kill them!

Death is never expected nor should it be.

Really, you do not have to emote the chanting. There are other things you can do before sending the incantation through the prompt. Don't forget to use hemote magickers, it is your friend.

I have no clue what the death is never expected part means, I was joking when I talked about mages killing people.

Also I think I should correct my original post.  I did not mean magickers characters would usually emote how they were chanting.  Frankly I don't care if you emote drawing squiggles in the air when you cast or if rushed don't emote at all.  What I meant was responding to Delirium if you are emoting and including your chant in your emote it isn't necessarily redundant, you would usually be doing it to further explain how you are performing the chant.  Just like you would emote how you perform a disarm before or just after using the disarm command.

Yes hemotes are magickers friends if you're the type of mage that does magick with very subtle motions and soft words.

And thanks for staff input Xygax.  I'm all behind that definition, particularly because of certain coded requirements for being able to cast a spell.

[Cenghiz]

"My mages didn't use words..".. Impossible. Check with your local <insert elementalist type here>. When you can't speak, you cannot cast. When you can't move, you cannot cast.

I see no need to staff opinion because it's clear, code forces us to be able to speak and move while casting.

[Cyrian20]

"My mages didn't use words..".. Impossible. Check with your local <insert elementalist type here>. When you can't speak, you cannot cast. When you can't move, you cannot cast.

I see no need to staff opinion because it's clear, code forces us to be able to speak and move while casting.

To chime in again Cenghiz is right IMHO, usually I am quick to play devil's advocate just to get other views out there but after learning what I have of magick I understand there is a need for the words. If you have been going without it and the staff have said nothing kewlness good luck with that, know that serious magick rp though may cause you to die. To explainl if my magicker who has been studying his ass off in the temple, going to lectures from a Templar, as well as speaking with some slightly less then normal creatures finds out you have found a way around what the (actually this is in the docs apparently) need to utter the syllables then he may assume your a sorc, demon, or something worse he doesn't even know about.

You can rp they draw the power through dance or song (I had a magicker that drew his power ic'ly from playing an instrument) the fact of the matter though is they -do- utter the syllables. You can't expect people to ignore it because -you- have decided it is otherwise. That is like saying it is okay for your elf to ride and expect the rest of us to just go along with it without repercussions to you.

[cyberpatrol_735]

True that home G, you can't cast if you can't speak or move, code wise.

Gotta speak something, gotta wave your hands.