Magic is frightening to non-practitioners. Magic isn't just a spectacle; it's a raw, unpredictable force that inspires a primal fear in the hearts of ordinary folk, seasoned warriors and practitioners alike.
Although they do not understand magic and, in almost all cases, rightly fear it, the leader of a Warhost will recruit a Mage not only for the destructive power they bring by casting spells but also for the magical protection they offer during a battle.
The Mage has both the Mage and Commander inherent abilities. They can lead your Warhost if you choose. When you decide to include a Mage, they are accompanied by a handpicked bodyguard chosen to defend them in battle. Over time, these warriors have grown accustomed to witnessing magic in all its guises and are hardened to it.
The warriors forming the group act as a bodyguard and are chosen by selecting the bodyguard profile from the appropriate faction list via the standard rules. Bodyguard warriors can not be armed with ranged weapons as their role is to protect and shield their Mage in melee combat.
Once the group has been created, the Mage selects spells they have decided to use for the coming battle.
Spells
Each Mage has a list of Known Spells to choose from based on their level and type, which they have readied for the duration of the battle. The number of Known Spells that can be prepared equals their number of Actions plus one spell.
A Mage has the freedom to select their spells from the options available to them based on their level and branch. Each spell can be chosen only once per Mage. Some spells may be more powerful and require multiple successes to cast to accurately represent their strength.
Every Mage is taught Dispel Magic as their first spell, which is always considered a Known Spell. Dispel Magic does not count toward the number of spells a Mage can prepare and is always available to them in battle.
Using Magic
Any warrior with the Mage ability is a user of magic and, during a battle, has the option to spend their group Actions to activate magic in one of the following ways:
i) Cast a spell.
ii) Defend against a direct spell attack by casting Dispel Magic as a Reaction.
iii) Attempt to cast Dispel Magic on any spell cast within range or any Spell in play currently in range of the Mage.
Spell Casting Action
To cast the chosen spell, the Mage rolls the number of d10 dice equal to their level. Each spell has a success score noted as part of the Spell Description.
A minimum of one success must be rolled for the spell to work, and any additional successes will likely increase the spell's power.
If successful, the spell is cast using the specified number of Actions. Follow the Spell Description to determine its effect based on the number of successes rolled.
If unsuccessful, the spell fails, using the specified number of Actions and ending the Mage's activation.
NB: More powerful spells can require more Actions or successes, as outlined in the Spell Description.
Dispel Magic as a Reaction
A Mage is not only included in a Warhost to cast spells, they are also expected to nullify enemy magic as well. If they can draw line of sight to an active enemy Mage who is casting a spell, and they are in range, they can try to cast Dispel Magic by declaring a Reaction:
i) The casting Mage rolls a number of dice equal to their level to attempt to cast their spell successfully.
ii) The defending Mage rolls a number of d10s equal to their level to try and dispel the spell being cast.
iii) Compare both dice rolls. Every successful dispel dice nullifies a casting success dice if it beats or equals the result rolled by the casting Mage.
iv) If the Dispel Magic spell is a total success resulting in nullifying all the casting Mage's successes dice, the spell being cast will fizzle out and have no effect.
v) The spell is cast at a strength equal to the number of successes scored by the casting Mage. If the Dispel Magic spell fails to nullify any casting successes dice.
A higher-level Mage should have a greater chance of dispelling magic cast by a lower-level Mage when casting a Dispel Magic spell as a reaction. This is indicated by the number of d10s they roll in accordance with their level.
As you can see, Magic integrates directly into the existing action/reaction mechanism of The Barons' War, making it a smooth and natural addition to the rules. I believe you can't have a fantasy game without it!
