(also known as "Waving Hands" and "Spellbinder")
Go to the full Spell Descriptions
This version of Spellcaster is derived from the version printed in the "Duel Purpose" fanzine by Mike Lean, and scanned, OCR'ed and edited by Andrew Buchanan. I've converted it to HTML, adding hyperlinks as appropriate, and rearranged some sections - mainly putting the spells on a separate page, and arranging the spells in alphabetical order within each grouping. I have not yet converted the sample annotated game that was included with this ruleset, and may include one of our games as a sample instead. I have done some minor text editing, mainly using standard American English spellings rather than the original British spellings. I will be adding commentary to clarify the rules where appropriate; commentary will appear as red text in brackets, [thus].
This is a game concerning the imaginary conflict between two powerful wizards in a duel of sorcery. The two opponents perform magical gestures with their hands to create their supernatural weapons - spells. Some are so potent as to be able to blind a man, call forth terrifying creatures, or even kill the unfortunate victim instantly. Consequently each wizard must rely on his own cunning to be able to time enough defensive spells to avoid the brunt of his adversary's attack, yet force in sufficient offensive spells of his own to crack the magical armor of his opponent, and kill the wizard outright. The game is an attempt to capture the spirit of such a battle in as simple yet exciting way as possible. The only equipment needed is pencil, paper and opponent. Time taken varies between 15 - 30 minutes. [In fact, the game can easily take a couple hours, depending upon the players.] The inventor wishes to state that he has never been involved in a magical duel but would be interested to discover how realistic the game is for those who have...
The activities of wizards, and those of the monsters they create, are written down simultaneously in secret, both players for their respective selves and monsters but occasionally for their opponent or one of his creatures as dictated by certain spells. After both have completed this, their moves are exposed at the same time and dealt with as if they occurred coincidentally. Certain spells may alter these circumstances - for example, you don't get to see all of your opponent's moves if he is invisible.
Each of these periods of activity is a turn. In a turn, the player's wizard can either gesture with his hands for part of a spell, stab with his knife, or do nothing. They use both hands and both hands can act either independently or in concord with the other. Monsters cannot make magical gestures but will obey their master's commands exactly - although the identity of the master could change as a result of enchantment. Since wizards are trained intelligent humans they are able to gesture and attack using both hands independently or in conjunction. Each monster, being an untrained, unintelligent biped, attacks the same way every time and picks whichever victim its master decides. As a result, only wizards can gesture and cast spells. Players personally acquainted with monsters who wish to vouch for their ability to cast spells are requested to keep quiet.
Spells are created by strings of gestures made with the hands. There are five single-handed gestures, these being with:
There is one two-handed gesture, the clap (C), which must be done simultaneously with both hands to be valid. (The meaning of each gesture can be safely forgotten as only the abbreviations are used, for simplicity.)
The other things which can be done with the hand are the non-gestures:
To cast a spell, gestures are put in an order characteristic of a spell. A brief list of spells including the gestures needed for them is given on the Spell Lists page; full descriptions are provided on the Spell Descriptions page. For example, three finger gestures on consecutive turns (F-F-F) initiates a Paralysis spell. The uniqueness of the game, however, is that gestures can be made to operate in more than one spell, provided that:
For instance, the left hand could cast the F-F-F above and could be followed by S-S-D-D in the next four turns to finish off a Fireball spell (F-S-S-D-D) as the last five gestures are those associated with that spell. Another alternative is to simply perform another F for a second Paralysis spell, as the last three gestures are still F-F-F. Thus, it is apparent that if spells are used in a wise manner and overlap a lot, the overall number of gestures needed to cast them can be cut quite dramatically.
If a gesture can be construed to create two or more spells then the caster chooses which one he wants to use. For example, the last two gestures of a Finger of Death are the same as Missile, yet only on odd occasions would the latter be used. Another example of the one-spell-per-gesture concept is the following:
Right hand: - P P W S - Last 4 gestures form Invisibility
Left hand: - W W W S - Last 3 gestures form Counter-spell
The trouble here is the Invisibility spell needs both hands to perform certain gestures. However, since the final S of the left hand cannot complete two spells it is clear that a choice must be made between the W-W-S of the Counter-spell and the P-P-(w-(s of the Invisibility. (Here and in the rest of the document an open parenthesis, followed by a lower-case letter, denotes a gesture to be performed with *each* hand simultaneously. For example, "(w" denotes a W by each hand.) The caster must choose one spell if the gestures are completed in the correct sequence. [*See note below.] Most of these are shot off to nowhere if not required but some cannot be, for example Fire Storm which gets you no matter where it is released. Some of the larger spells have smaller ones incorporated within.
[*We have been playing that a wizard can choose to not cast a spell, even when he has completed the gestures. Consequently, we've read this sentence to refer to the situation just described, when the gestures could complete more than one spell. However, the rules posted at the Game Cabinet, edited by Ken Tidwell, have a different reading of this sentence. His version reads, "If the caster completes a series that casts a spell, intentionally or unintentionally, the spell must be cast."]
All spells and monsters need a target, that is someone or something to be the victim. This is usually obvious, for example all enchantments and damage spells are usually cast at the opponent, whereas protection spells and summonings are used by the caster himself. However, if your target is not the usual one, (e.g. you wish to cast a Counter-spell at your own monster to stop a Charm Monster spell from making it attack you), then the target must be written down with the gestures. The target need not exist, for example, "the Elemental he's about to create," but if it still doesn't exist when you loose the spell then you lose the spell. Monsters will usually attack their controller's opponent but if the target is different, e.g. another monster, then it must be written.
Spells can be aborted any way along their development simply by performing a gesture with the hand doing the spell which is not one needed for that spell. There is no penalty, save having wasted some time. Note that no spells contain "stab" or "nothing" (C with just one hand is the same as nothing) and consequently after pursuing one of these alternatives, any spell must start from scratch. Note also that wizards only have one dagger each so cannot stab twice at the same time, although they can change hands for stabbing without wasting time. Such are the disadvantages of physical violence...
Certain spells cancel each other if they take effect simultaneously. An obvious example is Finger of Death and Raise Dead. Cancellation occurs when the subject for the spells concerned is the same person, although there are some of the heat-versus-cold variety which don't care who is the subject. Other spells which cancel harmlessly are mostly the enchantments which direct that something be done which it is impossible to obey due to some contradiction (e.g. you cannot both repeat last turn's gestures and give a random gesture with one hand, as you would if the subject of the spells Amnesia and Confusion at once). If you have a situation where someone is the subject of some spells which seem to cancel yet which aren't mentioned in the section on spells, use your common sense (or someone else's) and you can't go far wrong.
Since spells detonate simultaneously, there is occasionally confusion over spells which don't cancel yet which seem to depend on which happened first. The best example is when a monster is created and, on the same turn, hit by a Fireball, or something else sufficient to kill it. Since both are simultaneous, the monster will attack that turn whilst being destroyed. There are some examples explicitly mentioned, for example ice elementals in Ice Storm or Counter-spell/Dispel Magic against all other spells, but these are clearly stated in the final section. Another example of a seeming conflict is when someone who is resistant to fire is the subject of both a Remove Enchantment and Fireball; the enchantment is removed as the Fireball explodes (since they are simultaneous) hence the poor victim is fried. If instead, he were not resistant to fire and was hit by a Resist Heat and Fireball at once then he would start to resist fire as the Fireball exploded and thus be saved.
Before the battle commences, the referee casts a Dispel Magic followed by an Anti-spell at each of the wizards. This is so that they cannot commence gesturing prematurely so that they've nearly finished a spell when they start the battle. Thus being resistant to fire in your last battle doesn't do you any good in the next.
Go to the Spell Lists with Gestures
Go to the full Spell Descriptions
Each wizard can sustain 14 points of damage but on the 15th or above he dies and the surviving wizard is declared the winner. Simultaneous death is a posthumous draw. Damage given to wizards and monsters is cumulative (so you don't have to do it all in one go!). Dead monsters take no further part in the game.
There is another alternative to being killed, namely the surrender. This is not a spell, but a pair of P gestures made by both hands at the same time. See the final section for details.
[It is worth noting here that, as implied by the possibility of accidentally surrendering, the "surrender" gesture does not negate any spellcasting you may be completing that round. For example, if you had started a Resist Heat (WWFP) in turn 1, and a Counter-spell (WPP) in turn 2, in turn 4 you would complete both spells and they would take effect, but you would also surrender because of the double P gestures. However, this also means that when deliberately surrendering, you can choose to use one of the P gestures to cast a Shield spell, and thus have some protection against a cheap dagger kill while surrendering.]
Converted to HTML format by Philip LaRose, November 15, 2003
Revised and annotated February 17, 2004