Phase (704)
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Phase is a versatile spell with several combat and non-combat uses. Each cast costs four (4) mana and typically makes physical matter less substantial under various guises. Given that some of its applications are enhanced with further training in Sorcerous Lore, Demonology, one supposes that matter from Elanthia is temporarily shifted to another plane or valence. In the case of Phase's application to material objects, items made of mithril, which are enruned, and/or with glyphs (including the glyph trap) will resist this spell. Some items with runes or silver in their description may resist this spell. Some herbs, wands, and scrolls have also be known to resist the effects of this magic.
Utility
Phase can be used to walk through some locked doors, pull items out of locked containers, make locked containers weightless, and probe the magical properties of some items, and other miscellaneous applications.
Phasing For Weightlessness
One may cast Phase at most any basic item to turn it into a 'shifting' item of the same type (the item's adjective will be replaced with "shifting"). This shifting item will generally have no weight and therefore not add to one's encumbrance. Shifting items may be put in other containers, but may not be worn or otherwise used for their intended purpose until the reversal of the spell's effect. Phasing the item again, dropping the item, or casting Spirit Dispel (119) or Elemental Dispel (417) at it will end the effect.
- The duration for this effect is 600 sec + 6 sec per Sorcerer Base spell rank (capped at level).
- Phasing a locked container (treasure boxes included) will cause the items within to become weightless as well (certain items within locked and phased containers may continue to resist its effects). Note that the weightless effect only goes one layer deep; that is, items inside a container within the locked container are not made weightless when the locked container is phased. Furthermore, 'locked' is a generalized term, and in regards to Phasing, should be loosely understood to mean any container whose present state prevents the container from being OPENed; thus any items with scripts using other verbs to open and close them would be considered 'locked' in this context if their contents are not directly accessible.
- Common containers such as packs, rucksacks, and satchels can have locks installed on them by a rogue skilled in Lock Mastery; a full list of nouns is found on that page. In order to use only one key, it is possible to have duplicate locks installed on different containers. However, note that a lock assembly can only be duplicated before it is installed, and only by its original creator. Thus, if one wants to use the same key for future containers as well, an extra assembly is required, and the assembly needs to be duplicated by the same rogue.
- Skull Rings are a great way to bypass either the container-type restrictions or lock mastery in general. For example, a pin-worn vest could be locked and phased using a skull ring.
- Many containers created before this feature of phasing was implemented will resist the magic for no reason! Although GMs have suggested a special merchant might remove this anti-magical property from old containers, in practice this service is yet to materialize. As such, always check if a container can be phased before having a lock installed on it.
- Containers will always consider items their original mass when considering its capacity. Thus, the best containers for this purpose are light (5 lbs or less) and have a medium capacity.
- The weight threshold for items phased in this way begins at 10 pounds or under.
Lore Benefit 1
Training in Sorcerous Lore, Demonology increases the amount of weight that can be phased in a locked container by 2 lbs per seed 3 summation of ranks.
Sorcerous Lore, Demonology ranks 0 3 7 12 18 25 33 42 52 63 75 Pounds 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 Sorcerous Lore, Demonology ranks 88 102 117 133 150 168 187 207 228 250 Pounds 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50
Phasing Through Items
- PREP 704 | CAST {portal} to attempt to phase through a portal (e.g. locked door)
- PREP 704 | EVOKE {locked container} to thrust a hand through a container and attempt and pull something out
One may also cast the spell at portals (doors, gates, etc.) or evoke at containers (boxes, sacks, etc.). When cast at a portal, it may cause the caster to move through it to the other side. If evoked at a container, the caster attempts to move their hand through the container, grasp an object within, and remove it.
- Using Phase in this way will always incur a nominal amount of roundtime.
- WARNING: Evoking Phase at boxes can trigger traps.
- Extreme failures can cause the caster's hand to be severed and remain within the container.
- Locked containers can be more difficult to phase through.
Messaging
>evoke kit You gesture at a monogrammed herb kit. Suddenly you notice the kit's form dim slightly as it becomes less substantial. You quickly stick your hand inside it and fish around for something to grab. You grab hold of something and pull it out! You found a beryl-inset platinum clasp! Roundtime: 5 sec. Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.
Miscellaneous Applications
- PREP 704 | CAST {item}
Treasure
Phase can be used to diagnose some items found within the treasure system. When CAST at a given item, if it becomes momentarily insubstantial and appears lighter (becomes shifting) rather than resisting the magic, the following applies to different categories:
- Gems: Indicates it is an orb gem, suitable for use with Holy Receptacle (325) and Charge Item (517).
- Various magic items: Indicates items such as wands; black, blue and white crystals; and crystal, glass and ruby amulets are fresh.
- Scrolls: Indicates it is fresh and suitable for use with Scroll Infusion (714).
Although magic items and scrolls found directly by the caster are certainly known to be fresh, the status or properties of items bought from the pawnshop, given to the caster, or forgotten about may be readily and easily assessed with Phase.
Traps
Phase is also useful with locked treasure boxes to ascertain if they may be trapped with a glyph. As noted at the top of the article, boxes which have a glyph trap will resist this magic (note: CAST Phase, do not EVOKE), but the magical resistance is to Phase is harmless. On the other hand, Piercing Gaze (416) will set off the trap, and Call Lightning (125) will be rebounded to the caster by a glyph trap. Thus, first casting Phase at a treasure box is a good first step to safely opening boxes magically.
Chalk
Both chalks used with Planar Shift (740) can be bundled with Phase. Simply cast Phase at two pieces of chalk, bundle them together, and dispel Phase (likely by dropping once).
Combat
Phase also provides some minor boosts to combat, both offensively and defensively.
Defensive Phasing
- INCANT 704
The self-cast version of Phase acts as a defensive buff against both standard maneuver roll (SMR) systems. The duration is 1200 sec + 60 sec per Sorcerer Base ranks. This benefit can be used by sorcerers only.
Lore Benefit 2
Training in Sorcerous Lore, Demonology increases the SMR benefit by an unknown amount. The bonus increases in a linear progression (per rank), not via threshold or seed.
Messaging
Start
A wave of tingling passes across your body, momentarily casting it into semi-transparency.
Stop
Your body pulses momentarily into semi transparency and then returns to normal.
Phasing Non-Corporeal Creatures
The offensive combat version of Phase. One may cast at non-corporeal undead creatures to temporarily solidify them, making them prone to forms of attack they normally would not be (such as Limb Disruption and Bone Shatter) as well as more susceptible to other spells and attacks. If cast upon a creature with the ability to phase out of existence, it will be prevented from doing so for the duration (creatures with unnatural hiding abilities only, normal hiding abilities will not be prevented).
- This form of casting is subject to a normal warding check, using the caster's Sorcerer Base casting strength.
- The duration for this effect is 20 sec + 3 sec per warding failure.
- Some phasable creatures include: banshee, Ithzir, rotting woodsman, wraith, spectral warrior, lost soul.
Messaging
You begin drawing a faint, twisting symbol while softly intoning the words for Phase... Your spell is ready. You gesture at a fallen crusader. The dull golden nimbus surrounding a fallen crusader suddenly begins to glow brightly. CS: +517 - TD: +367 + CvA: -2 + d100: +34 == +182 Warding failed! A dusky aura flashes around a fallen crusader, catching it off-guard and bringing its translucent silhouette into sharp relief. Slowly the crusader's essence bleeds into thin rivulets towards the center of its being, and a wet, ripping sound resonates from the creature as it solidifies piece-by-piece. Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.
Alchemy Recipe
| Some pale glimmering dust |
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