Verb:CHANNEL

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CHANNEL is an alternate method of casting various prepared spells, generally warding attack spells. Once the spell has been prepared, use the command 'CHANNEL {target}' instead of 'CAST {target}'.

Channeling can be used in conjunction with the INCANT verb, provided the necessary settings are changed. Using 'FLAG CHANNELINCANT ON' will let you automatically channel every time you incant on spells that allow it. 'FLAG CHANNELINCANT OFF' will turn this feature off. INCANT will work normally on other spells.

Warding attacks

Most channel-enabled warding spells behave similarly.

For these spells:

  • Channeling incurs 3 seconds of hard roundtime, which runs concurrent with the 3 second cast roundtime. The hard roundtime portion can be modified by haste/slow effects.
  • Channeling gives a benefit if at least one hand is open, but extra benefit is garnered by having both open.
  • Channeling garners additional benefit when used from an aggressive stance. The more aggressive the stance, the bigger the benefit.

Channeling provides additional damage by boosting the effective warding margin of a spell. Thus a channeled spell with bonuses of 25 and a warding roll of 101 would do the same damage as a cast spell with a warding roll of 126. Stance gives a bonus of 5 at guarded and 20 at offensive which is multiplied by the number of open hands. Casters wielding two-handed weapons, such as runestaves, are considered to have one open hand (as long as they are not also holding another item).

STANCE
OFF
ADV
FOR
NEU
GUA
One Open Hand
+20
+16
+12
+8
+5
Two Open Hands
+40
+32
+24
+16
+10

This bonus is added on top of any other applicable warding margin bonuses, such as an incapacitated target (+15 for most spells), or the charge-up effect of Fervent Reproach.

Special cases

Only factors in stance, not open-handedness.

Other uses

Certain non-attack spells also have a Channel option, which usually exists to differentiate between varying modes of the spell.

Channel to permanently ensorcell an item.

Channel to break the weapon bond.

See Also