Dark Catalyst (719)
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Using their own magic, the sorcerer causes the mana of the target to manifest into elemental energy, causing mana loss and massive damage. A successful cast will generally yield a small mana return to the caster, between one mana and fourteen mana. This spell is modified by training in Elemental Lore, Elemental Mana Control, and Spiritual Mana Control.
Target Categories
For the purposes of this spell, there are three types of targets: non-magical, semi-magical, and magical. Non-magical targets are those with little or no mana (professions of warrior and rogue are both included under this). These targets will take very little damage from this spell. Semi-magical targets are those targets with mana that are not primarily spell casters (the professions of bard, ranger, and paladin are included in this). These targets will be seriously affected by the spell, but the damage done is directly proportional to the amount of mana catalyzed by the spell. Consequently, casts beyond the first one are unlikely to be particularly effective (as they will generally have lost most of their mana from the first cast). Magical targets are those that are primarily spell casters. These targets will suffer the most damage from the spell. Unlike semi-magical targets, subsequent casts will do similar amounts of damage regardless of the target’s mana level (there will be a slight reduction in damage as they lose mana, but it is hardly noticeable).
Damage
There are five total damage sources for each cast. One from fire, one from ice, one from impact, one from lightning, and then an initial “essence” damage that is minimal and has no critical wound. After the damage cycles are complete, the spell will return a small to moderate amount of mana to the caster. Training in Elemental Lore will increase the damage and severity of the critical wound for the corresponding element type. Elemental Lore, Air ranks will modify the lightning damage, and Elemental Lore, Earth ranks will modify the impact damage. Every rank aids in the damage, but diminishing returns come into play after twenty ranks in any particular lore. The amount of mana returned and the damage done is modified by training in Elemental Mana Control and Spiritual Mana Control.
While this spell does a hefty amount of health damage, be aware that its real power is in its critical wounds. As a heavy “crit” spell, it will routinely kill semi-magical and magical targets in one cast from wounds alone. However, this means that using it on noncorporeal creatures is generally less effective than, say, an offensively channeled disintegrate spell.