Ensorcell (735)
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Ensorcell allows sorcerers to enhance weapons, runestaves, shields, and armor by collecting and then infusing necrotic energy into them. Items may be either temporarily or permanently ensorcelled, with varying benefits depending on the nature of the item and the strength of the ensorcellment.
Temporary ensorcellment allows sorcerers (and sorcerers only) to gain temporary life channelling flares on their weapons and runestaves. Life channeling flares allow the beneficiary to absorb some built up necrotic energy and regain some of it as either health, mana, stamina, or spirit (depending on the nature of the attack and random chance). If the beneficiary of the flare is full on the resource that would otherwise be returned, they gain a temporary AS/CS bonus on their next attack. Non-sorcerers wielding temporarily ensorcelled gear may benefit while using it with certain maneuvers (see the related maneuver announcement for more details).
Permanent ensorcellment grants more widespread bonuses. There are 5 tiers of permanent ensorcellment. Shields and armor that are permanently ensorcelled provide the bearer with an +2 bonus to CvA. Weapons and runestaves that are permanently ensorcelled gain permanent life channelling flares (which, unlike the temporary flares, can also be used by non-sorcerers). The strength and frequency of the life channeling flares increase based on the tier of the ensorcellment (+5 AS or +3 CS per tier on the next attack within 30 seconds, with sorcerers gaining a free bonus tier). Training in Sorcerer Lore, Necromancy allows the sorcerer to retain this bonus for one extra attack at 90 ranks or two extra attacks at 180 ranks.
In order to permanently ensorcell an item, the sorcerer must first harvest enough necrotic energy to power the ensorcellment. This is done automatically via killing like-level creatures. A sorcerer can view their progress towards harvesting the amount needed to cast a permanent ensorcellment by casting 735 on themselves. This energy can be stored indefinitely, though there is both a weekly cap on the amount of necrotic energy that can be gained and an overall cap where no more can be stored. Training in Sorcerer Lore, Necromancy (Seed 1) allows for a greater amount of energy to be harvested per kill.
Once enough energy has been harvested, the sorcerer must past a skill check in order to successfully permanently ensorcell the item. If the check passes, the sorcerer transfers the requisite amount of necrotic energy into the item, which then gains an ensorcellment tier. If the check fails, the sorcerer loses 5% of the requisite amount of necrotic energy and may immediately try again, provided that they still possess enough harvested energy.
Primary factors involved in this check are level, Sorcerer Spell Ranks, Wisdom, and Intuition. Secondary factors are Elemental Mana Control Ranks, Spiritual Mana Control Ranks, Arcane Symbols Ranks, and Magic Item Use Ranks. There is a bonus to success if a permanent ensorcellment attempt is made in a magical workshop, and there are penalties for attempting permanent ensorcellment while wouded.
Most weapons, runestaves, shields, and armor are able to accept an ensorcellment (provided they do not resist magic in general), though the difficulty of the skill check increases based on the item's exact properties. If the item is either an enhancive item or a holy item, it requires the use of a special tempering potion (which will become available via Alchemy in the near future) before any permanent ensorcellment may be attempted. All other items require no other components.
See Also