User:Wizy/Chain Spells

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Chain spells are custom spells that take advantage of the game mechanics, such spells temporally increase the current Magicka by an amount greater than the cost of the spell itself, allowing the player to cast the same spell infinitely.

Chain spells are particularly useful for characters born under the Atronach Birthsign and characters with a small Magicka pool or low Willpower. However the strongest chain versions may be useful for anyone.

A chain spell consists of two sets of effects, the Magicka manipulation, and the desired additional effects. The possible Magicka manipulation effects are:

• Fortify Magicka: Temporally adds an amount of Magicka equal to its magnitude to both the current and maximun Magicka.
  • When the effect dispels the current and maximun Magicka are reduced by that amount, however it can not reduce the current Magicka below zero.
• Fortify Intelligence: Temporally increases the Intelligence attribute, effectively increasing both the current and maximun magicka by two times its magnitude.
  • This is true even when Intelligence surpasses 100.
  • When the effect dispels the current and maximun Magicka are reduced by two times the magnitude, it is possible to end up with a negative value in the current Magicka this way.
• Drain Magicka: Temporally reduces the current and maximun magicka, however it can not reduce the current Magicka below zero.
  • Its function in chain spells is to increase the current Magicka. From a negative value, to zero.

The additional effects can be anything, the only exceptions are effects already present in the spell. Note that Fortify Intelligence is a Fortify Attribute effect, if Fortify Intelligence is part of the Magicka manipulation, no other Fortify Attribute can be added to the same spell.

Stub

Description

Chain spells are those which take advantage of the game's spell mechanics to enable the player to cast the spell as many times as desired. They are usually defensive in nature, due to the limitation that they must be cast "on Self". (the original description that was in the page, with a wrong sentence struck)

Spell chaining is the creation of a spell that provides its own magicka. Once you cast it the first time, you will always have enough magicka to cast it again as long as the temporary magicka are still available. This works by taking advantage of the temporary magicka you get via Fortify Magicka and Fortify Intelligence, and also Oblivion's internal coding that does not allow Magicka to go below 0. (The description written by ZirePhoenix in his sandbox.)

Chain spells are custom spells with high magicka cost which can be cast infinitely. In order to maintain the chain, the spell must be re-cast within a certain time interval (otherwise the chain is "broken"). When the chain is broken, you end up with 0 magicka (but will regenerate of course). Using other spells might also break the chain (especially different chain spells). (The description written by Borbarad in his sandbox.)

General Rules

• Fortify Intelligence should be placed before Fortify Magicka and/or Drain Magicka in the list of effects.
• Fortify Magicka should be placed before Drain Magicka.
• If the fortify effects wear off before the spell is recast, the Magicka pool will deplete and the chain will fail.

Base Spells

• Fortify Magicka M pts for D secs on Self
• Additional effects

Cost ≤ 0.5 * M
i.e. Total casting cost should be equal or less to half the magnitude of the Fortify Magicka effect.

• Fortify Magicka 100 pts for D secs on Self
• Additional effects

Cost ≤ 50

• Fortify Magicka 100 pts for D secs on Self
• Drain Magicka 3 pts for D secs on Self
• Additional effects

Cost ≤ 100

• Fortify Intelligence 100 pts for D secs on Self
• Fortify Magicka 100 pts for D secs on Self
• Additional effects

Cost ≤ 150

• Fortify Intelligence 100 pts for D secs on Self
• Drain Magicka 3 pts for D secs on Self
• Additional effects

Cost ≤ 200

• Fortify Intelligence 100 pts for D secs on Self
• Fortify Magicka 100 pts for D secs on Self
• Drain Magicka 3 pts for D secs on Self
• Additional effects

Cost ≤ 300

Duration

The duration (D) of the fortify effects should be at least two seconds, in which case it will be necessary to hold block while casting continuously. If set to three seconds, it is necessary to cast continuously but block is not needed. If set higher than that, it is possible to delay between casts as long as the spell is recast before the fortify effects wear off.

Spell Efectiveness

To calculate the required cost when spell effectiveness is under 100%, we simply reduce it to that percentage.
e.g. if spell effectiveness is 95% the total cost should be ≤ 142 instead of 150.

Mechanics

• Fortify Magicka temporary adds an amount of magicka equal to its magnitude to both the current and maximun magicka.
• Fortify Intelligence temporary increases the Intelligence attribute, effectively increasing both the current and maximun magicka by two times its magnitude.
  • This is true even when Intelligence surpasses 100.
• Drain Magicka temporary reduces the current and maximun magicka. Its use in chaining is explained below.

The order of events is as follows: (starting from a subsequent cast, when the effects are already active)

1. The temporary effects are removed in the order shown in the spell description.
2. The cost of the spell is substracted.
3. The temporary effects are applied in the reverse order shown in the spell description.

Important facts:

• The aplication(?) of Drain Magicka and the termination of Fortify Magicka can not reduce the magicka below 0.
• Any indirect manipulation of magicka, e.g. Intelligence change or a spell cast, can reduce magicka below 0.
• Even when the magicka is less than 0 and Fortify Magicka is removed, Drain Magicka is applied(?) or Drain Magicka is removed, it becomes 0.

(?=still unverified, it is possible that the termination of drain magicka is what causes the reset)

When we consider a basic chain spell, consisting of fortify magicka 100 pts and an adittional effect wich total cost is 50, it goes the following:

1. Magicka = 50; After last spell was cast.
2. Magicka = 0; Fortify Magicka effect is removed, but the effect can not reduce Magicka below 0.
3. Magicka = -50; Spell cost is substracted.
4. Magicka = 50; Fortify Magicka is applied.

With Fortify Intelligence the process varies, given the spell:

• Fortify Intelligence 100 pts on Self
• Fortify Magicka 100 pts on Self
• Additional effects wich increase the cost to 150

1. Magicka = 150; After last spell was cast.
2. Magicka = -50; Fortify Intelligence is removed reducing Magicka below 0.
3. Magicka = 0; Fortify Magicka is removed but since it can not reduce Magicka below 0, it resets Magicka to 0.
4. Magicka = -150; Spell cost is substracted.
5. Magicka = -50; Fortify Magicka is applied.
6. Magicka = 150; Fortify Intelligence is applied.

Drain Magicka allows to reset the Magicka to 0 at the right time effectively increasing the final amount, this is how the following spell works:

• Fortify Intelligence 100 pts on Self
• Fortify Magicka 100 pts on Self
• Drain Magicka 3 pts on Sef
• Additional effects wich increase the cost to 300

1. Magicka = 300; After last spell was cast.
2. Magicka = 100; Fortify Intelligence is removed.
3. Magicka = 0; Fortify Magicka is removed.
4. Magicka = -300; Spell cost is substracted.
5. Magicka = 0; Drain Magicka is applied and since it can not return a value below 0, it resets Magicka to 0.
6. Magicka = 100; Fortify Magicka is applied.
7. Magicka = 300; Fortify Intelligence is applied.

Magicka Cost

The base cost for the related effects are:

• Fortify Magicka: 0.15
• Fortify Intelligence: 0.6
• Drain Magicka: 0.18

The formula for on Self spells is:

ActualCost = BaseCost * Magnitude^1.28 * Duration * SkillModifier * 0.1

SkillModifier = 1.4 - 0.012 * Skill

Skill Level	10	20	30	40	50	60	70	80	90	100
SkillModifier	1.28	1.16	1.04	0.92	0.8	0.68	0.56	0.44	0.32	0.2

• Note: The hidden bonus given by Luck should be taken into account when defining the value of Skill.
  • Skills are increased by 40% of however many points of Luck the character has over 50; e.g., for a Luck of 60, skills are increased by 4. (40% of 10)

Luck	50	53	55	58	60	65	70	75	80	85	90	95	100
Skill Bonus	0	+1	+2	+3	+4	+6	+8	+10	+12	+14	+16	+18	+20

Fortify Magicka

ActualCost = Magnitude^1.28 * Duration * SkillModifier * 0.015

If Magnitude = 100, we can deduce the following formula:

ActualCost = 5.4462 * Duration * SkillModifier

Restoration Level	10	20	30	40	50	60	70	80	90	100
Cost per second	6.97	6.32	5.66	5.01	4.36	3.7	3.05	2.4	1.74	1.09

e.g., a Fortify Magicka 100 pts for 3 secs on Self, with a restoration level of 40 will cost 15 Magicka. (5.01 * 3 = 15.03)

Fortify Intelligence

ActualCost = Magnitude^1.28 * Duration * SkillModifier * 0.06

If Magnitude = 100, we can deduce the following formula:

ActualCost = 21.7847 * Duration * SkillModifier

Restoration Level	10	20	30	40	50	60	70	80	90	100
Cost per second	27.88	25.27	22.66	20.04	17.43	14.81	12.2	9.59	6.97	4.36

e.g., a Fortify Intelligence 100 pts for 3 secs on Self, with a restoration level of 70 will cost 36 Magicka. (12.2 * 3 = 36.6)

Drain Magicka

ActualCost = Magnitude^1.28 * Duration * SkillModifier * 0.018

If Magnitude = 3, we can deduce the following formula:

ActualCost = 0.0734 * Duration * SkillModifier

Destruction Level	5	25	50	75	100
Cost per second	0.1	0.08	0.06	0.04	0.01

e.g., a Drain Magicka 3 pts for 3 secs on Self, with a destruction level of 25 will cost a mere 0.24 Magicka. Wich in some cases will increase the final cost by one point, but usually the cost will remain unchanged.

Magicka Regeneration

(Secction incomplete, requires further testing)

Magicka per second = (Willpower / 50 + 0.75) * TotalMagicka / 100

Important note: The temporary Fortify effects given by the chain spells should be added to TotalMagicka.

e.g.

• Fortify Magicka 100 pts for 3 secs on Self
• Drain Magicka 3 pts for 3 secs on Self
• Additional effects

with 50 Willpower and 150 TotalMagicka, this spell can cost up to 108~113(?) instead of 100

• This is not tested, these numbers may vary. In theory it could cost up to 113, but it would be necessary to cast the spell every three exact seconds.

Examples

An example of a good chain spell for a character with a Restoration skill of 50 would be:

• Fortify Magicka 100 pts for 5 secs on Self
• Drain Magicka 3 pts for 5 secs on Self
• Restore Health 35 pts for 1 sec on Self

Magicka cost: 97

As long as the same spell is cast again in the 5 seconds time limit, the character's Magicka will never drop below 100. Since the spell's cost is less, you can chain this spell infinitely, restoring 35 Health points on each cast.

Notes

If you use Chain Spells to heal/buff your allies, do not use Drain Magicka, as the spell will be considered an attack.

Useful Links

• Spell Making
• Magic Overview
  • Spell Effectiveness
• Magicka
• Intelligence
• Willpower
• Luck
• Restoration
  • Fortify Magicka
  • Fortify Attribute
• Destruction
  • Drain Magicka
• Revision as of 15:48, June 25, 2010 of Oblivion:Useful Spells
  • Analysis of Spell Chaining and the mechanics (Talk page)
• ZirePhoenix/Sandbox
• Borbarad/Chain Spells