Mote: Quick Casting — Hastened Arcana
Description: This Mote allows a Magic-User to cast spells more quickly through preparation and physical investment. It rewards tactical foresight and resource management, trading preparation time and gold for speed advantages in combat.
Acquiring and Ranking: Uses the standard Mote system and Class Skill rules.
Skill Check Mechanic: All Quick Casting abilities require a successful DEX-based skill check. The effective Skill Level equals the caster’s DEX score plus accumulated rank bonuses. Roll under the Skill Level for success.
Re-learning Requirement: Applying Quick Casting to spells learned before Enchantment rank requires re-learning those spells with this Mote applied. Re-learning follows standard rules — treat the success chance as if the spell were three levels higher than its actual level. Research time is 3 days plus 1 day per spell level of the original spell.
Exception: Any spell learned after achieving Enchantment rank may be imbued or cast normally without re-learning. See Enchantment rank for full details.
Imbued Object Rules (All Ranks from Charm onward): #
Object Requirement: Each imbued spell requires a physical object worth 20sp per spell level as a vessel. A 1st level spell requires a 20sp object. A 3rd level spell requires a 60sp object.
Component Timing: All material components required by the spell are consumed at the time of imbuing, not at activation. The activation requires no additional components beyond presenting the object.
Duration: An imbued object retains its stored spell for 24 hours. The duration may be extended by another 24 hours by expending the memorized spell again — the object itself is not replaced or consumed during extension.
Activation: Imbued objects activate during Phase 1 Maneuver and Missile of the combat sequence, before Phase 2 Magic and Manifestation. This earlier activation triggers the surprise mechanic — the first time any opponent encounters an imbued object activating in Phase 1 rather than the expected Phase 2 they must make a Surprise check. If surprised they suffer a -2 penalty to their saving throw against the spell’s effect. Subsequent encounters with the same tactic by the same opponent do not trigger this check.
Object Consumption: The object is consumed when the spell activates. Failed skill checks and unused imbued objects that expire do not consume the object.
Cantrip Rank — Pre-Casting #
The caster learns to prepare a spell during one round for instant release at the start of the next.
Rule: During the current round the caster spends their entire action preparing a specific spell — components are assembled, verbal components are partially begun, and the spell is held ready. No movement, attack, or other action may be taken during this preparation round.
Activation: The prepared spell fires during the Intentions phase of the following round before initiative is rolled and before any other actions are declared. This means the spell resolves before anyone else acts regardless of initiative results.
Skill Check: A successful DEX-based Quick Casting check is required. On a failure the caster loses their action for the preparation round, shuffling components without completing preparation.
Risk: The caster commits to the spell before knowing what will occur in the following round. A pre-cast area of effect spell that strikes unexpected friendly creatures is entirely the caster’s responsibility — targets are determined at the time of activation based on whatever occupies the target area when the spell fires.
Pre-Combat Preparation: The caster may prepare a spell before an encounter begins, allowing them to enter combat with a spell ready to fire in the Intentions phase of the first round. The caster takes the risk of not knowing what opponents or friendly creatures may be present when the spell fires.
Charm Rank — Imbued Objects #
The caster learns to store spell energy in physical objects for rapid deployment.
Skill Bonus: Quick Casting Skill Level increases by +1.
Imbuing: Spells re-learned with this Mote applied may have their energy stored in a physical object following the Imbued Object Rules above.
Limit: One imbued object per spell level may be maintained simultaneously. The caster may have one imbued 1st level spell, one imbued 2nd level spell, and so on up the spell level chain.
Incantation Rank — Increased Imbuing #
The caster’s mastery allows more simultaneous imbued objects.
Skill Bonus: Quick Casting Skill Level increases by an additional +1, cumulative with Charm rank.
Limit Increase: The caster may now maintain two imbued objects per spell level simultaneously.
Enchantment Rank — New Spell Learning #
The caster’s mastery reaches a point where new spells are naturally compatible with Quick Casting without re-learning.
Skill Bonus: Quick Casting Skill Level increases by an additional +1, cumulative with previous ranks.
New Spell Exemption: Any spell learned after achieving Enchantment rank — regardless of source including regularly researched spells, Mote-granted spells, or spells acquired through other Mote systems — may be imbued or cast normally without re-learning. The caster chooses at the time of use whether to cast the spell normally or use it as an imbued spell.
Previously Learned Spells: Spells already in the caster’s spellbook before achieving Enchantment rank still require re-learning to gain Quick Casting benefits.
Grand Mote Rank — Masterful Imbuing #
The caster achieves simultaneous casting capability alongside full imbuing mastery.
Limit Increase: The caster may now maintain three imbued objects per spell level simultaneously.
Non-Material Component Slot: Additionally the caster may maintain one non-material component imbued spell per spell level. This slot does not require the 20sp per spell level object cost — the spell is imbued without a physical vessel. All other imbued object rules apply including the 24 hour duration, extension mechanic, and Phase 1 activation.
Total Quick Cast Options Per Spell Level:
- Three standard imbued objects (20sp per spell level each, material components consumed at imbuing)
- One non-material component imbued spell (no object cost, material components still consumed at imbuing if required by the spell)
Simultaneous Casting: When the non-material component imbued spell activates in Phase 1 Maneuver and Missile it consumes no action for the round. The caster retains their full action for Phase 2 Magic and Manifestation, allowing a regular memorized spell to be cast in the same round.
Example: A caster with a non-material component imbued Fireball activates it in Phase 1 against charging enemies. In Phase 2 they cast a memorized Hold Person against the enemy commander. Both spells resolve in the same round with no action penalty.
Quick Casting Skill Level Progression #
| Mote Rank | Rank Bonus | Effective Skill Level (DEX 13 example) |
|---|---|---|
| Cantrip | +0 | 13 |
| Charm | +1 | 14 |
| Incantation | +2 | 15 |
| Enchantment | +3 | 16 |
| Grand Mote | +3 | 16 |
