Magic & mages

Mages#

Mages seated in the Casting Room cast ship-scale spells from their own mana, not Flow. At 0 mana they fall into the Hollow. Drink flasks to refill. Higher Casting unlocks spell tiers that bend around wards.

The spell panel shows three casters. With more aboard, its two arrow buttons bring the next caster into view one click at a time; the mouse wheel, or a drag anywhere in the panel, scrolls it too.

A seated mage can also hold a counterspell: switch on the Counterspell button on their row of the spell panel (C does it for the selected mages, or for all of them). While it is on, that mage tries to stop what the enemy sends at your ship: a bolt, shot or spell that was about to hit, or a disk bringing boarders across, which is turned back to its own ship. Each counterspell is an attempt: it works a% of the time for an untrained mage, b% with Practiced Counter and c% with Perfect Counter. A mage learns those two at a new Casting level, or is drilled in them at a magehold for p1 and p2 silver. It costs shot mana for a shot and disk for a disk, whether it works or not, and the mage then needs s s before the next one (per s less for each Casting level).

Counterspell is used like a spell on repeat. Press it once and the mage keeps countering until you press it again or cast another spell with them. A mage counters or casts, never both: casting another spell switches Counterspell off, and switching it on stops the spell they were casting or repeating. With the mage's Auto-repeat (↻) off, it tries for one shot or disk and then turns itself off.

A counterspell cannot stop a beam, the Hush Lens, a Crystal Mortar shell, wisps or a boarding harpoon, and it leaves alone a shot that would have missed. Enemy mages can do the same to your shots, by the same rule and the same chances: a shot they stop ends in a burst of their element with the words "countered (their mage)", and one they miss flies on under the words "counterspell missed". Fire your weapons together so that only one is tried for, or damage their Casting Room.

The Shard#

The Shard is a void crystal. You usually take it from the Collector at the end of Act I, at Fill 3. Its Fill runs from 0 to 12, and the top bar shows it next to your silver.

Filling it. Once per battle, press Shard to arm it: it swallows the next enemy spell shot that would get past your wards, and gains +1 Fill (the Singing Cage fitting lets it do this twice a battle). Each passage into a waypoint under the front adds +1 Fill, and some events add or drain Fill.

The cost. From Fill 8, the front takes one extra step every 3rd passage. Below Fill 8 the Shard does not speed it up.

The upside. At Fill 8+ some event options open (marked [Shard Fill 8+]). At the Cistern, the last boss, each point of Fill can be spent for 1 hull damage that nothing blocks. Fill it to 12 for the Brimming feat, and some endings ask for a high Fill.

Selling it. Some buyers (the Crown, the Undertow) offer silver and standing for it. Without the Shard the front slows: it takes one step less every 4th passage. The Fill and everything it opens are gone.

Mage

A spellcaster who specializes in one element (Fire, Water, Ice, Air, or Stone). Station them in the Casting Room to cast ship spells using their mana.

Striker

An offensive mage whose spells damage enemy rooms and crew.

Warden

A defensive mage whose spells boost shields, protect your rooms and crew, and ferry boarding parties on elemental disks.

Counterspell

Blocks incoming enemy shots or boarding disks. Toggle on for a mage in the Casting Room. Costs 3 mana per shot (6 per disk) with a 6s cooldown (-1s per Casting level). Success chance: 50% base (75% Practiced, 100% Perfect). Cannot block beams, mortars, wisps, or harpoons. Casting an active spell turns Counterspell off.

Mana

Energy used by mages to cast spells. Regenerates slowly over time, or use a Flask to refill it immediately. At 0 mana, the mage becomes Hollow (exhausted) and cannot cast.

Casting (skill)

Spellcasting skill. Increases as the mage casts spells, reducing mana costs and unlocking higher spell tiers. A mage's or natural caster's skill at spells. Each level: spells cost 10% less mana, and +3 mana. Each level opens the next spell tier: Tier II at level 1, Tier III at level 2. Each level: an element disk carries one more crewmate (2 at most). From level 2: a Striker can raise an element disk (a Warden always can). From level 2: a natural caster can cast at ships. Each level: a mage's counterspell is ready again 1 s sooner (6 s with no Casting, 3 s at the least). A counterspell is an attempt: it works 50% of the time, 75% with Practiced Counter and 100% with Perfect Counter (two trainings, taken at a new Casting level or bought at a magehold). Wherever this crewmate casts. A mage must still be seated in the Casting Room to cast at ships. In events: opens the answers marked [Casting 2+]. Grows with every spell cast.

Kin-caster

A beastborn crewmate with innate elemental magic. Knows 1 spell; can cast on your own ship immediately and at enemy ships starting at Casting 2.

Wild caster

An unlicensed mage (Quickener, Mender, Shaper, or Wisper) with powerful non-elemental abilities. Illegal in Charter territory (increases Heat). Higher Control unlocks stronger abilities and prevents accidents.

Control

Measures a wild caster's mastery from 0 (Leaking) to 3 (Full Control). Higher Control prevents magic accidents and unlocks their best abilities.

Flask

Restores +30 mana and +15 HP to a crewmate immediately. Stored in ship supplies and bought at ports or refined from crystal.

The Shard

A void crystal you carry from the end of Act I. Its Fill (0 to 12) rises when it swallows an enemy spell in battle and on each passage under the front. At Fill 8+ the front takes an extra step every 3rd passage, but some event options open, and at the Cistern you can spend Fill as damage. More in How to Play › The Shard.

The Hush

An advancing dead-magic zone that chases you across the map from Act II onward. Drains mana, weakens shields, and disables magic in affected rooms.

Gnome

Small engineers who eat half rations, move through vents (ignoring locked doors), carry 2 devices, and can operate the Construct Bay. All Gnomes start with Tinkering 2 and operate a Tinker's Bench 1 level higher than normal.

Construct

Automated magical units (wisps, crabs, golems, weevils) controlled from the Construct Bay to repair rooms, defend your ship, or sabotage the enemy.

Spells → · Mage schools & abilities →