Editing Slayers (section)

====Spellcasting====
Using magic in Slayers is simple, because rather than getting bogged down in reagents and tools, all it requires is the knowledge of the spell and a standard action. However, this doesn't give spellcasters free-reign; there is still spell drain, and if being attacked or Taunted or failing a spell's DC they will have to make Concentration checks or else lose control of the spell.

Spell drain is the means of keeping magic under control in the D20 system. When a player announces they will cast a spell, they must first make a Fortitude save to see how much a spell exhausts them to cast (going back to the "pool and bucket capacity" analogy from earlier). The DC of this fortitude save is the base DC of the spell being cast, with additional modifiers based on metamagic feats that are applied on the fly.

Spell drain is usually nonlethal damage, meaning that hitting 0 hit points or lower only renders the player unconscious, but if the spellcaster is exhausted prior to casting a spell, it will be lethal to cast that magic. Damage dealt by drain like this doesn't go through a Concentration check, and the drain damage isn't received until after the spell is fired. That means that if a spell would render a spellcaster unconscious after using it, the spell still resolves normally. Moreover, spells use the highest class-based Fortitude save bonus available when casting a spell. A multi-classed wizard / sorcerer using a Fireball, which is both a Common and Sorcerous spell, would get the Fortitude save from whichever class offers the best Magical Training.

:'''Passing a save by 10 or more''': 1/2 base drain (rounded down), no control check;
:'''Passing by less than 10''': Base drain, no control check;
:'''Failing by less than 10''': Double base drain, control check required;
:'''Failing by 10 or more''': Double base drain, control check required, spellcaster fatigued

If the Fortitude save fails, this doesn't mean the spell has completely misfired. A control check is 1d20 + the character's total caster levels + the relevant ability modifier for the spell. Common spells have a Constitution modifier; Sorcery, Intelligence; Shamanism, Wisdom; and White, Charisma. Use whichever modifier is higher if a spell is listed under two lists, such as Fireball under Common and Sorcery. The DC of this check is the spell's DC - 10. If this check is successful, the spell is cast as normal. If the check fails, the spell may simply fizzle out if it's a weak spell, or have funny, awkward consequences than causing the spellcaster harm. Of course, there are certain limits to what may be humorous for failing a spell. [[Rocks_fall,_everyone_dies|Miscasting a Giga Slave should, in almost all circumstances, cause the world to be consumed by the Lord of Nightmares and immediately terminate the campaign.]] But, hey, I'm not your GM, maybe it'll make the caster fart rabbits.