Bastion Puzzles: Spellcasting

Ah, welcome back recruit! May your path be blessed this day. I am Sannir. I will be conducting your training today. If you have not already passed , it would be wise to go back to them now. A willingness to defend the bastion shows that you are ready to sacrifice your life, but that is not necessary if you have all the right skills. Today, I will teach you the ways of spellcasting.

Before we begin, you must know that all life is connected. Yours. Mine. Even the lives of our enemies are connected to us. Recognizing that we are a part of a larger web of life can have many benefits. In combat, it means that you can convert the lifeforce of your fallen enemies into powerful spells that you can cast.

What kind of spells you ask? The speed spell, for example, allows you to quickly dash across the bastion. After moving, you can cast the speed spell to immediately move again, though you can’t take actions between the movements. Other spells aid you in combat. The fireball spell allows you to imbue an attack with deadly flames. When a hero on your tile attacks an enemy, you can cast fireball spells to reduce the mana needed for that attack. One-power fireballs reduce the mana by one, and two-power fireballs reduce it by two. You will always have to spend at least one mana, though. Finally, the alchemy spell also helps combat, and can be cast when you attack. This spell transmutes your mana, allowing you to spend mana in any combination of colors for that attack.

Effectively casting spells requires patience. While it might be tempting to use your spells right away, you should respect the gift your fallen enemy has given you and wait for the most opportune moment. Further, each spell can be cast at a certain time and you must learn to recognize the best moments to unleash their power.

Spells are powerful tools for defending the bastion, but you must not become overly reliant on them. It is important for you to strike a delicate balance between using them and the basic actions of moving, attacking, and channeling. Only a warrior completely in tune with themselves and their compatriots can hope to mount an effective defense.

Now, are you ready to get your first taste of casting spells? To pass these tests, you’ll need to incorporate casting spells with the three basic actions. Breath deep. Focus yourself. Remember the lessons from your first tests! You can take each of the basic actions only once per turn, but you can take them in any order. Can you effectively add spellcasting to these actions? Let’s see what you’ve got.

You have three turns to attack all the enemies. Go.

You’re progressing nicely. I see real potential in you. Ready to move on to your next test? You have three turns. Attack all the enemies. Go. 

Check back for the solutions to these puzzles and to continue your training soon!