In the world of Evenfall, magic resides in four groups called "Schools": Elemental, Light, Dark and Psychic. In this post, I'll be going through these schools and showing what makes them each totally unique.

Elemental - Stubborn and Natural

Elemental magic draws its power from the world around you. It encapsulates fire, water in all forms, earth, air and beyond. Tangible worldly fixtures are at your disposal.

The school of elemental magic is the most well-rounded. It does not excel at any one thing, but is capable of most of the utilities of magic: damaging, healing, conjuring, stunning, slowing and more. This magic is generally safe to approach and very controllable. Each element has its own sort of behavior, but all are one under this umbrella of magic. Earth is stubborn and strong, and may leave you exhausted. Fire is deadly and powerful and capable of causing havoc. Water is soothing and healing, yet dangerous in its own right when frozen. Combining the elements creates even more possibilities. With the spell Misty Cover, you can conjure an illusion of invisibility, letting you walk right past enemies of lower ability.

Elemental magic may seem to most as an entry level school of magic, but a master of the elements is a terrific force.

Mastering this school of magic will grant an endless torrent of spells. Truly become a master of the elements around you, healing from water supplies, crushing opponents with rocky spires, defending yourself with a shield of earth and propelling yourself across the vast world with jets of fire.

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Light - Focused and Pure

Light magic draws power from the heavens, if there are any. Even among those who have mastered light, the source of the power is heavily debated. Some believe it comes from the sun, given that light magic is noticeably weaker at night, or during overcast. Some believe it comes from the energy in the air, citing that while overcast dims the power, lightning storms seem to let it thrive. Some still believe it comes from some kind of diety, though religion has largely faded in Evenfall.

Light magic is unique in that it doesn't need to travel through the environment, as most spells manifest at the point they are cast. Smite an enemy with a powerful strike from the skies, or wield the power of electricity with deadly sparks flying about. Light spells have a delay, but are strong in their own right. You may need to think ahead, but the rewards are stunning. Polaris, for example, is a spell which binds a trap of focused light. It must be cast in an area free from organic matter, but should an enemy tread over a trap, the trap will deal massive damage as it detonates. Gods or not, mastering Light magic will imbue you with god-like power, freeing you from the tethers of this world. What better way to destroy your enemy than with the most abundant source of power at your side?

Dark - Wild and Deadly

Contrasting Light, Dark magic calls upon the powers of the outworld to do your bidding, at a cost.

Dark magic spells can hurt not just your enemies, but you. If you misuse this power, it will strike you back.

Binding, a fast, low cooldown projectile which deals heavy damage, will damage you instead if you miss your target. Hunger, which releases several hungry spirits, will satisfy their hunger on you if they cannot find a better target. Yet, these are some of the most powerful offensive spells in the game.

Luckily, those who tread into the world of Dark magic have a secret: Soul Feast. Soul Feast is a passive ability which allows you to heal from gaining Dark experience. As long as you are killing, you can heal.

Mastering Dark magic will give you command over the outworld, allowing you to orchestrate massive uprisings and find shelter from the otherwise indiscriminate power.

Psychic - Adaptive and Acute

Psychic magic. Strange, mindful powers beyond the comprehension of most people. The Psychic school of magic is feared, sometimes more than Dark, from the unknowns around those who practice it.

Few and far between, Psychic masters have been known to go insane, disappear completely, or cause catastrophic shifts in the minds of hundreds of people. There are only a handful of Psychic spells, each of which can be learned quickly by an arcane, but as you grow and learn more, the way these spells manifest can change. Gaining levels in the Psychic school of magic will unlock an endless array of modifiers to the few spells, which allow you to customize your magic to your needs. Fighting long ranged enemies? Equip a loadout which enhances your range. Need to damage larger areas? Equip a modifier to cause psychic explosions all around you when casting spells. Stacking modifiers to your advantage grants an unparalleled level of adaption for Psychic mages.

Mastering Psychic magic will let you see the world for what it truly is, and in turn, empower you beyond the psysical plane.

Combining Powers

While the magics are split into four schools, there are spells which have arisen that span multiple schools, drawing some properties of each. As you adventure through Evenfall, you will come across all sorts of magics, even combinations once thought impossible, such as Light and Dark.

This is just a first look at the magic in Evenfall. In future posts, I'll be going through specific spells, items and more. Additionally, the second round of closed playtesting will take place in the near future, so be sure to follow the Evenfall Twitter or sign up for the Evenfall Mailing List for updates.