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Magic is one of the staples of fantasy role play. On the table top, all manner of wondrous effects are possible; all you need is a good imagination (and perhaps a pencil and a number of measuring devices) and you can create objects, throw fireballs, summon various critters, turn things into other things, and fly. It's not so easy in a LARP.

Magic in a LARP has the potential to be one of the coolest things ever. Unfortunately, it also has the potential to be very very lame. Even more unfortunately, magic by its very nature pulls players toward effects difficult to represent in a LARP. All of the effects mentioned in the opening paragraph have been tried on the LARP field, with varying degrees of success. But unfortunately, none of them pass the tests of simplicity, playability, and believability.

Let's talk about wall spells. When you cast a Wall of Fire, say, you are calling into existence a physical object that is visible, exists in a certain area, and affects its environment and bodies within it in an obvious way. On the table top, all the GM needs to do is draw a line across the map with a dry-erase marker, and bang, there's your Wall of Fire. All the players can look at the line and know where it is and what it is, and have a pretty good idea of what will happen if they send their characters through it. But in a LARP, the players won't necessarily know any of this stuff. The players present at the time of casting will know that a wall of fire exists. That's all they will agree on. They will almost certainly disagree on its exact size and location. What's more, new arrivals to the scene will run the risk of inadvertently walking through a wall of fire which they had no chance of seeing and avoiding. Perhaps a physical representation of the wall is the answer? Possibly, but then the player will have to carry around either a length of rope (which has the disadvantage of being easily overlooked or being mistaken for mundane rope) or a sheet of plastic (which has the advantage of being very noticeable but the disadvantages of being unwieldy and difficult to place). Both of these physical representations will require an interruption of combat to place. Not having them will almost certainly cause interruptions in combat to argue over where exactly the wall is, who walked through it, and who wouldn't have walked through it if they'd noticed it, which they would have done if there'd really been a wall. . .

With this said, I submit there are only three types of spells inherently LARPable: Damage Dealing, Damage Healing, and Damage Preventing. There is a fourth kind of spell, which I will conveniently call Miscellaneous, that will encompass the odd LARPable spell that doesn't fit in the three main categories. A Damage Dealing spell is LARPable because it is quick (instantaneous), it has a clear effect (subtract X points from your Hit Point total), and it has a clear area of effect (the target). There are no ambiguities of location or size, and the person effected knows exactly how to behave (mentally subtract hit points, falling down if the total is equal to or less than zero). The other three main types are LARPable for similar reasons. This leaves the Miscellaneous category.

For a spell to be LARPable and be unrelated to damage, it needs to pass a few tests. Does it call anything into existence? Does it destroy anything (other than monsters)? Does it summon anything (including monsters)? Does it move anything? Does its effectiveness depend upon the caster's concentration? Is its duration anything other than either "instantaneous" or "permanent until dispelled"? Is its effect, location, size/area of effect at all ambiguous to players who did not see it being cast? Does it look just plain silly? If the answer to all of the above questions is NO, then you have a LARPable spell.

I have included a spell list at the end of this article. The Damage Dealing, Damage Healing, and Damage Preventing lists are abbreviated because they follow a logical progression. To include the entire list would have been a waste of bandwidth. The Miscellaneous list must also be considered to be incomplete simply because there may be other LARPable magical effects I haven't seen or thought of. The terms used in these spell lists are necessarily generic. If you want to call them Earth Spells, Fire Spells, Water Spells, and Air Spells, that's fine. If you want to call Deal Damage 1A "Rain of Fire," go right ahead. In fact, I encourage you to come up with an appropriate, non-generic name. The Destroy Undead series of spells uses generic undead names and can be extrapolated up the ladder of undead power. Please plug in the appropriate undead for your LARP.

Now, there's a downside to using only the most LARPable spells in your LARP. The people who want to be able to fly, turn people into toads, summon fire elementals, and so forth, will be disappointed they can't do that sort of thing. But the playable, believable magic that is left should more than make up for the loss of a bunch of unplayable, borderline believable spells.

Finally, I'd like to invite all you LARPers out there to submit your favorite LARPable spells. Just type them in on the Gamegrene comment form. I may not agree that your spell is playable, but someone else might. The hobby can only benefit. Game on!

LARPable Spells

Damage Dealing
1st level

• Deal damage 1
• Effect: Deals one point of damage to the target
• Range: Touch (use a LARP safe wand or staff to touch the target)
• Area of effect: Target
• Duration: Instant

2nd level

• Deal damage 1A
• Effect: Deals one point of damage to the target
• Range: Throw (Use a LARP safe spell packet)
• Area of effect: Target
• Duration: Instant

• Deal damage 2
• Effect: Heals two points of damage to the target
• Range: Touch (use a LARP safe wand or staff to touch the target)
• Area of effect: Target
• Duration: Instant

3rd Level

• Deal damage 2A
• Effect: Deals two points of damage to the target
• Range: Throw (Use a LARP safe spell packet)
• Area of effect: Target
• Duration: Instant

• Deal damage 3
• Effect: Deals three points of damage to the target
• Range: Touch (use a LARP safe wand or staff to touch the target)
• Area of effect: Target
• Duration: Instant

(And so on)

Damage Healing
1st level

• Heal damage 1
• Effect: Heals one point of damage to the target
• Range: Touch (use a LARP safe wand or staff to touch the target)
• Area of effect: Target
• Duration: Instant

2nd level

• Heal damage 1A
• Effect: Heals one point of damage to the target
• Range: Throw (Use a LARP safe spell packet)
• Area of effect: Target
• Duration: Instant

• Heal damage 2
• Effect: Heals two points of damage to the target
• Range: Touch (use a LARP safe wand or staff to touch the target)
• Area of effect: Target
• Duration: Instant

3rd Level

• Heal damage 2A
• Effect: Heals two points of damage to the target
• Range: Throw (Use a LARP safe spell packet)
• Area of effect: Target
• Duration: Instant

• Heal damage 3
• Effect: Heals three points of damage to the target
• Range: Touch (use a LARP safe wand or staff to touch the target)
• Area of effect: Target
• Duration: Instant

(And so on)

Damage Preventing
Damage preventing spells may not be layered, e.g. seven Armor 1s do not equal seven points of magical armor; they equal one point of magical armor. The 'extra' points are lost. Further, an Armor 3 cast on top of an Armor 2 does not equal five points of magical armor; they equal three points of magical armor. The higher level spell cancels out the lower level spell.

1st level

• Armor 1
• Effect: Creates one point of magical armor, surrounding the target as if it were actual armor. This magical armor is lost in combat as if it were actual armor. The magical armor will absorb all damage until it is 'used up,' at which time the target will begin to take damage normally. Once this magical armor is 'used up,' it is utterly gone. It cannot be repaired; the spell must be recast.
• Range: Touch (use a LARP safe wand or staff to touch the target)
• Area of effect: Target
• Duration: Permanent until dispelled or lost through combat.

2nd level

• Armor 2
• Effect: Creates two points of magical armor, surrounding the target as if it were actual armor. This magical armor is lost in combat as if it were actual armor. The magical armor will absorb all damage until it is 'used up,' at which time the target will begin to take damage normally. Once this magical armor is 'used up,' it is utterly gone. It cannot be repaired; the spell must be recast.
• Range: Touch (use a LARP safe wand or staff to touch the target)
• Area of effect: Target
• Duration: Permanent until dispelled or lost through combat.

3rd Level

• Armor 3
• Effect: Creates three points of magical armor, surrounding the target as if it were actual armor. This magical armor is lost in combat as if it were actual armor. The magical armor will absorb all damage until it is 'used up,' at which time the target will begin to take damage normally. Once this magical armor is 'used up,' it is utterly gone. It cannot be repaired; the spell must be recast.
• Range: Touch (use a LARP safe wand or staff to touch the target)
• Area of effect: Target
• Duration: Permanent until dispelled or lost through combat.

(And so on)

Miscellaneous

1st Level

• Lock
• Effect: Causes any lock it is cast on to engage. This works for latches, bars on doors, etc. as well as mechanical locks.

Range: Touch (use a LARP safe wand or staff to touch the target)

• Area of effect: One Lock
• Duration: Permanent until unlocked.

Notes: To cast this spell, the player must have a piece of chalk with which to write "This lock is Locked." On the door, lid, etc. that the lock is set into. Without the written words "This lock is Locked." other LARPers will not know that this spell has been cast.

• Light
• Effect: Creates a dim light
• Range: Touch (use a LARP safe wand or staff to touch the target)
• Area of effect: One point
• Duration: Permanent until the light stick goes dark

Notes: To cast this spell, the player must use a Cayalume or similar chemical light stick to represent the light source. No stick, no spell, no exceptions.

• Destroy Undead 1
• Effect: Destroys one animated skeleton
• Range: Touch (use a LARP safe wand or staff to touch the target)
• Duration: Permanent

Notes: Only works on skeletons.

2nd Level

• Hold
• Effect: Causes any door, lid, window, etc. it is cast on to remain closed no matter what.
• Range: Touch (use a LARP safe wand or staff to touch the target)
• Area of effect: One door, window, etc.
• Duration: Permanent until dispelled.

Notes: To cast this spell, the player must have a piece of chalk with which to write "This door (or window) is Held." on the target. Without the written words "This door is Held." other LARPers will not know that this spell has been cast. This spell will not work unless the door, window, etc. is actually closeable. You can't cast this spell on a hole in a wall.

• Knockback
• Effect: Target player must immediately retreat five steps
• Range: Touch (use a LARP safe wand or staff to touch the target)
• Duration: Instant

Notes: Will not work on inanimate objects.

• Improved Destroy Undead 1
• Effect: Destroys one animated skeleton
• Range: Throw (Use a LARP safe spell packet)
• Duration: Permanent

Notes: Only works on skeletons.

• Destroy Undead 2
• Effect: Destroys one zombie or skeleton
• Range: Touch (use a LARP safe wand or staff to touch the target)
• Duration: Permanent

Notes: Only works on zombies or skeletons.

3rd Level

• Unhold
• Effect: Dispels the Hold spell
• Range: Touch (use a LARP safe wand or staff to touch the target) Area of effect: One door, window, etc.
• Duration: Permanent

Notes: This spell only works against the Hold spell. It will not unlock a locked door. The caster must erase the words "This door is Held." from the target when casting this spell.

• Improved Knockback
• Effect: Target player must immediately retreat five steps
• Range: Throw (Use a LARP safe spell packet)
• Area of effect: One target
• Duration: Instant

Notes: Will not work on inanimate objects

• Knockdown
• Effect: Target player must fall to his knees
• Range: Touch (use a LARP safe wand or staff to touch the target)
• Area of effect: One target
• Duration: Instant

Notes: Will not work on inanimate objects. The target may act normally after falling to his knees.

• Destroy Undead 3
• Effect: Destroys one wraith or one zombie or one skeleton
• Range: Touch (use a LARP safe wand or staff to touch the target)
• Duration: Permanent

Notes: Only works on wraiths or zombies or skeletons.

• Improved Destroy Undead 2
• Effect: Destroys one zombie or one animated skeleton
• Range: Throw (Use a LARP safe spell packet)
• Duration: Permanent

Notes: Only works on zombies or skeletons.

4th Level

• Disarm
• Effect: Target must drop his primary weapon
• Range: Touch (use a LARP safe wand or staff to touch the target)
• Area of effect: one target
• Duration: Instant

Notes: Does not work on inanimate objects. Does not work when target's 'weapons' are a body part, e.g. claws. The target may pick up his weapon after dropping it.

• Improved Knockdown
• Effect: Target player must fall to his knees
• Range: Throw (Use a LARP safe spell packet)
• Area of effect: One target
• Duration: Instant

Notes: Will not work on inanimate objects. The target may act normally after falling to his knees.

5th Level

• Improved Disarm
• Effect: Target must drop his primary weapon
• Range: Throw (Use a LARP safe spell packet)
• Area of effect: one target
• Duration: Instant

Notes: Does not work on inanimate objects. Does not work when target's 'weapons' are a body part, e.g. claws. The target may pick up his weapon after dropping it.