Ability

See Magic, Abilities, States and Special Effects for further explanation, and a list of all spells and abilities.

Powers or skills that must be cast to be used.

1. Ability Enchantments denoted as Magical (m) in the class description count towards the bearers limit for carried Enchantments.
2. Ability Enchantments denoted as Extraordinary (ex) in the class description do not count towards enchantment limits or count for the purposes of Attuned, Essence Graft, or similar abilities. A player may not have more than one (ex) enchantment of the same name.
3. Abilities granted via an Enchantment retain the original School of the ability, not the School of the Enchantment.
4. Ongoing Effects are effects applied by abilities where the effect lasts for some specified duration (Examples: Terror, Heat Weapon, and Shake it Off) or for an indefinite duration (Examples: Elemental Barrage, and Shove).
5. An improperly cast ability, or ability which could not have been activated, fails. For example, abilities cast while Suppressed, or Magical abilities cast without an empty hand throughout the incantation.
6. Failed abilities have no effect on any target. A use of the ability is still expended.
   Rulebook 8.6.3

Official Clarification

The following is an Official Clarification by the Kingdom Rules Representatives and should be considered a part of the Rules of Play, even though it may not be in he current rulebook. For a listing of official clarifications, visit the Amtgard Documents page.

If an ability would fail to activate, the target is unaffected - it is as if the ability was never cast. (Wording pending the next update.) The ability is still expended. For example:

• If a caster finishes the incantation of a verbal while Suppressed, the target would suffer no effects.
• If an Assassin with Trickery (T) were to use Blink while under the effects of their own Shadow Step and Hold Person, Blink would fail, and they would remain Stopped and Insubstantial.
• A (m) spell cast with no free hand has no effect.[1]