Magic Ball (V7)

From the Rulebook section "Amtgard Magic, The Rules of Magic".

The Rules of Magic Balls

Note: This version is outdated, for the current V8 version see here: Magic Ball

• a. A magic-user may physically carry no more than 12 magical balls, total. Pages and other players may not carry extra magical balls for magic-users.

• b. A magic-user may have only one type of magical ball charged at a time. “Remain Active” Fireballs do not count for this purpose.

• c. When an item is struck by multiple simul-cast magical balls, only the first magical ball from that group affects that item; i.e. a shield hit by two simul-cast Lightning Bolts is simply destroyed, but the wielder is unharmed. This rule does not apply to armor; i.e. if a player wearing torso armor and two Protect is struck in the torso armor by two simul-cast Ice Ball, he loses both of his protects.

• d. When a Lightning Bolt, Fireball, or similar destructive magical ball strikes a player in a location covered by armor, the armor is destroyed in that hit location and the magic affects the player as normal unless otherwise noted. Magical balls that deal damage (such as Magic Bolt) affect armor as normal per projectiles unless otherwise noted.

• e. Magical balls of the Subdual School have no effect on equipment that is not being carried. Example: You may not Iceball a players shield if it is not being wielded or carried by them.

• f. Magic balls, except where explicitly noted, only affect the first thing they hit.

• g. Unless otherwise noted, magical balls are not engulfing.

• h. Barring any enchantments or magical effects, garb strikes count as hitting the player if the magic ball would have continued on to hit the player. i.e. You may not block Lightning Bolts with your cloak.

From the Glossary

Magic ball (B): A type of magic that involves charging a ball that is then thrown at a target. Magic balls are reusable. The number of times a magic ball is bought determines the maximum number of balls that may be charged or in effect at once. All magic balls charged at the same time must be thrown at the same time. You must repeat the incantation once for each ball to be charged; i.e. to charge two Fireballs you would have to repeat “Fireball” ten times. Magic balls, once cast, remain charged for two minutes, after which they must be recast. Magic balls cast with the left hand may be transferred to the right hand for throwing. When thrown, all hits by a magic ball count except head or throat shots. This includes foot shots, tail hits and grazes. A hit to a hand holding a weapon affects it as if the ball it hit the weapon – which in some cases affects the holder (e.g., Iceball). A magic-user may carry a maximum of 12 magic balls, regardless of how many were purchased. Streamers on magic balls may be no longer than 12 inches.

There are several important bits buried in there that don't appear elsewhere:

1. All magic balls charged at the same time must be thrown at the same time.
2. You must repeat the incantation once for each ball to be charged.
3. Magic balls, once cast, remain charged for two minutes, after which they must be recast.
4. Magic balls cast with the left hand may be transferred to the right hand for throwing.
5. Streamers on magic balls may be no longer than 12 inches.

"You must repeat the incantation..." is just restating the definition of "simul-casting", which also only appears in the glossary.

Listing of Magic Balls

• Acid Bolt
• Entangle
• Fireball
• Ice Ball
• Lightning Bolt
• Magic Bolt
• Petrify
• Slime Ball
• Sphere of Annihilation
• Stinkball

Instructions on how to make Spellballs

• IMU's Instructions by Takezu (defunct link)
• Multi use spell balls by Alona