Langrisser II/Spells

Spells are important. They are especially helpful in the later stages. You need to cast a lot.

The AI does not like to reduce its MP to 0. It will always use health on itself if the only spells it has would reduce its MP to 0.

Factors affecting spells
The effectiveness of spells depends on the caster's level. Its class (profession) has no effect. A fighter and a mage is equally strong if they are both on the same level.

Every class starts at level 1 which has the minimum area of effect and damage for spell. Magic range (MRng) and magic level (MLv) increase when you level up.

Magic level affects the attack strength of each spell. The higher the magic level, the more powerful an attack spell is. Different attack spells have different base attack strength and rate of growth.


 * MLv = Magic Level
 * Formula = Formula of the attack strength of an attack spell

Notes:
 * 1) Bonus magic damage + 1 when the enemy is in water terrain, even if it is a flyer
 * 2) Bonus magic damage + 1 to flying units/commanders
 * 3) Flying units/commanders are immune to this spell
 * 4) Only affects the undead. This includes skeletons, zombies, wraiths and elementals

Magic attack and actual damage
Magic attack does not directly transform into the damage of the spell. The amount of damage applied to the target depends on several factors:
 * 1) Unit/Class base magic defence (MDF)
 * 2) Bonus magic defence from items/spells (bonus MDF)
 * 3) Magic level of the caster (MLv)
 * 4) Attack strength of the spell (MAT)
 * 5) Bonus magic damage from items/spells (MDmg)

Base magic defence of each unit/leader class is a hidden value. It does not show in the game.

The formula contains two parts. For the first part, the system checks whether the unit/commander is immune to any spell. The formula is: =MDF + bonus MDF*2

If the answer is 100 or above, the target is immune to any harmful spell. In other words, the damage is always 0. If less than 100, here goes the second part.

For the second part, the formula of calculating the actual damage is: =MAX( INT (((100 - (MDF + bonus MDF*2)) * MAT) / 100) + MDmg, 1)

The minimum damage is 1. INT is a function which takes the integer part only, i.e. removing decimals from the number. It is equal to rounding down to the nearest integer.

Amulet bugs
There is a bug in the item Amulet.

For any character who is equipped with an amulet, it loses the spell's immunity (if any). Normally if you get 100 or above in the first part of the formula, you will be immune to any harmful spell. However if you are equipped with an amulet, it seems to nullify that part of the formula and so the minimum damage you get is 1.

Fortunately this bug only affects the commander. Its units are still fine.

Magic Arrow

 * Cost: 1
 * Range: 5
 * Attack Strength: 0 + MLv*2
 * Target: 1 space (single enemy)
 * Learned by: Warlock

A nice spell for nudging near death enemies into oblivion, or for softening up enemy leaders before you attack directly.

Blast

 * Cost: 10
 * Range: 2
 * Attack Strength: 20 + MLv
 * Target: 1 space (single enemy)
 * Learned by: Wizard, Dragon Master, Royal Guard, Zarvera, Hero

An extremely brutal spell, it's probably more dangerous to you than the enemy. The enemy's best leaders usually have high magic resistance, and you'll want to be able to hit their troops besides. However, if you're not careful, this can take one of your own seemingly healthy characters and send him/her to oblivion.

Fireball

 * Cost: 2
 * Range: 4
 * Attack Strength: 3 + MLv
 * Target: All within 3-5 radius of the target square, depending on the caster level
 * Learned by: Sorcerer, Magic Knight, Dragon Knight, Bishop

A good spell for hitting a lot of enemies, but for smaller or more spread out groups thunder is better.

Meteor

 * Cost: 8
 * Range: 10
 * Attack Strength: 10 + MLv
 * Target: All within 2-4 radius of the target square, depending on the caster level
 * Learned by: Archmage, Summoner, Zarvera, Agent

This is the most often used spell in the game, for good reason. It hits hard, and over a sizeable area that the caster has a lot of flexibility in targeting. Expect to see it a lot, so you might as well jump on the bandwagon and start giving the enemy back some =P. It is capable of destroying a full health ballista in one shot.

Thunder

 * Cost: 4
 * Range: 7
 * Attack Strength: 5 + MLv (Bonus magic damage + 1 when the enemy is in water terrain, even if it is a flyer)
 * Target: 1 command (the commander and its units)
 * Learned by: Shaman, Dragon Lord, Serpent Lord, Highmaster

A great spell that does decent damage. It's also nice for taking out units that are lagging behind their commander (like ballistae).

Tornado

 * Cost: 2
 * Range: 0
 * Attack Strength: 4 + MLv*2 (Bonus magic damage + 1 to flying units/commanders)
 * Target: All within 3-5 radius around caster
 * Learned by: Hawk Knight, Mage, Swordmaster, Silver Knight, Paladin, Saint.

This is probably the worst of the second-tier damaging spells. It does decent damage, but the area of effect is so limited it's a chore to get it to hit enough units to make it worthwhile.

Blizzard

 * Cost: 3
 * Range: 0
 * Attack Strength: 4 + MLv*2
 * Target: All within 4-6 radius around caster
 * Learned by: Serpent Knight, Knightmaster, Archmage

A bit better then tornado, but I still prefer fireball and thunder.

Earthquake

 * Cost: 12
 * Range: 0
 * Attack Strength: 10 + MLv*2
 * Target: All within 5-7 radius around caster
 * Learned by: Grand Knight, Sage, Serpent Master, Zarvera, Highmaster
 * Notes: Flying units/commanders are immune to this spell.

The only characters of the above who will find this worthwhile are the sage and zarvera. The MP drain that this spell causes means that any fighting class that uses it will probably be unable to cast anything else for the rest of the scenario. Even the magic users will find the fixed target area annoying... it's usually just better to meteor.

Turn Undead

 * Cost: 5
 * Range: 0
 * Attack Strength: Maximum
 * Target: All within 4-6 radius around the caster
 * Learned by: Healer, Priest
 * Notes: Kills all undead units within the target area. This includes skeletons, zombies, wraiths and elementals.

Depending on the situation, this spell ranges from totally awesome to useless. 95% of the time, it's the latter.

Heal 1

 * Cost: 2
 * Range: 6
 * Target: All within 1-3 radius of the target square
 * Effect: Heals 3 HP to all commanders/units within the target area.
 * Learned by: Lord, Cleric, Healer

Quick, easy experience. If you have a bunch of damaged units clustered together, cast this on them, even if they aren't being threatened by anything. The exp you get from one heal spell isn't much, but if you make a habit of it, it does add up.

Heal 2

 * Cost: 4
 * Range: 6
 * Target: All within 1-3 radius of the target square
 * Effect: Heals 9 HP to all commanders/units within the target area.
 * Learned by: Priest, Saint, Sage, Dragon Master, Royal Guard

Extremely effective at what it does. Best used at the end of the turn, when you can maximize its effect.

Force Heal 1

 * Cost: 3
 * Range: 6
 * Target: Any commander/unit controlled by you or your ally
 * Effect: Heals 3 HP to one selected command (the commander and all its units).
 * Learned by: Healer, Highlord, Bishop, Dragon Lord, Paladin, Serpent Lord.

A nice trick for this spell is to take a unit like fliers that tends to go ahead of the front lines, keep behind one griffin, and continually cast this on the griffin while the others fight the enemy. This spell provides instant supply lines.

Force Heal 2

 * Cost: 6
 * Range: 6
 * Target: Any commander/unit controlled by you or your ally
 * Effect: Heals 9 HP to one selected command (the commander and all its units).
 * Learned by: Princess, High Priest

You'll mainly use Heal2 for mass-healing purposes. This is only better in special cases (like the supply lines thing), or if your caster's level is too low to affect enough people.

Attack Up

 * Cost: 2
 * Range: 5
 * Target: Any commander/unit controlled by you or your ally
 * Learned by: Warlock, Knight, Highlord, Dragon Knight, Knightmaster, Dragon Master, Agent.
 * Effect: All units under the same command (excluding the commander itself) will get +4 attack until next turn.

Quite useful, even late in the game, because that extra attack can make a big difference when the forces are evenly matched, or when you're trying to level up a late joiner.

Protection

 * Cost: 2
 * Range: 5
 * Target: Any commander/unit controlled by you or your ally
 * Learned by: Cleric, Healer, Lord, Highlander, Serpent Knight, Swordmaster, Grand Knight, Princess, Summoner, Royal Guard, Zarvera
 * Effect: All units under the same command (excluding the commander itself) get +4 defense until next turn.

Not as useful as attack, but still nice when your forces are otherwise evenly matched. It's great when you're going against those annoying ballista units.

Sleep

 * Cost: 2
 * Range: 4
 * Target: All within 1-3 radius of the target square
 * Learned by: Highlander, Magic Knight, Saint, High Priest
 * Effect: All commanders/units within the target area have a chance (depending on magic resistance) of being unable to move or attack. If you attack the sleeping troops, they will not counter-attack you. At the beginning of each enemy phase, there is a chance of them being recovered from the spell.

Sleep is one of most useful (and, in my opinion, cheapest) spells in the game.

Charm

 * Cost: 6
 * Range: 4
 * Target: An enemy commander
 * Learned by: Princess, Agent
 * Effect: Converting enemies into allies. The whole command (including the commander and all its units) turns into your ally (NPC). At the beginning of each enemy phase, there is a chance of them recovering. If not yet recovered, they will move/attack like what a NPC would normally do.

A nice spell, when it works, but I prefer to just kill things myself. Charm is a waste of experience.

Resist

 * Cost: 2
 * Range: 8
 * Target: Any commander/unit controlled by you or your ally
 * Learned by: Mage, Wizard, Serpent Master, High Priest, Hero, Highmaster
 * Effect: Makes one command (the commander and all its units) more resistant to harmful spells. MDF+25 to commander and units.

This is incredibly useful - cast it a lot.

Mute

 * Cost: 3
 * Range: 5
 * Target: An enemy commander
 * Learned by: Bishop, Priest, Sage
 * Effect: Silences the target leader, stopping it from casting spells.

Zone

 * Cost: 6
 * Range: 6
 * Target: An enemy commander
 * Learned by: Grand Knight, Wizard, Silver Knight, Archmage, Serpent Master, Hero
 * Effect: Deactivates leader's attack and defense bonuses on its units.

Extremely effective, because by the time you get this spell the leader bonuses are very large.

Illusion

 * Cost: 2
 * Range: 0
 * Target: Yourself
 * Learned by: Sorcerer, Shaman
 * Effect: Creates 0-6 illusions of the caster, depending on how many troops the caster already has. No character can have more than 6 units, so if the caster already has six, spell won't work. If the caster doesn't have any units, it will make a full 6 illusions. They look exactly the same, but if they ever go into combat they vanish in a puff of smoke.

Great distractions if you're fighting someone you don't want to kill just yet, but in a no-holds-barred combat it's probably better to just frag them with a meteor or fireball.

Summon

 * Learned by: Summoner
 * Effect: A new option "Summon" is available. Allow you to summon a creature. See Summons for details.

Teleport

 * Cost: 5
 * Range: 16
 * Target: Any commander/unit controlled by you or your ally
 * Learned by: Agent
 * Effect: Drop the selected command onto any square, 16 spaces from the caster. You may select either the commander or any of its units. The whole command will be selected.

Not only is this spell incredibly useful, it's also a lot of fun. Unfortunately, you get it too late in the game to take much advantage of it.