Ultima VI: The False Prophet/Magic

There are 80 spells in Ultima 6, divided into 8 circles.

Magic shops

Rudyom	Rudyom lives in Cove, near the Shrine of Compassion. He would be considered a "cleric" or "white mage" in other games. He sells nine different spells: more than half are healing spells, and none of them deals damage to the enemy. He does not damage your wallet either, as his spells have low prices. Buy sulphur ash and garlic from him.
Horance	Horance lives in Skara Brae. He is the opposite of Rudyom, in that he can be considered a "wizard" or "black mage". He sells eighteen different spells; the vast majority of them are harmful direct attacks, while none of them supports or heals the companions. His prices are "evil", too: his spells are the most expensive in Britannia. Buy black pearls and mandrake roots from him.
Xiao	Xiao lives in the Lycaeum north from Moonglow. She alone sells more than one third of the spells available in the game. The prices of her spells are intermediate, but her reagents are all very expensive.
Nicodemus	Nicodemus lives in the Deep Forest north of Britain. The first time you will hear about him is from the inhabitants of Empath Abbey, although they ignore his name. You need the spells "Unlock Magic" and "Dispel Field" to enter his house; buy them from Horance and Xiao. He teaches spells that neither heal the companions nor damage their opponents. Instead, his magic focuses on special effects that strengthen the allies or hinder the enemies. In total, he sells 16 different spells. The reagents he sells are all very cheap, except for the sulphur ash; in particular, buy ginseng and blood moss from him. He also sells yew staves that can be enchanted.
Wisp	You can usually meet Wisps (also known as Xorinite Life) in the Deep Forest between Empath Abbey and Yew. They give you the Armageddon spell for free. It is a spell with limited use, though, because you will become unable to clear the game after you cast it.
Zoltan	Zoltan is a gypsy king who travels between Britain, Paws and Trinsic; ocasionally he can be met in Yew, too. He sells no spells, but reagents only. If you have the chance of meeting him, stock up on nightshade fungi, as he offers the best deal for this item.

Reagents prices

The table shows the price of the reagents in Gold Pieces per every magic shop.

The best deals are highlighted in green; easy-to-access locations are highlighted too. The worst deals are highlighted in red.

Reagent	Rudyom (Cove)	Horance (Skara Brae)	Nicodemus (Deep Forest)	Zoltan (nomad)	Xiao (Lycaeum)	Free locations
Spider silk	2	1	1	2	3	In Spider Cave
Sulphur ash	1	2	2	2	3	Around the Shrine of Humility
Garlic	1	-	1	2	3	-
Black pearl	-	3	-	-	4	(Coast of Buccaneer's Den?)
Mandrake root	-	5	-	-	6	Fens of the Dead
Ginseng	2	-	1	1	3	-
Blood moss	3	3	2	3	-	South of Empath Abbey
Nightshade fungus	2	2	-	1	3	Fens of the Dead, Blood Plains

Spell list

• C = circle, level, and MP
• R = reagents cost
• G = gold pieces price to learn spell

For the reagents costs, the most convenient values have been used. See the table above.

C	Spell	Type	Target	Effect	R	Reagents	G	Teacher	Item
Healing spells
1	Heal	Healing	One ally	Cure some Health Points	1	Gin, Sil	20	Start; Rudyom	Yellow pot.
1	Dispel Magic	Healing	One ally	Cure "poison" and "sleep" status	2	Gar, Gin	25	Start; Xiao	Red pot., orange pot.
1	Create Food	Healing	Allies	Create some food	7	Man, Gar, Gin	20	Rudyom	Fishing pole
4	Mass Dispel	Healing	Many allies	Cure "poison" status	4	Prl, Nig, Sil	100	Xiao
4	Great Heal	Healing	One ally	Cure Health Points fully	6	Man, Gin, Sil	80	Rudyom
8	Resurrect	Healing	One ally	Cure "dead" status	8	Man, Mos, Gar, Sil	160	Rudyom
Field spells
1	Help	Field (motion)	All allies	Teleports to Lord British castle. Will also change time of day to mid-morning if spell is cast during nighttime	0	(none)	0	Start	Moon Orb
4	Wind Change	Field (motion)	All allies	Grants faster travel by sea	3	Mos, Ash	100	Xiao	Magic fan
7	Gate Travel	Field (motion)	All allies	Teleports to a Moonstone location	9	Man, Prl, Ash	175	Xiao	Moonstone
1	Light	Field (orientation)	Area	Create light in darkness	1	Ash	25	Start; Xiao	Torch
3	Great Light	Field (orientation)	Area	Create light in darkness	6	Man, Ash	75	Xiao	Torch
3	Peer	Field (orientation)	Area	See map of surroundings	6	Man, Nig	75	Xiao	Gem
4	Locate	Field (orientation)	Area	See current coordinates	1	Nig	100	Xiao	Sextant
5	X-Ray	Field (orientation)	Area	See through walls	6	Man, Ash	125	Xiao	White pot.
7	Wizard Eye	Field (orientation)	Area	See area at specified coordinates	12	Man, Prl, Mos, Ash, Nig, Sil	175	Xiao	Crystal Ball
1	Detect Magic	Field	One item	Checks magic charge on enchanted item	2	Ash, Nig	25	Start; Xiao
1	Detect Trap	Field	One item	Reveals trap in a chest or door	2	Ash, Nig	20	Nicodemus
1	Ignite	Field	One item	Light a fire	4	Prl, Ash	20	Rudyom
1	Douse	Field	One item	Extinguish one fire	4	Prl, Gar	20	Rudyom
2	Trap	Support	One item	Sets a trap	1	Nig, Sil	60	Horance
2	Unlock Magic	Field	One item	Open a magically locked door or chest	3	Mos, Ash	60	Horance
2	Untrap	Field	One item	Remove trap from chest or passage	3	Mos, Ash	40	Start; Nicodemus
2	Vanish	Field	One item	Make one item disappear	6	Prl, Mos, Gar	50	Xiao
2	Reappear	Field	One item	Make one item reappear, after targeted by "Vanish"	5	Prl, Mos, Sil	50	Xiao
2	Telekinesis	Field	One item	Move one item by one step	10	Man, Prl, Mos	50	Xiao
3	Protection	Field/ /Support	One ally	Increase defense; immunity to traps	3	Ash, Gar, Gin	60	Nicodemus	Purple pot.
3	Magic Lock	Field	One item	Create magic lock on door or chest	4	Mos, Ash, Gar	60	Nicodemus
3	Dispel Field	Field	One item	Removes one magic field	4	Prl, Ash	75	Xiao
4	Animate	Field	One item	An item comes to life	8	Man, Mos, Ash	100	Xiao
5	Reveal	Field/ /Disable	Area	Reveals traps and invisible enemies	6	Man, Nig, Sil	125	Xiao
5	Pickpocket	Field	One item	Take an item from a character; drops karma!	3	Mos, Nig, Sil	100	Rudyom
5	Seance	Field	One item	Talk with a dead character	8	Man, Mos, Nig, Sil	100	Rudyom
6	Mass Protect	Field/ /Support	Many allies	increase defense; immunity to traps	8	Man, Ash, Gar, Gin	120	Nicodemus
6	Replicate	Field	One item	Create copy of non-magical item	5	Mos, Ash, Gin, Nig, Sil	150	Xiao
7	Enchant	Field	One item	Store spell charges in staves for later use	6	Man, Ash, Sil	140	Nicodemus
8	Armageddon	Field	All	Kill all humans, animals and monsters in the world; makes it impossible to finish the game	14	Man, prl, mos, ash, gar, gin, nig, sil	0	Wisps
Support spells
2	Infravision	Support	All allies	See enemies hidden in darkness	2	Ash, Nig	50	Xiao
3	Mass Awaken	Support	Many allies	Cure "sleep" status	2	Gar, Gin	60	Rudyom
5	Invisibility	Support	One ally	Enemies will not attack target	3	Mos, Nig	125	Xiao	Black pot., blue ring
6	Charm	Support/ /Disable	One target	Cure "charm" status or control enemy	4	Prl, Nig, Sil	120	Nicodemus
7	Mass Invisibility	Support	Many allies	Enemies will not attack target	11	Man, Prl, Mos, Nig	140	Nicodemus
8	Eclipse	Support	All allies	Allows party to flee battle	10	Man, Mos, Ash, Gar, Nig	200	Xiao
4	Conjure	Support	Allies	Summon an animal	5	Man, Sil	80	Nicodemus
5	Insect Swarm	Support	Allies	Summon insects	3	Mos, Ash, Sil	100	Nicodemus
5	Energy Field	Support	Allies	Summon energy field	8	Man, Prl, Sil	125	Xiao
6	Clone	Support	Allies	Summon a copy of an ally	10	Man, Mos, Ash, Gin, Nig, Sil	150	Xiao
8	Summon	Support	Allies	Summon a demon	8	Man, Mos, Gar, Sil	200	Xiao
Disabling spells
2	Sleep	Disable	One enemy	Inflict paralysis	4	Prl, Nig, Sil	40	Nicodemus	Blue pot.
3	Mass Sleep	Disable	Many enemies	Inflict paralysis	2	Gin, Nig, Sil	60	Nicodemus
4	Sleep Field	Disable	One enemy	Inflict paralysis	2	Gar, Gin	100	Xiao
5	Paralyze	Disable	One enemy	Inflict paralysis	5	Prl, Ash, Nig, Sil	150	Horance
6	Web	Disable	Many enemies	Inflict paralysis	0	Sil	120	Nicodemus
6	Confuse	Disable	Many enemies	Inflict paralysis	6	Man, Nig	120	Nicodemus
8	Time Stop	Disable	Many enemies	Inflict paralysis	8	Man, Mos, Gar	200	Xiao
3	Repel Undead	Disable	Many enemies	Undead enemies flee	2	Ash, Gar	60	Nicodemus
3	Curse	Disable	One enemy	Reduce enemy attributes	3	Ash, Gar, Nig	90	Horance
6	Negate Magic	Disable	Many enemies	Both enemies and allies cannot use magic	7	Man, Ash, Gar	150	Xiao	Storm cloak
7	Fear	Disable	Many enemies	All enemies flee	7	Man, Gar, Nig	175	Xiao
7	Mass Curse	Disable	Many enemies	Reduces all enemies attributes	8	Man, Ash, Gar, Nig	210	Horance
8	Slime	Disable	One enemy	Transform enemy into slime	8	Man, Mos, Nig	200	Xiao
8	Mass Charm	Disable	Many enemies	Enemies attack each other	9	Man, Prl, Nig, Sil	200	Xiao
Attack spells
1	Harm	Attack	One enemy	Deals damage	1	Nig, Sil	30	Horance
2	Magic Arrow	Attack	One enemy	Deals damage	4	Prl, Ash	60	Horance
2	Poison	Attack	One enemy	Deals damage; poison	6	Prl, Mos, Nig	60	Start; Horance	Green pot.
3	Fireball	Attack	One enemy	Deals damage; fire	4	Prl, Ash	90	Horance	Fire wand
4	Fire Field	Attack	One enemy	Create damage field; fire	4	Prl, Ash, Sil	100	Xiao
4	Poison Field	Attack	One enemy	Create damage field; inflict poison	4	Prl, Gin, Sil	100	Xiao
4	Disable	Attack	One enemy	Deals damage	6	Man, Nig, Sil	120	Horance
5	Lightning	Attack	One enemy	Deals damage	9	Man, Prl, Ash	150	Horance	Lightning wand
7	Kill	Attack	One enemy	Instant defeat	5	Prl, Ash, Nig	210	Horance	Glass sword
5	Explosion	Attack	Many enemies	Deals damage	11	Man, Prl, Mos, Ash	150	Horance
6	Poison Wind	Attack	Many enemies	Deals damage; inflict poison	4	Mos, Ash, Nig	180	Horance
6	Flame Wind	Attack	Many enemies	Deals damage; fire	8	Man, Mos, Ash	180	Horance
6	Hail Storm	Attack	Many enemies	Deals damage	10	Man, Prl, Mos	180	Horance
7	Wing Strike	Attack	Many enemies	Deals damage	8	Man, Mos, Ash, Sil	210	Horance
7	Energy Wind	Attack	Many enemies	Deals damage	9	Man, Mos, Ash, Nig	210	Horance
7	Chain Bolt	Attack	Many enemies	Deals damage	11	Man, Prl, Mos, Ash	210	Horance
8	Tremor	Attack	Many enemies	Deals damage	8	Man, Mos, Ash	200	Xiao
8	Death Wind	Attack	Many enemies	Instant defeat	9	Man, Mos, Ash, Nig	200	Xiao
8	Mass Kill	Attack	Many enemies	Instant defeat	10	Man, Prl, Ash, Nig	200	Xiao

Spells analysis

Healing spells

• C1 Create food (food enables health recovery when camping for the night)
• C1 Heal
• C1 Dispel magic (removes status ailments)
• C4 Great heal
• C4 Mass dispel
• C8 Resurrect

Field spells

These spells can be used when the Companions are not involved in a battle. Many of these can also be used in battle.

Travel:

• C1 Help (teleports to Britain Castle, but drops Experience)
• C4 Wind change
• C7 Gate travel

Orientation:

• C1 Light
• C3 Great light
• C3 Peer
• C4 Locate
• C5 X-ray
• C7 Wizard eye

Companions:

• C3 Protection (prevents damage from traps, reduces combat damage)
• C6 Mass protect (prevents damage from traps, reduces combat damage)

Items:

• C1 Detect trap
• C1 Douse
• C1 Ignite
• C2 Unlock magic
• C2 Vanish
• C2 Reappear
• C2 Telekinesis
• C2 Untrap
• C3 Dispel field
• C5 Seance (speak with dead characters; useful before learning C8 Resurrect)
• C5 Pickpocket
• C5 Reveal (reveals hidden traps and/or removes invisibility from enemies)
• C6 Replicate (makes a copy of a non-magic and non-stackable item)
• C8 Armageddon (kills every character, enemy and animal in the world except for the Avatar and Lord British; useful for safe exploration, but DO NOT save after casting it, or you cannot complete the game)

Magic items:

• C1 Detect magic (determines whether an item is magic or not)
• C4 Animate
• C7 Enchant (enables staves to cast spells)

The 6th circle spell Replicate affects "normal" items, but it will always fail if cast on magic items (e.g. a lightning wand) or stackable items (e.g. gold coins, arrows). In order to replicate a magic item, you should use the combo C4-Animate + C6-Clone. Be careful, because an animated magic weapon will attack the Companions!

The 7th circle spell Enchant can only be used on a yew staff. It will enchant the staff with a second spell chosen by the caster. A staff can be enchanted with up to ten spells at a time. When using the staff, it will cast the spells in the same order as they were cast on the staff. This has many useful applications: (1) it allows casting 8th circle spells when still at level 7; (2) it allows characters without MP to use spells; (3) it allows the Avatar to cast spells when he is out of MP. In later Ultima games, this spell is completely different: it will become a 2nd circle spell that simply upgrades arrows and bolts only.

Completion spells:

• C2 Trap
• C3 Magic lock
  • These two spells have no real use for the player. They exist because the player will find trapped chests and magically locked doors throughout the game. If such obstacles exist, the spells that create them must exist as well: this is the only reason for these spells.

Support spells

Support spells are battle spells that target the Companions or summon more allies:

• C2 Infravision
• C3 Mass awaken
• C5 Invisibility
• C6 Charm (cures charmed ally, or inflicts "charm" status, i.e. control an enemy)
• C7 Mass invisibility
• C8 Eclipse (allows the party to flee)

Summon spells:

• C4 Conjure (summons an animal)
• C5 Insect swarm
• C5 Energy field
• C6 Clone (creates a copy of an ally)
• C8 Summon (summons a demon)

Disabling spells

Disabling spells are battle spells that target enemies without dealing damage:

• C3 Curse (reduces defense of enemy)
• C3 Repel undead (undead enemies will flee)
• C6 Negate magic (neither enemies nor companions can use magic for a while)
• C7 Fear (enemies will flee)
• C7 Mass curse (reduces defense of enemies)
• C8 Mass charm (affected enemies will attack each other)
• C8 Slime (turns enemy into slime)

Paralysis spells:

• C2 Sleep
• C3 Mass sleep
• C4 Sleep field
  • Asleep enemies can wake up when attacked.
• C5 Paralyze
• C6 Web
• C6 Confuse (enemies will stop fighting and behave as if the Companions were not around)
• C8 Time stop

Attack spells

Attack spells are battle spells that deal damage to enemies, but they are generally less effective than ranged weapons.

Notes:

• Poison gradually lowers the target HP; the spellcaster will gain no experience if an enemy dies by poison damage.
• Magic fields: enemies will not step on a magic field; either create a field on an enemy, or create a barrier to prevent melee combat; the spellcaster will gain no experience if an enemy dies by field damage.
• Wind cones and 5x5 area spells will damage any ally in the targeted area.
• Instant defeat spells are the only spells effective against enemies resistant to magic (e.g. dragons).

The effects of attack spells are rather similar, and they can be better summarized in a table, as follows:

Spell	Circle	Target	Element	Notes
Harm	1	Single	-	-
Magic arrow	2	Single	-	-
Poison	2	Single	Poison	Item: green potion No experience gained
Fireball	3	Single	Fire	Item: fire wand
Disable	4	Single	-	-
Lightning	5	Single	Lightning	Item: lightning wand
Kill	7	Single	Instant defeat	-
Poison field	4	Tile	Poison	No experience gained
Fire field	4	Tile	Fire	Item: flask of oil No experience gained
Explosion	5	Multiple - 5x5 area	Fire	Item: powder keg Can blast steel doors open
Hail storm	6	Multiple - 5x5 area	-	-
Mass kill	8	Multiple - 5x5 area	Instant defeat	-
Poison wind	6	Multiple - wind cone	Poison	No experience gained
Flame wind	6	Multiple - wind cone	Fire	-
Energy wind	7	Multiple - wind cone	Lightning	-
Death wind	8	Multiple - wind cone	Instant defeat	-
Chain bolt	7	Multiple	Lightning	Bolt goes from enemy to enemy
Wing strike	7	All enemies	-	-
Tremor	8	All enemies	-	-

SNES cut

30 spells (out of 80) were removed from the SNES version. The main reason for this is that such spells were harder to implement and the SNES cartridge has limited memory.

• Animate, Conjure, Insect swarm, Clone, Summon: the SNES artificial intelligence was limited, and could not handle more characters in battle.
• Vanish, Reappear: require extra memory for all the vanished items.
• Fire field, Poison field, Sleep Field, Energy field: all these require extra sprites.
• Wind change: no wind in the SNES port.
• Enchant: very difficult to implement.
• Infravision, Ignite, Douse: torches and light spells are sufficient.
• Confuse, Web: 3 other paralysis spells are sufficient.
• Trap, Magic lock: these spells were already useless in the original version.
• Further spells that were removed, for similar reasons: Detect trap, Detect magic, Telekinesis, Pickpocket, Seance, Replicate, Wizard eye, Eclipse, Slime, Armageddon.