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Hello guys and gals, I have several questions about skaven magic, l.
First off, what skaven spells can be cast into and out of combat, my opponent keeps telling me that due.to the grey seer being on too of the screaming bell he can cast spells out of combat and into combat.
Secondly, scorch says it's a template, however it doesn't state what kind of template, this was added in the faq, he states that it is the small blast template.

Thanks guys


Automatically Appended Next Post:
My mistake, cracks call is the one he says is a small template

So first off I have to say that I'm not really sure. However...

The bell allows you to cast is a 360 degree arc and you can cast over the heads of the unit pushing the bell.

Spells that target a specific unit state in the spells description if it can be cast into combat (like death franzy).

If it doesn't but states the spell type (such as magic missle or Hex) then you can refer to the rulebook which has aditional rules about the different spell types. (magic missles can't be cast in combat but hexes can I think).

So if the spell doesn't say it can be cast into combat, or the spell type can't be cast into combat then you can't.

However if it's a spell that doesn't target a specific unit (like scorch where you just place a template whereever the hell you like) the consensious seems to be that you can cast it "on the ground" under a unit.

Hopefully this helps

So an exact list would be

Spells of ruin
Skitterleap
death frenzy
scorch (Not targeted)
cracks call (not targeted)

spells of plague
pestulent breath
wither
bless of filth
vermintide
cloud of corrumtion
plague

So if your grey seer took the spells of plague then he could cast everything at anytime from atop the screaming bell except for the "dreaded thirteenth spell" because that spell requires you to target a unit and does not specify that it can be cast into combat.

P.S. sorry about the misspellings

Cracks call does not use either template. Cracks call creates a line that is treated as a template so that characters are allowed to take Look Out Sir! rolls, similar to the bounce of a cannon.

IMO casting scorch and 13th into combat is bad form (both are clearly direct damage spells that sadly lack the classification, because GeeDub is lazy), and so I do not do either. Both are however mostly legal.

- Salvage

I wouldn't call doing something that is not only perfectly legal in the rules, but also implicitly condoned by the game's creators (due to lack of aFAQ after all this time) as "bad form".

Them's da rules.

All spells should have types, and 7E books should have been errata'd on Day One of 8E to fix that problem. GeeDub failed us, but there is little reason we are forced to live out that failure actual game after actual game.

(Significant problems can arise when people claim advantages from untyped spells rather than going with the Least Intrusive Obvious Interpretation, hence why we rely upon our TOs to make the call about wtf these things are in the 8E game. The Skaven book is of particular note because of how abusive it can be when unrestricted, and how terribly written it is as an armybook.)

- Salvage

And while I agree that it would have been incredibly simple to type the spells, GW chose not to and even put rules in the spell section dealing with it. House rules are fine Amoungst friends, but they are house rules. The "little reason" is the simple fact they are the rules.

As a new player it seems this question really isn't answered ran into this today in a game. Can scorch be cast into close combat? Also while I am atit can a spell be cast if the spell caster is in close combat?

In a permissive system, you need a clear-cut and explicit line somewhere that tells you that you can do something. I'm not entirely sure right now whether there is a line in the BRB that says something like "All spells can be cast into combat unless it says otherwise". If there is not, and the spell description doesn't say so either, I can't see how it would be legal.

Yes, the Skaven book is a veritable mess, and yes, it's extremely bad style not to categorize older spells. To be completely frank, the sooner this thing gets shredded the better.

 Mike der Ritter wrote:
In a permissive system, you need a clear-cut and explicit line somewhere that tells you that you can do something. I'm not entirely sure right now whether there is a line in the BRB that says something like "All spells can be cast into combat unless it says otherwise". If there is not, and the spell description doesn't say so either, I can't see how it would be legal.

Yes, the Skaven book is a veritable mess, and yes, it's extremely bad style not to categorize older spells. To be completely frank, the sooner this thing gets shredded the better.

The line is, that in older books with spells without a type, the restrictions on casting the spell are listed in the spell itself.

As above. You have blanket permission to cast the spell at a target enemy unit, and ONLY "type"''d spells have a restriction on not casting into combat.

So yes, it can be cast into combat.