Once you have gotten everything in its place, casting a spell requires a willpower and occultism roll (also add sorcery if the pc has it up to a +5 bonus depending on the level of the quality). Drama points can be used in a Heroic Feat mode (which is posted on the website for Drama points or can be found in the core rule books).
Now if the roll fails (if the total is less than nine), the spell doesn't work or the ritual simply fails. No harm, no foul. These type of failures should be easy to walk away from from.
When a roll succeeds (nine or higher), Things get hairier (sometimes literally). If your success levels don't equal or exceed the power level of the spell, then something magical happens, but its not exactly what the casted wanted to happen. Example: The effect of the spell maybe twisted or perverted in some way or the caster is injured or even killed as the magics can draw on the caster's lifeforce to fulfill their purpose. Once a spell takes an unexpected turn the Director can either decide exactly what happens or can use the spell side effect table (shown below)
Spell Side Effect Table
Roll Total: 4 or less - Result: You lucked out and the spell still works as you wanted it to.
Roll Total: 5-7 - Result: There is a delay in the spell. It appears to have failed, but will work at a time of the Director's choosing.
Roll Total: 8-10 - Result: The spell works,but with less effectiveness then expected. (The duration, damage or effect is halved)
Roll Total: 11-13 - Result: The spell works, but the caster is damaged by its energies. The mage takes five points of damage per power level of the spell.
Roll Total: 14-15 - Result: The spell effects the wrong target (which the Director decides)
Roll Total: 16+ - Result: The spell has some completely unexpected effect. Magical enegied run rampant, often cuasing physical damage to the area, or summoning dangerous entities from beyond our reality. This can happen if the spell is disrupted at a crittical point.
Now if the roll result amounts to the success levels equal or greater then the spell's power level, all is well and the spell works as the player wanted it to. (But the Director can impose a down side, as Magic isn't a free ride and that point is being made now so the players can know this)
*Important note all players must read if they use spells as their main weapon or tool
Casting multiple spells without resting is very difficult, as the magician's will is sappled by the constant strain. Every additional spell cast without a significant period of rest (at least two hours per spell; rest means mostly sitting down and not doing anything strenuous, like fighting demons or cleaning house) suffers a cumulative -2 penalty. (a +2 minus is added for each spell after the second one, example: second spell of the day incurs a -2 hit, the third -4, and so on)
Powerfull occultist can cast multiple spells in a row and even then they'll probably have to burn some drama points to keep spell flinging up. Even worse, using the same spell mopre than once adds an additional -1 to the penalties above.
Effect (yes this again hey I am just typing in the order of the book blame Eden lol)
Yes finally we get to the clouds of smoke, thunderous roars, whipping of winds, water dissolving, white outs and other cool FX stuff that happens when a spell goes off and yes that may include Dragonball Z type effects lol. These effects are straightforward-somebody gets banished, a magical portal opens or closes a eye ball departs, blah blah blah. The exact effects of the spell are determined by the success levels of the casting roll, or some other circumstances. (also the effects can be dictated by the side effects table if the caster messes up).
The power level section (listed befoe this part) lists a number of possible effects....also describing funky sights, sounds, smells, even feelings helps make the whole process more entertaining and creepy.
Dispelling Magic Effects
Ok some spells as a player may find out will have cotinuing or even permanent effects (examples curses or transformation spells). Now a caster can cancel the effects that these type of spells have, but it requires having full access to the spell itself (ideally, taking it directly from the mage's own books or source). A player must make a normal spell-casting roll to be made, but the effective power level of the spell is reduced by one (it is easier to undo a spell than casting one, since reality prefers its natural state).
(Last of all) Recyeling Spells
In the Angel TV show & Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV show, spells rarely make a return appearance. Now in game once a spell effect is out there a player may want to keep using it again and again. Depending on the level of the spell a pc can use it as many times as they wish. But Megas-powerful spells should require special ingredients that can't be found easily, or required a special time and place. This is all up to a Director.....
* Please note this is all been retyped up by The Mighty One and please when a player can get a chance buy one of the core rule books we use be it used, new or pdf.