RavenBlack Games

Example Game

There is no better way to learn to play Warlocks than by experience. A close second is from the experience of others. There follows an example game with additional commentary in italics. Note that from the Battles page, you can peruse other Warlocks' games at your leisure - you can either use this to get ideas, or to research your next opponent's style.

Note: The demonstration game below did not take place between Warlocks named Merlin and Raistlin. At the time of writing, no Warlocks existed with those names.

Turn 0:
Merlin bows.
Raistlin bows.

The first turn, turn 0, of every game consists of all the Warlocks bowing.

Turn 1:
Merlin points the digit of his left hand.
Merlin snaps the fingers of his right hand.
Raistlin snaps the fingers of his left hand.
Raistlin waves his right hand.

Nothing really happening here - both Warlocks begin preparing spells.

Turn 2:
Merlin snaps the fingers of his left hand.
Merlin proffers the palm of his right hand.
Merlin casts Shield at Merlin.
Raistlin points the digit of his left hand.
Raistlin waves his right hand.
Raistlin casts Magic Missile at Merlin.
Merlin is covered by a shimmering shield.
A magic missile bounces off Merlin's shield.

Probably by chance, Merlin casts a Shield spell at the same time as Raistlin casts Magic Missile at him - the Shield protects him from damage.

Turn 3:
Merlin wiggles the fingers of his left hand.
Merlin wiggles the fingers of his right hand.
Merlin casts Confusion at Raistlin.
Raistlin snaps the fingers of his left hand.
Raistlin proffers the palm of his right hand.
Raistlin casts Protection at Raistlin.
Raistlin is surrounded by a thick shimmering shield.
Raistlin looks a bit confused.

Merlin casts Confusion at Raistlin, which will disrupt one of Raistlin's gestures randomly next turn. At this point, Raistlin should be considering the probability that Merlin will go on to attempt to cast Disease (DSFFFc). Raistlin, meanwhile, is protected from physical damage for this turn and the next two, by his Protection spell.

Turn 4:
Raistlin confusedly makes the wrong gesture with his right hand. (Due to the Confusion cast in Turn 3)
Merlin wiggles the fingers of his left hand.
Merlin proffers the palm of his right hand.
Merlin casts Anti-spell at Raistlin.
Raistlin wiggles the fingers of his left hand.
Raistlin flailingly half-claps with his right hand. (Note, this is the confused Gesture)
Raistlin casts Confusion at Merlin.
Merlin looks a bit confused.
Raistlin's half-done spells fizzle and die. (This is the effect of the Anti-spell SPFP)

Note that above, it says Raistlin's Gestures are F and C, but in the summary below, it displays a dash for both Gestures. This is because of the Anti-spell - for subsequent turns, the Gestures from this Turn and earlier cannot be used, so obscuring them with dashes will prevent accidental attempts to do so in later turns. The effects for this turn are the effects of the actual F and C Gestures. Note also that in the summary below, we can see that Raistlin's Shield will be in effect for one more Turn - the next.

Turn 5:
Merlin confusedly makes the wrong gesture with his left hand.
Merlin tries to clap with his left hand. (Note, this is the confused Gesture)
Merlin snaps the fingers of his right hand.
Raistlin waves his left hand.
Raistlin waves his right hand.

Unfortunately for Merlin, the hand struck by Confusion was his Left, which was well on the way to casting Disease. However, his right hand can now be seen to be probably on the way to casting Permanency (SPFPSDW). Note that because of last turn's Anti-spell, Raistlin is having to start his spells again.

Turn 6:
Merlin waves his left hand.
Merlin points the digit of his right hand.
Merlin casts Magic Missile at Raistlin. (Note that this is sort of a 'free' spell, cast as part of Permanency - just as Anti-spell was)
Raistlin waves his left hand.
Raistlin snaps the fingers of his right hand.
Raistlin is hit by a Magic Missile, for 1 damage. (See in the summary below that Raistlin's Health is now reduced by one)

At this point, it appears that Merlin's Permanency spell probably won't be any use - Raistlin's WW Gestures suggest that his next Gesture with that hand is likely to be S, completing a counter-spell.

Turn 7:
Merlin waves his left hand.
Merlin waves his right hand.
Merlin casts Permanency at Merlin.
Raistlin proffers the palm of his left hand.
Raistlin snaps the fingers of his right hand.
Raistlin casts Protection at Raistlin.
Raistlin is surrounded by a thick shimmering shield.
Merlin begins glowing faintly. (The visual effect of Permanency)

Surprisingly, Raistlin didn't cast the Counter Spell, perhaps relying on the threat of it deterring Merlin from bothering to cast the Permanency. Merlin now has three turns in which to successfully cast a spell that he wants made permanent.

Turn 8:
Merlin waves his left hand.
Merlin wiggles the fingers of his right hand.
Raistlin snaps the fingers of his left hand.
Raistlin tries to clap with his right hand.

Raistlin makes an almost certainly fatal mistake - probably due to not having read the rules properly, he doesn't realise that Ice Storm (WSSc) requires that the final Gesture be performed with both hands. In truth, he was in a pretty bad situation even before this mistake. Merlin, meanwhile, covers himself against enchantments by keeping a Counter Spell ready (an S Gesture after two or more W Gestures will do a Counter Spell - sometimes it's worth wasting a Gesture to cast your Counter Spell a turn later)

Turn 9:
Merlin wiggles the fingers of his left hand.
Merlin wiggles the fingers of his right hand.
Raistlin wiggles the fingers of his left hand.
Raistlin proffers the palm of his right hand.
Raistlin casts Shield at Raistlin.
Raistlin is covered by a shimmering shield.

Two F Gestures in a row now, by Merlin, suggest that he's going to try to cast Paralysis on Raistlin, and make it Permanent. Raistlin's not in any position to stop this - he only had two chances after the last turn - to clap on this turn, going for a Magic Mirror (cw) on the next, or a left-handed Wave on this turn, intending to cast Fear at himself, which would cancel out the Paralysis. Without a W Gesture on the previous turn, he couldn't complete a Counter Spell this turn. It seem Merlin is going for Cause Light Wounds with his other hand.

Turn 10:
Merlin proffers the palm of his left hand.
Merlin wiggles the fingers of his right hand.
Merlin casts Cause Light Wounds at Raistlin.
Merlin casts Paralysis at Raistlin.
Merlin makes the spell permanent!
(This looks bad for Raistlin!) Raistlin waves his left hand.
Raistlin proffers the palm of his right hand.
Raistlin casts Summon Goblin at Merlin.
(And Raistlin makes another terrible mistake!) Raistlin casts Shield at Raistlin.
Grey Goblin is summoned to serve Merlin.
(Raistlin should have cast the Summoning spell at himself) Raistlin's hands start to stiffen.
Raistlin is covered by a shimmering shield.
Wounds appear all over Raistlin's body!
Grey Goblin attacks Raistlin, but is deflected by a shield.

One of Raistlin's hands, of Merlin's choice, will now be Paralysed until he can successfully cast Remove Enchantment on himself, or Dispel Magic. Little chance of the former, since Merlin could easily Counter Spell it, and no chance at all of the latter, since he won't be able to perform the 'clap' gesture with one hand paralysed! Lucky for him, whichever hand Merlin paralysed will become a P gesture, so he will be able to surrender.

Turn 11:
Raistlin's right hand is paralysed.
Merlin snaps the fingers of his left hand.
Merlin snaps the fingers of his right hand.
Raistlin proffers the palm of his left hand.
Raistlin proffers the palm of his right hand.
Raistlin casts Shield at Raistlin.
Raistlin casts Shield at Raistlin.
Raistlin is covered by a shimmering shield.
Raistlin is covered by a shimmering shield.
Grey Goblin attacks Raistlin, but is deflected by a shield.
Raistlin surrenders.
Merlin is victorious!

Whether by design, since he had little chance of winning from the status he was in, or by accident due to Merlin's paralysing his right hand into a P Gesture, Raistlin surrenders - almost certainly the right thing to do in the situation.

If this were not a Friendly game, Merlin would gain one point, and Raistlin would lose one. Had Raistlin died rather than surrendered, Merlin would gain 1, and Raistlin would lose 1000(!). (For an explanation of the scoring system, see Winning and Scoring.)

This is an exceptionally short Battle... In your first Battles, you should probably expect them to be short. A normal Battle can be expected to last around 20 turns. Few Battles last as long as 40 turns.

Refer to the Spells Quick Reference page