Spells

In each game, there are four spell categories that each correspond to the four elemental schools of magic: Fire, Water, Light, and Darkness. Individual spells can be upgraded, but these enhanced tiers will require more mana, as well as a slighter longer period of time, to cast.

Nightcaster: Defeat the Darkness
In Nightcaster: Defeat the Darkness, Arran can collect Spell Spheres, which either grant him a new power or upgrades a spell he already possesses.

When the player collects every Spell Sphere, he will become a Nature Mage, multiplying the power of all Arran's spells as he becomes attuned to all four elemental schools.

There are a total of 16 spells in the first game, totalling up to 44 Spell Spheres to be collected. Every time Arran casts a specific spell, he will shout an incantation; 2nd- and 3rd-level spells will add another incantation, that will continue after and compound upon the incantation from the previous level.

Additionally, a poetic verse accompanies each spell level (denoted below, and in brackets), with the final secret fourth verse (the emboldened verses seen below) being revealed upon the collection of that spell's 3rd-level Spell Sphere; thus, completing the poem of that spell.

After collecting all the Spell Spheres in a school of magic, the four secret verses of that school combined reveals a fifth poem if read in order, an easter-egg of sorts, describing the defining qualities of that element.

Spells are fueled by mana which appear as green orbs of energy that are dropped by dead enemies. Mana is contained within orbs stacked above Arran's health meter. Throughout the game, Arran collects Mana Spheres ​which premanently increase the mana containers in one school by half at the player's choice. Using Level 2 and Level 3 spells drains mana. Level 2 spells consume two mana containers. Level 3 spells initially consume three mana containers but starting in Chapter VI consume five mana containers and starting in Chapter X six mana containers are consumed.

Sky Fall
Flaming pieces of fallen stars fly at the enemy. Calls forth meteors.
 * Star: Shoots 1 meteor towards the Orb. (Acquired in Chapter I)
 * Incantation: Speura

[The orb of fire proves their bane]

[And fans the fiendish call arcane] [Brimstone sets the sky aflame]
 * Meteors: Shoots 5 meteors that spread out towards the Orb, leaving behind a trail of flame. (Acquired in Chapter II)
 * Comet: Calls forth a burning triangle and meteors to impact down where the Orb is. (Acquired in Chapter X)

[The blaze, is set to burning]

Lava
The fury of the earth is unleashed and a fiery river of lava sears the enemy. Flings streaks of churned lava. [From the earth, the lifeblood wrung] [Is set to lash with forked tongue] [The deluge leaves the dead unsung]
 * Vein: Throws 1 streak of lava at the Orb. (Acquired in Chapter IV)
 * Flow: Throws 1 streak of lava with molten spikes at the Orb. (Acquired in Chapter VIII)
 * Erupt: Makes a huge explosion and multiple Streaks of Molten Spikes and lava come out. (Acquired in Chapter X)

[The lava, it is churning]

Fire Glyph
The rage of fire burns the ground and all trapped upon it. Conjures a ground-based symbol that emits fire. This is your starting fire spell.
 * Burn: Triggers a small blast with an ascending helix of fire.
 * Incantation: Teine

[The angry columns of fire arise] [The mark heralds the foe's demise] [The pillars of Igern rend the skies]
 * Blaze: Triggers a medium blast with 3 exploding sections. (Acquired in Chapter II)
 * Blast: Triggers a colossal blast with multiple sections exploding. (Acquired in Chapter VIII)

[The flames, they are fuming]

Fire Ward
Controlled fire keeps out or contains enemies. Conjures a flaming gate to protect you. [As hellfire sculpts the fiery gate] [And rings in part to decimate] [Morrigan's halo seals their fate]
 * Wall: Summons a small gate that pops up where the Orb is, covering only the front. (Acquired in Chapter VI)
 * Barrier: Summons a wider gate that blocks attacks from the front and sides. (Acquired in Chapter VII)
 * Cage: Summons a full fiery square with 4 gates that open for you when you approach them. (Acquired in Chapter X)

[The fire is all-consuming]

Glacial Might
The chilling power of ice penetrates the bones of enemies and stops them cold. Shoots a slow moving water ball that freezes the enemy. This is your starting water spell.
 * Frost: Shoots 1 ball towards the Orb.
 * Incantation: Uisge

[Tight they're wrapped in glacial fist] [Two are stilled within their midst] [In icy hearts, cold death subsists]
 * Freeze: Shoots 3 quicker balls towards the Orb. (Acquired in Chapter III)
 * Shatter: Calls forth a gigantic sphere that crashes onto the ground, causing 10-15 balls to fly in all directions. (Acquired in Chapter VIII)

[As the snow is falling]

Winter's Fury
The icy northern winds hurl deadly shards of ice at the enemy. Calls forth a fast streak of icicles to collide with the enemy. [Nechtan hefts his sharpened spear] [To coat the earth with frozen tears] [The storm unleashed, the price severe]
 * Ice: Fires 1 streak of icicles towards the Orb. (Acquired in Chapter II)
 * Flurry: Calls forth a wave of icicles to poke up from the ground, impaling the enemy. (Acquired in Chapter II)
 * Hail: A streak of icicles fall from the sky, followed by 4-6 more, then followed by an enormous spire falling down. (Acquired in Chapter III)

[The winter, it is calling]

Water Glyph
A pillar of water streams upwards, to the misfortune of any caught within. Conjures a circle of water, soaking the enemy. [The rivers flow from depths unseen] [And frigid founts erupt between] [The geysers wash the emblem clean]
 * Spring: Summons a small circle of water to wet the enemy. (Acquired in Chapter III)
 * Fount: Summons a small circle with 2 rings of water around, to soak the enemy. (Acquired in Chapter VI)
 * Geyser: Summons a large circle with 8 moons circling, to drown the enemy. (Acquired in Chapter VIII)

[The ocean, it is raging]

Ice Ward
Powerful protective magic harnesses the fluid nature of water to deflect attacks and drive away the forces of fire. A shield of ice encapsulates the caster (does not cover the Orb). [The frozen moon eclipses night] [Reaps the field, encircles light] [Armour worn, cold death wound tight]
 * Sentinel: Summons a ball of ice to spin around the caster, hitting nearby enemies. (Acquired in Chapter III)
 * Shield: Summons a wall of ice at the Orb. (Acquired in Chapter IV)
 * Shell: Summons a shell of ice that only spells can go through. (Acquired in Chapter X)

[The water does the caging]

Primal Light
The power of the sun smites enemies with blazing light. A beam of light shoots towards the Orb. [The lance of Lugh is set aglow] [When noble hand, it guides the flow] [The light, the seeds of death shall sow]
 * Beam: Issues a beam of light towards the Orb at a very fast rate. (Acquired in Chapter VI)
 * Ray: Fires 5 beams of light out towards the Orb. (Acquired in Chapter VII)
 * Nova: Creates a huge sphere of light at the Orb, that fires 12 beams out around itself in the pattern of a sunburst. (Acquired in Chapter XI)

[As the sun is flaming]

Thunder
A bolt of light strikes the foe with shocking effect. Fires a clap of lightning toward the Orb. [The sky it heaves its gilded spike] [At those who've naught endured the like] [The ground, it hungers for the strike]
 * Strike: Shoots one bolt of lightning toward the Orb. (Acquired in Chapter VII)
 * Clap: Shoots one bolt of lightning that splits into 3-5 streams. (Acquired in Chapter VIII)
 * Split: Shoots one huge bolt of lightning that splits into 4-15 streams (depending on how many enemies there are) that strikes enemies. (Acquired in Chapter X)

[The souls, the light is claiming]

Light Glyph
Only Arran is protected from the scouring force of light. Conjures a circle that blinds the enemy with light. [The blinding symbol at its base] [The sky opens with deadly grace] [The radiant fingers scar their face]
 * Glimmer: Summons a small circle of light that pressures the enemy at the Orb. (Acquired in Chapter II)
 * Glamour: Summons a medium circle of light that reveals 8 moons to blind the enemy. (Acquired in Chapter III)
 * Glare: Summons an enormous circle of light that smites the enemy. (Acquired in Chapter IV)

[The brightness, it is purging]

Scarring Light
The power of light strikes enemies with earth-rending brilliance. Generates a homing streak of light that has a huge attacking range. This is your starting light spell.
 * Flicker: Calls forth 1 streak of homing light towards the enemy.
 * Incantation: Solas

[The netherworld at last exposed] [Is cleft in twain, left unopposed] [A flash, the wicked are deposed]
 * Flash: Calls forth multiple streaks of homing light towards the enemies. (Acquired in Chapter IV)
 * Flare: Calls forth a huge explosion of light with 4-9 streaks to dispatch the enemies. (Acquired in Chapter V)

[The light, it is converging]

Venom Strike
The dark touch of corruption slithers out, infecting any victim with a deadly poison. Calls forth snakes that poison and stun the enemy. This is your starting dark spell.
 * Viper: Launches one snake at the enemy.
 * Incantation: Nimhe

[As the shadow serpent seethes] [Five sets of fangs they interweave] [Countless coils with no reprieve]
 * Adders: Launches three snakes that separate into smaller snakes. (Acquired in Chapter VI)
 * Serpents: Launches a huge snake with gold spikes that encircles the Orb 4-7 times, ripping enemies apart. (Acquired in Chapter VII)

[The shadow, it is creeping]

Dark Arc
Mana becomes dark energy, striking targets with deadly bolts of dark power. Shoots a clap of dark lighting at the Orb. [As darkest lightning crackles air] [And thrice the wicked scream despair] [As tenfold death is brought to bear]
 * Shock: Shoots one dark bolt of lightning at the Orb. (Acquired in Chapter II)
 * Surge: Shoots one dark bolt of lightning that splits into 3-5 streams. (Acquired in Chapter III)
 * Bolt: Shoots one huge dark bolt of lightning that splits into 4-15 streams (depending on how many enemies there are) that strikes enemies. (Acquired in Chapter V)

[The blackness, it is seeping]

Dark Glyph
Makes dark energy join into a nimbus of destructive energy. Conjures a circle that poisons that enemy deeply. [The blackened sigil is inscribed] [The fleshless face materialised] [Nonn's dark gates are opened wide]
 * Hex: Summons a small circle of darkness that poisons the enemy into weakness. (Acquired in Chapter VI)
 * Curse: Summons a medium circle of darkness with multiple skulls popping out to poison them on a average scale. (Acquired in Chapter VIII)
 * Blight: Summons a medium circle of darkness with a huge skull popping out, breathing poison to damage them heavily. (Acquired in Chapter X)

[The night, it is descending]

Steel Death
Hardened metal blades strike the target down and infect it with a deadly poison. Releases bladed weapons. [A midnight's blade is carving through] [The axes fall to cleave and hew] [The executioner's debt is due]
 * Blade: Shoots a sword that pierces anything. (Acquired in Chapter III)
 * Mortis: Summons 6 battle axes to rise and slam down on the enemy. (Acquired in Chapter VI)
 * Deathblow: 6 guillotines fall in a hexagon pattern, and a huge saw slices any enemy between the guillotines. (Acquired in Chapter VII)

[The darkness is unending]

Nightcaster II: Equinox
In Nightcaster II: Equinox, Arran can collect Spell Tokens, which allow him to select which new spell or upgrade he wants from the school the token represents. Arran can upgrade his spells only to one level for each spell, and each level no longer has its own name.

Unlike the first game, Arran no longer shouts incantations when casting spells.

Flame Spike
Fires flaming barbs at the enemy

Similar to Sky Fall, Arran fires a flaming projectile that breaks into shrapnel upon impact. At level two, Arran fires three of these projectiles at once.

Fireworks
Crackling embers rain down on the enemy

A small burst of fireworks.

Fire Shape
Looses spirits of Fire on the enemy

Arran fires a flaming projectile that turns into a small Fire Glyph upon impact, which releases a fiery spirit that flies into the air. At level two, Arran fires two of these projectiles.

Fire Ward
Spinning blades of Fire provide protection

This version of fire ward functions similarly to Ice Ward, except with spinning fiery blades. At level two, Arran summons multiple blades at once that remain spinning for a prolonged period.

Flash Freeze
Freezes the enemy for a time

Similar to Glacial Might from the previous game, Arran summons a blue ball that freezes nearby enemies. At level two, the ball is even larger.

Winter's Wind
Unleashes the breath of winter

Arran fires a rapid, white burst of wind.

Water Glyph
Summons forth the symbol of Water Power

The same as from the first game, except Arran fires a bubbly projectile that bursts into the glyph upon contact to the ground or the enemy.

Ice Shard
Fires a splinter of ice at the enemy

Similar to Winter's Fury, but instead a hall of icicles rushes at the enemy and sinks down immediately after opposed to just fading away.

Primal Light
A ray of Light pierces the enemy

Similar to the first game, except the beam locks onto to the enemy and has a different sound effect. At level two, Arran fires five beams at once.

Knight's Arrow
Arrows of pure Light fire at the enemy

At level one, Arran fires a sparkling arrow at the enemy. At level two, Arran creates a horizontal long bow made of light that fires that even more powerful arrow.

Light Glyph
Summons forth the symbol of Light power

Functions similarly to the Light Glyph from the previous game, except with some different symbols. This also applies to its level two.

Thunder
Summons a storm cloud that discharges radiant lightning

Similar to Thunder from the previous game, except the Orb forms a grey cloud that emits lighting bolts. At level two, the cloud is bigger and more violent.

Venom Strike
Unleashes poisonous serpents on the enemy

Similar to Venom Strike from the previous game, Arran fires snakes flying in unison at poisons the enemy. At level two, Arran summons two of these projectiles at once.

Dark Arc
Similar to Dark Arc from the previous game, except the Orb forms a purple cloud that emits lighting bolts. At level two, the cloud is bigger and more violent.

Dark Glyph
Summons forth the symbol of Dark Power

Arran summons a circle that releases and dark smoke with four revolving symbols. At level two, Arran summons a larger circle with more smoke and eight revolving symbols, four moving clock wise and the other four moving counter-clock wise.

Dark Death
Dark blades are summoned from the shadows

Arran summons a revolving spike with three metal blades spinning from the sides. At level two, Arran summons a larger spike with three axes dropping and spinning from the sides.