Cast runes in melee

The Elder Scrolls: Call to Arms - Rules Questions
1

Can a model, while in melee, use a special action to create a rune?

2

Hi stHonor,

No, you wouldn’t be able to create a Rune while engaged as this is a ranged spell/ ranged attack and models can only perform either a melee attack with a weapon or melee spell.

Hope this helps,
Modiphius-NathanP

3

Is in the rulebook any information about engagement and spells? I don’t remember anything about that.
Could you use a personal type spell, for example?

4

Might be worth just clarifying that in the rules redux (and adding for an errata) as Runes are currently listed as a separate spell type to Ranged Attack so; as it’s presently written, there’s nothing directly suggesting that you can’t use a Rune when engaged as it uses a Special Action to cast, not a Shoot Action (and only the latter is ineligible when engaged).

Currently it’s not necessarily obvious (or even implied) that they fall under the general stipulation that you can’t use ranged attack spells when engaged (though they’re obviously an attack-type spell that has a range. Yay semantics), because of that distinction of using a Special Action, not Shoot.

@DK-dark Likewise can’t find anything to suggest you can’t use other Spell types when Engaged. I’d hope things like Personal, Aura etc. are viable in melee as they’d lose a lot of function otherwise.

5

Yes, I hope so, if it is only melee spells as he said… the rest of spells lose some value

6

Hey all,

Regarding engagement and spells, the current rules as written currently cover the vast majority of instances relating to how Spell Types interact with Engagement. The Melee Attack spells follow the rules laid out in the Melee Attack actions, with the Ranged Attack spells interacting with the Shoot action rules in a similar manner.

Runes are the only instance where there is a little bit of a wrinkle, given that all the other spell types are Special Actions (which you can do whilst engaged, unless it states otherwise). Runes are a little problematic, given that they are an instance of a damaging Special Action.

For the time being until the rulebook refresh, use the following whilst looking at Spells and Engagement;

  • Can do whilst Engaged: Melee Attack Spells, all non-Rune Type Special Action Spells.
  • Cannot do whilst Engaged: Ranged Attack Spells, Runes.
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