Unfortunately, conditional spell durations are not possible right now, we can make the caster immobile and regenerate, but we can't give them a variable duration, we'd have to set it to a specific number of turns (at least for tactical, obviously on strategic you can dispel spells).

Yes, the current 6 HP Heal spell is very weak considering how long it takes to get (18 turns after selection?) or some nonsense. This would be a great early supplement Heal/Protect spell even if lasted only 2 turns and gave back 50% of a weakened SoV's HP.

Beats having to run home all the time, and hoping to make it or spend 5 turns and whatever other penalty (forget) that is applied after a death. A SoV needs to be out searching for turf and or Allies early. Not pussyfooting around.

I was thinking of "Sheltering Hands" as a tactical spell in the Earth book under the Battlefield chapter.  Since this spell also has a geographic component to it (hero / sovereign is stuck not doing anything) I figured it made sense with the other Battlefield spells.  I thought it could be the first spell in a new series of 1st level defensive  elemental spells for tactical combat. 

Making the duration 5 at a regeneration of 2 would give 10 pts of healing over the full effect.  I was thinking of these first level spells as being one shots with a medium cooldown and no scaling effect for shards / INT, easier to keep them on the cheaper side for mana costs that way.   This would also open up a path for the Empire to finally get some healing! 

Murteas, let me know if you want me to go ahead and post a full list of ideas; counting "Sheltering Hands" these would double the Battlefield chapter...

@seanw3: Have you played around with Leap?  Especially if you end up with a lot of air shards that can give a unit a real boost across the map or into the unknown late game.  Are you thinking something like that with a temp duration or a full on permanent enchantment with a maintenance cost?

M. Agrippa - Post away... I'm listening.   

Work has fried my responsibility circuits this week, I need a little mod time this weekend, so I'll try to hammer out a few spells.  

As usual I have no creativity on my own, so I rely on you capable people to tell me what you want to see.  

edit:  Been playing a little Magicka (fun game)  maybe we should look there for some tactical spell ideas as well.

edit2:  sean  that spell is definitely doable.   Anything in particular you'd like to call it?   I can create it and you can test it out and tell me what you think.

We can definitely create some of these stack enhancement spells.    If you have specific things you would like to see, post the ideas and I'll see what I can do. (I'll start working on the movement spell - kinda a group "leap" sort of idea).

I have not tested it completely myself, but this is the game modifier used for the cowardly sov talent which affects stats at the party level.

It applies to all units in a stack. 

EDIT: I've only tried it with UnitStat_Moves, but it DOES work to improve the overall movement of the stack.

Yes. It seems to apply it to all units in the stack. Though, I never looked closely. I had made a spell that increased uniststatmoves by 2. And when I cast it on a stack, the stack's movement is increased by 2.

I am fairly certain the spell target gets the modifier, thus if you cast it on a stack, it will apply to the leader unit will hold the modifier. Therefore, if the leader leaves, then the modifier is gone.

@seanw3: those are some fun spell idea; since they are so powerful I think it makes sense to have them be a fixed duration rather than a standing enchantment.  Maybe each of them lasts for 10 turns, has a 200 turn cooldown?  Since you are effecting an entire stack at a time, I do not see a good way to do the maintenance cost in a balanced way.

Also great to see everyone throw in code to start getting this new chapter to happen.  Where were you picturing these spells living in the current spell book structure?  I can see a pretty clear mapping to Mobility, Combat (Titans Might), Enchantment( Hugote's Aura), and Life, but don't see anything for Terra forming or Death...

Here is the new listing of 1st level defensive themed spells I was thinking of for Battlefield.  I re-listed the earth one for clarity and modified the effects a bit, cause John_Hughes "5 turns too long idea" makes sense to me.   

Earth > Level 1 > Sheltering Hands: "The sovereign caused giant hands of stone to enfold and protect his hero, as gentle as a caring parent"

Target: Friendly Champion; Cost: 10 Mana; Duration 3 turns; Earth Shard required; Hands rise up and protect the champion from harm, adding 10 Def, 10 INT, and giving Regeneration 4 for the duration.  Target cannot move, counterattack, or take any action.

Fire > Level 1 > Ring of Fire: "The sovereign drew a burning ring in the air where it expanded into a wall sheltering us from the Fallen horde"

Target: Friendly Unit; Cost: 10 Mana; Duration 3 turns; Fire Shard required; A ring of fire surronds and protects the unit from attack; unit gets +5 Dodge, anyone attacking the unit suffers an automatic counter attack at 10.   Target cannot move for the duration.

Water> Level 1 > Icy Barricade: "Water coursed up from the ground, freezing instantly.  In moments we were surrounded by a defensive wall"

Target: Friendly Unit; Cost: 10 Mana; Duration 3 turns; Water Shard required; A icy defensive wall forms around the unit;  unit gets +4 Armour, and  +10 temporary hit points.   Target cannot move for the duration.

Air > Level 1 > Guiding Wind: "Whenever the archer let loose a shot, it seemed to be grabbed by the wind in mid-flight and hurtled toward the enemy"

Target: Friendly Unit; Cost: 10 Mana; Duration 5 turns; Air Shard required;  Adds +5 Attack and +3 accuracy to ranged attacks for the duration of the spell. 

We already have an excellent tile for Hands; looks like we will need one for Ring & Barricade.  Anyone want to claim them?

Howling winds:

Still needs some work, if you have any suggestions let me know.