Magic and spells

Wizards and Voidcallers both spend Mana, but on different things. The Wizard deals elemental damage and controls enemies; the Voidcaller heals, protects and supports the party. Each spell has its own cost, rank effects and conditions.

With attack spells, treat the damage and the condition it might add as two separate things. Fire Spark deals fire damage and has a chance to Burn the target; Ice Shard deals ice damage and can Freeze it. If the condition doesn't trigger, you still get the damage.

A spell rank isn't a hero level. Even with a spare point, you can only buy the next rank once the hero meets its unlock condition. Go for the rank whose cure matches the conditions enemies keep putting on you.

Don't mix up Freeze and Stun. Both stop a hero from acting, but Void Mend only removes Stun. For Freeze you need a potion that specifically cures it, like Frostvein Draft.

Burn keeps dealing fire damage after the hit, Freeze makes the target miss a turn, and Paralyze stops it moving but doesn't, on its own, stop it attacking. Before you pick a spell, decide what the biggest problem is this round: an enemy hitting too hard, an enemy moving around, or a target you just need to finish off.

If a target resists a condition, casting the same spell again probably won't win the fight. Read the combat messages and try a different damage type or another hero's skill.

Staves have long reach, so your caster can hit with a staff from the back row when you don't want to spend Mana. Not every new staff is usable straight away, though: magical gear has its own requirements.

A Mana potion refills Mana mid-fight without using up the hero's regular action. Between fights, resting somewhere safe brings it back, and resting costs food. With a Wizard and a Voidcaller in the party, your Mana has to stretch to cover both damage and healing.

Paladins pay with Zeal, Blood Mages with bones or their own health. A Mana potion won't help them, even if their skills look like spells. For every skill, at every rank, check the cost, whether it takes an action, what it targets and its cooldown.