This post will detail the magic colours that feature in Innocence Seekers, as well as their significance in gameplay. While each mage has their own magic colours, they are generally classified into ten colours in gameplay. While in the setting magic colour is primarily a trait of a mage that has little bearing on magical combat, in the battle system it is an important facet of gameplay.
The names of the ten magic colours vary by language (e.g. cyan, purple and magenta are “aqua”, “indigo” and “purple” respectively in Japanese), but the colours themselves are strictly defined. Their English names, English one-letter abbreviations, and Japanese one-kanji abbreviations are listed below:
- White (W, 白)
- Red (R, 赤)
- Orange (O, 橙)
- Yellow (Y, 黄)
- Green (G, 緑)
- Cyan (C, 水)
- Blue (B, 青)
- Purple (V, 藍)
- Magenta (M, 紫)
- Pink (P, 桃)
In the Rainbow Grid battle system, an ATK bonus is given in the event that the attacker’s magic colour matches the panel of the attacker, the panel of the target, the target’s magic colour, or two or all three of these. This bonus is a flat +25% for each matching colour, calculated separately from ATK bonuses from other sources (although this bonus stacks with panel element bonuses).
Conversely, if instead of matching magic colours, one, two or all three of the above three features a complementary magic colour, a -25% penalty to ATK is given for each feature. The complementary colour pairs are as follows:
- White – Purple
- Red – Cyan
- Orange – Pink
- Yellow – Blue
- Green – Magenta
If all three features have complementary magic colours, the ATK penalty adds up to -75%, which is more often than not enough to reduce an attack to one damage. Even just one complementary magic colour can potentially halve the attack’s potential damage, assuming identical ATK and DEF. Hence it is very important to keep in mind magic colours. Because the penalties and bonuses work both ways, it is crucial to determine whether to exploit identical magic colours to maximise damage inflicted, or utilise complementary magic colours to mininise damage received.
The arrangement of magic colours (and elements) on each panel of the battlefield is randomised at the beginning of every battle, ensuring that no advantage is given to any particular magic colour (preset battlefield effects as found on non-randomised battlefields are not associated with magic colour). In addition to the ten colours, there is also a “clear” colour, which does not impart any effect on spells.
The magic colours of each panel can actually be modified mid-battle. The “Colour Blast” spell only has a power of G, but requires minimal MP, and forces the target panel to change into the magic colour of the caster (unless if the original magic colour is complementary, in which case the panel becomes clear); the spell also has no effect on targets with identical magic colours as the caster. Geomancers have access to a wide variety of spells that alter the magic colours of the battlefield, and have the ability to change any panel within range to clear or any arbitrary colour, with the exception of the complementary colour to the Geomancer’s magic colour and the complementary colour to the target panel (e.g. a Geomancer with a red magic colour can change an orange panel to a white panel, but not a cyan or pink panel; additionally, the same Geomancer can only change a cyan panel to a clear panel).
That will be enough for gameplay. In the setting, while magic colour typically has limited impact on battles, they are often used as a marker of identity. While mortals (such as humans and Donsilans) have varied magic colours, almost all full-blooded demons have purple magic colour. Ordinary witches and turned vampires typically retain their original magic colour, but witches by blood and dhampyrs start off with purple magic colour. While dhampyrs can temporarily change their magic colour by consuming (instead of just using as a weapon) the blood of an Innocent, only witches by blood (and female dhampyrs) can permanently change their magic colour by entering into a contract with a magical girl.
That will be all for now.