Levitation is a multi-functional running spell which has a tiered activation system for Lore/Level/Stat/Skill based abilities to become available. The dynamics of the spell culminate into Defensive, Offensive and Utilitarian devices aimed at mostly combat but with some benefits in a node. The principle of the spell is that a continued rise in spiritual power will enable a system which will build and build up in itself in combinations for the battle.

In order to make Levitation work, the Monk must enter a trance for up to 60 seconds. If there are people joined with the Monk for the entire 60 seconds, then they will all enjoy a group benefit from the uplifting effects of focusing chi energy in a harmonious way that raises their consciousness with their body following!

The effects for the Monk who casts the spell with and without the group will be: 1) An immediate parry/evade % modifier which factors in the size/level/race/skills/weapons of the foe making an attack to be at odds with the differences in balance, gravitational dynamics, the height and differences in mass/weight for the overall effects of the embattled Monk. It will be a lot easier to swiftly move out of the way if you are already floating on the air because you will be in touch with the physical vibrations of the fabric of space, at once sensing the incoming blows karmically as they invade your space but also being physically more able to adjust to the incoming blows. This also will trigger the 'Counter-Attack' effect which is a tiered system for the heightened level Monk who is able to more skillfully control their Levitation! So the Monk who is working above ground will be able to activate the Tier 1 'Counter-Attack' effect which will release a counter punch/kick/grapple when attacked, though it will be automatic with no RT, a reflex that is hyper-speed. Probably limiting it to a jab for the new Monk to get the spell activated this way then a Grapple or Kick for the Master Monk of 100th+ trainings.

Once the Monk is Counter-Attacking enough (say they do this 5-10 times), they may enable themselves to be able to launch a strike that originates with them 'launching' at their opponent from the spiritual fury they are generating! So the Monk every once in a while will be informed via the mechanical system that they are going to be able launch an attack using the motions from their Counter-Attacks...if they use a special action command. The monk uses the pressure of their air-space as the anchor and they use their magical energies to assume an attack position that will most benefit them. The result is a strong Maneuver based assault which gains advantage from a HEIGHT over the adversary (more limited effects with golems, trolls, etc. until 100th+ Monk skill levels...).

When the Monk has successfully made a LAUNCHING attack at their adversary, they will be possibly able to trigger a Tier 3 effect which to push air down from their position using Mental magics that can cause the foe fly into the air into a position the Monk can strike them more easily (sort of like a football, baseball or cricket kind of thing). The use of the air pressure and the push-down of the space makes a convex of air that sends them into a prime location for their strike making it appear as if the foe is temporarily a puppet for the Monk to make use of. The use of the Tier 3 effect will always be followed by the Monk LAUGHING with their foe as it is so fun to play with them this way.

If the Tier 4 is available to the Monk and they have made a successful Tier 3 attack, then they can use their Karmic pressure with force directly channeled enough to strike without making physical contact! This means the Monk will remain in a position that is defensive and not any closer than they are before they would normally strike their enemy. The force of their chi as they 'shadow' fight will be as if each blow were being connected to their target by an invisible weapon, one solid and penetrating. This will be the effect of adding MASSIVE CRIT WEIGHTING to the first blow, followed by a decrease each following blow in weighting. The effects will last until the weighting is depleted and activate the Tier 5 effect if available to the Monk.

Tier 5 Levitation activation will create a Mental wall around the Monk that when penetrated will cause a gravitational effect and possibly knock down, stun, damage, RT for the enemy. This is dependent on the many level, skill ratios with the Monk vs the critter but will be a very very powerful barrier that will last for 60 seconds upon activation. The barrier will not degrade in power during the whole 60 seconds no matter how many critters are in the room stepping through it. A massive boost for the defense to the Monk when a Tier 5 is activated.

Tier 6 will use the energy of the Monk force field wall from Tier 5 and focus it into an energy for attacks! So all the available energy absorbed by the critters who were unfortunate enough to step through their Monk barrier deposited their chi focus into the field through the interaction which is catalyzed into offensive energy for the Master Mentalist! The result is a FLARE ON EACH BLOW. Double-flares for some Master Monks. When the Tier 6 is used up, there should be few left in the room!

But if Tier 7 is activated, this gives the opportunity to: increase their harmony and replenishing of their Mental energy fields by a form of meditation which endows them with a massive boost temporarily to Mana/Stamina/Spirit replenishment while focusing their Mental energy into a Tier 8 activation. During the Tier 7 activation phase for their replenishment, an apparition will appear that fights in place of the monk whom is comfortable levitating within their own field of light, beyond reach in the physical realm! The shadow Monk will cause real Mental damage with the same skills as the Monk while the Monk in true form basks in the effects of their energy field. The higher level Monks can even heal small wounds over time.

Tier 8 if available will renew the form of the Monk into a combo of their light, Mental energy field and physical self for a 2 minute endowment of +25 across the board to AS/DS/TD/CS and with a -1 haste effect for all attacks. Also their Mental warding spells will receive a pushdown effect and spells will be cast with a reduced RT of 2 seconds with a reduction in mana cost.

Tier 9 will use the confidence and bond with the enemy to attune to them and mimic their movements in a supernatural way! The Monk will harness the energy of the offensiveness of the critter and be able to turn it against them based on their CS. The CS will force the foe to struggle with their own Mental magical energy to attack themselves instead of the Monk, each time. If the ward is successful, the critter will commit various forms of suicide with whatever spell, melee/ranged, CM based-- whatever aggression shown to the Monk is spared for the critter themselves! This has no limit to # of critters and will instead of costing the Monk any magical energy will give at least +1 in Mental magic to the Monk upon the successful ward of the spell. The higher wards increase the damage on the critter to their self-harm.

Tier 10 will be the Master Monk zone. The Master Monk zone is a continuous 5 min advantage that greatly increases abilities for the Monk across the board while giving them combination tactics which are activated autonomously. When the 'Zone' is activated (and I am seeing this as only 100th level Monks get this gainful advantage), the Monk is getting a +40 AS/DS, +25 TD, +25 CS. Their stamina costs are reduced by half and the cost of the spells they cast are cut in half too. When they kick and punch, there is a chance for a flare that goes up with each successive combination punch/kick/grapple. For example, when the Monk choses KICK a critter, the Kick will be at a reduced RT so that they are able to follow up with a series of other bows within the same RT which would otherwise have been used just for the kick! Imagine a kick which causes damage and a followup vulnerability to a Grapple attack. The Grapple assault is recognized by the system and the automatic combo activation for the Monk is to Grapple next. This leads to a third combo offensive and a huge advantage in the foe being as vulnerable. If the Monk kills the first foe, the combo effect transfers to the next available or if there is none left, the energy is packed into their next attack as stored Mental force. The extreme Master, say a 3x capped Monk (I'm sure there's one or two around?) may be able to land say 7-12 blows depending on rolls in an otherwise 4 second kick.

Also a running ENCUMBRANCE boost would be automatic for Levitation, starting at 10 lbs. and going up a good bit with Mental magic abilities and mastery of the Levitation spell. ENCUMBRANCE destroyed the playability of my Halfling in Platinum, was just not possible to loot and remain alive there (especially once they nerfed the spirit regeneration for my CoL Wracking Wizard). You must be a Giant in my opinion for the mechanics to really work with the amount of loot coming in a hunt, it's just not sensical as it is. I feel there should be an overall encumbrance boost generally to all characters anyway but that each class should have some sort of benefit for their own way of hauling loot. Anyway,Levitation would solve this for Monks because their use of the Magical realms of energy will be able to shift the mass and weight to their advantage and reduce the encumbrance problems for anything, I'd hope say 20-30% automatically say up to half. Why not! Encumbrance SUCKS. You got 12 boxes sometimes in 15 minutes and gems, plus you found that incredible weapon on the critter. Encumbrance sucks. It has to get balanced.



So imagine that the spell builds up in a hunt this way with the Supercharger, Loot Boost, Encumbrance Boost, Luck Boost...for 15 minutes this Tier 10 will kick in toward the end, right? You will find your Monk in 'the Zone' at like 2x cap with some huge fun for 5 minutes. Then you have to start all over for 60 seconds with meditation if you want to kick in.

This is a really nice example of a spell that is complex and probably expensive to build for Simu but the usefulness and appeal for Monks might open a lotof doors for people who are otherwise turned off. They are known as being a bit soft and kind of punch/kick repeat. I just started mine and am really enjoying the character build so far, we'll see how it goes. The more I see of the spells and mechanics the more I like it actually. A Square with Spells and built to bolt....this might be as good as a Rogue which is the ultimate rounded/flexible character by far to me.