Re: Waving Hands (Spellcaster)

From: nicholso@pioneer.arc.nasa.gov (Melvin H. Nicholson YBH)

Date: Tue, 06 Apr 1993 23:42:31 +0000

I hadn't planned to mention this until such time as I finished the
automated server, but I've taken up the gauntlet for the Late
Richard Bartle (who authored the originalgame "Spellbinder" for
a fanzine called Sauce of the Nile).  I've modified a few of the
rules for the sake of the automata, which won't be ready for a
month or two, and given the whole thing a rewrite (Mr. Bartle was
not a native speaker of English, and some of the original was a little
hard to read, but the game itself is excellent)

Here is a rough copy of the rules for Gesticulation, which will be
featured in Automated PBeM soon.

The only substantial changes since "Waving Hands" came out are:
	1) All spells which allowed you to wait until after moves
	were exposed to make a decision have been edited to make
	you decide first (sometimes by splitting them into two spells)
	2) Permanency has been modified in the way it interacts with
	confusion (so you roll each time --- this is for rebalancing
	with the Paralysis group)
	3) Charm Person has been totally changed.
	4) Some spells have been reclassified so as to make spell
	desciptions clearer.
=========================================================================
			Gesticulation

Genesis: This game was written by the Late Richard Bartle for his fanzine
Sauce of the Nile under the title Spellbinder.  That title is now
trademarked so the game in it's quest for a new name has been called Spell
Caster, Waving Hands, and Gesticulation.  This most recent edition was
edited and revised by Mel Nicholson.  Mr. Nicholson asserts clearly that
this is still Mr. Bartle's game, and that most of his work has been to
provide clarity in the rules, not to change them.  The few substantial
changes that were made were designed to streamline the decision process for
ease in postal play, and to balance the effects of a few spells with their
ease of casting.  This game and the changes to it are in the public domain.

Introduction: GESTICULATION captures the spirit of a mortal duel between
mages of great power.  The mages perform magical gestures to cast spells
which can blind their opponent, summon terrifying creatures, or even kill
their victim outright.  Each wizard must maintain enough of a defense to
survive the opponent's onslaught while mustering enough offense to kill his
opponent or force him to surrender.  Because of the game's simple yet
exciting mechinics, live games typically take only 15-30 minutes to play
with two players.  Multiplayer games may take somewhat longer than that.
The author does wish to state that he has never been personally involved in
a magic duel, but would be interested in hearing how realistic this game is
from those who have...

======================== The Play =======================================
The Turn: Each turn, each player secretly writes down a gesture for each
hand, and notes what spells (if any) are being completed by these gestures,
and who or what the targets of these spells are.  The player also notes the
actions of any creatures the player controls.  Once the players are
finished with this, all the actions are revealed at once, except where
hidden through a spell like invisibility or blindness, and the effects take
place simultaneously.  Play continues until one side is victorious through
the death or surrender of their opponents.  If both sides die and/or
surrender at once, the contest is a draw.  Alternate scenarios with more
than two players can easily be created.

There are 5 magical and 2 non-magical single-handed gestures available,
plus one double-handed gesture.  The magical single-handed gestures are
fingers forward(F), palm forward(P), the snap(S), waving(W), and pointing
with one digit(D).  The non-magical single-handed gestures are the
stab(stab) and nothing(idle).  The two-handed gesture is the clap(C), and
must be performed with both hands or else is counted as (idle).  When a
spell requires a single-handed gesture to be performed with both hands, the
abbreviation is wrtien in lower case preceded by an open parenthesis.  For
example, (w is the same a W, but with both hands.

Gestures may be part of the casting of more than one spell.  For example,
if a player gestures fingers forward with one hand on three consecutive
turns to cast the Paralysis spell (F-F-F), the player could then use the
final F as the beginins of a Fireball spell (F-S-S-D-D), and only need to
make the last four gestures (S-S-D-D) to complete the spell.  More than one
gesture may be recycled at one in this way.  For example, after casting the
first Paralysis spell (F-F-F), the caster could make another finger forward
gesture to cast a second Paralysis spell, as the last three gestures made
would still be (F-F-F).

The only restriction on using gestures in more than one spell is that
spells which are completed at the same time may not share the same instance
of a gesture.  For example, if a player made the gestures P-W-P-S-S-S-D
with one hand, then these gestures could be used for the Finger of Death
spell (P-W-P-S-S-S-D) or the much weaker Missle spell (S-D), but not both.
Howver, it would not be illegal to have made an S-D with the other hand
and cast both spells at once.  In other words, the same type of gesture may
be used in each spell, but not the exact gesture from a given hand at a
given hand at a given time.  In cases where a gesture must be made by both
hands at once, each hand's gesture is counted as part of the spell.

For all spells which contain single-handed gestures, all the
single-handed gestures must be performed with the same hand.

Cancellation: Certain spells will cancell each other such that one or both
will not work when cast at the time.  Most of these only cancell each other
when cast at the same target, but a few will cancell each other regardless
of target.  The descriptions of spells note where cancellations happen.

Every stab or spell, with the exception of Fire Storm and Ice Storm, must be
made with the specification of a target.  A convenient notation for this is
to list the right hand gesture, spell completed (if any), and the target of
the spell, then the left hand, then note the attacks of creatures you may
control that that turn.  In cases where the spell is a mix of single-handed
and double-handed gestures, list the spell under the hand which contains the
single-handed gestures.  If the spell contains no single-handed gestures,
list it by either hand, but not both.  An example turn might be:

start Ergo The Brave
P Shield(myself)
D Fireball(the elemental he is about to create)
Ogre1(Presto the Slimy)
end

(and his opponents orders...)
start Presto the Slimy
stab(Ogre1)
S Summon Elemental(myself)
end

Spell Priority: When some spells are cast on the same turn, it is important
to know which one has priority over the other.  For example, if a player has
Resist Fire and Fireball cast on them at once, it is important to know
whether the fire resistance starts before or after the fireball hits.  The
general rule is to resolve all additions of protection, then all removals of
protection, then creation of monsters, then the control of monsters, then
all attacks (including monsters, stabs and spells), then all damage (so a
dying moster will attack in the turn it is destroyed unless otherwise
specified).  Any healing spell will be evaluated to provide the maximum
benefit, even if multiple healing spells need to be alternated with multpile
attacks.

Mortality: Each wizard may receive 14 points of damage safely, but the 15th
or higher point of damage kills the wizard.

Surrender: If a wizard ever getures palms forward with both hands at once,
even on accident, then he has surrendered, and may not participate in the
next turn.  This is not a spell and cannot be cancelled.

Starting the battle: to provide an even start, the referees cast dispell
magic and anti-spell at each of the contestants so that no wizard can have
any delayed effect spells, protective enchatments, summoned creatures, nor
partially completed spells ready at the beginning of the contest.

Stabbing: Each wizard has only one dagger, and therefore may not stab with
both hands at the same time.  It takes no time to sheath or unsheath the
dagger, nor to switch hands with it, so there is no constraint on using the
dagger in one hand one turn, and in the other the next.  A stab is not a
spell and cannot be cancelled.  It does one point of damage to its target
unless the target has a Shield spell or other spell to provide protection.

========================== SPELLS =========================================
Spells: There are six types of spells: Preventative, Restorative, Damaging,
Enchanting, Summoning, and Altering.  Below each spell is listed by type
with a description of what gestures are required to cast the spell, and
what the effects of the spell are.  Following this list are some convenient
summary tables.

===================
Preventative Spells
===================

Preventative spells are primarily used to thrawt attacks, but can also
cancell protections and other spells.  Some of these spells require very
careful timing so that they will be completed at the same time that the
attack they defend against is launched.

Shield [P]: This spell protects its target against all missle spells,
dagger stabs, and attacks from summed creatures for the turn it is cast.
One shield spell will protect against any number of these attacks.

Magic Mirror[C-(w]: The target of a a Magic Mirror spell will be protected
by a Magic Mirror for the turn this spell is cast unless the target is also
the target of a Dispell Magic or a Counter-Spell, in which case the Magic
Mirror is cancelled.  A person or creature protected by a Magic Mirror will
reflect any single target spell cast at him/her/it.  A reflected spell acts
as if it's target was the caster instead of the named target.  Spells cast
by a wizard upon himself are not affected by a Magic Mirror, nor are spells
with more than one target.  (Note: If a spell is cast by a person protected
by a Magic Mirror upon someone else who is protected by a Magic Mirror, the
caster's spell will first be altered by his target's Magic Mirror to become
a spell cast upon himself, and then be unaffected by his own Magic Mirror,
as mirrors do not affect spells casted by a wizard upon himself)

Counter-Spell[W-P-P] or [W-W-S]: Any other spell cast on the same turn as a
Counter-Spell has no effect on the Counter-Spell's target, except for
Dispell Magic, Finger of Death, or Raise Dead on a dead target.  While
Counter-Spells prevent the target from being affected by spells with more
than one target, like Fire Storm, they will protect no one else.  Two or
more Counter-Spells cast at the same target will combine to form a single
Counter-Spell.  This spell is cancelled by Dispell magic and will not
cancell Anti-Magic on a turn in which Dispell Magic is cast.

Dispell Magic[C-D-P-W]: The spell, regardless of it's target, cancells all
other spells cast the same turn at it, except other Dispell Magic spells
and Anti-Spell.  Every wizard and creature is affected as if targeted by
Remove Enchantment.  The target of a Dispell Magic spells are Shielded
on the turn the spell is cast

Anti-Spell[S-P-F]: Gestures made by the target of this spell before it is
cast may not be used as parts of spells which are completed after it is cast.
This spell is immune to the effects of Dispell Magic but not Counter-Spell.

==================
Restorative Spells
==================

Restorative spells restore a creature to the state it was in before other
spells were cast on them (in the case of a summoned creature, this can be
fatal).  These spells do not require the timing of preventative spells, but
also will only remove an effect after the fact rather than provide complete
protection.  Healing spells will not cause the number of damage points
to be negative, but can heal damage simulataneously with its cause.

Remove Enchantment[P-D-W-P]: All spells of the Enchating or Altering classes
which are affecting the target of this spell are eliminated.  Cancellation
will not prevent the effects of Charm spells, Blindness, or Invisibility
from working on the turn that the Remove Enchantment is cast, but will
prevent them from working thereafter.  Mosters which are the target of a
Remove Enchantment spell which is not cancelled are destroyed and cannot be
restored with Raise Dead, but do attack before vanishing.  This spell will
not remain to cancell enchantments cast on later turns, but the enchantments
so removed are gone permanently (though a new enchantment of the same type
may be cast at a later time)

Raise Dead[D-W-W-F-W-C]: When cast on a live target 5 damage points (or the
number of damage points taken if less than 5) are removed.  When cast on a
dead target, the target becomes alive at the end of the turn and then all
damage points are removed and all enchantments are immediately removed.
The ressurected person or creature cannot act the same turn it is raised,
but acts normally after that.  This spell is not cancelled by Counter-Spell
when cast on a dead target, but will be cancelled normally on a live
target.  Dispell Magic will cancell it on any target.

Cure Light Wounds[D-F-W]: One damage point is removed from the target.  The
spell has no effect if the target is undamaged.

Cure Heavy Wounds[D-F-P-W]: Two damage points are removed from the target.
The spell has no effect if if the target is undamaged, but will remove one
point of damage if the target only has one point of damage.  Any Disease
spell on the target will be removed.

==============
Summons spells
==============

Summon spells allow the caster to summon monsters.  All of these mosters
can attack, but none can gesture or cast spells.  Except where noted
otherwise, they will attack at the command of their controller.

Summon Goblin[S-F-W]: This spell creates a goblin under the control of the
target of the spell.  If the target is itself controlled, then the control
is given to the controller of the target instead.  Each turn, including the
one in which it is summoned, the Goblin will attack at the victim selected
by its controller.  Goblins do 1 damage point with their attack and can be
killed by a single damage point.  If the target of a summon spell does not
exist, then the Goblin is not summoned.

Summon Ogre[P-S-F-W]: This spell works exactly like Summon Goblin, but the
summoned creature is an Ogre which does two damage points per attack and is
killed by two damage points instead of one.

Summon Troll[F-P-S-F-W]: This spell works exactly like Summon Goblin, but the
summoned creature is a Troll which does three damage points per attack and is
killed by three damage points instead of one.

Summon Giant[W-F-P-S-F-W]: This spell works exactly like Summon Goblin, but
the summoned creature is a Giant which does four damage point per attack and
is killed by four damage points instead of one.

Summon Ice Elemental[C-S-W-W-S]: This spell creates an Ice Elemantal.
Unlike the Goblin family, Elementals cannot be controlled, and instead
attack everyone every turn.  Anyone who is not under the effect of a Resist
Cold nor Shield spell will take three damage from an Ice Elemental attack
(those protected by Resist Cold will be unharmed).  An Ice Elemental may
killed by three points of damage, or may be nuetralized by a Fire
Elemental, Fire Storm or Ice Storm or by a Fireball or Resist Cold spell
targeted at the elemental.  A nuetralized elemental does not attack on the
turn it is nuetralized or afterward, and will not be restored by a Raise
Dead spell.  A Fire Storm or Fire Elemental which neutralizes an Ice
Elemental will itself be neutralised.

Summon Fire Elemental[C-S-W-W-S]: This spell creates an Fire Elemantal.
Unlike the Goblin family, Elementals cannot be controlled, and instead
attack everyone every turn.  Anyone who is not under the effect of a Resist
Heat nor Shield spell will take three damage from an Fire Elemental attack
(those protected by Resist Heat will be unharmed).  A Fire Elemental may
killed by three points of damage, or may be nuetralized by an Ice
Elemental, Fire Storm or Ice Storm or by a Iceball or Resist Cold spell
targeted at the elemental.  A nuetralized elemental does not attack on the
turn it is nuetralized or afterward, and will not be restored by a Raise
Dead spell.  An Ice Storm or Ice Elemental which neutralizes a Fire
Elemental will itself be neutralised.

===============
Damaging Spells
===============

Damaging spells are magical attacks.  They either add damage points
to their target or else to everyone who is not protected from them,
possibly including the caster.

Missle[S-D]: This spell adds one point of damage to its target unless
the target is protected by a Shield or the Missle spell is cancelled.

Finger of Death[P-W-P-F-S-S-S-D]: This spell kills the target, even if
protected by Counter-Spell.  This spell is cancelled by Raise Dead to the
same target, even if the Raise Dead spell is cancelled by another spell.

Lightning Bolt[D-F-F-D-D] or [W-D-D-C]: The spell adds five points of
damage to its target unless cancelled.  The four-gesture version of this
spell may only be used one per day (battles are considered to last much
less than a day), and will not work a second time in the same day even if
cancelled the first time.  The five-gesture version may be used even if the
four-gesture version is exhausted.

Cause Light Wounds[W-F-P]: This spell adds 2 points of damage to its target
unless cancelled.

Cause Heavy Wounds[W-P-F-D]: This spell adds 3 points of damage to its
target unless cancelled.

Fireball[F-S-S-D-D]: This spell adds 5 points of damage to its target unless
the spell is cancelled, the target is under the Resist Heat enchantment, or
there is a Ice Storm the same turn.  The target of a Fireball is not protected
from Ice Elementals unless he is also under the Resist Cold enchantment.

Iceball[F-S-S-D-D]: This spell adds 5 points of damage to its target unless
the spell is cancelled, the target is under the Resist Cold enchantment, or
there is a Fire Storm the same turn.  The target of an Iceball is not protected
from Fire Elementals unless he is also under the Resist Fire enchantment.

Fire Storm[S-W-W-C]: Everyone and everything not under the Resist Heat
enchantment receives five points of damage unless also the target of an
Iceball or the Fire Storm is nuetralized by an Ice Elemental or Ice Storm.
Multiple Fire Storms are not cumulative, and more than one Fire Storm cast
in the same round will combine to a single Fire Storm and not do any extra
damage.  This spell has no target and cannot be affected by Counter-Spell.

Ice Storm[W-S-S-C]: Everyone and everything not under the Resist Cold
enchantment receives five points of damage unless also the target of an
Fireball or the Ice Storm is nuetralized by a Fire Elemental or Fire Storm.
Multiple Ice Storms are not cumulative, and more than one Ice Storm cast
in the same round will combine to a single Ice Storm and not do any extra
damage.  This spell has no target and cannot be affected by Counter-Spell.

============
Enchantments
============

Enchantments are a class of spells which can alter the actions of a wizard
or creature, or provide protection.  Unlike preventatives, a protective
enchantments are much easier to time as the effects are not limited to the
turn of casting.  Most of the behavior modifying enchantments cancell each
other out.  If any target of an enchantment spell is also the target of a
Remove Enchantment spell that same turn, the enchantment disspates with no
effect.  Enchantments which affect gestures will work in the same turn that
a Remove Enchantment is cast, but not afterward.  Other enchantments will
not have any effect the turn which Remove Enchantment is cast or afterward.
Enchantments do not work if cast on a target the same turn Counter-Spell
is used on that target or Dispell Magic is cast at anyone.

Amnesia[D-P-P]: If the target of an Amenesia spell is a wizard, then the
turn after the Amnesia is cast, the wizard must make the same gesture
(including idle or stab) with each hand as the turn in which Amnesia was
cast.  A monster under the effect of Amnesia may not change targets.  The
effect of Amnesia lasts only one turn unless made Permanent.  If the target
of an Amnesia enchantment is also under a Charm Monster, Charm Person,
Confusion, Fear, Paralysis, or Fear spell, this spell has no effect.

Confusion[D-S-F]: if the target of a Confusion spell is a Wizard, then the
next turn a randomly chosen hand will have its gestured altered to a
randomly chosen gesture.  To determine the hand and gesture, roll two six
sided dice in order.  If the first is 1-3, the right hand is changed; on a
4-6 the left hand is changed.  The second die indicates the replacing
gesture: 1=C 2=D 3=F 4=P 5=S 6=W.  A monster who is Confused will attack a
randomly chosen target (with all legal targets including the monster itself
assigned an equal chance of selection).  Exception: Elementals are immune.
The affect of the confusion spell lasts only one turn unless made Permanent.
If the target of a Confusion spell is also under a Amnesia, Charm Person,
Charm Monster, Paralysis, or Fear enchantment, this spell has no effect.

Charm Person[P-S-D-F]: The target of A Charm Person enchantment may not
target nor cause a monster to target the caster with any spell the turn
after the enchantment is cast.  The effect of Charm Person lasts only one
turn unless made Permanent.  A monster target will not be affected.  If
the target of a Charm Person spell is also under a Amnesia, Charm Monster,
Paralysis, or Fear enchantment, this spell has no effect.

Charm Monster[P-S-D-D]: If the target of this spell is a wizard, it has
no effect.  If the target is a monster, control of the monster is transfered
to the caster.  This enchantment will have no effect if the monster is also
the target of an Amnesia, Charm Person, Paralysis, or Fear spell, but will
control will last indefinately, even if the target is placed under one of
these enchantments at a later time.

Paralysis(left/right)[F-F-F] If the target of this spell is a wizard, his
gesture with the specified hand the next turn is determined by the gesture
made the turn that the paralysis took effect.  If the gesture was a C, S or
W, the new gesture will be a D, F or P, respectively.  Otherwise the new
gesture will be identical to the old one.  A wizard who is the target of a
paralysis to one hand will be immune to paralysis to the other hand the next
turn.  If a wizard is hit by a paralysis spell to both hands, neither will
affect him.  If the subject of this spell is a monster, it will not attack
the turn that Paralysis is cast.  Exception: Elementals are immune.  The
affect of Paralysis lasts one turn unless made Permanent.  If the target of
a Paralysis spell is also the target of Amnesia, Charm Monster, Charm
Person, or Fear, this spell will have no effect.

Fear[S-W-D]: If the target of this spell is a wizard, then the turn after
the Fear spell is cast this wizard may not perform a C, D, F, or S gesture.
This spell has no effect on monsters.  If the target of Fear is also the
target of Amnesia, Confusion, Charm Person, Charm Monster, or Paralysis, the
spell has no effect.

Protection from Harm[W-W-P]: For the turn this spell is cast and the three
turns following, the target is protected as if the target of a shield spell.
The effect ends after three turns unless made Permanent.  Multiple spells
of this type may overlap without additional effect.

Resist Heat[W-W-F-P]: The turn that this spell is cast and each turn
thereafter, its target is immune to Fireball, Fire Storm, and Fire Elemental
attacks.  If the target is a Fire Elemental, it is nuetralized.

Resist Cold[S-S-F-P]: The turn that this spell is cast and each turn
thereafter, its target is immune to Iceball, Ice Storm, and Ice Elemental
attacks.  If the target is an Ice elemental, it is neutralised.

Disease[D-S-F-F-F-C]: The target of this spell will die at the end of six
turns unless Remove Enchantment or Cure Heavy Wounds is cast at him and
not cancelled or a Dispell Magic is cast.

Poison[D-W-W-F-W-D]: The target of this spell will die at the end of six
turns unless Remove Enchantment is cast at him and not cancelled or a
Dispell Magic is cast.

Blindness[D-W-F-F-(d]: On the turn this spell is cast and three turns
afterwards, its target is blind and cannot see what gestures other wizards
make or know of any spell or attack which does not damage him.  He will
not know the damage status of other wizards or whether his own spells are
effective, but can target other wizards normally.  A monster which is blinded
will be destoryed immediatly and will not attack the turn it is blinded.

Invisibilty[P-P-(w-(s]: On the three turns after this spell is cast, the
target is invisible and gestures made by the target are secret.  Monsters
(including elementals) may not attack the target while he is invisible
(though they may be directed at him in the hope that a Remove Enchantment
will make him visible prematurely)  Wizards can still stab and direct spells
at him normally.  If a monster is made invisible it is destroyed immediately
without attacking the turn invisibility is cast.

===========
Alterations
===========

Alteration spells affect the flow of the game, and/or alter the effects of
other spells.  They are thwarted by Remove Enchantment, and are affected
by Counter-Spell and Dispell Magic the same way Enchantments are..

Haste[P-W-P-W-W-C]: For the three turns following the casting of this spell,
the target may make two sets of gestures instead of one, and each set of
gestures may create spells.  If targeted by a Remove Enchantment spell which
is not cancelled, both sets of gestures will count during the turn that the
Remove Enchantment spell is cast, but only one set of gestures will be made
the following turn.  All spells created by Hastened players will take place
at the same time as other spells, regardless of which set of gestures created
the spell.

Time Stop[S-P-P-C]: The target of this spell immediately takes another turn
during which no other wizards or monster may move unless also affected by
Time Stop.  Beings not Time Stopped will not receive protection from any
Shield or Protection From Harm spell, though Resist Heat and Resist Cold
will work normally.  Time Stopped monsters are controlled normally, even
if their controller is not Time Stopped.

Delayed Effect[D-W-S-S-S-P]: If the target of this spell is a wizard and the
wizard casts a spell during that turn or the next three, then the first such
spell cast may be Delayed (by specifying the special target "delay") and
will not take effect until the wizard decides to (by specifying the spell as
if it were cast by a third hand).  Only one spell may Delayed by the same
wizard, and the Delayed spell will be ruined if Dispell Magic is cast of the
target of the Delay spell is hit by a Remove Enchantment spell.  If a Remove
Enchantment hit the tager of the Delayed Effect spell between the casting of
a Delayed Effect and the casting of the spell to be Delayed, the Delayed
Effect spell is ruined and has no effect.

Permanency[S-P-F-P-S-D-W]: If the target of this spell is a wizard and he
casts an enchantment on the same turn or one of the next three, the first
such spell cast me be made Permanent such that it lasts until a Remove
Enchantment is cast upon the target of the enchantment or the enchantment is
ruined by a conflicting enchantment.  If two enchantments are made at the
same time while a Permanency spell is in effect, the target of the
Permanency spell must specify which is made Permanent.  If a Remove
Enchantment Spell hits the target of the Permanency spell between the time
the Permanency spell is cast and the time the Enchantment is made Permanent,
the Permanency spell is riuned and has no effect.

Spells in Forward Order
-----------------------
C-D-P-W          Dispel magic               P-S-D-F         Charm person
C-S-W-W-S        Summon elemental           P-S-F-W         Summon ogre
C-(w             Magic mirror               P-W-P-F-S-S-S-D Finger of death
D-F-F-D-D        Lightning bolt             P-W-P-W-W-C     Haste
D-F-P-W          Cure heavy wounds          S-D             Missile
D-F-W            Cure light wounds          S-F-W           Summon goblin
D-P-P            Amnesia                    S-P-F           Anti-spell
D-S-F            Confusion                  S-P-F-P-S-D-W   Permanency
D-S-F-F-F-C      Disease                    S-P-P-C         Time stop
D-W-F-F-(d       Blindness                  S-S-F-P         Resist cold
D-W-S-S-S-P      Delayed effect             S-W-D           Fear
D-W-W-F-W-C      Raise dead                 S-W-W-C         Fire storm
D-W-W-F-W-D      Poison                     W-D-D-C   +     Lightning bolt
F-F-F            Paralysis                  W-F-P           Cause light wounds
F-P-S-F-W        Summon troll               W-F-P-S-F-W     Summon giant
F-S-S-D-D        Fireball                   W-P-F-D         Cause heavy wounds
P                Shield                     W-P-P           Counter-spell
(p   !           Surrender                  W-S-S-C         Ice storm
P-D-W-P          Remove enchantment         W-W-F-P         Resist heat
P-P-(w-(s        Invisibility               W-W-P           Protection from harm
P-S-D-D          Charm monster              W-W-S           Counter-spell

!   This is not a spell
+   Each wizard may use this spell once per battle, then the gestures have no
effect.

Spells in Reverse Order
(read your last few gestures backwards to see if you've made a spell)
-----------------------
C-D-D-W   +      Lightning bolt             (p   !          Surrender
C-F-F-F-S-D      Disease                    P-F-S-S         Resist cold
C-P-P-S          Time Stop                  P-F-W           Cause Light wounds
C-S-S-W          Ice storm                  P-F-W-W         Resist heat
C-W-F-W-W-D      Raise dead                 P-P-D           Amnesia
C-W-W-P-W-P      Haste                      P-P-W           Counter spell
C-W-W-S          Fire storm                 P-S-S-S-W-D     Delayed effect
D-D-F-F-D        Lightning bolt             P-W-D-P         Remove enchantment
D-D-S-P          Charm monster              P-W-W           Protection from harm
D-D-S-S-F        Fireball                   (s-(w-P-P       Invisibility
(d-F-F-W-D       Blindness                  S-W-W           Counter-spell
D-F-P-W          Cause heavy wounds         S-W-W-S-C       Summon elemental
D-S              Missile                    (w-C            Magic mirror
D-S-S-S-F-P-W-P  Finger of death            W-D-S-P-F-P-S   Permanency
D-W-F-W-W-D      Poison                     W-F-D           Cure light wounds
D-W-S            Fear                       W-F-S           Summon goblin
F-D-S-P          Charm person               W-F-S-P         Summon ogre
F-F-F            Paralysis                  W-F-S-P-F       Summon troll
F-P-S            Anti-spell                 W-F-S-P-F-W     Summon giant
F-S-D            Confusion                  W-D-D-C         Dispel magic
P                Shield                     W-P-F-D         Cure heavy wounds

References

Waving Hands (Spellcaster)
nexus@ylum.cgd.ucar.edu (Jeff Berry)
Tue, 06 Apr 1993 21:42:27 +0000