Liminal Games posted the next update for The Memory of Eldurim that previews the games magic system, and comes with some new screenshots also.

An Aside About Spells

We want to implement a lot of spells. More importantly we want to implement a lot of unique spells. Of course many of the spells that we put in will have been done before in other games but that's not what we mean. What we mean is that we don't want to have every spell from every sphere be just copies of each other.

Here's what we mean: Right now you can cast burning hands. This is a melee range fast damaging spell that leaves the target burning. Instead of creating greater burning hands, which is just the same spell with more damage. We would rather the original spell get better the more you use it, to the point where it is still a good spell at any point of the game, so long as you are looking for a melee range fast damaging spell.

Will we run out of ideas for spells then? No. If anything this gives us the chance to be far more creative. We could still make a ranged fast damaging spell, a melee ranged spell that does no initial damage but heavy damage over time, a melee spell that does less damage but is completely silent (when stealth is required), a melee spell that does a single burst of massive damage with a long cool down, and variations that add negative attributes to the target or what have you.

This all goes into our combat system a more interactive event. Not only the in the way you click, but in the way you think before you start clicking. We want you to build your character to have the abilities you want and need to make your gaming experience personal and very fun.