The Black Book
The Black Book is your main instrument in battle. It is a powerful artifact that lets you manage your own deck of spells and combine them together for additional effects. The book has several seals, each one unlocked after a certain stage of the game is reached, thus letting you use progressively more powerful spells.
Your starting deck, which will grow much larger over time.
As your mastery of the dark arts grows, you will be able to use more cards during your turn and compound their effects better. During your travels, you will be able to get new spells by winning or buying them.
The combat itself is arranged in turns; in most cases, Vasilisa takes the first turn by using different spells, or pages, of the Black Book, and then her enemies make their move, each casting their own spell or ability.
Offense
The night is dark but your words are darker, just like the Black pages you recite to inflict damage. Offensive spells come in many flavors, with a whole variety of unique effects. Even the toughest enemies that strike despair into the heart of seasoned witches will fall...if you play your cards right. Twist, churn, bend, and set enemies ablaze — they will regret daring to cross your path.
Out of many unique effects you can utilize in battle, a few deserve some spotlight:
- Vampirism
- Damage-over-time
- Curses that prevent positive effects
- Damage to all enemies
- Berserk spells
Black pages often synergize together to form truly fearsome zagovors. Take caution, however, some spells are so terrible and vile, casting them leaves a mark on your soul, pushing you closer to the abyss...
Defense
Fiercer than any beast, your enemies are born of Hell and seek to inflict misery, pain, and death. Without protection, you won’t last long in a battle against even a weak demon, much less so against more powerful beings. To protect yourself, the Black Book has White pages — blessings, wards, and words of light — all of which you can use to shield yourself from harm.
Again, the effects are many and I wouldn’t want to spoil the fun; here’s a little of what you can expect to buff yourself with during battles:
- Damage absorption
- Effect boosters
- Card swapping
- Temporary invincibility
- Status effect reversal
You will have to seek a balance between offense and defense, point out the weak spots in your enemy’s behavior, and time your cards right.
Consumables
The magic of the world is not within one’s soul only — it is within every living being. The earth provides, and you should take — herbs, roots, leaves, and flowers, each with its own magical effect you often wouldn’t find elsewhere.
Consumable items often provide a crucial edge in tough fights, and maybe the only thing standing between you and certain death. Stock up at the herbalist, or seek these items on your own during your many travels around Cherdyn.
Artifacts
If herbs siphon magic from the ground, various artifacts have concentrated it from humans and spirits alike, becoming ever so potent in their magical capacity. Upon your travels, you will come across many trinkets, charms, and items of magical power that will prove to be extremely useful in and outside combat.
...trinkets and baubles, paid for in gold...
Keep a watchful eye for the items of value, and don’t forget that any time you happen to visit a fair, there is a merchant with the most curious goods near one of the stands.
Discover your own approach to dealing with danger while playing as Vasilisa in Black Book! Prepare ahead of your journey with herbs and trinkets, form a deck of cards strong enough to slay a god, and venture out in the dark of the night.
Cherdyn awaits!
