In the cyberpunk-fantasy world of Shadowrun, characters are particularly unfazed by the unusual blending of magic with everyday technology. And in their rather odd future, cyber heists and sci-fi corporate espionage often become embedded with rather strange magical occurrences. In the context of the Shadowrun Trilogy, players have access to a rather expansive slate of magical powers and spells that they could use to turn the tide of battle.
With these in mind, it helps to understand that each Shadowrun game does have its fair share of ideal spells that almost all parties should have. And with the right build, these spells can ensure maximum havoc in almost any battlefield the player may plan on entering.
Best Spells In Shadowrun Returns
Being the first game in the Shadowrun series, it makes sense for Shadowrun Returns to include perhaps the bare necessities with regards to spell selection in the game. However, contrary to more explosive options, players of this entry might want to consider tapping into the game’s more stat-based meta.
Heal Wound
- Status: Heal damage from the last attack
- AP Cost: 1
- Cooldown: 2 Rounds
Similar to combat-heavy RPGs like Cyberpunk, healing spells in Shadowrun almost always work better than a damaging spell, and such is the case of Heal Wound from Shadowrun Returns and even in Shadowrun: Dragonfall. Interestingly enough, players do need to take the name of the spell rather literally, as when cast, Heal Wound only heals all damage from the recent damage the player took.
As such, this spell is at its most efficient when used to heal against large hits rather than small ones. It also helps to take note that using this after taking full-auto, burst fire, and a double shot will only heal the most recent damage.
Aim
- Status: +12, +15, +18% Accuracy
- Duration: 2, 4, 6 Rounds
- AP Cost: 1
- Cooldown: 2 Rounds
In a game like Shadowrun Returns where firearms form a core aspect of the combat, it makes sense for players to want to ensure the shots of their Shadowrun Elf character hit the enemies as often as possible. Due to this necessity, it helps if players upgrade the Aim spell to its best level, as it can boost Accuracy from +12% to up to +18%.
While Aim effects don’t necessarily stack, it does stack with the benefit of Mark Target, allowing ranged characters to perform exceptionally well at long range. This greatly helps at higher difficulties, considering how enemies get exponential boosts to their stats.
Mind Wipe
- Status: Ignores enemies
- Duration: 2 Rounds
- AP Cost: 2
- Cooldown: 3 Rounds
Sometimes, the best spells in a tactical RPG aren’t always the damaging ones. In higher difficulties of Shadowrun games, sometimes buying time to build up an arsenal or heal up can be a lifesaver compared to a powerful spell. This is the case of Mind Wipe, which essentially forces a target to ignore all enemies for up to two rounds.
When used efficiently, this can give players enough time to destroy or at least reduce mobs while elite bosses are stunned and taken out of the picture. And considering its three-round Cooldown, players need only to survive another Round before taking that same boss down for a doozy once more.
Best Spells In Shadowrun: Dragonfall
Given how Shadowrun: Dragonfall started as a DLC of the first game, it makes sense for the latter’s spells to be included in this version. In turn, players might want to instead augment their arsenal with other useful spells, this time involving defensive boosts to ensure survival in this expansion with smarter AI.
Armor
- Status: +2, +4, +6 Armor
- Duration: Until combat ends
- AP Cost: 1
- Cooldown: 2 Rounds
With multiple combat options available in Shadowrun: Dragonfall, it makes sense for players to want to boost their defenses as much as possible. In higher difficulties in this Shadowrun game, it might seem as though getting hit a few times can mean death.
As such, a spell as potent as Armor might be necessary due to its innate armor boost. At its core, Armor can provide as much as extra +2 to +6 Armor for a total of 10 Armor, which can become a huge deal in terms of defense against the game’s toughest foes. Considering its low AP cost and two-round Cooldown, this is easily a spammable support spell to help outlast enemies.
Strip Armor
- Status: -2, -4, -6 Armor to enemies
- AP Cost: 1
- Cooldown: 1 Round
One of the most important aspects of combat in any RPG like Shadowrun is to ensure attacks hit enemies. In higher difficulties of Shadowrun: Dragonfall, missing an enemy means a wasted round and leaves players open to counters with no way to strike back.
As such, one of the best ways to ensure combat domination is through ensuring attacks almost always hit foes, and Strip Armor is one such method. At maximum level, Strip Armor can remove up to -6 Armor from opponents, making them extremely vulnerable against most attacks and tear through their ranks much faster.
Flamethrower
- Status: 30 HP Damage
- AP Cost: 1
- Cooldown: 2 Rounds
When it comes to RPGs like Shadowrun: Dragonfall, players know that damaging AOE spells from spellcasters among the Shadowrun Classes are best to eliminate multiple opponents at once. However, an inherent weakness of an AOE spell is reduced damage to compensate for being able to hit multiple targets.
In this particular Shadowrun title, it’s perhaps a single-target spell like Flamethrower that could help instead. Higher-level monsters especially in higher difficulties could be defeated much faster with the single-drop 30 HP Damage of Flamethrower compared to lower-damage values of other AOE spells, making this quite a spectacular addition to one’s arsenal.
Best Spells In Shadowrun: Hong Kong
Considered the most expansive game in the cyberpunk game franchise, Shadowrun: Hong Kong boasts more customization and equally more dynamic combat situations for players. Given how the spell list from the previous games carries over to this Shadowrun installment, players may want to find the fastest way to eliminate mobs and bosses to prevail in this game.
Blindness
- Status: Cannot see or attack targets
- Duration: 2 Rounds
- AP Cost: 2
- Cooldown: 3 Rounds
Sometimes, the best defense is the best offense, and such is the case in the Shadowrun: Hong Kong game and its smarter AI. Given how some mobs and elites tend to pack stronger punches compared to their counterparts in the other Shadowrun RPGs, it helps to at least ensure enemies don’t attack players when they’re not ready.
This is where Blindness comes in, as it essentially forces enemies to not see anything and be unable to attack for as long as two rounds. Given its three-round cooldown, players simply have to outmaneuver their target for a whole round before blinding them again in order to spam this effect.
Powerbolt
- Status: 15 HP Damage
- AP Cost: 1
- Cooldown: 0
When mages have nowhere else to turn to, it’s Powerbolt that can save the day. Serving as the Shadowrun RPG’s version of the Magic Missile of Dungeons & Dragons, the Powerbolt spell is always at the ready and doesn’t possess any cooldowns.
This ensures that mages always have a spell to cast, even if the rest of their repertoire is on cooldown. Although more powerful spells exist compared to Powerbolt, the sheer efficiency of a max-level Powerbolt makes this a must-have for spellcasters who want to be extra careful.
Chain Lightning
- Status: 16 HP Damage, -1 AP
- AP Cost: 1
- Cooldown: 2 Rounds
When it comes to debilitating AOE spells, players may need damaging spells with more creative ways of reaching opponents. In the Shadowrun: Hong Kong RPG, this can come in the form of Chain Lightning. Instead of just attacking a single opponent or a group of opponents, Chain Lightning instead seeks the next target within eight tiles of the first and a third target within six tiles of the second.
Compared to the likes of Fireball, Chain Lightning may allow players to reach further distances - nifty and useful, especially when against a few tough foes that end up far apart from each other than players desire.
Spell Focus: Life Siphon
- Status: 12 HP Damage
- AP Cost: 1
- Cooldown: 3 Rounds
As with other story-driven RPGs similar to Shadowrun: Hong Kong, some of the best spells in the game don’t necessarily dish out damage but instead work to the player’s advantage - such as lifesteal. Why settle for damaging an opponent when it can heal characters too?
In the case of this Shadowrun RPG, Spell Focus: Life Siphon works well as a go-to lifesteal spell, especially since damaged targets immediately heal the caster for 6 HP per round across two rounds. Not only that, this spell may pierce up to 4 Armor, allowing players to break through an opponent’s defenses rather quickly.
The Shadowrun Trilogy Remastered Edition arrived on the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, and PS5 on June 21, 2022.