SpellCast is a word game activity that can be played while members are in a voice channel. Up to 6 participants can join this activity at once. There is no age requirement for this game.
Description[]
It is a turn-based word game where players search for words on a 5x5 grid using a set of randomly generated letters. The game offers three distinct modes for players to choose from: New Game, 2 vs 2, and Adventure Mode.
In "New Game" mode, members in the same voice channel can play together. They can also add an unlimited number of bots to join the game. The player with the highest overall score at the end of five rounds emerges as the winner.
In "2v2" mode, two players in the same voice channel can team up and play against two random players online. The team with the highest cumulative score at the end of five rounds emerges as the victorious team.
The "Adventure Mode" is a single-player mode where the player can play across 50 levels against bots. Each level has its own gimmick or unique feature.
Mechanics[]
Each letter in the game carries a fixed point value when used to form a valid word.
| Letters | Point value |
|---|---|
| A, E, I, O | 1 |
| N, R, S, T | 2 |
| D, G, L | 3 |
| B, H, P, M, U, Y | 4 |
| C, F, V, W | 5 |
| K | 6 |
| J, X | 7 |
| Q, Z | 8 |
Example: "Bear" will give a total of 8 points.
Timer: If every player activates the timer, a 30-second time limit will be enforced on the current player's turn. If the time runs out, the turn will automatically pass to the next player. In the "2 vs 2" mode, only two players must press the timer to start regardless of which side. Players have the option to extend their time by spending one gem.
Double: When a "DL" appears at the corner of a letter, the points awarded for that letter are doubled.
Triple: When a "TL" appears at the corner of a letter, the points awarded for that letter are tripled.
Double Points: When a "2x" symbol appears at the corner of a letter with a pink frame, any words formed using that specific letter will grant double points. Note that the "3x" symbol can only appear in "Adventure Mode" and functions in a similar way.
Long Word Bonus: Whenever a word consisting of six letters or more is formed, a "Long Word!" prompt will be displayed, granting the player an additional 10 bonus points. It's important to note that the 2x bonus will not apply to the bonus points awarded for long words.
Coins: Players earn coins by winning games in the "2 vs 2" mode or by successfully completing levels in "Adventure Mode." These coins can be exclusively used to purchase potions in "Adventure Mode."
Gems: Each player begins the game with three gems. Gems can be obtained by using letters that contain a pink gem and successfully forming a word. Players can utilize gems to activate special abilities. Any unused gems at the end of the game will be converted into one point per gem. However, players can only accumulate a maximum of 10 gems at a time.
| Special ability | Gems cost | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Shuffle | 1 | Every existing letter on the board will be shuffled to a random location. Any bonus on that letter stays. |
| Swap | 3 | Replace a letter on the board to another letter of your choice. |
| Hint | 4 | The game immediately provides a random valid word. |
"2 vs 2" Strategies[]
- Always keep gems above 3. This ensures you have the chance to swap a letter in any round for optimal points, especially crucial during the last round. The more gems you keep, the better; but make sure to use your gems wisely for better points, as the bonus points at the end are sometimes worthless.
- Never use the hint ability at the cost of 4 gems. Although it can sometimes provide useful words for a decent amount of points, it is often considered unreliable for veterans as it may overlook the "double points" tile.
- In the first round, it is ideal to hunt for gems while aiming to score long words, as the "double points" tile appears in the next rounds. The first round may also demoralize your opponents if you get a decent headstart.
- Always aim for the "double points" tile. In rare circumstances, you may avoid it only to hunt for gems or if there's a better option, but usually, common sense dictates going for it.
- The shuffle ability is useful in cases when you either have fewer than 3 gems or can't find a strong word. However, it could be very risky. It's usually advised to use it at the start of your turn rather than when the timer starts, as you get more time to look.
- It's normally not optimal to use gems to extend time, but sometimes it can happen. When it does, make sure to only use one (and not spam it) when the timer is about to end to make it worthwhile. It would not be wise to extend time if you have exactly 3 gems, as that prevents you from swapping, which is far more important.
- Sometimes the "DL" tile can be worth looking at. If you're lucky, use that to your advantage, especially for letters that give more points.
- Always strive for words longer than 6 letters, as it gives a 10 bonus points (the "double points" tile does not affect this bonus). Also always choose path that gives the most gems.
- When finding a word, try to score at least 30 points each round, more than 50 points ideally.
- Try to find words ending with "ing", "ed", or "s" as it could give extra points and even works sometimes without the need to quickly google to confirm.
sometimes a bot will get points for a word that does not exist (Goier does not exist but a bot got 8 points for it on a game I played, it’s also not a valid word for scrabble games) and there is no report option when that happens