MAGIC & INCANTATIONS
How to Cast Spells in Expedition: Into Darkness
All 11 current Expedition: Into Darkness Demo spells: input sequences, effects, required schools and gem setups for a staff or tome.
VERSION SCOPE
Written for Steam Demo 1.0.10 · Build 25803784
- Official patch released
- Guide checked
- Applies when
- Your game shows Build 25803784
If your game shows a different Build, treat numbers, item relationships and map conditions here as version-limited and check the version page before relying on them. Check database version
QUICK ANSWER
The tool and its gems provide schools; the direction sequence chooses the spell.
Equip a Crowned Staff or A Toastmaster’s Tome and socket gems to add missing schools. Your character starts with 2 safe incantation slots; skills can increase that number. Gem sockets do not increase it.
SPELL QUICK REFERENCE
All 11 Demo Spells: Inputs, Schools & Effects
Crowned Staff · 1 gem socket · Built in: Astralism
The gem column shows one way to supply the missing schools. You also need enough safe incantation slots: the base character has 2.
| Spell & effect | Input / safe slots | Required schools | Gem to add |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starlight Summons an orbiting light that follows the caster for 300 seconds. Damage, range & cost
Illumination; not a damage spell. | ↑1 safe slot | SchoolsAstralism | Gem to addNo gem needed |
| Minor Aetherbolt Launches an arcane projectile that bursts on impact. Damage, range & cost
Magic | ↑ ↑2 safe slots | SchoolsAstralism | Gem to addNo gem needed |
| Minor Aetherbolt Launches a ground-following projectile that bursts on impact. It shares its displayed name with the ↑ ↑ spell; use the → → sequence for this version. Damage, range & cost
Magic | → →2 safe slots | SchoolsElementalism | Gem to addVerdigris Emerald |
| Aetherbolt Launches an arcane projectile. Its base hit damage and radius match Minor Aetherbolt. Damage, range & cost
Magic | ↑ ↑ ↑3 safe slots | SchoolsAstralism | Gem to addNo gem needed |
| Flamebolt Launches a seeking projectile that explodes on impact. Damage, range & cost
Impact damage; no separate fire or burning effect on this impact. | → → →3 safe slots | SchoolsElementalism | Gem to addVerdigris Emerald |
| Frostbolt Launches a seeking frost projectile that explodes on impact. Damage, range & cost
Frost | → ← ←3 safe slots | SchoolsElementalism, Aethermancy | Gem to addBlood-Diamond Brilliant |
| Levinbolt Launches a lightning projectile that explodes on impact. Damage, range & cost
Impact damage; no separate Static damage property on this impact. | → ↓ ↓3 safe slots | SchoolsElementalism, Sanguimancy | Gem to addCarbuncle Cabochon |
| Congelation Creates a frost shock around the caster. Damage, range & cost
Frost | ↑ ↑ ↑ ←4 safe slots | SchoolsAstralism, Aethermancy, Elementalism | Gem to addBlood-Diamond Brilliant |
| Flamebreath Sends a burst of flame forward; its impact explodes and applies burning. Damage, range & cost
Impact plus burning: 15 damage per tick, once per second, for 3 seconds. | → → → ↑4 safe slots | SchoolsElementalism, Astralism | Gem to addVerdigris Emerald |
| Stupefaction Creates a nearby radial shock that pushes affected targets. Damage, range & cost
Impact damage | ↑ ↑ ↑ ↑4 safe slots | SchoolsAstralism, Aethermancy | Gem to addMage's Amethyst |
| Calcination Sweeps a scorching area forward and applies burning to targets it hits. Damage, range & cost
Initial hit plus burning: 15 damage per tick, once per second, for 3 seconds. | → → ← ↑ →5 safe slots | SchoolsElementalism, Aethermancy, Astralism | Gem to addBlood-Diamond Brilliant |
Which schools does each gem add?
Socket the gem in your casting tool. ↑ Astralism · → Elementalism · ↓ Sanguimancy · ← Aethermancy. The symbols below are available directions, not a spell sequence.
- Void-Star IntaglioAethermancy, Astralism← ↑
- Blood-Diamond BrilliantAethermancy, Astralism, Elementalism, Sanguimancy← ↑ → ↓
- Garnet NoduleSanguimancy↓
- Emerald SolitaireElementalism, Astralism→ ↑
- Carbuncle CabochonSanguimancy, Elementalism↓ →
- Star-Fall SapphireAstralism↑
- Verdigris EmeraldElementalism→
- Mage's AmethystAethermancy←
- Hollow Amethyst IntaglioAethermancy, Sanguimancy← ↓
- Blood Meridian SolitaireAethermancy, Astralism, Elementalism, Sanguimancy← ↑ → ↓
WHAT TO DO
Begin with a conduit, not a loose gem
A conduit is the item you equip and use to prepare an incantation. Crowned Staff and A Toastmaster’s Tome can both fill that role. Socketed gems add schools to the conduit, but finding a gem alone does not make every spell available.
Draw the conduit, enter directions with your magic-direction controls and use Attack to cast. Block clears the prepared sequence. If you changed bindings, follow the control settings shown by your game rather than a fixed keyboard assumption.
WHAT TO DO
Match schools to every symbol
A Crowned Staff needs no gem for Starlight (↑) or Minor Aetherbolt (↑ ↑). Flamebolt (→ → →) needs Elementalism. A spell can also require a school not shown by its arrows: Stupefaction uses only ↑, but needs both Astralism and Aethermancy. Follow the required-schools column.
Open the conduit’s interactive spell section and select gems. The page recalculates which spells are unlocked, which are blocked by a missing school, and which exceed the safe slot count. This is more reliable than assuming a gem’s rarity means it supports more spells.
WHAT TO DO
Safe slots and schools solve different problems
The base character starts with two safe incantation slots. Skill bonuses can increase this number. A conduit may supply every required school while the spell still needs more symbols than you can prepare safely.
Symbols beyond the safe slots can change while preparing the cast. If the final sequence does not match a spell, the game can produce a random spell. Separate the question ‘can I enter these schools?’ from ‘can I hold this many symbols safely?’ before taking a long incantation into a fight.
WHAT TO DO
Test one known spell at a time
Choose the shortest spell supported by the conduit and current safe slots, confirm its sequence on the item page, then test it in a safe situation. Only after that should you add a gem or try a longer mixed-school sequence. This makes a failure easier to diagnose.
Spell pages list the damage, range, duration and requirements currently available for that spell. Before casting, still check the target, terrain and teammate positions around you. Give area and lingering effects extra room during the first test.
OPEN RELATED PAGECharacter skill treeBEFORE THE NEXT RUN
Check these four things before you leave
- Equip and draw a conduit shown on the item page.
- Match every direction to an available school.
- Keep the sequence within safe slots when possible.
- Test the shortest known spell before adding complexity.
One last check before you leave
Check inventory counts, remaining durability, learned recipes, quest progress, random spawns and whether the intended route is open. Doing this before spending materials or setting off can save a wasted trip.