View source for Wings of the Soaring Wind

'''Wings Of The Soaring Wind''' is a [[Canon|canonical]] [[Creo|Cr]][[Auram|Au]] [[Spell level|level]] 30 [[Spell|spell]] introduced in [[ArM5]].<ref>''[[Ars Magica Fifth Edition]]'', p. 126, "''Wings of the Soaring Wind''"</ref> Its [[Range]], [[Duration]], and [[Target]] are:

'''R''': Touch, '''D''': Conc, '''T''': Ind

== Opinion and Commentary ==
By virtue of being the only flying spell in the core book, this is by default the standard [[Hermetic]] means of flying. It seems quite uncomfortable, however, and as a [[Creo]] [[Rego]] [[Auram]] [[level]] 30 effect is also difficult to achieve. The need for [[concentration]] means that this effect is better invested in magical items, that would be able to reliably maintain concentration. Since the effect directs air currents rather than the magus directly, a variant may plausibly push a small sailing boat or a small group of people.

=== Potential Difficulties ===
Since the spell affects wind and not the caster, the wind might arguably need to penetrate the caster's own [[Magic Resistance]]. That would be problematic, since it would be very difficult under Fifth Edition rules to suppress one's [[Parma Magica]]<ref>''[[Ars Magica Fifth Edition]]'', p. 66, "Parma Magica"</ref> while maintaining concentration<ref>''[[Ars Magica Fifth Edition]]'', p. 82, "Concentration Table" (inset)</ref> on the spell. This may be an editorial oversight, as it would significantly weaken the spell. An easy way to work around that problem is through an ''ad hoc'' [[house rule]] that this particular spell doesn't need to penetrate.

=== An Alternative ===
Note that using the Fifth Edition [[spell guideline]]s, a [[Rego]] [[Corpus]] [[level]] 25 (or 20, at Personal [[Range | range]]: Base 15<ref>''[[Ars Magica Fifth Edition]]'', p. 134, Rego Corpus guidelines, errataed to allow even unsupported movement</ref>, +1 for duration) spell would move the magus directly, allowing him to fly. This is both a lower-level and a two-arts spell (with no requisite), so it is plausibly a much better candidate for the Order's standard flying spell. As of Transforming Mythic Europe <ref>''[[Transforming Mythic Europe]]'', p. 111, "Mercury’s Winged Sandals"</ref>, such a spell moves a person as fast as a horse can run, which is written to be about 40mph, as fast as Wings of the Soaring Wind.

== References ==
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[[Category:Orphan]]
[[Category:Spells]]