Spells

Spells are the defining feature of Anichess. Each has its own effect, mana cost, and cast limit per game. Some are subtle; others are game-ending. The full list is below, but you don’t need to know them all at once. Start with a few and build your loadout over time.

You begin with five unlocked spells. Others can be earned through progression.

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There are 13 spells available in Anichess Alpha

Parkour Mech

Permanently transform a piece (excluding King and Queen) into a Knight. Counts as a move. Cost: 3 Mana | Limit: 2 casts

Imposter

Swap a piece with an opponent’s piece of the same type, except for pawns and kings. The spell counts as one move. Cost: 5 Mana | Limit: 3 cast

Shot in the Dark

Turn a piece invisible for 1 turn (excluding the Queen). You may move it or leave it. If any piece enters or passes through its square, it is captured. Cost: 3 Mana | Limit: 2 casts

House Recruit

Create a Pawn on an empty square between the 3rd and 6th ranks. Counts as a move. Cost: 4 Mana | Limit: 3 casts

Bis-Hop 2.0

Leap your bishop over one piece in its path. The spell can be cast to capture the first piece it encounters. Cost: 4 Mana | Limit: 3 cast

Queen Time

Allows a knight, bishop, or rook to move like a queen once during your turn. The piece can capture during this move (excluding king). Cost: 7 Mana | Limit: 1 cast

Slip

Move a pawn, knight, or rook diagonally to an adjacent square once during your turn, steal one Mana from opponent. It cannot be cast to capture a piece. Cost: 1 Mana | Limit: 5 casts

Juke

Move a Pawn, Knight, or Bishop vertically by 1 square (no capture). Steals 1 Mana from your opponent. Cost: 1 Mana | Limit: 6 casts

Shift

Move a Pawn, Knight, or Rook horizontally by 1 square (no capture). Steals 1 Mana from your opponent. Cost: 1 Mana | Limit: 6 casts

Pengu Dive

Teleport one of your pieces (excluding Pawns) to an empty square within a 5x5 area around it. Counts as a move. Cost: 3 Mana | Limit: 5 casts

Tactical Necessity

Sacrifice a piece to destroy an opponent's lower-rank piece (excluding the King). Counts as a move. Cost: 1 Mana | Limit: 5 casts

Pounce And Purr

Leap a piece to an adjacent empty square. Then, stun one opponent piece within one square of the landing spot (excluding King) for 1 turn. Cost: 4 Mana | Limit: 3 casts.

Transcendence

Transcend the boundaries of the physical realm, allowing a piece to harmoniously traverse the board's left and right edges once. Can capture. Cost: 4 Mana | Limit: 3 casts.

After completing Scherif’s Introduction, players will start with 5 core spells unlocked: Slip, Parkour Mech, House Recruit, Bis-Hop and Imposter. The remaining spells can be unlocked by completing in-game missions.