There are several spells, such as the Sprite Swarm, that have the Wizard coding language. Such as 55+525 , Summon minion if (fist) (bomb) (something yellowish). I'm well aware that we have an icon dictionary (however, most of these symbols are not in there. There are several cards with multiple symbols like this. When in battle, you don't have time to look the symbols up anyway. Is there not a way that you can keep the symbols, but when you hover your mouse over the card, when the card gets bigger, make the card longer also and give us actual words in place of the symbols on the card itself?
I (briefly) looked through Final Bastion's description - a valiant effort - but it is still like trying to learn a new language. It is still way too confusing. Here's an example, I just randomly scrolled the page to 4 spells and there is no way to know what they do. Sprite Swarm/Tranquility and King Artorius/Oni's Projection. I am not asking for an explanation to those cards; I am saying that many people will not understand it without proper full descriptions or seeing it in action. What everyone in-the-know thinks is that everyone else knows what they know. Not everyone played or plays other games and not everyone was born in the same century.
On another note - the PvP only symbol. Sometimes we can and sometimes we can't use those cards in house duels. Appears to be no rhyme or reason. I think this goes for Deckathalon as well. In house duels, some of those cards will not show. I am speaking of treasure cards btw (not sure about regular spell cards).
Is there a description for new Beastmoon spells anywhere?
Hmm, The final Bastion article seems to have missed one. If you look at several of the cards in the article, a few have an icon of what looks like a mirror a handle showing with a smiling face on it. I assume that this means "self", for example the effect would be to one's self. However, the article later on uses a different icon to represent self. So either this "mirror" icon was missed in the article, or it's an alternate way to express the "self" icon.
I have to agree with the overall sentiment. Im fine with using icons instead of words as it helps to use the limited spacing. However, with the invent of the hover over ability, many of these icons are now pointless. Why not just do spell cards like you have gear? You can left click and see a blown out version, with plenty of room for descriptions? Im not talking in your deck during a fight though, Im talking in your spellbook where you choose what spells to put in your deck.
Also contributing to description misunderstandings is:
So many Beastmoon spells are not working as they are supposed to. How can we ever know or trust what a spell really does when this is happening right now?
I agree. Though there has been some confusion that's been resolved in the last few years, I feel like every new spell I see nowadays I need to look up on the Wiki to know exactly how it works. Common examples include Taunt, Pacify and Confusion statuses which aren't explained in-game, and a LOT of Beastmoon spells.
Some spells have ambiguity related to the order in which effects happen, some spells have unclear backslashes, some spells have unclear intended targets (looking at you Mark of Moirai).
There's sometimes inconsistent format too, which makes icon definitions impossible to ascertain. For example, Frost Giant has the "Enemy" symbol (Red Devil with Horns and Yellow Eyes). Since other spells use that symbol to signify single target enemies, we assume Frost Giant is a AoE spell based off of the fact that it has a Yellow Sigil symbol instead of a closed fist symbol in its bottom right square.
And yet, Snow Angel, a similar AoE, has both a Yellow Sigil symbol and a "All Enemies" symbol (3 red devils). Why the inconsistency?
The current state of affairs for spells is flawed and I hope Kingsisle looks into this with careful analysis. Spells are a core and fundamental concept to Wizard101, and having it still be this problematic more than a decade later is strange.
I agree. Though there has been some confusion that's been resolved in the last few years, I feel like every new spell I see nowadays I need to look up on the Wiki to know exactly how it works. Common examples include Taunt, Pacify and Confusion statuses which aren't explained in-game, and a LOT of Beastmoon spells.
Some spells have ambiguity related to the order in which effects happen, some spells have unclear backslashes, some spells have unclear intended targets (looking at you Mark of Moirai).
There's sometimes inconsistent format too, which makes icon definitions impossible to ascertain. For example, Frost Giant has the "Enemy" symbol (Red Devil with Horns and Yellow Eyes). Since other spells use that symbol to signify single target enemies, we assume Frost Giant is a AoE spell based off of the fact that it has a Yellow Sigil symbol instead of a closed fist symbol in its bottom right square.
And yet, Snow Angel, a similar AoE, has both a Yellow Sigil symbol and a "All Enemies" symbol (3 red devils). Why the inconsistency?
The current state of affairs for spells is flawed and I hope Kingsisle looks into this with careful analysis. Spells are a core and fundamental concept to Wizard101, and having it still be this problematic more than a decade later is strange.
To even further expand on this, here are some more examples:
Weakness has the charm icon instead of the curse icon
All dispels have the charm icon instead of the dispel icon. Except Ice Dispel. For some reason, Ice Dispel is the only Dispel in the game with the Curse icon as the type. Why are the others one not the same?
Feint has the ward icon when it should have the jinx icon like other traps
The icons with Red, Blue and Yellow/Purple circles mean "Fire, Ice and Storm damage" as noted in the Icon Dictionary of the Help section. The icons with Green/Brown, Black and Yellow/Blue circles mean "Life, Death and Myth damage." So in what context, does Evil Snowman's second spellwrighting branch ever make sense? "-45% damage ward if enemy is 'Fire, Ice and Storm damage' 'Life, Death and Myth damage'"? I'm guessing someone thought they would use those icons to describe the element of an enemy? But they didn't bother to reference the Help section, or change it to match what it should actually mean?
Frostfeather is a Global type spell, but it is 100% a damage spell first, with setting a global as a SECONDARY effect. So it should be marked as a Damage type spell. That's how its targeting works.
Frost Beetle spellwrighting has the wording "-20% damage ward" as a secondary effect. Yet most wards in the game have "-X% next incoming damage spell". Except for mono shields like Myth Shield which just say "-80% to next Myth Damage spell". AH but among the exceptions, there is Snow Shield, which, for whatever reason, reads: "-80% next Inc. Ice Damage spell"
The Shadow type spells are missing from the Help section.
Ice Armor and Pixie still use the "Self" word (In two distinct ways mind you) when the "Caster (Self)" Icon exists instead.
Prisms are marked as Manipulation types and are never mentioned as Jinxes (negative wards). However, spells like Tranquility still clears them. They should be marked as a Jinx in my opinion.
Drain spells are in a weird spot. There's an unnecessary icon "Damage or Drain" only Tower Shield uses (But Abominable Weaver could also use, but doesn't for whatever reason). However, this distinction is unnecessary: all hanging effects treat Damage and Drain the same, with the exception of Absorb wards. Death traps still trigger on Drain, so do Balance Blades and Hex/Curse, even if these spells specify the fist symbol. Frost Beetle Spellwright 2nd Branch mentions a -25% DAMAGE Ward, but it also blocks Drain. So why is there a "Damage or Drain" icon? It creates a false precedent about how Drain works.
Supercharge just says "+10% Blade per pip Self Only", without mentioning the type of blade it is.
Frosty Eye pet's Blinding Freeze spell has the "Enemy" icon but it actually stuns every enemy, not just one.
There are several spells, such as the Sprite Swarm, that have the Wizard coding language. Such as 55+525 , Summon minion if (fist) (bomb) (something yellowish). I'm well aware that we have an icon dictionary (however, most of these symbols are not in there. There are several cards with multiple symbols like this. When in battle, you don't have time to look the symbols up anyway. Is there not a way that you can keep the symbols, but when you hover your mouse over the card, when the card gets bigger, make the card longer also and give us actual words in place of the symbols on the card itself?
Evelyn Alexis Silverdust, and others
Oh gosh yes, KI needs to make the current spell symbology clear. The spellemental pathways are gibberish. The new community manager should publish a guide explaining for those of us who didn't take advanced hieroglyphics what everything means
, Summon 
minion if (fist) (bomb) (something yellowish). I'm well aware that we have an icon dictionary (however, most of these symbols are not in there. There are several cards with multiple symbols like this. When in battle, you don't have time to look the symbols up anyway. Is there not a way that you can keep the symbols, but when you hover your mouse over the card, when the card gets bigger, make the card longer also and give us actual words in place of the symbols on the card itself?
