Effect Types
Effect types classify sorcery by what the operation actually does in the world. Where other axes ask 'how does it fire,' 'what carries it,' and 'where does the power come from,' this axis asks 'what is the spell for.' Six canonical effect types cover most operations: curse, blessing, binding, divination, transformation, and mind influence.
Each effect type has its own character, its own cost profile, and its own counter-design. The same effect can be carried through multiple structures, mediums, and origins — but the effect type itself shapes what the operation feels like in the world.
On this page we walk all six effect types together — what each is, when each is used, and how to read which effect a given spell belongs to.
This page covers the major effect-type categories, the differences between them, and how the effect classification is used in practice.
Core characteristics
The defining properties that set this category apart from others.
- Output-centricSplits sorcery by what the spell actually does.
- Counter-awareEach effect type has its own counter-design.
- Cross-axisThe same effect can use different structures, mediums, and origins.
- Six canonical typesCurse, blessing, binding, divination, transformation, mind.
How it differs from neighboring categories
Even within the same family, each category has a distinct character. Comparing side by side is the fastest way to grasp the differences.
Effect Types
What the sorcery operation actually does.
Activation Structures
How the operation fires.
Medium Types
What carries the operation.
Pact Origins
Where the power comes from.
When effect types help
Best when you need to understand what a spell is actually for.
- Reading a spellIdentifying what an operation actually does.
- Counter-designDesigning how to break or counter an effect.
- Effect-checkingVerifying whether the operation matches the practitioner's stated intent.
- CategorizationSorting a sorcerer's repertoire by effect.
The six effect types
MoonWiki uses six canonical effect types.
Curse
Inflicting persistent harm or misfortune.
Blessing
Granting persistent benefit or fortune.
Binding / Sealing
Restricting movement, agency, or capacity.
Divination
Revealing hidden information.
Transformation
Changing physical or essential form.
Mind influence
Affecting thought, perception, or memory.
Limits of effect classification
Effect doesn't answer every question.
- Origin-blindWhere the power comes from lives on the pact-origin page.
- Structure-blindHow the spell fires lives on the activation page.
- Hybrid effectsOperations that combine effects (curse + binding) are awkward to classify.
- Hidden combinationsOperations that combine effects (curse + binding, etc.) sit between effect categories.
Subcategories
How effect classification is used
Read each effect alongside its neighbors.
First, identify the dominant effect in the spell.
Then layer on the structure, medium, origin, and rank.
Finally, place the full spell into the work's broader sorcery system.
Digging deeper into effects
Open each effect directly.
Start with Curse and Blessing as the canonical mirror pair.
Move to Binding & Sealing for restriction operations.
Read Divination, Transformation, and Mind Influence for the rest.
Related reading
Documents that help place this category in its broader context. Start with the upper categories for systemic background, or jump straight to the works index to see how these ideas play out in specific stories.