Tutorial 7

Tutorial 7: The Magic Shield (Status / Active Effect Triggers)

Goal: Let's create a magical barrier that physically appears on the canvas when a character casts a shield spell. We are going to create an Overlay that automatically applies a visual effect whenever a token gains the "Magic Shield" status, and removes itself when the spell ends.

Prerequisites

• Role: Game Master (We are making this a Global rule for all tokens)
• Required Modules: Visage, Sequencer and either an animation library like JB2A or your own animation asset.

Concepts Covered

• Creating a Status automation condition
• Using core Foundry Status Effects
• Triggering Visages based on "Active" or "Inactive" states

Step-by-Step Guide

Phase 1: Creating the Shield Visuals

1. Create a New Visage: Open the Global Library and create a new Visage.
2. Set the Metadata: Name it "Magic Shield" and set the Mode to Overlay.
3. Set the Appearance: Switch to the Effects tab.
   • If you have Sequencer/JB2A: Click Add Visual, open the Inspector, and paste a shield animation path (e.g., jb2a.shield.01.loop.blue). Set it to loop.
   • If you do not have Sequencer: Toggle on the Dynamic Ring and set its colour to a bright, glowing blue.

Phase 2: The Status Condition

1. Open the Automation Tab: In the Visage Editor, click the Automation tab.
2. Enable Automation: Click the Enable Automation toggle at the top.
3. Add a Condition: Click the Add Status button. A new condition card will appear. Click it to open the Inspector.
4. Configure the Status:
   • Status ID: Click the dropdown. This menu contains all the core status effects built into your game system. Scroll down and select Magic Shield.
   • Operator: Make sure this is set to Is Applied. This tells Visage: "Apply this Overlay when the Magic Shield status becomes active."
5. Save: Save your Visage.

Testing It Out

1. Check the Canvas: Make sure you have a token on the canvas.
2. Apply the Status Effect: Right-click the token to open the core Foundry Token HUD. Click the Assign Status Effects icon (usually a person surrounded by an aura) and click the Magic Shield icon to apply it to the token.
3. Watch the Canvas: As soon as the status icon appears on the token, Visage will instantly detect it and apply your effect.
4. Remove the Status: Open the Token HUD again and toggle the Magic Shield status off. The visual overlay will immediately vanish.

Pro-Tips & Creative Ideas

• Active Effects: What if your system uses an active effect that isn't in the standard dropdown list? No problem. The dropdown automatically populates with any Active Effects that are currently applied to the token you are looking at. You can also leave the dropdown blank and manually type the exact name of the effect into the Custom Status Name box.
• The "Inactive" Operator: You can use the Operator dropdown to trigger a Visage when a status is removed. For example, you could create a one-time "Shatter" visual effect that plays specifically when the Magic Shield status becomes Inactive!